What to do if we do miss the sailing?

[GE Mom]

For good reasons, we are scheduled to land in Miami at noon before our Zuiderdam sailing at 4:00. (We normally go in the day before, and we do have trip insurance.) If all goes well, we'll make the ship. But I was wondering what to do if we get delayed? Has this ever happened to fellow posters? The first stop is Half Moon Cay, then Aruba.

Edited October 30, 2017 by GE Mom

[catl331]

You can't catch up to the ship at HMC, so your choices are fly to Aruba or go home. If you booked your air through HAL Flight Ease they will pick up the tab of the flight to Aruba ... I think.

Edited October 30, 2017 by catl331

[slidergirl]

You can't catch up to the ship at HMC, so your choices are fly to Aruba or go home. If you booked your air through HAL Flight Ease they will pick up the tab of the flight to Aruba ... I think.

 

Provided your entire party has passports and there are flights to Aruba for you... If no passports, wave goodbye to the cruise...

[TiogaCruiser]

And you have your private transportation already set up from the airport to the port?

 

Any chance you could go with carry on luggage only?

[blizzardboy]

For good reasons, we are scheduled to land in Miami at noon before our Zuiderdam sailing at 4:00. (We normally go in the day before, and we do have trip insurance.) If all goes well, we'll make the ship. But I was wondering what to do if we get delayed? Has this ever happened to fellow posters? The first stop is Half Moon Cay, then Aruba.

Assuming your flight is reasonably on time, you should have no problem making your cruise. Grab a cab and go.

[Shih-tzu]

Which Zuiderdam sailing are you on? My cruise documents indicate to be at check in at 1:00 (my itinerary leaves at 4:00). I would think that if you arrive in MIA by 1:00 you should be fine.

[msmayor]

You have little margin for error.

 

Please check your trip insurance regarding delays and when they will pay. Many policies require a delay of four or more hours...and if you're planned flight is scheduled to land only 2.5 hours before you are required to be checked in (2:30 for a 4pm sailing) then the delay clause won't help you at all, and you'd be on your own paying for flights to Aruba.

[blizzardboy]

Have the HAL Customer Service number and your Booking number handy. If you have a delay, let HAL know. If it's weather related, you might not be alone. We were the last to board a Christmas Cruise at almost 8 p.m. in 2004. There were a couple of hundred passengers similarly affected, but we were told if it hadn't been Christmas we would have been out of luck.

[*Miss G*]

I would keep my fingers crossed for the planets to align and have a backup plan in hand. My first plan would be to catch a flight to Nassau or Eleuthra and get a ferry or private transfer to Half Moon Cay. We know the staff live off the island somewhere! You could maybe catch a ride in with them. Now that would be an adventure. lol

 

My second plan would be to fly to Aruba. Speak with HAL to confirm and keep their number handy as blizzardboy suggests. In December we had a number of people board at one of our ports a few days later due to weather delays.

[catl331]

I would think that if you arrive in MIA by 1:00 you should be fine.

I would be nervous landing at FLL at Noon, never mind MIA which is 45 min from PEG with no traffic problems!

 

My first plan would be to catch a flight to Nassau or Eleuthra and get a ferry or private transfer to Half Moon Cay.

That would be far too risky for me! And HAL might not even allow boarding at HMC. Do you know if this has ever been done?

[Homosassa]

I hope everything goes well.

 

Keep in mind that travel time from Miami Airport to Port Everglades is 45 minutes without any traffic delays.

[Wayfairers]

Have you considered calling HAL and asking for their advice/help? I’m sure you aren’t the first person to have this question and they may have set procedures for someone in your situation

 

 

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[*Miss G*]

Whoops! Meant to post the ferries link:

 

http://caribya.com/bahamas/ferries/

[*Miss G*]

That would be far too risky for me! And HAL might not even allow boarding at HMC. Do you know if this has ever been done?

No, sorry, I don't. That's why I would call HAL to confirm.

[catl331]

Whoops! Meant to post the ferries link:

 

http://caribya.com/bahamas/ferries/

I don't see HMC (Little San Salvador) listed there.

[Essiesmom]

Are you sure HAL will even approve downline boarding? Other lines no longer approve this as it changes the entire voyage from a closed loop cruise to open jaws. There is a lot more paperwork to be submitted to CPB, new manifests, more individual scrutiny in FLL, all of which costs the cruise line money.and it can delay debarkation for everyone. EM

[CherryG]

You're braver than I am! We always fly in at least a day ahead, sometimes two if in the middle of winter.

[baggal]

You better call HAL asap. Because of TSA requirements you actually have to be on board well before 4 p.m. - probably 3 at the latest. You have very little time for error if any. Sorry but it sounds as though it's a ridiculously tight squeeze.

 

 

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[navybankerteacher]

I doubt you could join at Half Moon Cay - getting there would be a problem and getting HAL to board you another one, not to mention the absurd cost. Getting to Aruba would be very expensive and require passports for all.

 

I would need a very "good reason" to risk those costs - and likely disappointment - for that close a schedule. And I would rethink my planning.

[Herfnerd]

Not sure what your "good reasons" are, but you are running a very good chance of not making the cruise at all.....

 

 

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[sail7seas]

For good reasons, we are scheduled to land in Miami at noon before our Zuiderdam sailing at 4:00. (We normally go in the day before, and we do have trip insurance.) If all goes well, we'll make the ship. But I was wondering what to do if we get delayed? Has this ever happened to fellow posters? The first stop is Half Moon Cay, then Aruba

 

Sorry to read about your stress you may not arrive in time fo the ship to sail. IF that happens, do not just assume you can travel to a future port and meet the ship to board. You must get HAL's permission to board late an di should be in wiritng, imO,, ( e-mail.) You might not be able to enter Aruba cruise po rt area without such permission and notice that you are on the manifest for boarding there.

 

Hope you arrive at the ship in time. Do you have a car and driver arranged to met you in Miami? Good luck

[catl331]

You better call HAL asap. Because of TSA requirements you actually have to be on board well before 4 p.m. - probably 3 at the latest. You have very little time for error if any. Sorry but it sounds as though it's a ridiculously tight squeeze.

You definitely have to be on board for the muster drill, which is likely at about 3:15. I don't think TSA has any time limits to be on board. HAL must submit your information to authorities 60 minutes before departure, but if you have completed the OnLine CheckIn you do not have to aboard by then yourself. If you watch the FLL sail-aways on the portevergladeswebcam you know that people are often rushed over from FLL at the last minute.

 

Not sure what your "good reasons" are, but you are running a very good chance of not making the cruise at all.....

If the air was booked through HAL Flight Ease they may hold the ship a bit.

 

IF that happens, do not just assume you can travel to a future port and meet the ship to board. You must get HAL's permission to board late an di should be in wiritng, imO,, ( e-mail.) You might not be able to enter Aruba cruise po rt area without such permission and notice that you are on the manifest for boarding there.

I would expect that HAL at FLL would assist in making the necessary arrangements. People accidentally miss sailings all the time, and don't have prior permission in writing to catch up to the ship unless that is provided by the initial embarkation port. Edited October 30, 2017 by catl331

[Herfnerd]

You definitely have to be on board for the muster drill, which is likely at about 3:15. I don't think TSA has any time limits to be on board. HAL must submit your information to authorities 60 minutes before departure, but if you have completed the OnLine CheckIn you do not have to aboard by then yourself. If you watch the FLL sail-aways on the portevergladeswebcam you know that people are often rushed over from FLL and the last minute.

 

 

 

If the air was booked through HAL Flight Ease they may hold the ship a bit.

 

 

 

I’m just thinking that had the OP booked Flight Ease they would not be asking what to do just in case

 

Hoping for the best for them

 

 

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[catl331]

I’m just thinking that had the OP booked Flight Ease they would not be asking what to do just in case

True! :)

[sail7seas]

You definitely have to be on board for the muster drill, which is likely at about 3:15. I don't think TSA has any time limits to be on board. HAL must submit your information to authorities 60 minutes before departure, but if you have completed the OnLine CheckIn you do not have to aboard by then yourself. If you watch the FLL sail-aways on the portevergladeswebcam you know that people are often rushed over from FLL at the last minute.

 

 

Car and driver to get them from Miami Airport to Port Everglades.

 

 

 

 

sail.noordam @ g mail.com

(don't use the yahoo. account.)

 

 

 

If the air was booked through HAL Flight Ease they may hold the ship a bit.

 

I would expect that HAL at FLL would assist in making the necessary arrangements. People accidentally miss sailings all the time, and don't have prior permission in writing to catch up to the ship unless that is provided by the initial embarkation port.

 

 

 

TSA has nothing to do with cruise ships