[Travelandtourism] Travel Troubleshooter: Can This Cruise Be Salvaged?

[Peachtree Travel]

And here are two more good reasons I say use a travel agent.  Yes you can
take a cruise without a passport as long as the cruise is departing and
returning to the same port however, this could happen to you if you miss the
ship.

Two travelers miss their cruise because of flight delays. Unfortunately,
they can't catch up to the ship in the Cayman Islands because they only have
passport cards. Will they get any money back for a ruined vacation?

Q: We need your help with a Carnival cruise that went nowhere. Earlier this
year, we booked a Western Caribbean cruise directly through Carnival
(www.carnival.com), including airfare and shore excursions.

On the day we were supposed to travel, our nightmare began. Our plane was
delayed because of mechanical problems. So was the next flight. We missed
the boat in Miami.

We wanted to reschedule the cruise, but Carnival suggested that we catch up
with the ship in the Cayman Islands. We had to pay for new tickets to the
Caymans. But when we arrived in Miami, a Carnival representative asked us
for passports -- and we only had passport cards.

We had to turn back to Cleveland. There were more mechanical delays. We made
a claim with our travel insurance, but were only reimbursed $500 per person.
Carnival says they should be able to give us something for the missed cruise
but said we first had to fill out the insurance claim.

We booked the cruise, shore excursions, balcony upgrade and the missed
flight all through Carnival. We want a vacation and we don't have the money
because Carnival is holding us hostage. Could you help us? -- Denise Frantz,
Cleveland

A: This cruise just wasn't meant to be. But it might have been -- if you'd
gotten a passport instead of a passport card.

Carnival doesn't mince words when it comes to your paperwork requirements.

"Carnival highly recommends all guests travel with a passport (valid for at
least six months beyond completion of travel)," it says on its website.
"Passports make it easier for you to fly from the U.S. to a foreign port
should you miss your scheduled port of embarkation, or need to fly back to
the U.S. for emergency reasons."

Your passport cards would have been fine if you'd boarded the ship in Miami.
But you need a passport to fly to the Cayman Islands.

You would think that by booking your cruise directly through Carnival, as
well as buying its recommended insurance, you'd be fully covered. Not so.
Check out the fine print on the cruise line's website:

"We assume no liability for any acts or omissions of any airline, including,
without limitation, those involving cancellation of flights, schedule
changes, re-routings, damage to or delay or loss of baggage, flight delays,
equipment failures, accidents, pilot or other staff shortages, overbooking
or computer errors," it says.

So why book your plane tickets through Carnival? I have no idea.

You might have considered buying your cruise through a travel agent. An
agent wouldn't have let you board a plane for Miami without proper
paperwork, and might have been able to get you on a flight that ensured you
didn't miss the ship in Miami. Also, a competent travel professional would
have helped choose travel insurance that would have fully covered you.

I contacted Carnival on your behalf. It initially offered you two $1,000
vouchers, but then also agreed to cover the $489 in shore excursions and
$444 for your extra flights to Grand Cayman. Looks as if your cruise has
been salvaged.

Peachtree Travel
Independent Travel Consultant

(phone) 888-389-2723

(website: http://www.peachtreetravel.net.

Email: reservations at peachtreetravel.net