They missed the ship and...

[DeltaOne]

...then it got worse.

 

Quite a story on the Princess board: click here. Keep in mind the part that says "...we were separated from our group." I, and many of the posters on the thread, don't feel the cruise line did anything wrong.

[mii]

Yes, I read the story as I am also a Princess cruiser. That really was an unfortunate set of circumstances that could easily happen on any line. Things do happen so it was a good heads up for the rest of us who have not experienced anything like that.

 

Marilyn

[trcori]

don't ever leave the ship without your passport. I insist on taking ours along even if we are in a domestic port. It is the gold standard of ID and it's not doing you any good if it's sitting in the stateroom safe. Apparently these people tried to get theirs out of the safe -- but at the last minute, so when the safe wouldn't open, they had little time to get help, and chose to just leave without it -- that circumstance aside, I am sure there are people who choose to go ashore without passports, and this is a cautionary tale about (among other things) why that's not a good move ... TR

[spongerob]

I just caught something there, too. They said they contacted the Port Agent. Princess prints their shore agent's contact number in the daily information sheet in case you get into trouble on shore. I think the OP on that thread talked to a local port authority person, not the official port agent. I think that's why they couldn't get any help immediately.

[Host Walt]

Yet another reason to always prepare for the unexpected. We carry a color photocopy of our passports in our wallets all the time (even at home) because one never knows what might happen.

 

More to the point, although there is a lot of detail about the incident, there is no explanation at all about how they got separated from the tour, especially at the tender port.

 

I have seen similar occurrences countless times where a person gets attracted to some shop or vendor at the dock and decides to have a quick look, not paying attention to the situation. (I was guilty of that myself in Florence Italy when our shorex bus left without me...but I made it back to Livorno in time, fortunately. Has never happened again.)

[CGTNORMANDIE]

They left the ship in Venezuela with no passports??? I won't even get off the ship if it is in Venezuela!!! This is a sad story of missed connections. I hope we all take a lesson from this.

 

ROSS

[gkm]

That'll sure make you stop and think when you're in a foreign port not to get separated from the rest of your group! I would have been a basket case.:eek:

 

Garry

[kruisecat]

Yet another reason to always prepare for the unexpected. We carry a color photocopy of our passports in our wallets all the time (even at home) because one never knows what might happen.

 

More to the point, although there is a lot of detail about the incident, there is no explanation at all about how they got separated from the tour, especially at the tender port.

 

I have seen similar occurrences countless times where a person gets attracted to some shop or vendor at the dock and decides to have a quick look, not paying attention to the situation. (I was guilty of that myself in Florence Italy when our shorex bus left without me...but I made it back to Livorno in time, fortunately. Has never happened again.)

 

Actually he did explain it further down in another post. Apparently they were the 1st off the bus, stood by the fence and another tour group moved in front of them. By the time the other group passed by his group had already moved away from the bus and they were no where in sight. He goes on to say that the other valuable lesson was to stand close to the bus and never let the group out of his sight.

 

Lots of good lessons from this bad situation.

[98Charlie]

As I've posted many times before, I can't imagine why any pax would go ashore in a foreign port without their passport. Some lessons are more hard to learn than others.

 

DH & I spent two years behind the Iron Curtain back in the '60s during his military days. We learned early on that a passport - full passport, not a copy - is always your best friend when traveling in a foreign country.

 

Your passport is your exit ticket out of a foreign country as well as your entry into that country. Don't leave ``home'' without it.:)

 

Dianne

[tom_uk]

Lots of unexpected but cumulative events happened:-

 

a) they couldn't get their passports;

 

b) the computer was down so the normal record of who was checked out of the ship wasn't taken;

 

c) they got detached from their tour group;

 

d) because of b) no-one on the ship knew they hadn't made it back.

 

Lots of coincidences, but sometimes they can all happen. Thinking about it, I wonder what is the best thing to do if, when you are about to disembark, you find that the computer is down. To be safe, you probably shouldn't go ashore.

[lisiamc]

I wonder what is the best thing to do if, when you are about to disembark, you find that the computer is down. To be safe, you probably shouldn't go ashore.

 

That might be playing it too safe! It's only in the past few years that cruiselines have had any way of telling who is on or off the ship at any given moment. As long as I know what time I'm supposed to be back on board, and have a good plan of what to do if the ship leaves without me, I'm happy to be responsible for myself.

 

Lisa

[Longboysfan]

Yet another reason why not to go on Princess.

 

Customer Service in a work is not worth snot.

 

Once they have your $ they don't give it back - no matter what the circumstances. Where they had a contributing part in the fiasco.

 

Have delt with them one time lost big.......

 

No more Princess......

[cruising with marti]

Yet another reason why not to go on Princess.

 

Customer Service in a work is not worth snot.

 

Once they have your $ they don't give it back - no matter what the circumstances. Where they had a contributing part in the fiasco.

 

Have delt with them one time lost big.......

 

No more Princess......

 

Boy, I have heard of over generalizations before, but longboy, yours

ranks right up there with the best of them.

 

I think you will find that there are complaints about customer service on every cruise line or service company in the world.

I guess that ones opinion depends on the outcome of the complaint.

 

I have had only one occasion on which I had to go to customer service for resolution, and it was Princess. The outcome was just great, so my over generalization would be Princess customer service is GREAT.

 

I am reminded of an incident a few years ago, United Airlines lost my luggage some where between Denver and Salt lake city customer service was of no help ( at least from my point of view) I vowed never to fly United again, even tho I was a million miler with them at had never encountered any major problem. I ranted and railed against United for over 6 months but in the end I forgave and forgot.

 

Maybe you will do the same and sail Princess again:D

 

 

phil

[alpal1993]

That was about far the scariest story I have ever heard.Not only should you not get off without you passport you should make sure that you carry your own.While in Russia an elderly gentleman stopped to take a picture.His group kept on walking.Out of no where came two police and wanted to see his passport.He tried to tell them that his wife had it.Then they wanted his Visa-of course the tour guide had that.All though this occurance was not as tramatic all was settled with a bribe.I always carry our things in my fanny pack for now on my DH can carry his own in case we ever get seperated.

[wizard-of-roz]

:( While on board the Summit in October, 2005 we noticed a huge commotion outside, on the dock in Ensenada, Mexico (we were on the docked side and had a veranda and our doors were open), we stepped out and while hearing names being paged over and over again on the loud speaker, we could see Mexican police and ships officers scurring around; jumping in cars and heading for downtown (obviously, someone was lost), our ship was now 45 minutes late on leaving Ensenada heading for Cabo San Lucas. Suddendly there were police and cars everywhere, out of one police car a young couple emerged and were hurried off toward the ship. Finally, we could leave! At dinner the couple was admonised by everyone for holding us up! They were embarrassed! They said, "they lost their tour group!" Celebrity was amazing, they went out of their way to get these lame brains back to the ship. Although it's not the depths of South America, it's still foreign soil and because of the ship card scanning system, Celebrity knew exactly who had not returned and who to look for! Princess should NEVER have allowed anyone to leave the ship that they could not account for! And, the fact that your cabin steward did not report to her manager that you had not been in your room for days is apalling! Wecruised long before the scanning system, during simpler times! I'm glad things have changed and we all are accountable for each other! Good lessons learned! Be well, safe and happy! We leave for Alaska, on Celebrity, in September, I can't wait!

Many Good Wishes,

"The Wizard of Roz"

and her Traveling companion "Brenda" The Hearing Service Dog:p

[danblinn]

They didn't have their passports because they couldn't access their safe. On our most recent cruise, we had problems with our safe twice - both times when we were ready to disembark. The problem was the battery, and they had to send an engineer to open the safe with a drill both times. I chatted with him the second time, and he told me that this is a very common occurrence.

 

Fortunately, we were not held up by more than 20 minutes either time, although I did report late for an excursion (but still got there before they left). The lesson we took from that was to get what we need out of the safe first thing in the morning rather than waiting until you're ready to disembark.

[wizard-of-roz]

:) Your passport belongs on you, next to you, around you and with you all of the time!!! While you're traveling! Because the safe in your cabin may breakdown and you may have to leave for an emergency, your passport should be accessible to you all of the time. You can purchase special purses, for men there are really neat leather holders that fit on your shoulder, around your waist or on and in any myraid of places on your body. Just have it handy and ready to "move" when you move! It goes where you go! Especially on a ship! When you travel by airplane, where's your passport? It's a good habit to get used to! Never, never leave ANYWHERE, while traveling, without it!

Here's to cruising through life,

"The Wizard of Roz":p

[muffin]

As a Canadian all cruise lines take our passport away from us when we board the vessel dispite huge protestrations. I have no idea why we are seen as being unalbe to look after our own documentation...the lame excuse we get is that this ensures we will have it to get back into the USA for sure. We, and other "foreigners" have to pick them up the last morning before our immigration check out. The story of these cruisers does give one second thoughts about this practise.... we are not ALLOWED to have our passports.

[TEXASMUNK]

Stood their waiting for their group?

 

Any one wanna bet there was a shop/store/etc? They paid a visit, and then missed their boat!

 

If they got off at the pier, couldn't remember where they came in?

 

The tender had time to load everyone else, let go the lines, clear the pier, etc?

 

NOPE, not buying it. Sounds like the last stage of the bovine food process to me!!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

:confused: Why, Why, Why! Would the officials be holding your passports? Maybe Canadians can't be trusted to be responsible enough to take control of their own passports! I would want to know why!!!! In case of an emergency on the ship, how would you be able to get the proper assistance, yourself, in a foreign country, if they have the "goods?":(

The Wizard

[canderson]

As a Canadian all cruise lines take our passport away from us when we board the vessel dispite huge protestrations. I have no idea why we are seen as being unalbe to look after our own documentation...the lame excuse we get is that this ensures we will have it to get back into the USA for sure. We, and other "foreigners" have to pick them up the last morning before our immigration check out. The story of these cruisers does give one second thoughts about this practise.... we are not ALLOWED to have our passports.

During our recent Viking river cruise in Germany, they played the same game with our passports, claiming it was some sort of government requirement. Got them back as we disembarked.

 

Geez, it's been YEARS since I've been asked to surrender a passport for a hotel room in Europe or Asia (including the PRC), and I was under the impression that this was based upon the same old (and long since obsolete) rule.

[Offtune Angel]

:confused: Why, Why, Why! Would the officials be holding your passports? Maybe Canadians can't be trusted to be responsible enough to take control of their own passports! I would want to know why!!!! In case of an emergency on the ship, how would you be able to get the proper assistance, yourself, in a foreign country, if they have the "goods?":(

The Wizard

In case of Emergency..., you CAN'T get the proper assistance. You have to trust to a photocopy of your Passport, which is next to useless. Only once have we not had to surrender our Passport -- last October 9th on Infinity - San Diego/Hawaii/San Diego with a 59 minute 'technical stop' at Ensenada the night before disembarkation. The other cruises were Celebrity, NCL, Premier, Royal Olympia, Epirotiki.

 

Incidentally, on the original post on the Princess Board, someone brought up the point that in the 80's pax weren't scanned off and on the ship. Two points:

- ships were much smaller;

- they did have off/on systems, similar to the boards used in offices for In/Out staff -- just larger.

[lisiamc]

:( While on board the Summit in October, 2005 we noticed a huge commotion outside, on the dock in Ensenada, Mexico (we were on the docked side and had a veranda and our doors were open), we stepped out and while hearing names being paged over and over again on the loud speaker, we could see Mexican police and ships officers scurring around; jumping in cars and heading for downtown (obviously, someone was lost), our ship was now 45 minutes late on leaving Ensenada heading for Cabo San Lucas. Suddendly there were police and cars everywhere, out of one police car a young couple emerged and were hurried off toward the ship. Finally, we could leave! At dinner the couple was admonised by everyone for holding us up! They were embarrassed! They said, "they lost their tour group!" Celebrity was amazing, they went out of their way to get these lame brains back to the ship. Although it's not the depths of South America, it's still foreign soil and because of the ship card scanning system, Celebrity knew exactly who had not returned and who to look for! Princess should NEVER have allowed anyone to leave the ship that they could not account for! And, the fact that your cabin steward did not report to her manager that you had not been in your room for days is apalling! Wecruised long before the scanning system, during simpler times! I'm glad things have changed and we all are accountable for each other! Good lessons learned! Be well, safe and happy! We leave for Alaska, on Celebrity, in September, I can't wait!

Many Good Wishes,

"The Wizard of Roz"

and her Traveling companion "Brenda" The Hearing Service Dog:p

 

Just to point out, scanner or no scanner, the ship will sail without you. I have seen passengers being brought out in the pilot boat more than once, and very recently.

 

The electronic in/out scanning will not prevent you being left behind. The primary purpose, as far as I know, is to make sure that no unauthorised person gets on the ship. The ship's officers might know exactly who is missing, but they will sail anyway. The ones mentioned above, where the ship waited for them in Ensenada, were very lucky.

 

Lisa

[Longboysfan]

Boy, I have heard of over generalizations before, but longboy, yours

ranks right up there with the best of them.

 

I think you will find that there are complaints about customer service on every cruise line or service company in the world.

I guess that ones opinion depends on the outcome of the complaint.

 

I have had only one occasion on which I had to go to customer service for resolution, and it was Princess. The outcome was just great, so my over generalization would be Princess customer service is GREAT.

 

I am reminded of an incident a few years ago, United Airlines lost my luggage some where between Denver and Salt lake city customer service was of no help ( at least from my point of view) I vowed never to fly United again, even tho I was a million miler with them at had never encountered any major problem. I ranted and railed against United for over 6 months but in the end I forgave and forgot.

 

Maybe you will do the same and sail Princess again:D

 

 

phil

 

Phil... When it was a large amount of $ and they could have made good but did not.

Well..... I forgive them.

But I'll not be suckered by them again.

[idssms]

I have images of our passports on:

 

Hotmail

 

Yahoo briefcase

 

AOL

 

If this situation happened to us and someone had internet access I would have my passport with pics available.

 

If my wallet was stolen, having a copy of your passport wouldnt have helped.

 

I recommend everyone images their passort and email the file to a few email accounts and keep it there forever.

 

Just in case

 

 

Don