FAA grounded all flights to Florida missed cruise

[Oak Hill Cruisers]

If you can't afford to pay the extra 10% of so for the insurance, you probably really can't afford the first 90% of the trip cost either.

 

Drink tabs on cruises usually far exceed the cost of an insurance policy.

 

Just sayin....

[Richard]

Don't blame the FAA, you were the problem. You should have taken steps to protect yourself in the event of a delay be it weather or whatever. If you had done the prudent thing you would have bought cruise insurance and left home a day early. I guess you didn't want to spend the extra few dollars for a night in Ft Lauderdale or the hundred or so for insurance. I guess you learned your lesson. I have NO SYMPHATY for anyone who does not use their head.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

I'm guessing it was Auctions America and how was it? Did you get anything or did you just go for the event?

.

 

We went for the event, but our friend scored a nice classic Thunderbird. :)

[Michael6913]

Sorry for your misfortune.

 

How did you find out 1000 people missed the ship?

 

Just saying.

 

Just wondering if you read your contract when spending $11,000.

 

Really dude u read that entire contract every time, certainly it would have been advisable to know cancellation policies no doubt about it, however, I cancel hotels all the time, get money back, I cancelled Southwest Airlines yesterday got every mile and penny back didn't ask any questions, we didn't make an all inclusive in Turks 3 years ago got 90% back, we miss a cruise due to FAA grounding flight I get zero. Regardless of what contract says, simply not right and something needs to be done. They can't keep u on Tarmac for more than an hour anymore, right policies were changed!!!!!!

[A&L_Ont]

We went for the event, but our friend scored a nice classic Thunderbird. :)

 

Sounds great. I checked out their consignments and they had a few interesting lots. Even better for you as you get to cruise in their car and pay none of the bills. :D

[Michael6913]

Don't blame the FAA, you were the problem. You should have taken steps to protect yourself in the event of a delay be it weather or whatever. If you had done the prudent thing you would have bought cruise insurance and left home a day early. I guess you didn't want to spend the extra few dollars for a night in Ft Lauderdale or the hundred or so for insurance. I guess you learned your lesson. I have NO SYMPHATY for anyone who does not use their head.

 

Your right we should have gone down day before, however if u look at all the posts around all sites cruise companies have been taking advantage of passengers for years, again regardless of policy there is a right and wrong way to handle these situations, I would hope you would agree. And, anytime you want to compare heads you let me know!

[Livvie]

You can board a plane leaving the US without a passport. Just need other accepted id. You can't come back by plane without one.

When flying to a foreign country from the US, our passports have always been scanned before boarding.

[cruisinfanatic]

Your right we should have gone down day before, however if u look at all the posts around all sites cruise companies have been taking advantage of passengers for years, again regardless of policy there is a right and wrong way to handle these situations, I would hope you would agree. And, anytime you want to compare heads you let me know!

All the cruise lines have the same policies. They've been that way since cruising began. It won't change. Insurance protects you in events that can't be anticipated.

[Langley Cruisers]

Your right we should have gone down day before, however if u look at all the posts around all sites cruise companies have been taking advantage of passengers for years, again regardless of policy there is a right and wrong way to handle these situations, I would hope you would agree....

 

Forgive me, but it was you who handled it wrong. I'm sorry - I know that's hard to swallow. Expensive lesson, indeed.

[A&L_Ont]

Really dude u read that entire contract every time, certainly it would have been advisable to know cancellation policies no doubt about it, however, I cancel hotels all the time, get money back, I cancelled Southwest Airlines yesterday got every mile and penny back didn't ask any questions, we didn't make an all inclusive in Turks 3 years ago got 90% back, we miss a cruise due to FAA grounding flight I get zero. Regardless of what contract says, simply not right and something needs to be done. They can't keep u on Tarmac for more than an hour anymore, right policies were changed!!!!!!

 

Dude, it sounds as though your luck has finally run out. A great starting point would be to read the contract. Second have the proper insurance. Thirdly if you travel by plane you all should have a passport even if you are only planning on flying in the US. If you all had passports you could have caught up with the ship.

 

If all but two of you had passports why didn't the rest of you continue on. Instead of losing $11,000 you'd only be out a smaller portion. It still isn't too late, and since you are looking for options why not continue without the two?

Edited April 3, 2016 by A&L_Ont

[Charles4515]

Really dude u read that entire contract every time, certainly it would have been advisable to know cancellation policies no doubt about it, however, I cancel hotels all the time, get money back, I cancelled Southwest Airlines yesterday got every mile and penny back didn't ask any questions, we didn't make an all inclusive in Turks 3 years ago got 90% back, we miss a cruise due to FAA grounding flight I get zero. Regardless of what contract says, simply not right and something needs to be done. They can't keep u on Tarmac for more than an hour anymore, right policies were changed!!!!!!

 

I for one certainly make sure to know the cancelation policy on any flight, hotel, resort or cruise. Heck, I have two cruises booked now and the cancellation policy is printed on my invoice. 100% of total price 0 to 14 days prior to sailing. You don't even have to read the contract to know the policy.

 

So you expect the cruise line to take the hit because you didn't buy insurance, didn't fly in a day early, and some did not have passports? Sorry dude, I don't blame the cruise line. The problem lies with you.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Charles4515

[internetwhiz]

Your right we should have gone down day before, however if u look at all the posts around all sites cruise companies have been taking advantage of passengers for years, again regardless of policy there is a right and wrong way to handle these situations, I would hope you would agree. And, anytime you want to compare heads you let me know!

 

 

 

The only thing they should have said in a nice way is "I hate to tell you but without trip insurance, you won't be receiving a refund."

[jagsfan]

Michael, thanks for posting again. Takes some gumption after all the comments. I don't think you'd get much more sympathy anywhere from seasoned cruisers. Possibly because a lot of us learned the ins and outs from bitter experience. If we're lucky, we learn here on Cruise Critic from others' experiences.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[Paul65]

Two lessons learned here, I hope.

 

Lesson three is that it's a good example of why a passport is better than a birth certificate, even if it's not needed most of the time. If everyone had a passport, the Option A of meeting the ship at its first port would have been more feasible.

 

I do feel for the OP, but I certainly don't feel that Royal Caribbean should be liable for something like this that is out of their control - particularly if it did involve on the order of 1000 passengers. This is the very reason that they recommend travel insurance, and it's really not fair to those who do pay for insurance, if everyone gets a refund, whether they had insurance or not.

[CI66774]

OP - so sorry this happened to you. I, too, would be bummed. That said, you gambled and lost. Lesson (expensive one) learned. I always get trip insurance for expensive cruises. You can ask the cruise line for a future cruise credit but more than likely it will be NO. Another lesson learned - always have a passport in hand. You will have to eat this and it won't taste good but you'll remember the flavor for many years and do things differently next time. Good luck!

[Michael6913]

I am constantly trying to get the word out on the various forums that no one can ever assume that there will not be a weather delay for flights to or from Florida at any time of the year.

 

As a peninsula, Florida has sea breezes and storms move in from both coasts, tropical air moving up from the south, and front moving down from the north.

 

It is common from airports to be closed on one coast and flights diverted to the other coast (and it is like dominoes as the storm moves across the state and the airports try to unstack the grounded planes before they are hit by the storm and closed down), or when they is a massive front moving over the entire state with thunderstorms, to completely close the air travel in the state.

 

We live in Florida and the only port we will drive to on the day of the cruise is Tampa as we are an hour away. Otherwise, we drive to the port the day before because one does not wish to be driving on the interstate during a heavy downpour.

 

Royal Caribbean does not owe a thing to the people who gambled with same day flights and lost the gamble.

 

And for those who don't think a passport is necessary and is going to cheap out with a birth certificate, a passport would have allowed them to fly to another port and save a part of the cruise.

 

Very interesting reading all of the responses I have received on this issue, I have to say I am a bit surprised. It is funny to me that we have turned into a society of nothing but "hedging your bets with insurance, trips, TVs, life, property, and almost anything u can think of, circuit city went of of biz 10 years ago but they showed a loss the last 5 years in products sales and a $90million dollar profit in insurance for those products. Really? As far as passports go my daughters passport expired in March she turns 18 on April 23 we didn't want another minor passport when she could get an adult passport in 22 days, cheap no, I could afford as many passports as they could issue just not smart. Whatever

[nbsjcruiser]

I'm reminded of a story a friend of mine told me. He grew up in China and was telling me about this fruit call Durian. It smells like garbage on a hot sunny day but tastes delicious. The problem he had with them is that they have a hard shell and spikes on the outside. At night when they had to go out to the outhouse to the bathroom they had to put on a hard hat or old army helmet because if it fell out of a tree and hit you in the head it would kill you. Now he could have gone out every night without one and probably he would have been ok but he elected for the insurance of a helmet at night because you just never know.

 

Same thing here and sadly its a common story. Yep 99 times out of a hundred (or in your case 7 out of 8) a person can travel without insurance and be fine and dandy. But the one time you miss out boy it really costs. I feel bad for you but insurance should be a necessity for everyone unless the loss of 11K is something you are not concerned with.

 

Hard lesson but there's not much you can do about it. The cruise ship could give you money back I suppose but then they have a cabin free that they lose revenue on - so its unfair to them to penalize them for a mistake you made.

 

Learn from it.

[Paul65]

Your right we should have gone down day before, however if u look at all the posts around all sites cruise companies have been taking advantage of passengers for years, again regardless of policy there is a right and wrong way to handle these situations, I would hope you would agree. And, anytime you want to compare heads you let me know!

 

What is your idea of the "right way" to handle something like this? Do you want us, as taxpayers to refund you, because it was a government agency that grounded the flights? Do you want RC to refund you, even though it was totally out of their control, and you did not purchase travel insurance?

 

One thing you can look into, if you haven't already, is whether the credit card you used to book the cruise includes any sort of travel insurance that would cover a situation like this. Some do offer that as a perk.

[Aquahound]

I could afford as many passports as they could issue...

 

Then you should have considered buying insurance or a hotel night in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Plus, the age for an adult passport is 16, not 18.

Edited April 3, 2016 by Aquahound

[PompeySailor]

Certainly been a busy thread for a 1st time poster;)

 

 

 

[Paul65]

Very interesting reading all of the responses I have received on this issue, I have to say I am a bit surprised. It is funny to me that we have turned into a society of nothing but "hedging your bets with insurance, trips, TVs, life, property, and almost anything u can think of, circuit city went of of biz 10 years ago but they showed a loss the last 5 years in products sales and a $90million dollar profit in insurance for those products. Really? As far as passports go my daughters passport expired in March she turns 18 on April 23 we didn't want another minor passport when she could get an adult passport in 22 days, cheap no, I could afford as many passports as they could issue just not smart. Whatever

 

I think it's fine to not want to hedge your bets with insurance, as long as you are ready to accept the risks. Not wanted to pay for the insurance, and wanting someone else to bail you out when things go wrong, is more of a societal problem, in my mind. You obviously don't agree, though.

[bouhunter]

Very interesting reading all of the responses I have received on this issue, I have to say I am a bit surprised. It is funny to me that we have turned into a society of nothing but "hedging your bets with insurance, trips, TVs, life, property, and almost anything u can think of, circuit city went of of biz 10 years ago but they showed a loss the last 5 years in products sales and a $90million dollar profit in insurance for those products. Really? As far as passports go my daughters passport expired in March she turns 18 on April 23 we didn't want another minor passport when she could get an adult passport in 22 days, cheap no, I could afford as many passports as they could issue just not smart. Whatever

 

FYI we renewed my daughters passport a few months ago when she was 17. The new one expires in 10 years. I don't believe there is such a thing as "minor" and "adult" passports.

[reallyitsmema]

Very interesting reading all of the responses I have received on this issue, I have to say I am a bit surprised. It is funny to me that we have turned into a society of nothing but "hedging your bets with insurance, trips, TVs, life, property, and almost anything u can think of, circuit city went of of biz 10 years ago but they showed a loss the last 5 years in products sales and a $90million dollar profit in insurance for those products. Really? As far as passports go my daughters passport expired in March she turns 18 on April 23 we didn't want another minor passport when she could get an adult passport in 22 days, cheap no, I could afford as many passports as they could issue just not smart. Whatever

 

Your passport information is incorrect. A new passport is good for 10 years for a person who is 16 and up. Minor passports are for those 15 and under.

[BND]

FYI we renewed my daughters passport a few months ago when she was 17. The new one expires in 10 years. I don't believe there is such a thing as "minor" and "adult" passports.

 

Under, I believe 16 years of age, a passport is only good for 5 years, at least in the U.S.

[Livvie]

Your right we should have gone down day before, however if u look at all the posts around all sites cruise companies have been taking advantage of passengers for years, again regardless of policy there is a right and wrong way to handle these situations, I would hope you would agree. And, anytime you want to compare heads you let me know!

The right way to handle the situation would have been 1)make sure you had a passport, 2)buy travel insurance and 3)fly in the day before. Any one of those would have solved your situation.