Our heavenly week became the cruise from hell

[NoahtheRed]

Yeah, no, the harbor pilot isn't there to shuttle crew and family to their personal engagements, especially in a busy port on a Monday following a rough night. It's fairly common for several pilots to ride the same boat and get dropped off at their respective charges and then rinse-repeat. I imagine the Port Authority would laugh until their sides exploded if some off-duty captain asked for taxi service.

 

And none of this is actually relevant. OP took a cruise in February out of the Northeast. Heavy seas are basically par for the course.

Edited February 17, 2014 by NoahtheRed

[JohnIreland]

Well, this has been a fun thread. It reminds me of the time I heard tourists complaining about the heat....in Miami....in July.

 

Also, unless the boat...

 

• Was attacked by pirates
  
• Caught on fire and burned to the waterline
  
• Lost power for several days while you drifted aimlessly
  
• Had a major norovirus outbreak
  
• Sank into the north Atlantic
  
• Exploded
  
• Ran aground and was marred hundreds of miles from home
  
• Owned by Carnival
  
• Broadsided by a rogue wave
  
• Involuntarily brought into a global naval conflict
  
• Infested with cannibal rats
  
• Slowly dissassembled by gremlins
  
• Lost at sea
  
• Ran out of food
  
• Crewed by the souls of the honorless and the cowardly
  
• A misguided trip to Alang, India
  

 

...it's not really a "Cruise from Hell". It's more like "Uncomfortably active cruise"....but not cruise from hell. Cruise from hell is reserved for cruises where any of the above happened.

 

I think most all of those as "included amenities" in the Costa brochures.

[Turtles06]

Gosh, who knew one person could tick so many people off so quick! It was a horrible night and its doesn't make me a treacherous person to wonder when the captain has an 8am flight and one often hears of a reroute to avoid bad weather. Our cabin steward said it was the worst night that he has ever experienced and that his roommate was reduced to tears. Our concierge slept in Cagney's to get out of her room but it is what it is. After 5 cruises out of NYC, I will repeat that but maybe look to heading out of Florida from now on. Once the seas calmed to 26 feet, a nap and a shower did me and many other passengers a world of good. I will prob do a trip review in a few days when I calm down some more and get some rest.

 

It's pretty easy to understand why your original post "ticked" people off. You referred in the thread title to "the cruise from hell," but when folks came on here to read your post, we learned that you actually had a great cruise (by your own admission) that ended with one very uncomfortable (to you) night, that's it. Not even remotely a "cruise from hell."

 

Adding to your utter exaggeration, you impugned the professionalism of the captain, suggesting he deliberately caused you discomfort in order to make a flight. On top of that, you admitted that you did NOT know whether his reference to an "8 o'clock flight" meant AM or PM, but you'd have to have zero familiarity with cruising, your ship's schedule, or airport security rules, to think he meant 8 AM.

 

You said you have achieved Platinum status with NCL. That means this was hardly your first cruise. It also means you should know that weather happens. And that ships can handle it. And that you didn't have "the cruise from hell."

 

Had you posted a thread about your great cruise that unfortunately ended in a bad night for you, you'd have gotten sympathy about the rough weather.

[kjbacon]

Ok here's the latest of what I know. I saw the captain a short time ago; he came to the priority disembarkation. I said "I thought you were flying out this morning" and he said "no, not yet". That's all I got on that.

 

What fascinates me this morning is the contrast of activity. Earlier in the week, I posted several happy, flowery, positive posts about our cruise and basically no one cared. Got very few responses. Evidently, the truth of the matter is that the negative posts really are what is wanted here. Interesting! I should be overtired and cranky more often, I'd be more popular :)

[Arzeena]

Bon Voyage!

 

Thanks!

[NoahtheRed]

Ok here's the latest of what I know. I saw the captain a short time ago; he came to the priority disembarkation. I said "I thought you were flying out this morning" and he said "no, not yet". That's all I got on that.

 

What fascinates me this morning is the contrast of activity. Earlier in the week, I posted several happy, flowery, positive posts about our cruise and basically no one cared. Got very few responses. Evidently, the truth of the matter is that the negative posts really are what is wanted here. Interesting! I should be overtired and cranky more often, I'd be more popular :)

 

There's not much to add to a positive post. I could talk at length about how great my last cruise was, but beyond a few questions it might raise about various features, there's not much discussion to be had. You made an erroneously titled thread about some terrible experience. Of course it's going to attract attention. The attention quickly turned into ire because you took an issue that anyone with platinum status could have seen coming and acted like the mighty hammer of Thor had singled out your vacation experience and sundered it among the shards of disappointment.

 

Thus far, no one appears to sympathetic to you because it was presented in any entirely illogical manner.

[njhorseman]

Ok here's the latest of what I know. I saw the captain a short time ago; he came to the priority disembarkation. I said "I thought you were flying out this morning" and he said "no, not yet". That's all I got on that.

 

What fascinates me this morning is the contrast of activity. Earlier in the week, I posted several happy, flowery, positive posts about our cruise and basically no one cared. Got very few responses. Evidently, the truth of the matter is that the negative posts really are what is wanted here. Interesting! I should be overtired and cranky more often, I'd be more popular :)

 

Your analysis of why your post got attention but others you made didn't is about as accurate as your claim that the captain was rushing back to port to catch an 8 am flight.

[njhorseman]

Just speculating here. But would it have been possible for the capt to have left his assistant in charge and gotten on the pilot boat? Doesn't the pilot dock the ship in NYC? Just asking and not commenting on the op or the waves or the flight time. Just wondering if this could happen

 

No... the pilot boat isn't there to provide rides to ships captains...and their luggage...and their families. As soon as they dropped off the pilot for the Gem the pilot boat would have headed off to either drop off or pick up another pilot.

 

Besides, it's dangerous to transfer to and from the pilot boat. They generally climb a Jacob's ladder...a flexible ladder made with ropes or chains.

[philip_eunice1]

Wow I learn something new every day

You can get rough weather on a cruise who's fault is that there must be someone I can sue

 

 

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[Crusin6]

No... the pilot boat isn't there to provide rides to ships captains...and their luggage...and their families. As soon as they dropped off the pilot for the Gem the pilot boat would have headed off to either drop off or pick up another pilot.

 

Besides, it's dangerous to transfer to and from the pilot boat. They generally climb a Jacob's ladder...a flexible ladder made with ropes or chains.

 

No need to be so gruff. It was all speculation and I posted it in that manner.

[biker@sea]

Wow I learn something new every day

You can get rough weather on a cruise who's fault is that there must be someone I can sue

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Really who would think there are waves in the North Atlantic ocean in the middle of winter .:rolleyes:

[antsnanny]

For me it was the implication that the Captain would put 4000 plus people in danger so that he could catch a flight that struck a nerve. Speaking for myself if I had such a low opinion of any ships captain I would choose not to cruise at all.

As for your earlier posts, people tend not to answer posts as much when the poster is at sea knowing Internet minutes are expensive.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[kjbacon]

To sum it up: positive posts do not stir interest and negative posts are wrong! Leaving the point of cruise critic to be ????

 

There is a big difference between danger and discomfort, btw.

[KeithJenner]

It's all in the title.

 

I open threads which indicate a question I may be able to help with or learn from, and ones where the title stands out.

 

The fact that you had set off on the Gem didn't attract me to your other thread. This title had to be clicked on.

[Demonyte]

To sum it up: positive posts do not stir interest and negative posts are wrong!

 

Negative posts are more than welcome as long as they are fact based and accurate - if they are not, people will post to correct the facts for other readers. Positive posts are as welcomed but as said, if there is nothing to discuss about the post, what would you expect people to respond, just meaningless back patting and LOLs?

 

Also not accepting responsibility about posting false info, exaggerating along the way and ultimately getting very defensive about it when called out doesn't exactly help how your follow-up posts are perceived.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Demonyte

[agabbymama]

Gosh, who knew one person could tick so many people off so quick! It was a horrible night and its doesn't make me a treacherous person to wonder when the captain has an 8am flight and one often hears of a reroute to avoid bad weather. Our cabin steward said it was the worst night that he has ever experienced and that his roommate was reduced to tears. Our concierge slept in Cagney's to get out of her room but it is what it is. After 5 cruises out of NYC, I will repeat that but maybe look to heading out of Florida from now on. Once the seas calmed to 26 feet, a nap and a shower did me and many other passengers a world of good. I will prob do a trip review in a few days when I calm down some more and get some rest.

 

Well, sounds like you may not be off cruising after all. :eek:

 

I was going to post that I sympathize, as my last cruise (Pacific Northwest on the Star in Sept 2011) has indeed been my last cruise (and I don't anticipate any more in the future). For exactly that same reason. We had a roof blow off and hit a passenger in Victoria so they closed the ship and wouldn't let others leave, the Port of Astoria Oregon was cancelled totally, the winds and 25 foot waves through the night had anything that wasn't tied down flying around our cabin. With glass everywhere in the morning. We were nearly tossed out of the bed a couple of times, then the 2nd in command told us on a bridge tour, that they feared the ship would break up, so slowed speed way down in the night. It was not a great cruise and I have no wish to return to the unpredictable sea.

 

But then my last flight home from Maui was 5 hours of a turbulent roller coaster ride, so I haven't booked any flights either.

 

Call me a chicken, but I will keep my two feet planted firmly on the ground. I've had 26 years of traveling all over the World and in my old age, I prefer to be in charge.;)

[artist47]

We have had the most wonderful time on The Gem (February 8-February 17) and my review was going to gush over the near perfect vacation. But yesterday, we were in such rough conditions, I do not think that I will ever take another cruise. We have just become platinum level, too. I do not know yet what the specifics were last night but suffice it to say how relieved I am this morning and the conditions are listed as 26.2 ft waves and 41 knots wind speed. It's still difficult to stand or walk but it is not harrowing like it was from approx 8 pm till 3am. I cannot understand how we did not hang back near Florida for several extra hours yesterday instead of sailing right into this thing. Earlier this week, the captain made reference to his 8:00 flight home on Monday and we are now wondering if that is an am flight or pm flight. I am sad to think that we forged ahead to ensure an early arrival for his convenience.

 

I have lived in my apartment for five years and love the neighborhood. Last night, the wind got so bad, it blew out one of my windows in a back guest bedroom. I'm going to move and never come back.

[mommyto2girls]

I just spoke to some crew members on the Gem (we have been friends for a few years) they said that night back was really bad, a lot like what we experienced going down on our January 11th cruise. However, I chose to remember how great my cruise was not that 30 hours going. We are on the BA in 2 weeks and we will hope for the best and just start the Bonine before we leave.

 

OP sorry you had such a rough ride but don't let it deter you. It is still better than sleeping in an airport for 2 days after a vacation. (yes we did that once on a cruise from Florida no hotel rooms no where to go)

[bbritton81]

Just got home and settled onto my couch after my trip on the Gem. Yes, Saturday night was a bear but that's all part of the risk we all take when we trap ourselves on board a ship. The only damper it really put on for me was the wind (hurricane force and 26.5 ft waves) keeping me up that night and the fact that we had just sat down for dinner at La Cucina and my poor husband had to get right back up because he got sick. Nevermind I told him to take dramamine well before that happened. He doesn't listen ;)

 

I got sick oddly enough on Monday even though the seas were fairly calm at only 8ft. Got some dramamine and sea bands in Puerto Rico the next day and was fine for Saturday night. Have some after effects now but I expect it to go away in the next few days.

[BritChickBN1]

I feel for you. We were on the Jewel right in the midst of Hurricane Sandy so I understand how you must have been feeling. I hope with time you will begin to love cruising again.

[SuiteTraveler]

I imagine after the OP has time to put this situation in perspective, he/she will change their mind about the situation. One bad day among many good days is not a valid reason to give up on cruising. Hopefully the OP will be more selective about cruises in the future to avoid a similar circumstance since they were so bothered by this incident.

[artist47]

Just got home and settled onto my couch after my trip on the Gem. Yes, Saturday night was a bear but that's all part of the risk we all take when we trap ourselves on board a ship. The only damper it really put on for me was the wind (hurricane force and 26.5 ft waves) keeping me up that night and the fact that we had just sat down for dinner at La Cucina and my poor husband had to get right back up because he got sick. Nevermind I told him to take dramamine well before that happened. He doesn't listen ;)

 

I got sick oddly enough on Monday even though the seas were fairly calm at only 8ft. Got some dramamine and sea bands in Puerto Rico the next day and was fine for Saturday night. Have some after effects now but I expect it to go away in the next few days.

 

 

I'm glad you got home okay and that you are feeling a little bit better.

One thing I did want to mention, that I hope is helpful is this: You mentioned that you were returning to Florida, so I am assuming (I know, I know...) that you were on a Eastern or Southern Caribbean itinerary of some sort. (Forgive me, I don't know all the itineraries for each ship by heart. Some do! :) )

In any case, what I wanted to mention is:

 

On the outbound and the inbound, the ship has to traverse the Puerto Rico Trench. This is a very deep trench on the ocean floor, that divides the Caribbean Ocean from the Atlantic. Because of it's depth and length, it causes quite a bit of high waves, and rough seas. Especially this time of year. It's a bit unpredictable. Add to this, the weather, and well, you understand what I'm saying. This may account for at least some of your discomfort during your cruise. My other post was not really meant to be "snarky" but rather to point out the faulty logic. Don't let this experience keep you from cruising. And honestly, I doubt that the Captain's flight had any more to do with the route, than the fact, that the Trench really cannot be avoided without going at least 2 days out of the way.

 

You can read more about the Trench here at wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico_Trench

[pieshops]

So untrue. The title of you post was a bit misleading and inflammatory. I am pretty sure that's mostly what everyone has a problem with.

 

 

 

To sum it up: positive posts do not stir interest and negative posts are wrong! Leaving the point of cruise critic to be ????

 

There is a big difference between danger and discomfort, btw.

[Turtles06]

To sum it up: positive posts do not stir interest and negative posts are wrong! Leaving the point of cruise critic to be ????

 

There is a big difference between danger and discomfort, btw.

 

I suspect you are now being deliberately obtuse. As you must surely recognize, your thread title and your initial post go well beyond "negative" to gross exaggeration, not to mention your impugning the Captain's professionalism.

[RoobyDoo]

I suspect you are now being deliberately obtuse.

 

Don't mean to go off-topic, but your use of "obtuse" made me laugh! It made me think of The Shawshank Redemption where Tim Robbin's character (Andy Dufresne) accuses the prison warden at one point, "How can you be so obtuse"? Which gets the warden pretty mad that someone would call him that.