Transfers and Delayed Departure/Arrival

[sea_u_onboard]

I’ve been reading about all the issues the Caribbean Princess has had getting in and out of Bayport terminal. So this made me think, what happens if I use the Princess Transfers and the ship is late coming in or leaving? How does this affect the transfers? What happens if the ship doesn’t come in the day of departure and we have to spend the night in a hotel? Is it our responsibility to get back to the airport to catch the shuttle? Same coming back?

 

Think I may get travel insurance for this trip.

[beg3yrs]

If you have a Princess Transfer to the ship, the ship doesn't arrive and you spend a night in a hotel, based on Princess' history I'd expect the following:

 

1) Once you arrive at the dock, on time, expecting your ship, you are now Princess' guest. They should handle all the arrangements for you to stay overnight at a hotel, including transportation back and forth. It may take them a while and they'll botch things here and there, but it will get done.

 

2) If you return to port late and you have a Princess Transfer, expect them to help you rearrange missed flights (even if they are your own) and get to the airport. Hotel room if required should be included too.

 

Search for the thread regarding the cancelled Sun Princess cruise out of Singapore to read how they handle things like this.

Edited December 1, 2013 by beg3yrs

[sea_u_onboard]

Tried some different searches and didn't manage to come up with anything on the mentioned cruise. Was this recently?

[Loonbeam]

Do note that Princess transfers only cover travel to the airport on the return. So, for example, if the ship does not get in to port until 11 am, and you have a noon flight, Princess is not obligated to do anything other than get you to the airport as soon as feasible. If they know the ship will be late, ground transport will be adjusted accordingly.

 

This doesn't mean Princess will not assist you depending on the nature of the delay, but that is not a function of having Princess transport, its a function of the cruise being delayed on arrival and may be extended to passengers without Princess transportation as well.

[RickEk]

Do note that Princess transfers only cover travel to the airport on the return. So, for example, if the ship does not get in to port until 11 am, and you have a noon flight, Princess is not obligated to do anything other than get you to the airport as soon as feasible. If they know the ship will be late, ground transport will be adjusted accordingly.

 

This doesn't mean Princess will not assist you depending on the nature of the delay, but that is not a function of having Princess transport, its a function of the cruise being delayed on arrival and may be extended to passengers without Princess transportation as well.

 

If folks have booked their air through Princess and the ship is delayed, they will handle changing your return flights...

[Pam in CA]

Do note that Princess transfers only cover travel to the airport on the return. So, for example, if the ship does not get in to port until 11 am, and you have a noon flight, Princess is not obligated to do anything other than get you to the airport as soon as feasible. If they know the ship will be late, ground transport will be adjusted accordingly.

 

This doesn't mean Princess will not assist you depending on the nature of the delay, but that is not a function of having Princess transport, its a function of the cruise being delayed on arrival and may be extended to passengers without Princess transportation as well.

I agree 100%. All the transfer offers/guarantees is transport to the airport. It rarely includes hotel or other amenities. That would be extreme circumstances and a ship problem rather than weather delay. If you've booked a Princess flight, they will re-book you but have no obligation if you've booked an independent flight. It's up to you to take fog into consideration and book a makeable flight.

 

Last year, disembarkation from the Star was all screwed up (thanks, US Customs) and as a result, hours late. I had a Princess transfer which I took to the airport almost three hours late, arriving after my flight took off.

 

Last February, I took the Crown cruise out of Galveston and knowing about possible delays due to fog, I booked a flight to LA leaving at 3:45 pm.

[sea_u_onboard]

I'm not concerned about the airline. I did book independent through Southwest - but they have flights to Dallas every 30 minutes. I can handle that. What I'm looking for is let's say I get off the plane only to find out the ship is stuck out in the Gulf and they can't get the ship in - than what?

 

It sounds like this port has nothing around it - so is Princess prepared for thousands of passengers to be waiting outside the terminal for the ship to come in?

 

I have pretty much made up my mind that I will get travel insurance through Travel Guard, just to cover in case I need to get a hotel or pay for flight changes. Just curious what princess might be prepared to do.

[1025cruise]

If you look at the Gulf Port Departures thread, this has been discussed. What happened when the ship couldn't get in was that anyone arriving with the expectation of parking was told to turn around (no room for them). Anyone that had transport was allowed to drop off, with a bus provided to a local mall for a couple of hours.

[Pam in CA]

I have pretty much made up my mind that I will get travel insurance through Travel Guard, just to cover in case I need to get a hotel or pay for flight changes. Just curious what princess might be prepared to do.

Insurance is always highly recommended no matter which port. Make sure you get trip interruption and cancel for any reason. With an airport transfer, Princess is prepared to get you to the airport. As with our Star cruise disembarkation last year in SF, they keep arriving passengers separate. If the port is closed due to fog, there's nothing the ship can do. They have to wait for the port to re-open and the pilot to board.

[sea_u_onboard]

If we arrive at the airport and the ship is delayed how will they accommodate the passengers until they can board? I know it would depend on the length of the delay.

[1025cruise]

They will bus you to the terminal, where you will sit and wait. There will probably be a shuttle to the mall and a food voucher, if you are lucky.

[beg3yrs]

Tried some different searches and didn't manage to come up with anything on the mentioned cruise. Was this recently?

 

Here's the thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1900652

[caribill]

2) If you return to port late and you have a Princess Transfer, expect them to help you rearrange missed flights (even if they are your own) and get to the airport. Hotel room if required should be included too.

 

 

Above is only true if you used Princess EZAir for your flight. In that case, it would not matter if you used a Princess xfer to the airport or not.

 

If you have a Princess xfer but did not use EZAir and the ship arrives too late to get you to the airport on time, then you will have to deal with the airline yourself as well as any hotel room if needed.

[sea_u_onboard]

Went ahead and got the travel insurance through Travel Guard. Better safe than sorry.