Not a good way to start a holiday

[MJSailors]

    It was a very discouraging situation for you,but perhaps you were made aware of things that can go wrong with travel and be mindful of them for your next trip.

     This is a bit of hindsight being 20/20, but I am offering somethings to consider as a traveler with 40+ years of experience.

 Before leaving home, we confirm flights and hotel reservations. 

 We book well known hotel chains so we know that we can expect good accommodations and service because of past stays. We also participate in loyalty programs offered by  hotel companies including Fairmont, Marriott and Hilton. 

   We choose not to use hotel shuttles from an airport. Getting a cab is usually quicker and more comfortable for us.

   We book travel with a credit card that provides insurance covering expenses incurred for flight delay/ cancellation and  lost / damaged luggage for a nominal fee. We also book travel insurance for any cruise or land resort /tour packages.

    I hope you continuing travels are pleasant for you.

 

[TommyD3]

Like I always say, the hardest thing about any cruise vacation is getting to and from the ship!

Once onboard everything is wonderful !!!

If I never fly again it will be too soon !!!

 

Have a great cruise !!!

[di T]

19 hours ago, miched said:

You were fortunate that you were allowed back into the airport. 

 

Why couldn’t you have spent the night in the hotel lobby? 

 

Put it behind and don’t let any little petty thing upset you on your cruise.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

No problem getting back into the airport we were in the arrivals part so no security to go through! Thankfully they have a nice coffee place there open all night, we were amazed how many were ther sleeping on chairs while waiting for flights! I can’t sleep on planes let alone airport coffee shop😂Don’t think our hotel wanted us  in their reception but they did give us a lift back to the hotel and a bottle of water each😉Dianne

[di T]

Thanks for all the good wishes! We are on our second day on the beautiful Constellation I’m in Cafe al Bacio having an almond croissant and a cup of African Solstice! Had to try this tea after hearing about it and it’s really very nice😊We are at sea today and after a very early night are over the events of the last day or two.

Now looking forward to our B2B this ship is really like home to us! Good travels to you all. Dianne

[di T]

On 9/22/2019 at 8:16 AM, upwarduk said:

There may be more similar stories via the Thomas Cook saga.

 

13 hours ago, hcat said:

In rare instances when we use a third party like  hotels dot, etc, we always call direct to the property to make sure we have a vaild res...  Hope OP can place a dispute with credit card co.   Hotel  itself was chintzy not setting up a bed in a conf rm or some  extra space or let them stay in the lobby

 

Hope cruise is amazing and makes the start a distant memory

I’m in touch with my credit card people now, so hopefully will get the cash back! As for Thomas Cook! That’s awful for all those stranded and the ones disappointed in loosing their holidays! We travel every other month mostly cruises and I always book hotel and flights separate, guess we’ve been lucky this is the first time in over 40 years we’ve had anything like this happen, but hey it’s behind now just lucky to be able to enjoy so much travel! 

Big thanks again cruise critics ! 

[upwarduk]

I notice that both Celebrity & Royal Caribbean have notices on Social Media to say that passengers cruises are safe, but will be contacting people in departure date order if flights had been booked via Thomas Cook.

[trishtoro]

On 9/21/2019 at 8:57 PM, di T said:

Well the last 24hrs have been trying to say the least! Left our village by train at 9am yesterday(Saturday) to Manchester airport a beautiful warm, September day. Arrived a bit too early at the airport for our flight which should of took off at 18.10 said flight was delayed to 20:30, so we didn’t get through the airport in Barcelona until nearly midnight. Shuttle to our hotel didn’t come for over an hour, so when we were checking in we were worn out, then the receptionist said your room as been cancelled although I had paid it in full! The company I booked through had gone into liquidation a few days before , unknown to me.Now the hotel was full and so was any nearby hotels, so we went back to the airport and stopped up all night😞Will go to the port in a few hours and hopefully no more drama, think I’m gonna need these cruises more than ever! Dianne

I’m so sorry that happened to you! I’m on the same cruise....I can’t believe your hotel room was just canceled like that

 

Trish

[K.T.B.]

Di, you were far from alone in your difficulties:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/tour-company-thomas-cook-ceases-013726732.html

[miched]

3 hours ago, K.T.B. said:

Di, you were far from alone in your difficulties:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/tour-company-thomas-cook-ceases-013726732.html

 

It appears as if being big and in business a long time doesn’t guarantee anything.  

 

Feel for all all of those that are affected. 

 

What happened is one of the reasons that I pay as little up front as I can.   Cruise lines have done the same thing and X could be next.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[johnoli]

5 hours ago, di T said:

Thanks for all the good wishes! We are on our second day on the beautiful Constellation I’m in Cafe al Bacio having an almond croissant and a cup of African Solstice! Had to try this tea after hearing about it and it’s really very nice😊We are at sea today and after a very early night are over the events of the last day or two.

Now looking forward to our B2B this ship is really like home to us! Good travels to you all. Dianne

We got off Constellation yesterday. Absolutely love Al Bacio. Had coffee and a cake there everyday. No wonder my trousers don’t fit anymore. We had a fabulous cruise and hope you do as well. 

 

Are you at sea today then Cadiz tomorrow?. Have a brilliant time.

 

John

[cangelmd]

5 hours ago, trishtoro said:

I’m so sorry that happened to you! I’m on the same cruise....I can’t believe your hotel room was just canceled like that

 

Trish

The hotel reservation may have been cancelled because they arrived much later than expected.

Another take home lesson, if you flight plans change, especially if now won't arrive at your hotel until later at night, call and tell them you are still coming. I think it is fairly common for the hotel to assume you are a no-show after a certain time and if they are busy, as it sounds like Barcelona was, they will give your room away. I've had that happen in the states, but luckily there were other, not so nice rooms, so we did get to sleep and a refund.

 

So glad you made the ship, and recovered nicely from the stress - have a wonderful trip.

[gold1953]

21 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

The hotel reservation may have been cancelled because they arrived much later than expected.

Another take home lesson, if you flight plans change, especially if now won't arrive at your hotel until later at night, call and tell them you are still coming. I think it is fairly common for the hotel to assume you are a no-show after a certain time and if they are busy, as it sounds like Barcelona was, they will give your room away. I've had that happen in the states, but luckily there were other, not so nice rooms, so we did get to sleep and a refund.

 

So glad you made the ship, and recovered nicely from the stress - have a wonderful trip.

Not in this case . They said that the company they booked through shut down so the payment was not made

[dani negreanu]

OP,  sorry that's happened to you. Very frustrating to say the least. Enjoy your cruise to the fullest now!

I'm always letting the hotel know if we're late, or even if we'll have a "late arrival", just in case they plan to give my room later in the evening....

 

[miched]

On the Morning Show today they were talking about the Thomas Cook issue.

 

One of the things was to never use insurance issued by the same company and you should use a 3rd party.   With this advise passengers shouldn’t use the insurance by Celebrity.   It makes sense if the cruise line goes out of business.   Then again there is no guarantee the the insurance company doesn’t either.   

 

Nothing is safe.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

[ipeeinthepool]

24 minutes ago, miched said:

On the Morning Show today they were talking about the Thomas Cook issue.

 

One of the things was to never use insurance issued by the same company and you should use a 3rd party.   With this advise passengers shouldn’t use the insurance by Celebrity.   It makes sense if the cruise line goes out of business.   Then again there is no guarantee the the insurance company doesn’t either.   

 

Nothing is safe.

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

 

 

I thought there was another company, not Celebrity, that actually provided the insurance.  

[miched]

3 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I thought there was another company, not Celebrity, that actually provided the insurance.  

 

I don’t know who provides it but I think you pay Celebrity, and that is where the problems start.  The  company collects the money but then doesn’t pay the bill.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅