Advice Needed: Family member not joining the cruise

[Eppe4]

Hi Tracy,

 

I'm so sorry for your loss, there is no good time to loose a parent.

 

We just returned from 2 weeks on the Caribbean Princess and we had 3 mini's booked. Our son got sick at the last minute and couldn't fly or make the cruise. There were still 2 people in the room instead of 3 but the gratuities were still charged to the room. I did go to the Passengers Service Deck but there was no way they would reverse the charge, probably because we had a large onboard credit for each cabin. So, each day he got charged even though he was home sick!

 

We did have insurance for the cruise and the air but they will not reimburse for the gratuities, nor should they! I do think if you notify Princess you will have to pay the single supplement, so maybe in this case, it's easier to deal with the gratuities.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Eppe4

[Steelers36]

That may be how people wish it would work, or maybe even what is

fair and ethical.

 

It does not mean that is how it actually works.

No matter how many times people post here how they think it should work.

 

In general, if one occupant cancels, a cruise line will charge the

other occupant a single supplement. This is usually 100% of

the single fare (not 200% as written in some earlier posts).

 

If both passengers have insurance, the insurance covers the

fare of the passenger who cancels, and the single supplement

of the remaining passenger.

 

 

If you are a cruise line, and you are in business to make money,

why would you not collect this money from the passenger's

insurance?

 

My comment/opinion still stands. Tracie (OP) has been advised by several posters to, in effect, lie to Princess in order to be treated fairly. It's just not right that if she was to advise them ahead of time, she (and son) suffer a huge financial penalty. But allowing a "no show" incident to occur avoids this.

 

I made my comment, BTW, with full understanding that there was no insurance involved. And, regardless of insurance, Princess has the monies from passenger since final payment date.

 

Lastly, the cruise line does not collect money from passenger insurance. The passenger is the beneficiary of the insurance policy. And, in this case, there was no insurance anyway.

 

Hope it works out for anyone in this situation to not pay approx 300% for one person. Unreal.

[beg3yrs]

There were still 2 people in the room instead of 3 but the gratuities were still charged to the room. I did go to the Passengers Service Deck but there was no way they would reverse the charge, probably because we had a large onboard credit for each cabin. So, each day he got charged even though he was home sick!

 

That's odd, I thought gratuities were always optional and one could simply go to the PSD and have them removed, no matter what ...

 

Has something changed?

[moki'smommy]

My comment/opinion still stands. Tracie (OP) has been advised by several posters to, in effect, lie to Princess in order to be treated fairly. It's just not right that if she was to advise them ahead of time, she (and son) suffer a huge financial penalty. But allowing a "no show" incident to occur avoids this.

 

Hope it works out for anyone in this situation to not pay approx 300% for one person. Unreal.

 

They don't have to lie unless directly questioned. They just don't volunteer information. It is not unusual for family members to arrive and check in separately.

[Eppe4]

That's odd, I thought gratuities were always optional and one could simply go to the PSD and have them removed, no matter what ...

 

Has something changed?

 

Nothing's changed and of course you could have had the gratuities removed, but we did not. I went to PSD to see what the charges were for and realized it was for our son. Our room stewards were taking wonderful care of 7 people, 2 of them teen aged boys! He more than earned the daily fees. We would have normally given more for great service, so as far as we were concerned, he earned it. Others may handle it differently.

[Hawka]

You enjoy it take lots of photos pick a night maybe to do a little minutes silence or something like that in her memory on the cruise I feel she will be with you every step if the way watching you enjoy it as that's what she would want you to do

[dcdisney]

I'm so sorry for your loss. The cruise lines charge the extra fee to make up for the money not spent by the non-traveler. They expect on average people will shop, drink, purchase food with an upcharge, use the spa, play the casino, take excursions, etc. We easily spend as much on board as we paid for the cruise and we don't drink much at all. Not that it makes it right to do this to bereaved families in my opinion but they are a business.

[okiebaugh]

Why not call Princess and ask them IF your mother is not able to make the trip last minute what will happen? Instead of getting wrong info here, or worrying about it I think I would call and ask the question as a hypothetical. In my opinion you would not be charged anything because the cabin is paid in full. You only pay a single supplement if you book a cabin for 1 person, and then you pay the price that 2 would have paid less the taxes. I knew two single ladies that were traveling together and one had to cancel. She got taxes back from the cruise line and the other lady did not have to pay any extra.

 

So sorry for the loss of your dear mother, and I hope your family is able to enjoy the cruise and celebrate her life.

[WISH84]

Hi Friends-

 

We have a cruise that leaves in 4 days. We originally booked (and paid for) 2 mini-suites. My DH and I were to occupy one suite. My mom and my DS were assigned to the other. I learned that my mother never purchased insurance for this cruise.

 

 

 

In July, my mother died. My DH, DS, and I plan to move forward with the cruise. We are actually taking a bit of my mom with us. We still have the two minis.

 

 

 

My question is what do we do at boarding? Obviously, my mom will not check in. What do we tell them at check-in? On the ship? etc...

 

 

 

We never removed her from the booking, as we would have lost her cruise fare and then would have had to pay the single suppliment for our son (as he will stay in his own cabin).

 

 

 

I am just getting worried that they are going to hit us with another fare at the port or on the ship.

 

 

 

Also, will we need to pay her gratuities? This is not really a problem, and we will be happy to do so, if required.

 

 

 

Is there anything else I am not thinking of?

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

Tracie-Lynn

 

 

Tracie, I didn't read through all of the responses and I presume you've already received enough advice.

 

However I had a cruise where in the last minute Dawn was not able to go. On advice of our TA, I went to the pier and advised them at check in my wife was unable to make the trip. There were no issues, no added fees and no fuss made at all. They gave me my card and told me to "do my best and have a great cruise even tho my wife was unable to attend"

 

I'm sure this will be the response by Princess on your boarding day. Have a great trip, remember Mom fondly and hope to hear about it upon your return.

[TracieABD]

Tracie, I didn't read through all of the responses and I presume you've already received enough advice.

 

However I had a cruise where in the last minute Dawn was not able to go. On advice of our TA, I went to the pier and advised them at check in my wife was unable to make the trip. There were no issues, no added fees and no fuss made at all. They gave me my card and told me to "do my best and have a great cruise even tho my wife was unable to attend"

 

I'm sure this will be the response by Princess on your boarding day. Have a great trip, remember Mom fondly and hope to hear about it upon your return.

 

Thank you, Jeff. That is exactly what I was looking for... someone who has "been there done that". I really appreciate your kind words. And I just might have a little something to say on these boards whilst I float on through the Panama Canal...

 

PS Thank you for your live from!

[rdsqrl]

Tracie, my friend, I don't have any words of experience-based wisdom to offer (although I agree with Jeff's comment above as being the course of action you should take). I do, however, want to extend a huge virtual hug to you, along with my most sincere condolences and sympathy for your loss. I hope this upcoming holiday cruise is filled with warmth and happiness and brings you all only joyful memories.

[tonit964]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my mom in 2013.

My situation last November was on Carnival not Princess.

 

My two adult kids were booked in a balcony. My daughter decided she didn't want to go. Although they had insurance, she wouldn't have been covered. We decided not to cancel her because they would implement the single supplement anyway.

 

My son checked in and told them she was arriving separately. Right before muster drill, he got a call in his cabin asking if she was coming, he said no. That was that. No other charges were billed and the port fees & taxes were refunded.

 

My vote to be on the safe side is just have her be a no show.

 

Enjoy your cruise. Your mom will be right there with you.:)

[pablo222]

It's just not right that if she was to advise them ahead of time, she (and son) suffer a huge financial penalty.

 

That's the way it works, right or not. There have been several

posts here by people who have been burned this way.

It doesn't matter what one wishes is right.

If you don't like the business practices of a business, simply don't do business with them.

 

 

Lastly, the cruise line does not collect money from passenger insurance. The passenger is the beneficiary of the insurance policy.

 

The cruise line ends up with the money for the single supplement.

When this happened to me, the money from insurance went directly

to the cruise line. I never received it.

[Steelers36]

That's the way it works, right or not. There have been several

posts here by people who have been burned this way.

It doesn't matter what one wishes is right.

If you don't like the business practices of a business, simply don't do business with them.

 

 

 

 

The cruise line ends up with the money for the single supplement.

When this happened to me, the money from insurance went directly

to the cruise line. I never received it.

 

Interesting. Never heard of that before.

[Steelers36]

That's the way it works, right or not. There have been several

posts here by people who have been burned this way.

It doesn't matter what one wishes is right.

If you don't like the business practices of a business, simply don't do business with them.

 

 

My point was it is illogical. Anyway, I understand what you are saying ... don't have to avoid doing business; just need to know how to WORK THE SYSTEM in your favor. ;):cool:

[cb at sea]

Just leave her as a no-show....she's been paid for,...so the ship doesn't care if ANY of you show.

[silverbird]

Would love to hear the outcome of this situation.

 

SilverBird

[rwstout]

Had something similar a few years back. Half our party decided not to join us at the last min because a death in their family. They did get refunded in the form of future cruise credit and we did not get charged more. They did not have insurance but we did as we booked with our american express card. In fat they called and canceled as we were driving to the port. We had one of our teen kids in there room So we ended up with two rooms.