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Is the cruise industry ready for the future?


tai chi guy
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I am writing this for the benefit of future travelers and the cruise industry. Here's my story.

I planned to drive to the Port of Miami to take a 7 day Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Glory departing 10 October; until the plan was terminated due to an act of God to which the cruise industry, and travel insurance companies and the entire world knew that President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for South Carolina as a result of a combination of Hurricane Joaquin and other storm systems that caused severe flooding, and damage to roads and other infrastructures throughout the state; and my North Charleston neighborhood. Due to this, my calls to the travel agent, to the travel insurance, and Carnival customer service activities to reschedule my trip after this emergency fell on deaf ears.

So here is my take away, in plain language, to the cruise industry and patrons and partners of that industry:

On the cruise industry's current policies on this issue: it will not contribute to the retention of loyal customers and the sustainability of future profits, considering that the prognosis of leading meteorological experts is that climatic disruptions, such as Joaquin, will be tomorrow's new normal.

To customers and partners of the cruise industry: let the buyer beware.

And that folks is my take away. Peace!

Edited by tai chi guy
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I am writing this for the benefit of future travelers and the cruise industry. Here's my story.

I planned to drive to the Port of Miami to take a 7 day Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Glory departing 10 October; until the plan was terminated due to an act of God to which the cruise industry, and travel insurance companies and the entire world knew that President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for South Carolina as a result of a combination of Hurricane Joaquin and other storm systems that caused severe flooding, and damage to roads and other infrastructures throughout the state; and my North Charleston neighborhood. Due to this, my calls to the travel agent, to the travel insurance, and Carnival Cruise lines customer service activities to reschedule my trip after this emergency feel on deaf ears.

What I can surmise from this experience is that the cruise industry's current policies on this issue will not contribute but take away from the industry's ability to retain loyal customers and long term profitability considering that the prognosis of meteorological experts is that climatic disruptions, such as Joaquin, will be tomorrow's new normal.

I'm a little confused; if you had trip insurance then what is the big deal? File your claim , get reimbursed and plan another trip.

 

I am happy to hear that you are safe and hopefully you did not suffer too much damage in this devastating situation where many folks lost everything.

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I am writing this for the benefit of future travelers and the cruise industry. Here's my story.

I planned to drive to the Port of Miami to take a 7 day Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Glory departing 10 October; until the plan was terminated due to an act of God to which the cruise industry, and travel insurance companies and the entire world knew that President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for South Carolina as a result of a combination of Hurricane Joaquin and other storm systems that caused severe flooding, and damage to roads and other infrastructures throughout the state; and my North Charleston neighborhood. Due to this, my calls to the travel agent, to the travel insurance, and Carnival customer service activities to reschedule my trip after this emergency fell on deaf ears.

So here is my take away, in plain language, to the cruise industry and patrons and partners of that industry:

On the cruise industry's current policies on this issue: it will not contribute to the retention of loyal customers and the sustainability of future profits, considering that the prognosis of leading meteorological experts is that climatic disruptions, such as Joaquin, will be tomorrow's new normal.

To customers and partners of the cruise industry: let the buyer beware.

And that folks is my take away. Peace!

 

Yes, people need to be aware of the limitations of travel insurance and the obligations of any common carrier when it comes to natural disasters. Since you had travel insurance what clause did they cite to deny your claim? Did your purchase your insurance before Joaquin became a named storm or after? That is the critical date, not when the President declared an emergency. Travel insurance typically will not afford coverage to hazards known at the time of purchase.

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I'm sorry that your travel plans got disrupted. It happens sometimes. I hope you had insurance, and that your insurance will make appropriate reimbursement.

 

You seem to be saying that in future, all cruises, in every season, from every port, will be affected by hurricanes and other extreme weather. If that's what you think is going to happen, what do YOU think the cruise industry should do about it? Pave the oceans? Cancel all future cruises for everyone because this one didn't work perfectly?

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I notice this is your first posting on cruise critic. As others have said, I hope you had travel insurance. Many people think insurance is only for illness but unpredictable complications from mother nature are also covered. Those of us who have been on this board for a while can share the mother nature horror stories that have appeared on here in the past: in addition to the perennial missing flights due to snow, hurricanes, typhoons, etc.; there was volcanic ash spreading over Europe one year; and a devastating earthquake in Chile that closed the Santiago airport.

 

On a more personal note - I used to travel to Charleston frequently and it was especially heartbreaking to see the pictures of the flooding. I hope you and your fellow citizens throughout South Carolina make a speedy recovery from the devastation.

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I am writing this for the benefit of future travelers and the cruise industry. Here's my story.

I planned to drive to the Port of Miami to take a 7 day Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Glory departing 10 October; until the plan was terminated due to an act of God to which the cruise industry, and travel insurance companies and the entire world knew that President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for South Carolina as a result of a combination of Hurricane Joaquin and other storm systems that caused severe flooding, and damage to roads and other infrastructures throughout the state; and my North Charleston neighborhood. Due to this, my calls to the travel agent, to the travel insurance, and Carnival customer service activities to reschedule my trip after this emergency fell on deaf ears.

So here is my take away, in plain language, to the cruise industry and patrons and partners of that industry:

On the cruise industry's current policies on this issue: it will not contribute to the retention of loyal customers and the sustainability of future profits, considering that the prognosis of leading meteorological experts is that climatic disruptions, such as Joaquin, will be tomorrow's new normal.

To customers and partners of the cruise industry: let the buyer beware.

And that folks is my take away. Peace!

 

Your story is lacking critical information.

What exactly is preventing you from taking the trip?

Is it flood damage to the roads and you're unable to drive there? Damage to your home?

What exactly does "fell on deaf ears" mean in this situation? As previously asked, what did the cruise insurance company tell you?

What did Carnival tell you about rebooking?

 

FWIW, when you're cruising during hurricane season you need to expect that you may be affected. That's not new and definitely not a 'new normal.'

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I notice this is your first posting on cruise critic. As others have said, I hope you had travel insurance. Many people think insurance is only for illness but unpredictable complications from mother nature are also covered. Those of us who have been on this board for a while can share the mother nature horror stories that have appeared on here in the past: in addition to the perennial missing flights due to snow, hurricanes, typhoons, etc.; there was volcanic ash spreading over Europe one year; and a devastating earthquake in Chile that closed the Santiago airport.

 

On a more personal note - I used to travel to Charleston frequently and it was especially heartbreaking to see the pictures of the flooding. I hope you and your fellow citizens throughout South Carolina make a speedy recovery from the devastation.

 

So far, the most crucial statement made.

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Insurance won't pay out for something that hasn't happened, will they? Wait and see if you can get to Miami, and if you can't you should be able to claim then.

 

Good catch, the insurance company won't talk to them until it's a fait accompli (sp?). The OP has to at least try to make it to their cruise.

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Good catch, the insurance company won't talk to them until it's a fait accompli (sp?). The OP has to at least try to make it to their cruise.

 

actually they will talk to you; but you are correct until you cancel the cruise the refund process does not start. They will advise you on what to do and how to do it.

 

I've got a post in the insurance section that describes my recent claim experience if any one is bored:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2207632

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I am writing this for the benefit of future travelers and the cruise industry. Here's my story.

I planned to drive to the Port of Miami to take a 7 day Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Glory departing 10 October; until the plan was terminated due to an act of God to which the cruise industry, and travel insurance companies and the entire world knew that President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency for South Carolina as a result of a combination of Hurricane Joaquin and other storm systems that caused severe flooding, and damage to roads and other infrastructures throughout the state; and my North Charleston neighborhood. Due to this, my calls to the travel agent, to the travel insurance, and Carnival customer service activities to reschedule my trip after this emergency fell on deaf ears.

So here is my take away, in plain language, to the cruise industry and patrons and partners of that industry:

On the cruise industry's current policies on this issue: it will not contribute to the retention of loyal customers and the sustainability of future profits, considering that the prognosis of leading meteorological experts is that climatic disruptions, such as Joaquin, will be tomorrow's new normal.

To customers and partners of the cruise industry: let the buyer beware.

And that folks is my take away. Peace!

 

 

Long ago and far away, before interstates had been built and most US highways were still two-lane, back when I was young and in college, it took us 24 hours to drive from upstate NY to Miami vicinity for spring break. You have two days to get there from SC. I don't see the problem.

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Your story is lacking critical information.

What exactly is preventing you from taking the trip?

Is it flood damage to the roads and you're unable to drive there? Damage to your home?

What exactly does "fell on deaf ears" mean in this situation? As previously asked, what did the cruise insurance company tell you?

What did Carnival tell you about rebooking?

 

FWIW, when you're cruising during hurricane season you need to expect that you may be affected. That's not new and definitely not a 'new normal.'

 

I hope OP comes back and tells us the vital information that was left out.

 

Today is October 7. What is the reason OP cannot get to Miami in time for their cruise?

Of course, I understand there is flooding and some road closings but the insurance company will not honor a claim until the date for boarding has passed. If OP has insurance and the terms do not explicitly preclude Hurricane/flooding, the carrier may pay the claim. There can be no claim until there is a loss.

 

 

Edited by sail7seas
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"Is the cruise industry ready for the future?" Quite an interesting thread title for a rant that proposes no solution other than the shopworn cliche of "buyer beware" :rolleyes:

 

But what I gather the OP is proposing is that similar to what airlines do when a genuine weather emergency strikes the cruise lines should allow change of sail date at the very last minute waiving any cancellation penalty. Is that truly logical? Not when the cruise sails from an embarkation port around 500 miles away from the weather emergency in question. Airlines allow those last minute changes under the likelihood that either the flights from the affected area will be cancelled--or if they do operate there will be such demand to evacuate that cancelled seats can be resold at rack rate or higher. With 20 times the passengers on some ships compared to a domestic aircraft, and cruise passengers travelling to embarkation ports from every state in the union every week of the year, how on earth could they be responsible for each and every weather delay from every possible passenger origin city?

 

Bottom line is you chose a vacation with a price and start date that is unchangeably final after a certain date (75-90 days or so before sailing on average). And as has been pointed out several times above, insurance does not come into play until you have actually suffered a loss--in this case the ship has actually sailed without you. That fact should already be intuitively obvious to anyone with such strong opinions of how the cruise industry is not ready for the future.

 

I'll concede that it would be wonderful if there was such an insurance policy that provided immediate future rebooking should one miss the ship rather than having to wait for the check (or future cruise credit) to be posted. Perhaps that is the future of the industry our OP hopes for, while patiently waiting for flying pigs and permafrost in Hades. :eek:

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Parts of I95 are closed in SC while they evaluate bridge status. I don't know the status of US17 from Charleston, but it is nearer the coast than I-95. He would probably take US17 down to exit 33 on I95. It's possible to take other roads cross-country to get to I95, but it's all 'Low Country'... EM

Edited by Essiesmom
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What a sad take on where we are as a country.

OP comes here and with a rant as her first (and so far only) post to complain about the weather ruining her plans. Then she lectures us on how bad her situation is and tells us that 'Lo and behold, we will have hurricanes in the future because' ......oh well....there is no point in pursuing that line of drivel.

 

I would ask that OP do a quick search of the words Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Katrina and do some reading. If she is gonna book a cruise in hurricane season and not insure the trip.....she might be disappointed in the outcome.

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I would ask that OP do a quick search of the words Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Katrina and do some reading. If she is gonna book a cruise in hurricane season and not insure the trip.....she might be disappointed in the outcome.

__________________

 

Living in Charleston, adding HUGO to this list is most appropriate. EM

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I would ask that OP do a quick search of the words Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Katrina and do some reading. If she is gonna book a cruise in hurricane season and not insure the trip.....she might be disappointed in the outcome.

__________________

 

Living in Charleston, adding HUGO to this list is most appropriate. EM

 

Hurricane Sandy and every time it snows or rain in NY-NJ-CT area, says hello too.[emoji52]

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

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What a sad take on where we are as a country.

OP comes here and with a rant as her first (and so far only) post to complain about the weather ruining her plans. Then she lectures us on how bad her situation is and tells us that 'Lo and behold, we will have hurricanes in the future because' ......oh well....there is no point in pursuing that line of drivel.

 

I would ask that OP do a quick search of the words Camille, Betsy, Andrew, Katrina and do some reading. If she is gonna book a cruise in hurricane season and not insure the trip.....she might be disappointed in the outcome.

 

Seeing hurricane season is a full six months of the year, I'll cut a little slack for booking during that time period. DH and I booked many a cruise in Caribbean, Canada/NE and Europe during those six months. We didn't want to give up cruising fully half the year. We were very fortunate with only a few disruptions because of hurricanes but it is just as risky for those of us in the cold snowy regions of the country to book during winter. Weather is always something that has to be considered with all travel. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don't.

 

OP's points were hard to take very seriously seeing too many pertinent facts are omitted. Hope he comes back to read some of the responses posted here.

 

(Given his 'nickname', I assume poster is a guy. :))

Edited by sail7seas
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Maybe their home was damaged or flooded & cannot just walk away to get to their cruise

 

hope they do come back & explain

 

We all were first time posters once ;)

 

The storm hasn't happened yet, or at least hadn't at the time of posting. If the home was significantly damaged, then any decent travel insurance policy would cover the cancellation.

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