Carnival Freedom delayed bording

[sunsandsip]

Should begin at about 2:30. Happy Easter wish I was on the ship!

[cruiznfevr]

Yep! Here we sit! But I'm not complaining. Could be worse. Happy Easter!

[Spanky My]

Anyone know the reason ?

[barbaraanne]

My daughter and her husband are waiting there, after waiting in the sun, then being shuttled to wait at another terminal. Carnival told them there weren't enough customs officials for the disembarking passengers. After they wait there, they are supposed to be shuttled back to the first terminal. It's now after 3pm and they are still at the other terminal. And they told them not to expect their rooms to be ready either. She said the line for the vending machine is 25 people long.

 

Could there really just not enough customs people?? I guess they all stayed home for the holiday...

 

She said there are toddlers running everywhere, crying.

[sunsandsip]

Anyone know the reason ?

 

Still Waiting. I heard from a passenger customs issue but who knows.

[wrigley80]

When we disembarked the Freedom three weeks ago there was only one customs agent working.....that was crap and it took forever

[big_duck]

Could there really just not enough customs people?? I guess they all stayed home for the holiday...

 

She said there are toddlers running everywhere, crying.

 

 

More then possible. Anyone know if the are union.

 

Toddlers don't wait well.

[Seago2]

I live on the Canadian-US border and yesterday the wait time to get into the US at all three bridges was two hours at one point- official reason was due to the sequestration. So I guess the pain is starting to be felt at border crossings. Not sure if it's related but there is my $.02.

[CJinFLA00]

When we disembarked the Freedom three weeks ago there was only one customs agent working.....that was crap and it took forever

 

Same for us last month. Ft Lauderdale is the WORST port! Wish they would take some pointers from Port Canaveral.

[travelplus]

They should have setup an Easter Brunch for all those hungry cruisers. These cruisers are missing their lunch when they board. Feed these hungry and tired passengers. Make some Mimosas, Champagne, Mixed drinks etc.

[sunsandsip]

They are letting the on and my daughter and Son In Law are happy campers!

[jmcathome]

Anybody notice how much seqestration is causing and they havent eaven started it yet. It will really be bad when it starts wont it

[sassy~one]

Thats an easy question! The Easter Bunny is hiding eggs!

 

Anyone know the reason ?

[CrzGrl62569]

Same for us last month. Ft Lauderdale is the WORST port! Wish they would take some pointers from Port Canaveral.

 

 

I disembarked the Allure of the Seas last Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale. There were 6 or 7 immigration officials and we were off in about 10 minutes (at approximately 9AM). The process was very smooth. Maybe it's a Carnival issue?

[sanmarcosman]

Anyone know the reason ?

 

It's some "Guy"

[mjfoot99]

We just got off Freedom this morning...we were told when they started debarkation there were two agents working. We were one of the first five hundred off the ship (we did the everglades excursion) and we weren't through until 10:30 but we didn't get searched or anything. We heard they were searching many and possibly fingerprinting some? They must have given up on that by the time we went through.

 

Be kind to the staff....I can't imagine the clean up and complaints they had to deal with! They were so nice! Have a great trip!

[phatsneaks]

More then possible. Anyone know if the are union.

 

Toddlers don't wait well.

Being union has nothing to do with it, could it be bad management or even budget cuts, doing more with less, big business making more profits with less service.

[KenMo]

It's Easter Sunday.

 

They're probably working with a skeleton crew since they don't want to pay double or triple time for the holiday.

 

That's my opinion, FWIW.

[big_duck]

Being union has nothing to do with it, could it be bad management or even budget cuts, doing more with less, big business making more profits with less service.

 

It has everything to do with it if the CBA restricts a mangers ability to ensure full staffing on a busy holiday weekend.

[rch3]

O was just there. Just another needless way of using the sequester to hurt Americans.

[Jenna1983]

My cruise on Freedom this past November was the worst debarkation process once I was off the ship. It took FOREVER. I sailed Liberty out of there in 08 and it was quick. Not sure what the heck was up but it makes me want to never sail out of FT laud again.

[wrp96]

I disembarked the Allure of the Seas last Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale. There were 6 or 7 immigration officials and we were off in about 10 minutes (at approximately 9AM). The process was very smooth. Maybe it's a Carnival issue?

 

And over on the RCCL board there are people complaining about the same issue - with people saying "this never happens on Carnival."

[phatsneaks]

It has everything to do with it if the CBA restricts a mangers ability to ensure full staffing on a busy holiday weekend.

Management rights in all collective bargaining states they have the right to force overtime, but do they want to pay it for the comfort of their passengers or keep big profits for stock holders!

[big_duck]

Management rights in all collective bargaining states they have the right to force overtime, but do they want to pay it for the comfort of their passengers or keep big profits for stock holders!

 

Wasn't aware Customs and Immigration made profits or had stockholders.

[Laurin612]

I was on the Freedom and did not get off until after 2:00 today, which worked out OK for us because we have a late return flight. They kept the buffets, pools and hot tubs open. They even let us get sodas at the bars because my whole family had Bottomless Bubbles.

 

The announcements by the CD said there were very few Customs Agents, although he stopped short of saying it was due to sequestration. Signs in the terminal confirmed longer waits due to being very short staffed. Compounded with the ships being full due to it being spring break means craziness!

 

We all felt terrible for those folks waiting in the hot sun to get on the ship--the line wrapped around the building! We saw Carnival passing out water to them.