HELP! Need to contact passenger that might be on Zaandam!

[wander]

I can understand your frustration with the system, particularly with your problems of not getting through. However, if it is critical you reach him by phone, then pay you must. However, I would first ask myself - what difference will on ship notification make? Will it change his behavior in some useful way?

 

When I was in a somewhat similar situation, my DH simply called the ship and left a "call home" message with the ship's officer who received and call and I called him back. My husband knew I would not be in my cabin so he did not even try to reach me there. It worked just fine, although costly.

 

In terms of not knowing his cabin number - if you have his full name - they can find it. However, your uncertainty about his even being on the ship could raise a red flag for HAL folks. Sometimes folks do not want to be found - and my educated guess is that HAL really does not want to become a part of that issue.

[sail7seas]

I can understand your frustration with the system, particularly with your problems of not getting through. However, if it is critical you reach him by phone, then pay you must. However, I would first ask myself - what difference will on ship notification make? Will it change his behavior in some useful way?

 

When I was in a somewhat similar situation, my DH simply called the ship and left a "call home" message with the ship's officer who received and call and I called him back. My husband knew I would not be in my cabin so he did not even try to reach me there. It worked just fine, although costly.

 

In terms of not knowing his cabin number - if you have his full name - they can find it. However, your uncertainty about his even being on the ship could raise a red flag for HAL folks. Sometimes folks do not want to be found - and my educated guess is that HAL really does not want to become a part of that issue.

 

 

^^ That.

 

[HatRez]

We were cruising about 10 years ago on Carnival and came back to our cabin after the show to a note in our mailbox. It said we needed to come to guest services for a complimentary phone call home. We assumed the worst right away.

 

When we phoned my DH's brother we found out our home had been broken into. My bro in law didn't want to phone and ruin our trip but the police needed to confirm we had all our credit cards with us and none in our home. After we found out no one had died we figured what were we going to do until we got home? May as well forget it for a week and enjoy our holiday.

 

Obviously not the same with a death but I agree that if he isn't planning on coming home mid-holiday, wait until he disembarks. Otherwise it's insensitive, I believe.

 

As for how my DH's bro got in touch with us, he phoned the main Carnival line and they connected him with the ship. Our call back was free because it was an emergency but he got a bill of almost $100 to phone the ship...which we obviously reimbursed him for. Seemed like an easy system to reach us, it helped they knew where we were heading and on which ship.

[vbmom87]

OP: I am so, so sorry for your loss and for the difficulty you had reaching your uncle. It had to be so stressful for your whole family.

 

This thread should be very helpful to others who want to be able to be contacted when they are away. I do have friends/family who don't want to be contacted when they are away and therefore don't give out contact info. However, if you are someone who would want to be contacted, make sure to read your cruise documents.

 

I for one, do give out the information to my children, neighbors and sister. The cruise lines give you very specific instructions to give out to anyone who may wish to contact you. The instructions are very clear. It includes the costs, which I pass on so we don't get calls to "just say hello." However, if you choose not to share that info, it is going to be very difficult and time consuming for anyone to reach you.

Edited May 23, 2014 by vbmom87