Get to the ship on time: a little foresight and some simple steps help assure you'll be there when your ship comes in - Cruise Guide - Brief Article

What could be worse than missing your cruise sailing after suffering a harried day of flight delays? How about discovering you're expected to pay for the cruise, even though you're not onboard? Let's make sure that doesn't happen.

The description of a cruise ship as a "floating hotel" doesn't fit in one regard. Unless there is an earthquake, hotels typically don't move. If you're being delayed, you can call the hotel and ask that your room be held for a late arrival. A ship is supposed to sail at a posted time, whether or not you're onboard. Unlike a hotel, if you don't show up, the ship can't sell your cabin to somebody who arrives later that night.

Most cruise companies have cancellation or no-show penalties that kick in within 45 days of the cruise. The closer you get to the departure date, the higher the penalty. A standard cruise contract calls for no refund if the passenger is not onboard for departure. So you should take measures to help assure you'll be there on time. You should also consider buying insurance that protects you if you're not.

If you're in the insurance business, you may think the premium for the cruise-cancellation insurance is pretty high. Protection of $3,000 or $4,000 may cost you around $100. The term "insurance" may not adequately describe what you're buying. Think of it more as a fare upgrade, similar to what the airlines offer: The cheapest airline tickets are not refundable; but for an additional charge, you can make changes.

For the extra cost of cruise-protection coverage, you're actually converting a non-refundable fare to one that is refundable under certain circumstances. Depending on what you buy, the "upgrade" may also offer other coverage, such as medical assistance while you're out of the country, luggage protection, flight insurance, and more.

While it's good to have this protection, what you really want is to be on that ship when she sails. Most delay problems occur when flying. Here are some things to consider to improve your chances of a timely arrival.

If the plane doesn't get you there on time, you're stuck. The best way to avoid this is to fly in the night before your cruise is to depart. Second best is to schedule an early-morning direct flight on your cruise day. If you can't find a direct flight, schedule one with as few stops and plane changes as possible. While getting up at 4 a.m. to make an early-morning flight is no fun, you'll have all day to find later flights that are available should your first flight be canceled or delayed.

If your city is served by a small- or medium-size airport, consider scheduling flights that leave out of a larger hub airport and drive the three or four hours necessary to get there. This reduces the chance of a missed connection due to your originating flight being delayed or canceled.

If you're forced to fly through a hub airport during the winter, try to select an airline that uses a hub located as far south as possible. Flying through northern cities like Minneapolis or Detroit in the middle of the winter opens you to even more weather-related flight delays.

The cruise lines select the flights and airlines for you if you buy an air-sea package. You will have little say regarding the airlines and flights they use, but you can usually decide the airport from which you'll leave. Consider asking them to arrange your flight to begin from the larger airport that has several direct flights to your port city, if you don't mind driving a little farther.

While the cruise companies guarantee nothing, my wife and I have noticed that they work closely with the airlines when the cruise lines make the flight arrangements. We've been in the back office of a major cruise line on sailing day and listened as the cruise employees talked to officials at an airline that was experiencing weather delays on many of its flights. We've sailed on cruises that departed late so that passengers on delayed flights could get there. One ship we observed waited more than two hours. Depending on the air-sea package and cruise-protection policy you buy, the cruise company may be obligated to fly you to the next port where the ship is to stop. You'll miss a day or two of the cruise, but it won't be a total loss.

Flight delays and cancellations make too many headlines these days. You can eliminate this problem--while saving a few dollars--if you can drive to the port city. Back in the mid 1980s, we would book a cruise, then shop for the lowest air fare to the port city--it was simple. These days the cruise lines control most of the cheapest airline tickets to port cities on cruise days. This forces us to make air travel arrangements through the cruise line.

If an air add-on offered by the cruise line costs $300, a family of four will have a total air travel cost of $1,200. That family, or two couples traveling together, could easily drive a couple of days to the cruise dock and save several hundred dollars. Be sure to get directions and parking information from the cruise line before you leave home. You'll have expenses for several meals and a couple of hotel nights, the mileage on your car, and a few days of parking expense, but it should still be cheaper than air travel for four people. More importantly, you'll have more control of your schedule.

So how do you make sure your dream cruise doesn't start without you?

* Buy cruise-protection insurance.

* Schedule to arrive at the port city the day before departure.

* If you can't arrive a day prior, schedule the earliest, most direct flight available on your cruise-departure day.

* Consider driving to a larger airport that has more direct flights.

* Let the cruise line make your air arrangements for you.

* Consider driving to the port city.

A great thing about a cruise is that other people can do most of your thinking for you. They can show you the exciting ports-of-call, arrange your wonderful mealtime experiences, plan onboard activities, and more. They're ready to show you a good time, if you can just get them. Do a little planning and you'll be aboard when the fun begins.

COPYRIGHT 2002 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois)
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group