I did the next to impossible- got on without a reservation!!!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

The first five words of his post is a very important clue to the mystery...

 

Just got back from sensation.

 

Yep i saw that too. Then the other poster made me doubt myself thinking maybe the poster meant just back from a sensational trip and didn't spell it correctly.

 

Oh well

 

Bill

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Yup, Just went back and reread the op's original post. I originally thought that he sailed the Sensation then went to Tampa which is where the Paradise is. The Legend only leaves on Sunday so I immediately thought the Paraside on a Thur departure.

 

 

:)

[winddawn]

Congratulations on your good fortune! I hope you had a great time with your son.

 

I thought the cruise lines are required to supply the passenger manifest to Dept of Homeland Security ahead of time....what happened to this security measure?

[ChefSusan]

The cruise line is required to get their passenger manifest to a representative of Homeland Security 2 hours before sailing. I am not sure how the OP and his son were able to do this, but kudos to them for pulling this off!

[S.S.Oceanlover]

The cruise line is required to get their passenger manifest to a representative of Homeland Security 2 hours before sailing. I am not sure how the OP and his son were able to do this, but kudos to them for pulling this off!

 

Actually it is only 60 minutes. As Tapi said they were already in the system because of being on the waitlist.:)

 

Bill

[cruzn buckeye]

I believe that his last-minute cruise is on the Paradise out of Tampa. That ship sails both 4 and 5 say itineraries. So they are either on a 4 day with a port in Cozumel or could be the 5 day with ports in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The 4 day cruises on the Paraside, for the remainder of March, are currently going at $329 pp and $474 pp for the 5 day.

Seeing that it is spring-break and it was a last minute booking, it sounds like he did ok for whatever length of cruise that he is on.

 

:)

 

 

.

the first line of his post says he was on the Sensation

[cruzn buckeye]

Congratulations on your good fortune! I hope you had a great time with your son.

 

I thought the cruise lines are required to supply the passenger manifest to Dept of Homeland Security ahead of time....what happened to this security measure?

Good for the op. I also hope they had a great time. However about this Homeland Security thing and manifest being complete and turned in two hours before sailing... doesn't say a whole lot about security, now does it? The manager let him on, does he mean cruise director, hotel manager, security manager... actually it should not have happened. Sorry op.. just don't feel real secure in the country anymore... we need all the protections we can get..

[genealogyfan]

Good for the op. I also hope they had a great time. However about this Homeland Security thing and manifest being complete and turned in two hours before sailing... doesn't say a whole lot about security, now does it? The manager let him on, does he mean cruise director, hotel manager, security manager... actually it should not have happened. Sorry op.. just don't feel real secure in the country anymore... we need all the protections we can get..

 

You could ask the OP but if he was on the waitlist maybe he already had to provide all his security info ahead of time

[bshow]

The fact that "Homeland Security" tracks your movements is an affront in itself.

[Pellaz]

Good for the op. I also hope they had a great time. However about this Homeland Security thing and manifest being complete and turned in two hours before sailing... doesn't say a whole lot about security, now does it? The manager let him on, does he mean cruise director, hotel manager, security manager... actually it should not have happened. Sorry op.. just don't feel real secure in the country anymore... we need all the protections we can get..

 

It's okay, you can still feel 'safe.' As someone else already explained, a reservation is created when (potential) passengers are waitlisted.

[kingoftheicedragons]

I believe that his last-minute cruise is on the Paradise out of Tampa. That ship sails both 4 and 5 say itineraries. So they are either on a 4 day with a port in Cozumel or could be the 5 day with ports in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. The 4 day cruises on the Paraside, for the remainder of March, are currently going at $329 pp and $474 pp for the 5 day.

Seeing that it is spring-break and it was a last minute booking, it sounds like he did ok for whatever length of cruise that he is on.

 

:)

 

 

.

 

Nope, the OP said the cruise was on Sensation, and that while they woke up in Tampa, they drove across Florida to make it get there. That puts them in Port Canaveral. So, $300/person is about right for a 4-day cruise to the Bahamas right now. Even that sounds a little high to me, but I guess it is March and spring break time now.

[CruiseHealing]

What a grate success story. The OP knew he had some extra time in FL and looked for a cruise to match his itinerary. But the ship, the CARNIVAL SENSATION, was fully booked. So he reserved his place on the wait-list. This created a reservation number and the paper work to get him through security and on the Homeland Security list. The final list must submitted by the cruise line 60 minutes prior to sailing. The OP had to be told that there was a cancelation before the list being submitted. Carnival, nor any cruise line, would not make that mistake of allowing a passenger on board that was not on the list.

 

What he did involves determination, a little luck and patience. Waiting around for 3 hours to see if there is an opening is something I would not do, but I love the success story.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Good for the op. I also hope they had a great time. However about this Homeland Security thing and manifest being complete and turned in two hours before sailing... doesn't say a whole lot about security, now does it? The manager let him on, does he mean cruise director, hotel manager, security manager... actually it should not have happened. Sorry op.. just don't feel real secure in the country anymore... we need all the protections we can get..

 

The fact that someone who was ALREADY in this country gets on a cruise ship that is LEAVING this country makes you feel less secure???:confused:

[mfs2k]

This thread reminds me of the kid's riddle that starts with "You're a bus driver..." and ends with: "What is the name of the bus driver?"

[smeyer418]

for what it is worth, the actual TSA rule is the final manifest has to be filed with TSA one hour before the ship sails. Its like your mom told you before you went swimming to wait one hour. The final manifest needs to be submitted in final form and the TSA acknowledges receipt of a properly formatted manifest. One hour later the ship may sail. If the manifest if late the ship stays until the hour passes.

As for getting on the dock you need to be on the passenger list. A passenger on standby is on that list too. The cruise line checks the passenger name and dob against the watch list issued by DHS. As long as there is no match to that list they can be on standby.

[mfs2k]

for what it is worth, the actual TSA rule is the final manifest has to be filed with TSA one hour before the ship sails. Its like your mom told you before you went swimming to wait one hour. The final manifest needs to be submitted in final form and the TSA acknowledges receipt of a properly formatted manifest. One hour later the ship may sail. If the manifest if late the ship stays until the hour passes.

As for getting on the dock you need to be on the passenger list. A passenger on standby is on that list too. The cruise line checks the passenger name and dob against the watch list issued by DHS. As long as there is no match to that list they can be on standby.

 

I'm convinced. You sound convincing. It could all be bullsh*t but it sure sounds convincing.

[thephillykid]

Sounds awful fishy to me. He has not answered any questions since the op and 1 other.

I have always wondered about trying to pack a bag and head to port everglades which is really close, but I haven't had the nerve to try it. I always check last minute with the cruise lines and the price is always really high. I have made reservations and tried to change cabins prior to boarding, but I am always told to check on board with the purser.

I would like to see a sign and sail card to really believe the story. Just my gut feeling.

Howard

[thinfool]

$300 per person is cheap.

 

You can get the same price for a cruise on that ship for March 17. (4 nights) It is an advertised rate.

[kingoftheicedragons]

My question is, what sort of documentation do you have to get in to the terminal. I can't remember how Port Canaveral is, but at some ports, they keep asking to see your boarding pass in hand to show the terminal workers (or Carnival workers, whatever the case may be). If you're on stand by, you may be on the passenger list, but you wouldn't have a boarding pass.

[Brianinidaho]

To clarify, I had been put on the waitlist and had an actual confirmation # I had in my hand from my TA. A few days before my TA had put me on that list which meant he supplied all my info to Carnival. So I had the Homeland stuff done.

 

When I got to Port Canivral I went to the terminal. I parked there for $60 but the workers said if I did not get on the ship I get my money back (as they were the workers that helped the ship get out of port, then they return to the parking area they said).

 

I did not get past security at first. In fact, when we went up to security they asked for our paperwork and all I had was our 2 passports and a writen out waitlist reservation number. They had us wait on the side, and we watched everyone go thru security. A lady came and talked to us, got our info, and went in the back 1 pm, no space, 2 pm, still booked, 3 pm, still booked. We made small talk with the ladies at the first check point before the x ray machines. They said what i was doing was rare.

At 330 a manger came out (I think the ladies reminded them I was there) and said it did not look good but we should know shortly. About 340 a higher up came out with a walkie talkie and confirmed our names with someone in the back. They cleared us, quoted us a price ($630 for 2 for a 4 day cruise on e deck on sensation during spring break), we took it, went thru x ray machines iwth our 2 carry ons (that is all we took on the whole trip but had everything including formal night!) and they ran our card at the counter and gave us our sign and sail cards, then sent us on the ship to set up our account and dinning options. We got on board during the muster drill and the rest is history. True Story!! As we got off sunday we ran into one of the ladies who knew our story and she told us it was rare. I asked about the next cruise and she told me she has to have both cabin space and lifeboat space (interesting). Right then she was full on cabins but had 4 life boat spaces.. ok...

Fun time. I told my 11 year old son our favorite saying "fortune favors the bold" and had a long talk about the law of attraction.

[sail7seas]

Good for you.

Happy you got your cruise. :)

[vols_159]

geez some posters are plain ____ (fill in the blank) good job OP hope you enjoyed the cruise

[The4Cruisers]

While I am happy that OP got on the ship and had a good time, I thought he was saying that he had no reservation (i.e. saw the ship in port and tried to buy a walk-up fare). Rather, he actually had a reservation number (albeit on the waitlist) and his TA had pre-sent his Homeland Security in already.

[Brianinidaho]

While I am happy that OP got on the ship and had a good time, I thought he was saying that he had no reservation (i.e. saw the ship in port and tried to buy a walk-up fare). Rather, he actually had a reservation number (albeit on the waitlist) and his TA had pre-sent his Homeland Security in already.

 

Correct, I should have said I did not have a cabin in the title, or a confirmed reservation. All I had was an sold out ship, a waitlist number, and the law of atraction on my side.

[Brianinidaho]

I'm convinced. You sound convincing. It could all be bullsh*t but it sure sounds convincing.

 

I have been posting here for about 10 years. Never told a lie. I should have said I have a waitlist confirmaiton # which meant my TA had put in all my info and took a $50 deposit to hold my spot. But yes, we drove to the terminal, parked, and waited and waited and was told the ship was sold out til muster time. Rushed on and pulled out to sea. It sounds convincing cause we got lucky and pulled it off.