Oasis of the Seas: Denied (5/14/16)

[bethco]

If you decide to give cruising another go, I would really recommend that you consider going on Liberty of the Seas from Galveston. She is an absolutely wonderful ship. And before Oasis came out, this was the largest cruise ship class. It is so much easier to drive to a cruise when you live a reasonable distance from a port. I like to drive to Houston late in the day before so that we have a trip of about an hour on the day of the cruise. You can drop your luggage and park your car, very simple. Then after the cruise, you are home by mid afternoon even with stops at every Bucees along the way.

 

Our first cruise we were much too close for comfort to the final check in time for me thanks to the schedules of others in our group. It fortunately ended better than yours did.

[Ocean Dancer]

Chris, so sorry!

 

Future check list

 

Book cruise

Have Passports for all family members

 

Go into your Cruise Planner on line

 

If available, book dinners, entertainment and shows ASAP

 

Read through all shore excursions and book what you want ASAP

 

Pack for cruise a week in advance so you are not rushed, or at least have items on spare bed so you can see what you want to take.....don't be rushed packing.

 

Arrive a day early

 

Stay at a hotel that offers free shuttle service to ship.....sign up for shuttle when you first check in at desk.

 

Take shuttle to ship the next morning!!!!!!

 

There will be an Adventure Ocean meeting in the early afternoon for enrolling your little one.

 

Breathe, relax and have a nice drink with the wife (DW) (dear wife):)

 

And ALWAYS be back ON the ship one hour before ship leaves port!!!!!

Make sure you stay on the time the Captain or cruise director (CD) tells you!

 

Hope things work out for you and you do plan a cruise in the future.

[gowensricks]

I just want to say that I am sorry that this happened. However, you really have a great attitude about it. I hope that it all works out for you and your family.

[AdoraBelle]

Sorry this happened, and I'm glad to see you're not getting jumped on too badly.

 

Unfortunately, as far as any sort of compensation (even out of sympathy), you're dealing with an industry that is full of people who want 'compensation', so they are somewhat hardened to it.

 

They are also used to people missing the ship. Ships have to move on time.

 

I'm trying to find a silver lining, and there's really only one, going forward--you're going to appreciate the next cruise a heck of a lot, and you'll probably be better-prepared for it than anyone else on the ship. You seem willing to learn from your mistake, which so many people are not. :)

 

Cruising is awesome, but the number one cause of heartache (aside from chair-hogs) is lack of information. Most of the negative reviews I read for my upcoming ship are from people who didn't research, so they post bad reviews because, for example, there was no place to store their suitcases. (On this particular ship, and I assume most modern ones, the suitcases go under the bed.) Some people despise having to over-plan a vacation, but for cruising and for WDW, going in blind can be a recipe for disaster.

[Cindy]

OP, I'm sorry you had to learn such a tough lesson. It's one of the things about cruising that has changed dramatically because of the times we live in. I hope you have much better luck next time, and I hope you understand RCI was following the law, not acting on a whim. Unfortunately you didn't have a good understanding, but it sounds like you'll do things differently when/if you try again!

 

Good luck with your future travels!

 

Unless you book your flight through RC :cool: They certainly are able. Our last time on Freedom people on RC booked flights were boarding all the way up until we left the dock. We even left a little late waiting on a few. I dont know how they satisfy the 90 minute requirement but Ive witnessed myself people boarding the ship way after the cutoff.

 

Im wondering how different this situation would have been if the OP had booked flights through RC. My guess is they would be on their cruise right now

 

Another thing is I think the 90 minute mark is set by Royal. Not customs. On Carnival for a cruise leaving at 4pm, you have to be checked in and boarding by 3pm so only 60 minutes. Customs cutoff time is actually 30 minutes before the ship leaves I believe.

 

All I can say is I feel so bad for you because if you had booked your flight through RC, your family would be on that cruise right now. They can and DO bend the 90 minute rule. At the risk at getting flamed here, it is my opinion that they could have worked with you. They chose not to. Although by contract, they are not obligated to do anything for you, hopefully you will find someone at corporate more understanding and get some kind of resolution

 

best of luck. Please return and let us know how it goes

 

The Homeland Security rules state the ship must submit a complete passenger manifest 60 minutes before sailing. Every time they push back the cut-off time the sailing time gets pushed back accordingly. The reason you hear 90 minutes mentioned is because in the terminal or in the security line doesn't count...you have to be checked in and "dinged" on to the ship in order to be listed on the manifest.

 

Passengers who are booked on cruise air do get cut some slack, but it's not because they cruise line is bending the rule, it's because once they board their flight they are in transit. The cruise line knows their whereabouts and their status as a passenger can be counted for the manifest. Likewise, if there's a major problem affecting dozens or hundreds of passengers ships will wait if they can, but it's not always possible because of pilots, traffic, and arrival at the first port.

 

[Pratique]

Some people despise having to over-plan a vacation, but for cruising and for WDW, going in blind can be a recipe for disaster.

 

I used to work at Walt Disney World and I cannot count how many guests I met who had bad experiences based on mis-calibrated expectations. They occur many times a day. My favorite were the ones who complained that it was too hot outside.:) But in this case I feel bad for the OP, I can see how this might happen to a first timer.

[AdoraBelle]

I used to work at Walt Disney World and I cannot count how many guests I met who had bad experiences based on mis-calibrated expectations. They occur many times a day. My favorite were the ones who complained that it was too hot outside.:) But in this case I feel bad for the OP, I can see how this might happen to a first timer.

 

I grew up in SoFla, and I used to overplan for WDW back in the 90s. I have no idea how newbies these days deal with ALL the parks and ALL the parades and the new Fastpass+ stuff and yes, the awful heat. Plus, it's more crowded than ever. I went back about a year ago for the first time in a decade, and despite having spent countless trips there in the past, I was pretty overwhelmed. :)

 

(On some WDW forums I saw someone with a complicated spreadsheet for their first trip to WDW, which sectioned out the day down to five-minute increments, with carefully allotted sleeping times. So it's possible to go too far the other way, too.)

[ryano]

 

The Homeland Security rules state the ship must submit a complete passenger manifest 60 minutes before sailing.

 

Ive heard 30 minutes, Ive heard 60, Ive heard 90. Heck there use to be rumor of 72 hours :cool: I will believe you on the 60 minutes though.

 

The point i was trying to make, which is irrelevant now since the OP flew in the day before, was that if they were booked on a flight through RC flying in the day of the cruise, they would be on that cruise right now. :)

[Pratique]

I grew up in SoFla, and I used to overplan for WDW back in the 90s. I have no idea how newbies these days deal with ALL the parks and ALL the parades and the new Fastpass+ stuff and yes, the awful heat. Plus, it's more crowded than ever. I went back about a year ago for the first time in a decade, and despite having spent countless trips there in the past, I was pretty overwhelmed. :)

 

(On some WDW forums I saw someone with a complicated spreadsheet for their first trip to WDW, which sectioned out the day down to five-minute increments, with carefully allotted sleeping times. So it's possible to go too far the other way, too.)

 

You are absolutely right about the over-planning, I saw that often with people who were bound and determined to squeeze as much as possible out of their vacation dollars. In fact that is precisely what leads to a lot of bad experiences, for example wanting to eat dinner at 6:00 with a party of 15 and five kids in a park filled with 30,000 people so as not to miss getting a good spot to see the fireworks. Good luck with that is all I have to say.:D

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I think they promise to get you to the next port if you book through Royal Caribbean. But I wonder how they get past the PSVA violations.

 

I think it has to be the next non-US port.

 

Someone we knew missed a family cruise [several years ago] She worked in DC [20 something and first time away from home] and flew to Miami for a Christmas cruise. There was snow and major delays and she missed the cruise.

 

The next stop was Key West and the next Cozumel. She had to fly to Cozumel to board. By then it was after Christmas. She spent that in a hotel in Mexico.

[thecoconut]

I'm just glad our daughter isn't old enough to be disappointed. At what age would you consider taking a little one on a cruise?

 

 

That is very true!

 

I just took my first cruise with my 2 year old and 7 month old. They both did great! We're booked for the Allure next year when my daughter will be 3 and son 18 months. I hope you have an opportunity to take another cruise. It is such a nice family vacation.

 

 

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[rukkian]

Op - I am so sorry, I cannot even imagine what your family is going through. I hope I am prepared (spending lots of time here) for our first cruise next Feb. and while we had already booked flights getting in 60 hours before the cruise, it is still a good lesson.

 

I want to applaud you for your demeanor and self reflection on admitting wrong, and hope that either RCI or insurance come through with some sort of compensation, however little it may be.

[Fouremco]

I think they promise to get you to the next port if you book through Royal Caribbean. But I wonder how they get past the PSVA violations.

They guarantee that they'll get you to your cruise, but there's no guarantee that it will be at the next port:

 

When your vacation comes around, you don't want to miss the ship because of flight delays or cancellations. Book airfare through us and we guarantee our travel experts will get you to your cruise.

 

This pre-supposes that the passengers have the requisite documents (passport) meeting the flight entry requirements of the foreign destination.

[cruisequeen4ever]

OP, I have more sympathy for you because you accepted responsibility for this, you did get travel insurance, and because you did do the right thing by flying in the day before. It's a shame to learn this hard lesson, but I do hope that armed with the knowledge of cutoff times and the important of a full passport, you'll try cruising again someday. Try using a travel agent; they're worth their weight in gold because it's their responsibility to teach you all these things before you go. And maybe your travel insurance will help out.

 

 

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[Langley Cruisers]

Inexperience, poor time management, and some misfortune led us to this point...

 

Forgive me if you already answered in the previous 5 pages - can you or someone explain the last one? I get the inexperience and the poor time management (I read you went to Miami for the day and misjudged the time), but what was the misfortune? Is that what you hope to build a case on for payment of insurance, or compensation/credit?

[CFC]

Sorry that you and your family just missed the boat. A unhappy lesson learned but I hope you will consider cruising in the future. It is a blast with the kids. It is also an important reminder for us all to arrive early and the need to have passports. Hope to see you on a ship someday.

[chrislilynorah]

Forgive me if you already answered in the previous 5 pages - can you or someone explain the last one? I get the inexperience and the poor time management (I read you went to Miami for the day and misjudged the time), but what was the misfortune? Is that what you hope to build a case on for payment of insurance, or compensation/credit?

 

Misfortune compounded bad time-management.

Left Key Biscayne at around 1:45p. 2 accidents on the I-95 North, 2 emergency stops for our toddler, and a wrong turn that lead to a detour.

 

We actually pulled into Port Everglades before 3:30p. There's a Hertz location that shows up on Google Maps *within the port*.. don't believe me? Look it up! 1850 Eller Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316

 

By the time we figured out we needed to go to another Hertz location, dropped the car off, boarded a shuttle, and arrived to the dock... it was 3:55p.

 

10 minutes probably would have made the difference.

[Virtopia]

 

Honestly, can't preach to people about passports, as a Canadian I'm in a different boat we need it. It's just beyond my comprehension to understand how one would not have passport, I understand the reasoning, but to each his own.

 

This was exactly my thought. Being Canadian, you can't consider going anywhere without a passport, which I'm actually glad for. I have a lot of American friends and relatives who don't bother and it doesn't make sense to me at all.

 

So sorry this happen to you OP, but as others have said, my cruising budget has to include a pre night stay near the port. We all spend too much money on our vacations to let them go awry.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Sorry Chris and family. Your story breaks my heart. Hopefully you can start planning a make-up vacation, even if it is a staycation.

 

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[TravelerThom]

...Being Canadian, you can't consider going anywhere without a passport,...

With an Enhanced Driver's License from Ontario (you list that you are from Toronto) you can and may enter the United States at any surface Port of Entry. I'm not discouraging having a passport (I have used mine for over 40 years to travel to 130 countries), but you can visit Washington DC, the Grand Canyon, California and any other place in the US without a passport (just an Ontario EDL).

[riclop]

So sorry it happened to you.

[Langley Cruisers]

Misfortune compounded bad time-management.... it was 3:55p.... 10 minutes probably would have made the difference.

 

Thank you for elaborating.

 

(I had more of a reply typed out here, but in thinking about it, there's nothing more to add. I am sorry you missed your cruise.)

[adjjb12]

I'm sorry this happened to you.

 

I applaud you for realizing what you did wrong, hopefully you can get some compensation back for future credit.

 

With an Enhanced Driver's License from Ontario (you list that you are from Toronto) you can and may enter the United States at any surface Port of Entry. I'm not discouraging having a passport (I have used mine for over 40 years to travel to 130 countries), but you can visit Washington DC, the Grand Canyon, California and any other place in the US without a passport (just an Ontario EDL).

 

But you still can't fly with the EDL, it's no different than a Passport card. If you want to go the Grand Canyon, Cali or Florida by air, you still need a passport.

[Coralc]

Wowser. I'm so sorry you missed your cruise.

 

I am even more impressed by the fact that you came back to expand and respond on the reasons as to why you missed your cruise.

 

Obviously, we can't help.

 

But it certainly is a cautionary tale for other new cruisers, and I appreciate your thread as a warning and notice to others. who might not be aware of the time constraints.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Coralc

[dedosr]

I'm sorry that happened. Let us know how you make out.