Debarkation in Galveston was a nightmare today

[aknguyen]

It took us 6 hours to get from our stateroom to the sidewalk this morning. We were given many reasons but the most common one seemed to be that the computers for CBP went down so no one could get off until they came back up. And then they went down again several more times. It was a very unpleasant experience. We were excited to book another cruise but now we're hesitant. People on the other website said this isn't normal so maybe. But we'll have to think about it because it was pretty terrible. I had my son use the bathroom right before we got off the ship but the wait was so long after that point that he soiled himself a little and I felt terrible about that. 

[dan4182]

If it was CBP’s computer problems it doesn't seem fair to blame Carnival or the Port of Galveston.

[aknguyen]

I didn't blame Carnival or the port. I said I'm hesitant to book another cruise. We don't know when there could be computer problems again at any port with any line.

[StolidCruiser]

58 minutes ago, aknguyen said:

I didn't blame Carnival or the port. I said I'm hesitant to book another cruise. We don't know when there could be computer problems again at any port with any line.

 

I understand your frustration. I've also encountered the same at airports, train stations, amusements parks and sporting events around the world.

 

If potential computer failures make you fearful of a similar recurrence, you are wise to be hesitant and should avoid any mass-market mode of travel or amusement.

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, aknguyen said:

I didn't blame Carnival or the port. I said I'm hesitant to book another cruise. We don't know when there could be computer problems again at any port with any line.

 

44 minutes ago, StolidCruiser said:

 

I understand your frustration. I've also encountered the same at airports, train stations, amusements parks and sporting events around the world.

 

If potential computer failures make you fearful of a similar recurrence, you are wise to be hesitant and should avoid any mass-market mode of travel or amusement.

yep

[joepeka]

1 hour ago, aknguyen said:

I didn't blame Carnival or the port. I said I'm hesitant to book another cruise. We don't know when there could be computer problems again at any port with any line.

In 23 years of cruising, we've never experienced what you did with CBP technical difficulties or any technical difficulties upon embarkation or debarkation. Have we been lucky? I don't know but I would not be reluctant to book a future cruise based on this one, isolated incident if I were you.

ETA: no known connection but DW reported that Target's checkout systems were down today as well. 

Edited June 16, 2019 by joepeka

[Butterbean1000]

That sounds awful.  Unfortunately, we are all at the mercy of computers.  Outages will always happen somewhere.

[Saint Greg]

I know the day I boarded Vista in February RCCL passengers were struggling to get off of their ship. I heard it was a computer problem. Whatever it was didn't affect Vista though.

[aknguyen]

I know outages occur. I guess I'm most surprised that an IT system that is critical to national security doesn't have a back-up. The agent we saw said there is no way to reboot the computers locally. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised since this is the government we're talking about. 

[gatour]

20 minutes ago, aknguyen said:

I know outages occur. I guess I'm most surprised that an IT system that is critical to national security doesn't have a back-up. The agent we saw said there is no way to reboot the computers locally. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised since this is the government we're talking about. 

I am biting my tongue in regards "since this the government we're talking about". 

 

Not

 

You get what you pay for and I haven't worked for the Gov't in the last 20 years.  People seem to want Gov't on the cheap until they don't.  Redundancy is not cheap, either in the Gov't or the private sector.

 

Also there have been numerous IT outages in the private sector over the years.  So it is not a Gov't issue.

 

IT is considered a cost center and not a profit center, even though without IT the entire global economy would grind to a halt.

Edited June 16, 2019 by gatour

[Purvis1231]

I can remember when computers first came in to usage, there was a back-up plan but I guess now we are so dependent on computers there is no back-up plan. 

[Ranyw]

This is one of the reasons I choose to be one of the last off the ship.  My family’s comfort comes first, once the CD saw us lounging and said we maybe the last ones on the ship. 😂😂😂. We literally walked from ship to customs to our luggage in 7 minutes.

[aknguyen]

5 minutes ago, Ranyw said:

This is one of the reasons I choose to be one of the last off the ship.  My family’s comfort comes first, once the CD saw us lounging and said we maybe the last ones on the ship. 😂😂😂. We literally walked from ship to customs to our luggage in 7 minutes.

Lesson learned. We went when we were called. I didn't realize there was an option to ignore it.

[Elaine5715]

14 minutes ago, Ranyw said:

This is one of the reasons I choose to be one of the last off the ship.  My family’s comfort comes first, once the CD saw us lounging and said we maybe the last ones on the ship. 😂😂😂. We literally walked from ship to customs to our luggage in 7 minutes.

 

8 minutes ago, aknguyen said:

Lesson learned. We went when we were called. I didn't realize there was an option to ignore it.

If the CD came to get you, you have overstayed your welcome.  

[aknguyen]

2 hours ago, joepeka said:

ETA: no known connection but DW reported that Target's checkout systems were down today as well. 

Well that's a travesty also. 😉

[modes]

Galveston is the worst port in the USA.

[bingomamma19]

2 hours ago, aknguyen said:

Lesson learned. We went when we were called. I didn't realize there was an option to ignore it.

That is correct.   You don't have to go with your zone number, or you could also exchange it for the last zone number available.   

 

We always wait to be one of the last off.   I hate lines and crowds, so we lounge around on the lido deck until the last call is said.   Much more enjoyable experience.

[Sean_B]

13 hours ago, aknguyen said:

I didn't blame Carnival or the port. I said I'm hesitant to book another cruise. We don't know when there could be computer problems again at any port with any line.

Better not leave your house ever again then. You never know when there could be a computer issue with traffic lights or your grocery scanner that will cause you hours of delay.

[Rudyard]

9 hours ago, modes said:

Galveston is the worst port in the USA.

 

Right. Because these kind of issues NEVER happen at any other port. 

[ontheweb]

Our worst disembarkation was in Fort Lauderdale after a hurricane forced the ship to remain at sea an extra 2 days. Basically, pretty much everyone including us needed the earliest disembarkation to get to the airport to get new flights. And there were too many ships now coming in for the customs agents to handle, especially I assume because it was a holiday weekend, Monday of Labor Day.

 

So the first color was called, and the lounge filled to the point you almost could not breathe. And the they called the second color, and it was even worse. Finally, there was an announcement, and we all hoped it was that we all could start to get off the ship. But no, it was you now had your last chance to buy pictures. RCCL did not make any friends with that!

 

I did heat folks who were on their first cruise (it was actually our second) asking if it was always like this, and that they would never cruise again.