This could have been avoided

[Eeyore19]

I am very curious to know what options the cruise line presented to this family that missed embarkation. When we missed our Disney cruise, although we did not have trip insurance, Disney was kind enough to offer us 3 options. 1. meet the Fantasy at the first port 2. pay a re-booking fee, I am remembering $170 each, and take the Disney Dream cruise that was leaving the next day for the Bahamas 3. pay the re-booking fee of $170 each, and also pay the difference of the current rate against our original rate from first booking, and take the same Fantasy cruise a couple of weeks later. In the end, both our airline and DCL definitely tried to help us.

 

[RedSox68]

I am very curious to know what options the cruise line presented to this family that missed embarkation. When we missed our Disney cruise, although we did not have trip insurance, Disney was kind enough to offer us 3 options. 1. meet the Fantasy at the first port 2. pay a re-booking fee, I am remembering $170 each, and take the Disney Dream cruise that was leaving the next day for the Bahamas 3. pay the re-booking fee of $170 each, and also pay the difference of the current rate against our original rate from first booking, and take the same Fantasy cruise a couple of weeks later. In the end, both our airline and DCL definitely tried to help us.

So what option did you pick?

 

[Eeyore19]

option 1

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It does sound like they were offered an Option 1, but the kids lacked passports, so it wasn't possible. Can't fly into a foreign port without a passport.

 

[truck1]

I am very curious to know what options the cruise line presented to this family that missed embarkation. When we missed our Disney cruise, although we did not have trip insurance, Disney was kind enough to offer us 3 options. 1. meet the Fantasy at the first port 2. pay a re-booking fee, I am remembering $170 each, and take the Disney Dream cruise that was leaving the next day for the Bahamas 3. pay the re-booking fee of $170 each, and also pay the difference of the current rate against our original rate from first booking, and take the same Fantasy cruise a couple of weeks later. In the end, both our airline and DCL definitely tried to help us.

From what I understand it was option 1 was a definite. This is where it gets a little grey so to.speak. We do t know what else was offered to the family, as far as I know. It's very possible that rebooking on the next day cruise was an option but with out knowing the mentality of the family at that point, it's all speculation. I only read part of her open letter to Delta and may have missed some options. Like I said before, I feel.really sorry for the kids. I was tempted to reach out to them and offer them tp.travel.with us on a DCL cruise in 19 ( we have friends thatbwould leabe from Michigan also) but theres something in my gut that says were missing something big here. I can only speak for.my self but if it were me in their shoes, and it was offered to sail next day to basically the same places id be all over it and deal with the airline at a later date. Id at least ask.

 

[mom4fun]

Royal Caribbean has gobs of cruises. I find it hard to believe that there wasn't one they couldn't have popped on the next day.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I am very curious to know what options the cruise line presented to this family that missed embarkation. When we missed our Disney cruise, although we did not have trip insurance, Disney was kind enough to offer us 3 options. 1. meet the Fantasy at the first port 2. pay a re-booking fee, I am remembering $170 each, and take the Disney Dream cruise that was leaving the next day for the Bahamas 3. pay the re-booking fee of $170 each, and also pay the difference of the current rate against our original rate from first booking, and take the same Fantasy cruise a couple of weeks later. In the end, both our airline and DCL definitely tried to help us.

May I ask, when this happened? Typically, most major cruise lines no longer do the "catch up to the ship at the next port" on the Caribbean cruises. Time was they did (up until about a year or two ago).

It was reported that the cruise line did offer to fly the family to the next port, but the children in the party did not have passports, so that option couldn't be taken.

 

[RedSox68]

May I ask, when this happened? Typically, most major cruise lines no longer do the "catch up to the ship at the next port" on the Caribbean cruises. Time was they did (up until about a year or two ago).

It was reported that the cruise line did offer to fly the family to the next port, but the children in the party did not have passports, so that option couldn't be taken.

Curious as to what cruise they were scheduled on that they didn't need passports! There's always that thing about if you have to rush home from a foreign port, you'll need a passport anyway.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Curious as to what cruise they were scheduled on that they didn't need passports! There's always that thing about if you have to rush home from a foreign port, you'll need a passport anyway.

Any closed loop cruise in the Caribbean, for US citizens, the minimum ID requirement is a birth certificate, plus (for those 16 and over) a government-issued photo ID. It seems the parents had their passports, but only had birth certificates for the kids.

 

[Eeyore19]

May I ask, when this happened? Typically, most major cruise lines no longer do the "catch up to the ship at the next port" on the Caribbean cruises. Time was they did (up until about a year or two ago).

It was reported that the cruise line did offer to fly the family to the next port, but the children in the party did not have passports, so that option couldn't be taken.

We missed our cruise March Break 2016. I told our story earlier in this thread. I mentioned previously how hopeful the airline was, Disney tried to be just as helpful. I remember the cast members saying several times, "that they wished that they could do more for us." When we finally got on the boat we were treated extremely well by the DCL staff, almost spoiled.

 

[Tozzie]

That may have ended up being the case, but the film footage of that flight steward in that situation going nutso and getting in people's faces and daring them to hit him wasn't very reassuring for the people they employ. Someone with that short of a fuse should not be working in that type of people situation.

Then you and I saw different videos, unless I see a video from the beginning of the incident I don't think it is valid in any way shape or form, people like to post the end not the beginning and not the middle.
Bottom line is there is no excuse for a woman her age to not know the rules if she bothered to research it there is information all over the internet, unless you are older than i am (50) you either chose not to find the info or chose not to follow the rules. AA should do nothing for her.

 

[Tozzie]

I dont know what happened but it isn't' always the cruise lines fault and when it is they really try to fix it. There was something posted about a family missed embarkation on the transatlantic last year DCL and Delta found a solution not great but the family didnt' lsoe the cruise they missed embarkation due to airline issues, the airline flew them to the port closest to the first Port DCL was making, put them in a hotel and they boarded the ship in Boston, they missed 2 sea days but didn't mis the cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

AA should do nothing for her.

Too late - they already did. Upgraded her to first class for the remainder of her trip. Gave her like $1000 cash back. And a free future flight.

 

[barbarossa_hoosier]

Flying into the port the day of departure, when boarding time is late morning through mid-afternoon, just sounds stressful, even if everything goes smoothly with your flight(s). Then again, I average about 80 segments a year (also on Delta), so I am all too familiar with the realities of flight issues, delays, and cancellations. When we booked our first cruise (for April 2018), it wasn't even a question: we decided to fly in the day before embarking, and to return the day after disembarking. One of the reasons that we're trying a cruise is that they are supposed to be stress-free. So: why add stress unnecessarily both before and after the cruise?

(And: ALWAYS be friendly to gate agents and customer service. They can make your life much, much easier when things go sideways.)

 

[elvispursley]

Bottom line is there is no excuse for a woman her age to not know the rules if she bothered to research it there is information all over the internet, unless you are older than i am (50) you either chose not to find the info or chose not to follow the rules. AA should do nothing for her.

Supposedly she did not speak English (or if she did, not well), she had twins, and any parent flying with twins, especially by herself, is probably very stressed. Regardless if the gate agent meant to remove the stroller roughly or not, the stroller came close to hitting one of the babies. Given that you can gate check a stroller, and that this mother didn't speak English well, perhaps she was confused (and maybe this was her first time flying, including with her babies), that she didn't understand that you're supposed to leave it when you get to the plane. I'd be in tears if anyone nearly hit me or my kids, accident or no, and then started yelling. I feel bad for this poor mom, she looked absolutely terrified when that agent and other passenger got into it. It's too bad we can't be more empathetic in these situations and look at it from both sides.

 

[RedSox68]

Supposedly she did not speak English (or if she did, not well), she had twins, and any parent flying with twins, especially by herself, is probably very stressed. Regardless if the gate agent meant to remove the stroller roughly or not, the stroller came close to hitting one of the babies. Given that you can gate check a stroller, and that this mother didn't speak English well, perhaps she was confused (and maybe this was her first time flying, including with her babies), that she didn't understand that you're supposed to leave it when you get to the plane. I'd be in tears if anyone nearly hit me or my kids, accident or no, and then started yelling. I feel bad for this poor mom, she looked absolutely terrified when that agent and other passenger got into it. It's too bad we can't be more empathetic in these situations and look at it from both sides.

Thank you for valid points -- that's what I was trying to say is that the flight attendant's reaction was way out of line. My question from the beginning has been why in the world didn't the gate attendant who took her tickets check the stroller then as they had to know it was too big. From the two videos I have seen, one right after the incident, she was hysterical, spoke broken English and said no one will hurt my baby. From reports, the stroller he yanked away from her missed the baby's head by inches. And then he went off on a passenger who stepped in because of his handling of the situation. I think any mother in that situation would be upset.

 

[barbarossa_hoosier]

Thank you for valid points -- that's what I was trying to say is that the flight attendant's reaction was way out of line. My question from the beginning has been why in the world didn't the gate attendant who took her tickets check the stroller then as they had to know it was too big. From the two videos I have seen, one right after the incident, she was hysterical, spoke broken English and said no one will hurt my baby. From reports, the stroller he yanked away from her missed the baby's head by inches. And then he went off on a passenger who stepped in because of his handling of the situation. I think any mother in that situation would be upset.

I haven't paid attention to this one since right after the story came out, so the details may have changed (they often do). That said, as I understood it, the woman in question was from Argentina and not a native English speaker. Also, the gate agent allegedly told her that she could try to put the collapsible stroller in the overhead bin, but that if it wouldn't fit, then she would have to gate-check it. The belligerent flight attendant apparently didn't get the message that the gate agent told the passenger that she could attempt to put the stroller in the overhead bin before gate-checking it, and wasn't patient enough to communicate well with a non-native English speaker.

I don't see how the woman really did anything wrong in this circumstance, if those details remain true.

 

[RedSox68]

I haven't paid attention to this one since right after the story came out, so the details may have changed (they often do). That said, as I understood it, the woman in question was from Argentina and not a native English speaker. Also, the gate agent allegedly told her that she could try to put the collapsible stroller in the overhead bin, but that if it wouldn't fit, then she would have to gate-check it. The belligerent flight attendant apparently didn't get the message that the gate agent told the passenger that she could attempt to put the stroller in the overhead bin before gate-checking it, and wasn't patient enough to communicate well with a non-native English speaker.

I don't see how the woman really did anything wrong in this circumstance, if those details remain true.

Personally, I hope the flight attendant was fired because he certainly lacks the social skills to be in that job!

 

[ImprovGal]

I dont know what happened but it isn't' always the cruise lines fault and when it is they really try to fix it. There was something posted about a family missed embarkation on the transatlantic last year DCL and Delta found a solution not great but the family didnt' lsoe the cruise they missed embarkation due to airline issues, the airline flew them to the port closest to the first Port DCL was making, put them in a hotel and they boarded the ship in Boston, they missed 2 sea days but didn't mis the cruise.

I was booked on last year's ebta and my grandmother died 2 days before the cruise. I was scheduled to fly to MCO the following day (day prior to sailing). Since my family is New England-based, I called DCL asking if there was any way I could join the cruise in Boston so I could assist my family with funeral and memorial preparations. My request was denied and I was quoted Jones Act as the reason. I tried to explain that they meant PVSA, which really didn't apply in my situation, but was too upset to fight it out. On my family's urging, I kept my original travel plans, but was a bit irritated to learn other passengers were allowed to board in Boston.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

What I don't understand is how she had that stroller in the cabin. I have travelled by air many times (domestically and internationally) with strollers and even when I pushed back a bit flight attendants always told me that I could not bring the stroller beyond the door to the plane. I quickly learned after about two flights that it was much better this way, as the stroller would be waiting for you right at the door upon arrival. When the male flight attendant told the passenger who tried to intervene something like, "you don't have the full story," I believe him. I suspect that the woman was quite pushy at the entrance to the plane and that the female flight attendent there could not deal with her and sent the male to get the stroller, knowing full well it would not fit in the cabin. I also am skeptical of the language barrier because I have never met an Argentinian who was wealthy enough to travel, who could not speak English. And there is a difference between understanding and communicating. It is a lot easier to understand foreign languages than it is to communicate verbally yourself. So if she could speak even imperfect English, I suspect she could understand the rules quite well. That being said, there is something about travelling by plane alone with young children (especially those in diapers) which can break down even the strongest soul. And from my vantage point that is why she broke down. Being a flight attendant is a thankless job, and it looks to me like that male flight attendant was trying to do his job. Unfortunately, he does not have a very sympathetic persona, and the woman with the baby (2 babies!) does. I think it is very important for people to respect authority in situations like this, and no one seems to want to respect authority anymore, or they just want to try and get some form of settlement. It is not a good situation. As an aside, the older I get, the more I hate to fly, I hate the tsa stuff, I hate the way a lot of people do not shower before they get on a plane, or hoe they make no effort to be civilized. And the people who work for airlines seem abused themselves. I avoid flying whenever possible.