Has anyone ever missed the ship?

[Heather White]

Our flight (booked through Seabourn) lands about four hours from sailing time. Supposing there's a delay? I'm guessing that there are other Seabourn passengers on the flight.

[Roxburgh]

If the flight is booked through Seabourn then I suspect the ship would wait.

 

But I never ever arrive the same day as a sailing. I always arrive one or more days before.

[NC&KY]

At worst Seabourn will have to transport you to the next port to board the ship. But that may mean you miss seeing one or more ports. Like Roxburgh we always come in a day ahead.

 

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[sundial]

Years ago on a Regent cruise from Monte Carlo to Rome we missed our flight to Europe due to a security breach at the airport. We had to overnight in the US and fly out the next day to catch the ship in Barcelona. Since then we have always left at least a day early.

[Isklaar]

Silversea did this to our little travel group on our very first cruise.

One of my friends has posted about it here a few years ago.

We weren't even coming in on a direct flight, we had a connection from our local UK airport via LHR. We were flying to Barcelona. The flight was due to arrive at 2.15pm and the ship was leaving at 5pm. We also had to change terminals at LHR and only had a 50 minute connection!

Nerves were shredded by the time we arrived at the port, even though everything went smoothly on the day.

Sure, I knew that SS would have to get us to the next port if we missed the ship but I didn't want to lose a day of an expensive cruise!

Since then I always fly at least 2 days early for European departures and 3 days for distant destinations.

[rallydave]

Believe there is a common misconception among people taking cruises where the cruise line books the air portion for you of the cruise line's obligation to take care of getting you to the next port and covering the costs if you miss your ship. Used to travel on Regent with included air and their terms and conditions clearly cover this situation and disavow their obligation to cover delays at all. That said, they sometimes do cover the movement and costs but are not obligated to do that. Assume that is the same with most, if not all cruise lines so I questioned some of the above comments and took a look at Seabourn's Terms and Conditions.

 

Found they too just like Regent although not as clearly as air is not an included item for all passengers do not take any responsibility for airline delays among other items. I have pasted the applicable portions from the Seabourn T's and C's below:

 

• (G) Excursions, Shoreside Services and Other Transportation : All travel facilities, tours, activities, products or services, other than aboard Carrier’ s vessels and tenders or motorcoaches, dayboats and/or railcars owned or operated by us, provided in connection with, before, after or during Your Cruise, Land Trip(s) and/or Air Package, including but not limited to pre and post cruise activities, shore excursions, hotel accommodations, meals, or transportation of any kind by any vessel, aircraft, or other conveyance, including, but not limited to, air travel to and from the ship (including travel on the airline(s) used in the Air Package), are provided, owned and/or operated by independent contractors whose employees, facilities, conveyances, products and services are not subject to Carrier's supervision or control. In providing or selling reservations or tickets in connection with any such activities, services or transportation or by accompanying You during such activities, Carrier does so as a convenience to Guests and shall be entitled to impose a charge and earn a profit from the sale of such excursions, services or transportation, but does not undertake to supervise or control such independent contractors or their employees, conveyances or facilities. Carrier accepts no liability for any loss, delay, damage, injury, death, misrepresentation arising from any excursion, service or transportation or any loss, delay or disappointment for any cancellations of any excursion, service or transportation including but not limited to air flight cancellation(s), errors in seat reservation, upgrade, overbooking or ticketing. Carrier makes no warranty, either express or implied, regarding the suitability, safety, insurance or other aspects of any such contractors, transportation, tours, services, products or facilities. Any liability for such services will be governed by this Cruise Contract and the contracts and/or tariffs between You and such service companies. You agree that, Carrier's liability, if any for Non-Performance of any independent contractor providing such facilities or services shall not exceed the amounts received for such facility or services by Carrier on Your behalf. Any company or person providing services or facilities of any kind in connection with a shore excursion or other activity offered for purchase by Carrier shall have the benefit of every defense to which Carrier is entitled under this Cruise Contract.
  
• D. Liability and Relationship With Airlines: We will use our best efforts to arrange for Your air transportation. If, however, due to any cause beyond our control, we are unable to arrange for air transportation (including, for example, because of capacity controls placed upon us by airlines due to the types of fares under which we book) or the air transportation we arrange is unavailable or otherwise fails to materialize, our sole liability will be limited to refunding the air add-on paid or cruise only credit. Our relationship with airlines is that of an independent travel agent. We assume no liability for any acts or omissions of any airline including, without limitation, those involving cancellation of flights, schedule changes, re-routings, damage to or delay or loss of baggage, flight delays, equipment failures, accidents, pilot or other staff shortages, overbooking or computer errors. Accordingly, You will not have any right to claim or recover against us as a consequence of any act or omission of any airline. The liabilities and obligations of an airline to You, and Your rights against an airline, are subject to any and all terms and conditions of the airline's ticket and tariffs and any and all governmental laws and regulations bearing upon or otherwise relating to such rights, liabilities and obligations.
  

This is not to say Seabourn will not help you get to your next possible boarding port and/or cover your expenses however that is NOT a certainty as Seabourn has limited their liability regarding flight delays and the like from other companies. May you never have to have this problem but, better to know your legal remedies now.

[Isklaar]

For UK bookings, as I imagine the OP's is as their location shows as 'Surrey', the rules are slightly different WRT Seabourn's obligations to booked guests.

It depends on whether the booking has been booked as a 'Package' or not.

OP, if you booked in the UK, were your flights and cruise booked at the same time through SB direct or through a TA? If so that counts as a package and has extra protection. Check with your TA what SB would be obliged to do should there be a problem with your flights.

 

When we booked with SS as I posted above, it was a package that was booked and SS certainly was obliged to get us to the next port if we missed the ship because of problems with the flights and it wasn't our fault, eg if we had turned up late at the airport or boarding gate..

[tsavorite]

About seven years ago we were flying on the same day as the cruise from London to Rome FCO. Cannot think why we did so, we always fly at least one day before. And, of course, there was a transport workers' strike in Italy. The 8.00 am flight was cancelled. After a long time on the phone, we were rebooked on a flight that left around 12.30 (packed full as you would expect) and landed around 3.30. The only thing that kept us going was the knowledge that the ship was only sailing as far as Livorno that night, so we would be able to catch up the following day by road. As we struggled out of baggage reclaim, the Silversea agent exclaimed 'You don't know how glad I am to see you', and we were hurried to a limo that sped off to Civitavecchia. I remember the tyres squealing as we came down the last few turns to the port.

We made it - indeed muster had only just started. We learned that several other passengers had not been able to be put on the flight we took, but would arrive later that evening. However, the Sojourn was also in Civitavecchia and not sailing until later that evening (although also heading to Livorno), so all the other delayed passengers were accommodated overnight on Sojourn, and transferred to their own ship the following morning.

[Heather White]

For UK bookings, as I imagine the OP's is as their location shows as 'Surrey', the rules are slightly different WRT Seabourn's obligations to booked guests.

It depends on whether the booking has been booked as a 'Package' or not.

OP, if you booked in the UK, were your flights and cruise booked at the same time through SB direct or through a TA? If so that counts as a package and has extra protection. Check with your TA what SB would be obliged to do should there be a problem with your flights.

 

When we booked with SS as I posted above, it was a package that was booked and SS certainly was obliged to get us to the next port if we missed the ship because of problems with the flights and it wasn't our fault, eg if we had turned up late at the airport or boarding gate..

 

 

We booked direct with Seabourn and they arranged the flight as a package.

[galeforce9]

On our Seabourn trip to Alaska from the uk our Seabourn booked flights had us transferring on American in Dallas Fort Worth. The built in transfer time was around 90 minutes. Our plane arrived early. We had to pass through so many lines - luggage scan, us immigration, another security line, then a monorail to another terminal. I’d expressed concern to my travel agent at the time of booking and was told there would be no problem. We made the flight to anchorage with minutes to spare as all other passengers had boarded. My 75 year old father was shattered after having to run along corridors. We were all extremely stressed. Ok a bit off topic but I felt the need to share!

 

 

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[marazul]

Several years back we were sailing SB out of Athens. Sail time was at 5 pm. However, by 10 pm we were still on port. We were on deck when we saw a taxi pulling up to the gangplank. A young couple hurried out with a couple of small bags and the ship set sail about 10 minutes afterwards.

It turned out to be that the couple had been held up in Paris due to a strike and missed its original connection. Their flight was NOT booked through SB, however, SB waited for them to arrive.

BTW - their luggage did not arrive with them. SB gave them some credit at the shop and they were seen wearing SB logo clothing for a couple of days. Their luggage finally caught up with the ship three days later.

I would certainly not count on SB being able to wait at the port. It is best to fly in a day or two before.

[RustyRollock]

We always arrive at least 24 hours before embarkation and always book our own flights. I’ve heard too many stories about unnecessary stress and inconvenience caused by cutting it too fine, often even when Seabourn has organised the flights.

[rdmurray]

We tried to leave a day early to get to our Princess Cruise, but Boston snow had other plans. As we watched the falling snow close the airport, we got the best option out the next day. We made it on the boat around 330. I think all aboard was 430. It was scary, but we made it. There was one agent left in the terminal to check us in. I kept the cruise line in the loop. I don't know if they would have waited, but we weren't the only ones running late. The ship did not pull away at the time listed. It was 30-40 minutes later.

[suegrape]

Our flight (booked through Seabourn) lands about four hours from sailing time. Supposing there's a delay? I'm guessing that there are other Seabourn passengers on the flight.

 

 

 

Which ship/flights. We land4 hours before Saturday’s ovation departure. I booked through seabourn so I wasn’t concerned.

 

 

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[Heather White]

Which ship/flights. We land4 hours before Saturday’s ovation departure. I booked through seabourn so I wasn’t concerned.

 

 

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We are departing Athens on the Odyssey.

[Roxburgh]

We are departing Athens on the Odyssey.

 

Remember, it is a haul from the airport in Athens to the port.

[rallydave]

For UK bookings, as I imagine the OP's is as their location shows as 'Surrey', the rules are slightly different WRT Seabourn's obligations to booked guests.

It depends on whether the booking has been booked as a 'Package' or not.

OP, if you booked in the UK, were your flights and cruise booked at the same time through SB direct or through a TA? If so that counts as a package and has extra protection. Check with your TA what SB would be obliged to do should there be a problem with your flights.

 

When we booked with SS as I posted above, it was a package that was booked and SS certainly was obliged to get us to the next port if we missed the ship because of problems with the flights and it wasn't our fault, eg if we had turned up late at the airport or boarding gate..

 

Absolutely correct Isklaar, forgot about differences in bookings in different countries. My post was for the US T's and C's while the UK is different with cruise/air packages. Everybody needs to read the T's and C's and understand any country laws that might apply. Thanks for the correction but, it is true for US Customers that Seabourn and most other cruise lines are not responsible for flight delays and don't have to pay for and get you to the next port. Sometimes they do but is not a given in all cases.

[Isklaar]

Absolutely correct Isklaar, forgot about differences in bookings in different countries. My post was for the US T's and C's while the UK is different with cruise/air packages. Everybody needs to read the T's and C's and understand any country laws that might apply. Thanks for the correction but, it is true for US Customers that Seabourn and most other cruise lines are not responsible for flight delays and don't have to pay for and get you to the next port. Sometimes they do but is not a given in all cases.

 

I wasn't intending to correct you at all, just pointing out the difference because OP's location suggests that they are in the UK. (They may not be, of course). Absolutely agree about checking T and C which is why I suggested they check with their TA.

[Catlover54]

We missed our SS departure from Buenos

Aires on a holiday cruise a few years ago though I had flights arranged to get us there the day before the cruise. This is because AA cancelled our outbound from SFO four hours before the flight just as we were

dressing to meet our driver to the airport, due to bad weather in the city the plane was coming from. Due to Xmas , alternative seats were gone, in any travel class, including overhead compartment.

The SS TA who booked the cruise was on vacation and offices were closed. So DH and I each sat on our phone for four hours each, independently researching separate alternatives, to try and get us at least to the second port, Montevideo, and we notified the ship.

After a complex series of connections and transfers, all at our expense ( we had no trip insurance then, for the first time, as we booked the cruise with just a few weeks notice), we made the ship boarding ramp at its second port in Montevideo with fifteen minutes to spare, exhausted and drenched with sweat, thanks to an aggressive cab driver talking port security at that huge port into letting him through a locked gate so he could drive us right up to the ship.SS knew we were coming so was on lookout, but was not waiting, all others were already on board. That was our last chance, as next day was far out at sea and the subsequent port would be tricky to get to.

 

Since then we plan to arrive at least two days before. I would prefer three for distant places or holidays. I cannot deal with that kind of stress anymore, and also always am at airports early and read, in case a flight is changed and we need a sudden reroute, like when we did our South Africa cruise.

I had not been happy with SB offerings of flights from SFO and so we book our own. Everyone hates flying these days, even in business or F, and tight arrivals and connections make it worse. I prefer smoke-filled rooms and screaming kids to tight connections.

[markham]

Catlover54,

 

Your account of travel chaos is cautionary. You have experienced all of the stresses and disappointments possible!

 

Thank you for your effort. We can and will reduce the likelihood of problems by reaching the port of embarkation at least the day before if not two, and maybe a third day before one’s cruise in the case of winter months when airports get overwhelmed by bad weather.

 

Better luck - which you deserve - in the future!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Horsgrl]

Friends with whom we were traveling, missed their flight from City Airport London because of fog. Because of the itinerary, having 2 sea days, they arrived in Dubrovnik missing 4 days of the 10 day cruise. They were re routed to Moscow..a nightmare for them......I arranged with Rachael, the cruise director at the time, for someone from the ship to collect them at the airport...when they arrived, THE BAND was playing, balloons were everywhere and everyone was cheering for them. Seabourn was fantastic....and of course, it was the talk of the ship!

[Horsgrl]

Friends with whom we were traveling, missed their flight from City Airport London because of fog. Because of the itinerary, having 2 sea days, they arrived in Dubrovnik missing 4 days of the 10 day cruise. They were re routed to Moscow..a nightmare for them......I arranged with Rachael, the cruise director at the time, for someone from the ship to collect them at the airport...when they arrived, THE BAND was playing, balloons were everywhere and everyone was cheering for them. Seabourn was fantastic....and of course, it was the talk of the ship!

[Horsgrl]

:halo:Oh, so moral of the story is, we always give ourselves a minimum of 3 days in the city of ships departure.....

Edited July 6, 2018 by Horsgrl
Typo

[SLSD]

We give ourselves three days in the departure city as well.