Royal Princess Misses April 30 Disembarkation in LeHavre

We were on the Royal Princess and had expected to disembark in LeHavre on April 30. Unfortunately due to severe weather, the ship's captain skipped LeHavre and went on to Southampton. About 300 passengers had to change their arrangements, including us. We had intended to continue on to Paris. Just curious what the experience was for others????

I was suppose to be on your cruise but I took the move over offer so am sitting at home. I did see, first on Marine Traffic, that the Royal skipped Le Harve. There have been only a few posts on the roll calls but not much info other than high winds and one couple who were suppose to disembark in LeHarve had to pay their own way to Paris. They didn't use EZ-air.

I was wondering what sort of assistance Princess was providing for stranded passengers both in France and in UK.

My understanding is that Princess does not guarantee reaching a port. So they are not financially responsible,

My understanding is that Princess does not guarantee reaching a port. So they are not financially responsible,

True, but they were very generous to us in the past with assisting their passengers who are having a dilemma that wasn't their fault. They don't have to, but maybe they will.

A friend and her husband were among those who were supposed to disembark on Sunday. They made it to Paris today--missing two of their four days.

My understanding is that Princess does not guarantee reaching a port. So they are not financially responsible,

This was more than a port of call, Princess sold this as a 14 day Transatlantic ending in Le Harve and a 15 day Transatlantic ending in Southampton. The 14 day was actually more money than the 15 day, at least when I booked. They also sold an April 30 British Isles cruise beginning and ending in Le Harve. That may still mean they don't have any financial responsibility. I was actually wondering if they were assisting passengers finding transportation between to/from Le Harve, not necessarily paying for it. The op mentioned about 300 passengers wound up in Southampton instead of Le Harve, there must have been about the same number left behind in Le Harve.

there must have been about the same number left behind in Le Harve.

There is no way to know how many passengers were scheduled to board in LeHavre. Yes, the cruise was sold with the possibility of embarking there, but it was also sold with an embarkation at Southampton the next day. There could have been up to 300 passengers embarking in France....but there also could have been far fewer. It would have depended on what sold!

I would guess that passengers who had booked the cruise ending in Le Havre would have received assistance from Princess in reaching their final destination. Although ports of call on a cruise are never guaranteed, the embarkation and disembarkation ports are expected to be reached.

Those who had booked to end the cruise in Southampton but made arrangements to disembark early in Le Havre would likely receive no help from Princess in this case as Princess did get them to the booked disembarkation port of Southampton.

We were on a cruise two years ago that ended in Southampton and there were a number of passengers who had arranged to disembark a day early in Le Havre. Due to a strike by port workers, the ship could no go to Le Havre and went instead to Zebrugge, Belgium. These passengers were given the choice of leaving the ship in Zebrugge and needing to make their own arrangements to reach France or continuing on to Southampton and needing to make their own arrangements to reach France.

Surely if your cruise ends in Le Harve and that’s how the cruise was sold and booked Princess has a responsibility to get you to Le Harve. Otherwise why not leave passengers in Princess cays on a Fort Lauderdale Caribbean cruise.

So here's our story: We bought the Princess Royal cruise as a crossing that would allow us to disembark in LeHavre. We had independent plans to travel to Paris, stay in Paris for a month, and then move on to Amsterdam with an eventual return to the States on HAL's Rotterdam.

The Captain announced at 9:30 the night before arrival in LeHavre that LeHavre would be missed due to severe weather and that passengers scheduled to disembark would receive a letter offering options. We received our letter that offered us a free shuttle to Heathrow Airport, 30 minutes of internet time, and codes that would allow us to use the ship's phones to make international calls. In the chaos that ensued, we struggled to buy air tickets for the 30th to fly Heathrow to Paris. The internet didn't work, probably because of too many users. The phones didn't work. The concierge was not on duty. So I joined the chaos at Passenger Services and was told that since I had not booked return air on Princess Air, I was on my own. Finally a staff person hooked me up to a house phone in the lobby where I was able to call British Air to buy 2 tickets to fly to Paris CDG. Because we have luggage, a low-cost option was not possible. The cost was $1,053. We did make it to Paris, but totally exhausted and stressed out. Hardly the "Return New" that the Princess motto promises.

I started this thread to ask what happened to the others. On the shuttle to Heathrow we heard a few bizarre tales of the Princess Air arrangements, of folks offered flights to Paris with stopovers in Zurich, Milan, and Moscow. One disabled couple was to arrive in Milan very late and told to sit in the airport overnight for a connecting flight early on the morning of May 1.

I plan to file an insurance claim. Not sure what the result will be. Right now I am not happy with Princess, but maybe my attitude will change if I get some insurance money.

I have never heard anything like this before. I would have expected Princess to organise an alternative arrangement for the passengers involved or at least said they would cover costs.

If a on a flight, and the plane couldnt land at an airport because of weather and was diverted to another airport the airline would make arrangements to take you to your expected airport. It may involve a coach transfer or posssibly hotel stay. They wouldnt charge you for it.

I think next year Le Havre is an option for embarkation on the British Isles cruises, maybe not a good idea.[emoji848]

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Im sure the passenger contract guarantee is that it will get you to the final destination, if the cruise was sold as ending in Le Harvey then Princess is responsible to get you there. Now if you left early that' aa different story

Well, this is a surprise. I know in former passage contracts the cruiseline was obligated to get you to your original disembarkation point. In reading the current contract, it appears that is now only in case of mechanical failure on the part of the ship...weather being out of their control and specifically listed in the contract as being not their obligation.

Using Princess insurance and/or EZ Air may have more sway, but as noted above the Air routings last minute can be absurd. For future reference, what I would have done in this case is take the train from Heathrow to St. Pancras and then the Chunnel direct to Paris. That may not have worked for the OP due to luggage. But it would have been faster and less stressful than these crazy air routings some people were given.

Well, this is a surprise. I know in former passage contracts the cruiseline was obligated to get you to your original disembarkation point. In reading the current contract, it appears that is now only in case of mechanical failure on the part of the ship...weather being out of their control and specifically listed in the contract as being not their obligation.

Maybe I wont be so fast to check that have you read the conditions/passenger contract box next time I book.

I did read it once. But as you have shown things do change. :o

Well, this is a surprise. I know in former passage contracts the cruiseline was obligated to get you to your original disembarkation point. In reading the current contract, it appears that is now only in case of mechanical failure on the part of the ship...weather being out of their control and specifically listed in the contract as being not their obligation.

 

Using Princess insurance and/or EZ Air may have more sway, but as noted above the Air routings last minute can be absurd. For future reference, what I would have done in this case is take the train from Heathrow to St. Pancras and then the Chunnel direct to Paris. That may not have worked for the OP due to luggage. But it would have been faster and less stressful than these crazy air routings some people were given.

Wow, that is a complete surprise to see that change in the contract. Not a change that is good for us passengers, that's for sure.

Like you, I would have taken the Eurostar direct to Paris which we have done a few times.

OP, I'm so sorry to hear this happened and that your cruise ended this way. Hopefully your insurance covers this and that you enjoy the rest of your time in Europe. Envious of your summer!

Wow, that is a complete surprise to see that change in the contract. Not a change that is good for us passengers, that's for sure.

 

Like you, I would have taken the Eurostar direct to Paris which we have done a few times.

 

OP, I'm so sorry to hear this happened and that your cruise ended this way. Hopefully your insurance covers this and that you enjoy the rest of your time in Europe. Envious of your summer!

I would like to think Travel Insurance may help off set expenses in this situation. Not entirely sure though.

It is unbelievable that Princess would act in this way.

You booked to disembark at Le Havre.

I would have thought Princess would have offered a much more realistic package...they effectively 'kidnapped' you.

Others must have had return tickets from France...what if they had tickets that they were unable to change ?

Our insurance has Cruise Cover but not sure this sort of deviation from itinerary would be included.

Think I would contact Princess Corporate offices and demand some sort of refund (airfare) and compensation (undue stress). Certainly after that experience you would not 'Come back New ' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would be interested to know what transpires.

I've filed my insurance claim and have spent time with my TA, who is looking into all of this. I promise to let everyone know what happens. I'm still curious what happened to the other passengers and if they are comfortable with service from Princess.

Interesting that Marine Traffic shows 81 ship movements in and out of Le Harve on April 30th...including at least one cruise ship.

Wondering whether Nick (Crash) Nash is still at the helm of the Royal...

My understanding is that Princess does not guarantee reaching a port. So they are not financially responsible,

The exception to that is for embarkation and disembarkation ports. Princess is responsible for getting them to their scheduled disembarkation port.

I am pretty sure that even though it may not be in the contract, it is in the passenger bill of rights that princess as part of ccl agreed to a few years back.

You can do a search for passenger bill of right cruise line

Interesting that Marine Traffic shows 81 ship movements in and out of Le Harve on April 30th...including at least one cruise ship.

 

Wondering whether Nick (Crash) Nash is still at the helm of the Royal...

In the end of March, 2018, it was Antony Draper.

Pooh

In the end of March, 2018, it was Antony Draper.

 

Pooh

My pre-cruise email from the captain was from Tony Draper, so am pretty sure you are correct.

tv24, thank you for the details. I am sorry this had to happen and am sure it was a nightmare for you and all the other passengers. I'm glad you reached Paris safely.

I am also sure this was a logistics nightmare for princess. Especially passenger services onboard. But it sounds like they could have handled it better.

True, but they were very generous to us in the past with assisting their passengers who are having a dilemma that wasn't their fault. They don't have to, but maybe they will.

From what I just heard, EMBARKING LeHavre passengers with EZ Air were re-booked with air they couldn't possibly adhere to (too far away from airport, flight connections too tight, sent to airports way out of the way and late arrival to the ship). They had to purchase ferry tickets to England, then do the trek to Southampton on their own if they wanted to get to the ship in time. Princess said they couldn't put people with EZ Air on ferries since it's not an air booking which seems ridiculous to me but makes sense to them. Sure hope these people had outside insurance.

BTW - you can take quite a good amount of luggage on the Eurostar train. We've done that without a problem but in first class which seemed to have a little more room. The passengers above should've boarded the train in Calais to England. Would've been easier I think.

The exception to that is for embarkation and disembarkation ports. Princess is responsible for getting them to their scheduled disembarkation port.

 

I am pretty sure that even though it may not be in the contract, it is in the passenger bill of rights that princess as part of ccl agreed to a few years back.

 

You can do a search for passenger bill of right cruise line

Just found and read the full version. It also includes language limiting to mechanical failure only.

The exception to that is for embarkation and disembarkation ports. Princess is responsible for getting them to their scheduled disembarkation port.

 

I am pretty sure that even though it may not be in the contract, it is in the passenger bill of rights that princess as part of ccl agreed to a few years back.

 

You can do a search for passenger bill of right cruise line

Uhhh... Nope.

The ship's scheduled disembarkation port for the cruise.

CAUTION! Lawyers at work. CAUTION! :(