Bad luck tried to steal our cruise but we fought back!

[eem0924]

I feel your pain Brenda. That's my worst nightmare!!!

[Shaney3401]

I'm loving these stories so I'm just gonna have to BUMP this thrread!!!

Edited March 20, 2011 by Shaney3401

[TxStacey]

Love these stories!! I dont have a cruise nightmare story but I have a honeymoom story. H and I went to Ixtapa in August. Our travel agent didnt tell us it was the rainy season..it flooded the whole time we were there and we had to be evacuated. Also, we thought we were being smart and packed Pepto Bismal..just in case..however we didnt put it in a ziploc and it exploded all over our clothes. Everything was Hot Pink..couldnt get it out and the maids didnt speak English to help us.

 

When we went to the airport to retrn back home, we didnt realize that we needed $20.00 each to get back into the US..and we had no cash..just credit cards...I was in tears as H was running through the airport trying to get cash..until this really nice man asked me what was going on and gave us $40.00...after all that, we are still married 23 years later...and we have had wonderful vacations ever since..especially our cruises!!

[Capt. Johnny]

With 69 days until our next cruise, it always reminds us of our first cruise which started this thread.:eek:

[RaiderFaninNM]

Anyone else out there have a "you won't believe what happened to us" cruise story??

 

For us Hurricane Paul.....................:mad: :rolleyes: :eek:

 

Did not end up going to the Mexican Riviera BUT still had a AWESOME time!

[UpcountryTravelers]

What an awesome catch, Don't tell my wife I had the wrong hand or she will ask me when our anniversary is and you know where that will leave me.:eek::eek:

 

You didn't say the wrong hand. You said "right on her hand" not "on her right hand" BIG difference.

[Vegas Vic]

Our only "horror story" was post-cruise (Grandeur '98). Everyone's departure from the ship was delayed over 2 hours because a group of passengers were not reporting to customs as required and no one could leave until they did. Despite continual announcements over the ships P.A., these people were not responding and cooperating. The whole ship had to wait.

 

Finally, clearance was given and the regular passenger departure schedule was put into motion. As a result, many of us had to rush to the airport to make flights. We were booked straight through to Detroit and we missed that flight by 20 minutes. I headed directly to our airline's desk to grab whatever was available. We got on a flight home with a layover in Chicago, and settled in for a wait until about 3:30.

 

We were on the plane and sat there...and sat there. An announcement was made: "we cannot raise a rear set of steps as they are stuck in the soft tarmac (it was extremely hot in Miami). We need everyone to leave the plane. We hope that the lessened weight of the plane will allow the steps to come free."

 

So, off we go to sit back in the airport. Shortly, they announced it didn't work, so the plan was to remove all the luggage too.

 

We wait some more.

 

Then, they tell us "that didn't work either, so we're gonna find another aircraft".

 

Eventually, about 5:00, we're on our way to Chicago. We get in by about 8:30 and we've missed our connector to Detroit by now.

 

Scramble again to get a flight to Detroit and there's one about 11 pm. Grab a bite to eat, drink a Starbucks or two, and wait some more.

 

We board around 11. .. .... and we taxi away. Soon, I notice that the plane is taking all right-hand turns. I say to my favorite wife: "we're going back in, not out".

 

The captain announces to our dismay: "we have a light on our board that indicates an electrical problem and we have decided that we won't fly this plane. Please exit back into the terminal and we will have another plane here immediately."

 

(Where have we heard THAT before???)

 

FINALLY, we get on the second Chicago plane...arrive in Detroit and retrieve our luggage about 2 a.m. (it was a miracle all our bags made it considering they had been on 4 different planes).

 

So, instead of arriving home mid-afternoon on a Sunday with the usual post-cruise withdrawals, we're both worked up a little bit at that hour...we crash by 5 a.m., back up at 7 a.m. to phone our respective employers to tell them we won't be in.

 

We just took a week long cruise and we're pooped!

[jmrothermel]

Ahhhhhh, yes I had a cruise like this.....oh wait I just got back yesterday!

 

Day 1) Flat tire on the way to the pier.

 

Day 2) 9 month old daughter can't sleep on the ship right. Means no sleep for mama either.

 

Day 3) Son ends up in medical getting 6 stitches in his head.

 

Day 4) Grandma almost has a heat stroke to and back from Junkanoo beach in Nassau. Have to hail down a jittney....and have no idea how. Figured it out though.

 

Son comes down with GI bug, vomits all over Boleros. And room. Time after time.

 

Day 5) Daughter thinks she can walk back from the buffet where MIL was to the beach where we were (Cococay). About a half hour later MIL asks where DD is, I said with you?!?! She was gone for about a half hour. Found her with security (we always taught her that).

 

Couldn't go home without some color.....decide not to sunscreen up in Cococay. Have sunburn so bad I'm crying half the night. No sleep. Severe pain.

 

Day 6) Son appears to be sick AGAIN. Vomits all over room. Yay. Sunburn excruciating.

 

Day 7) Other son appears to have gotten the bug. Vomits in solarium. Sunburn still hurts like the dickens.

Edited May 2, 2011 by jmrothermel

[EmTeeNesters]

This thread reminds me of two "lost and found" stories - both quite amazing...

 

On our first cruise to Alaska, we invited our tablemates to our balcony cabin to view the glaciers (as they were in an inside cabin). We visited and talked, wandered inside and out, etc. The next day, the wife mentioned to us that she lost a precious gold earring some place the day before. They had looked everywhere... As chance had it, a couple days later, they came by to our cabin to enjoy the views from the balcony - and she looked down and spotted the earring on the track for the window-washing machine, just below our balcony. It took a little manuevering, but we recovered the little guy.

------------

On a cruise to Bermuda, we were at Horseshoe Bay Beach, our DS who was about 9yo went out swimming with DH and other family members. He's pretty nearsighted so he was wearing his glasses. A wave knocked his glasses and a lens fell out in about 6 feet of water. I was lying on the beach, when my DH came to me, explained what happened, and asked for a swimming mask. He said that my brother was trying to stay in the general spot (in spite of the waves) so they could possibly locate the lens with aid of the mask. Before he got back, my brother actually spotted the lens mostly buried in the sand and retrieved it - thank goodness for Bermuda's crystal clear water. We were all relieved (especially my DS) after we finally got a tiny screwdriver to reinsert the lens.

[rusoman37]

My second cruise was on RC - Explorer out of FL to the Caribbean. We were going fine until the day we docked at St. Thomas. We went on an excursion to Megan's Bay and when we returned there were men with machine guns at the pier...almost wouldn't let us off the excursion boat. Turns out there was a bomb scare made to our ship that day and they made us wait in the town until they gave the all clear after searching the ship. Finally let us all back onboard, but that night at dinner, as we were pulling away, there was sirens sounded .... someone jumped overboard! My tablemates got a case of the giggles and couldn't stop laughing at the absurtity of what had just happened.

 

My DH and I have a running joke that every MAJOR vacation we have ever been on has had something happen. We went to England in 1995 (TWA Flight 800), Honeymoon to FL 2001 (September 11th), RC Cruise (see above) 2002 (bomb scare/man overboard), Norwegian Cruise 2010 (Hurricane Earl)...I'm sure there's more but I'm starting to block it out LOL.....

[Capt. Johnny]

In six days we will begin our fourth cruise. The was started after our first cruise and some of the hilarious (looking back) things that happened to us. We really enjoy everyone's stories and how it makes us all very very much normal.

We always talk about the first cruise and what happened before we set sail now and bring two sets of glasses for my DW. Hang on here we go again.:D

[relaxatsea]

Years ago (in the 70's) I was on the Carnival Mardi Gras with my husband. We had an inside cabin with bunk beds. I took the top bunk. One night I felt the ship listing severely to one side, since this was an inside cabin, I could not see my hand in front of my face so I waited for the ship to list back the other way, but the ship kept listing even more severely in the same direction! I was sure we were sinking! I finally yelled to my husband "The ship is sinking". He got up and turned on the light and found that my upper bunk was folding into the wall and I was, by this time in a sort of V-shaped space about to fold into the wall along with the bed. He started to laugh and pulled the bed down back in place. I am still not fond of inside cabins!

[NeuroQueen]

This is a great thread......rewind to 1995.....the Dolphin IV.. three day out of Miami. We started a tradition of cruising in November for two girlfriends birthdays. Found a great deal for them for an inside double for $99.00 each. My mom and I got an outside double on the top deck very cheap, as well. Remember, you get what you pay for. When we reached their cabin...or should I say cave, it was barley big enough for the bunk beds, I mean it was probably thirty square foot. You could barely turn around next to the beds. Off we go to the GS and luckily they were upgraded to fifty square feet...oh lord. Well, rewind to Sunday in Nassau. We knew there was a tropical depression somewhere, but had forgotten to follow it while on vacation. Plus it was sooo late in November that we didn't think it would amount to much. We see the CCL ship leaving at what we thought was an early time, and sure enough the RCCL ship leaves shortly thereafter, followed by the NCL ship. We were the only ones still in port. We leave at the appointed hour and not 100 feet past the lighthouse the waves start hitting the ship. Now, mind you, this is a 12,000GRT little tiny, tiny ship! The next eighteen hours are a nightmare. I'm standing in a top side bar getting liquid courage when all of the glasses crash down onto the mirrored bar, shooting glass everywhere. The bartender and I just hold onto each other for dear life thinking this was it!!! He kindly starts cleaning up and offers me free beverages. Thank god! My two girlfriends are totally green by this time and barely make it to their cabin.

Each time the ship sinks in a wave it feels as if it is going.. OVER!

I was not much of a drinker before that cruise but I learned very quickly that alcohol was invented just for these occasions. You had to go down the steps on your bum due to the swaying (or maybe it was the alcohol)! Most all of the crew were sick and not able to work. People were laying all over the lounges because they were too sick to make it to their cabins. The crew kindly gave them pillows and blankets. When we finally got off in Miami I literally kissed that nasty pavement! Needless to say we lived to sail many times over. It is nice to know that cruise ships are fast enough now to go around these storms ( or they left port early to miss it) and I have NEVER encountered this situation again, even while cruising during hurricane season. Needless to say...the dolphin cruise line is no more! We sure had fun, tho! I think that ship would have fit into the boardwalk on Oasis!!!

[Eeyoregon]

I was sure we were sinking! I finally yelled to my husband "The ship is sinking". He got up and turned on the light and found that my upper bunk was folding into the wall and I was, by this time in a sort of V-shaped space about to fold into the wall along with the bed. He started to laugh and pulled the bed down back in place. I am still not fond of inside cabins!

 

:D You made me laugh out loud!!!

[klingoncruiser]

What a wonderful post after all the whining here lately. :D

[travelgrl1278]

2 Non cruise stories -

1. My father lives in Newport Beach. In 1999 I was very excited to be taking my first "adult" vacation to visit him (meaning I paid for it all by myself). I parked at the airport, the shuttle picked me up and took me to the terminal. For whatever reason I felt the need to pack 9 million pounds of stuff and as I was going to get off the middle step of the shuttle both my ankles gave out on me at the same time...I managed to toss my duffle bag onto the ground and land on that saving me from road rash, however I did severely twist both my ankles. The airport security and shuttle drive came rushing to my aid. I just kept telling them I was fine because I didn't want to miss my vacation. My legs, ankles and feet were as big as tree trunks for the entire vacation! But I didn't let it stop me.

 

2. April 2010 - 5 of us are going to NYC the Monday after Easter for the week. We are staying at my cousins condo while he's on vacation. 3 of us are taking 1 flight, and 2 are taking a later flight. Our flight is set to depart Detroit at 6:30AM. My friend is a horrible vacationer (sp?) and can't prepack to save her life, so her and I were up until 3am the night before our trip trying to get her packed. We needed to leave for the airport by 4:00...because of her madness we didn't get to leave until 5:15...her husband drove like crazy and we got to the airport in about 20 minutes (usually a 45 min drive). We walk into the ticketing area and it was sheer chaos. The airline only had 2 reps working and the entire terminal was packed with people needing to check their luggage even though most had prepaid their bags & check in online. We are watching the minutes tick by barely moving in line knowing we are most likely going to miss our flight. We FINALLY get to the counter at 6:03...we are told we cannot make our flight because we are past the TSA departure checkin time. We beg and plead the agent final says "I'm very sorry but even if I could get you the exception, there are only 3 seats available on the flight"...my reply was

"Yes I know...there are 3 of us who you are saying didn't checkin even though we did last night". She offers to rebook us...departing on Wednesday...well that won't work we have 2 other people meeting us in NYC and I am the only one authorized to get the keys to the condo.

We were dropped off at the airport and my friends cousin took the car to work...she could not leave and come pick us back up. We ended up renting a car and driving 13+ hours to NYC...we had to go the long way because none of us had Enhanced Licenses or Passports with us and it was right after the new rules had gone into effect so we couldn't cut through Ontario Canada. We should have been in NYC by 9am but we didn't get in until 11:45 that night! Then the rental car company told us the wrong information about the return location in NYC so my friends husband and another traveler had to drive around NYC for over an hour trying A)find a gas station to fill up the rental B)Get in touch with the car company to find a place that was open so we didn't have to pay for a second days rental fee. Needless to say waking up the next morning at 6am to go to the Martha Stewart Show wasn't very easy!!!!! But we got lucky and had beautiful 90+ degree weather the first week of April for the entire trip!

[Capt. Johnny]

So this thread was started after our first cruise. We are set to head on our 8th and 9th this year and have never had anything happen like the very first cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[daze6399]

The only really bad thing we've ever seen happen was on a 3 day out of Charleston NC about 4/5 years ago. Walking down the hallway to our cabin we noticed an individual who had taken the term "booze cruise" a little to far and was currently taking a brief respite in the hallway to summon the energy up to finish getting to his room. Thankfully the outstanding staff on the ship had gathered to assist him in remembering this high point of the cruise by taking photos of his nap.

 

We don't sail from Charleston anymore.

[WyKnott]

Not cruise related, but a few years ago, we had a flight to Paris from California, changing planes in Chicago. A month before our trip, the airline changed our flight to 45 minutes later and we were assured that we still had plenty of time to change planes in Chicago. Fast forward to that day, our flight was delayed taking off because of storms in Chicago, we wouldn't be able to land. "Don't worry, if the airport's closed your connecting flight can't leave without you" Uh huh. We finally take off, and when we land in Chicago, we find out our connecting flight left 30 minutes earlier. Because it's weather related, the airline is under no obligation to put us up for the night. We get on the phone to bypass the long lines at the counter, book a hotel for the night and a new flight out the next day.

 

The next day, we're back at the airport and get on our new flight. One hour into the flight we're told that there's smoke in the galley and we'll have to land in Toronto. We land very late at night and the fire department comes on board to check things out. No fire, but we're herded off the plane to wait in the terminal. We're told not to wander around because if that happens, we all have to go through security, but we do get escorted to the bathroom. After a while, we're told we're not taking off that night and this time the airline will put us up in a hotel we'll get meal vouchers, that didn't even cover a full meal. Each time we've been delayed, we had to call the car service that was supposed to pick us up in Paris and reschedule, finally just cancelling altogether. We already had to eat the cost of pre-bought tickets to the Eiffel tower. No communication on what time our new flight was, we relied on word of mouth from the other passengers. But we (finally) got to Paris. I felt bad for the people on our flight who were supposed to get on a river cruise. They missed the first few days of their cruise.