Crazy story!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I agree that the cruise line doesn't owe this person anything. One major reason many of us say the biggest piece of advice that we can give someone about booking a cruise is to make sure to be in their embarkation port at least a day ahead. For our three Hawaiian cruises on Princess, we were an hour's drive from San Pedro, but even then, we want to be hitting the freeway by 10am by the latest. For a cruise from other ports, we intend to be always flying in ahead just in case. We were glad to arrange to arrive in Seattle on a Friday night when taking Amtrak up the coast for a Sunday cruise. The train was four hours late so we got in around midnight. The next day, instead of being bleary eyed going to the port (if we hadn't padded in another day), we were able to do a little shopping and sightseeing. And arrive on the ship, stress free and refreshed.

 

In December 2010, we boarded the Golden Princess for the holiday cruise to Hawaii. Pouring rain here in LA (for several days straight). The captain announced at some point we'll be leaving a few hours late because there was a large group trying to get to LA. Turned out to be 200 Brits who had been caught in a snowstorm at Heathrow. The ship finally sailed four and a half hours late, but without them. Every time we ran into someone British, we'll ask if they were from this group (I think everyone was hoping we heard wrong that they didn't make it). But each of them had made other plans (to get in a few days early to enjoy in Vegas, or decided to fly from Paris as the weather reports were coming in).

 

With some itineraries, if you arrive late, you're SOL. For example a northbound Alaskan cruise out of Vanouver. You miss the disembarkation, you won't be able to board in any of the remaining ports due to the PVSA.

 

And as the OP's friends discovered, you can't always count on boarding the ship in the first port.

[RickEk]

Even though HI is part of the US they'd still have to get off in Ensenada?

 

Yes... the PVSA states that a foreign-flagged cruise line cannot transport a passenger between two different US cities without stopping at a far foreign port. Ensenada does not qualify as a far foreign port. The closed-loop cruise is okay, because passengers embark and disembark at the same port.

[Teris50]

It was Princess because they had a man overboard and both ships were searching for him. My question is why would this be Princess' fault if they missed the cruise dues to the bad weather and poor weather conditions (acts of god are not covered by the airline either)and then no insurance!

I don't mean to sound so awful, and it's a bummer for them any way you look at it, but it is not Princess' fault they missed the cruise.

[TravelerThom]

Even though HI is part of the US they'd still have to get off in Ensenada?

To add to the correct answer given by RickEk. It is specifically because HI is part of the US that they have to get off in Ensenada. If, for example, it was a closed loop Pacific Coast cruise from SF to Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and back to SF, you could board downstream in either Vancouver or Victoria and sail back to SF, but you would not be allowed to board in Seattle. [The cruise line is fined for violations of PSVA; sometimes they will allow you to board IF you compensate them for the fine.]

 

Thom

[Happy2cruise]

I don't mean to sound so awful, and it's a bummer for them any way you look at it, but it is not Princess' fault they missed the cruise.

Also, not the cruiseline's fault if the passengers chose not to purchase travel insurance.

[PunkiC]

In 2012 we missed embarkation out of San Pedro, due to personal reasons, which would have prevented us from flying to SoCal the day of or the day before our cruise. Stuff happens.

 

We have tons of airline miles so we just flew to Honolulu boarded the ship and disembarked in Ensenada. It did take some talking to convince Princess that a trip from Honolulu to Ensenada was not affected by the Jones Act or the PVSA.

 

We still received our OBC based on a 14 day cruise so we had more than enough money left over at the end to cover the cost of our limo ride from Ensenada to San Diego, and the change fees for our flights.

 

The really bad part about the whole thing was that we boarded to late to take hula and ukulele lessons, so we had to take the same cruise again in 2013. Not too bad a punishment. :p

[whataboutport]

Yes... the PVSA states that a foreign-flagged cruise line cannot transport a passenger between two different US cities without stopping at a far foreign port. Ensenada does not qualify as a far foreign port. The closed-loop cruise is okay, because passengers embark and disembark at the same port.

 

To add to the correct answer given by RickEk. It is specifically because HI is part of the US that they have to get off in Ensenada. If, for example, it was a closed loop Pacific Coast cruise from SF to Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and back to SF, you could board downstream in either Vancouver or Victoria and sail back to SF, but you would not be allowed to board in Seattle. [The cruise line is fined for violations of PSVA; sometimes they will allow you to board IF you compensate them for the fine.]

 

Thom

 

Thank you for taking the time to explain to me.

[TravelerThom]

Thank you for taking the time to explain to me.

You're welcome. So that you know, the closest "Distant Foreign Port" is South America. PVSA considers the ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao) to be South American, since even though they are in the Caribbean they are off the coast of Venezuela. A typical winter repositioning from say New York or California to Florida will include a stop in the ABCs or Isla Margarita Venezuela or Cartagena Columbia; Panama is not "distant". There are some special rules that apply to one way traffic to/from Puerto Rico, to/from Hyder Alaska and between a couple of small ports within the Great Lakes if no US vessel is willing to provide service, but I'm don't know the specifics of those loopholes.

 

Thom

[IDKaren]

I have taken out ins several times..once when we were going to Israel???only to find out that it would cover for WAR but not acts of TERRORISM..sure glad nothing happened. ANYWAY..I know airlines will not pay for weather delays...does the ins pay on CRUISES for weather delay????SO sorry for these people :(

[satxdiver]

These pax just could not win and I feel sympathy for them in their plight. However they need to look in the mirror to see who caused most of this problem!

 

We always fly in at least the day before when we were still working. Now of course we arrive several days in advance and stay the night of disembarkation in a local hotel before flying home. I had the "privledge" of flying all over the US every week in my job when I was working and know all the horror stories of flying. However since I did I was a very valued customer and a member of their elite club. Yes, they put us on the plane first before allowing other bumped pax to board. One time though in Chicago I was out "elited" which came as a shock! I had to wait several hours for the next flight.

 

This was a very expensive lesson for this couple.

[tanzer22pilot]

Sorry for your friend, but showing up for a cruise on the same day (unless you can see the ship from home) is setting themselves up for failure.

[pseudoware]

They got in touch with the cruiseline and flew to the first port in Maui...

 

It sounds like they were supposed to board the Star in San Pedro. Since they contacted Princess, I'm going to assume they were told they need to disembark in Ensenada, the final port, if they board in Hawaii, due to the PVSA.

 

If Princess had them fly to Maui w/o informing them of the PVSA restriction, that's even more bad to worse.

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[ar1950]

It sounds like they were supposed to board the Star in San Pedro. Since they contacted Princess, I'm going to assume they were told they need to disembark in Ensenada, the final port, if they board in Hawaii, due to the PVSA.

 

If Princess had them fly to Maui w/o informing them of the PVSA restriction, that's even more bad to worse.

 

Unfortunately for the folks who had this happen, a very expensive and painful lesson. But, for anyone reading this, a few good tips about how to not have your cruise become a complete mess. Lets see, insurance, check; leave in plenty of time to make it to the port, check; hope for the best, plan for the unexpected, check. Lessons learned, future memories made (to paraphrase another poster on the Princess boards).... for any new folks here. :cool:

Edited January 10, 2014 by ar1950

[Pam in CA]

Several things: first, a crewman jumped off the Grand a couple of days ago. The Star was nearby and joined the search along with a cargo ship and a USCG helicopter. The ships are required by the USCG to keep searching until they are released. They wound up searching for more than a day which necessitated modifying both ships' itineraries.

 

The other thing is that they will not be allowed to board unless they have pre-arranged with Princess to disembark in Ensenada. To do that, they will need to have their passports with them to fly back to the US. They may be chasing the ship but unfortunately, I predict it's for naught and they're in for a nasty surprise if they think they can just fly in and board the ship. It ain't gonna happen unless they have the pre-arranged permission.

 

Princess owes them nothing. Maybe they can sue the USCG for "forcing" the ship to remain searching. It was their poor choice and refusal to get insurance, not to mention flying in at least a day before embarkation, that have put them in this position.

 

It's not a sad story unless you take into consideration the crew member who decided to take his/her life. That's sad and the tragedy.

[Judycpro]

Very well said Pam.

 

Judy

[ar1950]

..............The other thing is that they will not be allowed to board unless they have pre-arranged with Princess to disembark in Ensenada. To do that, they will need to have their passports with them to fly back to the US. They may be chasing the ship but unfortunately, I predict it's for naught and they're in for a nasty surprise if they think they can just fly in and board the ship. It ain't gonna happen unless they have the pre-arranged permission. .........

 

It sounds as though they may have done that.

 

.........They got in touch with the cruiseline and flew to the first port in Maui..........

 

And Pam, I would say that you are certainly correct about all of the rest.

Edited January 10, 2014 by ar1950

[goldgirl2]

Sorry I did not post on princess board. This was not about princess in my mind it was more another reason to arrive early and buy insurance! They are not new to cruising. This was their 54th cruise! They fly the day of their cruise 99% of the time and never have bought insurance. I'm hoping she contacts me tomorrow with an update!

Edited January 10, 2014 by goldgirl2

[ar1950]

..... This was not about princess in my mind it was more another reason to arrive early and buy insurance! They are not new to cruising. This was their 54th cruise! They fly the day of their cruise 99% of the time and never have bought insurance........

 

Just like gambling. At some point the odds catch up with you. Its fortunate for them that they have dodged any bullets to this point. They can't blame Princess for getting "hit" this time. :cool:

[JimmyVWine]

Sorry I did not post on princess board. This was not about princess in my mind it was more another reason to arrive early and buy insurance! They are not new to cruising. This was their 54th cruise! They fly the day of their cruise 99% of the time and never have bought insurance. I'm hoping she contacts me tomorrow with an update!

...and if they learn anything from this experience, the 99% number will bump up to 100% and the "never" buy insurance will change to, at a minimum, "strongly consider buying insurance." I don't come out on the side of "always buy insurance", but I always consider it, and I know the risks of not doing so. But the "fly in the day (or more) before"?? That rule is set in stone.

[san diego sue]

We never use to buy the Insurance, felt since our Insurance co. paid medical even out of the country, didn't need it. We forgot that what if we had an accident or got sick before, we would lose the cost of the cruise. Well, it did happen, after hubby had an accident. Should have canceled but we went anyway, even with him in pain.

From that day on,we always buy the Princess insurance with the cancel for any reason . One never knows what can happen(weather, illness, family problems).

[geoherb]

We were lucky when we first started cruising. We did not think we needed insurance, and fortunately never did. We found out the value of insurance because of our parents' experiences. The first was my mother and stepfather's cruise to Alaska. He had to have heart surgery and they couldn't go. The insurance paid them their money back, which allowed them to rebook the flights and cruise the following year.

 

My mother-in-law got sick on a Mediterranean cruise. The insurance company was great to work with. It paid for her hospital stay in Greece and my father-in-law's hotel room for three nights. When she as well enough to travel, the company arranged their flights for them. It even hired a nurse to accompany them on the flights in case my MIL needed help. They even received a refund for the portion of the cruise they were not able to take.

[Thrak]

One can only hope that the logistical choices that went awry were made mutually. If only one person (husband or wife) made the travel and insurance decisions the other one may very well be extremely irritated with the planner... :eek:

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Sorry I did not post on princess board. This was not about princess in my mind it was more another reason to arrive early and buy insurance! They are not new to cruising. This was their 54th cruise! They fly the day of their cruise 99% of the time and never have bought insurance. I'm hoping she contacts me tomorrow with an update!

 

In general it apples to all cruise lines.....its an eye opener for those who think it won't happen to them. Thanks for posting!

 

We never use to buy the Insurance, felt since our Insurance co. paid medical even out of the country, didn't need it. We forgot that what if we had an accident or got sick before, we would lose the cost of the cruise. Well, it did happen, after hubby had an accident. Should have canceled but we went anyway, even with him in pain.

From that day on,we always buy the Princess insurance with the cancel for any reason . One never knows what can happen(weather, illness, family problems).

 

It will happen to everyone at one time or another by either having insurance or not. Glad you went, DH pain and all.

 

***

[goldgirl2]

Update! They got on the ship in Hilo!

[Pam in CA]

Update! They got on the ship in Hilo!

Thanks for the update. Are they disembarking in Ensenada?