How long do you wait before giving up on waitlist?

[stiej]

I am currently #1 for every category on the may 28th Transatlantic on the Pacific princess. It leaves a week from Saturday. I've pretty much accepted it isn't looking good. When do you just let it go and start making other vacation plans?

[moki'smommy]

Not sure how soon you need to know, and not wishing bad luck on someone...but I've seen prime real estate on a ship become available 24 hours before a cruise. This was a situation where a family member became seriously ill and the remainder of the family chose to use their travel insurance and cancel.

 

The cabin was available for an upgrade at the port because the cruise line had not been able to sell it on such short notice.

[jennybenny]

Yikes!!

If it's something you really want to do, hold out hope you can still get on.

 

Then plan your back up vacation if you don't hear the day before the cruise?

[TracieABD]

Pack. Get ready. Then wait for the call. Also, if you have a TA- ask him/her to call.

 

We will keep our fingers crossed for you.

[fishywood]

Even on a ship with only 300-odd cabins, at least one of them for your cruise is currently reserved by someone who will suffer a sudden serious medical crisis or last minute family emergency between now and the 28th.

 

The issue for you is the equal likelihood that the unfortunate soul--who may have already learned of their fate--will wait until a day or two before the 28th to call Princess to cancel, hold out again all hope that they might make the cruise.

 

If you live close enough to Port Everglades that you can sail on a moment's notice, have your bags packed. If you are not a local, should you take the gamble to travel to Ft Lauderdale even if you haven't been notified of clearing the list? Depends on how much a gambler you are with the time money and effort that my guess is will pay off but quite possibly will not.

[Potstech]

I do hope you live real close to the port so you can get there quickly. You are getting great advise otherwise. Pack a bag, get your paperwork in lace and be ready to go.

[GUT2407]

I'd give up.

 

Then something might come up.

[paul929207]

What is your alternative? Can you continue to plan for both? And adjust when she sails with or without you?

[stiej]

I am in Georgia so I can get to ft Lauderdale with a 48 hours notice. I would rent a car and drive. I don't fly. My alternate plans include amtrak travel and the longer I wait the more sleeper options close. I wouldn't probably go to ft Lauderdale to just wait, so if I don't hear by the end of the weekend, that may be the end of my ocd planning tolerance.

Edited May 18, 2016 by stiej

[shredie]

I hope you make it. A TA on the Pacific Princess sounds like heaven to me. :)

[geocruiser]

I am in Georgia so I can get to ft Lauderdale with a 48 hours notice. I would rent a car and drive. I don't fly. My alternate plans include amtrak travel and the longer I wait the more sleeper options close. I wouldn't probably go to ft Lauderdale to just wait, so if I don't hear by the end of the weekend, that may be the end of my ocd planning tolerance.

 

You said you don't fly. Are you going to take a liner back from Europe?

[stiej]

Cunard qm2

[Coral]

Don't rely on someone calling you. Check the website several times a day.

 

I have been waitlisted before and saw the cabin listed as available and they never contacted me.

 

Do you know if the ship is over sold? That would be my first concern - are they offering move over offers to those on the ship.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Coral

[PescadoAmarillo]

Not to be a downer, but we were #1 on a wait list on the Pacific Princess a year ago. But at the same time the ship was still overlooked by 3 cabins the day before the cruise began. We did not make the cut and, though we had been on the previous cruise and were going to be on the next cruise, we had to disembark.

 

Then, on embarkation day evening but before the ship sailed the next day (this was in Papeete), a family group had an emergency and four cabins had to disembark. We were settled in a hotel across the street but no one on the ship knew exactly how to contact us. So the ship sailed with four empty cabins. And we spent ten days in Papeete.

 

The moral is that, though you're #1, the ship is likely overbooked. Princess is hoping that last minute cancellations will handle the overflow. You may not be first on the list.

 

ETA Sorry Coral. I see you said the same thing. I started my post and took a phone call so I didn't see had posted in the meantime.

Edited May 19, 2016 by PescadoAmarillo

[WupperAV]

"The first time you quit, it's hard. The second time, it gets easier.

The third time, you don't even have to think about it."

Bear Bryant

[geocruiser]

Cunard qm2

 

I hope you get a call from Princess. Coming back on QM2 is going to be wonderful. I would keep calling Princess and also look at other TA web sites. You never know a cabin might just show up.

Edited May 19, 2016 by geocruiser

[Thorpe]

Will you have to give up the return on QM2 as well if you don't get on? That would be horrible to miss out on 2 cruises :(

[stiej]

I didn't book qm2 yet bc of being in no cancellation stage but there was still availability on my ta back. It's an all or nothing so if this doesn't happen, we will do a land trip in the US. It will be fine either way.

[paul929207]

We had friends from our Roll Call on the South Pacific cruise last October. We had a drink with them the night before embarkation. The woman had heart problems the next morning, so they cancelled and flew home. I don't know if their cabin (a suite) was filled.

[Murphey]

Question...does the manifest have to be confirmed so many days prior to sailing? In the old days you could get on the sailing on embarkation day. But I seem to recall now it's a 72 hour cut off. But have really no idea, just curious.

[moki'smommy]

Question...does the manifest have to be confirmed so many days prior to sailing? In the old days you could get on the sailing on embarkation day. But I seem to recall now it's a 72 hour cut off. But have really no idea, just curious.

 

That's what the lines will tell you, and it seems that they do have to submit a preliminary manifest at that time. They also take the booking on line ability down then. BUT I can tell you that I have booked on Thursday for a Saturday departure. I have spoken with someone who claims to have booked the day before. This can only be done thru a phone call to the cruise line. I was also told that it was possible only because we were previous cruisers so had completed whatever security screening is required behind the scenes.

 

The manifest isn't final until boarding is complete--there are always people who might have to drop out.

[Murphey]

Velly, Velly interesting....! Wishing the OP good luck!

[Coral]

Question...does the manifest have to be confirmed so many days prior to sailing? In the old days you could get on the sailing on embarkation day. But I seem to recall now it's a 72 hour cut off. But have really no idea, just curious.

 

My TA says that she books people on lines the day before.

[VibeGuy]

I've cleared the wait list less than 24 hours out, and made an e to rely new booking 28 hours out.

[EZ2CY]

Question...does the manifest have to be confirmed so many days prior to sailing? In the old days you could get on the sailing on embarkation day. But I seem to recall now it's a 72 hour cut off. But have really no idea, just curious.

 

Don't know if it helps, but I just saw this on the Princess site about ships leaving from a US port:

 

"U.S. law requires cruise lines to transmit their passenger manifests to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security no later than 60 minutes prior to departure from the U.S. To comply, all guest information must be processed at least 90 minutes prior to the scheduled sailing time."

 

OP: Good luck! Hope you get to sail on the 28th!