will the cruise ship wait

[txracefan]

A friend of mine is taking the Summet to Alaska.After our trouble at DFW and missing the Carnival Spirit.I called her and told her she might want to fly in a day early.We are having really bad weather here in Texas,daily.Even DFW is telling everyone going on a Cruise to fly in a day early.Her travel agent told her they would wait on her.If she misses her flight the next one lands in Vancouver is 6:30.Thanks for the help

[Andy]

A friend of mine is taking the Summet to Alaska.After our trouble at DFW and missing the Carnival Spirit.I called her and told her she might want to fly in a day early.We are having really bad weather here in Texas,daily.Even DFW is telling everyone going on a Cruise to fly in a day early.Her travel agent told her they would wait on her.If she misses her flight the next one lands in Vancouver is 6:30.Thanks for the help

 

Hi Txracefan !

 

If at all possible, I would make every effort to fly in a day early. In most cases, they wont wait for you. It's always possible, but highly unlikely.

 

Urge your friend to try to change her flight, and wish her luck for us !

[txracefan]

That is what I thought.Carnival gave us all our money ,but have to wait till 2008.A least it is paid for.Will hope she is ok.

[leoandhugh]

Your friend should get a new TA, someone who has at least a basic knowledge about cruise ship schedules. They do not wait for passengers whose flights are delayed UNLESS there are several passengers on the same plane who have made transfer arrangements with the Cruise Line. In a case like that, there would be land-based personnel at the airport to meet the plane and transfer luggage. As such they would have knowledge of how late the ETA is. Some people just never learn the risks of flying in the same day, particularly in to a foreign country where you must go through immigration and customs upon arrival. Sounds to me as though that TA should go back to school and take Basics I.:)

[Creeks]

We once sailed in a half full ship from Florida,

because of blizzards in the northeast,

LOTS of people missed the sailing.

If there are a LOT of people on the plane and

it would only delay the ship a few minutes,

they may wait, (or they may not - the

captain decides)! We were delayed hours

leaving Houston in May because of bad weather

in Tennessee. Does your friend have travel insurance?

[wvufan]

We always arrive at the port of departure at least a day early. There are just too many variables for us to be comfortable flying in the day of sailing.

 

Plus, Vancouver is a beautiful city and certainly is worth the extra day. We are sailing to Alaska next September from there and hope to go up a couple days ahead of time.

 

OOOEEE:D :D Bob and Phyl

[Kathie44]

We were on a S. Carib. cruise on Adventure out of SJ and the ship sailed 2-3 hrs. late because several pax had flight delays. Rumor had it that they were RCCL VIPs. I'm sure they wouldn't do that for us peons who make our flight arrangements. We flew in a day early and were glad we did because we HAD flight delays. Got to the hotel at 4:30 PM instead of 1:30. BUT we had all our luggage and it wasn't snowing, so we were happy! :D

[judyfssw]

I would definitely have your friend fly in at least one day early. We were on a S Caribbean cruise and met a couple whose plane was delayed. They landed in San Juan at 10:30 and called and gave the ship their info asking them to wait a short time. They were told to get a room and make arrangements to fly to the next port arriving two days later as the first day was a sea day. They were told that by the time they retrieved their luggage and got a cab to the pier, the ship would be gone. And, it was.

[leoandhugh]

there is a poll over on the RCI thread which asks whether pax leave the day of or the day before the cruise is scheduled to depart. Of about 260 responses only 30+leave the day of. So you can see what most experienced cruisers do, despite some having ignorant TAs like your friend:)

[drfun48]

About ten years ago a blizzard in Chicago delayed planes getting to and leaving Newark for Ft Lauderdale. There were 28 passengers who booked the flight through Celebrity and the ship waited over three hours for us-incurring $19000,I am told, in port fees and fines because of the delay.

We entered through the cargo door and even had to jump a bit!

We made it in plenty of time to our first port of Nassau .

Since then I've decided not to chance it and go the night before ,boarding the ship early.

[txracefan]

Thanks everyone for your help.I talked to her this morning.She is not going a day early.I will just hope for the best.1st cruise and she is stressing out.I never us TA .usually go through the cruise line.

[pattyj 1204]

There was a group of about 12 passengers on a flight from Chicago that got delayed in Chicago in good weather. On the landing in Paris we had to run from one airplane on the tarmac, through the terminal, through immigration, ride a bus out to the tarmac, board the back door of the plane, got seated, doors closed and we took off. I was greatful to be flying a day early and staying overnight in Barcelona. I would have been a real wreck if I thought the cruise would be leaving without us. Some on the run were in danger of missing their boarding. I think they all made it, but everyone was stressed.

[SillySoul]

A friend of mine is taking the Summet to Alaska.After our trouble at DFW and missing the Carnival Spirit.I called her and told her she might want to fly in a day early.We are having really bad weather here in Texas,daily.Even DFW is telling everyone going on a Cruise to fly in a day early.Her travel agent told her they would wait on her.If she misses her flight the next one lands in Vancouver is 6:30.Thanks for the help

The smartest thing to always do is fly in a day in advance. the ship will wait for you only if you book transportation to the ship from the cruise line. If you make you own arrangments it is up to you to make it to the ship on time, they will not wait.

[Seabee]

On the bright side, I'd be willing to bet that on any given flight into Vancouver during the sailing season and on sailing days, a large percentage of the air passengers will be cruise passengers. In other words, there is an excellent chance that many of the air passengers will be heading for your ship, and several will have arranged their flights through the cruise line...this doesn't mean that the ship will neccessarily wait for you but perhaps it improves your chances!

[CVU]

Go early the ship won't wait, even if you have the cruise package.

 

If you are late you then have Canada Customs to clear and your luggage to claim. After 3 PM it is not directly transferred to the ship and you must claim it.

 

The pier is almost an hour during rush hour from the airport.

 

In Vancouver they have the tide to worry about as well, for the ship to get under the Lion's Gate Bridge.

 

Go early...