Serenade early departure 8/21 - what I heard and saw.

[jmf123]

See if this will work. It's a bit grainy since it's not an HD video but the clock is clearly visible.

 

 

 

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Nice video Gina, thanks! Those passengers embarking have no idea (yet!) how lucky they are! :eek:

[bus man]

Makes sense. thanks.

 

I feel terrible for the people who showed up to find the Serenade gone because it left early, but to show up with the ship still threre and be turned away! I think that would upset me more!

 

While waiting for a flight at LAX one time, I was watching another flight board. Five minutes before the scheduled departure time, they closed the door to the jetway. Then someone ran up, but they wouldn't reopen the door and let him board. Meanwhile, the plane was just sitting there, with the jetway still in place; it stayed there until the scheduled departure time.

 

The latecomer was furious, and honestly, so was I. I think that's how I would have felt if I were one of those 8 people who got to the port with the Serenade still there, but were denied entry.

[bus man]

But..(and we don't know that yet) if the 8 passengers actually walked up the gangway, the port master must have realised that the 8 passengers had already cleared pre-boarding check-in and as such the electronic manifest up-date would be updated albeit it later? Sorry, if we are missing something here.

 

No. They had not checked in so they never made to the gangway. They walked into the cruiseport and found they could not checkin since the manifest was already complete and the ship was in the process of departing.

 

Mommabean, how did you hear about the 8 people who came to the terminal but were not allowed to board? Could you see them from the ship? (Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but I've never been to the Port of San Juan.) Did some of them catch up with the ship later and tell you of their experiences?

[mommabean]

Mommabean, how did you hear about the 8 people who came to the terminal but were not allowed to board? Could you see them from the ship? (Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but I've never been to the Port of San Juan.) Did some of them catch up with the ship later and tell you of their experiences?

 

I posted all of this early in the thread. I see no reason to name the person in authority who directly told me of the 8 passengers.

 

 

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[bus man]

I posted all of this early in the thread. I see no reason to name the person in authority who directly told me of the 8 passengers.

 

So you did. Sorry I overlooked it.

 

And no, I'm not fishing to learn the name of the person in authority who told you this. It could have been Mr. Goldstein himself, for all I care. My interest is in learning about the events surrounding those 100-some people missing the ship.

[ssb]

See if this will work. It's a bit grainy since it's not an HD video but the clock is clearly visible.

 

 

 

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Wow thanks! I'm a bystander only and interested in dealing with my own possible future complications while cruising. You are to be complimented in assisting people exploring the facts.

[mommabean]

So you did. Sorry I overlooked it.

 

And no, I'm not fishing to learn the name of the person in authority who told you this. It could have been Mr. Goldstein himself, for all I care. My interest is in learning about the events surrounding those 100-some people missing the ship.

 

I understand. I also wonder how many of them made it to the ship in Aruba. We did see plenty of people boarding with their luggage as we got off the ship in Aruba that morning.

 

The number I heard was that 160 people missed the ship.

 

 

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[Ocean Boy]

While waiting for a flight at LAX one time, I was watching another flight board. Five minutes before the scheduled departure time, they closed the door to the jetway. Then someone ran up, but they wouldn't reopen the door and let him board. Meanwhile, the plane was just sitting there, with the jetway still in place; it stayed there until the scheduled departure time.

 

The latecomer was furious, and honestly, so was I. I think that's how I would have felt if I were one of those 8 people who got to the port with the Serenade still there, but were denied entry.

 

I agree. I can't imagine traveling all the way to San Juan and then arriving at the port to see the ship sitting there and not be allowed to board. And that is especially true taking into account that these folks technically showed up within the proper time frame for the ship's scheduled departure time.

 

I understand the issue of the ship's manifest but in light of the circumstances you would think that Homeland Security could have cut people some slack. It isn't as if people with no reservations were showing up and looking to buy a ticket to board the ship. By morning they knew who COULD be on the ship. They could have submitted the names of all of those who boarded or failed to show after the ship sailed. They would have still had plenty of time before their first foreign port call to have all the information in order.

[mommabean]

Here is the gangway removal about 11 or 12 minutes after the last video. Several more people did walk on with luggage after the ones who came at 5:20.

 

 

 

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[mommabean]

Here is the view of Old San Juan as we left. I hope the picture shows up.

 

 

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[tneah]

I agree. I can't imagine traveling all the way to San Juan and then arriving at the port to see the ship sitting there and not be allowed to board. And that is especially true taking into account that these folks technically showed up within the proper time frame for the ship's scheduled departure time.

 

I understand the issue of the ship's manifest but in light of the circumstances you would think that Homeland Security could have cut people some slack. It isn't as if people with no reservations were showing up and looking to buy a ticket to board the ship. By morning they knew who COULD be on the ship. They could have submitted the names of all of those who boarded or failed to show after the ship sailed. They would have still had plenty of time before their first foreign port call to have all the information in order.

 

 

This is how I feel about the situation that occurred, too!

[oldguysandgalls]

Aaaaaaaaah... WAKE UP RCI!!

Remember RCI...." You snooze you lose". (by that I mean, you may have 'lost' more then 145 passengers once word gets out (ooooooooooops it already has)

 

WAKE UP RCI...see those passengers running to the ship? See them running with their suitcases? That are YOUR passengers who booked passage on your ship. WAKE UP...see them running? WAKE UP RCI - WAKE UP !

[FrancescaH]

Homeland Security doesn't cut people slack... they are a government agency that follows procedure so the ship must follow that procedure which was unfortunate for those who were arriving later in the day. I sincerely hope that those passengers who were left behind were compensated in the days after. I just find it very hard to believe RC would take those passengers money and not give them something. It could be that RC doesn't want the compensation made public for fear of everyone who misses a cruise trying to get something.

[mommabean]

Aaaaaaaaah... WAKE UP RCI!!

Remember RCI...." You snooze you lose". (by that I mean, you may have 'lost' more then 145 passengers once word gets out (ooooooooooops it already has)

 

WAKE UP RCI...see those passengers running to the ship? See them running with their suitcases? That are YOUR passengers who booked passage on your ship. WAKE UP...see them running? WAKE UP RCI - WAKE UP !

 

See them running...as they should be. A hurricane is quickly approaching and it's time to get out of harm's way. San Juan took a direct hit.

 

 

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[Cuizer2]

I haven't seen a paper. But I wouldn't believe one rep who was quoted or the press.

 

I don't know if any one was contacted or if an attempt was made. I just meant most were probably on a plane so would have been unreachable anyway.

 

I would have been unhappy if the ship left me but with that weather approaching I'd have taken responsibility to call RCI myself.

 

Never believe the press.

 

Gina

 

 

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The bottom line is that Carnival did manage to take care of its passengers and Royal Caribbean did not ...

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/blog/index.php/2011/08/25/bad-weather-blunder-a-lesson-in-cruise-crisis-control/

 

Carnival Cruise Lines, whose Victory steamed for Barbados, had to leave 300 guests behind — but it also left in its wake an emergency support team. It attempted to reach out to every one of its passengers by phone, e-mail, travel agent, or emergency contact person, info that lines ask passengers for during the booking process. It arranged for hotel stays -– not an easy thing to do as a hurricane is bearing down upon a Caribbean isle -– and booked flights to Barbados for all of those who wished to meet the ship mid-cruise. Not only that, it paid the bill (about half the passengers took them up on the deal; the others accepted refunds in the form of future cruise credit).

And get this: Aside from a requirement to take care of passengers who bought air tickets through Carnival, the line technically didn’t have to do any of this. If passengers’ cruises are impacted by a weather-related event, they’re the ones who are expected to ante up the cash they need to catch up to their ships. They have no rights, afterward, to extract any compensation as a result of the inconvenience.

That, apparently, was what Royal Caribbean was counting on. Its performance has been one of the worst hurricane-related crisis response efforts I’ve seen in 14 years of covering the cruise industry. For one, Royal Caribbean made no attempt to contact passengers still en route. In a statement released only after CBS-TV’s Miami affiliate posted a story featuring an interview with a Serenade passenger who was left at the pier, the cruise line wanly excused itself by saying, “there was no way to notify our guests of this change in departure time.”

 

This takes my breath away. And it’s not about the fact that it didn’t offer to pay for hotels and flights (note to all cruise travelers: Buy insurance that covers weather!). It’s about dropping the ball in a risky situation. Clearly, I’m not the only one who is shocked at Royal Caribbean’s lack of responsibility to its customers. On Cruise Critic’s forums, its blog, and its Facebook page, travelers are incredulous.

This post from Louis Kadetsky on Facebook hits the proverbial nail on the head: “In this day of social media, Instant Messaging, television and radio (editor’s note: Not to mention smart phones), I find it unsettling that these companies can build and operate large and sophisticated ships but couldn’t have gotten the word out to their passengers.”

Especially since Carnival, which was in the same boat, managed to find a way.

[DragonMouse]

I dunno...I guess if I wanted to tour San Juan I'd plan on being there two or three days early OR plan on staying a day or two after. But...Getting there at a minimum of day early seems to be well worth it...and boarding as soon as you can. Even when we "drive" and leave out of "Galveston"...we get there the day before (unless they live less than an hour from port...). I guess I'm a little surprised at the number of people that FLY in THAT day (but then I'm not a well seasoned cruiser...I'm still a "nervous" cruiser). I guess I just don't trust airlines anymore. :rolleyes:

 

Thank you so very very VERY much for the report. I STILL think RCI failed in "customer service" (especially the 8 that were there being denied boarding because of the manifest)...but it does show things in a slightly different light than reported by the press..still bad but maybe the times were somewhat exaggerated. :eek:

 

I've been looking on cruise critics reviews hoping to hear more reports. Can the cruiselines delete these reports on the member reviews? I know if "I" was one of those left behind by whichever cruise line...whether it was the honorable Carnival that did their best for me for "neglectful" RCI that waved to me with my money as they sailed away...I would definately be posting on any and every site that would listen to the "Yay" or "Boo" I had to hollar.

[Cuizer2]

How bad was the weather in port that day?

Was it justified for them to leave early?

 

The port authority ordered them to leave. They had no choice but to comply.

[simplylife0010]

...I would definately be posting on any and every site that would listen to the "Yay" or "Boo" I had to hollar.

 

What is hollar????????:confused:

[simplylife0010]

Aaaaaaaaah... WAKE UP RCI!!

Remember RCI...." You snooze you lose". (by that I mean, you may have 'lost' more then 145 passengers once word gets out (ooooooooooops it already has)

 

WAKE UP RCI...see those passengers running to the ship? See them running with their suitcases? That are YOUR passengers who booked passage on your ship. WAKE UP...see them running? WAKE UP RCI - WAKE UP !

 

LOL....... This is SO dramatic.

[DragonMouse]

What is hollar????????:confused:

 

Awww shucks...some of y'alls spell it "holler"...:p

[Mac303]

Yes they were ordered to leave early.

Yes the ships personnel did everything correctly.

Yes once the manifest is transmitted its deemed final.

 

Yes passengers arrived on time but were denied boarding or the ship had already departed.

 

NO RCL didn't attempted to contact passengers. (as stated by an RCL official)

 

NO RCL didn't take care of all the passengers who missed the ship.

 

I know all about arriving a day ahead of time.

 

I also know some people can't arrive a day early for many reasons.

 

I know the cruise contract is in RCL's favor (after all they wrote it)

 

BUT: Customer service should mean that a customer who followed all

the rules should be given some consideration.

 

I believe the longer RCL is quiet on this it will only hurt the company.

 

I am not changing my cruise line of choice, but I am now aware of how I may be treated by my cruise line of choice.

 

[mjldvlks]

The port authority ordered them to leave. They had no choice but to comply.

 

I don't think anyone is faulting RCI for complying with the orders of the authorities. The issues are the lack of any attempt to notify the passengers that early departure was a possibility [which I think RCI knew at least by Saturday] and how RCI dealt with the stranded passengers after the fact. The cruise line says it complied with its contract for the stranded passenger -- if it were me, I might have tried to do more, but I will give them a pass on that. The failure to even try to notify passengers of the possibility of early departure with a lot of time to do so, is to me inexcusable.

[simplylife0010]

Awww shucks...some of y'alls spell it "holler"...:p

 

Not where I'm from.

[jonbgd]

The port authority ordered them to leave. They had no choice but to comply.

Thats not what I asked but thanks for your 2cents:rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

Homeland Security doesn't cut people slack... they are a government agency that follows procedure so the ship must follow that procedure which was unfortunate for those who were arriving later in the day. I sincerely hope that those passengers who were left behind were compensated in the days after. I just find it very hard to believe RC would take those passengers money and not give them something. It could be that RC doesn't want the compensation made public for fear of everyone who misses a cruise trying to get something.

 

And this government agency could not have something in its procedure manual to deal with situations that fall out of the ordinary as this one did? As I remember it, another government agency, the IRS, has cut breaks for people on tax filing deadlines due to weather related issues.