Key Aspects:
- A family missed their cruise on Carnival Glory when a traffic jam made them late to the cruise terminal.
- Carnival Cruise Line does not offer refunds for this situation – all guests must arrive at the cruise terminal on time or they will be denied boarding.
- The guidance on when cruise terminals close is set but the federal government, not the cruise line.
I’m a nervous traveler at the best of times, and nothing makes me more nervous than a traffic backlog on the way to the cruise terminal on embarkation day.
Granted, I live just 20 minutes away from the best cruise port in the world, Port Canaveral. Even then, a bad traffic accident or unexpected detour could cause significant delays.
But what if cruise guests are delayed so much that they miss their terminal arrival appointment altogether and they’re not permitted to board the ship?
One family looking forward to their sailing aboard Carnival Glory found out the hard way that there’s nothing the cruise line can or will do.
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The upset guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, with their tale of traffic woes.
“We missed the ship and it wasn’t our fault. We drove from Senoia, Georgia to get on the Glory. There was a wreck on I-75. We arrived 50 minutes before the boat was leaving. The Glory was still there but the doors to the terminal were closed,” the guest described.
“There were no Carnival reps, we were left stranded, nobody helped us. How do we get our money back?”
While the cruise departure date was not mentioned, Carnival Glory is homeported from Port Canaveral, offering 3- and 4-night Bahamas sailings.
The guest mentions that a relative of theirs suggested they contact Heald with their complaint and to get a full refund.
While John Heald does handle all types of guest complaints, from difficulties with onboard operations to the raging debate about butter or margarine, the policy on refunds is very clear.
He is not unsympathetic to their disappointment, but neither will he be offering them a refund for their missed Carnival Glory sailing.
“I know the stress you must have been under driving and there being a wreck, a car accident I’m guessing, delaying the traffic,” he said.
Heald explains that guests must arrive on time in order to board their ship. In fact, a federal law determines when the terminal must close and no more guests are permitted to board.
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That the ship was still docked only means that luggage and supplies may still be in the process of being loaded onboard, or the ship may be waiting for the harbor pilot to grant permission for the vessel to depart.
Heald likened the situation to flights, when the aircraft doors are closed before departure. This is a security and procedural issue, and once those doors are closed, no late passengers are permitted aboard.
He goes on to note that this is a time when there’s nothing Carnival Cruise Line can do about any sort of refund.
“Cruise insurance is not necessary – until it is,” he concluded.
Why Can’t Guests Board a Cruise Ship Late?
It is important to remember that a departing cruise ship isn’t just leaving a homeport for a pleasure sailing, it is a vessel transporting thousands of passengers out of the country. For this reason, every cruise line must be in full compliance with federal laws.
Carnival Cruise Line’s website explains:
“US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires Carnival Cruise Line to submit a final departure manifest with specific guest information at least 60 minutes prior to departure.”
Even if guests were to arrive just a few minutes after that deadline, they would not be properly checked in and on that final departure manifest, and therefore would not be permitted to board.
“In preparation for departure, all guests must be on board by the Final Boarding time printed on the boarding pass or they will not be permitted to sail,” the website states.
This information is also found on the Carnival Hub app and in the Guest Ticket Contract that all travelers agree to when they book a Carnival cruise. The issue of refunds is also noted in that contract, but not in a way these travelers would find helpful:
“No refunds will be made in the event of ‘no shows,'” the contract clearly states.
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Heald’s mention of travel insurance is apt. Some policies (depending on individual terms and conditions) would refund a cruise due to circumstances outside the traveler’s control, such as a traffic jam that made them too late to board their ship.
Experienced cruisers will also emphasize the importance of arriving at the cruise homeport a day or two before sailing, just in case of such stressful circumstances.
Far better to be late to one’s pre-cruise hotel stay and miss out on a nice dinner or evening at the pool rather than be late to the cruise terminal and miss the entire cruise vacation.
