Enough Time?????

[trulyfree]

I am going on my first cruise ever and booked the cruise and flight with a travel agent. We are flying on the same day the cruise leaves. We leave from KC at 7:15 have a layover in South Carolina and land in Miami at 2:00 PM. The ship sails (carnival valor) 4:00 PM. Is 2 hours enough time????? :confused: It just seems like they did not allow us enough time for any weather problems or lost luggage problems. What happens if you miss the ship?

[Salsera718]

did you book the air flights with the cruise line...if so and you are late the ship will wait and/or fly you to the fisrt port...if you booked your OWN air,, you will be out of luck,,,the ship will not wait and you must make your own way to the first port... MAKE SURE that you purchase TRAVEL INSURANCE~~~

[wrp96]

I am going on my first cruise ever and booked the cruise and flight with a travel agent. We are flying on the same day the cruise leaves. We leave from KC at 7:15 have a layover in South Carolina and land in Miami at 2:00 PM. The ship sails (carnival valor) 4:00 PM. Is 2 hours enough time????? :confused: It just seems like they did not allow us enough time for any weather problems or lost luggage problems. What happens if you miss the ship?

 

 

You absolutely did NOT leave yourself enough time. You have to be onboard by 3:30 with a 4pm departure. The port is 30 minutes away from the airport. So now you are back to 3pm. It can take a while for bags to come at MIA (last time I flew through there it took about 1.5 hours, previous time it took 45 minutes). If you have any delays at all you are missing your ship. You need to call your travel agent and see what they can do about getting your flights changed. Even if it was booked with the cruiseline, that is too late of an arrival!

[Toyz711]

miami airport is the worse...plus the crowds on cruise days. if you are even a few minutes late, then running to get your luggage, then the taxi ride. one little traffic jam and you will be waving bye-bye from the shore.

with the problems i had last time, flying to seattle from memphis...no way would i fly in the day of. especially with a ship leaving before 6pm.

i have to ask...why going to south carolina? i can see atlanta, but SC?

make sure you have trip insurance, if you can't change the flights.

(i have made it with a 2hour window, but the cruise ship waited for a big group that got delayed, otherwise we would have missed the ship)

[wrp96]

i have to ask...why going to south carolina? i can see atlanta, but SC?

I'm wondering if they mean Charlotte, North Carolina which is a hub for US Air?

 

make sure you have trip insurance, if you can't change the flights.

 

I'm not certain that trip insurance would cover this situation as it appears the flight times are outside the recommend times by the cruiseline.

[trulyfree]

We booked the flight and the cruise with a travel agent and I can go to Carnival and pull up my docs that have my flights time on the documentation. So I think it is booked with the cruise. Opps I ment to say North Carolina as the lay over. We are calling to see if we can go a day ahead of time. Our travel agent is checking it out but she said that to change the flights it would cost $50 a person does that sound right?????

[Toyz711]

to change flight, yes, $50 is about right...but do it!!! you will have a much better day:D . otherwise, even if you do make it...you will be exhausted. this next trip we are driving to new orleans from memphis, not leaving until DH gets off work, but we have all night and most of the next day..if we need it.

[greatam]

did you book the air flights with the cruise line...if so and you are late the ship will wait and/or fly you to the fisrt port...if you booked your OWN air,, you will be out of luck,,,the ship will not wait and you must make your own way to the first port... MAKE SURE that you purchase TRAVEL INSURANCE~~~

 

The cruise line is taking a BIG chance with YOUR vacation. Wish you would have found these boards BEFORE you booked cruise air. Start looking for plan B NOW, as you may need it. If you need help formulating plan B, just ask.

 

PLEASE don't count on the ship waiting for you OR flying you to the first port. The ship MAY wait if there are quite a few pax that are late arriving (usually more than 40). It usually won't for 10 or fewer.

 

As far as flying to the next port-lots of IF's involved in that. The cruise line will TRY. But the cruise air tickets they sell REQUIRE travel to the next port, due to missed connection, on a "space available" basis. So no space, no flight. Or what happens if you are a group of 4 and there are 3 seats available? Who flies, who doesn't? Tough choices.

 

Also, some "next ports" are either off limits to flying into (Haiti specifically and Jamaica maybe), so it may be the 2nd or 3rd port. And finally, DO YOU HAVE A PASSPORT??? MOST ports (there are some exceptions) REQUIRE a passport before boarding an airplane in the US.

 

Please purchase travel insurance if you haven't already. You are booked on cruise air-travel insurance should cover and the cruise line will have to reimburse the travel insurer due to stupidity. And good luck!!!!

[greatam]

We booked the flight and the cruise with a travel agent and I can go to Carnival and pull up my docs that have my flights time on the documentation. So I think it is booked with the cruise. Opps I ment to say North Carolina as the lay over. We are calling to see if we can go a day ahead of time. Our travel agent is checking it out but she said that to change the flights it would cost $50 a person does that sound right?????

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it will cost AT LEAST $50.00 for the deviation fee. IF there are still cruise air tickets available, you lucked out and will only have to pay the deviation fee. IF there are no more cruise air tickets available, you will have to pay any difference in air fare for your preferred flights.

 

But I am guessing that you just got your airline schedule, so you may be in luck. UNLESS you are flying Thanksgiving week, air fare is in low season right now. You MAY be able to find air on your own cheaper than the cruise lines and only pay a change fee. You will need to act VERY rapidly to get the changes made.

[trulyfree]

I think I am going to make my self sick. My parents called the travel agent and she seemed to already went home for the weekend. I won't know till Monday. Thanks everyone for the help!

[boulders]

Definitely change the tickets so that you have more time, preferably arriving the day before. If you don't, in addition to being tired, you'll be stressed out from worrying about missing the cruise. Not a great way to start a vacation.

 

If you have the flight info, you may be able to call the cruiseline and/or airline directly, without waiting for the TA, to change the tickets. Call the cruiseline first to see if the tickets were booked through them and see if you can change it - if they can't do it, call the airline. If it wasn't booked through the cruiseline, you should be able to call the airline directly to change it.

[sail7seas]

No Way, No How. Not a chance in the world I would risk that flight schedule to catch a ship.

 

Your TA should be hung to have booked that for you. S/he should eat the rebooking fee and keep your fingers crossed s/he can get a better flight for you.

 

No responsible, competent TA would ever book that!!

 

Good Luck. Please let us know how you make out when you speak with your TA. Be Firm! They should pay the rebooking fee!

[Lady Patriot]

If you have a snowball's chance of rebooking that flight, do it. What you have now is cutting it way, way too close, to say the least.

That was the primary reason we booked our own air. The cruise line, besides charging double the rate, wanted to fly us in the morning of. I DON'T THINK SO!!!! The whole idea of a vacation is to relax.

I wish you the best on that. Recommend you at least come in the evening before if not sooner.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

 

I agree that you should change your airplane reservations to the day before your cruise, even if it does require a $50.00 change fee. If you are flying on a Carnival Cruise line Air /Sea program, then it is Carnival's responsibility to get you to Miami and onto the ship.

 

Here are some ideas for you, that may be of help. If your TA cannot or won't help you, call the airline directly and speak with someone at the managerial level. Airline managers are well paid, in part because they know how to help their customers.

 

Also consider flying into into Fort Lauderdale the day before your cruise. There are lots of flights to Fort Lauderdale if flights to Miami are full.

 

Good luck and do not hesitate to ask for help here.

 

Fred

 

There are bus companies that provide service from hotels/motels in the Fort Lauderdale airport/cruise area to Miami's port.

[Sheffie]

I think I am going to make my self sick. My parents called the travel agent and she seemed to already went home for the weekend. I won't know till Monday. Thanks everyone for the help!

 

Don't stress. It should be fine. Also, since you want to fly in a day ahead, I would check out and see if you can book your own hotel. If so, I would check out Priceline as well as other sources to get the room. They are usually a lot cheaper to book these ways than through the cruiseline. (Voice of experience speaking here. Got ripped off big time by the cruiseline once.)

 

It is usually believed that the cruiseline will wait for all its passengers that have booked air through them, but it isn't necessarily so. Having been on CC for quite a few years now, I have heard of times that people were left at the port. Not often, but it does happen. Going a day ahead will releave this stressor and help your vacation start with you being stress-free and rested!

 

Have a great cruise!

[lvtotrvl1]

No Way, No How. Not a chance in the world I would risk that flight schedule to catch a ship.

 

Your TA should be hung to have booked that for you. S/he should eat the rebooking fee and keep your fingers crossed s/he can get a better flight for you.

 

No responsible, competent TA would ever book that!!

 

Good Luck. Please let us know how you make out when you speak with your TA. Be Firm! They should pay the rebooking fee!

 

If you read the OP's later post, the air was done through the cruiseline. Why so quick, as usual to jump on the TA? Sounds like they are working on it with Carnival. I'm sure the poster will hear something on Monday. I have seen hundreds of flights done by the cruiseline (maybe more) and have never had a client miss the ship. I do agree it is cutting it fairly close, but as long a sthe cruiseline knows the situation ie, if they will not shange the flight, there should not ne a problem making the ship. I thinbk we need to wait for the response from CCL.

[blindrid]

I am going on my first cruise ever and booked the cruise and flight with a travel agent. We are flying on the same day the cruise leaves. We leave from KC at 7:15 have a layover in South Carolina and land in Miami at 2:00 PM. The ship sails (carnival valor) 4:00 PM. Is 2 hours enough time????? :confused: It just seems like they did not allow us enough time for any weather problems or lost luggage problems. What happens if you miss the ship?

 

Welcome to CC. We normally try to come in the night before as I never trust airlines and that adds a certain level of comfort with delays, weather, baggage delays etc. I'm guessing you may be able to make it but like pp's mentioned the airport can be a bit of a zoo but if you are also using the cruise lines' ground transportation you're probably alright. To me it would be worth the additonal $50 to put my mind at ease, especially with your first cruise as it is will be your most special cruise.

 

I would certainly talk with your TA, Carnival or airline and see if someone can waive the fee and go in the night before and enjoy Miami even if it's just for a drink. As I came from the KC area as well, something about 80 degrees this time of year can be a blessing. Good luck and happy travels.

[Wadadli Sails]

No Way, No How. Not a chance in the world I would risk that flight schedule to catch a ship.

 

Your TA should be hung to have booked that for you. S/he should eat the rebooking fee and keep your fingers crossed s/he can get a better flight for you.

 

No responsible, competent TA would ever book that!!

 

Good Luck. Please let us know how you make out when you speak with your TA. Be Firm! They should pay the rebooking fee!

 

As Trulyfree said the arrangements were done through a TA I totally agree with sail7seas that the TA is responsible for this situation. Anybody who had been on a cruise more than once would know that that is not adequate time to board the ship much less a TA. That TA is not looking out for your travel interests or peace of mind, don't use him/her again. Good luck in getting the flight changed and have a great first cruise.

[wilson9112]

Not enough time plus you even have a transfer flight! OMG! NO way. Also, i read the fine print on the travelers insurance I have. It says you are only covered if you fly 6 hours before she ship departure so you would still be out of luck if you have what I have. GOOD LUCK!:eek:

[greatam]

If you read the OP's later post, the air was done through the cruiseline. Why so quick, as usual to jump on the TA? Sounds like they are working on it with Carnival. I'm sure the poster will hear something on Monday. I have seen hundreds of flights done by the cruiseline (maybe more) and have never had a client miss the ship. I do agree it is cutting it fairly close, but as long a sthe cruiseline knows the situation ie, if they will not shange the flight, there should not ne a problem making the ship. I thinbk we need to wait for the response from CCL.

 

I agree with you that this is a cruise/air booking. However, I will agree with sail7seas that the TA should have KNOWN that there are VERY limited flights out of MCI to MIA that arrive with a decent "fudge factor" on arrival time vs ship departure.

 

In fact, there is only ONE flight I would have recommended that has a decent "fudge" level-AA 5560 through Dallas, arriving MIA at 12:25. EVERY other flight, including multiple airlines and multiple connections, arrives between 2 and 3PM. This is info the TA SHOULD HAVE KNOWN, ESPECIALLY since the ship leaves at 4:00PM.

 

At that point in time, TA should have explained to customer that cruise/air MAY NOT be the best solution, that flying in the day before is the best thing to do and recommended either air deviation (to preserve their commission on a "package" deal) or recommended the customer book their own flights. Providing good customer service, the TA could have even volunteered to book the flights/hotel, etc. and only charged a modest booking fee.

 

Since the OP just got the cruise air info, I would assume that final payment is made and the cruise is no more than 45 days away. As I posted previously, if the cruise is NOT Thanksgiving week, there are some air bargains to be found the first weeks of December. And the first weeks of December are usually "bargain" cruise weeks, so there may be some "give" by the cruise line on changing the flights.

 

But this is truly another case of the TA either being very inexperienced (it doesn't take much to find out that there are VERY limited flights out of Kansas City that arrive MIA in time for a cruise) or callous customer service, which is becoming the norm today. And what's with the TA being unavailable on the week end? What happens if there is a problem on a week end with one of their customer's hotel, air, cruise reservations when the customer has already departed for their vacation??? Who's going to solve the problems???? Isn't that what a TA is supposed to do???

[sail7seas]

If you read the OP's later post, the air was done through the cruiseline. Why so quick, as usual to jump on the TA? Sounds like they are working on it with Carnival. I'm sure the poster will hear something on Monday. I have seen hundreds of flights done by the cruiseline (maybe more) and have never had a client miss the ship. I do agree it is cutting it fairly close, but as long a sthe cruiseline knows the situation ie, if they will not shange the flight, there should not ne a problem making the ship. I thinbk we need to wait for the response from CCL.

 

 

I continue to 'jump on the TA' because the OP went to a TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL, someone who holds themselves out to have a special expertise. They relied upon this expertise and professionalism to book their travel for them.

 

This TA approved and accepted the cruise line's booking. They should have never permitted this to be the flight arrangements being made for his/her client.

 

It IS the TA's responsibility to deal with this situation and OP should never have had to endure this stress and cope with it. TA should have stopped this before it happened.

In this era of difficulty getting through airports and flights being cancelled for a multitude of reasons, it is very poor planning for travel professionals to put their clients into such a tight and stressful situation for their vacation. If someone were able to use that travel schedule and successfully board the ship on time, it would be the best of good luck.

 

I would be so gone from this TA so fast his/her head would spin.

 

JMHO.....

[pms4104]

Just because the flight arrangements are shown on the docs may not mean it is cruise air. Altho I booked my air independent of my T/A, I have kept her apprised of any flight changes and I have included my flight arrangement on my online immigration forms with HAL ... so it is possible flights are known to Carnival even if not booked thru them.

 

Indeed, whether air is booked thru the cruiseline or not, the T/A should have some handle on what's acceptable or not, and deal with the client accordingly.

[sail7seas]

TrulyFree........

 

How did you make out today with your TA? Hope you were able to make arrangements giving you more wiggle room.

 

[venusbello1]

I booked a last minute cruise and got the last cabin and the last of the booked seats on a Princess cruise (booking less than 12 weeks out). I thought I was saving a lot of money by flying a redeye from Tucson to FLL. So for all the odd weather-related things that can happen.. I got stuck on the runway in Tucson because of fog in LA, finally made it to LA, had to change airlines and all out ran through LAX from United to AA, I only made it because my connecting flight had a flight tire and I was the last to board! I arrived at FLL on time but my luggage did not arrive until the 10:30am flight, but it arrived (obviously I ran faster than those luggage transfer folks at UA).

 

No matter, I was so exhausted and stressed upon boarding, I said never again! Admittedly, everything worked out, and the cruise was fantastic, but no one needs to go through that kind of stress prior to a cruise (or anything for that matter!

 

After that little experience, even on the cheap, I would never do it again! So if you can change it--do it! You will arrive much more relaxed and anything that does come up will be much easier to handle.

 

VB1

[MonaCK]

Allow me to give you a lesson as to why you should aways plan to fly in the day before.

 

because then, if you miss your plane, you'll have enopugh time to drive to the port... like we did for our christmas cruise last year.

 

We will never plan to fly in day of again.