Claim for out of pocket expenses.

[Saz]

Due to Queen Elizabeth's late arrival at Southampton we missed our flight from Heathrow to Prague and were denied a refund by the airline.

 

We had to re-book flights which were far more expensive than the cost of the original flights.

 

Whilst our Travel Insurance Company is assessing our claims we will no doubt have to pay the excess before a refund is made.

 

My question is can I claim the portion not refunded by the Insurance Company from CUNARD.

 

Anyone had a similar type experience.

 

SAZ.

[Kamloops50]

Due to Queen Elizabeth's late arrival at Southampton we missed our flight from Heathrow to Prague and were denied a refund by the airline.

 

We had to re-book flights which were far more expensive than the cost of the original flights.

 

Whilst our Travel Insurance Company is assessing our claims we will no doubt have to pay the excess before a refund is made.

 

My question is can I claim the portion not refunded by the Insurance Company from CUNARD.

 

Anyone had a similar type experience.

 

SAZ.

 

if you bought your airfare thru Cunard Yes. If not you are on your own for the difference.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Kamloops50

[tangoll]

Due to Queen Elizabeth's late arrival at Southampton we missed our flight from Heathrow to Prague and were denied a refund by the airline.

 

 

SAZ.

I hold neither legal nor insurance assessor position; it would be helpful for us for future planning purposes if you could supply some more details about your unfortunate incidence:

 

1. What was the scheduled and actual time of arrival of QE to Southampton?

2. What was the actual time of your disembarkation from QE?

3. What was your original plan and timing of transfer from Southampton to

LHR? And actual time of arrival at LHR?

4. What was your flight's original departure time from LHR?

 

Are you sure the fault of your missed flight is due solely to QE's late arrival at Southampton? I have taken over 20 sailings with Cunard, from QE2 to all 3 of the current Queens and have not once encountered a late arrival of any Cunard ship at its destination, even at intermediate points. Since the speed of the Queens on ocean are so variable and the itineraries quite flexible, it's not complicated for the ships to adjust its speed so as to meet their scheduled departure and arrival times.

 

I'm not trying to assess fault here, neither am I saying your conclusion is faulty. Just trying to understand the details, so that in future, I have a better idea how much cushion to build into my own travel plans with Cunard.

Edited July 5, 2016 by tangoll
Added last sentence.

[Pilgrim70]

Due to Queen Elizabeth's late arrival at Southampton we missed our flight from Heathrow to Prague and were denied a refund by the airline.

 

SAZ.

 

 

On our upcoming cruise we have not been given an actual time of arrival back to Southampton. I don't think that Cunard gives an exact time of arrival. We were told that we will dock as an estimate at about 6:30. That is not a quarantine. We are doing self disembarkation to make a 10:15 flight from Southampton airport. I believe if we miss our flight is entirely our responsibility since we booked on our own.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[busmech]

On one trip we were delayed docking into Civitavecchia on QE due to high winds, as was the QM2. Delays could happen, that is why there is clause in the passenger contract stating that Cunard is not responsible for delays, missed ports etc. If it was air on your own you will be out of luck.

[pepperrn]

Hi Saz,

 

Sorry to read that this went wrong for you.

 

If I may ask; what was the departure time for your flight from Heathrow? Thank you.

 

This information may help others asking about transfers and flights in future.

 

(tangoll has asked similar above).

 

Best wishes.

Edited July 5, 2016 by pepperrn

[Solent Richard]

Hi Saz,

 

Sorry to read that this went wrong for you.

 

If I may ask; what was the departure time for your flight from Heathrow? Thank you.

 

This information may help others asking about transfers and flights in future.

 

(tangoll has asked similar above).

 

Best wishes.

 

It would appear it was a very tight schedule with little latitude.

 

Once again the perils of booking one's own flights.

[pepperrn]

It would appear it was a very tight schedule with little latitude.

I was hoping the OP would give that information so that, in the future, when someone asks (and many do) "What time can we safely book our flight for?" or "We've flights booked for xx.xx, will we make it?" we could refer to this first-hand experience, and valuable information. I hope the OP responds to our enquiries here. Edited July 5, 2016 by pepperrn

[gfs1ram]

I was hoping the OP would give that information so that, in the future, when someone asks (and many do) "What time can we safely book our flight for?" or "We've flights booked for xx.xx, will we make it?" we could refer to this first-hand experience, and valuable information. I hope the OP responds to our enquiries here.

 

I assume the OP was on the recent QE Baltic cruise that was delayed 24 hrs in St Petersburg due to bad weather. It eventually docked at Southampton around 11am on June 14. We were on the following Fjord Cruise and were asked to delay our arrival by 2 hrs from that stated on the etickets.

[pepperrn]

I assume the OP was on the recent QE Baltic cruise that was delayed 24 hrs in St Petersburg due to bad weather. It eventually docked at Southampton around 11am on June 14. ...

Yes, I believe you are correct gfs1ram.

An 11am arrival at Southampton is highly unusual, from what I've read. Certainly I've no experience of any ship I've been on arriving anywhere so far behind schedule.

Edited July 5, 2016 by pepperrn

[Adammara]

I see the OP last was online 'Last Activity: Today 07:37 AM', and original post was 1 AM (UK times), looks like they are not replying yet.

 

We have been two hours late docking before, due to strong head winds. No problem for us as we drive home, but I think we should all be warned it is a danger of booking a tight schedule. My grandson was appearing in a show in Coventry last week, normally a 2 hour drive, it took 4 hours! 2 lots of roadworks, an accident and and traffic jams at another event caused the delays! That why we always go near to Southampton the day before.

[Lanky Lad]

If the ship was late due to weather then it's unlikely a claim would be successful. You may have more luck if it was a technical issue.

 

I expect the response will be it's up to you to make sure you allow for delays.

[Pilgrim70]

On our upcoming cruise we have not been given an actual time of arrival back to Southampton. I don't think that Cunard gives an exact time of arrival. We were told that we will dock as an estimate at about 6:30. That is not a quarantine. We are doing self disembarkation to make a 10:15 flight from Southampton airport. I believe if we miss our flight is entirely our responsibility since we booked on our own.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

 

Now after reading I am a little worried but that's my nature.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[majortom10]

On our upcoming cruise we have not been given an actual time of arrival back to Southampton. I don't think that Cunard gives an exact time of arrival. We were told that we will dock as an estimate at about 6:30. That is not a quarantine. We are doing self disembarkation to make a 10:15 flight from Southampton airport. I believe if we miss our flight is entirely our responsibility since we booked on our own.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

If I was you I would be very worried think 1015 for a flight from Southampton is too early. Even if on time arriving they don't usually start self-disembarkation until 7-7.30am and then you have to go through customs and then possibly queue for a taxi and then you have the journey across the city to the airport possibly during rush hour traffic if a weekday. If everything went smoothly I very much doubt you will get to the airport before 9am.

[balf]

Squeaky bum time.

 

David.

[sennen]

I understood that you had to be at the airport at least 2 hours before check closes. So you would need to be at the airport by 7.45 am as check in would close at least 1/2 hour before departure.

[h3rjp]

We were a full day late arriving in port (a Princess South American cruise) due to weather. The cruise line were offering airline change fees.

 

But that was for a full day delay. I would have thought it would be difficult claiming as they still got you in on the day they were supposed to. I guess it doesn't hurt to ask.

[Pilgrim70]

I understood that you had to be at the airport at least 2 hours before check closes. So you would need to be at the airport by 7.45 am as check in would close at least 1/2 hour before departure.

 

 

I always do online check-in and never have a problem arriving much less than 2 hours at the airport. I fly quite a lot.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[Saz]

Hi Saz,

 

Sorry to read that this went wrong for you.

 

If I may ask; what was the departure time for your flight from Heathrow? Thank you.

 

This information may help others asking about transfers and flights in future.

 

(tangoll has asked similar above).

 

Best wishes.

 

Hi Pepperrn, Tangoll et.al.

 

Fllight from Heathrow to Prague was leaving at 1.25pm. We were due to dock at Southampton at 6.00am. We had arranged to be picked up from Southampton at 8.30am in order to be at Heathrow with ample time to spare. QE was delayed at St. Petersburg due to strong winds gusting in excess of 60knots so instead of leaving early evening on the 9th June we left early morning on the 10th. This not only caused an inconvenience to passengers disembarking at Kiel but also to those of us disembarking at Southampton. We also had to skip our final Port of Call (SKAGEN) in order to make time to get to Southampton, estimated time of arrival being 11.00am.

 

Appended below is a paragraph from the Captain's letter to the Guests.

 

"Guests with their own travel arrangements:

 

Guests who have not arranged their onward travel arrangements through Cunard, will have to make their own onward travel arrangements privately. We are happy to assist if required, please register at the Purser's Office and we will arrange for the cost of the call to be credited to your on board account. Unfortunately, as this incident is weather related, the additional expense will have to be met by your private travel insurance. If for any reason, your claim is declined by your Insurer, please contact Cunard Customer Services with confirmation of any settlement from your Insurer."

 

I wonder if the highlighted sentence would allow us to claim the insurance EXCESS plus any unrefundable portion of our Claim.

 

Cheers,

 

SAZ.

[tangoll]

Hi Pepperrn, Tangoll et.al.

 

Fllight from Heathrow to Prague was leaving at 1.25pm. We were due to dock at Southampton at 6.00am. We had arranged to be picked up from Southampton at 8.30am in order to be at Heathrow with ample time to spare. QE was delayed at St. Petersburg due to strong winds gusting in excess of 60knots so instead of leaving early evening on the 9th June we left early morning on the 10th. This not only caused an inconvenience to passengers disembarking at Kiel but also to those of us disembarking at Southampton. We also had to skip our final Port of Call (SKAGEN) in order to make time to get to Southampton, estimated time of arrival being 11.00am.

 

Appended below is a paragraph from the Captain's letter to the Guests.

 

"Guests with their own travel arrangements:

 

Guests who have not arranged their onward travel arrangements through Cunard, will have to make their own onward travel arrangements privately. We are happy to assist if required, please register at the Purser's Office and we will arrange for the cost of the call to be credited to your on board account. Unfortunately, as this incident is weather related, the additional expense will have to be met by your private travel insurance. If for any reason, your claim is declined by your Insurer, please contact Cunard Customer Services with confirmation of any settlement from your Insurer."

 

I wonder if the highlighted sentence would allow us to claim the insurance EXCESS plus any unrefundable portion of our Claim.

 

Cheers,

 

SAZ.

 

SAZ, thanks for the info. As delay was weather related, no one was at fault, and it was just an unfortunate incident that you have to bear. I hope your travel insurance policy covers the extra cost.

 

On my upcoming TA crossing, my bus from Southampton departs at 9:45 am, arriving LHR at 11:55 am, and my flight departure is 6:05 pm. And my travel insurance policy is a year long one covering all travel throughout.

[Solent Richard]

Yes, I believe you are correct gfs1ram.

An 11am arrival at Southampton is highly unusual, from what I've read. Certainly I've no experience of any ship I've been on arriving anywhere so far behind schedule.

 

Hi Pepperrn.

 

It certainly is thank God, however on 10 January last year on our return from Hamburg on Queen Elizabeth my photograph data reminds me that we were arriving at Ocean Terminal, with tug assistance, at 15.03.

 

We had been held up by bad weather in the North Sea.

[Scrapnana]

I have taken over 20 sailings with Cunard, from QE2 to all 3 of the current Queens and have not once encountered a late arrival of any Cunard ship at its destination, even at intermediate points. Since the speed of the Queens on ocean are so variable and the itineraries quite flexible, it's not complicated for the ships to adjust its speed so as to meet their scheduled departure and arrival times.

 

The start of the 2015 World Voyage was delayed due to bad weather. QE had done a Hamburg run and encountered bad weather on the way back. We were sent to St. Mary's stadium to wait (Grills passengers were taken to a hotel). The ship arrived back in Southampton about three in the afternoon and embarkation started around 6 pm. We left Southampton about 12:30 am. A storm was encountered during the TA and we were about six hours late arriving in NYC. The decision was made to stay overnight which meant we were a full day late arriving in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Cunard did tell us to work with out insurance companies first and then get in touch with Cunard if all else failed.

[pepperrn]

Hi Pepperrn. It certainly is thank God, however on 10 January last year on our return from Hamburg on Queen Elizabeth my photograph data reminds me that we were arriving at Ocean Terminal, with tug assistance, at 15.03. We had been held up by bad weather in the North Sea.

Here is one photo:

 

 

from a sequence I took of your arrival on QE, from Hythe

(where I had lunch at the Lord Nelson with friends, before seeing two of them off on the QE world cruise. Note QM2 at the QEII Terminal).

Edited July 6, 2016 by pepperrn

[pepperrn]

The start of the 2015 World Voyage was delayed due to bad weather. QE had done a Hamburg run and encountered bad weather on the way back. We were sent to St. Mary's stadium to wait (Grills passengers were taken to a hotel). The ship arrived back in Southampton about three in the afternoon and embarkation started around 6 pm. We left Southampton about 12:30 am. A storm was encountered during the TA and we were about six hours late arriving in NYC. The decision was made to stay overnight which meant we were a full day late arriving in Fort Lauderdale. Cunard did tell us to work with out insurance companies first and then get in touch with Cunard if all else failed.

Hi Scrapnana,

 

Here is QE at the Ocean Terminal:

 

 

with you either safely on board, or waiting in the Ocean Terminal.

I suspect waiting as they commenced boarding just when I arrived, and I waited to see two friends off, in the warmth of the building, until almost the last coach arrrived from the staduim, before making my way outside to take a few shots and wave "Bon Voyage!".

To think, I missed a chance to meet you in the Ocean Terminal! So sorry. But the terminal was crowded!:

 

 

Best wishes to you Scrapnana :)

Edited July 6, 2016 by pepperrn

[Host Hattie]

Hi Pepperrn, Tangoll et.al.

 

Fllight from Heathrow to Prague was leaving at 1.25pm. We were due to dock at Southampton at 6.00am. We had arranged to be picked up from Southampton at 8.30am in order to be at Heathrow with ample time to spare. QE was delayed at St. Petersburg due to strong winds gusting in excess of 60knots so instead of leaving early evening on the 9th June we left early morning on the 10th. This not only caused an inconvenience to passengers disembarking at Kiel but also to those of us disembarking at Southampton. We also had to skip our final Port of Call (SKAGEN) in order to make time to get to Southampton, estimated time of arrival being 11.00am.

 

Appended below is a paragraph from the Captain's letter to the Guests.

 

"Guests with their own travel arrangements:

 

Guests who have not arranged their onward travel arrangements through Cunard, will have to make their own onward travel arrangements privately. We are happy to assist if required, please register at the Purser's Office and we will arrange for the cost of the call to be credited to your on board account. Unfortunately, as this incident is weather related, the additional expense will have to be met by your private travel insurance. If for any reason, your claim is declined by your Insurer, please contact Cunard Customer Services with confirmation of any settlement from your Insurer."

 

I wonder if the highlighted sentence would allow us to claim the insurance EXCESS plus any unrefundable portion of our Claim.

 

Cheers,

 

SAZ.

 

It seems as if there is no harm in asking Cunard the question.

Please let us know how you get on.