How do an 87 and 89 year old get home from Freemantle?

[bennybear]

Kindergirl,  from what I’ve read there are hepa filters on the planes that make it safer.   

 

I would talk to your parents and see how they feel.  Emotionally, they may just want to get home.  Sometimes we just want to step in,  but if they were well enough cognitively to embark on a world cruise they most definitely need to be consulted.

 

Also check their medical, we just got notification yesterday that our coverage for covid ends in 10 days as Canada has a do not travel advisory.   

Best of luck!  

Edited March 14, 2020 by bennybear

[Kindergirl]

@bennybear Yes! They must be consulted. That is my goal and why I posted about getting them a message to have them call. We are brainstorming many ideas here but it is all dependent upon communicating with them. 
we will have to agree to disagree about the current safety of planes. 
Thanks for your message and the reminder that they may just want to get home. It helps 🙂

[Kindergirl]

@seaoma thank you for those. I tried the number direct to the ship but not these. Will do so now. Cheers. 

[seaoma]

@Kindergirl  Another idea and I hope I'm not stating the obvious, but do you know who their travel agent is or who helped them book the cruise? 

[bennybear]

I understand your concerns!   Probably will be whatever is the lesser of the evils and the realities of insurance.  Hope all goes well!  But remember they will likely be flying with the same shipmates they have been in contact with.

[janmcn]

FYI: Air New Zealand from Auckland to Los Angeles has a fantastic plane that has the best seats in all classes. An option for them...

[Roz]

I think you need to step back and see what arrangements HAL offers before interjecting yourself into this whole situation.  I know you're trying to help your parents, but you may unknowingly make the situation worse and it could end up costing you and your parents a lot of money.

[seaoma]

1 minute ago, Roz said:

I think you need to step back and see what arrangements HAL offers before interjecting yourself into this whole situation.  I know you're trying to help your parents, but you may unknowingly make the situation worse and it could end up costing you and your parents a lot of money.

 

I think she will fell much more comforted by just talking to them and getting a line of communication open.

 

She can get her plan in place and then when HAL comes through with their plan, both her parents and herself can make their decision with all the options on the table. It will not hurt to be prepared.

 

I do agree she seems a little frantic, but I attribute that to not being able to contact them. I can't say I wouldn't feel the same way.

[Roz]

I'm sure there are other people who have loved ones onboard that are trying to contact them.  I have trust in HAL that they're doing what they can to get passengers in touch with those back home.  There are over a thousand passengers onboard and it will take time.  

[Kindergirl]

I hear you @Roz and we aren’t doing anything until we hear what’s up from both them and HAL. Still, it’s hard to wait to make arrangements when they are so far and it will take me so long to get there, so I am exploring options. 
I am curious though, how will me inserting myself cost money? I have a blind spot when I am passionate about something, so I appreciate you pointing it out, I just need more details to avoid creating additional problems. 

[AncientWanderer]

12 minutes ago, janmcn said:

FYI: Air New Zealand from Auckland to Los Angeles has a fantastic plane that has the best seats in all classes. An option for them...

 

Exactly this.

We have found that flying from "Down Under" is a much more comfortable and civilized process than any other route we've experienced.  Perhaps because those in the southern hemisphere have to travel such long distances, it seems that great effort has gone into making the process A-OK.

In addition to that, my 87-year-old MIL still flies.  She requests wheelchair assistance and on all routes it has been a white-glove process.  The airports are ready to help.

Best wishes and good luck to the OP and all families impacted by this situation. 

[Kindergirl]

@seaoma thank you for your understanding and compassion. 
I will try to not appear frantic. I don’t feel that way, but I can see how it may appear so. I’m just a worried daughter who is now going to practice patience and believe that they will get in touch when they can. 
Thank you all!

[Roz]

HAL may pick up all or some of the cost of getting them home, or at least to North America.  If you go ahead and book flights or make a Cannonball Run across Canada, you may be on your own.  Charter flights may also be a possibility.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by Roz

[seaoma]

Just now, Roz said:

HAL may pick up all or some of the cost of getting them home, or at least to North America.  If you go ahead and book flights or make a Cannonball Run across Canada, you may be on your own.  

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe I'm projecting here, but I don't think the cost is what is the most concern to @Kindergirl  I feel she is wanting to get them home safely, without subjecting them to a long plane trip through multiple cities and increasing their chances of exposure to Covid-19.

[Kindergirl]

It’s true, the cost isn’t my concern but I see what you are getting at @Roz. I can’t do anything but wait now anyway. Patience is not my forte....perhaps you guessed. 
Thank you @seaoma

[gigianne]

If you tell Kathi your parents names (first or last) customer relations or the concierge in the Neptune Lounge will pass along a written message.  If you don't have her e address I do.  Gigianne22 at gmail dot com  if I can be the  go between you and Kathi just e me

Edited March 14, 2020 by gigianne

[iancal]

There may be a challenge with scheduled airlines.  Many are cancelling flights/reducing schedules because of lower customer volumes.  Last month’s flight schedules may not represent todays’s reality.

[bennybear]

It’s always wise to explore your options.  Air New Zealand, or Air Canada or via Hawaii all make sense.   I am a bit type A at times, and if you channel your energy into exploring what would be best options than you will be able to make a good decision when the time comes.  Perhaps HAL will have an even better option.  

Predict and prepare was always the mantra of a crisis team I was part of. Best of luck.  

[old mike]

Kindergirl

 Now would be the time to use some yoga techniques for breathing and relaxing.

Are you the individual registered as  the emergency contact for your parents? this could effect how the HAL systems may respond to enquiries from you. You state that your parents are not technically savvy, did someone help them print off their luggage tags and boarding pass, if so that person may well have a record of their cabin number.

Our observations over 6 years is that HAL have always been considerate, compassionate and eventually organized. They will not just dump your parents on the dockside to fend for themselves.

Edited March 14, 2020 by old mike

[conwakr]

Good point.  At their age they probably have someone in the family with legal authority and medical authority that can help make arrangements to get them home and speak on their behalf.   Although it does sound like the shortest flight would be to Vancouver and then hopefully family can take over and help them make their way home. I'm sure Hal would be supportive in helping with flights as much as they can and especially if the flights were part of their cruise package.  I am assuming since they took the cruise they are physically and mentally in pretty good shape so breaking up the long trek home into chunks with rest time in between might make sense.  Even better if someone can go from Australia to Canada with them or are they capable of navigating airports on their own?  I know some of those passengers just want to go back to Florida on the boat, but I just don't see that happening given the legal ramifications of the deals that were just made for the 30 day moratorium along with all the other things people have pointed out. 

[gatour]

4 hours ago, Kindergirl said:

That’s a very good point @LP Dad .  I don’t mind the drive, but it would be a lot for them. You are also right, I’m just trying to absorb and figure it all out. 

We could hunker down there perhaps.  But honestly at this point if HAL isn’t going to bring them back (although I believe we have the power to make that different by advocating to HAL, all of us) they might be best to wait it out there and I’ll go and help.

Kindergirl, there is no reason for us to "advocate" for them.  As a standard procedure, cruise lines work to get passengers back to their homes (or at least the home port, if it is roundtrip)when cruises are ended early and not at the destination port.

 

While it can be a  bit messy and confusing, in general they just don't abandon passengers in some foreign port.

[boards]

We had to leave the Noordam last November in Noumea, New Caledonia and was in the hospital there for eight days.  The port authority's, along with Hal helped us with our stay and in booking our return flights home.   All went well and our insurance took care of a lot of the extra expense.  We were very happy with how it was handled.   However, I do not want to do that again, so our cruising days are no doubt over, our ages being the most likely reason.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Kindergirl, do you have siblings or a spouse or kids who can help you deal with this? You're determined to fix this NOW in the way that YOU want. But the solution to the problem will take time, and will likely not be your first choice. 

 

[triplestar]

Hi,NZ is out as everyone arriving here has to self isolate for 14 days. Just hope for every ones sake that Australia doesn't follow suit. If you can I would have several contingency plans  in mind, in view of these ever changing times. I feel HAL must be aware of  the many headaches people are having &  will be working on the many problems ahead.

[farjar]

Canada does have an embassy in Perth.  Don't know what, if any, help they could be.  You may wish to send them an email and see if they have any suggestions. 

 

Address:

Canadian Honorary Consulate in Perth, Australia - 267, St.George's Terrace, 3rd Floor - Perth, WA 6000 - Australia

Telephone:

(+61) (8) 9322 7930

Fax:

 

E-mail:

canadaperth@bigpond.com