Royal Caribbean strands 145 passengers in San Juan when Irene forces early departure

[johneeo]

The captian did not make a "logical" call. He could have either announced to all passengers leaving they needed to return to port by 1-2 due to an incoming hurricane OR...choose not to port at all due to the hurricane.

 

You need to get your facts in line about this situation.:rolleyes:

 

There were NO passengers. The cruise was just beginning. The ship was docked and waiting to begin a new cruise.

 

Read all of the posts in this thread.

[TWELVEOHONE]

Lets all get real.

Many hurricanes have shifted several miles one way or the other last hours. When I watch the weather channels they use half dozen or so computer modles and they are all different.

 

From what I read RCCL was informed in the afternoon that they had to leave port. The vast majority of passengers not on the ship were flying in and could not be reached if they tried. No cell phones on planes. In addition if somehow the captain was informed and notified everyone on the planes, its too late.

[readytogo2]

I'm a little shocked at why a person would take a cell phone when touring. Unless they have an "international plan" it seems like it would just be a paperweight...an EXPENSIVE paperweight should they receive text or calls during the time. We put ours on airplane mode.

 

If we get a signal in the Caribbean, we always take our cell phones with us...hey it's a good thing, not only to call family back home, but in case of an emergency. I believe we can get texts for 5 cent or maybe 10 cents. If I get separated from my wife we can call each other to meet up.

[jagsfan]

I'm just curious why RCCL or any other cruise line should pay to transport people who

were left through no fault of the cruise line, and who chose to book their air independently of the cruise line. Since I don't have my cell phone set up for international calls, there is

no way anyone could reach me. I have a feeling that when the port authorities gave

the order to leave, there wouldn't have been time for even alerted pax to get to the

ship. The ship is under control of the port, and can't refuse to leave then told.

I would think anyone on a ship sponsored shore excursion or staying in a pre-cruise hotel

booked through the ship would be transported to the next port to meet the ship. Anyone

else is not the burden of the cruise line until they have checked in and boarded. Leaving the ship again after checking in is always a risk for the pax. We have done it, but if the

same circumstances had occurred to us, we would have expected to make our own way

to the next port.

[Ocean Boy]

Always, always read the fine print of your cruise contract and of course, buy travel insurance.

 

Well here is a summary of the cruise contract in a nutshell....

 

The cruise line has all the rights. The passenger has no rights. If you feel that you deserve compensation for "fill in the blank" then you, obviously, have not read the contract.;)

[johneeo]

Leaving the ship again after checking in is always a risk for the pax.

 

I do not for a moment think that anyone checked in and then left the ship.

[Ocean Boy]

We all have responsibilities.I know if I was there knowing a hurricane was coming, I would not go sightseeing.

 

 

If you knew that a hurricane was coming you would not go sightseeing but you would get on a ship and go on a cruise?

[DragonMouse]

I misunderstood the story...I read it and interpreted "stranding" passengers to mean leaving while in a NEW port...not sail away. :( Oops. I gathered more fuel when someone mentioned about a passengers AmEx card and passports in the ship safe (conculded they would have been on board already).

 

No I don't think I'd have my cell phone available because it's a different country...but I totally believe in flying in a day or two early...regardless of this ships schedule...I don't trust airports to be timely anymore...I also like to board ASAP...but that's just me. You would think though the 145 would or SHOULD have heard SOME news throughout the day about an incoming hurricane and checked in with RCI just to be safe...Of course if they were just flying in they'd be screwed regardless.

 

I kinda still feel if they left SIGNIFICANTLY early they should either transport them to the next port or refund the cruise money. Then the passengers could enjoy the port and make the best of it till their flight home.

[readytogo2]

If you knew that a hurricane was coming you would not go sightseeing but you would get on a ship and go on a cruise?

 

Well I surely would get on the ship that takes you out of the path of a hurricane... definitely not stay on the Island that it's heading for. Are you implying paid passengers should stay home?

[oldguysandgalls]

johneeo,

That's for sure. Even when there's good weather we fly in a day or so before the cruise. We even go and check out where the cruise terminal is and we make sure we get there bright and early the day of departure. Storm or no storm, we are there. :D

 

Personally, if I was going on this cruise, I would have been in touch with RCI regularly to see what effects this hurricane would have on my cruise.

 

I would also have been one of the first in line to get on the ship.

[setsail]

I do not for a moment think that anyone checked in and then left the ship.

 

I remember a few years back sailing out of Ensenada(on rccl), mexico (hawaii cruise) that the departure time was in the evening. We got on the ship early afternoon and were encouraged to go ashore in Ensenada if we wanted to, to shop or sightsee,just be back an hour or so before sailing. I think the ship left around 9pm-it was dark.

 

If you were not there..................

[SliderNc]

How do you know that the left-behind passengers were flying in the same day of the cruise? Maybe they had arrived the night before, and simply hadn't gone to the port yet, given that (normally) they would have still had hours remaining before it was time to depart.

 

Look at it this way. Suppose you were booked on a flight that was scheduled to leave at 5:00 p.m. You were even diligent enough to call the airline that morning, and they said the flight was operating on schedule. What time would you present yourself at the airport? I would bet that most people would aim to be there between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. Now, suppose the plane left at 2:00 p.m.? I'll bet you would insist that the airline take care of you, one way or another . . . regardless of whether you had flight insurance or had booked through the airline or whatever else.

 

I really can't answer your question for you as a business traveler, I'm always pushing the edge of the envelope when it comes to airlines and flight times and when I get to the airport, sometimes on purpose, sometimes because I have to. But I do understand what you are saying. My one saving grace most of the time is my Star Alliance and Sky Miles statuses.

 

How do you know they weren't on flights the same day though? The article doesn't provide any statement to say that they were or were not.

 

Sailing this area, during hurricane season, is a big gamble. Ships have written into their contracts that they will change itins at a moments notice and for any reason. Generally, when the port authority tells everyone to get out of town, it's for safety reasons. Staying docked probably wasn't safe.

 

I do feel bad for these people that their vacations were ruined, however, I would never book a cruise during hurricane season and not take out insurance. Why spend all this money to vacation and not take out insurance for situations like these? Again, Royal could have handled it better, even if it was mass emailing everyone on the manifest to let them know the possibility of leaving early, however, for those arriving that late, what good would have it done if they were?

[FreshOffTheBoat]

Why is everyone bringing up that fact that they should arrive a day or two ahead? That has nothing to do with this situation. The situation is that a cruise ship was suppose to leave at 830 p.m. The port authorities forced the ship to leave early without any warning to them or the passengers.

 

145 people just assumed they still had time as no one had told them anything different. They all just arrive at the pier and the ship is gone and no one is there to explain why. These people weren't late according to the cruise contracts the cruise line gave out.

 

Maybe the problem is with the PR Port Authority Officials, what they couldn't give RCI or Carnival a few more hours? Sounds like they just told them last second to leave and you have no choice, and that they don't care they are leaving passengers behind.

 

IDK the whole situation is messy.

[time4u2go]

Lets all get real.

Many hurricanes have shifted several miles one way or the other last hours. When I watch the weather channels they use half dozen or so computer modles and they are all different.

 

From what I read RCCL was informed in the afternoon that they had to leave port. The vast majority of passengers not on the ship were flying in and could not be reached if they tried. No cell phones on planes. In addition if somehow the captain was informed and notified everyone on the planes, its too late.

Do you know this for a fact? I didn't recall seeing this.

[Ocean Boy]

Well I surely would get on the ship that takes you out of the path of a hurricane... definitely not stay on the Island that it's heading for. Are you implying paid passengers should stay home?

 

I am not implying anything. If people landed in San Juan and there was nice weather and bright blue skies (I have no idea what it was like in San Juan on Saturday) they simply may have not changed there plans for sightseeing. If they walked out of the airport and the winds were blowing with downpours they may have acted differently. However, I might not have been too excited about heading out to sea if the storm was already there.

 

And if you say that these people should have had a pretty good idea of what was going on before they left home then that would imply to me that RCI also had plenty of time to get a warning out to folks that they may want to get to the ship as early as possible due to possible impending issues.

 

American Airlines will notify me about my flight status at whatever time that I request. They will send out a followup update if anything changes after the first notification. They can do this for each passenger who requests the update and they put over 1000 planes into the sky every day. RCI can't do this for 20 ships?

[CruisinManiac]

How do we even know if the passengers were not alerted to this change in time? Hmmm :rolleyes: Maybe they were, or at least some that had the means to receive emergency messages! We for one would not have had our phones on in the air, or on tours. However, there was nothing they could do if they are enroute to the ship, either by air or off on tours after arriving in San Juan. No way to get to the ship on time.

 

If you think about it, 145 passengers are not many passengers when you compare with how many the ship holds. I bet that some of them were already delayed by cancelled and delayed flights.

[readytogo2]

Why is everyone bringing up that fact that they should arrive a day or two ahead? That has nothing to do with this situation. The situation is that a cruise ship was suppose to leave at 830 p.m. The port authorities forced the ship to leave early without any warning to them or the passengers.

 

145 people just assumed they still had time as no one had told them anything different. They all just arrive at the pier and the ship is gone and no one is there to explain why. These people weren't late according to the cruise contracts the cruise line gave out.

 

Maybe the problem is with the PR Port Authority Officials, what they couldn't give RCI or Carnival a few more hours? Sounds like they just told them last second to leave and you have no choice, and that they don't care they are leaving passengers behind.

 

IDK the whole situation is messy.

 

The reason we fly in a day early is for unseen circumstances and to make sure we can get on the ship on the early side ...I think this is one of those circumstances.

[macbasset]

The one time we did AOS out of Puerto Rico, we checked in around 1-2 pm and went to our cabin and then left to explore old town san juan since we had several hours before the muster drill and all aboard. When you depart at 8:30 pm, there is a lot of time to see that port city before you have to be back on board. Of course, if I knew a hurricane was coming, I wouldn't have left the ship because I tend to be nervous/ anxious about stuff like that.

[temple1]

Why is everyone bringing up that fact that they should arrive a day or two ahead? That has nothing to do with this situation. The situation is that a cruise ship was suppose to leave at 830 p.m. The port authorities forced the ship to leave early without any warning to them or the passengers.

 

145 people just assumed they still had time as no one had told them anything different. They all just arrive at the pier and the ship is gone and no one is there to explain why. These people weren't late according to the cruise contracts the cruise line gave out.

 

Maybe the problem is with the PR Port Authority Officials, what they couldn't give RCI or Carnival a few more hours? Sounds like they just told them last second to leave and you have no choice, and that they don't care they are leaving passengers behind.

 

IDK the whole situation is messy.

 

 

Give them a few more hours?? That was a joke, correct? Do you know anything about hurricanes? Between the wind, waves, rain and riptides the port authority, no matter how much authority has been given to them cannot tell a hurricane to hold off for a bit.

 

Perhaps I do not read as thoroughly as you do, where did it mention no one was there to direct the guests who missed the boat?

[temple1]

If you think about it, 145 passengers are not many passengers when you compare with how many the ship holds. I bet that some of them were already delayed by cancelled and delayed flights.

 

Serenade at capacity is about 2,500 or a little less so it was about 6%.

 

The newspaper story was so poor it was hard to tell if it was an actual 145 passengers left standing at the gate or 145 of the total booked whether they made it to the port or not.

[time4u2go]

How do we even know if the passengers were not alerted to this change in time? Hmmm :rolleyes: Maybe they were, or at least some that had the means to receive emergency messages! We for one would not have had our phones on in the air, or on tours. However, there was nothing they could do if they are enroute to the ship, either by air or off on tours after arriving in San Juan. No way to get to the ship on time.

 

If you think about it, 145 passengers are not many passengers when you compare with how many the ship holds. I bet that some of them were already delayed by cancelled and delayed flights.

Because there was a quote by a RCI person saying that they couldn't.

[FreshOffTheBoat]

Give them a few more hours?? That was a joke, correct? Do you know anything about hurricanes? Between the wind, waves, rain and riptides the port authority, no matter how much authority has been given to them cannot tell a hurricane to hold off for a bit.

 

Perhaps I do not read as thoroughly as you do, where did it mention no one was there to direct the guests who missed the boat?

 

First off people are saying the carnival ship stayed till 6. The hurricane wasn't going to hit the port right away or the SHIP would of made the decision to leave. The cruise line is blaming the PORT AUTHORITIES for making them leave, not saying they left for the passengers safety. They are saying they left because they were told to leave and had no choice. If the hurricane was that close they would of never docked there and they would of come in late.

 

Also it said in one of the articles that the lady went to the dock at 5 and no one was there to tell her why the ship was not there.

[temple1]

First off people are saying the carnival ship stayed till 6. The hurricane wasn't going to hit the port right away or the SHIP would of made the decision to leave. The cruise line is blaming the PORT AUTHORITIES for making them leave, not saying they left for the passengers safety. They are saying they left because they were told to leave and had no choice. If the hurricane was that close they would of never docked there and they would of come in late.

 

Also it said in one of the articles that the lady went to the dock at 5 and no one was there to tell her why the ship was not there.

 

The ships arrive in San Juan pretty early in the morning. A hurricane can change speed and direction fairly fast. For what is safe at noon is not necessarily safe at 8PM. If you've been in a port with multiple ships they will all depart about 15 to 30 minutes between ships.

 

The woman who arrived at 5:30 only said she arrived and the gates were locked and the ship was gone.

 

Just today I've had the Weather Channel on most of the day because between this morning at about 8 am and today at 1 PM, Irene went from a good probability of hitting my house to an almost complete miss.

[foxgoodrich]

 

Perhaps I do not read as thoroughly as you do, where did it mention no one was there to direct the guests who missed the boat?

 

It was in the USA Today story....pasted below:

One passenger, Nicole Washington of Baltimore, said when she and her family arrived at the docks Sunday around 5:30 p.m., the gates were locked and the ship gone, she told Miami's WFOR-TV, a CBS affiliate.

 

The Baltimore woman says she doesn't understand why the cruise line didn't e-mail or call her about the schedule change.

 

"In the time before my cruise, they were contacting me and e-mailing me about things," she told the station. "I can't believe this big, billion dollar company couldn't have contacted me to tell me the ship was leaving early. They had my phone number."

 

Royal Caribbean said it wasn't possible. "There was no way to notify our guests of this change in departure time," Martinez said. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our guests, but this decision was made by the Port of San Juan to ensure the safe transit of all guests and crew through the port."

[ropomo]

Based on this thread so far, I expect that alot of you won't agree with what I think, but I am finding this discussion amazing and a clear example of not letting the "facts" cloud the issue. In my opinion, there are really a few important facts that were not stated in the news story and it appears no one on this thread knows as fact.

• How much time was the captain actually given to clear the port? Yes, the story did say that traffic was being restricted beginning at 12:30pm, but that could mean about anything from no new entries of large ships to increased spacing between traffic. Bottom line, we don't know what that means. But don't let me stop anyone from assuming what the "facts" are
  
• With reference to the above, how rare is it to be ordered out of a port early, especially San Juan. If this is a rare occurance, it is very likely that the Captain had absolutely no reason to expect it to happen. If when the order did come, he was given a very short window to clear the port, there would not be a lot anyone could do. If he had 30 minutes, how much help do you think phone calls or texts would have? But again, don't let me stop anyone from assuming what the "facts" are.
  

Anyway, just my thoughts. I'm sorry anyone was left behind, but bottom line, based on the "facts" known, the only short coming I can be sure of is that RCI should have had someone at the pier to meet the late arrivers rather than a padlock.

 

Richard