Will the ship wait for 50 passengers?

[Lynnees]

for what you are being put through. The cruiseline is 100% to blame for this fiasco. Three flight changes from Toronto is stupid. Your TA is also lousy (to be kind). She isn't helping you at all nor is she even making an effort. I hope you don't use her again!!!

 

We have done cruise air once and will be doing it again for our up coming Tahitian cruise, however only from LAX to Tahiti and return. We are doing our own air from Buffalo to Lax and return. We have paid the deviation fee to fly early from LAX to Tahiti, however we will be in LAX 24 hours prior to our flight out of there.

 

I choose to handle the Buffalo - LA portion for several reasons. They wanted to make us fly from Toronto which is not convenient for us. Buffalo is. I wanted to pay in U.S. dollars and they didn't want to let me because again, they wanted us to fly from Toronto. I finally told them to book us from LAX and I'll deal with the rest.

 

But for domestic flights for cruises going out of U.S. ports - no way would I consider using cruise flight. I prefer to buy insurance and that way I get what I want.

[mississauga]

I don't think the organizers had any idea either until we met up last night. I blame the TA...she didn't appear to have a good understanding/knowledge of what was happening. People weren't TOO upset last night about our flight down... simply because we weren't told we would be arriving at 2:30.

People from the group were REALLY upset to find out many of us are on separate flights back...some with more than 1 stop. She couldn't even tell us if families would be together on the same flight...:eek: . She didn't bring that information with her, so we all have to wait until we can pick up our tickets this week...sigh!!:confused:

 

Thanks for all your input...I will try to "think happy thoughts" and visualize stepping on board in Ft. Lauderdale on March 11th!

 

If your flights were arranged by Princess, then don't worry about your 2:30 arrival in Fort Lauderdale. They will probably whisk you right to the ship from the airport. (good thing you will have gone through immigration in Toronto ). I just feel bad that you have to travel for 6 1/2 hours to get to Fort Lauderdale. Your TA will have to do some organizing....it is just NOT acceptable if family members have to travel on separate flights to come home.

 

Having said all that about your flights, enjoy your cruise and have a good time!!!

[cherylandtk]

We bought Princess air because it insures that the cruiseline gets us to the ship at either the embarkation point or 1st port of call if weather etc. impedes our arrival on time. (The cruiseline also pays to 'put us up' in a hotel at the ship's first port of call if our flight misses the ships departure.)

This assumption, while widespread, is incorrect. It is your Travel Insurance that gets you to the 1st port and/or puts you up in the hotel. Princess' contract specifically says:

 

18. CARRIER IS AGENT ONLY FOR OTHER TRANSPORTATION, EXCURSIONS AND SHORESIDE SERVICES.

In selling tickets (including coupons or vouchers) or otherwise making arrangements for air, land or local water transportation, or shore excursions, tours or shoreside accommodations and meals, Carrier acts only as an agent for other service companies who provide such services as independent contractors. You agree that Carrier will not be liable in any way for and You release Carrier from any loss, death, injury, delay, or damage to person or property or disappointment arising from or in connection with such services. Any liability for such services will be governed by the terms and conditions of the passage contract and the other contracts and/or tariffs between You and such service companies. A service company shall have the benefit of every defense to which Carrier is entitled under this Passage Contract.

That said, Princess is fairly well-known for stepping up and helping out stranded passengers who purchased their cruise insurance. They are not obligated in any way to do this, however.

 

As far as the ship waiting, Spongerob had the right answer. If they know you will be getting there soon, they do regularly wait for a group of delayed passengers. We once waited 2 hours for a busload arriving from Anchorage. They weigh a lot of factors to make that decision and it really cannot be predicted.

[mississauga]

Cruise line air is the number one complaint agents receive.

 

If you want to pick your flights, pay the air deviation fees and the upcharges for your desired flights.

 

Better yet, do your own air.

 

The cruiseline uses the cheapest routings they can find. It doesn't make a bit of difference to them if it takes 6 hours or 4, they pick the cheapest they can find. The air/sea department is a revenue producing department after all.

 

 

SO TRUE! I just checked the direct flights from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale via Air Canada for that weekend and there are still seats available. Why were you not booked on Air Canada? Probably because it was not the cheapest way to go.

Maybe arrange your own air next time as one of the previous replies indicated, it is your insurance that pays for you to get to the next port and your hotel if you miss the cruise, not the cruiseline.

[dennbr9]

Whenever anyone asks me about cruises, the first and most important thing I stress is that I ALWAYS fly in a day early. Less stress about weather, Luggage, and delays and you have had a good nights sleep. Plus, you are on the Ship by Noon or So having lunch and a cocktail instead of stressing out over problems.

 

Those in N.E. today would not have had a problem yesterday morning.

[Tejasice]

This assumption, while widespread, is incorrect. It is your Travel Insurance that gets you to the 1st port and/or puts you up in the hotel. Princess' contract specifically says:

 

18. CARRIER IS AGENT ONLY FOR OTHER TRANSPORTATION, EXCURSIONS AND SHORESIDE SERVICES.

In selling tickets (including coupons or vouchers) or otherwise making arrangements for air, land or local water transportation, or shore excursions, tours or shoreside accommodations and meals, Carrier acts only as an agent for other service companies who provide such services as independent contractors. You agree that Carrier will not be liable in any way for and You release Carrier from any loss, death, injury, delay, or damage to person or property or disappointment arising from or in connection with such services. Any liability for such services will be governed by the terms and conditions of the passage contract and the other contracts and/or tariffs between You and such service companies. A service company shall have the benefit of every defense to which Carrier is entitled under this Passage Contract.

 

That said, Princess is fairly well-known for stepping up and helping out stranded passengers who purchased their cruise insurance. They are not obligated in any way to do this, however.

 

As far as the ship waiting, Spongerob had the right answer. If they know you will be getting there soon, they do regularly wait for a group of delayed passengers. We once waited 2 hours for a busload arriving from Anchorage. They weigh a lot of factors to make that decision and it really cannot be predicted.

 

Thank you for this information... boy! my TA did a sell job on me. She 'inferred' that I needed to buy my flights through the cruise line "so they would ensure I got to the next port and was put up by them". Basically she made it sound like that was my only protection against weather etc. As for the insurance, she said "I would be on my own to collect from my insurance company" if I didn't buy my insurance from her. My guess is I'll be on my own regardless to collect a reimbursement because I am the one who will have to pay up front and file all my claims for reimbursement later. It is interesting that I did not get the "cruiseline" travel insurance from her, but rather the "American Express insurance" which her Travel agency is associated with. :rolleyes: :( I'm mad at my self here because this isn't my first cruise and I've heard from so many other passengers in the past about where to get good deals etc. I'm going to try not to last minute things next time and use this site better.

[tamil]

SO TRUE! I just checked the direct flights from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale via Air Canada for that weekend and there are still seats available. Why were you not booked on Air Canada? Probably because it was not the cheapest way to go.

Maybe arrange your own air next time as one of the previous replies indicated, it is your insurance that pays for you to get to the next port and your hotel if you miss the cruise, not the cruiseline.

 

Hindsight and all that...as mentioned previously, I did not do the planning for this cruise...am part of a large group. I was actually expecting that they would have booked a charter...being that we are 50+ passengers. Being a first-time cruiser, I was not aware that I even had the option of booking my own flight...was basically told..."here's the price and that includes air". IF there's a next time, I will definitely book my own air and leave a day early.

I also checked to purchase air...the direct flight from Air Canada is now priced at $2000+...a little too steep for me!

Oh well, live and learn...now to turn my focus to packing...gasp!

[Tejasice]

Starting today I'm putting the past behind me and concentrating on my upcoming fun now. :D You live and learn! I know what I'll do... when my DH retires, I'll take classes to get my travel agent license and we'll enjoy all the perks of the job without having to worry about earning the costs to support ourselves! ;) Sweet revenge!

[ilovetocruisetoo]

How can your business survive with 50 of it's employees being gone at the same time - wow! Our business would shut down - which may not be a bad thing - tee hee.

[mississauga]

Tamil,

 

I'm sure everything will work out for you. Now you know what to do for next time and I'm sure there will be a next time. Once you cruise, you keep going back! Go and enjoy your vacation!!!!

[Pam in CA]

Shore Operations and the airport are in continual contact during the day, updating the ship constantly as to what flights are coming in and at what times delayed flights are rescheduled to arrive. The airport supervisors and pier supervisors have a report that lists how many people are on a flight - they know this based on those booking Princess Air and those who have purchased transfers and provided their flight details at least 30 days prior.

 

If you are on a flight and have not purchased air or transfers and have not updated your flight info 30 days prior, you are considered an independent and the cruiseline has no idea how you plan to arrive.

 

The decision to wait is the Captain's. He basis his decision on what speed he needs to get to the next port in time. Depending on the weather, sea conditions, how many knots he has to do (and if he can even do that speed) etc., he decides how long he can wait. Once that time passes, the ship leaves.

 

Neither the airline nor the cruiseline are responsible for delays based on weather. Any hotel/new airfare to catch the ship at it's next port of call is the passenger's responsibility. Stranded passengers need to contact Princess to advise their flight arrangements to the ship so the port agent in that port can arrange to get them to the ship in time.

 

Lesson to all - this is why the insurance is so important, as well as arriving the day before...

This is true... sort of. If you've booked Princess air, it's true that the airline is responsible for getting you to the next port but in my case, they gave me priority over all other standbys because of the way my ticket was coded. (And yes, I was flying in the day before yet because of weather conditions, still missed the ship.) They also gave me vouchers for my overnight stay and meals. The port agent met us when we finally caught up at the next port with a van and porters to take our luggage and transport us to the ship. Plus, they gave me a $500 onboard credit for the two days missed catching up with the ship. Perhaps my experience was an abberation but that's what they did for me.

 

I know people pooh-pooh telling the cruiseline their flight arrangements if they've made them independently but this is a case where it makes sense. If they know you're flying in and your flight is delayed, they take that into consideration.

[ehogan]

We used to take cruise air, just for the reassurance that the cruise line would take care of us if there was a missed flight. We were rewarded by horrible flight times and a rushed arrival at the port and also long lines for embarkation.

 

I have found, however that I can get a much better deal when I get a good price on a cruise, to arrange for my own air and fly in two or three days early. This allows us to relax, explore the home port and not stress about missing the departure time. We can also then arrive for embarkation about an hour or so before the stated time and we usually avoid the long lines. I realize that not everyone can take the extra two or three days but believe me, if you can swing it, it's the better way to go.

 

Coming home, we usually book in the evening of the day we return to port. If something goes wrong, hey, all you are missing is a day of work - and you have a good excuse!

[moski]

I have been on 15 or so cruises and my number one rule is fly in the day before the cruise departs. Being from New England, who knows what kind of weather can delay flights. My second rule is to never purchase air from the cruiseline. The only time I ever did this, I had to make two plane changes and ended up missing my connection on the first leg of the flight. Since I had purchased the cruiseline insurance as well as their air, I contacted the mcruisline and was basically told I was on my on... see you at the first port. An angel for the airline eventually got us to our destination. There were nine of us and the the ship was held 30 minutes for us. Fly in a day early. It reduces stress and you are able to recuperate from a day of flying before you board the ship.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I remember the one time we booked the cruise air (Carnival) back in 1994. When I opened the package from the TA, I called bf (now hubby) and told him we got the tickets, and then noticed that our flight was the red eye flight, getting us into Miami early the morning of our cruise, instead of the night before (with a hotel room) that we were expecting -- and part of the fly and sail program. So I called the TA and said to change it. I expect the cruiseline was trying to save on both the air fare and on the hotel room (trying to pay only for a day room for a few hours instead of the room for the night). Now, we book our own travel.

[tamil]

How can your business survive with 50 of it's employees being gone at the same time - wow! Our business would shut down - which may not be a bad thing - tee hee.

 

In two words...March Break! :D Schools are closed for the week. Most of the 50 people are employed by our school board. Others are friends, relatives of employees.

Cheers!

[tadjr]

In most cases with a weather delay the airlines arent held accountable for problems like delays and cancellations and accommodations and possible airfare on other carriers to get you to your destination are not guaranteed whether you booked thru the cruiseline or not. I know one carrier has a policy if you are going to miss your cruise to book you to the first port of call IF they fly there and have seats. I have seen many people have to make their own arrangements to the next port on their own since the airline might not fly there though. I would highly recommend flying in a day early if at all possible. I've seen more than my share of people miss cruises for this very reason and its not a pretty sight.

[Frankel]

We just returned from the Diamond Princess cruise from Auckland to Sydney,Australia. We booked our airfare through Princess because of the distances involved. We were supposed to go from Toronto to Chicago to Los Angeles, to Auckland. When, due to circumstances beyond our control, a group of 18 of us arrived at Los Angeles at 8:00 P.M. for an 8:30 flight on Qantos, we were told by Qantos that we had missed our flight, that we should have been there 2 and a half hours early for an international flight, and although the pilot had wired ahead that we would be there in time, they would do nothing for us. As we milled around, wondering what to do next, someone finally got through to Princess who told us they would not hold the ship for us (18) , and gave us no assistance or any constructive advice. We were on our own. This was exactly why we had let Princess book our flight! Our travel agent was aghast when we told her the story.

Luckily, we did manage to board the ship at 5:30, before they left at six, but until we set foot on the ship we did not know if we would make it! Plus, we missed any time in Auckland.

All I can tell you is - beware. That small print is there for a reason, and don't count on anything!

Rosie