Back to Back Cruises

[TAD2005]

Has anyone on this board booked a back to back cruise and had the first leg of it cancelled by the cruise line?

 

We were booked b2b on Star Princess for the 4/30 Transatlantic and the 5/15 Baltic. Princess did offer to fly us to Copenhagen from Ft. Lauderdale for the Baltic cruise on 5/15. That would cut 15 days off our vacation which has been planned for awhile. So, as an alternative we are now booked on Millennium's 4/30 transatlantic - FLL to Barcelona. Princess now wants nothing to do with us as far as getting us from Barcelona to Copenhagen on May 14th. I feel that Princess should take some responsibility here. We are now paying more for the transatlantic in a smaller cabin than we had booked on Star, flight to Copenhagen from Barcelona, 1 night in a hotel, and taxi to the pier. This trip is costing a lot more than it would have had the Star transatlantic not been cancelled.

 

The fire on Star was a tragic thing and I understand why Princess had no choice but to cancel the transatlantic but shouldn't they assume some responsibility for the back to back cruisers??? We will receive a refund (in 2 to 6 weeks) for the first leg plus 25% which they allowed us to apply to the May 15th cruise. And, now we are on our own. :(

 

Anyway, I am interested in opinions here. How do other cruise lines treat their passengers in a situation like this?

 

Terry

[critterchick]

I don't think Princess has shirked its responsibility to you. On the contrary, I think Princess stepped up to the plate by giving you all of your money back (that should have been a given) and allowing you to apply the 25% to an already paid for cruise.

 

There are other things you could have done besides book the Millie, such as a land-based vacation starting in Copenhagen, since Princess offered to fly you there, travelling around Europe with the money you would have spent on the transatlantic and returning to to Copenhagen to catch your cruise. Or planning another vacation with the 15 days you now have back in the bank. But to try to hold Princess responsible for paying for whatever expenses you incur in having your vacation "just so" is, IMHO unreasonable.

 

Just my opinion, as you asked...

[kitty9]

I have to agree with critterchick. Princess did the best they could under the circumstances. What did you expect them to do? Pay for your Celebrity cruise or give you a shipboard credit to compensate you for the Celebrity fare? It was your decision to go with Celebrity and since Princess and Celebrity are two different companies, they cannot be responsible for your decision to take a different ship despite the fact that one leg of your cruise was canceled. There were other things you could have done with the time you lost on the trans-At. How about taking Princess up on their offer to fly you to Copenhagen and then using the refunded money from the canceled cruise to tour the area on your own? Why not see if you could have booked the next cruise the Star was taking, thereby still doing a back to back? I don't think Princess owed you anything more than what they have already done. Just my opinion.

 

Something similar happened to me a few years ago when I booked a Seabourn cruise and then Oprah chartered the entire ship for her and her friends. My cruise was canceled, with Seabourn just giving a refund and nothing more.

[TAD2005]

Thanks for your opinion, critterchick!

 

Princess' air offer was "in time for the May 15th cruise" not for 15 days prior otherwise traveling around Europe would have been great - not as relaxing as a transatlantic - but nevertheless great!

 

BCN-CPH air, 1 night in a hotel, and transfers combined would have been way less of an expense to Princess than flying 2 of us from FLL to CPH. So, Princess would have actually saved money.

 

Thanks again! It always helps to see other opinions. :)

 

Terry

[critterchick]

Thanks for your opinion, critterchick!

 

Princess' air offer was "in time for the May 15th cruise" not for 15 days prior otherwise traveling around Europe would have been great - not as relaxing as a transatlantic - but nevertheless great!

 

BCN-CPH air, 1 night in a hotel, and transfers combined would have been way less of an expense to Princess than flying 2 of us from FLL to CPH. So, Princess would have actually saved money.

 

Thanks again! It always helps to see other opinions. :)

 

Terry

 

Well, I would say they dropped the ball by not letting you book the air travel at a different time. It would be equivalent to the "custom air" feature that they allow, so even if they couldn't put you on one of their chosen bulk rate flights they could have swung (swinged? swang?) a deal.

 

Enjoy your trip - you're still gonna cruise and you're still gonna have fun!:D

[TAD2005]

Thanks, kitty9!

 

I actually did try to book another Princess transatlantic when Princess called to advise us of the cancellation. I was told that their transatlantics that would get me to Europe by May 15th were booked so they could not help me. That is the only reason I went with another company.

 

Terry

[TAD2005]

Thanks, Jean! Yes, I am still gonna cruise and will have fun!!! :)

 

Terry