Left in port by cruise line

[Teacher42]

Does anyone have any info or experience being left by a cruise line for not having returned to the ship on time, while away on a tour arranged by and paid to the cruise line?

[Scot born]

I always thought that if you booked via the cruise excursion then they had to wait for you and that was why if going further afield that it was always better to pay more for to go with their excursion 

[Preziosa]

The Company who arrange the Tour for the Cruise Company have to get you to the next port without any cost for you.

[SirWolf]

20 minutes ago, Preziosa said:

The Company who arrange the Tour for the Cruise Company have to get you to the next port without any cost for you.

This is quite difficult if the next port is in another country and the only way to get to the next port is by air , since the passengers are not required to take passports when leaving the ship for a excursion. Example: Passengers missed ship in Malta, next day is sea day and next port is Spain (Barcelona). 

Edited November 22, 2018 by SirWolf

[ziggyuk]

2 minutes ago, SirWolf said:

the passengers are not required to take passports when leaving the ship for a excursion.

 

I believe if you are left in port your passports are left with the port authority before the ship leaves.

 

It's all hypothetical as I don't believe a ship would leave before a their officially arranged excursion returned.

[GOLDENBONNY]

1 hour ago, Teacher42 said:

Does anyone have any info or experience being left by a cruise line for not having returned to the ship on time, while away on a tour arranged by and paid to the cruise line?

If tour arranged by cruise line they will wait for you BUT when tour bus come back , operator reports to ship that they are back , from this moment you on your own. Some smart asses  think they can go for a walk or shopping and ship will wait for them ,because they on ship excursion. NO. ship will wait for you 15 min, then call for you for another 15 min, and then will leave a port. 

[Hlitner]

That scenario is highly unlikely.  But if it did happen the cruise line, their tour provider, and the local agent would theoretically work together to get you to the next port.   As to Passports, most cruise lines will send security to the missing passenger's cabin to look for Passports (they can open your cabin safe).   If they find your Passports they will be left in care of the cruise line's local Agent.  I know of one case (on another cruise line) where a couple did miss the ship while on a private tour (they were in an auto accident which delayed their return to the port).  The local Agent did have their Passports, but in their case they had to pay to get themselves to the next port.

 

Hank

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We carry our passports with us when we leave the ship.  Better to be safe than sorry.

[Two Wheels Only]

2 hours ago, GOLDENBONNY said:

If tour arranged by cruise line they will wait for you BUT when tour bus come back , operator reports to ship that they are back , from this moment you on your own. Some smart asses  think they can go for a walk or shopping and ship will wait for them ,because they on ship excursion. NO. ship will wait for you 15 min, then call for you for another 15 min, and then will leave a port. 

 

You beat me to it. Thank you for posting this.

[Teacher42]

Hank, great example. We are too old now for any great adventure being left behind by ship should we experience a tour operator's car break down, even if we booked the private tour through the cruise line.

[Hlitner]

23 minutes ago, Teacher42 said:

Hank, great example. We are too old now for any great adventure being left behind by ship should we experience a tour operator's car break down, even if we booked the private tour through the cruise line.

LOL!  We all have to deal with our own risk tolerance.  I am also old (old as dirt) but have yet to lose that spirit of adventure that has resulted in DW and I traveling all over the world...mostly on a very independent basis.  We probably average one cruise excursion for every 100 ports and perhaps 8-10 private tours in that same number ports.  The remainder of ports (at least 90%) we do on our own.  Because of good planning, some travel sense, and perhaps good luck, we have never missed the ship in well over 1000 port calls.  And with the exception of the couple I mentioned (who missed the ship because of an auto accident) we have never met another cruiser who has missed their ship.  

 

What if we do miss the ship?  I guess the first thing would be to take a deep breath and cry!  And then we would implement "Plan B" which is how most independent travelers deal with such a situation.

 

Hank

P.S.  Regarding carrying a Passport, we only carry our Passports ashore when it is absolutely necessary.  Losing or having a Passport stolen is a much more serious situation then having it locked securely on the ship.  

[OCruisers]

6 hours ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

You beat me to it. Thank you for posting this.

Also totally agree with what Goldenbonnie said!

We were on a ships excrusion and were almost 3 hours late getting back after sailing time ... the ship had a tram to get us back to the ship as quickly as possible.

Two couples wanted to go shopping.  

They were told they could stay if they wished but the ship would be leaving without them.