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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 11, 2001)
University of Oregon’s Student Film Festival Sponsored by: The National Broadcasting Society Friday June 15th 100 Willamette (on campus) 8-10pm FREE refreshments provided PLEASE RECYCLE Cruising toward Disaster ■ uan and Kari Isaacson s dream honeymoon was destroyed by a bad booking By Lisa Toth Oregon Daily Emerald Instead of holding hands in para dise on their honeymoon, Dan and Kari Isaacson’s dream vacation was destroyed the day after they ex changed their wedding vows. The couple booked their vacation plans over the Internet — but placing too much faith in an online travel agency led to a disastrous result. Dan Isaacson— now a 21-year-old sophomore political science and business major—met his future wife Kari Isaacson six years ago when she moved into the apartment behind his family’s house in Grants Pass. Although they knew each other as neighbors, Dan Isaacson, then 15 years old, and Kari Isaacson, then 19, strengthened their bond by working together at a steak and pasta restau rant. He was the head busser and she was a hostess, and during the sum mers they would coordinate wed dings together. One night, about three years ago, the couple shut down the restaurant early and had dinner together. A chocolate cake was brought out, and on top of the candle was a ring. “She started to eat the cake; she did n’t see the ring,” he said. “And then she went ballistic.” With more than 200 weddings un der his belt as a banquet coordinator, Dan Isaacson worked with Kari Isaac son for more than a year planning their own ceremony on a $13,000 budget. They picked the location; a coun try bed-and-breakfast house in Sisters, in Eastern Oregon. And on July 15, 2000, surrounded by family and friends, they were married. The next day, they left for their hon eymoon, which would turn out to be an experience they would never forget. Cruise of a lifetime The idea for the couple’s honey moon destination was sparked from a similar trip Dan Isaacson took with his five-member graduating high school class: A seven-day cruise on Photo Illustration by Rus Welter Emerald the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line to San Diego and Ensenada. So when it came time to plan their honeymoon, Dan Isaacson knew that a cruise would save them from hav ing to drive or fly far and would let them dine in four-star style every night. The Carnival Cruise Line trip was to start in Los Angeles and continue onto the Mexican Riviera, visiting such places as Puerto Vallarta, Mazat lan and Cabo San Lucas. The couple booked their trip through a company they found in a budget-wedding book, South Beach Cruises and Cruise Shopping.com. After going online, they talked to a sales service agent, who booked them to leave July 16 for their honeymoon. Dreams destroyed That morning, they woke up at 5 a.m., drove to Portland and flew south on a 9 a.m. flight. They arrived in Los Angeles at 1 p.m. to find that Horizon Airlines had lost Kari Isaacson’s lug gage: The airlines had boarded all the passengers without all the luggage. After hours of waiting, Kari Isaac son’s luggage arrived at 3:15 p.m. But panic had set in because their ship was scheduled to leave in 45 minutes. They hopped on the last charter service bus, which dropped them off at the dock. “They had cattle lines set up,” Dan Isaacson said, recalling the scene. “There were 300 people waiting in line and four ticket agents taking peo ple four at a time.” They waited for another two hours in line, videotaping the adventure as it* went along. When they reached the front of the line, the ticketing agent* asked to see their driver’s licenses and, birth certificates. “He paused and got this really weird look on his face,” Dan Isaacson said. “I thought they overbooked or lost our reservation. ” Then the problem hit: Dan Isaacson was 20 years old and Kari Isaacson was 23. And just four days before they purchased their tickets, Carnival Cruise Line had revised its policy to say no one under the age of 25 was al lowed on the ship. An earlier policy allowed married couples on board as an exception to the rule. But the travel agent did not tell the Isaacsons about the policies, nor did it tell its employees, Dan Isaacson said. The sales agent who booked the Isaacsons’ trip sold them the vacation so quickly she forgot to ask their ages, Dan Isaacson said. As a result, the agent — in the process of receiving her $500 commission for the sale — wrote down their ages as 35, he said. “She guessed wrong,” he said. When he called South Beach Cruis Turn to Cruise, page 14 The Three C's b> your Cellular Needs jgjfP I. Choose your raie plan- a Starting at ?I777 for 7*5 anytime minutes I and 500 nationwide weekend minutes 1 ° jl • § ^ * ' T 1. Choose anv phone. fssi 1 : I @> <a ® 3. Claim your f50 instant rebate- l ° MSRP. $49.99 Three locations to serve you: CoW$ Road \/alley River Center West HtK iW-Ziee tei-isii Smart Wireless Authorized sates OAC. some festrteitens apply, see store for details r
