No cruise credit for future dates............

[alexandra cruiser]

Just called SeaDream and not offering new dates or credits if you don t make flight or cruise.....wow.....see other lines are....this is really going to be a big loss for many if flights stay shut down,or this happens again,which I hear is possible....plus, for new Ins. NO coverage for volcano,,,considered known hazard acc.to online ins.comp...

I asked if if may reconsider and told not many people had called about it so far....so ,,,,call,,,maybe they ll change policy????

Can t believe a luxury line like this would treat passengers this way,,,,huge financial burden for many,to lose $10,000 just for cruise.plus flight....yikes.

Will just have to HOPE I make it.....but this may influence whether I ever book with SeaDream in future, may go back to ones with better disaster policy.....:(

[frequent traveler]

are you saying your travel insurance doesn't cover? We bought a "cancel for any reason policy" when we booked our trip and I've confirmed that we have coverage. I understand that new policies don't provide coverage for a "known risk" but an existing policy doesn't cover?

 

FT

[zqvol]

This is a reason that you should always buy insurance when you book, not later. You never know what might happen.

 

Alexandra, you need to look into switching flights into Greece and taking the train to your departure point.

[alexandra cruiser]

I will ignore the rude post above.....please refrain from your "help" in future.

 

Frequent traveler,,,you ll have no problem,,,I just can t get coverage NOW due to it...delayed getting ins. and now won t cover...and "cancel for any reason" has to be booked at initial,not final payment...learned the details a little late.

 

Zqvol;;;;I looked at Athens flights and many cancelled too,plus we dock in Venice..so very long trip back to Athens from there on train...we d have to add 2 days each way to make it back for work on Monday.....hubby s a surgeon and already booked that day,hahaha,,,and we don t even have Obamacare yet,yikes...sorry, political aside...

 

Thanks for the truly helpful comments....PS.hope above poster is NOT on our cruise,whew!!!

[Host Dan]

I will ignore the rude post above.....please refrain from your "help" in future.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The reference to the "rude poster" above is NOT ZQVOL. The post in question has been removed..

 

Host Dan

[alexandra cruiser]

I appreciate it,,,no, it was not Zqvol...he s been a real help:)

[frequent traveler]

we'll keep our fingers crossed for you - I hear flights are opening up tomorrow.

Best wishes for making your flight.

FT

[zqvol]

Thanks for the kind words. I did not mean to post my suggestion in two different threads. I am on some of the mass market lines and get confused sometimes.

 

You do have a mess with the distances and your air fare situation. Hopefully the volcano will play nice and you can get there somehow. It may take divine intervention, but I am wishing you the best of luck (and us too because we go in about 30 days).

[sedonanative]

I know you are worried and upset, but remember everyone involved in this, airlines, etc have an incentive to get you over there and there is so much time between now and June that you will surely get this figured out.

 

This probably isnt the appropriate place to say this, but I don;t really blame seadream for not giving credit for future cruises. As someone said above, they sell insurance for this sort of thing and I guess the burden really should fall on us to purchase it. Thats what insurance is, right.

 

They are losing a lot of sales for the last minute traveler. They may change their tune in a month or so, you can only check back.

 

Incidentally, and some better news, Lufthansa is part of the star alliance, which should guarantee you pretty easy access into where you want to be. Croatia Airlines flies to where you want to be, and I imagine they can route you through Madrid or Cairo or wherever to make sure you get to Dubrovnik. Dont let that scare you at all.

[alexandra cruiser]

As some have mentioned, trip insurance would have helped, but look at this site www.tripinsurancestore.com/blog/ , it seems some are NOT.Many on other cruise sites are complaining about this..So not just SeaDream...realize that they re not obligated to help in disaster like this, but SOME are.....The Travel Guard agent at SeaDream,when I called, would NOT offer insurance for this, should have gotten it at Final Payment 2 wks ago, but who knew?or "cancel for any reason" at initial payment...have now learned my lesson,but costly mistake....I urge all of you to check your particular policy carefully and read other cc sites,,,for ins.problems and those cruise companies who ARE offering rebookings,et.

 

But good to know about Luftansa and "star alliance", maybe that will help..just know most flights from N.America go over area of ash to get to Europe,hope Mother Nature settles down...hope we all are able to get to our destination,,,but,again, DO check your ins.....;)

[surfklutz]

Alexandria - How many of the luxury lines are treating their clients better? I think you have a right to be irritated by the volcano, irritated by yourself who did not initially purchase insurance, irritated by the airline that can't get you there - but I can't see that SeaDream has done anything wrong.

 

It looks as though thing are clearing up and hopefully no more eruptions take place. I have a gut you are going to get there just fine and have a wonderful time. I hope that is the case.

[alexandra cruiser]

I do wish I had bought "cancel for any reason" at initial deposit,but after I made FINAL Payment,was told SeaDream s insurance,thru Travel Guard,would NOT cover this,due to "a known event"...so I m literally unable to get any insurance, thru SeaDream, or any companies..

Have checked other luxury lines, and you re right, most not offering credits or refunds...only ones that ARE were river boats,Avalon,Viking and Uniworld....they only take 115 passengers and are small companies, so had HOPED same would be true for SeaDream....

Many others are in same shape,,,some like Cunard, saw on CC website under NEWS,,,,are not only NOT offering rebookings,but their insurance IS NOT covering,,,said "act of nature:"...also Princess,etc.....can also check under Europe CC website,under Volcano to see all the problems...Would urge all future SeaDream customers to really check carefully WHAT is covered under the Travel Guard plan, under "trip cancellation",,,you might be surprised....So you re right, not just SeaDream,,,:confused:

[SonomaWine]

I am sorry to hear that SeaDream will not provide any form of credit. IMHO, it seems that SeaDream should offer something in the interest of keeping their clients happy. It doesn't have to be a full credit, but an incentive to let clients know that they value their business and to recognize this natural event caused everyone harm. By not doing so, only the client is harmed and SeaDream is left financially sound. If a situation like this is handled with profit motives aside, and compassion in mind, it will only equate to happier loyal clients. A client that would never hesitate to rebook on SeaDream.

 

As an aside, I was just on the Silversea board, and it seemed people were quite pleased with the treatment Silversea provided. I am not sure if they provided any credits, but it appears they were proactive in making sure their "in transit" passengars were looked after. Of course Silversea had more at stake as they provide an air program, which adds a level of complexitiy.

[alexandra cruiser]

I also checked Oceania cc site, they are NOT helping with rebookings and their own insurance,,Berkley Ins.Group, is NOT paying for this cancellation due to "act of nature" clause in policy.....I ve been on them a few times and wonderful,, but how fair is THAT????Same ins. as for Cunard,,,boy,have a lot of people learned a lesson from this...feel so sorry for them,,,what a loss for many....guess it pays to get OWN insurance and REALLY understand it..right?

Have a glass of wine for us,lucky you.....thanks for update on SilveSeas.;)