Name must be identical to that on passport

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The cruise industry has an enviable safety record over the last several decades.

Inaccurate documents, transparent advertising, and cruise safety. These are the questions that dominated my emails over the past couple of weeks.

QUESTION: The name on my passport is slightly different than the shortened version of the name people call me every day. I booked my trip under the name I use. Could that cause me a problem at airport check-in?

ANSWER: What's in a name? To the people who will be checking you in, a lot.

You need to change your booking as soon as possible to the exact names as they show on your passport. If you have a middle name on your passport it is important that is recorded in the tour operator booking as well.

Tour companies and travel agents report significant frustration from people who don't think about this in advance. Often because passports are used infrequently, the traveller may not even be aware of which names the passport indicates.

As people are booking their holidays, it is best to have the passport information on hand. There are cases where people have been denied boarding for erroneous information, and many countries like the United States may offer no leeway whatsoever.

Charter airlines are not about to allow you boarding if they feel there is any chance you could be denied entry to the country to which you are travelling. They are obliged in this situation to return you to your home country immediately. This is not something they are not willing to risk.

QUESTION: I note that United States advertising must now include all costs related to travel. Will that happen in Canada?

ANSWER: In a sense, the policy already exists in Canada but the airlines have a year to implement it. Recently there has been some pushback from airlines here and in the United States.

The argument is that many of the extra costs are government taxes and fees. Other sectors in the industry are not obligated to show the end costs so the airlines are suggesting the new requirements are unfair.

If car rental companies and hotels do not have to show the end cost, the argument goes, why should they have to do so?

There is some validity to this. Why should major resort properties not be required to state upfront in their advertising that they will be imposing a resort fee?

Should auto rental agencies not also be required to show the taxes and required insurance costs, or additional airport location fees in their advertisements as well?

The charge from the airlines is that the U.S. government is trying to hide its role in driving up the price of air travel with its taxation.

At the same time the consumer does not like the airlines' costs of doing business hidden in the advertising creating a sense of sticker shock at the purchase point. When fuel surcharges are suddenly added to the base fare it can be argued that these costs of doing business should be included in the fare to start with.

One way or the other it will be a day of celebration for most consumers when they actually see in airline ads which baggage charges and other related services that will be added when they travel.

QUESTION: With the tragedy that came with the Costa Cruise that went aground on the shores of Italy a few weeks ago, I wonder if it is still a safe way to vacation.

ANSWER: While there are many who may question cruise safety, travel agents are not reporting many cancellations of trips booked, or changes in the discussions of people contemplating their first or next cruise.

When any kind of tragedy occurs in the travel industry there often is an initial reaction of personal concern and some reluctance to move ahead with planning trips that involve that sector. However infrequently it occurs, when an airplane crashes many will question if they want to get into another aircraft again. As the publicity dies down the travelling public puts the event into its proper perspective and normal booking patterns re-emerge quickly.

In this case, as reports of the accident bring forth more and more facts, it is appearing that the protocol was completely ignored, and charges of a serious nature could lead to guilty verdicts for maritime crimes.

Similarly, as in events that occur in related industries when tragedy strikes, all cruise lines are examining their policies and practices more closely, and they are sending clear communications to all officers to ensure current protocol is followed.

Most major cruise line CEO's have sent messages of assurance to travel agents around the world, underscoring what their policies are and what they are doing to ensure even greater safety.

In 2012 more than 20 million people are projected to take cruises in an industry that, compared to land-based options, could be considered to still be in an embryonic stage. While this is not the first time a cruise ship has had an accident at sea, when you consider the publicity about crime-based events in countries, and botched tours and internet ripoffs, the cruise industry has fared very well.

Forward your travel questions to askjourneys@journeystravel.com Ron Pradinuk is president of Journeys Travel & Leisure SuperCentre and can be heard Sundays at noon on CJOB. Previous columns and tips can be found on www.journeystravelgear.com or read Ron's travel blog at www.thattravelguy.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 11, 2012 D7