Standards failure for embarcation/disembarcation

[Project_gal]

I really find this surprising/hard to believe. We have not stop talking about how wonderful disembarkation was from Millennium in Vancouver this May. It was by far the best we have ever experienced. Can standards really have dropped so much?

 

Having read the subsequent posts, I realise that the difference between our disembarkation and that of most of the other posts about experiences in Vancouver is US Immigration. There was none for our cruise, just Canadian Immigration. Having now cruised round the world on Celebrity and Azamara, from our experience, poor embarkation and disembarkation have involved US and China Immigration procedures. Enough said ...

 

Interestingly, I have just applied for our ESTA Authorisation ready for our next cruise and was invited to register for a post-travel survey by US Homeland Security. Perhaps this is a sign that they know that improvements are required. Whatever the reason for the survey, it will be a pleasure to have the opportunity to provide feedback after so many years of travelling to the USA.

Edited October 27, 2015 by Project_gal

[purpletequila]

Vancouver.

Why am I not surprised?

 

I hope this doesn't spill over to Miami. I've always had absolutely flawless embarkations often with no lines at all and maybe a 10 minute check in to ship process.

[upwarduk]

What I can't understand is why US immigration is involved in Vancouver-Canada.

[emmas gran]

Hi

 

Is there US immigration due to the Alaska cruise

[WestLakeGirl]

When you are leaving Vancouver going to Alaska you pass through US immig action within Canada Place to keep from having to do so in one of the small Alaska ports.

 

(Similar to leaving Vancouver airport flying to the U.S., you go through US immigration within the Vancouver airport.)

 

At Vancouver cruise port you do two i migrations, first to leave Canada and then immediately to "enter" the U.S.

[upwarduk]

When you are leaving Vancouver going to Alaska you pass through US immig action within Canada Place to keep from having to do so in one of the small Alaska ports.

 

(Similar to leaving Vancouver airport flying to the U.S., you go through US immigration within the Vancouver airport.)

 

At Vancouver cruise port you do two i migrations, first to leave Canada and then immediately to "enter" the U.S.

 

Thank you, I remember now- senior moment.

We sailed from Vancouver in 2003 to Alaska, but I certainly don't remember problems on our return( we travelled on internally to Edmonton)

[az_tchr]

What ship?

 

Millennium perhaps?

 

That one had embarkation delays due to limited US Customs/Immigration staffing at the port of Vancouver

 

Are you serious?

 

Two important points here - The port operates the embarkation staffing. Not the cruise lines.

 

US Customs does not clear ships in Vancouver CANADA. Canada does. This thread is crazy.

[cindy1957]

Have embarked and disembarked at Canada Place with no problems. Not saying the OP did not experience as described. Just that this wasn't my experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WestLakeGirl]

AZ Tchr you are wrong. US Customs and immigration DO clear passengers inside Canada Place.

 

When you are embarking there on your way to Alaska you go through 3 processes. You exit Canada, AND you enter America AND you check in for the cruise. This thread is NOT crazy.

[lara68]

I was also on this Millenium sailing from Vancouver to Shanghai. While the embarkation was somewhat slow due to a Royal ship departing at the same time, our experience getting off the ship was excellent. Maybe, we were just lucky..

[uktog]

A good ambassador listens and does not pontificate on things about they know Hee haw.

The OP may have used evocative descriptions, they felt there was an issue

It does Celebrity no favours to have ambassadors who are judgemental and don't listen

Bottom line, rightly or wrongly this was one persons view.....

[Nachosdelux]

A good ambassador listens and does not pontificate on things about they know Hee haw.

The OP may have used evocative descriptions, they felt there was an issue

It does Celebrity no favours to have ambassadors who are judgemental and don't listen

Bottom line, rightly or wrongly this was one persons view.....

 

+1. Also observations are subjective, and circumstances can change rapidly.

 

So two people 30 minutes apart can have completely different experiences, yet they are both "correct"

[beentothere]

Sounds like OP traveled with a bunch of animals, if they were trampling each other.

 

Blame your fellow passengers - they are the ones who were doing the shoving and trampling and not helping each other.

 

You could not have it more wrong.

 

The Celebrity staff controlled the exit flow rate. They knew the luggage area

was already overcrowded and still sent more and more.

 

You do not get it...don't you know that places of public gathering have

crowd limits. In the US its a legal thing...Fire....

 

Abroad Celebrity must exercise due diligence should a subcontractor fail

in its responsibility! Celebrity staff were on site and did nothing!

 

You could not be more wrong. Put 1000 people in a space for maybe 200 max

and there will be a PROBLEM no matter what as there is insufficient space to move. That's when a panic can occur and people get trampled.

 

Maybe you do not know about those!

 

Try rethinking your position!

 

 

\

[GOLDENBONNY]

Embarkation Silhouette July 15, 2015 (Amsterdam). 3 hours to board ship, no communication form the bridge or X, no water, no assistance nothing.

 

I will never understand why people don't have bottle of water with them ? :rolleyes:

[RiotAct]

I will never understand why people don't have bottle of water with them ? :rolleyes:

 

I'm going to venture a wild guess and say they did not expect disembarkation to take that long.

[POA1]

I will never understand why people don't have bottle of water with them ? :rolleyes:

I wouldn't expect disembarkation to be a huge mess, but I'm glad I read this thread. Now we know.

I'm going to venture a wild guess and say they did not expect disembarkation to take that long.

Agreed. We wouldn't expect disembarkation to be a disaster, but based on the responses from long time Celebrity cruisers, the bar of our expectations is set way too high. That's why there's so much value in CruiseCritic posts.

[GOLDENBONNY]

I'm going to venture a wild guess and say they did not expect disembarkation to take that long.

 

Cruising since 1950 and never had problem with embarkation ? Hard to believe.

Other thing I will never understand why to try to be first one/off the ship if you see big crowd and have disability problem ? Why don't just seat a side and wait till crowd go away and you don't need to fall down ? Same way I will never understand why people try to run away from Theater 10 seconds before show ends ?

[GOLDENBONNY]

I wouldn't expect disembarkation to be a huge mess, but I'm glad I read this thread. Now we know.

 

Agreed. We wouldn't expect disembarkation to be a disaster, but based on the responses from long time Celebrity cruisers, the bar of our expectations is set way too high. That's why there's so much value in CruiseCritic posts.

 

On any cruise line, any time something can happen . We always have bottle of water and needed pills handy . Cruise ship embarkation or airplane .

[Fouremco]

It probably wasn't one of the better embarkations/disembarkations, but the OP's hyperbole makes it difficult to sort out the true nature and extent of the problems. For example, what exactly does the OP mean by "The poor suites people were treated like stowage"? A heartfelt comment, no doubt, but totally lacking in detail.

 

I've only sailed from/to Vancouver once, a year ago, and it was the smoothest, easiest boarding and disembarkation that I've experienced, but I accept the fact that things can and do change. Nevertheless, when the OP states "NO WATER AFTER HOURS OF STANDING", I have to wonder what happened to all of the chairs that were in the embarkation lounge last year. Also, I read a number of other boards and have seen no previous comments about people having to stand now while waiting their turn to board.

 

In any event, I do hope that Celebrity is aware of the issues and will address those within its power to fix. I was going to suggest that Celebrity might want to extend an apology to the passengers, but when I read the OP's comment that "After the fact apologies are insulting" I'm not sure that would be of any value, at least for the OP.

[need2cruisesoon]

I will never understand why people don't have bottle of water with them ? :rolleyes:

 

Bottled water or not the Captain or CD should have come on the PA or sized the crowd and given all passengers information as why the boarding was delayed.

The Captain of this ship failed to give any information regarding why we were delayed. The same happened on tendering, long lines but not a word from the bridge....fail.

[beentothere]

Really, a passenger who tramples another or shoves in line isn't responsible for their own personal behavior? Unless Celebrity staff were in the back of line physically pushing people forward onto others thus causing the congestion and pushing, passengers themselves need to take responsibility for their own behaviors.

 

To me the trampling of another human being is something I as a person can not do if I choose to do so, and isn't caused by a corporation.

 

It's possible they blew it, but we have all experienced disembarkation, there must be more to this story than is told by OP, as X never just calls "all call get in line", and I do find it hard to believe they would just rush everyone out all at once, based join my sailing experience anyway. Perhaps many people and early flights and just decided to jam the lines and not follow the process. or Customs in Vancouver suddenly slowed clearance down after groups had been called, and of course if X announces, sorry folks, group 12 go back and wait, no one actually would leave the line.

 

That X can clear a ship everyday all over with little issue, has to mean something was up with the Pier folks in this instance, and they have little they can do once it gets to 9:30 am, as they need the ship cleared ASAP, or then get the drama fro those looking to board being delayed in the embarkation hall.

 

My guess on the circumstances, disembarkation started well and in order, then the border agents became stuffy and started to hassle those leaving midway thru the process, and that caused the logjam for the last groups leaving. My January sailing disembarking FLL, all customs desks were occupied initially About 1 hour in, half the officers left with no explanation, and thus the balance of the line moved at half the clip it had been moving.

 

As to the OP comment no one knew where to form line,s we all leave thru a single door, it's pretty obvious where the line should be. I'd be embarrassed if i couldn't figure that out on my own. Likely people just didn't LIKE where the lines were and how long they got and how disorderly they became, due to guests pushing themselves ahead in the line as they find friends standing there, thus making th e line longer and more out of order. Animals who can't self-police a line up system and require staff to tell them how to behave.....

 

And can anyone believe that the baggage hall literally had NO signage to direct people to baggage numbers? Does that make ANY SENSE to ANYONE? I admit never passing thru Vancouver, but have to assume that they handle more than this single sailing each year, and would have figured out how the luggage numbering works with luggage. Many baggage halls just have the numbers painted right on the wall or floor in fact, but as I say, I haven't been to VC, so I guess there is a possibility they just stick all the luggage out there with no organization, since this is what the OP reported :confused:

 

No water after hours of standing, disembarkation lasts from 7 to 10, 3 hours. SO OP was 1st in line and it never moved? Clearly more exaggeration. Lines in Customs hall, that's on Customs and Immigration, All need to be off the ship by 10 regardless of what's happening with the locals, which means waiting in the luggage hall.

 

And who really can't go for 3 hours with no water, who wouldn't have just sent a friend or SO to go find a beverage if it was so important, and anyone with medical issues would have thought ahead to have something at hand just as a matter of daily routine.

 

Complaining about no Handicap assistance, well X does tell anyone who needs assistance to request it the night prior and meet in specific locations at specific times, failing to follow that direction again is the fault of the individual for not reading their materials and taking personal responsibility for their personal needs.

 

This is all a bunch of random jibberish. Some of the people we travelled with were lawyers. Some were full detective level police. Some took documenting videos. They all read your comments and shared an opinion that you were an employee or front for some cruise company.

[beentothere]

We were on that sailing and I disagree that suites were treated stowage. We arrived prior to embarkation being opened and once opened we had no problem.

 

What time did you arrive?

[beentothere]

Darci, unless you were there, and experienced things the OP did, you absolutely cannot say that anything is NOT an exaggeration. Another poster in this thread in fact has come to say they WERE there and some information was inaccurate as the suite guests. So we have already disproven stated facts by the OP by another who experienced the same. This leads me to further believe OP has dramatically exaggerated things, as can be human nature when things don't go perfectly. Anyone who reads my posts sees I'm a "just the facts" kind of guy, and once you lie, I consider anything else you claim to be tainted. OP has been caught in an outright untruth based on another PAX experience the same day.

 

And pushing is caused by individuals trying to beat the system en masse, unless company representatives physically push people form the back, in which case those in the back would be suing Celebrity for assault and touching them. Again, I wasn't there, but I have to imagine no one with Celebrity was at the end of the lines pushing people. That's just simple physics. Blame PEOPLE for pushing and causing falls, not long lines. People can stand in long lines and not push others to the ground, at least in my experience. Pushing is caused by moving when the line is not.

 

As to the "all call" to clarify, I assume that come 9 or 9:30 or so an all call is made as they have limits on clearing the ship to get ready for the embarkation. If they delayed the "all call" not only would they have 2000 ticked off disembarking passengers, there would be another 2000 ticked of because of boarding delays. So in true hospitality form you tick off the fewest you can when circumstances dictate, in this case 2000, not all 4000. However for this to have been an important part of the OP's analysis the "all call" would have had to be made far earlier in the process.

 

I still believe the issues were in the terminal on the ground, and still believe that I can't imagine there were no luggage numbers in the luggage hall. There has to be more to this story.

 

And no my Advocacy isn't showing here (and it's not employment it's a subcontracting arrangement), common sense is showing here. Again I refer you to my posts from the beginning of time and ask to see if you can find a change in my tone since the program started (and of which I have not participated in for about 4 weeks now due to other commitments). Continue to call me out on advocacy if you desire relative my "bias" as some inappropriately assume, it really doesn't hurt me in any way.

 

Let me ask, if X got all these people off the ship to a stranglehold in customs due to customs agents leaving their posts for a break all of a sudden, do you honestly believe they would have had any chance of asking the 500 or so in line down the gangplank to turn around and go backwards and rebound the ship? Would the mass mentality of that group of passengers have listened especially given that they are already trampling over their fellow passengers leaving and not following comment decency towards their passengers? It's clear a All FOR ME mentality was in play with no regard for those around them. I truly doubt they would have listened to a "back up" and wait order.

 

Pretty smart guy...some did board without issue earlier in the day and after 3pm. Between 12 and 3 it was BAD. Or may this Cleveland guy would like to argue with the many videos taken by others during this awful process.

 

During this time, the separation of suites guests and others was nonexistent.

There were no definitive separated lines of any type. Just one mass!

 

And that was a failure of celebrity to intervene.

[beentothere]

Cruising since 1950 and never had problem with embarkation ? Hard to believe.

Other thing I will never understand why to try to be first one/off the ship if you see big crowd and have disability problem ? Why don't just seat a side and wait till crowd go away and you don't need to fall down ? Same way I will never understand why people try to run away from Theater 10 seconds before show ends ?

 

Few chairs and all taken. Even if you had A bottle of water, for three hours many would need more than one. Maybe you did not hear of the man that

died of dehydration on an airline parked for too many hours.

 

Normally, water is available. Here there was none and if there was some, no one with celebrity uniforms knew where it was or could arrange for some to be brought in. In other locations water had been brought in during extended delays.

 

Reminds me on the tour for 8 hours, we were told they provide snacks and water. NO WATER. a $150 tour and no water! With 3 to 4 hours of bus ride.

 

Bottom line is that we are under Celebrity's custodial care. It then becomes their responsibility to see that we are supported and treated with due care.

 

PERIOD.

[elena7seas]

Are you serious?

 

Two important points here - The port operates the embarkation staffing. Not the cruise lines.

 

US Customs does not clear ships in Vancouver CANADA. Canada does. This thread is crazy.

 

 

From the Port Metro Vancouver website:

 

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/cruise/passenger-information/

 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

 

As passengers embarking in Vancouver are considered to be entering U.S. jurisdiction once they board the cruise ship, you will go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

 

The two times I have had issues at the Vancouver Cruise Terminal was because there were insufficient US Customs and Border Protection personnel available for the number of passengers. In both cases, there was no explanation given to the passengers as to why there were not enough US CBP agents on hand.