Canceled Flight, Missed Cruise, Jones Act?

[smeyer418]

As a general rule, never buy your insurance from the cruise company. It's always overpriced.

not always. Most privately sold cruise insurance is age rated(that is it gets more costly as you age). Almost all cruise written insurance is one price for all ages so as you age the cruise lines insurance may be cheaper than that available on the private market(this is in the US I don't know how it works in the UK but I would believe its the same given that you underwrite before issuing the policy)...

[JACJAM]

Just wanted to keep everyone informed. We got our money back from Delta and the points we transfered from our Amex to Delta to purchase 3 out of 5 tickets. Well those points were tranfered back to Amex! I am hopefull for more to come! Keep your fingers crossed.

[poll]

Quote by Karyanne,

"Travel insurance covers quite a bit more than just the actual cost of the cruise"

"Peace of mind is priceless"

 

Hi Karyn, you are sooooo right.:)

 

I have always purchased insurance. My Dad is 88 and not in great

health. If something should happen while I am on one of my trips

it will definitely cover the "interruption" portion. (Not wishing

that would happen of course, but you just never know).

 

Maybe its because I go solo but the price of the policy has never

been more than 90 bucks....definitely worth it to me.

 

Different strokes for different folks:)

 

Oh, to the Original Poster, I am so sorry this happened to you:(

Hi sorry what happened to the original poster but such a risk to travel with no insurance.Our friends toured Canada and America a couple of years ago at the end of the tour they had booked 3 extra nights in New York on the second night he could not sleep with pains in the morning DW went to get help at reception at the hospital found he needed emergency operation for an anurism (large type blood clot in chest) sadly he died what ever would have happened if they had not been insured as well as all hospital fees her extra stay in America and flying his body back to England Uk I am sure it would have cost her her home .So it isnt only flights and cruises we have to consider when we take out travel insurance.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Just wanted to keep everyone informed. We got our money back from Delta and the points we transfered from our Amex to Delta to purchase 3 out of 5 tickets. Well those points were tranfered back to Amex! I am hopefull for more to come! Keep your fingers crossed.

 

Glad the airline tickets were refunded & points reimbursed. Can't add anything to the good advice offered up so far, but I am so sorry that you and your family missed the cruise.

 

One point made quite a ways back raised a question for me - about how the captain may wish to hold the ship but it could be required to sail on time due to the port authority. Cruise lines push the ships excursions saying if you book with them, the ship will wait if the tour is delayed. Just wondering how this can be promised if the port can require the ship to sail on time. It's the main benefit of booking a ship's tour.

[terrierjohn]

Does the "Jones" act always apply?

 

I ask because back in 2005 we had to board a northbound Alaska cruise at Ketchikan after I was quarantined in Kamloops for 2 days during a pre-cruise Rockies tour, thus missing the sailing from Vancouver.

 

Princess arranged and paid for us to catch up with our cruise ship but all the rest of our ports were American, so why was it OK for us and not for the OP?

[lysolqn]

Does the "Jones" act always apply?

 

I ask because back in 2005 we had to board a northbound Alaska cruise at Ketchikan after I was quarantined in Kamloops for 2 days during a pre-cruise Rockies tour, thus missing the sailing from Vancouver.

 

Princess arranged and paid for us to catch up with our cruise ship but all the rest of our ports were American, so why was it OK for us and not for the OP?

 

If your cruise ended in Vancouver (Canada), the Jones Act would not have applied.

[NancyIL]

If your cruise ended in Vancouver (Canada), the Jones Act would not have applied.

 

The previous poster joined the northbound cruise in Ketchikan - thus missing Vancouver! It happened on our 2005 cruise - when a large group joined the ship in Ketchikan. Maybe it's a matter of buying your own airfare vs. cruise air. With cruise air they arrange for your travel to the next port of call. I would still prefer to arrange my own flights and arrive a day or more early, but that appears to be one advantage of cruise air.

[vbmom87]

Glad the airline tickets were refunded & points reimbursed. Can't add anything to the good advice offered up so far, but I am so sorry that you and your family missed the cruise.

 

One point made quite a ways back raised a question for me - about how the captain may wish to hold the ship but it could be required to sail on time due to the port authority. Cruise lines push the ships excursions saying if you book with them, the ship will wait if the tour is delayed. Just wondering how this can be promised if the port can require the ship to sail on time. It's the main benefit of booking a ship's tour.

 

It really isn't promised. What is promised is that if you miss the ship and you were on a ship's excursion, the cruiseline will pay for all expenses to catch you up to the ship. If you need to spend the night in the port, they will pay for those expenses too.

[TravelerThom]

...One point made quite a ways back raised a question for me - about how the captain may wish to hold the ship but it could be required to sail on time due to the port authority. Cruise lines push the ships excursions saying if you book with them, the ship will wait if the tour is delayed. Just wondering how this can be promised if the port can require the ship to sail on time. It's the main benefit of booking a ship's tour.

It really isn't promised. What is promised is that if you miss the ship and you were on a ship's excursion, the cruiseline will pay for all expenses to catch you up to the ship. If you need to spend the night in the port, they will pay for those expenses too.

Also in some cases the ship will depart as scheduled, and the tour people will be tendered to get on the ship.

 

Thom

[gold1953]

We never leave town without, cancellation / interuption insurance. Our medical is covered for 40 days out of Canada. 3 years ago my mother passed away the day before our 2 week trip. all money refunded!! This past Jan. my mother -in-law passed away the day after we arrived at our destination and we were refunded for all costs in getting home, inc. phone calls food, flights etc. We could not recoup the airmiles we used for the trip. The 2 plane tickets cost $2000.00 alone to get from New Orleans to Halifax. They said it was bereavment rate!!! Booked for Jan. 3 /10 Panama Canal cruise and 2 weeks in Las Vegas. YES!!! we are buying insurance . It will be about $70 to 90$ each. What a bargain!!!!

[JACJAM]

Update: Got a call from Celebrity this afternoon. I faxed a letter to there Corp. Relations Office. They going to give us 50% back in a from of a coupon to use on another cruise within 1 year. I guess it's better than nothing. My dispute is still open with American Express so let's so what unfolds there.

 

Wanted to keep everyone post. I was hoping that this may have happened to someone before and they could've shared there experiences with us.

[dkjretired]

not always. Most privately sold cruise insurance is age rated(that is it gets more costly as you age). Almost all cruise written insurance is one price for all ages so as you age the cruise lines insurance may be cheaper than that available on the private market(this is in the US I don't know how it works in the UK but I would believe its the same given that you underwrite before issuing the policy)...

 

AGree, like anything else check the prices and other conditions. One of the reasons that cruiseline insurance got a bad name was several years ago a few cruise lines went bankrupt.Those who bought their insurance through the line not only lost the money for the cruise but the money and protection from the insurance...

 

I prefer to get it elsewhere, just another layer of protection...

[vbmom87]

AGree, like anything else check the prices and other conditions. One of the reasons that cruiseline insurance got a bad name was several years ago a few cruise lines went bankrupt.Those who bought their insurance through the line not only lost the money for the cruise but the money and protection from the insurance...

 

I prefer to get it elsewhere, just another layer of protection...

 

This is a good point about pricing based on age. AAA also has offered travel insurance that is not based on age. It worked out well for my sisters last year as the other travel insurance options were higher because of their age.

[smeyer418]

AGree, like anything else check the prices and other conditions. One of the reasons that cruiseline insurance got a bad name was several years ago a few cruise lines went bankrupt.Those who bought their insurance through the line not only lost the money for the cruise but the money and protection from the insurance...

 

I prefer to get it elsewhere, just another layer of protection...

two things. Assuming you are leaving from the US and you charged your trip on a credit card.

Under US Maritime law all cruise lines have to post a performance bond to cover any canceled trip....most people who "lost" the money eventually got it back from them.

if you charged the trip you can almost always charge it back to the cruise company(and they deal with the collection of the money from the performance bond or as a claim against the bankrupted estate) and finally all the cruise lines I have looked at actually do use an insurance company to underwrite the medical and trip interruption part of the cruise so even if the cruise line goes out of business it doesn't mean the insurance is no good...

Most of the time this problem arises not when the cruise line goes bankrupt but when your TA goes bye bye and hasn't transmitted your payment to the cruise line....make sure your TA uses the cruiselines charge system.

[Gonzo70]

Update: Got a call from Celebrity this afternoon. I faxed a letter to there Corp. Relations Office. They going to give us 50% back in a from of a coupon to use on another cruise within 1 year. I guess it's better than nothing. My dispute is still open with American Express so let's so what unfolds there.

 

Wanted to keep everyone post. I was hoping that this may have happened to someone before and they could've shared there experiences with us.

 

Wow, that was extremely generous of them. I would be very grateful for their kind gesture.

[dkjretired]

two things. Assuming you are leaving from the US and you charged your trip on a credit card.

Under US Maritime law all cruise lines have to post a performance bond to cover any canceled trip....most people who "lost" the money eventually got it back from them.

if you charged the trip you can almost always charge it back to the cruise company(and they deal with the collection of the money from the performance bond or as a claim against the bankrupted estate) and finally all the cruise lines I have looked at actually do use an insurance company to underwrite the medical and trip interruption part of the cruise so even if the cruise line goes out of business it doesn't mean the insurance is no good...

Most of the time this problem arises not when the cruise line goes bankrupt but when your TA goes bye bye and hasn't transmitted your payment to the cruise line....make sure your TA uses the cruiselines charge system.

 

I was only passing on what actually occurred several years ago when many people lost both....The people who lost money under those conditions did not get it back, It was all over these boards at the time. It is rare that this would happen now but it did happen in the late 90s.....I was only trying to give a historical perspective...

[vbmom87]

Update: Got a call from Celebrity this afternoon. I faxed a letter to there Corp. Relations Office. They going to give us 50% back in a from of a coupon to use on another cruise within 1 year. I guess it's better than nothing. My dispute is still open with American Express so let's so what unfolds there.

 

Wanted to keep everyone post. I was hoping that this may have happened to someone before and they could've shared there experiences with us.

 

Wow!!! You were lucky. I would not have expected that outcome.

[TravelerThom]

two things. Assuming you are leaving from the US and you charged your trip on a credit card.

...if you charged the trip you can almost always charge it back to the cruise company(and they deal with the collection of the money from the performance bond or as a claim against the bankrupted estate) ...

BUT generally chargebacks have to be done within 60 days following the date of the first statement on which the charge appears (not the date you made the charge; the date of the issuance of the statement appears on the face of the statement), so you would not generally be able to chargeback Deposits [unless the company went bankrupt shortly after you made the deposit], and even if you waited until the last minute to make Final Payment, you would have to act rapidly if the cruise line failed to deliver.

 

Thom

[smeyer418]

BUT generally chargebacks have to be done within 60 days following the date of the first statement on which the charge appears (not the date you made the charge; the date of the issuance of the statement appears on the face of the statement), so you would not generally be able to chargeback Deposits [unless the company went bankrupt shortly after you made the deposit], and even if you waited until the last minute to make Final Payment, you would have to act rapidly if the cruise line failed to deliver.

 

Thom

no almost all credit card companies allow charge backs when the service is to be performed in the future when the failure takes place not on 60 days from the day its charged...

[smeyer418]

I was only passing on what actually occurred several years ago when many people lost both....The people who lost money under those conditions did not get it back, It was all over these boards at the time. It is rare that this would happen now but it did happen in the late 90s.....I was only trying to give a historical perspective...

as I remember this the people who charged it got their money back. Those that paid by check or cash had to await the FMC sending them checks...that took longer. The bonding requirement goes back more than 20 years. Some people never applied for the money back from the Federal Maritime Commission and its only for cruises that leave or return to the US.

 

http://www.fmc.gov/home/PublicLaw89777.asp

 

the law in its present form became law in 1966...

[TravelerThom]

no almost all credit card companies allow charge backs when the service is to be performed in the future when the failure takes place not on 60 days from the day its charged...

I HOPE this is the case, but the words in the Credit Agreements that I have do not seem to make an exception for future services, and I hate to assume that the bank will be "nice" when they seem to have carefully protected themselves.

What Credit Card Company and Issuing Bank are you dealing with?

What words do they use relating to future services?

 

Thom

[smeyer418]

I HOPE this is the case, but the words in the Credit Agreements that I have do not seem to make an exception for future services, and I hate to assume that the bank will be "nice" when they seem to have carefully protected themselves.

What Credit Card Company and Issuing Bank are you dealing with?

What words do they use relating to future services?

 

Thom

Amex Visa and MC not Discover. remember there is law on this too.

 

here http://www.in.gov/dfi/2590.htm

 

notice there is a difference between a disputed billing and a problem with the goods(in this case the service not being recieved)....

[djneph]

Just so you know where I am coming from. I used to work for RCI for 5 years, for two of those years I worked in the Air department, specifically the department that dealt with day of sailing travel issues (Guest Flight Operations) its the 1-800 number listed in your booklet (RCL & CEL). I left the company in mid 2007, so things may have changed a bit, but probably not much.

 

Northbound Alaska - Vancouver to Seward (or other Alaska City)

Yes it is a jones act violation to board the ship in another Alaska city if the cruise ends in another Alaska city. However, as many have you said you can board in another Alaska city under a specific situation. If you missed the cruise because of airline delay ( I can't remember if it has to be weather delay or arline delay like mechanical or staffing) you need to get a letter from the airline stating your delay and with that letter you can board the ship (like some of you saw poeple doing in Ketichan). YOU MUST HAVE THE LETTER FROM THE AIRLINE, if you show up without the letter you will be denied boarding. If you booked the air through us we flew you to the next port, usually Ketichan, and you had to have the letter from the airline to board.

 

OP - What was the reason for you delay? Did anyone at CEL mention the airline letter to you? If not I would double check if that is still an option and if it still is ask them why they didn't inform you of this. Even some experienced airline check in agents knew of this and tell the guests about this option.

 

Jones Act - The Jones Act only applies to US Cities.. it does not apply to territories, you can board the ship in San Juan or St. Thomas (flew people there many times to baord.)

 

Cruise Air - Does not guarantee we will hold the ship. I had many situations where I had many guest (20 or more) that would be 30 min late and the ship still left. We try to get it to wait, but there are many factors that are involved in holding it.

 

Hope this clears a few things up.

[weberman]

Just so you know where I am coming from. I used to work for RCI for 5 years, for two of those years I worked in the Air department, specifically the department that dealt with day of sailing travel issues (Guest Flight Operations) its the 1-800 number listed in your booklet (RCL & CEL). I left the company in mid 2007, so things may have changed a bit, but probably not much.

 

Northbound Alaska - Vancouver to Seward (or other Alaska City)

Yes it is a jones act violation to board the ship in another Alaska city if the cruise ends in another Alaska city. However, as many have you said you can board in another Alaska city under a specific situation. If you missed the cruise because of airline delay ( I can't remember if it has to be weather delay or arline delay like mechanical or staffing) you need to get a letter from the airline stating your delay and with that letter you can board the ship (like some of you saw poeple doing in Ketichan). YOU MUST HAVE THE LETTER FROM THE AIRLINE, if you show up without the letter you will be denied boarding. If you booked the air through us we flew you to the next port, usually Ketichan, and you had to have the letter from the airline to board.

 

OP - What was the reason for you delay? Did anyone at CEL mention the airline letter to you? If not I would double check if that is still an option and if it still is ask them why they didn't inform you of this. Even some experienced airline check in agents knew of this and tell the guests about this option.

 

Jones Act - The Jones Act only applies to US Cities.. it does not apply to territories, you can board the ship in San Juan or St. Thomas (flew people there many times to baord.)

 

Cruise Air - Does not guarantee we will hold the ship. I had many situations where I had many guest (20 or more) that would be 30 min late and the ship still left. We try to get it to wait, but there are many factors that are involved in holding it.

 

Hope this clears a few things up.

 

Thank you for your post. It is one of the most logical and informative posts I have read in a long time.

 

WELL SAID:

 

Web :)

[dkjretired]

as I remember this the people who charged it got their money back. Those that paid by check or cash had to await the FMC sending them checks...that took longer. The bonding requirement goes back more than 20 years. Some people never applied for the money back from the Federal Maritime Commission and its only for cruises that leave or return to the US.

 

http://www.fmc.gov/home/PublicLaw89777.asp

 

the law in its present form became law in 1966...

 

I guess we will have to respectfully, agree to disagree, I don't remember it that way, just that there were numerous people complaining about losing everything.