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Passenger missed cruise



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 28th, 2011, 08:15 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
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Posts: 3,112
Default Passenger missed cruise

Article from Chicago Tribune that was brought to my attention by Becca Love
on another group.

Pitfalls of booking direct with a cruise line instead of a travel agent
and also illustrates why you should travel with a passport and not a
passport card!

http://trib.in/lbCp4G


--
Charles
  #2  
Old May 28th, 2011, 10:16 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Janet Wilder
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Posts: 439
Default Passenger missed cruise

On 5/28/2011 2:15 PM, Charles wrote:
Article from Chicago Tribune that was brought to my attention by Becca Love
on another group.

Pitfalls of booking direct with a cruise line instead of a travel agent
and also illustrates why you should travel with a passport and not a
passport card!

http://trib.in/lbCp4G



As I see it, the real pitfall is in not reading the cruise documentation.

I am interested in hearing how booking via a travel agent would have
changed anything. There are some wonderful travel agents out there,
I'll grant that, but in this instance, I don't see how a travel agent
could have changed the situation.

The cruise line appeared to do what it could to help the people catch up
with the ship. If they didn't have passports, how could a travel agent
have changed that?

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
  #3  
Old May 29th, 2011, 12:49 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Passenger missed cruise

In article om, Janet
Wilder wrote:

As I see it, the real pitfall is in not reading the cruise documentation.

I am interested in hearing how booking via a travel agent would have
changed anything. There are some wonderful travel agents out there,
I'll grant that, but in this instance, I don't see how a travel agent
could have changed the situation.

The cruise line appeared to do what it could to help the people catch up
with the ship. If they didn't have passports, how could a travel agent
have changed that?


A good travel agent like the ones I have picked have always stressed
that I should have a passport. So if they had a good agent it is more
likely that they would have had passports. Also to get third party
insurance. The third party policies I buy would cover me if I missed
the cruise because the plane was delayed. Of course you need to read
the fine print in any policies you purchase. The good agents also take
care of you and advocate for you if you have problems with the cruise
line. Likely they would not have had to contact the newspaper. Notice I
say good travel agent. I know there are bad agents out there.

The main lesson though is get a passport. Passport card or the birth
certificate and drivers license don't cut it if you miss the ship or
have an emergency of some kind on one of the islands.

--
Charles
  #4  
Old May 29th, 2011, 02:11 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Janet Wilder
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Posts: 439
Default Passenger missed cruise

On 5/28/2011 6:49 PM, Charles wrote:
In raweb.com, Janet
wrote:

As I see it, the real pitfall is in not reading the cruise documentation.

I am interested in hearing how booking via a travel agent would have
changed anything. There are some wonderful travel agents out there,
I'll grant that, but in this instance, I don't see how a travel agent
could have changed the situation.

The cruise line appeared to do what it could to help the people catch up
with the ship. If they didn't have passports, how could a travel agent
have changed that?


A good travel agent like the ones I have picked have always stressed
that I should have a passport. So if they had a good agent it is more
likely that they would have had passports.


I can accept that.

Also to get third party
insurance. The third party policies I buy would cover me if I missed
the cruise because the plane was delayed. Of course you need to read
the fine print in any policies you purchase.


The two worst problems I had with travel insurance were from the
companies a travel agent put me with or recommended by a travel agent.

I did my own research and I get my own insurance, now.

Some on-line or very large travel agencies have contracts with travel
insurance providers who would probably be better than what the cruise
line offers, so I can see a point in that to an extent, but most local
brick and mortar agencies will put you with the cruise line's company.

The good agents also take
care of you and advocate for you if you have problems with the cruise
line. Likely they would not have had to contact the newspaper. Notice I
say good travel agent. I know there are bad agents out there.


I had what I thought was a good agent. When there was a need for someone
to go head-to-head with the travel insurance company, it wasn't the
travel agent who did it, it was the customer service rep from the Miami
office of the cruise line who came to my rescue. My experience differs
from your point of view on this issue.

The main lesson though is get a passport. Passport card or the birth
certificate and drivers license don't cut it if you miss the ship or
have an emergency of some kind on one of the islands.


I absolutely agree about getting a passport, but everyone who travels
should know that. Anyone who needs a travel agent to tell them to get a
passport isn't a very smart traveler, IMHO.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
  #5  
Old May 29th, 2011, 02:30 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Chrissy Cruiser[_3_]
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Posts: 230
Default Passenger missed cruise

On Sat, 28 May 2011 16:16:44 -0500, Janet Wilder wrote:

On 5/28/2011 2:15 PM, Charles wrote:
Article from Chicago Tribune that was brought to my attention by Becca Love
on another group.

Pitfalls of booking direct with a cruise line instead of a travel agent
and also illustrates why you should travel with a passport and not a
passport card!

http://trib.in/lbCp4G



As I see it, the real pitfall is in not reading the cruise documentation.

I am interested in hearing how booking via a travel agent would have
changed anything. There are some wonderful travel agents out there,
I'll grant that, but in this instance, I don't see how a travel agent
could have changed the situation.


Doesn't your TA wake you up and drive you to the embarkation?
--
http://www.scroogle.org/gifs/evo16.gif
  #6  
Old May 29th, 2011, 03:57 AM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Passenger missed cruise

In article m, Janet
Wilder wrote:

I absolutely agree about getting a passport, but everyone who travels
should know that. Anyone who needs a travel agent to tell them to get a
passport isn't a very smart traveler, IMHO.


That is kind of meaningless. Most travelers are not very smart
travelers and are never going to be. Many Americans don't travel out of
the USA, or have never done so before taking a cruise. Travel to them
is a trip to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, New York City or Washington
DC. I hate to say it but from reading Cruise Critic forums many
Americans don't even seem to understand that they are going to be
traveling outside the USA when they go on a cruise.

--
Charles
  #7  
Old May 29th, 2011, 12:56 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Patricia Martin Steward[_2_]
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Posts: 35
Default Passenger missed cruise

On Sat, 28 May 2011 16:16:44 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:
On 5/28/2011 2:15 PM, Charles wrote:
Article from Chicago Tribune that was brought to my attention by Becca Love
on another group.

Pitfalls of booking direct with a cruise line instead of a travel agent
and also illustrates why you should travel with a passport and not a
passport card!

http://trib.in/lbCp4G



As I see it, the real pitfall is in not reading the cruise documentation.


Word. Plus, the article doesn't make it clear whether they were
flying on the same day -- only says two flights were delayed. NEVER
fly on the same day. Never never never.

--
We are becoming a country that believes the rich have earned their money but the well educated have not
earned their intellectual superiority. This leads to a nation that idolizes Kardashians.
Joel Stein, TIME, 8/23/10
  #8  
Old May 29th, 2011, 03:40 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Passenger missed cruise

In article , Patricia
Martin Steward wrote:

Word. Plus, the article doesn't make it clear whether they were
flying on the same day -- only says two flights were delayed. NEVER
fly on the same day. Never never never.


A good travel agent would have suggested that that they fly in a day
early.

--
Charles
  #9  
Old May 29th, 2011, 05:57 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Janet Wilder
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 439
Default Passenger missed cruise

On 5/29/2011 9:40 AM, Charles wrote:
In , Patricia
Martin wrote:

Word. Plus, the article doesn't make it clear whether they were
flying on the same day -- only says two flights were delayed. NEVER
fly on the same day. Never never never.


A good travel agent would have suggested that that they fly in a day
early.


I guess I've used "bad" travel agents, because they all seemed to want
to push the cruise line's air packages, which, IMO are the riskiest of
all.



--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
  #10  
Old May 29th, 2011, 09:51 PM posted to rec.travel.cruises
Charles[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,112
Default Passenger missed cruise

In article om, Janet
Wilder wrote:

I guess I've used "bad" travel agents, because they all seemed to want
to push the cruise line's air packages, which, IMO are the riskiest of
all.


I never had a travel agent push the cruise lines air package. The first
travel agent I used for a cruise 16 years ago was at an American
Express office near here who told me that she would find me cheaper air
than cruise line air and better flights than cruise line air to Florida
and that is what she did. I only stopped using her years ago because
American Express closed the office. I have used several travel agents
since then and not one has ever pushed cruise line air even though most
of them have been cruise only travel agents.

I have used cruise line air three times. Once their air package
combined with a hotel in San Juan came in less than booking the air and
hotel separately. We did pay the $35 air deviation fee to ensure
nonstop flights. On the QM2 crossing they had some kind of deal where
they the one way flight with Cunard came out a lot cheaper than
independently booking it. They must have used the other half to those
crossing the other direction. And on an Alaska cruise that I ended up
canceling which was not a round trip cruise, multiple cities, the
cruise air came out to less than booking air myself.

--
Charles
 




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