Dawn passengers left “stranded” on African island

[julig22]

4 minutes ago, LongIsland-Cruiser said:

I don't want to read 27 pages of this, especially as I am seeing people claim that "The customer is always right!  NCL should have let them come back at their own pace".

 

But I am curious....Would it benefit NCL to just ban this couple?  Not to put to fine a point on it, but they purposely broke the rules, went directly to the media with their grievances, and have basically been nothing but a horrible headache and PR disaster.  And at no point have they ever admitted that they could have done better.  Their basic attitude is "I am always right, rules don't apply to me".  So you can imagine how they flout other rules and treat other passengers/crew members.

 

If I was NCL I would do a full pushback and say "Not only did we leave your late ass behind, but we are banning you for life for trying to ruin the vacations of 2998 other passengers with your actions."

 

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense.   I really think hotels, planes, cruises, stores, and sporting stadiums should start standing up for the vast majority of people that follow rules and try to be cognizant of the OTHER paying customers they are with.  I would have much more respect for any business that said "This person was abusive to staff, wouldn't follow the rules, threatened the vacations of others, and so we decided we didn't want them on future cruises."

 

I wouldn't have let them come back on the ship at all.  Fly them home.

 

But maybe I am too harsh.  I am getting to the point though going to public events fills me with dread because I know 5000 people will behave, and 2 will try to ruin everything.

Banning them from NCL has been discussed, I'm assuming NCL could but don't know if they would. And I doubt if we'll ever know - unless of course they contact the press again about how NCL continues to harass them or something.

 

But flying them home - Nope, not on NCL's dime anyway. Come back onboard where they can endure that walk of shame for the rest of the trip.

 

I just hope the LateEight don't get any further compensation for their troubles - at least not from NCL.  NCL, on the other hand, could actually come out unscathed IMHO. Free press, pointing out the NCL goes to exotic locations.  And a warning to anyone who takes a cruise that if you miss the all-aboard time you might find yourself with some very significant problems.

[Oakman58]

17 minutes ago, LongIsland-Cruiser said:

 

 

If I was NCL I would do a full pushback and say "Not only did we leave your late ass behind, but we are banning you for life for trying to ruin the vacations of 2998 other passengers with your actions."

 

 

 

This made me laugh out loud. Ban the couple?  I seriously doubt the couple will ever want to book a cruise with NCL again.  

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

1 minute ago, Oakman58 said:

 

This made me laugh out loud. Ban the couple?  I seriously doubt the couple will ever want to book a cruise with NCL again.  

 

I mean, they got back on this cruise ship and went thru 7 different countries to do it.  Apparently they liked something about the cruise.

[Lonedaddy]

1 hour ago, Travelling2Some said:

Slumming it, huh?  Yeah, we're really living on the edge over here, lol.  We had a troll from the Viking boards a few pages back but you guys seem nice!

We did NCL RCCL a few times in the past with Kids it was enjoyable but as we became empty nesters just preferred smaller cruises and limited kids.  If I get motivated my take the grandkids on NCL one of these days.  I'll be the guy with grandma sitting by the pool watching the grandkids while the kids go on shore excursions.  The Haven looks pretty nice to try.

Edited April 3 by Lonedaddy

[Oakman58]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

When the local Coast Guard boat took them out to the Dawn, this is how the LATE 8 would have needed to reembark the Dawn.  Keep in mind, there was a pregnant passenger and a paraplegic in that group.  Does anybody want to question the Captain's concern for his  passengers?  Rules are rules for a reason, even if the local coast guard doesn't know them.  I'm also including a photo of the Sao Tome Coast Guard boat that took them out to the Dawn.

 

 

Here's the Coast Guard Ship.  The LATE 8 would have needed to climb the same ladder the harbor pilots use.  Enough said?

 

 

 

Oh please!  The ship would have had to redeploy the steps and platform they use for normal tender operations.

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

6 minutes ago, julig22 said:

NCL, on the other hand, could actually come out unscathed IMHO. Free press, pointing out the NCL goes to exotic locations.

I can see the ads now "Exotic Locales!  That we are not afraid to leave you at if you cause problems!"

[Oakman58]

1 minute ago, LongIsland-Cruiser said:

 

I mean, they got back on this cruise ship and went thru 7 different countries to do it.  Apparently they liked something about the cruise.

 

Apparently they wanted to get their money's worth and finish a very expensive cruise.  Perhaps they wanted to get back on the ship and give the captain a piece of their mind.

[graphicguy]

13 minutes ago, Oakman58 said:

 

This made me laugh out loud. Ban the couple?  I seriously doubt the couple will ever want to book a cruise with NCL again.  

We should all consider ourselves lucky if this ends up being the case.

 

What is it that causes some adults, responsible enough to afford a cruise, all of a sudden turn into precocious 13 years olds who seem incapable of even using a pencil? 

 

The Campbells at issue here seem to be totally unable to understand the consequences of their tour operator's ineptitude.  Yet, they booked the cruise, got themselves from home to the ship, booked this tour with someone.  But, they come across as "we're angry at NCL because we didn't think their requirements applied to us".  Seriously?

Edited April 3 by graphicguy

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

On 4/2/2024 at 8:30 AM, Oakman58 said:

Knowing how I am, if this happened to me, when I rejoined the ship, I would give the Captain some grief every time I saw him. "Thanks for leaving me behind without my medications Captain, I almost died." "Thank for leaving me in a 3rd World country Captain that didn't accept my credit cards."  Knowing my personality, I would probably push the issue until I ended up in the brig.

 

Why do you think the captain would take your abuse?  A simple response of "Gosh, if your meds were so important, you think you could have made it back on time?  I use this new invention called a watch for just these types of situations."

 

But this is sort of the attitude I am talking about when I am saying that NCL shouldn't have let them back on the ship at all, and just sent them home or cancelled their vacation.  There is no doubt that their attitude is similar to this poster...namely "I am the main character, and I think I can be abusive to crew members if they do something I don't like".  This poster actually treats it as a point of pride that they try to needle people and cause fights and would like to end up in the brig over it.

 

Why let someone with such an axe to grind back on the ship to abuse your staff?  

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, Oakman58 said:

Perhaps they wanted to get back on the ship and give the captain a piece of their mind.

That would be an incredibly childish thing to do.  But given their behavior so far, you have probably pegged them right.

 

It's interesting how many people think that those in the service industry are there to be their punching bags.

 

 

[julig22]

5 minutes ago, LongIsland-Cruiser said:

I can see the ads now "Exotic Locales!  That we are not afraid to leave you at if you cause problems!"

And for the 99% of passengers who do adhere to the rules, that would be a plus.

 

"We're not afraid to leave rude, self centered passengers behind so the rest of you can continue to enjoy your cruise"

 

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

Just now, julig22 said:

And for the 99% of passengers who do adhere to the rules, that would be a plus.

 

"We're not afraid to leave rude, self centered passengers behind so the rest of you can continue to enjoy your cruise"

 

Right??!!  It's like the restaurants that say "If you leave your child unattended they will be given coffee and taught how to curse".  I am eating at that restaurant!

[blackwing]

15 minutes ago, LongIsland-Cruiser said:

That would be an incredibly childish thing to do.  But given their behavior so far, you have probably pegged them right.

 

It's interesting how many people think that those in the service industry are there to be their punching bags.

Last week on embarkation day on Getaway, the couple next to me at Guest Services was screaming at the employee because they didn't get the onboard credit promised to them by their travel agent.  The employee was trying to explain to them that this was something that needed to have been purchased for them on their behalf by their travel agent.  The wife wasn't having it at all.  She was screaming loudly "this is UNACCEPTABLE!  We were told we were going to be given this credit, you are going to give us this credit RIGHT NOW and we are not leaving here until you FIX IT!"

 

The employee had the patience of a saint.  He said calmly, "as I've already explained to your husband, since this was credit promised to you by your travel agent and not by us, we cannot do anything about this, you will have to take this up with your travel agent".  Then the husband got into it and said "you're going to call the travel agent right now and you will speak to them and fix this".  The employee said "you can certainly use our phone and call them, but as it is 4:30 pm on a Sunday, they are probably not open."  Husband thrust the travel agent's card to the employee.  Employee put his phone on the counter and invited husband to call himself.  Of course, no answer.  What a great way to start a cruise!

 

That was on Getaway.  Nowhere near the price point of these Dawn cruisers.  In the article about the 80 year old medical disembarkee, the daughter said she spent $20,000 on this vacation.  So the Campbells spent at least $40,000.  They seem to think that spending money gives them the right to continue to demonize NCL with their version of their story and I'm sure hope they don't take it out on any employees.  I really do hope that people onboard are giving them some grief.

Edited April 3 by blackwing

[njkate]

And yet the tour operator who should of got them to Senegal remains unnamed, of which the name should be public so others know to steer clear

[Mike07]

1 minute ago, njkate said:

And yet the tour operator who should of got them to Senegal remains unnamed, of which the name should be public so others know to steer clear

 

 

Probably because the cruise lines also use the tour operator for other stuff.

[slidemaster5]

I would be curious if this 80-year-old had received an OK from her doctor to travel alone for 3 weeks. My mother who is independent at 84 is restricted from her cardiologist from flying long flights (over 2 hours) because of the blood clot issue due to her age. While this 80-year-old passenger supposedly had 30 hours of flights to return from Africa to the west coast. 

 

 

[njkate]

1 minute ago, Mike07 said:

 

 

Probably because the cruise lines also use the tour operator for other stuff.

The couple from SC who have been doing all the squawking could have easily named them 

[Mike07]

11 minutes ago, blackwing said:

That was on Getaway.  Nowhere near the price point of these Dawn cruisers.  In the article about the 80 year old medical disembarkee, the daughter said she spent $20,000 on this vacation.  So the Campbells spent at least $40,000.  They seem to think that spending money gives them the right to continue to demonize NCL with their version of their story and I'm sure hope they don't take it out on any employees.  I really do hope that people onboard are giving them some grief.

 

$20k? $40k?

The cruise in question is not RSSC

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

7 minutes ago, njkate said:

And yet the tour operator who should of got them to Senegal remains unnamed, of which the name should be public so others know to steer clear

 

Probably b/c no one is going to try to bully the tour operator for a fat payout or for future vacations.  Follow the money.  There is a reason this couple immediately went to the media and blamed everything on NCL.

[blackwing]

4 minutes ago, Mike07 said:

 

$20k? $40k?

The cruise in question is not RSSC

It was the 80 year old woman's daughter who said she saved $20,000 for this trip.  I'm not sure of the actual cost.

[graphicguy]

I do think the Customer Service Agents have to be a special breed to listen to the craziness and they face on a daily basis.  I've witnessed dozens of times, too.  Some I've heard...

 

-you screwed me.  My cabin is smaller than what I saw in the pictures on line.  (guest showed the picture which was a totally different category)

 

-my phone fell overboard.  What is your reimbursement policy?

 

-my daughter was kicked out of Entourage.  I want credit since she can't use the club. (I can't even imagine what she did to get kicked out of a club filled with teens).

 

-I didn't know Cagney's was a la carte.  I'm not paying my $xxx bill.  (apparently someone without FAS, as the service rep tried to explain)

 

-My son fell off the stool at the pool bar.  We want compensation.  (this is a tough one...I see it happen pretty regularly.  Each time it was someone who was way drunk and they were promptly escorted out of the pool area.  Is it possible they just fell?  I suppose....probably not likely, though).

 

-I can't use the climbing wall, I want compensation (that particular day at sea there was a torrential down pour)

 

Plenty of others, but it gets crazy.

 

 

[njkate]

3 minutes ago, LongIsland-Cruiser said:

 

Probably b/c no one is going to try to bully the tour operator for a fat payout or for future vacations.  Follow the money.  There is a reason this couple immediately went to the media and blamed everything on NCL.

I think you just might be right 

[Mike07]

 

Some of the comments here are simply cruel. The Late 8 were not hours late to the pier. They were somewhat held hostage by a tour operator. Yes, they made poor choice in this case.

 

Case in point:

1. On a HAL ship in Flam Norway, our ship waited about 30-45 minutes, because a single passenger was running late after buying a ticket on the railroad and was late returning to the ship.

2. A Celebrity entertainment director relayed the funniest/oddest story she had ever had was when a single lady was late returning to the ship, not by minutes but by hours... like it was 9:30 PM and she was still not back and the ship all aboard time was 5 PM or 6PM. The Captain was making regular announcements and passengers were starting to get really worried. Then, the Captain hastily and angrily got on the intercom at 9:30 PM and said, "We're leaving". Turns out, she had abandoned ship, because I guess her casino credit line was thousands in the red.

 

I think some are almost giddy at this group's troubles to prove a point that rules need to be followed.

Edited April 3 by Mike07

[bortman23]

8 hours ago, www3traveler said:

Expenses ONY FROM GAMBI TO SENEGAL.

 

Sorry. Yes, forgot to include that part.

[bortman23]

8 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

They said the rules are OK as long as they don't enforce them "too strictly:  Huh??   

 

Right? If I'm 1hr late for my flight, or train, there's 0% chance it will wait for me...