It depends upon the printing firm you are using and your relationship with them. Be sure to describe crucial issues and inspect the job on press. Like most things, you get good results from good craftsman but you must be sure they know your intentions.

ChrisL

And the issue might be at the bindery, not the printer…

What they said, but also … I’ve learned to design around certain limitations (read: human error).

I suspect this kind of thing happens all the time, everywhere.
The following advice is based on my experience as a freelance, designing book covers for publishers in Canada.
To guard against cock-ups, you have to embed yourself into the workflow at key points.
These are:

1. Signing off on proofs. The publisher’s in-house art department has the ability to mess around with your artwork, so you have to state up-front that you want to OK the final proofs, before they go to the printer. Put it in your contract that this is included in services rendered. Otherwise a publisher will not bother asking you to check small changes, because your time is valuable, and they think so highly of you.
Ideally, the final proof should be a mocked-up cover, on a dummy (provided to the publisher from the bindery, via the printer), so that if the finished piece is wrong, the publisher (who is paying the bills) will be able to wave it at the printer and say “but this is what I signed off on, please do it again and get it right.”

2. Press Approval. This will of course be scheduled for 4 a.m. to discourage you from showing up and creating a nuisance. At the approval, don’t give a hasty approval. Think about it, make them wait.

Almost certainly the finishers, but don’t worry they will find some way to blame the artwork.
I always send a full mock-up to the printers and have them approve the artwork before they run anything.
Not much consolation but you have gained an experience.
Tim

Who knows, maybe one day you will marry Maria, the daughter of the director : )