I am Certain Princess would act differently

[tonit964]

I don't see that the cruise line acted unreasonably. Somewhat surprised they are apparently paying for hotel/flight.

 

There is no point in running. I've never been in those sneakers, but you aren't going to make a difference to the time. Don't dawdle, walk quickly, but there is no need to run. Besides, many Princess passengers are better off not running, nor seen running.

 

I don't think for one second the cruise line acted unreasonable.

 

Believe me, the cruise line did not pay for one dime of the late passengers expenses.

 

There may be no point in actually running, ( if it were me, I would) and obviously, if they are mobility impaired they don't run, but an attempt at hurrying when a ship with a couple of thousand people are waiting, you don't walk casually.:rolleyes:

This has just been my observation on a few occasions, they never hurry.

[moki'smommy]

I don't see any evidence that the woman took a tour (private or ship). Everyone else was back on board 35 minutes before she arrived. That is not the fault of a tour operator. It appears the woman was shopping.

 

I didn't say this woman was on an excursion nor that her tardiness was the fault of anyone except herself. My post was a somewhat tongue in cheek description of the last minute one can arrive.

 

Sorry that my attempt obviously failed.

Edited April 29, 2016 by moki'smommy

[tonit964]

In Cozumel, we were late getting back from a ship's excursion by a 1/2 hour after the leaving time where some of us were walking to the waiting ship... And yes there were people yelling down off our ship plus the Grand was docked beside us and they took to the heckling as well...

 

For me I was walking.... not because as you say "arrogant" or "important" but because at the time my knee wouldn't take the beating if I ran on the concrete dock...

 

Sometimes there is another reason for what someone does....

 

A ship excursion is totally different. You see a bunch of people coming back, absolutely no need to run or even try and hurry.

 

I guess I should have prefaced my comment to exclude ship's excursions.

 

What I'm talking about are a few lonely stragglers just slowly walking back to the ship. We noticed this mostly in Puerto Vallarta.

[tonit964]

When I was left behind in Tahiti due to breaking my arm, the port agent was very helpful. Brought my possessions that were taken off the ship to my hospital room, arranged for a medical service for after the hospital let me go to drive me to appointments from my hotel, and finally to the airport. Provided me with a cell phone with a small amount of credit (I gave that back before I left), and arranged for calls to my doctor in the states. And there was an email I could send to at Princess with a helpful person on the other end. And no, I did not have the insurance, my own medical eventually reimbursed me for much of it. I fault Princess for many things, but not for that experience.

 

Sorry you broke your arm on the cruise, ouch! Glad you had such great assistance from Princess, as you should have.

 

That's no fun having your cruise cut short!

 

My DH and I were on an excursion when a woman fell and broke her wrist, all of us on the bus did what we could to help her, gave her ibuprofen but she had to endure until we got back to the ship.

[jimmieg]

I also saw folks in a boat out of St. Maarten catch up with the ship and climb a robe ladder. I am surprised Princess would want to assume this liability.

I suppose they could have been crew, but I understand from a staff member that not getting back to the ship is cause for immediate dismissal.

[delidan]

I read once that if the ship leaves the pier and then moves back they have to repay all port docking charge

[Lucky TGO]

I read once that if the ship leaves the pier and then moves back they have to repay all port docking charge

 

If this is true? Now we know the reason $$$$ it doesn't come back for you. Even if it's only a few feet away. It's all about the $$$$. It's really not there fault they tell you all the time don't come back late. :eek:

Tony

[sailinglisa]

The woman was shopping.

 

Her husband and children were back on board well before the posted "on board time".

 

Her name was paged numerous times before the scheduled leave time.

 

It was after consulting with the captain, ship officers and port authorities that the husband decided to get off the ship with travel documents and other necessary things to wait for his wife while the children were left in the care of an uncle and his family on board the ship.

 

The ship waited a total of almost 45 minutes (or a bit more) total for this woman. Her husband was on the dock waiting for her with all necessary travel documents because he and the captain realized she was not going to make it on time.

 

She was a drama queen for putting on the show she did dockside. She should have put on her big girl panties and accepted that what happened was her fault - her children were safe and being cared for by family and her husband was with her..

 

If that were my spouse - there would have been a MAJOR fight about how irresponsible they were.

 

NCL did not pay for their hotel or flights, they (through the port agent) assisted them with making the reservations for hotels and flights.

 

She totally got what she deserved. Period.

[easyboy]

I have seen Princess leave a number of people behind. Once in Barbados we had pulled away from the dock and were making our way out to sea when the pilot boat pull aside. A sling was dropped down from an upper deck, and two very young children were put inside and the sling was hoisted up the side. Next a rope ladder was dropped and a young woman, followed by a young man climbed the ladder. They looked very small climbing up that ladder (This was on the Sea Princess). In Mexico in 2006 our captain was a very punctual man, and we left every port as scheduled. We left people behind in all three ports. The last time I know I was on a ship that left someone behind was on the Emerald Princess in 2009. It was Barbados (again!) and as we pulled away a woman came running from the terminal shopping area with her hands full of bags.

 

I normally don't have much sympathy for pier runners, but in this case I do. Maybe I am getting soft in my old age, but she is a real person, with real feelings and I can't even imagine her anguish in watching the ship sail away with her children on board. She is very lucky that her husband got off the ship with their passports, and the children were in the care of a family member.

 

About a year ago I read on CC a thread started by a man that missed a ship. He took full accountability for what happened, but it was interesting to read just how it happened (It had something to do with the extended family going to a resort for the day, and somehow his son and another family member got separated from the group, and went back to the ship. He sent the rest of his family back to the ship while he searched high and low for his son, who was safely on board). I think it was in Nassau as well, but I can't remember what ship he missed. He was able to join the ship a few days later in Jamaica. After reading his account I have more empathy for those that miss or almost miss the ship.

So they really mean business with schedules.

[Lucky TGO]

I don't know if this true or not. But I just read someone that was on the ship said she was just out shopping.

Tony

[kruisey]

This is the real reason traveling solo why I have always taken Princess Excursions am such a scary cat for time keeping.Even if I don't go on an excursion always hang around close to ship and on board at least two hours earlier than departure time.

Still have empathy for those that do get left behind because in my mind this has always been my greatest dread .

[Wehwalt]

This is the real reason traveling solo why I have always taken Princess Excursions am such a scary cat for time keeping.Even if I don't go on an excursion always hang around close to ship and on board at least two hours earlier than departure time.

Still have empathy for those that do get left behind because in my mind this has always been my greatest dread .

 

I think we're all empathetic to her on some level. It's just that, if we're not minded to do Princess excursions, each of us is so careful, as you are, that it can limit us from going as far afield as we would like. So we each have a "safe" time to be back at the ship. This woman just went shopping. To make a victim/heroine of her somehow for missing the ship out of carelessness (as so it seems) mocks all the great care we take to be back on the ship with a safety margin, even though it means we might not see such and such attraction.

[Treven]

This is the real reason traveling solo why I have always taken Princess Excursions am such a scary cat for time keeping.Even if I don't go on an excursion always hang around close to ship and on board at least two hours earlier than departure time.

Still have empathy for those that do get left behind because in my mind this has always been my greatest dread .

I agree. If I've been to a port that I've been to before, and I'm not interested in the excursions offered by the ship, I'll most likely wander about the port area and perhaps do a little shopping. Even after having a few cruises under my belt, I still tend to go the "tried and true" route and stick with ship-sponsored excursions, especially if it's a port I've never been to.

[RMMariner]

Can you imagine how late people would be if the cruise lines did not adhere strictly to their schedule?

[kruisey]

Can you imagine how late people would be if the cruise lines did not adhere strictly to their schedule?

Due to some folks boarding they are first time blue card holders if it might be a good idea to have on the' Welcome Aboard' first 'Patter' a mention about this subject stating the reasons why boarding times must be kept and the consequences for them not being adhered to.

[chrysalis]

Due to some folks boarding they are first time blue card holders if it might be a good idea to have on the' Welcome Aboard' first 'Patter' a mention about this subject stating the reasons why boarding times must be kept and the consequences for them not being adhered to.

 

Sorry, but if they don't pay attention to the announcements about boarding times, or the scheduled "All Aboard" listing in the patter for that day, what makes you think that they would pay attention to it the day that they board?

 

If people think that planes or trains or buses will wait for them, and they believe that ships will wait, too, then they deserve to find out the hard way.

Edited April 29, 2016 by chrysalis

[CRUZBUDS]

In almost 40 cruises, I think I've heard this joke from just about every cruise director.

 

"If you're going to be late back to the ship, make sure you have your camera with you, the site of the ship pulling out of the harbor makes a wonderful picture."

 

airplanes, trains and buses all have schedules -- so do ships.

[Woobstr112G]

I've seen many times people coming back late and they just kind of saunter to the ship. Everyone is yelling for them to run, but they just walk normally. It's so arrogant.

 

They must have a complex where they think they are so important and the ship would never leave them.

 

Why is it that everyone else can follow the times and be back on the ship?

 

I've seen the same, and I agree that it is very arrogant.....:):):)

 

Bob

[4x4bob]

The first photo I take leaving the ship for a new Port is the sign stating what time to be back.

 

It only takes a second or so to take the photo and I have had passengers behind me give me a little push when I stop to take the photo. Makes we wonder if they even look at that sign..

 

Also we missed the ship through no fault of our own, the airline messed up big time and we arrived one hour after the ship sailed away. We had contacted Princess as soon as we knew that we would be late. Princess rep waited for us at the airport, but the ship had departed.

 

So, we have experienced the fun of scheduling a flight to the next port to catch the ship, finding and making reservations in a Hotel in a different country, and locating taxi phone numbers, etc.

 

After that adventure in my plan B file in my pocket note book is the phone numbers of the airlines serving the ports we will be going to, hotels in the area and taxi dispatch numbers. Just part of the pre cruise research we all do.

 

And, we are back on board at least 1 hour early because we do know that the ship will not wait.

 

Bob

[Pierlesscruisers]

If the ship left with the kids wouldn't that be considered kidnapping?

 

No more than the father leaving them on the ship could be considered child abandonment!

 

Tom

[Pierlesscruisers]

I read once that if the ship leaves the pier and then moves back they have to repay all port docking charge

 

If this is true? Now we know the reason $$$$ it doesn't come back for you. Even if it's only a few feet away. It's all about the $$$$. It's really not there fault they tell you all the time don't come back late. :eek:

Tony

 

At the pier in Seattle, once the gangway is pulled away from the ship, the cost to get it put back runs to $2500. I was told that by a ship's agent. Whether that cost varies from port to port or not, I do not know.

 

Tom

[Pierlesscruisers]

Here is a suggestion for all who ever go ashore at any port. Before you get off the ship, look at the Princess Patter and copy down the name, phone number, address, etc. of the ship's port agent at that port. That way in case you, for any reason whatsoever, fail to make it back to the pier in time to catch the ship, you will have some way to get in touch with the one person at that port who is most likely to be able to help you obtain accommodations, transportation, whatever you need in your quest to get back on your departed ship or reach the next port where you can rejoin your cruise. That person (the port agent) has just become your best friend in the world and you need to be able to get in touch with him/her!

 

Tom

Edited April 29, 2016 by Pierlesscruisers
correct spelling error

[CrowCaw]

Call me callous but I feel no sympathy in the case of the mother of the original post. Now, the only info I have is what I read in this thread and the article from the first page, but I feel as the greater good was accomplished.

 

I hope that the story goes widespread and anyone that even considers taking an extra stop on the way back to the ship or that wants another 15 minutes of shopping remember this.

 

There are consequences. You will be treated well on a cruise but you are not above being left behind.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Here is a suggestion for all who ever go ashore at any port. Before you get off the ship, look at the Princess Patter and copy down the name, phone number, address, etc. of the ship's port agent at that port. That way in case you, for any reason whatsoever, fail to make it back to the pier in time to catch the ship, you will have some way to get in touch with the one person at that port who is most likely to be able to help you obtain accommodations, transportation, whatever you need in your quest to get back on your departed ship or reach the next port where you can rejoin your cruise. That person (the port agent) has just become your best friend in the world and you need to be able to get in touch with him/her!

 

Tom

Great idea. We always fold up an extra Patter and put it in our day pack.

 

As for comments about getting back to the ship two hours early if not doing ship's tours...what a waste. We frequently return to the ship with just a minute or two to spare, but it's a calculated risk. If next up are five days at sea, of course we wouldn't do that. But if the next port is a ferry or short plane ride away, we are not going to forego doing things in port just to play it safe.

 

The closest we've cut it was less than one minute late (one minute after the all on board time, not sailing time), on a tour in St. Vincent. However, we were in a boat with two other couples racing across the harbor. There was no doubt in our minds that the bridge knew exactly where we three couples were, and that we would be there in a minute.

 

Then there was the time my moped ran out of gas in the middle of Bermuda minutes before the all on board time on a transatlantic cruise with four days at sea coming up next. I was assured, when I rented it, that the gas gauge was simply broken and the tank was full. I was still yelling at the rental guy as I walked up the gangway. If it hadn't been for DH's MacGuyver-esque, actions, finding an empty beer can and cutting the top of it off, lifting his moped upside down and getting enough gas for my moped to make it back to the pier, that poor rental guy would have had to listen to me far longer. But it would have been our problem, not the ship's, if we didn't make it. Not our fault...our problem. I wouldn't have expected the ship to wait.

 

Passenger Services teases us that "seldom early, never late" is on our permanent Princess record.

[floridalover5623]

I've seen many times people coming back late and they just kind of saunter to the ship. Everyone is yelling for them to run, but they just walk normally. It's so arrogant.

 

They must have a complex where they think they are so important and the ship would never leave them.

 

Why is it that everyone else can follow the times and be back on the ship?

 

Everyone on the ship or the crew members yelling for them to hurry?

Big difference.