Family reunion cruise Please help!!!

[larronry]

I'm glad your giving Carnival another try. We have done 7 cruises, all

on Carnival with our 8th coming up in March. I've read some of the

horror stories on this board but we have never experienced the situations

brought up by some of the cruisers. I'm not saying that they didn't

happen, just that we have not seen it. We tend to migrate to the pool

on the lido deck aft which is much quieter. There is a LOT of activity

going on by the main pool, mid ship and we like to walk by and watch

for a while.

 

We've cruised with friends, by ourselves and with children and grand

children. The times we've sailed alone we met some fantastic people

who we keep in touch with today. Our cruises have all been 6-7 days

and on the newer ships in either February or March. We even sailed

out of San Juan twice and loved both cruises from there.:)

 

Joyce

I'll have to look at the layout of the Splendor to see how many pools there are to see if we can do that. Although we're not ones to lay out by the pool to sunbathe for hours we do like to enjoy the view of the ocean or the port for a while. I am glad to know not everyone has experienced horror stories. The board for the 12/6/08 cruise seems full of some interesting people. I'd say lively but I don't think horror stories.

[Dsnyluvr]

I've heard (read) people say that Princess has the best Alaska Itineraries. Something to do with they've been doing it the longest so they get more inside passages or the better route or something. Having not done an Alaskan cruise I am certainly no expert, but it is certainly something to look into.

 

 

I did look at Princess, but the Radiance of the Seas fits our family so much better with activities, etc. That's a much bigger selling point for us. For another family, that might be more important though.

[CanadianTwosome]

NCL is a cruiseline that I will never go on again. What almost happen to me and my now husband and then fiance is not supposed to happen or almost happen, but we'll never trust them again. For us it was being on a ship excursion in Cozumel bus broke down finally managed to get taxi's but we were the last 2 back to the ship running down the long, long, long pier (downtown) and the gangway was going up. There actually was another excursion on some kind of boat (to dark to see) that came on right after we did (not fair they didn't have as far to run). Had we not gotten there for them to stop and lower the gangway those people wouldn't have gotten on at all. For us I could say that they might of thought that we were off on our own since the rest of the group was back but what was the excuse for the other excursion? (no answer required)

 

I have to ask... were you on an excursion booked through your NCL ship? If not, I really wonder if another cruiseline would have treated the situation differently. I don't know how late you were, but if passengers were allowed to return to the ship whenever they were ready, the ship's schedule could never be followed. Granted you had a very bad experience, and I'm not suggesting you didn't... but you seem to be angry with NCL for doing something I would expect from any ship... We have booked some shore excursions with non-NCL companies for our upcoming cruise in January, and to make sure we get back to the ship on time, we're purchasing waterproof watches so that we will always know what time it is and not be late.

 

As I said, I'm not suggesting that your experience wasn't a bad one, just that it may not be 'line-related'. I'm sure there have been similar experiences on every line, and worse. I was on a cruise when I was in my twenties, and a couple had to find their way from Playa del Carmen to the ship because we'd already sailed for Cozumel. Departure time is departure time, regardless of line. Luckily for the couple on that cruise, Cozumel is easy to get to from Playa del Carmen!

[larronry]

I have to ask... were you on an excursion booked through your NCL ship? If not, I really wonder if another cruiseline would have treated the situation differently. I don't know how late you were, but if passengers were allowed to return to the ship whenever they were ready, the ship's schedule could never be followed. Granted you had a very bad experience, and I'm not suggesting you didn't... but you seem to be angry with NCL for doing something I would expect from any ship... We have booked some shore excursions with non-NCL companies for our upcoming cruise in January, and to make sure we get back to the ship on time, we're purchasing waterproof watches so that we will always know what time it is and not be late.

 

As I said, I'm not suggesting that your experience wasn't a bad one, just that it may not be 'line-related'. I'm sure there have been similar experiences on every line, and worse. I was on a cruise when I was in my twenties, and a couple had to find their way from Playa del Carmen to the ship because we'd already sailed for Cozumel. Departure time is departure time, regardless of line. Luckily for the couple on that cruise, Cozumel is easy to get to from Playa del Carmen!

As I said in my original post we were on a ships excursion. Meaning we paid NCL for the excursion and because of what happened NCL gave us part of our money back. Money back to me wasn't the issue the issue to me has been that I ask the shore excursion desk on every cruise since how do they know each and every person is back from their excursion and if a vehicle/bus breaks down and people come back by taxi's do they take that into account or do they assume because some are back the rest are out on their own? Since that cruise I have only done one ships excursion and that was the falls in Ocho Rios. Because even after they assure me I just can't do a ships excursion.

 

I should add that we should have been back hours before the ship was due to leave the port (bus broke down in an area that was too far out for radio contact) and so was that boat that came to the dock as we were stepping on board and they too were also on a ships excursion. I believe their boat broke down.

[CanadianTwosome]

Thanks for the clarification. You're right, that's a bit scary. My understanding has always been that when you book something through the cruiseline, they bear some responsibility for making sure you get back safely and that everyone is on board. Sounds like someone really dropped the ball on this one!!

 

Last December was my first cruise in over a decade, and I honestly can't remember what I did on my past cruises, but I know there weren't the computers and scanners available that there are today. What I thought was happening in December, though, was that they scanned peoples' cards on the way out to keep track of who was off the ship. Then, of course, there would be matching when people returned and they'd know if someone wasn't back... I could be completely wrong, of course, it might just be an id thing... but you'd think if they had a way to keep track they would...

 

I don't think your experience will keep me from doing excursions, but I'm not sure how I feel about the ones that take me for hours long bus tours inland!! I think maybe we'll stick to the ocean excursions and those closer to the pier! :rolleyes:

[larronry]

This was in Cozumel and we weren't on what was supposed to be an hours long excursion. We were on I think a 3 hour excursion seeing some Mayan ruins on the Island of Cozumel and then stopping by a beach. But when you are in the middle of that island there is no radio contact. The bus driver was in a panic on that radio calling for help. He ended up hitching a ride with an ambulance to go get help. That island is actually fairly small. I remember researching it for the next time we went. They had computers with scanners back then so they knew we weren't back on the ship.

[barryod]

Hi pkrchkr,

A few months ago I started to put together a family and friends cruise leaving from P.R. 1-17-09 on Celebrity's Summit. Because of the amt. of people interested, we had to start early. My daughters and their families were able to book the corner family suites on the panorama deck. I used a TA as it made things easier. Everyone goes through me and I deal with the TA. It's going to be a great time. We've sailed Celebrity a number of times and everyone thus far feels it to be the line that will accomodate all needs. It'll be a 7 day cruise to the So. Carib. Seas are generally calm that time of year and the weather good.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

Barry