Serenade OTS and Tampa Fog Don't Mix

[TangoCruz]

😒 Our November 26 Serenade of the Seas cruise was great once we departed Tampa. It was getting on the ship that was the major problem. Saturday boarding day began with serious fog and the closing of the port. Both Serenade and Brilliance were positioned offshore until the port was opened for traffic around 2:00 PM. We were informed via email at 3:00 PM  that our ship was finally headed in and that we would board at 7:30 PM. A lot of passengers were stuck waiting outside the port security fence all day with their luggage. I had secured our hotel room for another day so at least we had somewhere to relax before heading to the ship. Little did I know it would be our last relaxing time for a while. After our driver made it through a massive traffic jam at Terminal 6 entrance, we were stopped by a security officer and told to exit our transportation and join the line waiting to pass through the port security fence. We ended up at the end of a very LONG line on Channelside Drive. TWO hours later we would reach the security gate where a mall cop type was letting about 20 passengers in at a time to drop off their luggage. Then, we joined another line that ended at the security/x-ray room (another 1 hour wait). Finally cleared for actual check-in and we boarded our ship at 11:15 PM. 38 cruises and this was by far my worst embarkation experience, ever!! My wife and I are both 75 and THREE hours standing in a line proved very exhausting. And there were people around us who appeared a lot older who were struggling with their luggage. To add insult to injury, as we approached the security gate, someone made the decision to start allowing vehicles with passengers to enter the luggage drop-off zone. Standing on the wrong side of the fence, we watched as a number of buses, cars and vans dropped off several hundred passengers that were now positioned for check-in ahead of those of us who had waited in a line for 2 hours. I realize this was a rare occurrence but I believe the cruise line could have been better prepared to handle a difficult situation. P.S. The ship is beautiful, the staff is excellent and we will cruise again. Just not out of the Port of Tampa.   

[Homosassa]

Mall type cop?

 

They are sheriff's deputies and they are very good at making sure that Tampa port terminals have a controlled entrance of people according to arrival times.  

 

Was 7:30 PM the time that check in was begun and original arrival times were suppose to be adhered to in the time increments originally given, i.e.; if first time available for check in was suppose to be 11 AM, it would now be 7:30 PM, followed by 11:30 AM (8 PM)?

 

Was the opening of the terminal to traffic at 7:30 PM when check in began?

 

[TexasRon]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

Mall type cop?

 

They are sheriff's deputies and they are very good at making sure that Tampa port terminals have a controlled entrance of people according to arrival times.  

 

Was 7:30 PM the time that check in was begun and original arrival times were suppose to be adhered to in the time increments originally given, i.e.; if first time available for check in was suppose to be 11 AM, it would now be 7:30 PM, followed by 11:30 AM (8 PM)?

 

Was the opening of the terminal to traffic at 7:30 PM when check in began?

 

Sure doesn’t sound like it was very well done by either the cruise line (did they tell passengers new report times?  Not based on the account of the OP) 

 

Did they handle traffic well?  Again, does not seem like it.  I have been in ports where ships are debarking and collecting luggage for the next cruise at the same time. Sure it is a lot of people, but the handle it.

 

It sounds to me like the experience could have been improved for the passengers.

Edited December 11, 2022 by TexasRon

[happy cruzer]

We too got to participate in this embarcation that was impacted by fog.  Both Serenade and Brilliance were delayed and arriving 30 minutes apart.

 

The email from Royal said that the embarcation would start at 7:00 and that passengers should arrive 8 hours later than their original time.

 

Royal had very little to do with how things where handled at the port.  The Port of Tampa and the city police seemed to be directing everything.  Traffic was horrible which Royal does not control.  All the folks that still needed to get off the ship and to their cars in the parking lots to empty up the parking spots.  Access into the port area was not well organized. It was hard to tell if a line was for Serenade or Brillance.

 

Once parked and in line to board it was slow.  Everyone except those that needed assistance and suites were in the same line (but there was no one to tell anyone which line to get in until near the door of the terminal), no checking of boarding times.   Inside the terminal only three security lines (of a possible 6) were staffed.  Once past security things went quickly.  We took about 1 1/5 hours to get onboard.

 

So yes it was a mess but not much of it was under the cruise line's control. 

 

The cruise itself was very nice.  Very friendly staff made for a great time.

[Dave33549]

I also boarded on the Nov 26 sailing of the Serenade of the Seas.  I agree that Royal is not responsible for the horrific Port procedures and management which took place during embarkation.  
We received two emails and texts from Royal.  The last one was received approximately at 3:30 PM.  It stated that passengers were to board 8 hours after their original boarding time.  In my case, my 11AM boarding time would now be 7PM.

We arrived at 7PM as Royal directed to find the terminal in total disarray. A Sheriff Deputy directed where we had to leave the automobile dropping us off which was a very long distance from the terminal.  We got in line and dragged our luggage over a mostly poorly paved surface for approximately 3 hours before we reached the terminal and porters.  It took another 45 minutes to process and board.  I did not witness anyone checking boarding times.

Royal should have sent another email/text alerting their passengers that the port was not operating normally and instead of arriving 8 hours after your boarding time you now should arrive 10 to 11 hours after your initial boarding time. 
I firmly believe it was Royal’s responsibility to send this additional email/ text.  Failing to send that communication resulted in many passengers waiting in line for 3 hours without water or access to facilities.  

[Jimbo]

What months are the bad fog months in Tampa?

[perfect match]

I am rethinking my idea that I’d like to try cruising out of Tampa in the near future. My luck on previous attempts to do so has not been good, but fog wasn’t the problem. One cruise was chartered out from under us, then there was Covid. No fog cancellations for us, but wow, that’s quite the boarding fiasco on the November 26 Serenade sailing! I don’t think my body would have handled that delay very well at all. It must have been a staffing nightmare, too, with workers who had expected to be there in the early AM suddenly having to be there at night.

[Karma5]

I find that Tampa is one port to. be avoided..........

[Homosassa]

23 hours ago, TexasRon said:

 

 

Did they handle traffic well?  Again, does not seem like it.  I have been in ports where ships are debarking and collecting luggage for the next cruise at the same time. Sure it is a lot of people, but the handle it.

 

It sounds to me like the experience could have been improved for the passengers.

Have you ever cruised from Tampa?

 

It doesn't sound like it.

 

While the terminals in Tampa are smaller, so are the ships that sail from Tampa because of both channel and Sunshine Bridge restrictions.

 

It is the procedure that incoming passengers (vehicles) are not allowed to enter the terminal area until the debarking passengers have left the terminal area.

 

The entrances for the three terminals are widely separated  and well marked. 

 

Somehow, I doubt that the new arrival times were followed by the incoming passengers.  If they had been, there would not have been the problems as reported here.

[TexasRon]

13 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Have you ever cruised from Tampa?

 

It doesn't sound like it.

 

While the terminals in Tampa are smaller, so are the ships that sail from Tampa because of both channel and Sunshine Bridge restrictions.

 

It is the procedure that incoming passengers (vehicles) are not allowed to enter the terminal area until the debarking passengers have left the terminal area.

 

The entrances for the three terminals are widely separated  and well marked. 

 

Somehow, I doubt that the new arrival times were followed by the incoming passengers.  If they had been, there would not have been the problems as reported here.

That is why I used words like “sounds like it” and not absolutes.  Since this is a fairly regular thing (as it is also is in Galveston), perhaps the notifications need to be more descriptive of the issues there are since most of us are most used to a relatively smooth process and don’t really know of how things like this impact them.

 

Not that everyone would listen or that there is a great answer for being out of hotels by check out time and having to wait on the ship...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[island lady]

Currently on second leg Serenade out of Tampa.  

 

12/3:  No fog

12/10:  Some fog, but captain wisely came in two hours early to get ahead of it. 

 

No delays at all.  

 

Tampa is notorious for fog problem due to long...long transit through the shallow bay, and restrictions going under the Sunshine Skyway bridge.  

 

Would I continue to cruise out of Tampa, even though it is a two hour drive for me, rather than going out of PC 20 minutes from home?  You bet your cruising butt I will.  😉  Love to mix it up.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2022 by island lady

[aring75]

On 12/11/2022 at 11:07 PM, Jimbo said:

What months are the bad fog months in Tampa?

Tampa’s “fog season” generally runs from Dec to Feb. Dense fog in the area generally occurs when the cooler mornings begin, but we are still having very warm afternoons. 

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, TexasRon said:

That is why I used words like “sounds like it” and not absolutes.  Since this is a fairly regular thing (as it is also is in Galveston), perhaps the notifications need to be more descriptive of the issues there are since most of us are most used to a relatively smooth process and don’t really know of how things like this impact them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take more cruises.

 

Sooner or later, things will not go smoothly at embarcation or debarcation.  There can be many reasons besides fog.

 

My recent one was the group of drunks who decided to hide on the ship and not leave on the last day.

 

Held up embarkation for several hours while the ship was searched and the culprits arrested.

 

The cruiseline no longer sells drink packages for their short cruises.

[mac66]

Knowing that there is a fog issue you would think the ship and port authorities would figure out a way/procedure to deal with it more effectively.  No excuse for what the OP went through.

 

We are on the Serenade on the Feb 4 sailing. Hopefully we won't have to go through this kind of BS.

[Homosassa]

52 minutes ago, mac66 said:

Knowing that there is a fog issue you would think the ship and port authorities would figure out a way/procedure to deal with it more effectively.  No excuse for what the OP went through.

 

We are on the Serenade on the Feb 4 sailing. Hopefully we won't have to go through this kind of BS.

You are scheduled for Terminal 6.

 

Terminal 6, IMO, is the best terminal for drop off and parking.

 

If you are driving, one drives up to the terminal, drops off the luggage, drives down  roadway to the the first left into self parking. Of course, one can park first and bring all your luggage to the terminal.  It depend on where you park in the lot for how a long walk it will be to the terminal. At the top of the walking ramp up to the terminal, a sheriff's deputy will check your arrival time before permitting you  access the porters and arrival lines.

 

Like all the other terminals in Tampa, driving access to the area in front of the terminal is tightly controlled by the local sheriff's deputies. If one is arriving too early, one will be sent back out of the terminal area and told to return at a more appropriate time for your arrival time. Those taking taxis, Ubers or other for rent rides will be checked for arrival times.

 

If you know there is a fog delay, make sure the arrival instructions in any notifications are followed or one will be on line outside the terminal area.

 

I wouldn't worry about fog in February.  By the time February rolls around, the water temperature will have dropped and the air temperature is cooler (and usually drier).  Add any type of breeze and there will be no fog.

 

https://www.porttb.com/cruise-terminal-6

[Jimbo]

2 hours ago, Homosassa said:

 

 

The cruiseline no longer sells drink packages for their short cruises.

Find it hard to believe that rule will last that long with the prices drink packages are costing lately. They could just charge sky's the limit and make ALOT of money if people really want the drink package they will pay no matter the price.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Jimbo

[Homosassa]

47 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Find it hard to believe that rule will last that long with the prices drink packages are costing lately. They could just charge sky's the limit and make ALOT of money if people really want the drink package they will pay no matter the price.

It will last.

 

The cruise line does not want to be mistaken for Carnival as its targeted market demographic and on board atmosphere (cultural differences) not does not encourage heavy drinking.

[Jimbo]

6 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

It will last.

 

The cruise line does not want to be mistaken for Carnival as its targeted market demographic and on board atmosphere (cultural differences) not does not encourage heavy drinking.

They do though encouraging  making as much money as possible on every ship they sail. I'm sure it will change as far as selling  drink packages.

[Homosassa]

6 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

They do though encouraging  making as much money as possible on every ship they sail. I'm sure it will change as far as selling  drink packages.

I am talking about MSC.

 

If you are not familiar with the policies of MSC that enable them to control costs (fare churning by the passengers for example) or the cultural differences between a cruise line that embraces it's  Italian (and European) attitudes in area such as  toward alcohol, parental responsibility for supervision of children and dining and what people think is typified by some US cruise lines,  I can see where you may think MSC will change on the drink package.

[TexasRon]

8 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Take more cruises.

 

Sooner or later, things will not go smoothly at embarcation or debarcation.  There can be many reasons besides fog.

 

My recent one was the group of drunks who decided to hide on the ship and not leave on the last day.

 

Held up embarkation for several hours while the ship was searched and the culprits arrested.

 

The cruiseline no longer sells drink packages for their short cruises.

Nothing will be much worse than my first embarkation via amphibious assault vehicle headed on to a Navy ship.  Breathing diesel fumes for an hour while they finally made it to the ship.  Only time that I ever ended up seasick.

 

Anyway,  I am sure a bad experience will come along.  I will make the best of it.