Not happy with flight booked thru Carnival

[Elaine5715]

Flying in and out of Fort Lauderdale is MUCH easier than Miami. The terminals are smaller, luggage pick up quicker, very, very, very easy to find the Carnival representatives.

[txjudy54]

That is good to know about the terminals at Ft. Lauderdale.

[DebJ14]

Wow, a 1-hour layover in Atlanta is REALLY risky. At least you got it changed to a 2-hour layover, so unless something major happens, you should make the connecting flight. If your cruise is out of Miami instead of Fort Lauderdale, you'll probably be boarding around 2 pm or later.

 

I hope your seats are in the front of the plane. I was flying home from Daytona Beach via Atlanta and had an hour and 13 minute layover. The plane was late so they asked all passengers not changing planes to stay seated, but of course they all rushed for the door. Took 20 minutes to get off since I was in the next to last row. Of course I had to change terminals. I went down stairs to the train and found it was out of order and had to walk from B to D. I arrived at the gate 10 minutes before the flight and found they had given my seat away. It was the last flight out so I had to overnight in Atlanta. It was at their expense though. I kept thinking it was a good thing I wasn't going on a cruise!

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Flying in and out of Fort Lauderdale is MUCH easier than Miami. The terminals are smaller, luggage pick up quicker, very, very, very easy to find the Carnival representatives.

 

I agree. My brother used to live midway between the two airports, flew frequently on business, and ALWAYS tried to avoid MIA and use FLL when possible.

[springs741]

As posted above try to put some stuff in your carry on. We also cross pack our suitcases just in case one bag has an adventure. At least we have some clothing. Hope everything works out for you. At this point you can't do anything about the arrangements so hope for the best and plan for the worst.

[John1928]

You're probably okay, though chalk it up as a lesson learned for the future.

 

Flying to FLL isn't bad, it's further than MIA but closer than many metro airports are to their respective downtown areas.

 

In Texas cruiseport terms, FLL is way closer to the port of Miami than IAH is to Galveston. Heck, it's like 10 miles closer than Hobby is to Galveston.

 

There are a ton of daily flights between Atlanta and Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach, all of which would be cheaper than having to fly you to somewhere in the Caribbean so Carnival has some incentive to get you rebooked in a timely fashion even if there were a problem with the Atlanta connection.

[Mary Ellen1]

Ok.. so all of you are doing nothing to help and only saying things to make the OP more stressed about the situation. Is it ideal? no I would say not, but getting into FLL at 1PM and making it to Miami before the ship leaves is very doable. Especially in September. Odds are really good that the flight will go without any delays.

 

They have Carnival booked flights and carnival transport to the port. So it's all on Carnival to get them there. MORE than likely they will not be the only ones on that flight going to Maimi on Carnival transport. so if something DOES happen Carnival will hold the ship as long as possible or get them to the next port to meet the ship.

 

Now, things you can do to help your situation-

1) you will most likely have to wait for others to get their luggage but IF you can.. try to pack as much in carry ons as possible. IF you can have all your stuff with you and not have to wait for luggage in FLL that will speed things up. Also if your bags get lost or delayed then having a couple of changes of clothes with you will allow you to just have you bags flown to the next port and delivered to the ship instead of waiting around hoping they come in on the next flight or something (Since it's Carnival air and transport They will take care of lost bags)

 

2) have passports and not birth certificates. IF you have to fly to the first port to join the ship, you will not be able to do that with BCs. There is still enough time to get passports if you don't have them. - This is not REQUIRED, because most likely you will make the ship. But it would take some stress away knowing you have a back up plan in case.

 

This.

 

Seriously, people, where's the love? At this point "you-should-have-known" doesn't help very much.

 

txjudy: the above is great advice. My other suggestion, quite seriously, is to pack your "Fun, Happy, Silly, Can-Do Attitude." The travel arrangements can't be changed, but your attitude can determine how you cope with it. I have a darling sister-in-law who would say, "This is where the great stories come from!" Where's the great story in "Judy drove to the airport, boarded her flight (which was on-time), picked up her luggage and boarded her cruise." BORING!!!

 

Once my darling mother, through a series of misadventures, was just about the last person to board the ship. But we still talk about the series of things that went wrong...

 

Flying in and out of Fort Lauderdale is MUCH easier than Miami. The terminals are smaller, luggage pick up quicker, very, very, very easy to find the Carnival representatives.

 

Agree -- this is my experience with flying into FLL -- much smaller and more manageable. And about a 45-minute drive to the port of Miami.

 

GOOD LUCK JUDY!!! :)

Edited August 21, 2014 by Mary Ellen1
typo :(

[NCTribeFan]

But the OP should have known!!

 

Does that help? Not really. But to book through a TA (and as I said, when I used to use one she always booked through Carnival; probably got more commission because it cost more!), and then complain about the flights is just silly. Just what useful advice could OP think (s)he might possibly receive?

 

No one is being mean. :rolleyes: We're just being realistic. Crying and hand-wringing and "oh, that's so terrible for you, you poor thing!" comments don't help either!

 

This is no one's fault other than OP's. Not Carnival's. Not the TA's.

 

A little reading on these board (mainly on the Cruise Air board) provides a TON of information.

 

So, yeah, a little personal responsibility is called for here!

 

Want some good advice? Book your own flight next time, fly down the day before, and stay at a hotel, making for a much-less-stressful beginning to your vacation.

 

Hope it works out, though, and consider this a lesson learned!

[FlaMilkman]

Normally I am one of the biggest supporters of TAs but in this case you should have a long talk with your TA to find out why they would book you through Carnival! The travel agents do not receive commission on the airfare from either the airlines or Carnival so there really isn't any financial benefit for the TA to book one over the other.

 

1) Did you specifically ask to have the airfare booked through Carnival?

 

2) Were you asked whether you wanted to travel the day of the cruise or the night before?

 

3) What would the difference in price between booking through Carnival vs. booking independently?

 

Unfortunately, at this point you are stuck. Make the best of the situation but certainly have a chat with you TA to find out why it was booked the way that it was. Maybe there is a very good reason that you are simply not aware of at this time.

[txjudy54]

My TA did suggest we go down the night before but that was not possible and she did mention booking the flight separately. I was the one who said book everything thru Carnival thinking if anything went wrong Carnival would be able to take care of it. I usually book my cruises directly with Carnival but decided to book with my TA. I may have sounded whiney but I was just frustrated that we were flying into Ft. Lauderdale instead of Miami. It stands to reason if you are leaving from Miami that would be where we flew into. I will certainly know the next time. As I said, live and learn.

[jenng1976]

My TA did suggest we go down the night before but that was not possible and she did mention booking the flight separately. I was the one who said book everything thru Carnival thinking if anything went wrong Carnival would be able to take care of it. I usually book my cruises directly with Carnival but decided to book with my TA. I may have sounded whiney but I was just frustrated that we were flying into Ft. Lauderdale instead of Miami. It stands to reason if you are leaving from Miami that would be where we flew into. I will certainly know the next time. As I said, live and learn.

 

I think you've clarified several times ... some people just don't read all the posts before commenting!! ;)

 

And I think we all live and learn - I can look back on my first few cruises and would do certain things differently if I could go back in time. But, since that's not possible, I just remember for next time!

 

I wish you smooth travels and hope everything is hassle free that day! I agree with another poster that said it was quite easy to go through FLL. They were quite quick with luggage delivery and I think that's the fastest we've ever gotten out of an airport.

 

Good luck!!

Jenn :)

[COMBOY]

OK, here's how I see it. The flight arrives FLL @ 1PM and the ship sails out of Miami @ 4PM. That's 3 hours. 30 minutes to collect baggage; 45 minutes from FLL to port of Miami. Arrive around 2:15-3PM at the latest. Yes, it's tight; but not unreasonable IMO. Sure, weather or traffic could impact arrival into FLL; but since Carnival booked your flights they are responsible getting you to the ship. Clearly, if you use Carnival air they use the cheapest route and carrier at their discretion. It might not is the best and most convenience but it well within a reasonable arrival time into Florida. Obviously the OP doesn't believe so. But next time either book your own flights or do an air deviation with Carnival air and chose your own flights or fly in the day prior to departure. You will have to pay any additional air costs associated with a routing of your choice. At this point I wouldn't worry about it. It is what it is. Why spoil your vacation and work yourself up over something that might not happen? The worst case is you'll have to fly on down to St. Thomas spend a few night and then board the ship. Yes, its a bumper to miss a the first few days of your cruise...but the beaches of the Virgin Islands aren't bad either with a cold drink in hand. :)

Edited August 21, 2014 by COMBOY

[txjudy54]

I am going to start packing and getting thing together. There is nothing else that can be done so we will make the best of it, hope we have no delays and enjoy a fabulous cruise. We have never been to any of these ports so really looking forward to them.

[Lovefuninthesun]

This thread has me soooo angry.

Instead of doing the Single Digit Dance, this poor family has to be stressed to the max. Good luck OP. I hope you have a wonderful time despite the stupidity of your TA

 

 

This.:cool:

Hopes OP fires the TA after the cruise -- somebody else said it -- TA is either stupid or lazy. A TA is supposed to make the arrangements easier on you, not make you more stressed. OP could have done much better on her own.

[sjn911]

I'm so sorry that you have to endure this frustration related to your vacation. The good news is that since you bought Carnival's cruise/fly package (flyaweigh), Carnival takes responsibility for you making it to your cruise. That means that if something happens that Carnival will either hold the ship for you or pay to get you to the ship if for some reason they can't do that. Details here:

 

http://www.carnival.com/legal/fly-aweigh.aspx

 

Nobody wants unforeseen events to come between them and their hard-earned vacation. Next time, I hope you will consider making your own pre-cruise arrangements which include flying into your embarkation city a day early with convenient flight times. Making a night or two before your cruise part of cruising fun is very worthwhile not only for the experiences you can have in your embarkation city, but also for peace of mind of much better odds of arriving timely and being able to embark your cruise rested and without unnecessary stress.

 

I'm wishing you the best possible outcome. :-)

 

Beautifully said...we all can take lessons learned and support the pluses and minuses we create on the snags of our busy lives this way...have not read further..but this is CC at it's best...Sarah

 

OP don't beat your self up and I have not read further here..just touched by this wording..Sarah

[sjn911]

I'm so sorry that you have to endure this frustration related to your vacation. The good news is that since you bought Carnival's cruise/fly package (flyaweigh), Carnival takes responsibility for you making it to your cruise. That means that if something happens that Carnival will either hold the ship for you or pay to get you to the ship if for some reason they can't do that. Details here:

 

http://www.carnival.com/legal/fly-aweigh.aspx

 

Nobody wants unforeseen events to come between them and their hard-earned vacation. Next time, I hope you will consider making your own pre-cruise arrangements which include flying into your embarkation city a day early with convenient flight times. Making a night or two before your cruise part of cruising fun is very worthwhile not only for the experiences you can have in your embarkation city, but also for peace of mind of much better odds of arriving timely and being able to embark your cruise rested and without unnecessary stress.

 

I'm wishing you the best possible outcome. :-)

 

Ok.. so all of you are doing nothing to help and only saying things to make the OP more stressed about the situation. Is it ideal? no I would say not, but getting into FLL at 1PM and making it to Miami before the ship leaves is very doable. Especially in September. Odds are really good that the flight will go without any delays.

 

They have Carnival booked flights and carnival transport to the port. So it's all on Carnival to get them there. MORE than likely they will not be the only ones on that flight going to Maimi on Carnival transport. so if something DOES happen Carnival will hold the ship as long as possible or get them to the next port to meet the ship.

 

Now, things you can do to help your situation-

1) you will most likely have to wait for others to get their luggage but IF you can.. try to pack as much in carry ons as possible. IF you can have all your stuff with you and not have to wait for luggage in FLL that will speed things up. Also if your bags get lost or delayed then having a couple of changes of clothes with you will allow you to just have you bags flown to the next port and delivered to the ship instead of waiting around hoping they come in on the next flight or something (Since it's Carnival air and transport They will take care of lost bags)

 

2) have passports and not birth certificates. IF you have to fly to the first port to join the ship, you will not be able to do that with BCs. There is still enough time to get passports if you don't have them. - This is not REQUIRED, because most likely you will make the ship. But it would take some stress away knowing you have a back up plan in case.

 

We all have failed at being as supportive as possible..but that is the intention i have too..another great response..and i just have a feeling all will work out..and with unwanted stress, stress you were hoping to avoid..you do save the hotel expenses..the bright side and i would definitely have a killer shore excursion, ship tour, fancy chef's table or steakhouse depending on you ship or massage or two if possible with that saved money, spa prices go down middle of week...Sarah

Edited August 21, 2014 by sjn911

[sjn911]

My TA did suggest we go down the night before but that was not possible and she did mention booking the flight separately. I was the one who said book everything thru Carnival thinking if anything went wrong Carnival would be able to take care of it. I usually book my cruises directly with Carnival but decided to book with my TA. I may have sounded whiney but I was just frustrated that we were flying into Ft. Lauderdale instead of Miami. It stands to reason if you are leaving from Miami that would be where we flew into. I will certainly know the next time. As I said, live and learn.

 

You did not sound whiny as a country friend used to say..one "iota". You had perfectly sensible reasons to try it this way and it will work and be covered the way you needed it to be..each time we twirk it the best we can..life has so many snags sometimes we miss even with all info..I pray for a wonderful vacation for you..God bless you..some people joke with that one, I don't I mean it..have a fun vacation..you shall..just some extra adventure getting there..it is always difficult out of here in Montana..Sarah

[pbsteve]

My husband and I both have passports so that is not a problem. My TA did say she could book our flight separately but I thought (now I know better) that it would be better to have everything booked thru Carnival in case something happened Carnival would take care of us. I am not blaming my TA, she did what I told her to do. I just assumed we would fly directly into Miami since we cruise out of that port but now I know better. Hoping for the best.

 

If it helps, I fly every week for work, Fly out every tuesday, home on Thursday or Friday. It wont take much more time than flying into MIA, perhaps 30 minutes at most, the reason? FLL will have your luggage to you faster than MIA. The gates are closer to the exit, so you save a lot of walking, you'll get out of FLL on the shuttle before you'd have your bags at MIA. I see it at every big airport, I always have to wait for baggage, sometimes 20 minutes. small airports, usually at most 5. Driving out of big airports... a hassle, small airports simple, saving another 10 minutes sometimes. I live almost exactly halfway between milwaukee airport and Ohare, I'm home 30 minutes faster when I fly home into milwaukee than ohare, and milwaukee isnt much smaller than FLL

Also for some reason, small airports even ones that close seem to have less delays. Had 2 hour delays out of ohare, but milwaukee had no delays quite a few times.

 

At least next time, you can tell your TA they were right, and have them book you a better way

Edited August 21, 2014 by pbsteve

[Shaded Lady]

Txjudy- I know it's been said before but don't worry... getting to FLL at 1 PM is PLENTY of time to make it to your ship before it sails. Especially with Carnival transfers.

 

The biggest risk is a delay in your flight from Dallas to Atlanta, which they mitigated by giving you 2 hours instead of 1. As someone else mentioned, there are lots of flights from Atlanta to FLL & MIA so if something happens there, Carnival WILL get you to the cruise ship- somehow!

 

You can't change anything now, so you have absolutely the right attitude about it! Vent, get over it, get ready & go!

 

I truly hope you have a wonderful cruise... and just think, when you're sitting on the Lido at 3 PM the day of your cruise with a big ole drink in your hand, you'll be able to laugh that this was definitely 'an adventure!'.

[travelerblue]

I agree. My brother used to live midway between the two airports, flew frequently on business, and ALWAYS tried to avoid MIA and use FLL when possible.

 

I also agree. Whenever we cruise out of Miami, we always try to book flights to and from FLL. MIA is a zoo!

[nybumpkin]

The worst case is you'll have to fly on down to St. Thomas spend a few night and then board the ship. Yes, its a bumper to miss a the first few days of your cruise...but the beaches of the Virgin Islands aren't bad either with a cold drink in hand. :)

We have friends who did experience the "worst case." Flying Buffalo-FLL day of cruise (in the winter:eek:), delayed flight, missed connection - they missed their cruise (and that was from FLL). Since they booked through Carnival, they got a flight to their first port (San Juan, in their case) and hotel accommodations for 2 nights - all on Carnival's dime. Yes, they missed part of their cruise - but they had a great time in San Juan!

[DebJ14]

This.:cool:

Hopes OP fires the TA after the cruise -- somebody else said it -- TA is either stupid or lazy. A TA is supposed to make the arrangements easier on you, not make you more stressed. OP could have done much better on her own.

 

OP already clarified that the TA suggested going in a day early, but that was not possible for them and also suggested booking the air separately. Don't blame the TA. The TA was doing what the OP wanted and told her to do - book everything through Carnival.

[Almost Packed]

Wanna hear about stress? Try flying standby on the morning of your cruise...that'll stress ya out.

 

Been there, done that.

 

FFL & Miami are a little further apart than DFW and Love Field.

Take a deep breath and relax. It will be fine.

 

Since it is all booked through Carnival, you don't have to worry. Enjoy the ride and few minutes to relax on the bus from FLL to POM.

 

Chalk it up to lesson learned.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[SharkCruiser24]

Flights are cheaper through FLL, lower landing fees. But when booking flights through Carnival you don't pick anything, you aren't guaranteed anything either, except to make it to the ship.

 

 

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[carnival4me]

Flights into FLL are cheaper than flights into MIA.