Star is sucking right now!!

[CaliforniaDreamer]

Boarding time for the one day cruise was Noon on the cruise ticket. They started letting us board at 2:00.

 

OP must have arrived an hour early.

 

It was aggravating to wait, but once onboard i quickly forgot about it and cannot for the life of me figure out why this person would think we should be compensated!

[klingoncruiser]

Ya know, if I opted out of sailing with a cruise line every time customs had screwed up.... I would have to take a canoe...

[Ms belp]

I believe we have been on 8 NCL cruises and never had a problem with customs. I guess our time is coming.:p

[Ms belp]

Boarding time for the one day cruise was Noon on the cruise ticket. They started letting us board at 2:00.

 

OP must have arrived an hour early.

 

It was aggravating to wait, but once onboard i quickly forgot about it and cannot for the life of me figure out why this person would think we should be compensated!

 

It is called "entitlement mentality".

[NCL_Cruiser]

I hope we hear from some of the pax. I was very close to taking this cruise myself! I wonder if the suite guests had it any better.

 

I can tell you from first hand experience that we didn't. We were in one of the Villas, and I knew it wasn't going to be as special as I hoped when we arrived and were put into the general line...no VIP check-in (not even a balcony/mini-suite line). We were told to stand in the short line, but watched people who arrived after us get through the "long line" and be checked in while we waited.

 

We finally got to a pier clerk (and yes, I understand they aren't NCL employees), and she seemed oblivious to the process. She couldn't even figure out how to set four people up on one credit card account for on board purchases. At this point, we were already frustrated with her, and didn't notice she hadn't handed us our key cards. She then tried to hurry us off to the main waiting area, rather than telling us to go to the VIP lounge. It was when we protested that she finally realized she hadn't given us the proper instructions, but still didn't find us the promised escort to the VIP lounge. She also told us my 80 year old mother in law would need to sit in a seat near the check in line to wait for a wheelchair...45 minutes later, we rescued her, as no one bothered to bring her the promised chair.

 

When we originally got to the VIP lounge, we were greeted by empty coffee, water and orange juice containers, and platters of crumbs from the sandwiches that had already been eaten. Some time later, a crew member brought a few platters with sandwiches, but many of those were grabbed by non-suites guests who followed him like he was the Pied Piper. He tried this twice before finally giving up. After waiting about an hour and a half, the concierge finally came and met with us (after all of the other VIP guests WITH key cards boarded). She was unaware that we had no way of getting on board, or that we STILL needed the wheelchair.

 

Once on board, we did have a nice lunch at Cagney's, even though we were originally told it was too late, and that lunch there was already over.

 

After a couple hours getting the guests who hadn't cruised with NCL acquainted with the ship, and spending time enjoying the hot tub and sauna, we went to Ginza for dinner. Now, keep in mind, I'm not new to NCL or Freestyle. I've sailed NCL since 2004, and would be Gold if I hadn't done most of my cruising as an employee of the line. I'm generally quick (almost to a fault) to defend NCL's dining wait times. However, I can't see any excuse for the way we were originally handled at dinner. Drink orders were forgotten, iced tea glasses were left empty for 15-20 minutes, even after several requests for refills, three entrées were either left in the kitchen or never put into the system, and the fried shrimp entrée was substituted with a fried rice side as my mother in law's dinner. At least the head maître d’ (the one in the stripes, not the one in the tux) realized the severity of the situation, and comped us the food that was served.

 

The cherry to top off the night was when my mother in law (poor woman...from the sounds of it, she was abused by NCL...LOL) tried to buy a couple of souvenirs from the gift shop, and was told in front of everybody that her "card had been shut off." Imagine the embarrassment. She came to us almost in tears, because we had set her spending up on our credit card account, and she was afraid of what this meant to us. I tried calling the concierge, but by this time, she was already off duty, and apparently didn't think repeated calls from one of the two suites on deck 14 warranted being addressed. Therefore, we waited 20 minutes at reception, and were eventually told that only MY key card was set up for spending, and that my wife, mother in law, and the last guest who only uses cash didn't have an account set up at all...it wasn't shut down, it was never opened. The clerk assured me he would have this fixed immediately, and would have the concierge contact me, since I had expressed my frustration about her to him. Apparently he contacted her directly in her cabin, because before I could get back to the gift shop, she was on the phone with me. She apologized for not returning my earlier calls (I had called about a photo studio issue that I don't want to go into), and said everything should be fine...and was surprised when I told her that the clerk just ran the card again, and the front desk HADN'T opened the account.

 

Needless to say, I was very disappointed with my experience on this one nighter. It was my fourth, and I went in with my eyes wide open that they rarely go smoothly, but I suppose I may have let my guard down some since I was in Villa, and just "KNEW" they wouldn't screw up on a Villa guest. But alas, I guess it can be said they treated everyone equally poorly on this one. But I am certain that my cruise in the Courtyard next week on the Epic will make up for the failings of this one nighter...if not, I'll be crushed.

 

Scot

[SakeDad]

WOW!:eek: I have someone on this for their first cruise to see if she liked cruising and I'm afraid to call her to ask now!

[newmexicoNita]

Well, I was going to comment that it was an irritating experience but than I thought how well some of the passengers from the Splender handled their situation.

 

I am sure it wasn't the best ever cruise and the wait would have gotten the cruise off to a crappy start, but you are right, think about the Splender passengers and how well many handled the situation. Of course there were those who were anything but accepting of a situation that couldn't be helped.

 

As for the poster here wanting compensation, I think that is the biggest joke I have ever heard.

[M & V of Land]

Let me first start off by saying my comment about wanting to be compensated was indeed over the top. It was just the frustration at the moment of the whole ordeal of being delayed and not being told what the problem was. This was a short cruise and getting shorter as the delay grew longer. We had left the house in the morning not having anything for breakfast. Figured we would have lunch onboard around 11:30 which added to the frustration. The cruise itself had it's positives and negatives that I will post in the correct review area at a later date.

[groo]

I can understand that! I'm a short fuse kind of person myself. I find it's getting better as I get older, but I think I just forget about what made me mad faster :).

[mikewrit]

I wonder how long NCL will stick with San Pedro given such problems. When we took the Star out of San Pedro for the Panama passage last month, the ship was delayed leaving for several hours because the longshore shift ended just as a couple of semis of groceries arrived and the hotel crew had to unload the trucks. I'd like to see an explanation of how Customs or any other official justifies making life miserable for 2,000 paying customers.

[swedish weave]

I wonder how long NCL will stick with San Pedro given such problems. When we took the Star out of San Pedro for the Panama passage last month, the ship was delayed leaving for several hours because the longshore shift ended just as a couple of semis of groceries arrived and the hotel crew had to unload the trucks. I'd like to see an explanation of how Customs or any other official justifies making life miserable for 2,000 paying customers.

 

NCL has already scheduled the Star to do the winters in Tampa rather than the Mexican Riviera after the April 30 cruise, so they won't be using San Pedro on a regular basis.

 

I would be utterly amazed if you could get an explanation from Customs !!

[GigCrusier]

I wonder how long NCL will stick with San Pedro given such problems. When we took the Star out of San Pedro for the Panama passage last month, the ship was delayed leaving for several hours because the longshore shift ended just as a couple of semis of groceries arrived and the hotel crew had to unload the trucks. I'd like to see an explanation of how Customs or any other official justifies making life miserable for 2,000 paying customers.

I have sailed out of San Pedro on Princess more than once with no issues or delays. Does only NCL have problems with this port?

[njhorseman]

I have sailed out of San Pedro on Princess more than once with no issues or delays. Does only NCL have problems with this port?

 

CBP or ICE can delay clearing any ship in any port at any time. It's happened to us more than once in more than one port on more than one cruise line.

 

Earlier this year a Princess ship had problems disembarking in Brooklyn when the longshoremen decided to call in sick one day. Must have been the cruise line's fault, right?

[love2bonboard]

Not to keep rumors floating, but I was told by the passport agent/customs that they were all ready for us to get in at 7:15, but the ship got in late and then he said something about customs had an issue w/ an NCL employee which caused the long delay. I missed my 12:40 flight home, but it all worked out. We had a great cruise.

[swedish weave]

The one nighter out of San Pedro on the Star is not starting on the right foot. We are currently delayed 3 hours from boarding. It took them an hour and half to tell us it's a customs problem. We currently have this ship booked for Alaska cruise. Right this minute we are truly considering canceling and going back to RCCL.*

We better be compensated for this inconvenience. Jeezzz I just looked up and this terminal is packed with standing room only now. *

 

I noticed your post time was 1:20pm, and boarding time was supposed to be noon. That is 1 hour and 20 minutes delay instead of three hours.

[brfan]

I noticed your post time was 1:20pm, and boarding time was supposed to be noon. That is 1 hour and 20 minutes delay instead of three hours.

 

It shows as 4:20 pm on my computer - November 19th, 2010, 04:20 PM

[CaliforniaDreamer]

You must be in the Eastern time zone.

 

 

I already posted earlier that we boarded at 2:00.

[njhorseman]

It shows as 4:20 pm on my computer - November 19th, 2010, 04:20 PM

 

It shows that because you're signed in from the Eastern Standard Time zone. If you were signed in from the Pacific Standard Time Zone it would show 1:20 pm.

[Right Rudder]

Let me first start off by saying my comment about wanting to be compensated was indeed over the top. It was just the frustration at the moment of the whole ordeal of being delayed and not being told what the problem was. This was a short cruise and getting shorter as the delay grew longer. We had left the house in the morning not having anything for breakfast. Figured we would have lunch onboard around 11:30 which added to the frustration. The cruise itself had it's positives and negatives that I will post in the correct review area at a later date.

 

Totally understandable... And I can understand that on a CTN, the demand far exceeds the service supply. I too had my positive and negatives. Overall it was a good cruise sampler.

[M & V of Land]

I noticed your post time was 1:20pm, and boarding time was supposed to be noon. That is 1 hour and 20 minutes delay instead of three hours.

 

Actually boarding time posted is 12:00. Past cruises we have been on they board an hour ahead of posted time.

[newmexicoNita]

I wonder how long NCL will stick with San Pedro given such problems. When we took the Star out of San Pedro for the Panama passage last month, the ship was delayed leaving for several hours because the longshore shift ended just as a couple of semis of groceries arrived and the hotel crew had to unload the trucks. I'd like to see an explanation of how Customs or any other official justifies making life miserable for 2,000 paying customers.

 

and when we came back from our Mex Riv cruise about 3 years ago, disembarkation was a nightmere for some reason. The only other problem we have had in recent years was the Spirit a couple of years ago: only 2 custom workers showed up for work that morning. That was out of New Orleans of course.

 

By the way, The Star is leaving San Pedro anyway.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I have sailed out of San Pedro on Princess more than once with no issues or delays. Does only NCL have problems with this port?

 

absolutely not just NCL. It depends on the sailing and the situation. Just because you have sailed out on Princess doesn't mean they never have any problems. We didn't have nay on Princess either, thank goodness, but these problems on customs and port authority delays, nothing to do with any cruise line.

 

Nita

[dznymom]

I have sailed out of San Pedro on Princess more than once with no issues or delays. Does only NCL have problems with this port?

 

Perhaps you should go to the other boards and ask them.

[OceanDreaming2]

It's my understanding, Customs checked each and every passenger at disembarkation. That would be a nightmare!