Imagine the heartache: a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation, planned down to the last detail, washed away in an instant by a delayed flight. That’s exactly what happened to Brooklyn resident Tisha LaSaine and her family when their dream cruise sailed off without them.
After saving for a year to celebrate her 50th birthday and her son Kaseem’s milestone of starting his junior year at Hampton College, the family was left devastated at the dockside as their $8,500 cruise disappeared into the horizon.
The problem? A delayed flight. They had booked a flight from JFK Airport in New York to Orlando, scheduled to land with just enough time to catch their cruise departing from Cape Canaveral. But things took a turn when their flight, originally set to depart at 9:54 a.m., was delayed due to a crew issue.
By the time they took off at 11:40 a.m., they were already running on borrowed time. Even though they would have landed in Orlando at 12:51 p.m. with the original schedule, the family was cutting it close for a cruise that set sail at 3:30 p.m.
As the LaSaine family arrived at the dock, their worst fears were realized. They were met with the painful sight of the cruise ship already at sea, leaving them behind. “I think I cried more than the kids, and it was for them,” Tisha shared, her disappointment clear.
This devastating experience highlights a common travel mistake: booking tight connections on the same day as a major departure, like a cruise. Travel expert Gary Leff warns against this, advising travelers to arrive well ahead of schedule in case of unforeseen delays. His advice, echoed by organizations like AAA, could have saved the LaSaine family’s trip.
But the trouble didn’t end at the dock. After missing their cruise, the family had to fly back to New York—heartbroken and out thousands of dollars. While the cruise line granted them a refund for their missed vacation, LaSaine faced more challenges with Delta Airlines.
The airline only issued an e-credit for $250 per person, a fraction of the cost for their tickets. With no refund for the return flight to New York, Tisha was left out of pocket.
Determined not to let the issue go unresolved, LaSaine reached out to ABC 7 On Your Side, a consumer advocacy team that specializes in helping people with cases like hers. Reporter Nina Pineda contacted Delta and managed to secure a full refund for the family’s plane tickets, amounting to $2,600. The outcome left Tisha overjoyed: “I was so happy.”
In the end, the LaSaine family’s story is a cautionary tale for travelers everywhere. When planning that dream vacation, it’s always better to play it safe and allow plenty of buffer time. While things eventually worked out for Tisha and her family, no one wants to see their vacation vanish over a few missed hours.
