[Travelandtourism] Travel Troubleshooter: Can This Cruise BeSalvaged?

Wed May 25 18:01:18 UTC 2011

Maurice:

Being a travel professional as well, I always tell my clients to get passports, if they don't they might run into trouble.

Case in point and this really happened

I am just changing names of my clients.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith:  Mr. Smith is blind and uses a guide dog, Mrs. Smith is legally blind not totally blind, but in scooter, due to other medical reasons.

Cruise went well until they got to Cozumel, and thank god they not only had passports, but the travel insurance as well.  Mrs. Smith was traveling in the scooter on the pier in cozumel and did see the end of the pier and went over into the water.

She wound up with a broken shoulder, she was rushed to the hospital and thank god they had passports, Mr. Smith was able to stay with her until the cruise had to sail back, they had there child staying with grandparents in FL.  Mrs. Smith had to stay behind to get treatment, I had to get in touch with the travel insurance company and most of the clients major medical insurance was able to cover the hospital stay, the travel insurance not only helped Mrs. Smith get home again, but got a nurse.

The insurance company also is working with the client to get money back from the cruise.

Passport Cards are not good for people traveling out of the country unless it is for Canada and Mexico and mostly driving, not so much for cruises.

Leading the Way in Independent Travel

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.Echevarriatravel.com<http://www.echevarriatravel.com/> 
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com<mailto:reservations at echevarriatravel.com>

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10
Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise and Travel, Inc.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Peachtree Travel<mailto:info at peachtreetravel.net> 
  To: NFB Travel and Tourism Division List<mailto:travelandtourism at nfbnet.org> 
  Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 12:46 PM
  Subject: [Travelandtourism] Travel Troubleshooter: Can This Cruise BeSalvaged?

  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<http://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<http://www.peachtreetravel.net/>.

  Email: reservations at peachtreetravel.net<mailto:reservations at peachtreetravel.net>

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