Please Follow the Rules

[esimon]

unfortunately in todays world, following the rules only applies to everyone else - I can get off when ever I want - I can dress however I want. You follow the rules so I can do what ever I want. it's a bummer but it's people

[Lizzie68]

We recently disembarked the Nieuw Amsterdam, and - possibly because we always opt for late disembarkation - I didn't notice any crowding in the hallways or on the stairs. There was an officer preventing people from coming from the elevators and stairways directly to the gangway, which was roped off. We were even able to get an elevator quite easily - something that has been a challenge in the past. I think they did it quite well on the NA.

[donaldsc]

But rules do not apply to me as I am special.

 

DON

[VennDiagram]

This is the best way to handle debarkation - always pick latest time, and then slowly get off after the pushers and shovers have done with making themselves and others miserable. Staying over at least one night not only eases the transition, it allows a much broader selection of flights home - often at fares low enough to offset cost of hotel, because early flights, which cannot be caught on debarkation day, are frequently the least expensive.

 

For some of us that isn't an option as we have limited choice of flights, and limited vacation time, in addition to family responsibilities that require we go home as soon as possible.

[VennDiagram]

We recently disembarked the Nieuw Amsterdam, and - possibly because we always opt for late disembarkation - I didn't notice any crowding in the hallways or on the stairs. There was an officer preventing people from coming from the elevators and stairways directly to the gangway, which was roped off. We were even able to get an elevator quite easily - something that has been a challenge in the past. I think they did it quite well on the NA.

 

Our experience on the NA earlier this year was very different from yours. The self-disembarks (including us) were called, but there was no access to the terminal. The announcements continued on for the early groups, despite no one being allowed to leave the ship. So the self-disembarks and 5 or 6 other groups were all trapped.... very unpleasant. Not the worst disembark we've had but pretty bad. Though once off the ship, the elevator service was good.

[lintom]

ditto what jim said. Disembarkation mess fell far MORE on shoulders of Montreal Port in our opinion. Being behind calling tags is one thing. Having elderly (AND others with suitcases) disembark from a steep gangway was ridiculous. For Veendam's part they could have sent management staff to gangway to facilitate a process. Not a fan of the us vs. them, the new people are rude, mentality (maybe because WE ARE first time HAL cruisers - don't drink much, do dress for dinner, enjoyed the music, presentations, etc). seems to me most guests did their best, waited patiently. short line to get taxi. saw several people loudly commenting on their 'mariner status priority disembarkation, etc' which didn't really help progression of line. port seemed ill prepared for arrival of ship. Not real acceptable since far smaller ports accomodated arrival easily. RCCL and NCL have shown that easy disembarkation CAN happen. a few doors down from jimnkaren, never got to meet, maybe next time!

We were on this Veendam itinerary. Several problems became apparent early.

For unknown reasons, we arrived about one hour later than scheduled. I watched from my verandah as the portable crane had to lift the gangway to its appropriate location. That process did not begin until all lines were attached, no anticipation of the the lines being snugly secured.

The water level was high, the angle of the ramp was steep and many passengers needed assistance. A partial solution would have been to have the gangway placed on a platform that was 2-3' high with a second ramp to descend the rest of the way to the pier itself. It appeared to me that the folks in Montreal did not seem to care much whether the incline was steep or not. Poor planning on their part.

Because of the location, the process of off-loading of luggage was cumbersome. The crane had to be re-positioned and connected to a 'cage' that off loaded one batch of luggage at a time. It was at leas 5 minutes for each cage-full to be deposited on the pier, then a fork lift could move it to the their spartan terminal. The process was done slowly and with colors off loaded in the order that they would be called.

We were Green 1, scheduled to debark about 8:00 a.m. It was about 8:45 before we were called and discovered many, many people there who had HAL numbered stickers (I am guessing that they were on HAL paid airport transfers). My recollection was that those #15 stickers were to be called about 8:45 and those folks just got in line, with little concern about others. Fortunately, they were turned away at the scanner; however, that did make the line longer than was necessary.

Once off, we found our luggage within 2 minutes and were out the door after another minute (or so). Into the cab and on our way to the empty airport.

 

I was regularly amazed at the lack of consideration of my fellow passengers regarding their self-centered actions. One gent, in the Ocean Bar, pushed his chair all the way back to the bar stool behind him thus forcing the wait staff to squeeze between the stool and the bar itself in order to pick up their orders. He just did not care. And another gent in the Explorations Cafe, turned a chair around to look out the window. In doing so, he blocked two other chairs. He sat there for less than 5 minutes and walked away, not caring about the situation that he created. It was early and no one was inconvenienced, but I turned the chair back to its original position.

 

Are the new breed of cruisers that HAL wants to have those kinds of people who will continue to create problems? Possibly. I did not see some of this when on longer cruises; maybe these disdainful folks take only the shorter ones.

 

Jim