Being Prepared in Port

[euro cruiser]

In hindsight it seems so obvious but it bears repeating occasionally that everyone going ashore should have the ability to get back to the ship on their own, if necessary.

 

That means everyone should have some money on them as well as directions to the port and the name of the port agent. It's not enough for one member of the family to have it on behalf of everyone else.

 

Case in point: On our most recent trip (a couple of months ago) we almost lost one member of the group. Husband and wife were enjoying the day, walking and photographing the scenery. Husband got into a conversation with another member of the group while wife stopped for just a moment waiting for foot traffic to clear between her and what she was photographing. She was only stopped for about 30 seconds.

 

Unfortunately, during those 30 seconds the rest of the group turned a corner, crossed the street, and turned another corner. It happened that fast. By the time the wife came around the first corner the traffic light had changed, putting her another 45 seconds or so behind the group. When the light changed and she crossed the street, there was no sight of the rest of us. She looked down each street, retraced her steps and looked again, and then choose one road to walk further down because it seemed right to her.

 

At about the same time she chose a street to go down, her husband realized that she wasn't with the group. This was less than two minutes after they had parted company, not a long time to be apart especially when you are (and have been all day) chatting with others in your group. Husband and a friend go back to where they last saw his wife but she is not there, having walked off looking for him and the group.

 

Now he and his friend are also separated from the group and at this point he realizes that his wife has nothing on her, no sea pass, no money, no directions to the port, nada. He was holding everything due to security concerns and so she could focus on her photography.

 

This story had a happy ending as she luckily walked in the right direction and ran into the rest of the group about ten minutes later. The husband and friend, who did have money and information, wound up taking a taxi back and reconnected with her.

 

Had she not been so lucky as to run into the group (by her own admission she had no real idea where to head) the story would have had a very different ending. She had no ID on her, no money, no phone, nothing but her camera. She did not speak the language of the port country.

 

Lesson learned is that just because you intend to stay together doesn't mean you will. Every individual should be prepared, not just the head of the family/the trip planner/Mom/Dad, etc.

[beachbum53]

I can't disagree with what you say about getting back to the ship on your own. However, the scenario you provided would have had a different outcome if the wife had simply spoken up to the group and said "I'm stopping to take pictures" or "I'd like to stop here for a few minutes to...". The vast majority of we human beings cannot communicate via mental telepathy. It's important to speak up and let of the rest of the group (regardless of size) know what your intentions are. Then no one gets left behind.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad everything turned out all right for all the people.

I am in charge of taking pictures. But both my DH and I carry our own ID cards, money and a charge card as well as the ship's port agent information. Since we get only one copy in the cabin, I write down the information for one of us while the other one carries the original copy. Extra copies are not always available at the gangway.

[euro cruiser]

The vast majority of we human beings cannot communicate via mental telepathy. It's important to speak up and let of the rest of the group (regardless of size) know what your intentions are. Then no one gets left behind.

True and, as I said, obvious in hindsight. If we're honest with ourselves, however, this could have been any one of us. We've all been guilty of turning away for a moment, thinking it would only be seconds and what difference would it make, and most times we're right, it doesn't make a difference. Until it does.

[cb at sea]

A tried and true thing we tell our kids...if you get separated,...STAY WHERE YOU ARE....when hubby realized she wasn't with him...he could have easily found her, if she hadn't moved!!

[john watson]

On organised excursions in London a tour guide often tells everybody to stay together and walks about holding a brightly coloured umbrella or a giant number on a piece of card held aloft on a long stick. There is nothing sadder to find than American who has lost the group and explains the situation. Other than of course the Japanese person who has lost the group and only speaks Japanese. This happens, sometimes people just switch groups without noticing it the fact that all your companions are suddenly German is not immediately apparent.

 

Regards John

Edited December 16, 2015 by john watson

[Floridiana]

This can happen in any port especially in city ports with lots of people around. You are absolutely correct that everybody in the group - including teenagers and younger children - should have some money and paper work just in case. Everybody should also know to which monument/church etc. the group is headed so they can catch up there and not waste the day looking for each other. That's an alternative to staying and waiting for somebody to come back. Of course, it needs previous agreement and should not be done with children.

Edited December 16, 2015 by Floridiana

[Keith1010]

Excellent advice. Thanks for taking the time to share this.

 

Keith

[LHT28]

We each carry our own cruise card, money & we each know where the port entrance is

If we do get separated I STAY PUT ...DH will find me

He has a better sense of direction that I do ;)

 

If there is ice cream or pastry shop nearby he is usually there so I know where to find him

[pris993]

This can happen any where, I lost my DH at JFK in just a few seconds... recently, he is 85, no cell phone... we were on our way to pick up luggage, at one point one needs to pass thru a security check point and can't return... I was not sure he had passed through already or not. I was reluctant to pass thru the security point initially, so make a effort to check for him in that area again before doing so. Of course, figured I could have him paged... did finally find him at the wrong luggage pick up point... I learned my lesson not to take my eyes off him.

[LA_CA_GAL]

My one rule, no matter where I am on planet earth, I ALWAYS have at least $100 cash on me and ID.

[Debala715]

Glad everything turned out all right for all the people.

 

I am in charge of taking pictures. But both my DH and I carry our own ID cards, money and a charge card as well as the ship's port agent information. Since we get only one copy in the cabin, I write down the information for one of us while the other one carries the original copy. Extra copies are not always available at the gangway.

 

I snapped a picture with my cell phone (we both use ours as camera's on our cruise) of the port agent's information before leaving the cabin so I would have it with me if needed. It also made a nice placeholder in our pictures of what pictures were taken where.

[John Bull]

My o/h has a habit of wandering off.:rolleyes:

 

We each carry our own sea-pass, a card & some cash.

From time to time we say "see that bandstand/café/shop/whatever - if we lose each-other, meet back there".

The very worst thing to do is to go off-route down this or that street - much better to stay put on ground that you've both trodden.

 

We rarely take organised tours.

Hate being in a herd following a guide with his umbrella or paddle held high & us with stick-on badges - but of course that's a very sensible way to organise a group.

 

The easiest solution is to put my o/h on a lead, but she point-blank refuses to wear one. ;)

 

JB :)

[skeeter195]

Getting separated in a strange place could be scary no doubt. Who ever is traveling with us, we all have an agreement that if for any reason we get separated for any length of time that we meet back up at the terminal. Lets be real though. If someone gets lost in a cruise port, every local can tell you how to get back to the ship, that is their economy. Very worst case is that you can probably walk back from most spots on most islands. Even if you had no money, I am sure that you could get a ride back with assurance of payment when you get back and find some cash would be OK, you might have to pay a little more though.

 

Now, getting separated in Jamaica in the wrong places could be a different story.

[Flatbush Flyer]

In hindsight it seems so obvious but it bears repeating occasionally that everyone going ashore should have the ability to get back to the ship on their own, if necessary.

 

That means everyone should have some money on them as well as directions to the port and the name of the port agent. It's not enough for one member of the family to have it on behalf of everyone else.

 

Case in point: On our most recent trip (a couple of months ago) we almost lost one member of the group. Husband and wife were enjoying the day, walking and photographing the scenery. Husband got into a conversation with another member of the group while wife stopped for just a moment waiting for foot traffic to clear between her and what she was photographing. She was only stopped for about 30 seconds.

 

Unfortunately, during those 30 seconds the rest of the group turned a corner, crossed the street, and turned another corner. It happened that fast. By the time the wife came around the first corner the traffic light had changed, putting her another 45 seconds or so behind the group. When the light changed and she crossed the street, there was no sight of the rest of us. She looked down each street, retraced her steps and looked again, and then choose one road to walk further down because it seemed right to her.

 

At about the same time she chose a street to go down, her husband realized that she wasn't with the group. This was less than two minutes after they had parted company, not a long time to be apart especially when you are (and have been all day) chatting with others in your group. Husband and a friend go back to where they last saw his wife but she is not there, having walked off looking for him and the group.

 

Now he and his friend are also separated from the group and at this point he realizes that his wife has nothing on her, no sea pass, no money, no directions to the port, nada. He was holding everything due to security concerns and so she could focus on her photography.

 

This story had a happy ending as she luckily walked in the right direction and ran into the rest of the group about ten minutes later. The husband and friend, who did have money and information, wound up taking a taxi back and reconnected with her.

 

Had she not been so lucky as to run into the group (by her own admission she had no real idea where to head) the story would have had a very different ending. She had no ID on her, no money, no phone, nothing but her camera. She did not speak the language of the port country.

 

Lesson learned is that just because you intend to stay together doesn't mean you will. Every individual should be prepared, not just the head of the family/the trip planner/Mom/Dad, etc.

 

 

Guess they never heard of "Find My Phone."

[euro cruiser]

If someone gets lost in a cruise port, every local can tell you how to get back to the ship, that is their economy.

This is not the case at many European ports, where the "attraction" can be 50 miles from the port.

[euro cruiser]

Guess they never heard of "Find My Phone."

That would only help if you had a phone with you. She did not.

[4x4bob]

Getting lost from tour is not nice. I know, because I found the tour again by the skin of my teeth.

 

Since then I have always carried cash, ship ID, photo copy of pass port and the small ship map that is given at the Pier when we sign in.

 

I figure that if I find a cab driver who does not understand English, I can show him the picture of the ship on the front of the map and some money.

 

If he takes me back to the ship by driving around the outer wall, its fine with me, I got back to the ship.

 

Bob