Would the ship wait for u?

[Taxguy77]

We've never missed a ship but coming close once was one too many times and ever since then we fly in at least the day before. I will say that the one time we flew in the day of the cruise it was HAL provided air and they worked with us the whole day getting us into Ft Lauderdale in time for the sailing. I give them props for that and it wasn't their fault we first got caught in a weather delay and then a broken plane. We leave tomorrow for our cruise out of Barcelona....two days early. :)

 

Two days in Barcelona sounds good, get relaxed, used to the time difference and have some good food and music.

 

We had a schedule that was gauranteed to miss the boat the last time we used cruiseline air! :eek: Paid extra to get a good flight and still just barely made it.

[sapper1]

This must be part of the reason that we get along so well:D;).

 

Tee hee:)

[sammiedawg]

We were on a Princess cruise out of Whittier Alaska, we waited 3 hours for a late group with flight problems. They once waited for someone in our group who was late getting back to the ship from the town, we are forever grateful. They couldn't have been nicer to us and someone from the staff sent flowers to the wife, who was beside herself thinking they would leave without him.

Things can happen to the best of us. Many people who are working cannot fly in early, sometimes it is impossible to get the extra time off.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We live near NYC, so a lot of our cruises have been from there, which means no flying!

 

I think I've used a cruiseline's air three times. Twice to England and we arrived in Heathrow the day of the sailing. We were lucky and everything went well. The other time we flew to Miami a day early, which forced us into using the cruise line's hotel package, which we thought was overpriced.

 

Any other time we haven't sailed out of NYC, we've made our own air and hotel arrangements and flown a few days before the cruise. it's worth the extra work to fly the airline you want at the time you want. And I've always found hotels better (more to our liking) and less expensive than those the cruise line uses.

[WriterOnDeck]

On my parents' first cruise, their initial flight was delayed and they missed the connecting flight (which I was already on) to FLL. No one waited, but someone (guessing HAL) arranged for their lodging in Florida, first-class air to St. Maarten and lodging for two nights there at an all-inclusive luxury resort. They really enjoyed it.

 

However, their main memory was of the several-fee-high pile of luggage waiting for the tender at St. Maarten (no cruise dock then) -- a lot of people were without checked luggage! So we always fly in at least one day early now.

[serendipity1499]

I had trouble too. Dragging your cursor over it to highlight it to white-on-blue makes it easier.

 

Thanks John...That did work

 

I made the irrelevant portions of the policy grey, so it would draw attention to the parts that the OP was looking for... sorry.

 

Understand, but even the orange writing gave me problems.. I have an old P.C. & don't normally wear glasses when I'm using it, but some colors are very hard for me to read...These old eyes, ain't what they used to be..LOL..John's suggestion about dragging the curser over the entire post worked..

Cheers..Betty

[JamesEM]

A couple of years ago we sailed out of PR and the ship was delayed 2 hours becase a charted flight out of NY was delayed due to bad weather.

[gregdude]

I took a HAL cruise out of Rio two years ago that waited 5 hours for a very delayed flight with 24 passengers from Houston. The plane had mechanical trouble and had to wait for parts and repairs. Since our first port was a hundred miles away from Rio the captain waited until 10:00 PM to depart and they opened the dinning room so that the late passengers could get something to eat. I thought this was a very kind on the part of HAL and the captain of the Veendam.

[jtl513]

John's suggestion about dragging the curser over the entire post worked..

I learned that back when we had a regular poster who insisted on using pink all the time. Remember her? ;)

[HamburgAvonLady]

All the previous stories are GREAT endorsements for buying Travel Insurance. Probably won't save the stress of missing the boat but certainly will help for all those extra expenses (flights, hotels, transfers, replacing lost luggage/clothes, etc.). We live in the part of the country which usually requires connections to either Cal. or Fla. not to mention sometimes unreliable weather -- so we always fly in at least the day before.

[serendipity1499]

I learned that back when we had a regular poster who insisted on using pink all the time. Remember her? ;)

 

Oh Yes, that was another difficult color to read..I usually skip over those posts unless I'm really interested in the subject, but now with your suggestion, I can read them now..Thanks

To get back on the subject, First of all it depends on the Port..Now in FLL I'm sure if there were a number of Psgrs on a delayed flight, the Capt. would wait if at all possible.. Sometimes, though it's not possible due to weather alerts, tides & the Port Authorities demanding that the ship leave for one reason or another..

However, to expect the ship to wait for one or two Psgrs I think that would really be pushing it & I would never take a chance like that..If we were flying to the port, we would try to leave two days before the ship departure.. One day would not be enough of a cushion for us..As it is we leave our house before 9:a.m. to make the two hour drive to the port just in case of traffic tie up's..Once when our Van broke down before we got to Alligator Alley, we were able to limp to a Car Rental & rent another van..We called our mechanic & had him pick up our car at the rental agency.. Now when traveling with our Friends, we rent a van & split the cost..

That's my take on the matter & I'm sticking to it...:D:D;);)LOL

Cheers...:)Betty

[ASIWISH]

Thanks John...That did work

 

 

 

Understand, but even the orange writing gave me problems.. I have an old P.C. & don't normally wear glasses when I'm using it, but some colors are very hard for me to read...These old eyes, ain't what they used to be..LOL..John's suggestion about dragging the curser over the entire post worked..

Cheers..Betty

 

Actually, I'm glad someone said something.. I won't do it again.

 

Thanks!

[serendipity1499]

Actually, I'm glad someone said something.. I won't do it again.

 

Thanks!

 

I'm sorry didn't mean to crimp your style..I can use JTL's suggestion, so don't do it just on my account..

Thanks..:)Betty

[ASIWISH]

I'm sorry didn't mean to crimp your style..I can use JTL's suggestion, so don't do it just on my account..

Thanks..:)Betty

 

HaHa!!! You didn't crimp anything...!

 

I think that's why God created the BOLD button for, versus the ORANGE button.

 

Have a great day, Betty!

[Watson's aunt]

any ship has to sail on tide, They also must leave when port aothorities tells them. Not ships fault.. I am sure no one will mind if 2-3 hrs will be taken off next port. I can hear the screams now

 

Mary

[ellieanne]

any ship has to sail on tide' date=' They also must leave when port aothorities tells them. Not ships fault.. I am sure no one will mind if 2-3 hrs will be taken off next port. I can hear the screams now

 

Mary[/quote']

 

Port times are never guaranteed. I know there is much complaining on board, but nothing is ever set in stone on the ships. People may mind the altered port times, but there is really nothing they can do.

 

On one cruise, we were over 6 hours delayed into Jamaica because the anchor got stuck over the bulbous bow when we anchored/tendered at Grand Cayman.

 

On another cruise, we had engine trouble and had an unscheduled overnight at Key West.

 

And sometimes the ships leave early. That's happened on cruises in Quebec and Bar Harbor. When the ships have sailed early, I know passengers (and in one case, crew) were left behind.

[jcrandle]

Many years ago, a CD on Carnival was pointing out the importance of being on time for the ship's departure. Do you know, he asked "Who the ship will wait for if they are not on board?" Someone guessed , "The Captain?" "No, " came the response, "The staff captain is fully qualified to command the ship, and in the absence of the captain would assume command." He went on to say that it was the ship's doctor, as the ship could not sail without a qualified medical doctor on board.

 

Fast forward 15 years to our Amazon Explorer cruise where we were privileged to be seated at dinner with the ship's physician. I recounted this story, and stated that I would be shadowing him on the shore excursions to be certain that the ship didn't leave without me. He smiled, and then informed me that there were two physicians on board. While his primary responsiblity was the treatment of the passengers, the other doctor who was responsible for the crew, met the requirements of the international treaty.

 

After that, I just decided to make sure I was back on board in plenty of time. I did get, however, some great photos, of cruisers running to catch the ship, and even a few begging to have the gangway replaced.

[ellieanne]

After that, I just decided to make sure I was back on board in plenty of time. I did get, however, some great photos, of cruisers running to catch the ship, and even a few begging to have the gangway replaced.

 

On my first cruise, we stood at the railing and watched as two delayed passengers stared open-mouthed as the ship sailed away from Boston. They had notified the shore-agent that they were stuck in traffic and expected to be back in 10-15 minutes. Half an hour later, they still weren't back and Logan Air Traffic Control told the ship it had to go NOW or wait another 3 hours, which would have incurred serious overtime charged for the dock workers. The ship let loose the lines and just as the whistle blew the passengers came running up the dock.

 

My lesson was learned. I have never been late getting back to the ship. Though I do hang at the railing whenever we leave Boston, just to see if I'll be treated to a repeat performance. ;)

[serendipity1499]

On my first cruise, we stood at the railing and watched as two delayed passengers stared open-mouthed as the ship sailed away from Boston. They had notified the shore-agent that they were stuck in traffic and expected to be back in 10-15 minutes. Half an hour later, they still weren't back and Logan Air Traffic Control told the ship it had to go NOW or wait another 3 hours, which would have incurred serious overtime charged for the dock workers. The ship let loose the lines and just as the whistle blew the passengers came running up the dock.(SNIP) ;)

 

I'm curious...

Why was Logan Air Traffic Control involved in Ship Traffic, instead of the port authorities?

Is Logan Airport, that close to the port that it is involved with ship schedules/traffic or does it cause a problem to air traffic, if ships don't leave at a certain time?:confused:

Thanks....Betty

[Watson's aunt]

yes Logan is on the other side of harbor and Most planes takeoff and land on runway right beside the harbor

 

 

Mary

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

Logan airport is on left, ship sails in middle, port authority is on right

[serendipity1499]

yes Logan is on the other side of harbor and Most planes takeoff and land on runway right beside the harbor

 

Mary

 

OK thanks for your response..Have never been to Boston & now understand where Logan is located..

But I'm still curious as to why Air Traffic Control would give a Capt. an ultimatum to either leave then or wait 3 hours..I would think that the Port Harbor Master makes that decision if a ship can stay or not?

I've never heard of this before & I'm curious' date=' only because we had an office there & occasionally our flights would arr/depart Boston.. [/size']If there was a delay, one of our VP's always came into my office to find out why..:eek:

There were several times I felt the reason given to me was vague..Now wonder if ship departures & arrivals affected our arrivals & departures..

If Air Traffic Control is involved, are air traffic departures/arrivals delayed while a ship is entering or departing the harbor?

Cheers...Betty

[Adoptionmsw]

We always arrive the afternoon before if we live more than an hour away from the port. I like to board early and have lunch in the main dining room. It always gets my cruise off to the right start.

I do remember on a previous cruise, can't remember the port, that we waited around for 15 or 20 minutes past departure time and then cast off. As the ship moved away from the dock we watched a couple running toward us. Too late! The ship did not accommodate them. Someone next to me at the rail said, "I hope they have their passports and credit cards. This is going to cost them.":)

[ellieanne]

As I understand it, all arrivals/departures to the port in Boston are controlled by Logan Air Traffic Control, because the entry and exits to the harbour are in the take-off/landing flight path for the airport. Port arrivals/departures are given priority during certain times of day, and if you miss that time, you have to wait for the next port priority period. That was how Captain Mercer explained it on that first cruise.

 

I have usually been too busy watching the action on the dock to notice the air traffic when we come in to/leave Boston, so I really don't know if air traffic is suspended during the port priority period.

[Watson's aunt]

it is only suspened when one of thos big Gas ships comes into port. (not oil but gas

 

Not sure whats is call but ship is huge

 

 

Mary