Sunshine States and New York

[k8ti]

We have had to reschedule our cruise due to a family bereavement. We should have done a trip around the Canary's next week but now we go in September to America. Will we still collect cases from the terminal to the coach and how long is the transport from airport to ship? Apart from that will anything else be different in the getting to the ship process. We have only ever done the Med, Canary's before.

[AlanCruise]

One consideration if going into the USA is to ensure you have the correct documentation to enter the USA. From the UK this is normally an ESTA, get it early in case it is refused for some reason as if you need a Visa it can take a long time.

[2BACRUISER]

This will be the first time i believe that Marella have sailed in the States so it will all be new and I doubt anyone can yet tell you how it all works, you may have to wait until somebody comes back from one of the first trips earlier in the year.  And as Alan says above how all the paperwork will work i suggest you give Marella a call. HTH

[dronnygirl]

I think the flights are to Sanford or Orlando airports and they are around 90 minutes from the cruise port. Hope this helps.

[Scotstravellers]

I am going on this cruise in May flying from Glasgow. Flying in to Melbourne Airport, according to google its approx 50 minutes transfer.

[Jim The Scot]

6 hours ago, 2BACRUISER said:

This will be the first time i believe that Marella have sailed in the States so it will all be new and I doubt anyone can yet tell you how it all works, you may have to wait until somebody comes back from one of the first trips earlier in the year.  And as Alan says above how all the paperwork will work i suggest you give Marella a call. HTH

Yeah its a Marella first in the USA and strangely could be the last,well for a year or so as the USA not on the schedule for 2024

 

ESTA is a defo for entering the USA.We are on the Sunshine States and NY cruise in July and completed ours pre xmas,paid for and all approved.Just for the record ESTA is good for 2 years

[Scotstravellers]

Just seen that our flight times had changed no big issues, checked online to confirm and my allocated seats seem to have gone and more seats available in our requested area. Anyone else having this issue?

[Miller Cruiser]

Outgoing seats still there, but return seats are no longer allocated. We can book the same seats, but TUI want payment again. Will go in to Tui travel agency tomorrow.

[Jim The Scot]

Thanks for the heads up.Just checked our booking and flights have changed also and no allocated seats either way.Cant seem to re select our seats in PE online so will need to call tomorrow.Why cant  TUI just transfer the allocated seats when they change the flight time?Why is that so difficult for them 

 

Phone call to TA tomorrow morning to see whats going on

[Pensioncruiser]

1 hour ago, Jim The Scot said:

Why cant  TUI just transfer the allocated seats when they change the flight time?Why is that so difficult for them 

Could be a couple of reasons Jim, consolidation of flights, different plane. 

Hope all goes well 🤞 

[Jim The Scot]

Hi P

 

Could well be but its the only TUI flight out that day and appears to be the same type of aircraft layout

 

If I do a dummy booking to land based holiday to florida on same flights all seats are open for booking including the ones we have already booked but have now mysteriously disappeared from our booking.Paid hundreds of £,s for PE and will not be a happy chappy if our seats are not reinstated

 

Heading down to TA shortly as would be as well speaking to my living room wall if I call them

 

 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Jim The Scot

[Pensioncruiser]

Hi Jim

Keep us updated, we had a similar problem on a Barbados flight in premium we were sat apart😢 out and inbound. The only court case we have had, judge found in our favour. 😊

[Miller Cruiser]

Been into TUI today. In there an hour and a half. Travel agent could see from  her copy of our invoice that we had pre booked outward and return seats. In fact, she said it's not possible to only pre book one way. She rang up flights department who insisted that there was no proof of us doing this, even though it was in front of her.  She said it was embarrassing having to tell her customers this. Two hours later, still no seats booked .

[Jim The Scot]

4 hours ago, Pensioncruiser said:

Hi Jim

Keep us updated, we had a similar problem on a Barbados flight in premium we were sat apart😢 out and inbound. The only court case we have had, judge found in our favour. 😊

Hi P

 

Went down to TA and all sorted.Premium seats we had initially booked and paid for which had mysteriously disappeared have been reinstated

 

Same aircraft,same seating plan just a change of flight time,so not just myself but TA cannot understand why seats were wiped for a change of flight times and no reason giving by TUI surprisingly 😉

 

Have printed confirmation of our seats and they are  now showing as allocated online on our booking

 

Happier Chappy 😆

Its high time TUI invested in their IT/online department

Edited March 2, 2023 by Jim The Scot

[Jim The Scot]

2 hours ago, Miller Cruiser said:

Been into TUI today. In there an hour and a half. Travel agent could see from  her copy of our invoice that we had pre booked outward and return seats. In fact, she said it's not possible to only pre book one way. She rang up flights department who insisted that there was no proof of us doing this, even though it was in front of her.  She said it was embarrassing having to tell her customers this. Two hours later, still no seats booked .

Sorry to hear that Miller and hope you get it sorted

[Pensioncruiser]

10 minutes ago, Jim The Scot said:

Happier Chappy 😆

Great result, have a good cruise.😎

[Jim The Scot]

Thanks P

[Scotstravellers]

Total shambles...after spending 45 minutes yesterday and getting what I thought was fixed. Still no email confirmation 24 hours ...called again didn't allocate seats yesterday after assurances. Also just received a refund from Tui for £65 but with no explanation either 😕 

[Pensioncruiser]

24 minutes ago, Scotstravellers said:

Total shambles...after spending 45 minutes yesterday and getting what I thought was fixed. Still no email confirmation 24 hours ...called again didn't allocate seats yesterday after assurances. Also just received a refund from Tui for £65 but with no explanation either 😕 

Unfortunately the UK admin of Thomson, Tui and now Marella has always let down the cruising experience but once onboard it becomes a better experience, sorry not much help I know but hopefully you can still enjoy your cruise. 

I would think that when the agent spoke to you he/she hadn't checked availability and when they did and it wasn't available they just refunded. Just remember they should not sell something that is not available 😏

Hope all works out for you. 

[Scotstravellers]

Thanks for your kind words...got my seats back and confirmed by email....don't know what the refund is for as it doesn't state on email 🤔

[Jim The Scot]

Thats good you,ve got your seats back plus your £65 better off 😅

[PeteLettin]

Sorry for your loss.

 

We fly July 9th and so far there are on excursions available for 3 ports.

Usually available 4 months before sailing .

I think we will need to wit until the 1st American cruises in May before more become available 

[gsgbrumuk]

We fly 23 June from Birmingham.  Our itinerary on second week has been changed, only noticed when I went on to Cruise Control to look for excursions.

Key West has been pulled, Day 9 now Bimini followed by Miami.  No totification from agent or Marella/TUI

[Miller Cruiser]

7 hours ago, gsgbrumuk said:

We fly 23 June from Birmingham.  Our itinerary on second week has been changed, only noticed when I went on to Cruise Control to look for excursions.

Key West has been pulled, Day 9 now Bimini followed by Miami.  No totification from agent or Marella/TUI

Posted on your roll call yesterday, as we too are on that cruise, flying from Manchester. We received a phone call from the TUI travel agent notifying us of the change about six weeks ago.

[PeteLettin]

We're on the following cruises American Dream and Sunshine State. I hope they don't change our itinerary I'm looking forward to visiting Key West.

 

Pete