Any Wiggle Room on Cancelling?

[Cruise Junky]

We're on Crown Princess April 19th, which there is now a wait list. I just checked our flights which were perfect and are now horrible. We were supposed to fly Vancouver - Chicago - San Juan. We're now Vancouver - Chicago - Washington - San Juan with under an hour for a connection in Washington and the times are awful. We'd have to leave our house at around 3:00 am for the 6:00 am flight from Vancouver to Chicago. Checking Princess's website I'm now 48 hours into the under 57 day period which looks like I'd lose 50% if I cancel. Anyone have any experience with them being generous if there's a wait list for the cruise and they can resell my cabin for a lot more than I paid. I have contacted my TA to see what they can do. And I've checked alternate flights and everything good is gone. Just wondering if anyone has had any luck with Princess.

Tx

[SeattleCruiselover]

I hope that you have trip cancellation protection, because they are pretty inflexible on the cancellation days and penalties.

[Cruise Junky]

I hope that you have trip cancellation protection, because they are pretty inflexible on the cancellation days and penalties.

 

I do have insurance, but I don't think it would cover me for this.

[Lynda90]

If you have Princess Travel Care Gold, you would get 90% of your money back in the form of a cruise credit.

[Cruise Junky]

If you have Princess Travel Care Gold, you would get 90% of your money back in the form of a cruise credit.

 

That would be nice. But I didn't do my flights through them so I usually do my insurance separately so everything is covered. 90%...that would have been nice :)

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Was it Airtran that did this flight changing?

 

They are notorious for this, I had booked direct flights to and from Boston to FLL. I ended up with a stop in ohio on the way down, then a stop in Atlanta and Ohio on the way home.

 

Im sorry that this happened to you, I hate when airlines do this. Best of luck, but if worse comes to worst I would keep the booking as im sure the cruise will be worth it. :)

[Cruise Junky]

Was it Airtran that did this flight changing?

 

They are notorious for this, I had booked direct flights to and from Boston to FLL. I ended up with a stop in ohio on the way down, then a stop in Atlanta and Ohio on the way home.

 

Im sorry that this happened to you, I hate when airlines do this. Best of luck, but if worse comes to worst I would keep the booking as im sure the cruise will be worth it. :)

 

Actually it was United. I'm used to US Air doing this to me :( but not United. Seems weird that they've actually canceled the Chicago to San Juan flight. I thought that was a major hub for them. I'll have to see what our options are in the AM when our TA comes back to us. Seems a shame to give up $1,000 for nothing. But we did book this cruise because the flight was "easy". Two connections, I never would have booked it in the first place, we would have stayed on the westcoast with it being only a week. I'm also concerned about that one hour in Washington. Getting out of Chicago is never a timely matter and that would strand us in Washington overnight.

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Actually it was United. I'm used to US Air doing this to me :( but not United. Seems weird that they've actually canceled the Chicago to San Juan flight. I thought that was a major hub for them. I'll have to see what our options are in the AM when our TA comes back to us. Seems a shame to give up $1,000 for nothing. But we did book this cruise because the flight was "easy". Two connections, I never would have booked it in the first place, we would have stayed on the westcoast with it being only a week. I'm also concerned about that one hour in Washington. Getting out of Chicago is never a timely matter and that would strand us in Washington overnight.

 

I agree, connecting flights are never a good thing, especially when they give you sucha small window. Airtran game me 47 some odd minutes in Atlanta, but luckily the terminal was right down the hall from the one we landed in. Any delay in the flight out of Chicago could put a damper on your vacation, you just have to hope for the best.

[mjmalino]

Call United. Many times if the airline changes your flights, they may be more willing to accommodate you the to change them again, and wave the fee to do so.

 

I would hate for you to miss your cruise because of flights.

[Cruise Junky]

Call United. Many times if the airline changes your flights, they may be more willing to accommodate you the to change them again, and wave the fee to do so.

 

I would hate for you to miss your cruise because of flights.

 

I know they'll change it and I know they'll refund it, problem is, at this late date, there's nothing better to change it to.

[caribill]

Can you go a day earlier?

[deppong]

Actually it was United. I'm used to US Air doing this to me :( but not United. Seems weird that they've actually canceled the Chicago to San Juan flight. I thought that was a major hub for them. I'll have to see what our options are in the AM when our TA comes back to us. Seems a shame to give up $1,000 for nothing. But we did book this cruise because the flight was "easy". Two connections, I never would have booked it in the first place, we would have stayed on the westcoast with it being only a week. I'm also concerned about that one hour in Washington. Getting out of Chicago is never a timely matter and that would strand us in Washington overnight.

 

can you call the airline and ask them to put you on something mor convenient or get you money back from them and rebook airfare thru someone else?

[kates70]

I would hate for your to give up this trip! We loved the Crown.

 

I did a quick check on one of the major travel websites (the canadian version) and I am getting an excellent flight from Vancouver to Chicago with Air Canada and Chicago to SJU with American. This gets you in a day early (on the 18th) but that is usually recommended anyway. I would try to make it work. It's not going to be the easiest day of travel, but it is worth it! (i used to live in Vancouver, I miss the mountains, but not the rain!)

[Cruise Junky]

I would hate for your to give up this trip! We loved the Crown.

 

I did a quick check on one of the major travel websites (the canadian version) and I am getting an excellent flight from Vancouver to Chicago with Air Canada and Chicago to SJU with American. This gets you in a day early (on the 18th) but that is usually recommended anyway. I would try to make it work. It's not going to be the easiest day of travel, but it is worth it! (i used to live in Vancouver, I miss the mountains, but not the rain!)

 

Thanks for checking on the flights, you found the same one that I did. Only issue is it's over $200 more per person. I'll keep the mountains and send you the rain if you like? ;)

[newmexicoNita]

We're on Crown Princess April 19th, which there is now a wait list. I just checked our flights which were perfect and are now horrible. We were supposed to fly Vancouver - Chicago - San Juan. We're now Vancouver - Chicago - Washington - San Juan with under an hour for a connection in Washington and the times are awful. We'd have to leave our house at around 3:00 am for the 6:00 am flight from Vancouver to Chicago. Checking Princess's website I'm now 48 hours into the under 57 day period which looks like I'd lose 50% if I cancel. Anyone have any experience with them being generous if there's a wait list for the cruise and they can resell my cabin for a lot more than I paid. I have contacted my TA to see what they can do. And I've checked alternate flights and everything good is gone. Just wondering if anyone has had any luck with Princess.

Tx

99% chance there is no lieway. Is there anyway you can change to a flight leaving a day earlier? Even though they can sell your cabin the penalty will still be there. As long as you didn't book through the airline you are pretty much stuck I am afraid.

 

Nita

[PescadoAmarillo]

We once cancelled 55 days out with no penalty, but the circumstances were different. My husband had just received a phone call 3 days before Christmas 2002 that he was being activated for the war in Iraq (we were supposed to cruise in February 2003). The CSA at Princess was great, even though I was in tears at the time.:(

[Cruise Junky]

99% chance there is no lieway. Is there anyway you can change to a flight leaving a day earlier? Even though they can sell your cabin the penalty will still be there. As long as you didn't book through the airline you are pretty much stuck I am afraid.

 

Nita

 

That's what I'm afraid of. We can definitely switch things around, but every other possibility, it's going to cost me. Either $400 to switch to the American Flight, or a Hotel overnight in Chicago to get the 8:00 am flight to San Juan. We'll have to decide if we're willing to forfeit the $1,000 to go to Hawaii for 10 days instead.

[caribill]

The airline should be willing to change your flights to a day earlier at no cost to you since they are the ones who made the schedule change. If they say "no", ask for a supervisor.

 

Then your only cost would be overnight hotel at the destination.

 

And your reward will be a wonderful cruise.

[Cruise Junky]

The airline should be willing to change your flights to a day earlier at no cost to you since they are the ones who made the schedule change. If they say "no", ask for a supervisor.

 

Then your only cost would be overnight hotel at the destination.

 

And your reward will be a wonderful cruise.

 

But even a day earlier, it's the same awful flight. There's no way around that on United. Whatever I do on United, it will be over 11 hours flying (never mind to and from the airport and layovers) to get to San Juan. If I cancel United, it will cost me $400 more to go American.

[louiesowner]

can you change your flight to fly from Seattle instead? It's only a 2 hour drive from VAncouver and their are better options from Seattle. Just a thought.

[cruisergal 1]

That's a good suggestion. That's exactly what we're doing tomorrow night. We are going to Seattle & flying from there through Atlanta, then on to San Juan. It is $400/person cheaper than leaving from Calgary. Check it out, you're alot closer to Seattle from Vancouver.

[Cruise Junky]

can you change your flight to fly from Seattle instead? It's only a 2 hour drive from VAncouver and their are better options from Seattle. Just a thought.

 

It's not impossible for Seattle, but it's not ideal. The flights are either around 7:00 am or an overnight. The 7:00 am flights put me through Philly with a 55 minute layover. 7:00 am flight out of Seattle, we'd have to go down the night before and pay for a hotel and pay to leave the car at the airport for 9 days. This is so frustrating, it just seems what ever I do, I'm screwed!! I tell you, Maui direct, $200 cheaper for the air and a nice 5 hour flight..tempting!!! Still waiting to hear from the TA, but I really aren't holding out any hope. It's either the three flights or lose $1,000 I fear.

[Cruise Junky]

That's a good suggestion. That's exactly what we're doing tomorrow night. We are going to Seattle & flying from there through Atlanta, then on to San Juan. It is $400/person cheaper than leaving from Calgary. Check it out, you're alot closer to Seattle from Vancouver.

 

Who are you flying by through Atlanta? Never mind, found it on Delta. It's about the same price as our United flight.

[louiesowner]

we are flying with AA in November from San Juan to Seattle with only one stop. There are many different options that only require one stop. Our stop is in Dallas... but like the above poster, there are many other airlines that fly to/from San Juan from Seattle.

[Pam in CA]

I would double-check every possibility. Perhaps they can fly you out the day before but you could stay over in Washington and catch that flight to San Juan the next day. Can they fly you to New York or Boston the day before and then from NY to San Juan? I'm just trying to do some creative thinking here.

 

The cruiseline isn't going to be flexible with their cancellation policy and they really shouldn't be. That's why they offer insurance and it's up to the individual whether they want to take it or not. You can always ask but I wouldn't get my hopes up. There are too many stories of why people have to cancel that are heart-wrenching yet they made a choice not to get the insurance or buy insurance that will cover their need.