Missing passenger?

[retiredbrit]

We have just returned from our first Cunard voyage the Caribbean Celebration 20 Dec to 5 Jan.

I have an idea that a passenger was left behind at our last port of call of St Thomas on 1st January.

The all aboard time was 4:30 not the usual 5:30. There were a number of announcements calling for a missing passenger.

Just before 5pm we could see someone out side the dock gates photographing the ship, two officers went to check but it wasn’t the missing passenger.

The gangway was stowed and we just cast off, when a lady came through the gates, waving her arms but we kept going – by the time she got up to the ship we were possibly a couple of feet off the quay. .She spoke to someone on the quay and then walked back through the Dock gates.

Was this was our missing passenger? Using the 14 times zoom on my camera it looked as if she was holding a Cunard boarding card in her hand.

If she missed the ship she would have a difficult journey to New York with summer clothes. I wonder if she had a credit card or passport.

What would she do in these circumstance if she did in fact miss the ship?

regards Alan

[Host Sharon]

As I understand it, if a passenger is missing when the ship leaves, the purser deposits his/her passport with the port agent. He will then assist them to get to the next port, at their own expense. We once left two people behind at Zeebrugge when I was on Aurora. The taxi had taken them to the ferry berth rather than he cruise ship one and they couldn't get back in time. That is what happened then. Crew will pack up their belongings if, as in our case, it was the last port of call. Not sure how they get them back though.

[krydstogt]

As I understand it, if a passenger is missing when the ship leaves, the purser deposits his/her passport with the port agent. He will then assist them to get to the next port, at their own expense. We once left two people behind at Zeebrugge when I was on Aurora. The taxi had taken them to the ferry berth rather than he cruise ship one and they couldn't get back in time. That is what happened then. Crew will pack up their belongings if, as in our case, it was the last port of call. Not sure how they get them back though.

 

I have wondered, if one missed the ship, how would one go about securing passage home or the next port of call, since passports and credit card is locked in the cabin safe.

 

Most time in Ports, I do carry my credit card and the address of the ship's Agent, just in case.

 

But for future cruises, I'll ask the cruise line, before we sail, what the procedure is, if one misses the ship.

 

Eva

[cruisegal101]

I have wondered, if one missed the ship, how would one go about securing passage home or the next port of call, since passports and credit card is locked in the cabin safe.

 

Most time in Ports, I do carry my credit card and the address of the ship's Agent, just in case.

 

But for future cruises, I'll ask the cruise line, before we sail, what the procedure is, if one misses the ship.

 

Eva

 

I always carry a copy of my passport with me--it is a good idea to do this. In addition, there is a number in the daily program each day that you are in port with the name and phone number of the port agent for the cruise line. This is a number that you should take with you to contact in the event that you miss the ship.

 

If you miss the ship it is your responsibility to get yourself to the next port and it is also at your expense.

[stowaway2k]

 

What would she do in these circumstance if she did in fact miss the ship?

regards Alan

 

Find the nearest bar.

 

.

[cruisegal101]

Find the nearest bar.

 

.

 

I see you are in top form this a.m. ;) Of course, your suggestion is what I would do!:o

[Jimsgirl]

This is a mystery, does anyone know if the pasenger did miss the ship, and what happened to her?

 

There always seem to be some passengers being reuested to contact the purser office when ever the ship is due to leave port. If passengers can get back on board without being known one wonders how

[roscoe39]

This is a mystery, does anyone know if the pasenger did miss the ship, and what happened to her?

 

There always seem to be some passengers being reuested to contact the purser office when ever the ship is due to leave port. If passengers can get back on board without being known one wonders how

 

Ive often wonderred that as well untill it happened to me last year on the QV. I had entered along with everyone else and when i handed my card over the crew member who put it in the machine, it made the alarm sound. He handed the card back to me and I thought nothing of it untill just as we were due to depart they started calling me over the tannoy......very embarrassing!

 

The machine must have had a blonde moment when it took my card, :D

[rekk1986]

I see you are in top form this a.m. ;) Of course, your suggestion is what I would do!:o

but if she don't find any bar what did she do??

[luv2krooze1791]

but if she don't find any bar what did she do??

 

Quite clearly there is only one proper reaction to this scenario.

 

Panic.

[JPEvans]

A friend of mine told me how she and her sister were left behind

on a Carnival Cruise. she said that she had to pay $250 for her

and $250 for her sister to be taken by pilot boat to the ship as it

was sailing out the harbor.

[krydstogt]

A friend of mine told me how she and her sister were left behind

on a Carnival Cruise. she said that she had to pay $250 for her

and $250 for her sister to be taken by pilot boat to the ship as it

was sailing out the harbor.

 

A bit expensive, but probably still the cheapest way to join the ship.

 

Wonder if the Pilot accepted a credit card, I don't carry that kind of money in cash a shore, unless some kind of spending spree, in which case I would have spent my cash by the time, it was time to return to the ship.

Eva

[highcbob]

A friend of mine told me how she and her sister were left behind

on a Carnival Cruise. she said that she had to pay $250 for her

and $250 for her sister to be taken by pilot boat to the ship as it

was sailing out the harbor.

 

Probably much more than what they paid for the entire Carnival cruise :)

[cruisegoer2010]

A friend of mine told me how she and her sister were left behind

on a Carnival Cruise. she said that she had to pay $250 for her

and $250 for her sister to be taken by pilot boat to the ship as it

was sailing out the harbor.

 

For crew the normal procedure is the pilot boat will bring the late crew member/s back to the ship, or the ship may decide to land their passport and seaman's book and hence they will have to fly/drive to the next port of call to rejoin. As you have mentioned here I would imagine the same applies to passengers, obviously all at their cost as they have missed the sailing time which is clearly displayed as you get off the gangway!

[brigittetom]

At what point do they decide to go into your safe to get your passport and deliver it to the port agent???? Even if the ship sails on time, you could very well still make it on board at the last minute. :confused:

[Jimsgirl]

It is still unclear (to me at least) if in fact anyone did miss the ship. I ws on board Crystal Harmony on occasion that 9 passengers (all one party) missed the cruise, we were sailing out of the harbor (tidal) when they arrived at the dockside,

 

We could not go back, and just left them behind.

[krydstogt]

It is still unclear (to me at least) if in fact anyone did miss the ship. I ws on board Crystal Harmony on occasion that 9 passengers (all one party) missed the cruise, we were sailing out of the harbor (tidal) when they arrived at the dockside,

 

We could not go back, and just left them behind.

 

The first I heard about someone 'missing the ship' was on this board, no rumors on the ship.

 

Just idle speculation ;)

 

Eva

[retiredbrit]

It looked to me that it was a passenger - she had a boarding pass in her hand (see post #1) - but without official confirmation I wouldnt know. If she was a passenger I would have thought she would have got on the pilot boat - but that may not be allowed by Cunard - jumping from the pilot boat onto the ship when under way could be a problem for health and safety.

 

Two passengers missed the ship when we were in Dubrovnic a few years ago. Then the captain told them to get onto the pilot boat. They stood on the pilot boat roof and jumped from there - we didnt seem to slow down for this to happen.

Rumour had it that the ship added £150 each to their shipboard account for delaying the ship. regards Alan

[Ray66]

If she was a passenger I would have thought she would have got on the pilot boat - but that may not be allowed by Cunard - jumping from the pilot boat onto the ship when under way could be a problem for health and safety.

 

Two passengers missed the ship when we were in Dubrovnic a few years ago. Then the captain told them to get onto the pilot boat. They stood on the pilot boat roof and jumped from there - we didnt seem to slow down for this to happen.

 

The QM2 stopped for a couple to get off the pilot boat and onto the pontoon in July.

 

[david,Mississauga]

In 1989 two women passengers missed the QE2 in New York. They were brought out on a tug boat. The captain slowed the ship, about a mile south of the pier, but did not stop it. The women boarded the ship by climbing up a rope ladder. I just can't imagine something like that happening these days. (I suggested to my table-mates that it might have been safer for the two passengers to be lowered on to the deck from a helicopter like "Lucy Ricardo" was.) On that same crossing a helicopter did land some "special guests of the company" whilst we were going up the Solent. It's a pity I didn't have a video or movie camera for both of these unusual events.

[RobertQM2]

It happend on a Cruise with Westerdam, when a lady came right after we we set off the pier. The master stopped the vessel a few hundred yards out of the pier and the crew lowered one of the Zodiacs to rescue the lady from the pier (see the lady right in the middle)

 

 

When coming back to the ship half of the passengers awaited the lady on the boat deck with great cheers. Then the captain said he would put down the pedal to the metal, because we were now by an hour late. He actually did it and the vista class showed his strength doing 24.5 knt. I mad this pic of the wake right at the stern.

 

This is one of my favorite wake pics.