Flight canceled and cruise missed

[memoak]

I never get insurance because I am never going to miss a cruise however I always fly in at least 1-2 days before the sail date and if it is in Europe then at least 3 days

[PhoenixCruiser]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

It can't hurt to call Royal and plead your case. Or try to get on at the first port

 

Isn't this giving people false hope? 

 

Also, if Royal starts making exceptions does that mean that insurance is not really needed 

[katiel53]

Even if they can pick up the cruise at the first port, if it's out of the country each family member will need a passport and my guess is that they don't have them.  

 

I understand why Royal Caribbean isn't doing anything to help as that's why most of us buy insurance and/or travel to the port of debarkation the day prior to the cruise at least.

 

I'm sure this is a disappointment to all of you, and I do feel sorry for you as this is an expensive lesson to learn.

[parrotfeathers]

Gosh I feel for you.  Not just the money--looking so forward to being on the ship and not being there is probably worse.

[gnr25]

Due to the drone disruption at Gatwick, a UK family’s flight to Madrid was cancelled, causing them to miss their connecting flight to Miami for a cruise. They will not be able to get there in time to make their ship. Not sure if their cruise was today or tomorrow.

[orville99]

1 hour ago, memoak said:

I never get insurance because I am never going to miss a cruise however I always fly in at least 1-2 days before the sail date and if it is in Europe then at least 3 days

We live close enough to drive to all of the ports we cruise from, so we also felt we would never miss a cruise, but we always bought insurance anyway. We learned our lesson about insurance from the posters on CC long before we got to the point that "never" became reality. My wife blew out her knee a week before a RCL cruise, and if was not for insurance, we would have been out thousands. We were lucky - reality bites everyone sooner or later.

[bonsai3s]

Feeling your pain. There's a number of good suggestions here...perhaps filing a claim against the airline that cancelled your flight?  (This is perhaps the most important lesson we've learned here on CC...always fly in a day or two early.)

[S.A.M.J.R.]

51 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

Feeling your pain. There's a number of good suggestions here...perhaps filing a claim against the airline that cancelled your flight?  (This is perhaps the most important lesson we've learned here on CC...always fly in a day or two early.)

I bet in the fine print of the airline ticket, as long as they transport the passengers to the destination airport, they've filled the contract.  Worst case would be getting the money for the flight back.

 

It's probably too late now, but I second those who say look for ANY flight going to ANY airport in Florida.  

[pilot]

What airline?

[xpcdoojk]

I know the OP is in trauma, but...  

 

where is the OP....

 

jc

[Paulxyz2004]

11 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

No I don't think you're missing anything.

Dan

 

I thought she´s missing the cruise.

[DirtyDawg]

9 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

I know the OP is in trauma, but...  

 

where is the OP....

 

jc

Hopefully on another airline heading to the deparkation port or the first port of call. Or in a car driving to the deparkation port. 

 

Of course, it could also be that, for some some strange reason, they decided not to return to CC after asking for options to a very time sensitive problem but getting a lot of lectures that do nothing to help with the actual problem.

Edited December 22, 2018 by DirtyDawg

[not-enough-cruising]

11 hours ago, xpcdoojk said:

I know the OP is in trauma, but...  

 

where is the OP....

 

jc

They arent getting the sympathy they desired, so they have moved on. 

[gerif]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

They arent getting the sympathy they desired, so they have moved on. 

I think that’s about it. They were hoping someone would say “oh, yes, this happened to me and the cruise line let us go another time with no additional cost”. When this didn’t happen, they moved on. 

[davekathy]

23 hours ago, Roses253 said:

Are there options I’m missing? Our flight was canceled due to a crew shortage and they didn’t have any flights soon enough to still make our cruise.  The cruise line said we’d get $350 back from fees and taxes and we will show up as no shows. I paid $1500 plus excursions but didn’t get travel insurance or book our flight through the cruise line. They won’t allow you to cancel and apply what you paid to a different cruise?

 

roses

Bummer. Lesson learned. Fly in at least one day prior to the sail date. Welcome to CC. 

[HBE4]

9 hours ago, Paulxyz2004 said:

 

I thought she´s missing the cruise.

 

Correct.

 

However, she is not missing out on any other options to get her money back.

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

Hopefully on another airline heading to the deparkation port or the first port of call. Or in a car driving to the deparkation port. 

 

 

Most likely trying to console 3 little children now that they are missing their Christmas cruise.  And scrambling to make alternate arrangements for the holiday. Giving hourly updates on CC is probably not high on her priority list right now.

 

4 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

Of course, it could also be that, for some some strange reason, they decided not to return to CC after asking for options to a very time sensitive problem but getting a lot of lectures that do nothing to help with the actual problem.

 

Well, yeah, that part is probably true as well. 😲  But I got the impression from their post they were more interested in trying to get a refund than scrambling to meet the ship. Since we don't know where they are flying from, there could be very few options.

 

 

[Loonbeam]

Going for the completely factual approach for people who find this later.

 

1>  There is nothing the cruise line can, will or should do.   They cannot resell your cabin day of departure which means that they are out any revenue they would refund for something out of their control, nor, unless you booked airfare as part of a package is there anything they can do about the airline.     Anything pre-purchased or not actually paid by the cruise line, like port fees per passenger, will be refunded.

 

2>  Under the terms and conditions for most airlines, unless part of a package, the airlines absolve themselves for any follow on costs for most issues, except for if necessary a hotel or food to cover until a flight can be rescheduled (in the case of issues like this).   So not likely they will help much other than refund airfare if you do not take a later flight EXCEPT for #1 below.

 

That does not mean there are not other options:

 

1>  You can attempt, at your own expense, to get to a future port of call and meet up with the ship there.  The cruise line will be able to make arrangements to onboard you and may even have the port agent assist you at the airport when you land.  This is where you also may want to talk to the airline and explain the situation.  If they have flights to that port, with availability they MAY be willing to accommodate, either for a fare difference or sometimes to be customer friendly.  It's rare but has been known to happen.  (I worked with a family on this exact same situation a month or two ago.  American let them switch their flight from PHL to MCO to PHL to Nassau after their MCO flight was cancelled due to a mechanical issue at no charge.  It was a connecting flight and they missed 2 days of their cruise and had to pay for a hotel in Nassau for one night, but it got them on board for the rest of the trip)

 

2>  Check with the credit card company for which you paid the cruise total.  Some do include levels of coverage especially the premium ones.  Even ones you might not expect.  DO NOT attempt a chargeback.  You will eventually lose and have to pay interest on the money in some cases.

 

When talking to travelers, I like to point out the following.  When you choose not to obtain insurance, you are deciding to self-insure.   There's no miracle solution that allows for skipping it and still getting benefits.  That doesn't mean you need insurance for every trip, or the same level of coverage, but you have to analyze the risk factors for you when making that decision.

 

 

[HBE4]

22 hours ago, George C said:

Airlines are so bad nowadays, I was very lucky never got insurance while cruising in my 20’s to 50’s also never arrived day before , now we always get insurance and always fly in at least one day before. 

 

I'm in the same situation as you.  Never bought travel insurance. I figure the money I saved not buying the insurance over the past 20-25 years of traveling, I could easily miss a cruise or two and still come out ahead financially.  I also consider myself very lucking and would never try to talk anyone out of buying the insurance.

 

However, when we are young, we are indestructible.  Now that we are getting up there in years, stuff happens medically speaking.  Considering getting insurance for the next trip or at a minimum, carefully review what my credit cards cover.

[ONECRUISER]

34 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

I'm in the same situation as you.  Never bought travel insurance. I figure the money I saved not buying the insurance over the past 20-25 years of traveling, I could easily miss a cruise or two and still come out ahead financially.  I also consider myself very lucking and would never try to talk anyone out of buying the insurance.

 

However, when we are young, we are indestructible.  Now that we are getting up there in years, stuff happens medically speaking.  Considering getting insurance for the next trip or at a minimum, carefully review what my credit cards cover.

Yes and can depend where you live and luck. Living in Midwest during Winters I fly in 2 nites early and at some point even with that my luck could run out. I fly dozen times a yr and in a 2yr period my planes had Flat Tire, Inop Bathroom, 2 different storms, Plane slid of into snowbank on way to runway and a cracked windshield forcing us to land half way home. All cost me many hrs delay. Was lucky though as all issues was on way home except the plane getting stuck, this was also first time I was flying in 2 nites early or I would have missed my cruise

Edited December 22, 2018 by ONECRUISER

[fredflint]

Well you just paid 1500.00 tuition at the school for hard luck.  I hope that you can now graduate.

[The Fun Researcher]

19 hours ago, Paulxyz2004 said:

 

I thought she´s missing the cruise.

 

Well yeah, there is that minor detail.  🤭

 

Dan

[PhoenixCruiser]

I'm guessing we will never hear from the OP just like after her first post last month.

[sailinglisa]

Thousands of flights were cancelled or delayed Friday and probably just as many today due to a strong storm moving up the east coast from Florida to New England.  Ports in Florida had wind gusts of over 50, 60 and 70 mph.  Not many airlines will fly into that weather.  If you can't afford to self-insure, you need travel insurance.  The cruise lines won't give you a refund.  They sail whether you are there or not.  Sorry.

 

[Merion_Mom]

15 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

Hopefully on another airline heading to the deparkation port or the first port of call. Or in a car driving to the deparkation port. 

 

Of course, it could also be that, for some some strange reason, they decided not to return to CC after asking for options to a very time sensitive problem but getting a lot of lectures that do nothing to help with the actual problem.

 

13 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

They arent getting the sympathy they desired, so they have moved on. 

 

12 hours ago, gerif said:

I think that’s about it. They were hoping someone would say “oh, yes, this happened to me and the cruise line let us go another time with no additional cost”. When this didn’t happen, they moved on. 

 

11 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

Most likely trying to console 3 little children now that they are missing their Christmas cruise.  And scrambling to make alternate arrangements for the holiday. Giving hourly updates on CC is probably not high on her priority list right now.

 

 

Well, yeah, that part is probably true as well. 😲  But I got the impression from their post they were more interested in trying to get a refund than scrambling to meet the ship. Since we don't know where they are flying from, there could be very few options.

 

 

 

This is the OP's second post.  Her first was anticipatory of this one.  On that initial post, she was given all of this same advice:  Fly in a day early, make sure that you have trip insurance, plan for contingencies.

 

It was her choice to proceed as she did.