Air Delay-Cruiseline Help

[CPT Trips]

Based on the recent thread regarding lack of help from one cruiseline, I'm interested in reports from travellers whose flights have been delayed until after the departure from the first port.

Did the cruise line (name) help you?

Did your booking company/travel agency (name) help you?

What kind of help did you get?

Were you satisfied?

Any advice for the rest of use from your experience?

[letsgo39]

The best advice I can give is always go at least 1 or 2 days early. This gives you the opportunity to recover from your jet lag and to see more of your always very interesting departure city.

[steamboats]

Flying in at least one day early is always a good advice.

 

But if you´re booking cruise and air with the cruise line without booking any pre-cruise stays with the cruise line it´s usually that they are flying you in on the day of the cruise. And you don´t have a chance to fly in a day earlier and book your own hotel using the cruise line´s air.

 

All transatlantic flights from the US to Europe are overnight flights arriving in Europe in the morning (latest until noon). So in fact you are starting one day prior to your cruise departure but you arrive on the departure day. Usually ships depart in the late afternoon or evening. This is giving you a lot of time to reach the ship even with a delayed transatlantic flight. Usually when booking air with the cruise line they know about delays and usually there is plenty of time in the ships´ schedule to wait and hour or two for delayed passengers.

 

The main problem which can occur is a cancelled transatlantic flight. This is getting you into real troubles as you won´t have a chance to arrive at departure day. That´s what happened to the other poster.

 

steamboats

[CPT Trips]

These are very good ideas, but not what typically gets booked for cruisers unless they sign on for an extra cost extension or special air. It seems like most of the posters, and particularly first time river cruisers take the "cruise air" and get in (hopefully) the day of departure.

 

I am really interested in hear from people who have experienced a flight problem? Tell us what, if anything the cruise line or booking agent did to help.

[greatam]

These are very good ideas, but not what typically gets booked for cruisers unless they sign on for an extra cost extension or special air. It seems like most of the posters, and particularly first time river cruisers take the "cruise air" and get in (hopefully) the day of departure.

 

I am really interested in hear from people who have experienced a flight problem? Tell us what, if anything the cruise line or booking agent did to help.

 

I have never had a cruise air problem, but that is because I wouldn't book cruise air. I fly over 100,000 miles per year for business, am in the global logistics business, and am pretty darn familiar with things that can go wrong with a plane trip. I have also posted repeatedly on the cruise air forum things that travelers can to do to speed themselves on their journey. Being PROACTIVE is the number one way to help yourself-find alternative flights BEFORE you get to the airport. And remember-you don't have to get there in a straight line or on a nonstop. You just have to get there. So think out of the box when finding alternative routings.

 

Read this: Will explain the kind of help you can expect from the cruise line if things go badly- VERY little-they are bound by their airline contracts. Most cruise air tickets require you to stick with the originating carrier. So if you miss a connection or the flight is cancelled, you have to wait for space available seating on the originating carrier. Could be a day or two before space is available.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530322