O'dam late, missed our flights any recourse?

[TotallyCruzin]

just got off the Oosterdam about 3 1/2 hours ago...got in about 7 hours late, so we missed our flights. We are now here in Vancouver after making reservations at a hotel and having to pay for airline flight changes...i did not buy any travel insurance from the TA, has anyone been in my situation? is there anything i can do about recouping these additional costs that i have to incur? If you have any information please let me know...thank you very much... aloha

[Atomica]

You might want to get in touch with HAL, or the airline, or your TA. I don't know what the recourse is for this, since you had no travel insurance.

However, you missed your flights due to no fault of your own (you can't control the ship or weather), so I'm not sure what the procedure is. For now, at least, it unfortunately looks like you're stuck with the extra $$$.

[Scrumpy]

I'm sorry you missed your flight. I can't see any recourse, however. Anything weather-related is out of HAL's hands, just as it is with the airlines. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, normally you are SOL and may end up bunking down at the airport. Unfortunately, these things happen and we have to roll with it the best we can. As much as we absolutely HATE buying travel insurance, we do it - just in case... I hope you enjoy your night in Vancouver! It's lovely and if you have everything else sorted out, maybe you can go have some extra, unexpected fun!

[bepsf]

Normally the airlines do the best they can to accommodate passengers who have missed their flights due to such unforseen circumstances, but with the great number of folks flying out of Vancouver (2 HAL ships, so prob in the neighborhood of 2800-3000 pax) it's understandably difficult.

HAL's primary responsibility in these situations is to the pax who purchased air connections from HAL, then they may choose to offer to help other passengers as their staffing allows. Did HAL offer to intercede with the airlines for you on the ship or at the pier? I seem to recall they did during hurricane season a couple years ago when Zuiderdam was a day late coming into FL.

My gut feeling is that since you made your own travel arrangements to get home and did not choose to purchase travel insurance, you are solely responsible for the additional expense.

[dakrewser]

You have no recourse, that's why people buy insurance. If you could foresee the problem, then you'd have a contingency plan. For unforeseen problems, you get insurance. It's a hard way to learn a lesson, but it'll probably stay with you for quite some time...

[TotallyCruzin]

Thanks all for your input...i didn't think there was much i could do ... i guess i was just hoping someone had a similar problem that was rectified...it was a nice cruise and great food..."Aaron" gave all concerned pax like me 15 minutes of satellite phone time to use so we could adjust our flights when they announced yesterday at noon that we were not going to make our arrival time of 7am...he also made us a reservation at the "delta hotel" at the airport while we were aboard the ship. So i guess a pax without travel insurance was given some help by the ship's crew.

[AirGorilla]

You're probably stuck with the hotel bill.

If you have status in your airline's frequent flyer program, you may be able to speak with someone at the "Elite Passenger Desk", and have the airline's re-booking fees reversed. You do have a viable story to tell the airline about your late cruise ship arrival being totally out or your control, due to weather.

[Cruiseoften]

just got off the Oosterdam about 3 1/2 hours ago...got in about 7 hours late, so we missed our flights.

Not nice!:( Wonder if you talked to the Front Office on board when you knew you'd be late arriving - HAL would in all probability have helped you contact the hotel and the airline to make adjustments. Obviously you did your own air and hotel arrangements. It's no consolation now of course but is one more reason to always buy insurance.

[kryos]

just got off the Oosterdam about 3 1/2 hours ago...got in about 7 hours late, so we missed our flights. We are now here in Vancouver after making reservations at a hotel and having to pay for airline flight changes...i did not buy any travel insurance from the TA, has anyone been in my situation? is there anything i can do about recouping these additional costs that i have to incur? If you have any information please let me know...thank you very much... aloha
Sadly, I don't think HAL *has* to do anything for you ... especially if the late arrival had to do with weather. That's out of HAL's control. Now, if they had to divert for some reason ... perhaps to take an ill passenger off the ship ... frequently they will do something for you to compensate for missed flights, hotel rooms, etc.

I would get in touch with your TA and have her contact HAL to see if anything can be done.

As a sidenote, I missed my cruise due to airline problems back in 2004. We had to divert to another airport because we lost an engine in flight. By the time we took off again (after the plane was serviced), and got to Fort Lauderdale, the ship had sailed. I had to fly to Costa Rica to meet the ship at its first port. This involved flights, plus two nights hotel stay. I had insurance, but guess what? They only pay a maximum of $500 for "trip interruption." My airfare alone was more than that. The airline gave me next to squat in compensation. They begrudgingly gave me a couple of complimentary vouchers for future flights only after I badgered their customer service reps so much that I think they gave them to me just to get rid of me.

People on this board will say that it is precisely because of occurences like this that you should always fly to your port city at least a day in advance, and often spend a day or two post-cruise as well. In your case, it probably would have worked out cheaper if your flights had been for the next day.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[Typhoon1]

Another reason I always add a one night hotel stay post cruise. Even if you are on time you then have the hassle of rushing to the airport to make your flight.

[TotallyCruzin]

Thanks again for all who replied...we had a nice cruise ... food was excellent and service was great...once again the pinnacle grill was EXCEPTIONAL...loved the rare rib eye and i got to meet hotel manager James Deering....so all was not lost...dont regret it in the least.... aloha to all....only our 3rd cruise ... loved it but i think i loved Celebrity conceirge class a little better....aloha

[sail7seas]

I must have missed it but can't find where you said why the ship arrived late??

Glad the cruise was good; sorry you are subjected to these extra costs. Hope you made the best of it and enjoyed the unexpected time in Vancouver.

Safe travel going home tomorrow.

[wrp96]

I must have missed it but can't find where you said why the ship arrived late??


High winds/rough seas delayed the ship into Vancouver (other ships as well).

[sail7seas]

Thanks, wrp.