Scary situation on ryndam today

[sr5242]

Traveling with my twin 10 yr old sons and elderly parents. Today at maya chan in costa maya I cut my foot badly and was having trouble walking back to the ship. While walking through the shopping area one of my sons wanted to look in a shop and while hobbling after him lost my other son in the crowd. With difficulty walking, I did a few laps around the stores but could not find him. I decided to go to the ship and see if he had checked himself back into the ship thinking we were there. When I entered the gangway, I explained (politely) that I could not find my son and needed them to check if he had checked in and was on board. The gentleman said I should move to the side and he'd check once he had checked in people entering on the gangway. I stepped aside, and after spending 2-3 minutes watching person after person come on and getting more and more frantic with worry, I asked if there was anyone else who could check. He begrudgingly finally sent me over to his "boss" who was checking people out on the other side. When he finally did check, it took maybe 30 seconds to tell me, thank goodness yes my son was on board.

 

I'm sorry, but I really feel that if it only took 30 seconds, the first man should have just said to the oncoming guests, "one moment please." Anyone with children will tell you that not knowing your child's welfare for even a few minutes is excruciating.

 

When I informed the front desk of this delay in assisting me in finding a lost child, the guest relations officer Enrique stated "what is the problem? You were assisted and you found him." I explained to him that when a child is missing, that should be an immediate priority. Not waiting until they check in everyone getting on. In a mall when a child is missing, they shut everything down and lock the doors. All I wanted was for the man to take 30 seconds and see if he was on board. I wasn't reporting a lost wallet, I was reporting a lost child.

 

You can flame me all you want, but all I'm trying to get at is that perhaps they need to look at their procedures and tweak how they respond to a lost child emergency. Asking people to wait 30 seconds to board would have really helped the situation, especially if heaven forbid he wasn't on board. Imagine what could have happened in the time I was waiting for them to check.

[candbgirl]

I absolutely agree with you. They should have stopped everything to check for you. I know you were frightened. I'd be frantic. Now take a deep breath and calm down and tell your son how frightened you were when he walked off without telling you. Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[superoma]

I feel your panic. I lost one of my twin daughters at a shopping mall when they were 8. this was long before Code Adam existed. The girls had been left with their Dad and uncle who got into a conversation and didn't see one of them wander away. (Yes, we found her unharmed. the store she was in actually put out a page.)

 

I, too, feel that you should have been helped immediately. If the person manning the station couldn't do a search right then and there, you should have been sent over to the other person right away.

 

Glad it all did work out.

[CruiserBruce]

Hmmm... we can disagree with you, but it is still all HAL's fault.

[sapper1]

Traveling with my twin 10 yr old sons and elderly parents. Today at maya chan in costa maya I cut my foot badly and was having trouble walking back to the ship. While walking through the shopping area one of my sons wanted to look in a shop and while hobbling after him lost my other son in the crowd. With difficulty walking, I did a few laps around the stores but could not find him. I decided to go to the ship and see if he had checked himself back into the ship thinking we were there. When I entered the gangway, I explained (politely) that I could not find my son and needed them to check if he had checked in and was on board. The gentleman said I should move to the side and he'd check once he had checked in people entering on the gangway. I stepped aside, and after spending 2-3 minutes watching person after person come on and getting more and more frantic with worry, I asked if there was anyone else who could check. He begrudgingly finally sent me over to his "boss" who was checking people out on the other side. When he finally did check, it took maybe 30 seconds to tell me, thank goodness yes my son was on board.

 

I'm sorry, but I really feel that if it only took 30 seconds, the first man should have just said to the oncoming guests, "one moment please." Anyone with children will tell you that not knowing your child's welfare for even a few minutes is excruciating.

 

When I informed the front desk of this delay in assisting me in finding a lost child, the guest relations officer Enrique stated "what is the problem? You were assisted and you found him." I explained to him that when a child is missing, that should be an immediate priority. Not waiting until they check in everyone getting on. In a mall when a child is missing, they shut everything down and lock the doors. All I wanted was for the man to take 30 seconds and see if he was on board. I wasn't reporting a lost wallet, I was reporting a lost child.

 

You can flame me all you want, but all I'm trying to get at is that perhaps they need to look at their procedures and tweak how they respond to a lost child emergency. Asking people to wait 30 seconds to board would have really helped the situation, especially if heaven forbid he wasn't on board. Imagine what could have happened in the time I was waiting for them to check.

 

You should most certainly report the incident to Seattle as it is a very important issue. Lost children situations should be top priority.

 

Years ago I found a lost and crying little girl at Disney World. Since we were in a shop I took her to the counter and the minute I mentioned a lost child, the response was immediate. The clerk shut down her till and took the child hand, quietly telling her not to worry as they had never lost a Mommy. Security appeared out of nowhere. It was quite impressive and it was obvious there was a protocol in place.

 

HAL should do no less as minutes count when a child is missing.

[sail7seas]

I can only imagine your fear and angyst and, of course, am happy to hear your son is safe.

 

How about your foot? Did Medical take good care of you and clean it up etc?

 

Hope the rest of your cruise goes smoothly with no unpleasant events.

 

[brazilgirl]

Absolutely should have been top priority.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[durangoscots]

I know if I were returning to the ship and someone ahead of me was checking to see if a young child had returned to the ship alone, I would be happy to wait a minute. 30 seconds is not long to wait to get on the ship but it is long if a child is missing. Glad your son was safe.

Susan

[Typhoon1]

A difficult problem. At least it had a positive resolution.

[kazu]

I think HAL will have to look at their protocols.

 

I totally understand your fear and panic.

 

You make some very good points and yes, I would report this - not to cause trouble but to make a constructive suggestion so that such an occurence doesn't happen again.

 

Speaking as a passenger waiting to board. I would have no problem waiting a whole 30 seconds while a parent was reassured about the whereabouts of their child.

 

Glad all is well now - try to enjoy the rest of your cruise and don't let this incident marr it.

[startwin]

No flaming from me. I agree with you totally. Are you sure he understood you? I cannot imagine someone reacting in that way when a child is lost. You must report it, their procedures have to be tightened up.

[mamaofami]

I know first hand the panic you must have felt. I lost my grandson when he was 3 years old and we were in a small toy store. I immediately ran outside calling for him, called him in the store, and no answer. Someone asked me if he was the little boy playing with the trains and too involved to answer to his name. It's an overwhelming panic to lose a child.

 

I think the men at the gangway should have taken the few seconds it would take to check for you .Thankfully, he was on board and it all turned out OK.

 

Hope your foot is OK too.

[runner15km]

What if your child did not check in ? What would be your expectations ?

[localady]

What if your child did not check in ? What would be your expectations ?

 

If it was my child, my expectation would be that HAL Security would IMMEDIATELY notify the Costa Maya port operations staff of a missing child as I high-tailed it back to look again for my child. :eek: This is a CCL owned port facility, I would suspect there would be some protocol in place for missing children/persons...especially with the huge pool at the facility.

P.S.- I've not been to the facility since the last hurricane, was the pool rebuilt?

[sr5242]

Thank you for the thoughtful questions about my foot. It still hurts, but I don't need stitches thank goodness.

 

If I had not found my son on board, I would have expected a HAL agent to come ashore and assist me in either looking, or help me make contact with port security to look for him. My biggest fear was not finding him before the ship sailed. And the ship has been very prompt in leaving port on schedule.

[sail7seas]

Do you and your sons now have an understanding as to their leaving your side without telling you where they are going?

 

That might be a good idea for your peace of mind.

Let them know what worry you endured and they should never leave you without your permission and knowledge.

 

JMO........

 

[SwissMyst]

Traveling with my twin 10 yr old sons and elderly parents. Today at maya chan in costa maya I cut my foot badly and was having trouble walking back to the ship.

 

While walking through the shopping area one of my sons wanted to look in a shop and while hobbling after him lost my other son in the crowd. ......

 

When he finally did check, it took maybe 30 seconds to tell me, thank goodness yes my son was on board.

 

I am sorry you lost track of your son in the shop before you got on board the Ryndam, and glad that you had a happy ending.

[MommaBear55]

I understand your fear and anxiety! I have been the parent who has been separated from my child and it has been very scary. I would have liked security to have made you a priority.

 

We agreed as a family that if we got misplaced we would meet at the very last place we had "entered"- restaurant or store door, ski lift waiting line, entrance to ride at Disney, hotel room if still in hotel. Nowadays all my family has cell phones although that would not have helped in a foreign country

 

Glad it worked out well.

[Seago2]

Obviously the guy screwed up and should have immediately stopped checking in other adults to check to see if your child was aboard. People who have subtly not agreed- this is a CHILD, people. He could have fallen in the drink, gotten lost, headed in the other direction- and here's Mom with a cut foot holding on to her other kid. How much time did it take to lift a finger and move it over three inches and click on a keyboard and see if the kid swiped in??? And what should they have done if the child hadn't checked in? Radioed port authority and sounded the proverbial alarm. You can't move too fast with a child.

 

People. Don't even try to highlight any part of her post to show that she is somehow at fault. She's hobbling along, her kid is ten- not three or six- and he's looking at something, and they are generally moving towards the ship, and boom- kid gone. Happens to me every trip but ten seconds later the kid is right next to me again.

 

Thank god your kid is fine and tell him never to do that again. Say a prayer of thanks when you look off the railing tonight! Peace!

[Northshorecruisers]

I, too, agree that you should have been given priority. Even though it was a few minutes, it can seem like a lifetime when you don't know where your child is. I'm glad it had a positive outcome.

[Tampa Girl]

If it was my child, my expectation would be that HAL Security would IMMEDIATELY notify the Costa Maya port operations staff of a missing child as I high-tailed it back to look again for my child. :eek: This is a CCL owned port facility, I would suspect there would be some protocol in place for missing children/persons...especially with the huge pool at the facility.

P.S.- I've not been to the facility since the last hurricane, was the pool rebuilt?

 

We were there in 2010 or 2011, and it had been rebuilt.

[solocanadian]

You should most certainly report the incident to Seattle as it is a very important issue. Lost children situations should be top priority.

 

Years ago I found a lost and crying little girl at Disney World. Since we were in a shop I took her to the counter and the minute I mentioned a lost child, the response was immediate. The clerk shut down her till and took the child hand, quietly telling her not to worry as they had never lost a Mommy. Security appeared out of nowhere. It was quite impressive and it was obvious there was a protocol in place.

 

HAL should do no less as minutes count when a child is missing.

 

Hear, Hear!

[fishywood]

No judgement being passed--just thankful it all ended well.

But doesn't HAL have this same precaution as other lines: for a child's cruise card both his picture and the picture of his parent are embedded and shown when scanned by security--who are then responsible for verifying that the adult immediately next to the child is the one pictured. I think this is where the questions as to HAL's lapse in procedure should begin. And I certainly hope that should there not have been a long line, a ten year old child trying to board or exit the ship on his own would be told to wait there for his parents!

[KirkNC]

Traveling with my twin 10 yr old sons and elderly parents. Today at maya chan in costa maya I cut my foot badly and was having trouble walking back to the ship. While walking through the shopping area one of my sons wanted to look in a shop and while hobbling after him lost my other son in the crowd. With difficulty walking, I did a few laps around the stores but could not find him. I decided to go to the ship and see if he had checked himself back into the ship thinking we were there. When I entered the gangway, I explained (politely) that I could not find my son and needed them to check if he had checked in and was on board. The gentleman said I should move to the side and he'd check once he had checked in people entering on the gangway. I stepped aside, and after spending 2-3 minutes watching person after person come on and getting more and more frantic with worry, I asked if there was anyone else who could check. He begrudgingly finally sent me over to his "boss" who was checking people out on the other side. When he finally did check, it took maybe 30 seconds to tell me, thank goodness yes my son was on board.

 

I'm sorry, but I really feel that if it only took 30 seconds, the first man should have just said to the oncoming guests, "one moment please." Anyone with children will tell you that not knowing your child's welfare for even a few minutes is excruciating.

 

When I informed the front desk of this delay in assisting me in finding a lost child, the guest relations officer Enrique stated "what is the problem? You were assisted and you found him." I explained to him that when a child is missing, that should be an immediate priority. Not waiting until they check in everyone getting on. In a mall when a child is missing, they shut everything down and lock the doors. All I wanted was for the man to take 30 seconds and see if he was on board. I wasn't reporting a lost wallet, I was reporting a lost child.

 

You can flame me all you want, but all I'm trying to get at is that perhaps they need to look at their procedures and tweak how they respond to a lost child emergency. Asking people to wait 30 seconds to board would have really helped the situation, especially if heaven forbid he wasn't on board. Imagine what could have happened in the time I was waiting for them to check.

 

Yikes no flaming from me, a missing child is terrifying.

[IRL_Joanie]

No flaming from me here either!!

 

But, I am wondering if the Security gentleman did not realize you meant your other son.............

 

Did you have the one son with you who had not left side when you asked for his help??

 

I ask because MAYBE, just Maybe, the Security Officer did not realize that you had 2 sons and one was missing. If he tho9ught you were just telling him that your son was missing and he looked and saw your sone next to you, then...........

 

Hope that makes sense to you. This whole thing just kept going over and over in my head a I was loading dishes into the dishwasher and I was trying to figure out what might have been understood or misunderstood......

 

Joanie