(Ontario) Universities and Dec Holiday Cruising

[LuCruise]

36 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

Just want to add on to that, if you are considering travelling after the exam period, pay attention to the cancellation dates.  There are usually 2 days scheduled at the end of the exam period to be used if exams have to be cancelled on the regular scheduled day.  A lot of student will plan their travel after they have finished their scheduled exams and then find themselves in a jam when one of them is cancelled and they have to use the make up day. 

Thanks for the head's up.  I assume this doesn't happen often but definitely something to keep in mind. Unless we literally want to book something last minute, which won't work well at xmas/new years time, we'll just have to risk the booking (done around known exam and holidays time) and hope this doesn't happen.  It would be similar to getting sick beforehand (but probably can't claim exam time change with insurance).  Would be upsetting if he couldn't come around our carefully scheduled holiday but one of those things we'd just have to chance.

[1kaper]

8 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

Thanks for the head's up.  I assume this doesn't happen often but definitely something to keep in mind. Unless we literally want to book something last minute, which won't work well at xmas/new years time, we'll just have to risk the booking (done around known exam and holidays time) and hope this doesn't happen.  It would be similar to getting sick beforehand (but probably can't claim exam time change with insurance).  Would be upsetting if he couldn't come around our carefully scheduled holiday but one of those things we'd just have to chance.

 

It actually happens quite often where I am.  Even during non-winter exam periods.  

[LuCruise]

3 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

 

It actually happens quite often where I am.  Even during non-winter exam periods.  

Thanks.  Just to clarify...if exams were from Dec 12-23, do you mean an exam could be added on the 23rd for example?  Or you mean the following week?  

For Dec 2023, we would plan to fly around Dec 30.  

(Following year would be the 23 evening or 24 in that example)

[Fouremco]

3 hours ago, 1kaper said:

 

Just want to add on to that, if you are considering travelling after the exam period, pay attention to the cancellation dates.  There are usually 2 days scheduled at the end of the exam period to be used if exams have to be cancelled on the regular scheduled day.  A lot of student will plan their travel after they have finished their scheduled exams and then find themselves in a jam when one of them is cancelled and they have to use the make up day. 

Good point. I was under the impression that those days were included within the published overall exam period. No exams were to be scheduled then initially, however, as these days were reserved for emergency rescheduling only.  

[*Miss G*]

4 hours ago, LuCruise said:

Thanks.  Just to clarify...if exams were from Dec 12-23, do you mean an exam could be added on the 23rd for example?  Or you mean the following week?  

For Dec 2023, we would plan to fly around Dec 30.  

(Following year would be the 23 evening or 24 in that example)

 

Faculty and staff would be off between Christmas and New Years.  As a result, Facilities (HVAC, electrical, maintenance, engineering, cleaning, snow and ice removal) would be minimal and the campus/buildings not particularly hospitable for anyone having to come in.  As well, IT will also be operating minimally and either of them would likely take the opportunity to shut down systems for upgrades, renovations, moves, and installations.  Access to campus would be limited.  In other words, it’s highly unlikely that any exams would be scheduled or rescheduled during the Christmas break.

[LuCruise]

24 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Faculty and staff would be off between Christmas and New Years.  As a result, Facilities (HVAC, electrical, maintenance, engineering, cleaning, snow and ice removal) would be minimal and the campus/buildings not particularly hospitable for anyone having to come in.  As well, IT will also be operating minimally and either of them would likely take the opportunity to shut down systems for upgrades, renovations, moves, and installations.  Access to campus would be limited.  In other words, it’s highly unlikely that any exams would be scheduled or rescheduled during the Christmas break.

Thanks for confirming.  Makes sense and everyone wants and needs their break.

[mosleyman]

We are also cruising with our son from Dec 30 to Jan 6.  He is in his 3 rd year with Mcmaster.   I was worried about when classes would start back.  He contacted the registers office and they indicated that they do not have the schedule yet.  This was in Dec.  I took the chance and booked.  I have not booked flights yet.  He is staying in the same room as us.  When I asked celebrity about possible cancellation they indicated that it would not be an issue and that they would adjust the price down and the deposit we paid for him would go to our fare.   Final payment is due sometime in Sept.  I am confident that we will know the return to school date by then

[LuCruise]

1 hour ago, mosleyman said:

We are also cruising with our son from Dec 30 to Jan 6.  He is in his 3 rd year with Mcmaster.   I was worried about when classes would start back.  He contacted the registers office and they indicated that they do not have the schedule yet.  This was in Dec.  I took the chance and booked.  I have not booked flights yet.  He is staying in the same room as us.  When I asked celebrity about possible cancellation they indicated that it would not be an issue and that they would adjust the price down and the deposit we paid for him would go to our fare.   Final payment is due sometime in Sept.  I am confident that we will know the return to school date by then

Thanks for sharing. Hopefully the dates work out for both of us. 

[pink845]

Sooo many questions, soooo many answers.  Thank heavens our kids are no longer in university, or grad school.  Wow, finally paying their own way!!!  We normally opted for New Years cruises as the timing of those nasty pre Xmas exams were problematic as sometimes the exams were the day prior to the start of an Xmas cruise. 

 

Quick and dirty. Book the airfare that fits all your family members with the exception of your son. For him, Book a fully refundable / changeable airline ticket.  Yeah, it will cost more but save you so much aggravation.  As soon as you get the date for his particular return to school (wherever he gets accepted), call the faculty and they will be able to tell you THE DAY HIS PROGRAM RECOMMENCES in JAN.  Exam dates will be out by June but not the nitty gritty of each course exam date) which is the problemo you have with a Xmas cruise.   Again, one of my kids had a program where his return to school date was a full week after the standard return in Jan. That was a great. And another kid has a program where the Dec exam date was like the day before a December cruise (but he had a fully flexible ticket and we were able to get him out late at night).  Was great.   Happens in some of the professional schools.  After a couple of close calls with Xmas cruises, we simply booked only New Years cruises .  Once you have all the answers, you can then refund his fully refundable ticket or to hunt around for a cheaper one.  We always book directly with the airlines.  Never, EZAir, or Expedia or any of those outfits.  It is hard enough to deal with Air Canada on a good day and even harder with all these other third parties.  Again, keep in simple.