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Dealing with Missed Flight (Booked by HAL)


grsnovi
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We just left Amsterdam June2 off the Prinsendam. We carried our luggage off, caught a taxi and were the airport by 8. Long security lines but we had plenty of time for our 11:30 flight. The cost was 80 Euro’s . Holland does a good job with transfers but after a month, we had enough of the bus riding.

 

 

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I would make sure to eat breakfast before I left the ship (you never know when your next meal will be), wear comfortable shoes, and be ready to go. Take a cab. What airline are you flying? If it's United, be prepared for at least a 15 minute walk through throngs of people everywhere. The old expression, "it's like Grand Central Station" comes to mind. As long as the ship is cleared on time, you will be fine.

 

 

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My concern with self-disembarkation is schlepping the luggage off the ship by myself. My wife has been having mobility issues and won't be able to help. I know that we're not arriving back at the main cruise terminal and I suspect there will be taxis where we do arrive and that it should be slightly faster to get to the airport from this location. We are in fact flying United back. My concern includes: late arrival at the port due to traffic going through the lock, having to wait to fill-up the transfer bus and then arriving at the airport someplace other than close to the United departure entry and then getting stuck in lines. Under "normal" circumstances I can deal with being "harried" at an airport but this will be our first trip where my wife's inability to "rush" or deal with her own luggage is going to be a factor.

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Thanks all... (I think) Half say get to the airport myself - the other half say use the transfer I booked with HAL. HAL told me "no problem, you'll be at the airport in time" (easy for someone in Seattle to say who has never traveled). My TA says "no problem, you'll be there..." I've flown through Schiphol (but it's been a while). I'm not familiar with "FlightEase" is that what I have already purchased through my TA/HAL? How do I get contact numbers? I'm not worried about getting to the hotel (we arrive on Friday and the cruise leaves on Sunday) but I would have never booked a flight at noon of the day we got off the ship. Before anyone says "well why did you..." I booked the cruise and never got the rest of the info until afterwards and when I started questioning the times all I got was: It'll be OK.

 

We're on a different cruise with HAL, but the same answers. Alaska cruise that docks at 7:00 AM in Vancouver and a flight at noon. HAL and my TA all say, don't worry, it'll be fine using HAL transportation to airport

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My concern includes: ..., having to wait to fill-up the transfer bus and then arriving at the airport someplace other than close to the United departure entry and then getting stuck in lines.

Needing to wait for a transfer bus to leave should be the least of your concerns.

I typically take HAL transfers, as they are less expensive for me as a solo, and I can get needed assistance more easily. As I approach the bus there is a jam-up of people all trying to board (in an orderly fashion). As one bus fills, it leaves while the next bus is filling.

 

Being left at a terminal other than the one you are departing from is a legitimate concern.

Last summer my HAL transfer dropped me at one terminal (this was in Amsterdam), but I needed to be at a different terminal. Being alone and disabled made that tough. I did find the assistance area, and they got me a wheelchair and pusher who got me all the way to the lounge, where I waited for my flight.

If your wife has trouble getting around, consider getting her wheelchair assistance at the airport. Wheelchairs typically use a shorter line, or in some cases cut to the front of a line. It will also make the trek (and it can be a trek!) to the gate bearable.

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...consider getting her wheelchair assistance at the airport.

 

Thanks Ruth! I was going to get a chair when we arrive but I hadn't considered getting one when we depart. The logistics are going to all be new to me this time.

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It's IN the cruise contract, and, to summarize, their only responsibility is to refund the air cost under certain circumstances:

 

https://hollandamerica.com/en_US/legal-privacy/cruise-contract.html

 

Here:

 

D. Liability and Relationship With Airlines: We will use our best efforts to arrange for Your air transportation. If, however, due to any cause beyond our control, we are unable to arrange for air transportation (including, for example, because of capacity controls placed upon us by airlines due to the types of fares under which we book) or the air transportation we arrange is unavailable or otherwise fails to materialize, our sole liability will be limited to refunding the air add-on paid or cruise only credit. Our relationship with airlines is that of an independent travel agent. We assume no liability for any acts or omissions of any airline including, without limitation, those involving cancellation of flights, schedule changes, re-routings, damage to or delay or loss of baggage, flight delays, equipment failures, accidents, pilot or other staff shortages, overbooking or computer errors. Accordingly, You will not have any right to claim or recover against us as a consequence of any act or omission of any airline. The liabilities and obligations of an airline to You, and Your rights against an airline, are subject to any and all terms and conditions of the airline's ticket and tariffs and any and all governmental laws and regulations bearing upon or otherwise relating to such rights, liabilities and obligations.

 

Thanks.

 

I don't see any reference to HAL FlightEase.

 

Seems that this refers to when HAL "is unable to arrange air or if the air that they arrange is unavailable or fails to materialize". The liability part is for "acts or omissions of any airline..."

 

If HAL does book pax through Flight Ease....this is what I am asking about. There should be info on exactly what they are responsible for and what the pax is responsible for.

Edited by SilvertoGold
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I agree with Roy. When booking flights through cruise lines, airport transfers are generally included. I question the advice from posters who say to get to the airport on your own. I've booked cruise line air more than once, and they never failed to get us to the airport in time.

 

Roz

 

I would love some clarity on this, it is my understanding that FlightEase bookings do NOT include HAL transfers to airport at arrival or disembarkation. If I am wrong please inform me as this would be an added benefit for us.

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I would love some clarity on this, it is my understanding that FlightEase bookings do NOT include HAL transfers to airport at arrival or disembarkation. If I am wrong please inform me as this would be an added benefit for us.

 

I've asked each time we book FlightEase and each time they said: you have to purchase transfers separately.

 

However, I do know that a friend's TA added the transfers to her booking (at my friend's cost) with out telling her. This also happened to me, quite a while ago. So, there could be some misunderstanding.

 

Ask your TA, PCC or HAL booking agent and see what happens. Good luck!

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I would love some clarity on this, it is my understanding that FlightEase bookings do NOT include HAL transfers to airport at arrival or disembarkation. If I am wrong please inform me as this would be an added benefit for us.

 

I was told that the transfers were a separate item, but that you should purchase them if you wanted to have HAL guarantee that you get to your first port. I can understand that, as how else could they control it.

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I was told that the transfers were a separate item, but that you should purchase them if you wanted to have HAL guarantee that you get to your first port. I can understand that, as how else could they control it.

 

By "first port" you mean: embarkation port or the first port after the ship has sailed with you not on it?

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I am confused by the OP's post. If you use the HAL online air system you can pick your own flights which are all selected because they theoretically meet the minimum transfer time and have departures that also meet HAL's transfer minimums. We would be fine with a noon flight out of Schipol. Even if you left the ship at 8 you should easily be to the airport by 9 which is plenty of time.

 

Hank

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I am confused by the OP's post...

Thanks Hank - to clarify, my TA booked the cruise and we weren't clear about the flights on either end. She never confirmed the flights until after I had already told her to book the whole thing. I won't make that mistake again. Had there been a discussion I would have selected a 5pm return flight. Enough folks seem to think that we ought to be able to make it. I think I just need to take a deep breath and relax. Whatever happens will happen and I'll deal with it on July 1st. I'm spoiled by being able to drive up to Seattle and park at the cruise terminal (when we go to Alaska). We haven't been to Europe since 2009 when we did our 10 day Baltic - maybe I'm just getting old or out of practice on international travel? I'm also worried how my wife is going to do this time out since we haven't done an international trip since her mobility became of concern.

 

Thanks to all for your input - this time next week I'll be on K'dam...

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  • 3 weeks later...

As a follow-up: we arrived in Amsterdam and were docked by 7am. "Priority Disembarkation" was begun by 7:30. We were on the bus to Schiphol by 7:50 or so. The drive to the airport was about 15 minutes (note that we had returned to the Westhaven port as there were multiple ships at PTA). Once we hit the airport there was quite a traffic back-up but it moved albeit slowly. In any event we were in the terminal and through our luggage check-in by 9am and easily made our 12 noon flight (just like HAL said and many of you advised). I don't think that taking a taxi would have gotten us there any faster as the biggest time lag was sitting in traffic at the airport.

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