Jonas Delays Cruises

Anthem of the Seas 

Grandeur of the Seas 

Under Snow Dome 

According to the National Weather Service...
 
Major to Historic Winter Storm Jonas Will Impact the Middle Atlantic to Southern New England into Sunday

Snow fall so far has amounted to more than two feet in some areas.  Heavy winds will accompany the snow, making for very dangerous conditions.  Many states have activated the National Guard to help combat the snow and rescue people who were trapped by the storm.

Royal Caribbean International has announced two delays caused by Jonas (click link for current statement):


Anthem of the Seas

Anthem of the Seas will be delayed a day, arriving back into Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey, on Tuesday, January 26 instead of Monday, January 25. Passengers on the current voyage will get an extra day, while passengers on the January 25th voyage will have an altered itinerary, yet to be announced. 

Your local forecast office is

New York, NY

News Headlines

•  Snow Accumulation Forecast
•  Major Winter Storm Expected to Impact the Region into Sunday Morning
•  Significant Coastal Impacts Expected for Portions of the Region Saturday into Sunday
•  Latest Snowfall Amounts

Grandeur of the Seas

Grandeur of the Seas will now return to Baltimore a day late. Grandeur will now depart Baltimore on Monday, January 25th. Passengers on the current voyage will get an extra day, while passengers on the January 24th voyage will have an altered itinerary, yet to be announced.

Your local forecast office is

Baltimore, MD/Washington, D.C.

News Headlines

•  BLIZZARD / WINTER STORM - More info HERE
•  Latest Snowfall Map/Listing
•  Top snowfall statistics for DCA, BWI, and IAD
•  NOW AVAILABLE - Experimental Days 4-7 Winter Storm Threat graphics!

Travel Insurance 

Winter Storm Jonas is the perfect example of why you need to purchase travel insurance.

You had every intention of traveling to New York or Baltimore for your cruise, but Mother Nature had other plans. Your flight was probably cancelled. With a little luck, the airline will be able to reschedule you for a flight that will arrive in time for the revised cruise departure. But what if they can't?

Perhaps you already departed when the storm grounded you at a connection. Now you had an unexpected hotel stay. These are just a few of the possible situations the Travel Insurance Companies' Assistance Desks will be dealing with this weekend.

The intangible benefit of travel insurance is just having someone to turn to when things go wrong during your vacation. The assistance you are given is a bonus benefit. If you've ever experienced a problem during a vacation, you know what I mean. You just can't think on your own - what do I do next - you start to panic.

Make sure you have your Travel Insurance Policy Number & Phone Contact with you. Contact your Cruise Specialist for assistance in obtaining this information (another reason for using a professional for your booking as well).

Stay Safe

For those that are traveling to / from their cruise vacation this weekend - stay safe. To everyone else in the effected areas - stay inside warm & safe.

Peace of Mind - Priceless

What Value is Peace Of Mind

During Your Vacation

This is a true story of two of my guests that were booked on Quantum of the Seas departing New York on Saturday March 20th.  We join the story on Friday morning.

As the day before departure approached, so did a spring snow storm in New York City.  Hundreds of flights were cancelled in advance of the storm - including theirs. This story has a happy ending.

3 Keys to Happy Ending

Springtime in Chicago and New York can be unpredictable and getting to the ship on time could be problematic.   Normally they would have flown to the departure port a day early, but this time they were unable to get out of work for the extra day, so they opted for an early departure on Saturday, the day of the cruise.

The flights were arranged by me on their behalf through Royal Caribbean ChoiceAir program. ChoiceAir benefits include assured arrival to the ship in case of airline complications, total flexibility to pick your preferred airlines and itineraries, and most importantly in this case, 24/7 support.

My day Friday began with a frantic email informing me that their flight had been cancelled. I placed a call to ChoiceAir and was fortunate to get a hold of Evarld, one of the flight specialists, who worked tirelessly looking for options to get them to the ship on time Saturday. After more than four hours of working on the problem, with phone calls back and forth with Royal Caribbean and my clients,  I received a phone call with details for flights departing that evening, which would arrive around midnight. I'd already alerted my guests to head to the airport and told them I'd provide them with the new confirmation information once I got it from ChoiceAir. They were enroute in the limo when I called them.  

Their original schedule was a non-stop flight, but the only possible choices now, with more than 800 flights cancelled, were connecting flights through Atlanta, GA.  Another bonus - they were upgraded to first class.

The second thing they had done towards peace of mind was to purchase Travel Insurance with their booking. In the event they would not have been able to get to the ship on time, they would have been able to file a claim for appropriate benefits.

And lastly, since they put their travel plans in my hands, they weren't the ones on the phone for hours Friday, trying to figure out how to get to New York.   I monitored the flights that evening and saw that they actually arrived in New York around 12:30 AM Saturday.   They emailed a picture of the two of them with big grins onboard Quantum of the Seas.   I could finally breathe a sigh of relief because I knew how much they had been dreaming about this cruise and how devastating it would have been to miss the cruise.

Thank you to Royal Caribbean for actually delivering on your promise when creating the ChoiceAir program.

Together with Royal Caribbean, I've been able to make this dream vacation come true.  If you'd like to plan YOUR next cruise, I'd be happy to assist you.   We have several exclusive offers and Royal Caribbean has a WOW sale currently.  Check out current offers here.

Preparing for Vacation During Hurricane Season

Prepare Before 

You Go

Trip Planning

Hurricane Season Ahead

You've decided to take your vacation during hurricane season.  This might be your only trip this year, so you want to be assured that you and your family will enjoy their vacation.  A little bit of planning can assure that you've done everything within your control to guarantee that.  Some of the information here is applicable regardless of when you are traveling, so everyone should get some useful information in this article.

Don't Wait Until Last Minute to Plan
 
Everyone knows that as you get close to departure time, there's a lot to do.   For example, you'll stop your mail or make arrangements for someone else to get it for you,  arrange for your pets to be taken care of, stock up on sunscreen and other supplies for your trip ... the list may seem endless.

While threre will be some things that have to wait for the last minute, it's best to make a list of things to do and complete as many as you can early.  We've prepared a checklist, most of which can be done early.  While this is slanted towards a cruise vacation, most of the items are applicable to resort vacations as well.  It is important for suppliers to be able to contact you before you leave and during your trip.   Severe weather can quickly cause travel deviations.

BE PREPARED CHECKLIST

• Monitor hurricane warnings before your trip
• Activate cell phone international roaming if necessary
• Make sure cruise line and travel agent have current contact information
• Make sure airline has current contact information
• Setup flight notifications with airline if possible
• Share your itinerary with family and friends
• Review your travel insurance policy for potential coverages
• Call travel insurance provider to answer any questions about coverage
• Provide emergency contact information to cruise line, travel agent, and airline
• Keep passport, credit card, and necessary medication with you while in port
• If you have a balcony cabin, put all personal articles away
• Follow instructions given by ship's personnel

Resources to Help You 

As you get close to your departure date, one of the key things you'll want to do is stay on top of the weather forecast.   Scientific monitoring of weather systems has improved over the years and conditions that are favorable for tropical cyclones can be detected much earlier than years ago.  In many cases, an approaching storm will give at least 24 hours advance warning before strengthening into a powerful tropical storm or hurricane.

We've just updated the hurricane section on our Weather tab making it easier to find the resource (links) that you will want to visit.   We've broken the section into three main topics: 

• Hurricane Preparedness & Predictions
• Hurricane Educational Sites
• Hurricane & Tropical Weather Monitoring

 MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

Throughout hurricane season, we maintain our Hurricane Zone with updated information:

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

We also have live news feeds from various agencies, such as the NHC and NASA.  You can find these in the left-hand navigation on our blog.

International Travel

Our International Travel tab also has important planning information.   Here you'll find information about documenation requirements, local consulates, travel advisories, and general information about the countries you are visiting.   It is important for you to know about the destinations before you depart.

Review the Tips for Traveling Abroad.  You will have an enjoyable time if you use some common sense and follow some simple guidelines while traveling in foreign lands.  Make sure to listen to any advice given by your cruise director staff or resort staff.

On Your Trip

  
You and your traveling companions may be together most of the time, but not necessarily all the time.  It is important that each member of your traveling party knows the plan for meeting should you become separated and need to meet in the event of an emergency, or even just to return to your ship or resort.   

As you depart your ship or resort, pay attention to information about when you should be back.  Make sure that you have the same time as the ship / resort.  It is your responsibility to be back to the ship on time.  Also be sure that everyone has information about how to contact local authorities or port agents if assistance is needed.  This information is provided in the daily guide or supplemental material for the port.

Top 10 Reason For Trip Insurance

Protect Your Investment

Traveling during hurricane season increases the likelihood that you'll need some sort of assistance before, during, or even after your trip.  We highly recommend travel insurance regardless of when you travel, but especially during hurricane season.

When you think about travel insurance, you may think - I'm not planning on cancelling my trip, so why would I need travel insurance.  Recall what we said in our first installment of this series...   Expect the Unexpected.

Should you arrive at the airport and find that your flight has been delayed due to inclement weather, wouldn't it be comforting to have a pleasant voice on the other end of a telephone working on your behalf to salvage your hard-earned vacation plans?

What if someone in your party gets injured by something blowing around in the storm?   What if someone back home gets sick and needs your help?  The list of possible reasons for needing assistance are endless.   Did you know that it could cost upwards of $25,000 to be extracted from a ship in the event of a medical emergency?  Did you also know that Medicare and most health insurance companies do not cover you in a foreign land - and perhaps more importanly may not be in a position to recommend somewhere for you to get assistance in your time of need?

Discuss With Your Cruise & Vacation Specialist

We've provided you with a lot of information here which may be a bit overwhelming.   The goal of this article is not to worry you, but rather to reassure you that if you take the time to plan in advance, you will be prepared for the unexpected.   We hope that you'll never need any of the emergency assistance which is available to you through Travel Guard, our recommended provider, but if you do, we know they will be there to help you.

We'd be glad to answer any questions you might have on any of the information provided here.   Our goal is for you to have a wonderful, worry-free vacation.  Thank you for taking the time to read this important information.  

Leaves Changing Colors, Pumpkins, and Snow

October Snow Storm Blankets East Coast (More Pics)

 Cruise Passengers

Arrive Back to SNOW

Passengers arriving from MSC Poesia's 7-Night Canada & New England cruise were greeted by a historic October snowstorm.

The Nor'easter dumped record amounts of snow from New Jersey through New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. More than 2 million homes and businesses were without power as a result of the storm and at least three people died from storm-related causes.

With one month remaining in the 2011 Hurricane Season, one might expect cruises to be impacted by tropical storms.  Mother Nature had something else in mind for this last weekend of October.   Flights were cancelled or delayed for hours at all major airports on the East Coast.  That meant that anyone traveling home from a cruise that docked in the East Coast or planning on leaving from one, probably had a weather related event to deal with.

New Jersey Flights Cancelled


Travel agents attending the 2011 NACTA Convention on MSC Poesia were among those impacted by the flight cancellations.  Our friend, Joan, was among them as she attempted to get home from the convention.  Realizing that it wasn't going to happen on Saturday, she booked a local hotel and headed there to make the best of things.

Today she headed to LGA airport again only to find another delay.   This time the delay was due to unavailability of crew.  Finally a second pilot showed up and everyone cheered.  Passengers were able to board shortly after that.  
 
Stories like these happen all the time. Passengers on their way home from cruises, that ended in the East Coast Saturday, had to find local hotels, if they could get them, and make alternative flights home. That meant unexpected out of pocket expenses for food, hotel, transportation, etc.   For those on the way to cruises, the expense, logistics, and impact on vacation plans perhaps was much greater.   In both those situations, you don't have to be alone.  With the purchase of Travel Insurance, such as Travel Guard Companion that we offer our clients, there is a professional staff at your disposal to help make the emergency travel arrangements.

Could You be Stranded on Your Cruise

Q: Do I Really Need a Passport ? 

Q: Why Should I Purchase Travel Insurance? 

A: Hurricane Irene Strands Passengers

We are frequently asked if it is necessary to have a passport book to cruise.  Please read on ...

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires U.S. and Canadian travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the U.S.  

WHTI went into effect June 1, 2009 for land and sea travel into the U.S. WHTI document requirements for air travel went into effect in 2007.

Technically U.S. citizens taking “closed-loop” cruises are not required to have a passport but will need proof of citizenship and a government-issued photo ID, such as an original or certified copy of a birth certificate and a driver’s license.  (More information)  It is still highly recommended that you travel with a valid passport.  The following true story is just one reason why we make this recommendation.

Carnival, Royal Caribbean Strand 450 Passengers in San Juan

Last Sunday, Port Authorities in San Juan ordered two cruise vessels to depart early to avoid Hurricane Irene.  Traffic in/out of the port was limited starting at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Carnival Victory (ordered to leave at 6 p.m. instead of 10 p.m.)

300 passengers had not boarded when the ship was ordered to leave. Carnival reached out to all guests who were unable to meet the ship and either spoke to them directly, talked to emergency contacts listed by the passengers, or reached out to passengers' travel agents.  In some cases, they had to leave voice mails.


The cruise line offered complimentary hotel rooms for two nights in San Juan to all 300 passengers, regardless of whether they booked air through the line. The 300 impacted passengers were also offered a free flight to Barbados to meet the ship. The flight required that they have a passport.  About half of the passengers took the hotel and air offer.

Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas  (ordered to leave at 5:30 p.m instead of 8:30 pm)

145 passengers were left stranded at the pier when the ship sailed 3 hours early.  Hotel accommodations and flights to Aruba to meet the ship were provided to the 15 Serenade of the Seas passengers who had booked the air/sea package through Royal Caribbean. 

The balance of cruise-only passengers were, upon arrival at the cruise terminal, "advised of hotel availability in San Juan," said the line. The expense of both the potential hotel stay and airfare to reach the ship was the passengers' responsibility -- or covered by their travel insurance, depending on the policy -- because the early departure was a weather-related incident.


According to Royal Caribbean, there wasn't time to alert the passengers of the early exit. "Since this decision was made by the Port of San Juan on Sunday while the ship was docked alongside, there was no way to notify our guests of this change in departure time," the line said in the statement. RCI did, however, have port agents at the pier assisting guests who did not arrive in time to meet the ship. 


Royal Caribbean is not providing compensation for passengers who missed the sailing, because the early departure was a weather-related event. Any passenger who missed the Carnival Victory cruise will be refunded in the form of a future cruise credit. 

UPDATE - RCI Changes Mind - Compensates Passengers
In a statement, the line said it is "compensating these passengers because we understand that this was an unusual situation, and we want to provide our guests with another opportunity to sail with Royal Caribbean International in the near future."

Those passengers who did fly from San Juan to Serenade of the Seas mid-cruise will, as we reported this week, receive a 30 percent future cruise credit.  

No Passport = No Vacation 
No Travel Insurance = Out of Pocket Expense 

Hopefully you now understand why two pre-cruise travel expenses could make the difference between salvaging a vacation or returning home with disappointment and potential financial loss.

We often hear  "we intend to go on this trip no matter what", so we don't need insurance.   Mother Nature was in control for the past two weekends.  No matter how much you wanted to go on your cruise, you might find yourself trying to catch up to a ship that departed without you.   To do so, you'd need a passport.   You could also incur additional expenses along the way, which could either come out of your pocket, or be reimbursed by the travel insurance company.

Be sure to cover your entire trip cost.  This includes any shore excursions which you might book independently.   Hurricane Irene has scrambled itineraries for more than a week now.   Some independent providers will charge you for being a "no show".   Don't forget those pre or post-cruise hotel stays as well as flights.   Every item that could be canceled could cost you money if it isn't covered.

You should book and pay for travel insurance at the time of cruise booking.   In some cases, there may be additional benefits to doing so, such as pre-existing health condition waivers.  Perhaps you are healthy and that doesn't apply to you.  Another reason to do so is that once an event has begun (Hurricane Irene in this case) coverages are limited to policies that were in force prior to the event.

Be sure to read travel policies for any limitations.   There are many other reasons to have a passport and purchase travel insurance.   Don't forget about the folks you leave at home.   What happens if something happens to them and you need to leave your cruise early.   Would you be able to do so, or could you be stranded at a foreign airport?

Travel Worry Free with Travel Guard's Travel Companion - Don't forget your Passport

Disclaimer:  We are not insurance agents and make no claims about coverages or limitations. We offer this advice as a service to our readers. Always check directly with the insurance company regarding any specific circumstances that need clarification. Click on the "Protect your vacation" image above to learn more about travel insurance.

Historic Snowstorm Predicted

The Northeastern part of the United States has already had some major snow accumulation this year, but those storms may pale next to the one that National Weather Service is predicting for the Midwest.    Light snow has already begun falling over the region, but that is only the first wave according to predictions.

NWS Forecast:   Potentially Historic Snowstorm Expected through Wednesday

The storm is being called "historic" and comparisons are being made to a major storm in late January, 1967.   Some areas of the region are expected to get almost two feet of snow from this system.

I'd rather be sailing ...

Municipalities, like Chicago, are preparing for the worst, rolling out emergency snow removal plans and encouraging residents to prepare now for the storm.   All but essential travel will be recommended if the storm reaches the expected levels.

Airlines and airports are also bracing for what will become a logistical nightmare as air traffic comes to a halt and snow removal crews battle to stay ahead of the storm.   The most dangerous aspect of the storm will be the high winds which will accompany the snow, making it virtually impossible to see.

Cruise passengers may be impacted by the storm as travel delays and cancellations have a ripple effect across the country.   For those traveling, be sure to call ahead to your carrier to see how the storm impacts you.

Major weather events like this are perfect commercials for travel insurance.  Be sure to read your policy and know what coverage and assistance you can expect from your carrier and insurance company.    It might be too late to get ahead of the storm, but that too should be considered.

Here are some resources that can come in handy as the storm intensifies.

NWS - Local Weather

• Multimedia Weather Briefing (Updated 5:00 AM)
•  Winter Weather Briefing Page

National Weather Hazards

Airport Delays

Travel With Protection Against Unexpected

Purchase Travel Insurance 

for Peace of Mind

Since mid-April the volcanic eruption in Iceland has dominated the travel news as passengers became stranded across the globe.   For those with travel plans within or to Europe, all they could do was wait and see if they would be able to fly to their destination.  Many travelers were stranded for days. 

Unlike some other natural disasters, there was no advance warning that an ash cloud would develop and blow over the UK.   Because of that, travelers were caught off guard and unable to make alternate plans.  This is the perfect example of "the unexpected".

Along with unexpected events, come unexpected expenses.   In the case of the flight groundings due to the ash cloud, passengers were forced to stay at their current location and in many cases incur expenses for lodging, meals, local transportation, phone calls, and other unanticipated expenses.  We heard stories of passengers running out of money because they had already exhausted their vacation budgets.

For those that were just beginning their vacation, it would be cut short at the very least.  In other cases, they were able to join the vacation in progress if alternate transportation could be obtained at a premium price.   In still other cases, the vacation wouldn't occur at all.  All of these situations have a financial impact.   For the uninsured traveler, they had to bear the burden of costs completely alone.

The flight groundings had a ripple affect.  Cruise passengers were unable to get to the embarkation ports and those returning from cruises were unable to return home.   The cruise lines and airlines worked hard to try to assist travelers.    Their hands were tied by regulations that prevented flights from departing.

A logistical nightmare had unfolded on a scale not seen since the grounding of flights after the 911 attacks. The unsung heroes were customer service agents who were working with affected travelers providing assistance.  These included the agents manning the phones of the various travel insurance providers.

If you were to ask one of the stranded passengers that had travel insurance if they felt the premium was worth paying, I'd bet they would say that just the ability to get assistance during this crisis was worth the cost alone.   Of course, the real benefit is reimbursement for the unexpected expenses up to and including the trip cost.

For the uninsured traveler, they not only have a lost vacation, but they very well might not be able to reschedule the trip since they no longer have the funds that they had saved for the trip (due to the extra unplanned expenses).

Those that read my blog on a regular basis know that I always encourage the purchase of travel insurance.   I have had personal experience with needing to interrupt a cruise and fortunately had travel insurance.   We've also been on many cruises where passengers were evacuated to obtain additional medical attention.   The cost of medical transportation can be thousands of dollars. 

Read more about Travel Insurance and the coverages provided.

I'll leave you with these parting thoughts ....  Always purchase Travel Insurance and Purchase the Insurance Policy at the Same Time as Booking Your Trip.

The reason for the last statement is that effective dates of the policy determine if an event is covered.    Once an event has been declared,  policies purchased after that date are not covered until a new event were to occur.    Again, the ash cloud is the perfect example of how this clause could impact your coverage.

For peace of mind and so that you can truly relax and enjoy your vacation, budget for travel insurance when saving for your vacation.