Aah, December in the Caribbean. Think warm, sunny, crystal clear turquoise water and you'll understand why we cruise the Caribbean in the winter months. Even though I live near fairly temperate Charleston SC, a Caribbean cruise beckoned. So, last week on Sunday, we boarded a flight for Miami to head off on a 7 night western Caribbean cruise with NCL. I'd packed carefully but, as usual, too much, and had a change of clothes, toiletries and my brand new netbook in my carry on roller bag. One filled- to- the- gills piece of luggage each was checked through to Miami at Charleston International with US Airways and our first flight to Charlotte left on time and went smoothly. Then, all hell broke loose and my 7 night Caribbean cruise from hell started.
We were forced to make an emergency landing in Jacksonville on flight 1019 from Charlotte heading to Miami. A passenger was seriously ill and the EMS from Jacksonville boarded our plane and had the passenger in a waiting ambulance within 15 minutes of our emergency landing. "We'll be able to take off for Miami in 10 minutes or so" was what the captain told us, but not so. Every 20 minutes or so the captain told us we'd be leaving in a few minutes, but it was nearly 3 hours on the ground, in the plane, before we finally taxied down the runway and headed to Miami International. We arrived at 2:55 PM, 3 hours later than our expected arrival, and were met by an NCL shore side representative who advised us to grab a taxi and run like heck to make the ship before the doors were closed and she would gather up luggage and send it on. And we did. And we boarded the ship sans luggage including my carry on (checked through to Miami due to lack of space in the overhead bins) and had fruity drink in hand as we set sail for the western Caribbean.
We checked at the front desk a few times during the evening for the status of our luggage and finally, at around midnight, I called US Airways to try to track it down. After 3 transfers and 10 minutes on the phone, I finally talked with Andy at the Miami baggage service office of US Airways who told me he was looking at my luggage as we spoke! He promised to rush it to our next port of call, Roatan, Honduras, which was Tuesday.
NCL gave us one T shirt each and a small toiletry kit to tide us over for a few days.
Roatan was HOT and humid and sunny on Tuesday and we remained on "luggage watch" all day but no luggage arrived. I spoke with NCL front desk folks a few times during the day and at 5 PM, as we set sail for our next port, we were told that bags had indeed been sent to the Honduras, but the mainland, and were being transferred to Roatan but would arrive 45 minutes after we had sailed. They would collect the bags and send them on to Belize, our next port and the following day.
Our stop in Belize also proved to be a beautiful and HOT day as you would expect in the Caribbean. US Airways rush delivered SOME luggage to Belize City, but not ours from Roatan. By dinner time on Wednesday, I knew our luggage was never going to catch up to the ship as our next two ports of call, Costa Maya in Mexico and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, had no airport facilities. And, by now, I was depressed and angry and certainly not enjoying my idyllic Caribbean cruise. I also was in basically the SAME clothes I'd left Charleston in 4 days before and they were decidedly NOT appropriate Caribbean weather clothes. A search for more appropriate attire and clean undergarments proved fruitless or prohibitively expensive.
On Sunday, December 13, we arrived back in Miami and disembarked the ship, headed to the airport and the US Airways baggage service office and found our errant and well traveled luggage seemingly none the worse for wear and waiting for us to pick it up and take it all home. Which we did. And it arrived just as it should have, apparently also missing home in South Carolina.
I travel a fair amount and have cruised 17 times. I have never spent a week in the same clothes on a cruise because my luggage didn't arrive before. And, I must admit, I'm also a travel consultant and committed several sins: 1) I did NOT purchase travel insurance. Had I done so, I could have relied on it to reimburse me for money I spent during the week on replacement clothes or relied on it to get me to the first port of call WITH my luggage had I missed the ship. 2) I traveled to my cruise ship on the same day the ship departs. I always recommend to my customers departing at least the day before and didn't follow my own recommendation. 3) I didn't make note of emergency phone numbers I might need and carry them with me. NCL flight operations and shore side phone numbers in case of flight delays and customer service numbers for the airlines might have helped to cut through the bureaucratic finger wagging as each tried to blame the other for our unfortunate circumstances and expedited our luggage shipment.
As I write this, I know a few things for sure: I'll never fly with US Airways again, I'll never sail with NCL again (this was my third cruise with them) and I'll NEVER give up my carry on luggage on a plane again. In hindsight, I would have made the same decision to make an effort to get to the ship without my luggage given the same set of circumstances. But, I'll send this question out into the cosmic void - would you?
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
Should I or shouldn't I? Transatlantic Repositioning Cruises
This recent article in the Miami Herald caught my attention: http://www.miamiherald.com/living/travel/story/1172175.html. The headline "Deals are sweet when lines move the fleets" is absolutely right on - prices are always very good on these one of a kind cruises and this year is no exception. But should you consider this type of cruise?
If you're value conscious and price is the only factor in your decision, then, by all means go for it. You couldn't eat enough food to equal the per person, per day price for some of these cruises, and the food on a cruise ship is almost always well above average and always plentiful. And, you'll get accommodations, usually a comfy bed with upscale bedding and the service of a stateroom attendant to clean up after you and some great entertainment offerings, free of charge. And, you'll also have several leisurely days at sea to read, nap, play bingo or just enjoy the sea air - or each other.
And this year in particular, airfares to and from Europe are incredibly great bargains; a one way ticket from my gateway in Charleston to Rome, for example, can be purchased for just over $700 today which is well below last year's average of around $1500.
On the downside, however, those long, leisurely sea days are spent crossing the Atlantic Ocean, notorious for rough seas. If you're prone to seasickness, be prepared well in advance. Ships will begin moving back to the Caribbean generally in November and the weather on the ocean can also be quite chilly, not conducive to sunning at the pool. And if you're a cruiser who mostly enjoys getting off the ship in a port to shop or dine or go sightseeing, those ports are few and far between on these cruises. And, if your vacation time is limited to a week, you won't find any of these you can squeeze into that time frame.
So, if you're looking for a cruise bargain and don't mind the long stretch of sea days, think about a repositioning cruise for this fall. Ships are beginning to fill up and a cabin with a great location might be challenging to find.
If you're value conscious and price is the only factor in your decision, then, by all means go for it. You couldn't eat enough food to equal the per person, per day price for some of these cruises, and the food on a cruise ship is almost always well above average and always plentiful. And, you'll get accommodations, usually a comfy bed with upscale bedding and the service of a stateroom attendant to clean up after you and some great entertainment offerings, free of charge. And, you'll also have several leisurely days at sea to read, nap, play bingo or just enjoy the sea air - or each other.
And this year in particular, airfares to and from Europe are incredibly great bargains; a one way ticket from my gateway in Charleston to Rome, for example, can be purchased for just over $700 today which is well below last year's average of around $1500.
On the downside, however, those long, leisurely sea days are spent crossing the Atlantic Ocean, notorious for rough seas. If you're prone to seasickness, be prepared well in advance. Ships will begin moving back to the Caribbean generally in November and the weather on the ocean can also be quite chilly, not conducive to sunning at the pool. And if you're a cruiser who mostly enjoys getting off the ship in a port to shop or dine or go sightseeing, those ports are few and far between on these cruises. And, if your vacation time is limited to a week, you won't find any of these you can squeeze into that time frame.
So, if you're looking for a cruise bargain and don't mind the long stretch of sea days, think about a repositioning cruise for this fall. Ships are beginning to fill up and a cabin with a great location might be challenging to find.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Canadian Entry Requirements - or how to avoid being denied entry for your Alaska cruise
I've been following some interesting discussions this week on a few travel agent boards about the Canadian entry requirements and how they affect travelers, particularly cruisers. The impetus for this heightened awareness is new software installed in the Vancouver airport which quickly scans travel documents, cross references with all 50 states and returns information about any US brushes with the law.
The main culprit to denied Canadian entry for travelers is the US conviction of a DUI. In Canada, a DUI conviction is considered a felony and those folks to the north of us want nothing to do with US citizens who have previous DUI convictions. While Americans seem to have a carefree attitude toward DUI's, the folks in Canada consider this a serious crime.
To avoid unnecessary headaches at the border, travelers should consult the Canadian entry requirements at the Canadian government's web and take appropriate action to request a permit for entry prior to travel. Make no mistake, without the necessary paperwork and with the possession of a felony conviction in the US, including a DUI, you WILL be turned away at the border. And no amount of travel insurance will protect your investment in this situation.
How does this affect cruisers? While some Alaska cruises depart and return from Seattle (in the US), ALL Alaska cruises are required to make at least one short "foreign port call" which is generally in Victoria BC. That's Canada, folks, and the cruise lines are responsible for the satisfaction of ALL foreign entry requirements regardless of the foreign country. So, even if you're not flying into Canada or driving across the border, you will be "visiting" Canada on every Alaska cruise and, again, without the necessary paperwork, you will be denied boarding at the pier.
There are so many different entry requirements all over the world that travelers need to be aware of, how can you be sure you've satisfied all of them before you leave on your dream vacation? Utilize the services of a travel consultant that you trust. Don't expect the cruise line's reservation agent to ask if you've had any previous convictions that might bar your entry into Canada, but don't be surprised when I raise the issue before your next cruise vacation - it's my job.
The main culprit to denied Canadian entry for travelers is the US conviction of a DUI. In Canada, a DUI conviction is considered a felony and those folks to the north of us want nothing to do with US citizens who have previous DUI convictions. While Americans seem to have a carefree attitude toward DUI's, the folks in Canada consider this a serious crime.
To avoid unnecessary headaches at the border, travelers should consult the Canadian entry requirements at the Canadian government's web and take appropriate action to request a permit for entry prior to travel. Make no mistake, without the necessary paperwork and with the possession of a felony conviction in the US, including a DUI, you WILL be turned away at the border. And no amount of travel insurance will protect your investment in this situation.
How does this affect cruisers? While some Alaska cruises depart and return from Seattle (in the US), ALL Alaska cruises are required to make at least one short "foreign port call" which is generally in Victoria BC. That's Canada, folks, and the cruise lines are responsible for the satisfaction of ALL foreign entry requirements regardless of the foreign country. So, even if you're not flying into Canada or driving across the border, you will be "visiting" Canada on every Alaska cruise and, again, without the necessary paperwork, you will be denied boarding at the pier.
There are so many different entry requirements all over the world that travelers need to be aware of, how can you be sure you've satisfied all of them before you leave on your dream vacation? Utilize the services of a travel consultant that you trust. Don't expect the cruise line's reservation agent to ask if you've had any previous convictions that might bar your entry into Canada, but don't be surprised when I raise the issue before your next cruise vacation - it's my job.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Why do we continue to fly??
I just returned from a trip to Las Vegas for a conference and again found myself wondering why I continue to support an industry that is so NOT consumer friendly by getting on an airplane once again.
I'm not a "frequent flyer" by today's standards, but I do tend to be on a plane 6 or 8 times per year. And each time I finally get back home I vow never to fly again.
On this trip, I flew with US Airways from Charleston SC to Las Vegas. Flying from Charleston always requires a stop in a larger airport, typically Atlanta or Charlotte, and this was no exception. When I arrived at the gate in Charlotte for my connecting flight to "sin city", the gate attendants were cajoling passengers to give up their seats in exchange for a $350 voucher as the flight was overbooked. And not just one or two seats were overbooked, but seven people were NOT getting a seat on that plane. Seven! And the next flight out of Charlotte wasn't leaving until 5 hours later.
Apparently, enough passengers were baited with the $350 voucher to change their plans because when I boarded and got to my assigned limited space, there was no one else already there and no one else came along trying to get into my seat. And, I didn't witness any onboard commotion around me either.
My red-eye flight to return to Charleston a few days later surely would be less crowded - or would it? Sure enough, when I checked in for my 10:45 PM flight to return home from Vegas I was told that the flight was - surprise - overbooked!
I made all of my flights, overbooked or not, and arrived home safely, but certainly not in a good mood. In addition to the stress at the gate (will I get on this flight or not?), US Airways charges extra for food even on this 4+ hour flight and even charges for a blanket!
This experience led me to wonder how many others were complaining about this particular airline and their overbooking and to my surprise, I found no fewer than 4250 blogs discussing this same issue.
As a travel consultant, I dread booking air for my clients though I do so pretty frequently- they need to get to their destination to begin that dream vacation I've recommended and most need to fly to get there. But I'm rarely optimistic that my customers will return with rave reviews about the flights and my real frustration is that I know I have absolutely no control over this part of their overall trip.
Yet, we continue to fly, every day and in huge numbers. None of us really like it - just listen to the banter at the gate as passengers await their next flight - and many of us complain about it before, during and after. But, we continue to fly. And, we often want the CHEAPEST flight option and rarely ask for the best service option.
And though I've vowed to "never fly again", I'm already booked on flights for my upcoming Western Med cruise in the fall. At least I have a few months to forget my last miserable flying experience...
I'm not a "frequent flyer" by today's standards, but I do tend to be on a plane 6 or 8 times per year. And each time I finally get back home I vow never to fly again.
On this trip, I flew with US Airways from Charleston SC to Las Vegas. Flying from Charleston always requires a stop in a larger airport, typically Atlanta or Charlotte, and this was no exception. When I arrived at the gate in Charlotte for my connecting flight to "sin city", the gate attendants were cajoling passengers to give up their seats in exchange for a $350 voucher as the flight was overbooked. And not just one or two seats were overbooked, but seven people were NOT getting a seat on that plane. Seven! And the next flight out of Charlotte wasn't leaving until 5 hours later.
Apparently, enough passengers were baited with the $350 voucher to change their plans because when I boarded and got to my assigned limited space, there was no one else already there and no one else came along trying to get into my seat. And, I didn't witness any onboard commotion around me either.
My red-eye flight to return to Charleston a few days later surely would be less crowded - or would it? Sure enough, when I checked in for my 10:45 PM flight to return home from Vegas I was told that the flight was - surprise - overbooked!
I made all of my flights, overbooked or not, and arrived home safely, but certainly not in a good mood. In addition to the stress at the gate (will I get on this flight or not?), US Airways charges extra for food even on this 4+ hour flight and even charges for a blanket!
This experience led me to wonder how many others were complaining about this particular airline and their overbooking and to my surprise, I found no fewer than 4250 blogs discussing this same issue.
As a travel consultant, I dread booking air for my clients though I do so pretty frequently- they need to get to their destination to begin that dream vacation I've recommended and most need to fly to get there. But I'm rarely optimistic that my customers will return with rave reviews about the flights and my real frustration is that I know I have absolutely no control over this part of their overall trip.
Yet, we continue to fly, every day and in huge numbers. None of us really like it - just listen to the banter at the gate as passengers await their next flight - and many of us complain about it before, during and after. But, we continue to fly. And, we often want the CHEAPEST flight option and rarely ask for the best service option.
And though I've vowed to "never fly again", I'm already booked on flights for my upcoming Western Med cruise in the fall. At least I have a few months to forget my last miserable flying experience...
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