Wow what a trip
We finally have returned from beautiful weather. sailing and diving, lots of eating drinking and fun. Will share all our fun and lessons learned in the trip reports.
The Best Part was the Whole trip-- The worst part was the flying. Many lessons learne which I will share so others can learn from our lessons.
First -We bought 3 tickets through travelocity pretty cheap
my friend bought hers through American- So basically we saved $50 per person -- I would have rather paid the extra $$ and gone through American and here is why
We were charged by Carribbean Sun (AKA Carribean STAR and Carribean AIR) on my credit card(visa debit) for 6 tickets instead of 3--- they have admitted the error (I hear this is happening to many others as well) and two months later we are still trying to get the money back--- Travelocity blames Carribean Sun and Carribean Sun says it is
Travelocity!!!!! hmmmmmmm
So then we finally have blast off Fott Lauderdale to San Juan on American everything goes well-- then pick up bags in San Juan walk them clear across the airport to Carribean Sun(another reason to just go with one airline!!!) check in Carribean Sun. go to St Thomas. WOW we made it !!!!!luggage and all( I packed the most important stuff into carryon but still had to check two bags.
Ther return was the horror story- We get to airport two hours in advanced go to desk to check in- and the Disorganization begins. American is checking in about 15 passengers to every one Carribean Sun manages to check in- so Carribean Sun is definatley on isalnd time. The girl at the desk is not only very slow but seems oftne confused of the process. So we get to the gate and no one is at the Carribean Sun desk til about 15 minutes before the flight. They tell us the plane is delayed about 45 minutes. So we wait 1 hour goes buy so we go to the desk to find out what is going on and they decide to make another delay anouncement and ask anyone with connecting flight s to show up at the desk CHAOS!!!
they are doing much of this buy hand no order according to connecting flights nothing
there are now two represenatatives for Carribean sun there one at the gate and one at the desk AND they are telling everyone two different stories One says we are still going the other says we are staying in a hotel
To make a longer story shorter we ended up in St T overnight. They gave about 14 families hotel and food vouchers to Holiday Inn but when they all got there The Holiday Inn was full!!!!! hmmmmmm more great communication,,,,, so we ended up at Best WEstern Carib Beach,, they gave us a food voucher to eat our next 3 meals in ST Thomas at the Carib for $5 per person per meal what an insult. there was nothing on the menu for that amount!!!!
Anyway we make the best of being in ST T for the night and go out to dinner on our own dime at a beautiful restuarant called Oceana and during the following day my daughter managed to get her hair braided at the straw market which she had wanted to do all week. But, my dog sitter had left
I spent several dollars in pay phone bills to find someone to check on our little black toy poodle named Pepper. and he basically had to spend the night alone. I also had to pay an extra day of parking out of my own pocket and missed our fourth of july plans thanks to carribean sun. I know things happen with planes and I am greatful that this was on the way home and not on the way there But the worst part was the confusion of the staff and the lack of communication. so when we finally got out the next day and we were told they would not put us on the early flight unless we wanted to pay
( which if we were on American they would have gotten us out on the next flight for free) so we take our 3pm flight to san juan . We get all the way to the American desk dragging all our bags American tells us there is a $100 per person CHANGE FEE!!
Absolutely not-- they told me no extra fee in ST T at Carribean Sun--- So I had to RUN back to the Carribean Sun desk and request help with this . The manager did walk me to the American booth with his credit card and paid Americans $300 fee. And from there everything was smooth. Hopefully there won't be anymore charges on my credit card.
SO LESSONS LEARNED
next time I will buy straight from the airlines (the savings isn't worth the stress)
next time I will not use my debit visa as you have less protection once they have your money(lucky I didn't bounce checks!!) I will use a major credit card
And next time I will try to fly with the same airline all the way through.
Hope this is helpful when you are booking your flights. Everything from here gets better in the next trip report!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!