where to find cruise air policy

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

After reading many posts on cc, I finally talked my dh into canceling our air through princess and booking independently online to get from Kansas City to Vancouver and then from Fairbanks to KC. We ended up saving over $1700.00 doing this independently. (4 travelers) One of the misconceptions of cruise air is that the cruiseline will get you to the cruise ship if it is missed if booked with them. And they even tell you this on the phone to get you to book this. I have even seen posts of people stating that this is not true but never have I seen anybody back it up with a travel nightmare story. I have been trying to find and without any luck, where I can find the cruise air policy on the Princess website? I spent a good part of the evening yesterday trying to find it. I am just trying to reinforce that we did the right thing. He still believes that it would be better to book through the cruise line. Thanks for any help you can provide!

[paul929207]

After reading many posts on cc, I finally talked my dh into canceling our air through princess and booking independently online to get from Kansas City to Vancouver and then from Fairbanks to KC. We ended up saving over $1700.00 doing this independently. (4 travelers) One of the misconceptions of cruise air is that the cruiseline will get you to the cruise ship if it is missed if booked with them. And they even tell you this on the phone to get you to book this. I have even seen posts of people stating that this is not true but never have I seen anybody back it up with a travel nightmare story. I have been trying to find and without any luck, where I can find the cruise air policy on the Princess website? I spent a good part of the evening yesterday trying to find it. I am just trying to reinforce that we did the right thing. He still believes that it would be better to book through the cruise line. Thanks for any help you can provide!

I think the policy is in the cruise answer book that you get a month or so before sailing.

[greatam]

After reading many posts on cc, I finally talked my dh into canceling our air through princess and booking independently online to get from Kansas City to Vancouver and then from Fairbanks to KC. We ended up saving over $1700.00 doing this independently. (4 travelers) One of the misconceptions of cruise air is that the cruiseline will get you to the cruise ship if it is missed if booked with them. And they even tell you this on the phone to get you to book this. I have even seen posts of people stating that this is not true but never have I seen anybody back it up with a travel nightmare story. I have been trying to find and without any luck, where I can find the cruise air policy on the Princess website? I spent a good part of the evening yesterday trying to find it. I am just trying to reinforce that we did the right thing. He still believes that it would be better to book through the cruise line. Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

Here is the Princess Cruise Contract. Check out Paragraph 15, section F. SPECIFICALLY states cruise air, shore excursions, hotels and other transportation is booked as a CONVENIENCE for which a charge is imposed AND the cruise line accept NO liability for the actions of third party vendors. http://www.princess.com/legal/passage_contract/index.jsp

 

Plenty of travel stories-one that really sticks out. The pax missed their Dallas flight to Vancouver. The cruise line could NOT tell them how they would get them onboard the ship at another port. Told them to fly to Vancouver and "they would figure it out". The pax stayed home AND LOST ALL THEIR MONEY. They were suing at last post. Another person last year missed the ship departure. FOUR days later, they were able to join the ship in Juneau, IIRC. Yes, the cruise line paid for hotels and meals. But they missed more than 1/2 of their cruise. Do a search to find even more horror stories.

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

Here is the Princess Cruise Contract. Check out Paragraph 15, section F. SPECIFICALLY states cruise air, shore excursions, hotels and other transportation is booked as a CONVENIENCE for which a charge is imposed AND the cruise line accept NO liability for the actions of third party vendors. http://www.princess.com/legal/passage_contract/index.jsp

 

Plenty of travel stories-one that really sticks out. The pax missed their Dallas flight to Vancouver. The cruise line could NOT tell them how they would get them onboard the ship at another port. Told them to fly to Vancouver and "they would figure it out". The pax stayed home AND LOST ALL THEIR MONEY. They were suing at last post. Another person last year missed the ship departure. FOUR days later, they were able to join the ship in Juneau, IIRC. Yes, the cruise line paid for hotels and meals. But they missed more than 1/2 of their cruise. Do a search to find even more horror stories.

Thanks you soooo much! that was exactly what I was looking for. I copied and pasted to an email to forward to my dh at work!

[CandCrew]

Something else to tell him, if you already haven't, is that your guys are in control of the flights. How many connections, layover times, etc. are at your discretion--within what's available of course. We have no choice but to use Princess Air (trip is a gift to us from DH's employer) & I'm getting nervous about what flights we're going to have. Every website I go to has some decent flights and then there are the scary ones. Like:

 

7:42 a.m. MCI to Chicago --> 8 hour layover--> 6:05 p.m. to Anchorage --> 11:10 p.m to Fairbanks arriving at 12:10 a.m.

 

8 a.m. MCI to HOUSTON --> 12:20 to Seattle --> 6 hour layover --> 8:55 p.m. to Fairbanks arriving at 11:39 p.m.

 

Those are just a couple of specifics. There are also flights that could have us going from MCI-->Detroit-->Denver-->Seattle-->Fairbanks or

MCI-->Atlanta-->Salt Lake City-->Seattle-->Anchorage-->Fairbanks

 

And these choices aren't necessarily the "cheap" options. I can only hope that Princess will not be nasty in our assignment but I'm not counting on it by any means.

 

From one Missourian to another, hope that your trip is great! Be sure to let us know how everything goes!

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

Something else to tell him, if you already haven't, is that your guys are in control of the flights. How many connections, layover times, etc. are at your discretion--within what's available of course. We have no choice but to use Princess Air (trip is a gift to us from DH's employer) & I'm getting nervous about what flights we're going to have. Every website I go to has some decent flights and then there are the scary ones. Like:

 

7:42 a.m. MCI to Chicago --> 8 hour layover--> 6:05 p.m. to Anchorage --> 11:10 p.m to Fairbanks arriving at 12:10 a.m.

 

8 a.m. MCI to HOUSTON --> 12:20 to Seattle --> 6 hour layover --> 8:55 p.m. to Fairbanks arriving at 11:39 p.m.

 

Those are just a couple of specifics. There are also flights that could have us going from MCI-->Detroit-->Denver-->Seattle-->Fairbanks or

MCI-->Atlanta-->Salt Lake City-->Seattle-->Anchorage-->Fairbanks

 

And these choices aren't necessarily the "cheap" options. I can only hope that Princess will not be nasty in our assignment but I'm not counting on it by any means.

 

From one Missourian to another, hope that your trip is great! Be sure to let us know how everything goes!

Yuck! those are deffinately nasty options! Even though they are gifts, do you have the option of paying the extra through Princess and customize your flights to make sure you don't get the worst options?

I"m sure I will be posting an awesome review on our return! This will be our first Princess cruise and I have so many people tell me that after sailing her once, I will never want to sail another line! I hope I don't have my hopes set to high, though I'm not very difficult to please. (my dh may have a different opinion on that) I'm getting so excited now! I spend about all my free time on cc just to see if there is any new info I can't live without.

[FlyerTalker]

7:42 a.m. MCI to Chicago --> 8 hour layover--> 6:05 p.m. to Anchorage --> 11:10 p.m to Fairbanks arriving at 12:10 a.m.

 

8 a.m. MCI to HOUSTON --> 12:20 to Seattle --> 6 hour layover --> 8:55 p.m. to Fairbanks arriving at 11:39 p.m.

Actually, you can look on those with some favorable thinking. For example, if you have 8 hours, you can hop on the subway train and visit downtown Chicago. Take in the Art Institute or the Museum of Science & Industry, or any of the other great things in that city. If 6 hours in Seattle, you can go downtown, or head to the 13 Coins (across the street from the airport - a 5 minute walk) for a great meal for dinner. And yes, in Seattle the airport is right across the street from hotels and restaurants, and is very walkable -- not like MCI where the airport is next to nothing.

 

Finally, ask yourself: "Would I rather have a 30 minute connection or an 8 hour one?" If at ORD (or most airports), put me down for the latter.

[megr1125]

And yes, in Seattle the airport is right across the street from hotels and restaurants, and is very walkable -- not like MCI where the airport is next to nothing.

Finally, ask yourself: "Would I rather have a 30 minute connection or an 8 hour one?" If at ORD (or most airports), put me down for the latter.

 

just look both ways before you cross the street....i was almost roadkill! (but yes, there is a lot of stuff within a 10-15 minute leisurely walk!

 

and i too would take a longer connection at o'scare! (and ATL!)

[parody]

Would I rather have a 30 minute connection or an 8 hour one?

 

At times I would agree. I once had a 5 hour layover at CDG and took the RER train into Paris (website). Subsequently, there were times when I wished the layover was 8 hours.

[Toto2Kansas]

I have seen Princess hold the ship for their passengers ONLY IF there is an entire plane full of passengers (or two) that will miss the ship. More than once we have sailed late for this reason, the captain usually makes an announcement alerting the passengers of the delayed sailing.

 

But if there are just a few people going to be late, YES, the ship will sail without you, even when booking your air through the cruise line.

 

Princess books airfare as a courtesy, they do not own the airline, and have no control over the flights.

 

You will normally get assistance from princess to the first port of call if you miss the ship and have cruise air booked, but not always.

[FlyerTalker]

I have seen Princess hold the ship for their passengers ONLY IF there is an entire plane full of passengers (or two) that will miss the ship. More than once we have sailed late for this reason, the captain usually makes an announcement alerting the passengers of the delayed sailing.

My own guess....they do a "what-if" scenario, balancing the costs of waiting versus the lost revenues (drinks, shorex, casino) from those who would not be aboard to spend money.

You will normally get assistance from princess to the first port of call if you miss the ship and have cruise air booked, but not always.

If it's a weekend, or "after hours", I'd bet it's more like "well, we'll tell the ship, and we'll be in touch tomorrow or Monday." It's not like they have a 24 hour emergency desk to handle your reroutes - and given the restrictions on cruiseline air tickets, they probably have little ability to do anything more than what a well-prepared traveler could do on their own at the airport.

[CandCrew]

Actually, you can look on those with some favorable thinking. For example, if you have 8 hours, you can hop on the subway train and visit downtown Chicago. Take in the Art Institute or the Museum of Science & Industry, or any of the other great things in that city. If 6 hours in Seattle, you can go downtown, or head to the 13 Coins (across the street from the airport - a 5 minute walk) for a great meal for dinner. And yes, in Seattle the airport is right across the street from hotels and restaurants, and is very walkable -- not like MCI where the airport is next to nothing.

 

Finally, ask yourself: "Would I rather have a 30 minute connection or an 8 hour one?" If at ORD (or most airports), put me down for the latter.

 

 

FT love the way you look at things! I guess growing up flying non-rev never allowed for leaving the terminal during long layovers--no way my folks would've taken the chance leaving LOL + you're right, MCI is still "out in the sticks" in KC! And I agree that I'd much rather have a long layover at ORD than something short. I would LOVE to go out into Seattle and get around a bit. Some of the other "options" I found only allowed 45 min to get to a connecting flight at ORD and MSP--what's the "legal" minimum or is there such an animal?

 

cruiserswithkids--I'm still trying to get DH to "see the light" and do customizing. Maybe I'll just pay the fee myself and not worry him with the details?

[greatam]

 

cruiserswithkids--I'm still trying to get DH to "see the light" and do customizing. Maybe I'll just pay the fee myself and not worry him with the details?

 

Please be aware that it is often not just a matter of "paying the fee". At this late date and with limited flights into/out of Vancouver, you most likely will not only "pay the fee" but will pay an upcharge in air fare to pick your flights.

 

Custom air/air deviation at the same price as "normal" cruise air generally needs to be booked when the cruise is booked.

 

Please read the sticky at the top of the forum to determine exactly how cruise air/air deviation is done behind the scenes.

[happy cruzer]

Yes, be sure to reference the cruise contract for actual legal policies. I have seen instances that marketing material such as a website have stated that the cruiseline will wait or get you to the first port with full implication of no extra costs involved for the passenger. They did not mention travel insurance either when marketing the cruise air.

 

You have thought about travel insurance as well?? Sometimes I get it and sometimes not but I always do a risk analysis to be sure of my exposures.

[cherylandtk]

My own guess....they do a "what-if" scenario, balancing the costs of waiting versus the lost revenues (drinks, shorex, casino) from those who would not be aboard to spend money.

This makes the most sense of all the various scenarios and reasons that have been posted over the years in reply to the 'will they-won't they wait' question.

[greatam]

This makes the most sense of all the various scenarios and reasons that have been posted over the years in reply to the 'will they-won't they wait' question.

 

As Flyertalker pointed out, sales of extras influence SOME of the decision.

 

But even more importantly (according to my AA rep)-is this a port that requires a pilot? Does the next port need a pilot?? What is the scheduled dock time at the next port?? Are there other ships that are going to dock at the same dock?? What is the weather like going to the next port?? What arrangements have been made with the longshoreman for the ports-both current and first port??? Is time to reach the next port a factor???

 

And last but not least-IF you have to move the late flying group to the next port, is it going to cost less than what you may have to give to already boarded passengers in the form of free drinks/OBC for delayed sail away. Of course, as with all cruise air tickets, the option of even flying to the next port MAY not be an option-no tickets on the originating carrier. And even IF the cruise line was willing to pay for onward tickets, there may not be enough seats for the late arriving passengers. So who do you leave behind-alphabetical order, age, who paid the most for the cruise??? A true dilemma-which is why the cruise lines have their hands tied trying to get more than a few passengers to the next port.