Missed Cruise due to AA Flight Delay from PHX 9/22/22

[BigWaveDaveAZ]

We booked a 10 day NE/Canada cruise for 9/23/22 through NCL which leaves NY on 9/23.

 We were scheduled to leave PHX on AA at 10:10pm on Thur. 9/22/22 to arrive in NY (JFK) at approx. 6:00am NY time. At approx. 7:35pm I received a text from AA telling us our flight has been delayed until Friday 1:00am, in the same text the flight has been delayed until 5:00am, still the same text it has now been delayed until 9:00am. Knowing we could not make our ship departure time in NY leaving at 9:00am AZ time, we found a different flight on SW Airlines that leaves PHX at 5:30am and would put us in NY at 2:30pm NY time, we booked that flight which cost us approx. $1900.00 for 2 tickets. We arrived in NY (LaGuardia) at 2:30pm, we got off the plane went straight to baggage claim, on the way to baggage we saw the NCL transfer person waiting to take people to the ship, please note, we were at LaGuardia and the original AA Flight was landing at JFK. Through this whole ordeal we were in contact with NCL keeping them posted on what was going on so there would be no misunderstanding on what we were doing and where we would be landing. We talked to the transfer person, told them what ship we were with and proceeded to get our luggage. When we returned to the transfer person, the driver is now there, we informed him what we were doing, he called his supervisor and was told that we had to take a taxi because we were late. We then went to the taxi line, which was a mile long, we pleaded our case to one of the taxi line organizers and she very kindly took us outside, hailed us a taxi, explained to the driver what was going on, and off we were off to the port, please keep in mind, its 2:30pm NY time and the NATO Summit was in town, which didn't help at all. Our driver was a God send, the best we could have asked for, he did the best he possibly could to get us there on time. NCL called us while we were on our way to the port, asked us our ETA and we told them approx 45 minutes, they said OK and would call us back in about 10 minutes for a ETA update, 10 minutes came and went and never heard back from them. Needless to say, we were coming down the last street about 5 minutes from the port to watch our ship sailing away without us. Our driver actually took us to the port to see if there was anything they could do to help us, the gate to the port was already locked and no one was around. After everything we went through to make that ship, hanging around PHX airport, no sleep and no food to watch the ship leave, it was truly heart breaking.

Our taxi driver knowing what we have been through asked us what we wanted to do, we were so upset, we didn't know what to do. Our driver pulled to a side street turned off his delay meter and between the 3 of us made the decision to get a hotel for the night. While we were deciding what to do, we contacted NCL, explained the situation and they offered to fly us to our first port which would have been Charlottetown Prince Edward Island, another problem with that was, the ship had 2 days at sea before it would arrive at Charlottetown PEI. We booked a hotel in Time Square which was closest to our location, another $290.00, paid our taxi fare another $90.00 with tip and checked into the hotel. We finally decided it was time to eat, something other than the bag of snacks and cup of soda we got on the flight. We went to Bubba Gump's Shrimp Co. another $75.00 for dinner, sat at the table and finally threw our arms in the air and decided to give up, we have had more than enough of this kind of fun, if that's what you want to call it. We went back to our room, called SW Airlines and booked a flight back to PHX, another $735.00. So again, needless to say, we few to NY had dinner and came home. Not what we planned, but this is how it ended up.

We also met four other couples at the PHX airport that were going on the same cruise, we talked to them, they decided they were not going to chase the ship all over the country and decided to go back home and not do what we decided to do. Smart move on their part. I would love to know how to get in contact with these other couples to find out what they are going through to get a refund on the cruise they also didn't go on.

We did purchase the Platinum insurance from NCL which is a policy issued by AON. This complete cruise from airfare with AA to NY to the return with United Airlines from EWR (Newark) back to PHX was all handled by NCL. To this date, AON Trip Insurance has reimbursed us $500.00 each for the claim that we have filed with them. We have sent every receipt for everything we spent to make this cruise happen and this is all we have received from them. We have sent them everything they have asked for more than once and they are still making us jump through every hoop they can possibly think of not to pay anything other than the $500.00 each they have already paid us.

SO WE ARE OUT

 

Cruise $4310.00 which included their airfare to and from.

 

Money we spent above and beyond to make the cruise

Airport parking $85.00

Airfare to NY $1900.00

Taxi fare to port and hotel $90.00

Hotel $290.00

Dinner in NY $75.00

Taxi to airport $70.00

Airfare back to PHX $735.00

 

And on top of all this, they won't even give us our money back that we paid for the cruise itself, or even offer us a FCC, Future Cruise Credit. The Bottom Line is, the $500.00 each that we received is the total we are getting back for this approx. 36 hour dinner date that they believe we went on.

 

We are asking for help and or suggestions from anyone that can add input, good or bad to help us recover anymore than the $1000.00 they have so generously given us. ANY HELP will be Greatly Appreciated. Thank you, BigWaveDaveAZ

 

[dolfan1980]

Do you have any credit card insurance that would cover anything?  Taking the last flight in for a cruise you invested $4k in without any back up plan is unfortunately a hard lesson to learn.   You should have left a day earlier or at least that morning.

Edited December 2, 2022 by dolfan1980

[shof515]

5 minutes ago, BigWaveDaveAZ said:

AON Trip Insurance has reimbursed us $500.00 each for the claim that we have filed with them.

 

 

 

what does your insurance policy say and what did the claim say? with my insurance policy it always says maximum benefit is xyz dollars

 

if your specific policy says you only get back 500 then sadly that is the most you will get back

[BigWaveDaveAZ]

We were scheduled through NCL to leave on AA at 10:10pm the night before the cruise. We were delayed by AA until 9:00am the day we were to depart for the cruise. That's when we purchased SW Airline tickets to leave at 5:30am. NCL is the one that scheduled us to leave the night before. 

[BigWaveDaveAZ]

I will have to look at the insurance policy and double check what the amount shows. 

[bundtkate]

You should also look at what your duties are when reading the policy. I am less familiar with travel insurance so big grain of salt here, but most insurance policies require that you mitigate your damages. That means that if you have an opportunity to do something that would reduce the amount you lost, you're expected to do it. If you don't, you won't be reimbursed for any expenses that could have been avoided.

Assuming travel insurance has a similar duty (again, it may not), then taking the free flight NCL offered you to reach the ship might qualify as something your insurance policy would require you to do. If so, they would not reimburse you for any expenses you would not have incurred had you taken that flight. That would likely include the flight home (you could have taken the one NCL booked for you at the end of the cruise) and the days of the cruise you would have made.

Even with that taken into account, it sounds like you're still coming up short of what you're owed and it absolutely sucks regardless, but just a general insurance tidbit for whatever it might be worth.

[NW Pacific]

This is really scary.  NCL insurance I found out is strange, would not even give me a email confirmation that I had insurance with them or a confirmation #.  Only used once. never again.  Most other travel insurance I have bought would kick in with trip interruption clause??   Have friends flying with NCL this weekend, they asked for the deviation 2 days before cruise.  Well 2 of them got it, the other 2 not so.  Yes the 2 without should have looked closer at their email's confirmations.   We used NCL Air once, it worked out, but it was a direct flight. Never would I go with that plan again.,

[PATRLR]

7 hours ago, dolfan1980 said:

Taking the last flight in for a cruise you invested $4k in without any back up plan is unfortunately a hard lesson to learn.   You should have left a day earlier or at least that morning.

This is one of the most insensitive posts I've seen in a while.  Did you even read was was written?  They had NCL book their air and NCL didn't book the last flight out.  If you actually read the post, it sounds like after NCL air failed them they booked a flight on their own that did indeed make it in time but the NCL bus that was there at the airport wouldn't take them.  So they actually made it in time!

 

 

 

[PATRLR]

To the OP - Wow, heartbreaking story and I am sorry that happened to you.  I am really surprised by the NCL bus saying "no" - just awful.

 

Did you buy the AON insurance from Steve at the trip insurance store?  If so, I am curious what they (Steve/TIS) have to say about why you are only getting $500.   (If you didn't buy it from Steve, why is Steve's name in the picture you posted?)

 

I know that the insurance Steve sold us came with an 800 number to call if problems enroute.  Did yours have similar?

Edited December 2, 2022 by PATRLR

[ollienbertsmum]

Just booking flights for my trip in May 2023.  This scenario worries me so much.  Flight delays seem so much more common.  
 

Just wondered, would the response from insurance have been different if you had caught up with the ship and spent the last week on board?

[dolfan1980]

1 hour ago, PATRLR said:

This is one of the most insensitive posts I've seen in a while.  Did you even read was was written?  They had NCL book their air and NCL didn't book the last flight out.  If you actually read the post, it sounds like after NCL air failed them they booked a flight on their own that did indeed make it in time but the NCL bus that was there at the airport wouldn't take them.  So they actually made it in time!

 

 

 

May sound insensitive, but it's well known not to fly in the day of a cruise.  NCL offered to get them to to the next port to join the ship and they refused.  I understand the frustration, but taking risks can backfire and in this case it unfortunately did big time.  

[New2cruise2022]

I wish I was someone experienced enough to give OP any advice that helps to remedy such a tragic series events. As a fellow traveler and vacation dreamer, I can only be empathetic in this case. To have a dream turned to living nightmare over the course of a day and then to be left holding onto to the memory via this substantial financial loss is crushing. I’m so sorry this happened to you. 
As an attorney, I have worked with insurance companies and they have human robots handling claims. The ones you typically work with are just following scripts and charts and rarely take time to work to satisfy financial and emotional losses. Your story above is articulate and well written. Have you spoken with anyone at AON? 
As far as NCL, in the aftermath, have you had any conversations with NCL regarding resolve beyond insurance claims? My limited experience with NCL is that customer service is hit or miss on the willingness to listen, but overall the staff is very well trained to listen and then politely instruct that there is nothing they can do. So, while a long shot, is there any desire for NCL to offer something more than financial reimbursement? Just curious if you are open to still trying to cruise with NCL and would accept Future Cruise Credit in lieu of a refund? 

[Laszlo]

Wow, what a lousy situation. This is just one more reason I would never fly with NCL. We are leaving on a cruise January 8th out of NYC. Friends from Montreal are going with us, they were offered "Free" airfare from NCL. NCL had them arriving to LaGuardia at 1:00pm, the ship leaves at 3:00pm. Going back NCL had them on a flight at 9pm. They thought those times were crazy, they bagged the flight and will drive the 8 hours

 

Whenever we fly for a cruise we always arrive 24-36 hours before we are suppose to leave

Edited December 2, 2022 by Laszlo

[New2cruise2022]

7 minutes ago, dolfan1980 said:

May sound insensitive, but it's well known not to fly in the day of a cruise.  NCL offered to get them to to the next port to join the ship and they refused.  I understand the frustration, but taking risks can backfire and in this case it unfortunately did big time.  

The flight out of PHX was the night before the cruise. OP and NCL didn’t take a risky, last minute cruise. OP explained efforts made over and over to mitigate risk and overcome major efforts in a good faith effort to board the ship on time. There is really not a lesson-learned life experience for the OP to draw from this. 

[LincolnLog]

I’m confused as to why you decided to bail on the whole trip instead of flying to the first port. After going through all that I think I would have done whatever I could do to get to the ship instead of just turning around and going home. Since it’s a 10 day cruise you would still have a lot of your vacation left. 

[PATRLR]

21 minutes ago, dolfan1980 said:

May sound insensitive, but it's well known not to fly in the day of a cruise.  NCL offered to get them to to the next port to join the ship and they refused.  I understand the frustration, but taking risks can backfire and in this case it unfortunately did big time.  

OMG - you are putting this on the OP?  Really?   And NCL offered to take them to the next port so everything is "OK"?  You can't be serious.

If it's "well known not to fly in the day of a cruise", maybe NCL should stop selling such flights? 
 

@BigWaveDaveAZ - Despite what other insensitive people may say, in my opinion this is in no way your fault.  NCL dropped the ball here.  (Now get ready for the NCL apologists to come to their defense)

[PATRLR]

3 minutes ago, LincolnLog said:

I’m confused as to why you decided to bail on the whole trip instead of flying to the first port. After going through all that I think I would have done whatever I could do to get to the ship instead of just turning around and going home. Since it’s a 10 day cruise you would still have a lot of your vacation left. 

I understand what you are saying, but, I also understand OP bailing on the trip.  I'm not sure I would trust NCL to actually get me to the next port, I'd be worried about getting stranded even further away from home.

[SeaShark]

 

AA cancelled the flights. AA failed the OP. Why is all the blame then on NCL? Nobody seems to feel that AA has any responsibility here.

 

 

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, SeaShark said:

 

AA cancelled the flights. AA failed the OP. Why is all the blame then on NCL? Nobody seems to feel that AA has any responsibility here.

 

 

What is an airlines obligation?  Does that obligation include making good any loses due to flight cancellations or delays?  Certainly, airlines have an obligation to provide a flight to their destination and may include meals/lodging due to delays but what else?

[Karaboudjan]

So you say that they are still making you jump through hoops but also that $500 is all you are going to get.  One of those must not be correct.  Is $500 really the final reimbursement or is it a partial amount and the rest is still dragging on?

 

I have never made a trip insurance claim, but I have read enough of these threads to get the gist of how it works - you have the insurance company and the cruise line each wanting the other to cover the reimbursement, and jumping through hoops seems to be how that process often works.  

 

So I agree - find out what the $500 payment was for and exactly what the policy says you are covered for.

[RocketMan275]

49 minutes ago, PATRLR said:

OMG - you are putting this on the OP?  Really?   And NCL offered to take them to the next port so everything is "OK"?  You can't be serious.

If it's "well known not to fly in the day of a cruise", maybe NCL should stop selling such flights? 

What obligation does NCL have beyond fulfilling their promise to get  you to the next port of call if possible?  It might be said that if a passenger refuses travel to the next available port, then that passengers has brokern the contract and NCL has no further legal obligation.

 

Obviously, there is a demand for flights arriving the day of departure.  Many prefer these flights since they minimize the amount of time-off required.  These day of departure flights are a good deal for many.  Unforunately, some do not travel enough to be cognizant of all the risks involved.

[SeaShark]

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

What is an airlines obligation?  Does that obligation include making good any loses due to flight cancellations or delays?  Certainly, airlines have an obligation to provide a flight to their destination and may include meals/lodging due to delays but what else?

 

Good question...I'd ask you to share the answer when you complete your research, but I'm guessing you aren't really that interested in the answer as much as using the question to deflect. You could also have asked the same about NCL and/or the OP. Once the OP took matters into their own hands and booked the SW flight, does that relieve AA and/or NCL of their obligations?

[SeaShark]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

What obligation does NCL have beyond fulfilling their promise to get  you to the next port of call if possible? 

 

Are you certain of that? My understanding is that this is true when you buy air through NCL. However, if your air comes from the Free@Sea promotion, it has different T&C and the "get you to the next port" isn't a part of it. Under the promotion, NCL's obligation is to purchase your airfare that is scheduled to get you to the ship on time. Variations in that schedule by the airlines or other parties are out of NCL's hands.

[RocketMan275]

Just now, SeaShark said:

 

Good question...I'd ask you to share the answer when you complete your research, but I'm guessing you aren't really that interested in the answer as much as using the question to deflect. You could also have asked the same about NCL and/or the OP. Once the OP took matters into their own hands and booked the SW flight, does that relieve AA and/or NCL of their obligations?

See my post #21 where I asked a similar question about NCL.

I'm not deflecting anything in asking posters to describe what they believe are the obligations of AA and NCL as well as providing support for their beliefs.

[masspector]

14 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

Are you certain of that? My understanding is that this is true when you buy air through NCL. However, if your air comes from the Free@Sea promotion, it has different T&C and the "get you to the next port" isn't a part of it. Under the promotion, NCL's obligation is to purchase your airfare that is scheduled to get you to the ship on time. Variations in that schedule by the airlines or other parties are out of NCL's hands.

NCL's obligation is to get you to your cruise on time.  NCL is run by people, just like you and me.  They can read the news just like anyone else and they know about the high number of flight delays and cancellations.  They should take that into account.  They should also have had a contingency in place if the original flight was delayed.  Legacy airlines have agreements if a flight is cancelled or severely delayed.  NCL should have been proactive in getting the customer on another flight to get there on time.  Also, the driver should have taken them from LGA, if there was room.  You cannot offer a customer a service and then just blow it off by saying, oh it was AA fault.  Sorry.

Edited December 2, 2022 by masspector