Finally The Truth on Crown Missing Bonaire -Jan 23rd

[Pam in CA]

The South Pier would easily accommodate a ship of the Crown's size. The harbor master offered them the north pier. The stats are the stats - doesn't mean that you can't try to dock there. But if something were to happen, it would be the captain's fault - not the harbor master. According to the captain of the Veendam, the bow or stern could swing out - this could pose a hazard to any other craft that might be in the area, or it could cause damage to the ship itself. Given that tight of a fit - it's congestion.

The OP doesn't like that answer because he called it a lie in the first place. He wants an apology or something from Princess saying that the Captain lied. Gee, you're making it hard for him with your logic. :)

[jlp20]

Sorry, but I don’t get the entire thread. From the Princess passenger contract:

 

7. CARRIER'S RIGHT TO CANCEL, CHANGE TIME OF SAILING OR PORTS OF EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION OR SHORTEN CRUISE; SUBSTITUTION.

Carrier may, at any time, without notice or liability for refund, payment or compensation except as provided herein, cancel the Cruise, change the date or time of sailing or arrival, change the port of embarkation or disembarkation, shorten the Cruise or substitute ships, aircraft or other transportation or lodging. Passenger shall have no claim against Carrier, and Carrier shall not be liable (whether for damages or a refund, payment or compensation) for hotel or meal charges, travel expenses or other loss, delay, inconvenience, disappointment or expense whatsoever in such circumstances….

 

In short, when you book a cruise, all that you are promised is that the ship will push back from the dock and go somewhere. When you board the ship, you agreed to the contract.

[BruceMuzz]

Some people posting here seem to have way, way, way, way too much time on their hands.

 

Maybe time to take a cruise?????????

[Pam in CA]

Sorry, but I don’t get the entire thread. From the Princess passenger contract:

 

7. CARRIER'S RIGHT TO CANCEL, CHANGE TIME OF SAILING OR PORTS OF EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION OR SHORTEN CRUISE; SUBSTITUTION.

Carrier may, at any time, without notice or liability for refund, payment or compensation except as provided herein, cancel the Cruise, change the date or time of sailing or arrival, change the port of embarkation or disembarkation, shorten the Cruise or substitute ships, aircraft or other transportation or lodging. Passenger shall have no claim against Carrier, and Carrier shall not be liable (whether for damages or a refund, payment or compensation) for hotel or meal charges, travel expenses or other loss, delay, inconvenience, disappointment or expense whatsoever in such circumstances….

 

In short, when you book a cruise, all that you are promised is that the ship will push back from the dock and go somewhere. When you board the ship, you agreed to the contract.

The OP doesn't have a problem with the Passage Contract; he asked and looked around and didn't see any port congestion so in his opinion, the Captain lied about the reason for the port being changed. His issue is with the "lie" rather than the change. As has been more than adequately demonstrated, congestion was the primary reason for the change but he's unhappy with that answer and still says that the Captain lied that it was congestion.

[JenDalessan]

The cruiseline can legally miss any and all ports. After cruising a few times, and hanging out on this board, you HAVE to know that. My humble opinion is this: get over it.

[atbull]

Welcome to cruise critic!

 

I don't think everyone here is "siding with the corporation." Although you may be one of those who believes that malarky that the customer is always right, which is NO better than being a rabid cruise line cheerleader. I think most people are saying "Lighten up - life is too short to obsess about the small stuff."

 

Might be worth considering that yourself!

That same lie allows wars to go on forever. Just because to is small to you does not mean it is to everyone else.

[woodmaster]

I worked retail for more than a few years, and I will admit that the public is a pain. A very smart man told me the rules of business:

 

Rule#1. The customer is always right.

 

Rule#2. In the event the customer is wrong, revert back to Rule #1.

 

I was also told the definition of diplomacy:

 

Diplomacy = Letting someone think that they got their way.

 

The cruise line was in the legal rights in all that they did, but could they not have been a little more courteous in the way it was done.

[daveco58]

We're making educated guesses here but my guess is that it was a joint decision with the final say being left to the Captain. He's the one on the spot and has the most up-to-date weather, tide, wind and local conditions. The home office would coordinate the other details.

 

Not really an educated guess. I have a 100 ton license. When someone hires me as a Captain, they do not question how I handle the boat. Likewise, when I am crewing for someone else as Captain, he makes the decisions, and I follow them.

There may be calls to the home office to inform them of his decision, but this isn't some landside corporate comittee environment, where people throw buzzwords around and attempt to achieve a consensus. It is a ship on the high seas, and things are done pretty much the same way they have been for several centuries before corporations or cruise lines were invented. Which is to say, the Master is the Master.

Again, a Captain can get the boot for making a bad call. But the Captain ALWAYS makes those decisions, and is always accountable for the consequences. No one in Santa Clarita or Ft. Lauderdale would try to tell the ships Captain whether or not to dock a boat somewhere.

[Ethel5]

Not really an educated guess. I have a 100 ton license. When someone hires me as a Captain, they do not question how I handle the boat. Likewise, when I am crewing for someone else as Captain, he makes the decisions, and I follow them.

There may be calls to the home office to inform them of his decision, but this isn't some landside corporate comittee environment, where people throw buzzwords around and attempt to achieve a consensus. It is a ship on the high seas, and things are done pretty much the same way they have been for several centuries before corporations or cruise lines were invented. Which is to say, the Master is the Master.

Again, a Captain can get the boot for making a bad call. But the Captain ALWAYS makes those decisions, and is always accountable for the consequences. No one in Santa Clarita or Ft. Lauderdale would try to tell the ships Captain whether or not to dock a boat somewhere.

 

Congratulations for passing the USCG test to captain 100 tons-probably in the 100 to 125 foot range. Perhaps you need to have conversations with those who have unlimited masters all oceans tickets who actually captain cruise ships. They make decisions in the event of emergencies etc. and are accountable for those decisions, but just changing ports for the hell of it is not allowed by the home office. Every move that ship makes on an itinerary is orchestrated by the home office.

 

BTW, if I hired you and found you to be doing something inappropriate, I would damn well question you.

[Jaxsonbrownie]

The cruiseline can legally miss any and all ports. After cruising a few times, and hanging out on this board, you HAVE to know that. My humble opinion is this: get over it.

Point blank, this says it all! Great post! Remember when you were young, and you were told to do something, and when you asked why, you were told " because I said so", which meant tongue-in-cheek, don't question my decision, just do it.......:rolleyes:

[chasetf]

I worked retail for more than a few years, and I will admit that the public is a pain. A very smart man told me the rules of business:

 

Rule#1. The customer is always right.

 

Rule#2. In the event the customer is wrong, revert back to Rule #1.

 

I was also told the definition of diplomacy:

 

Diplomacy = Letting someone think that they got their way.

 

The cruise line was in the legal rights in all that they did, but could they not have been a little more courteous in the way it was done.

There are many times businesses will not apply Rule #1 or #2. There is a time to protect their employees at the expense of losing a customer (and it is probably a customer they want to lose). So while cute, there are times when those rules do not apply.

 

The whole discussion that the OP was lied to is ludicrous. He (and the rest of the ship) were given an answer. Most of his fellow passengers accepted it (because there was no uprise or revolt). The OP in my opinion would not have accepted any answer because of his disappointment at missing his scheduled dive.

[Stevesan]

There are many times businesses will not apply Rule #1 or #2. There is a time to protect their employees at the expense of losing a customer (and it is probably a customer they want to lose). So while cute, there are times when those rules do not apply.

 

.

 

There are many (most?) companies that will throw an employee under the bus before alienating a customer.

That's real world corprorate behavior!

[heartofamerica]

There are many (most?) companies that will throw an employee under the bus before alienating a customer.

That's real world corprorate behavior!

 

Not at Southwest Airlines. Their former CEO has said many times that the customer is most certainly NOT always right - any abusing his employees or damaging his aircraft are not welcomed on their planes after that.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Remember when you were young, and you were told to do something, and when you asked why, you were told " because I said so", which meant tongue-in-cheek, don't question my decision, just do it.......:rolleyes:

And many years later you realize you have truly undergone a rite of passage when you use the exact same phrase with the little people in your life.

:eek:

[sadie8]

The whole discussion that the OP was lied to is ludicrous. He (and the rest of the ship) were given an answer. Most of his fellow passengers accepted it (because there was no uprise or revolt). The OP in my opinion would not have accepted any answer because of his disappointment at missing his scheduled dive.

 

I was on the cruise with the OP. Captain Benito was "heckled" at the Captain's reception. Passengers in the crowd yelled "Bonaire." He made a quick exit with no response. At the loyalty reception, he pre-empted any conversation about Bonaire by saying "Aren't you glad we didn't go to Bonaire today, they had 30% chance of rain." He did not open the floor to questions as Captains have in the past. I was on the ship and not at any time did any staff give any explanation of our itinerary change. The PR was really bad. Of course we fellow passengers accepted it, I wouldn't let something like that ruin my cruise. I saw a steady flow of complainers at the Customer Relations desk when they added on a $3.60 port charge for the island of Isla Margarita. No one was happy about that!!!

[Ethel5]

He did not open the floor to questions as Captains have in the past. I was on the ship and not at any time did any staff give any explanation of our itinerary change.

 

I don't remember the Captains of any Princess ship answering questions during the past passenger party.

[coiran]

I think it's time to close this thread - it is getting BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORING! The Captain is still the Captain and he makes all of the final decisions. He is responsible for the safety of the ship, crew and all of the passengers.

Ron

[Jaxsonbrownie]

Point blank, this says it all! Great post! Remember when you were young, and you were told to do something, and when you asked why, you were told " because I said so", which meant tongue-in-cheek, don't question my decision, just do it.......:rolleyes:

And many years later you realize you have truly undergone a rite of passage when you use the exact same phrase with the little people in your life.

:eek:

 

Yes, you are right. We don't realize at the time, that decisions were made from people that were more knowledgable in the information needed to make those decisions.Only with age, comes knowledge, that we learn they were made with our best interests at heart. Same as this situation. The Captain made an educated decision, for the good of everyone, not just the passengers, but also the crew involved,and anyone on land helping to dock those ships.

 

" I was on the ship and not at any time did any staff give any explanation of our itinerary change. "

Maybe they were instructed to not say anything. They didn't owe anyone anything.This is what the contract states, and is what you agree to when you book a cruise.Point blank.

" I saw a steady flow of complainers at the Customer Relations desk when they added on a $3.60 port charge for the island of Isla Margarita. No one was happy about that!!! "

Of course they added a port charge, you were docking at one! But you were also refunded the charge for Bonaire.Seems fair to me.

 

 

 

 

"This whole thing is ridiculous - a port was missed and ports will continue to be missed for various reasons. It's disappointing but not the end of the world."

Totally,and can't believe this thread has lived as long as it has:rolleyes Time to put it out of it's misery.

[sadie8]

I saw a steady flow of complainers at the Customer Relations desk when they added on a $3.60 port charge for the island of Isla Margarita. No one was happy about that!!! "

Of course they added a port charge, you were docking at one! But you were also refunded the charge for Bonaire.Seems fair to me.

 

 

Okay, my last post, I promise. I did not receive a refund for Bonaire. This was an additional port charge. Enough said.

[Jaxsonbrownie]

Sadie, I'm sorry, I misunderstood a previous post.I thought someone had mentioned they were refunded the port charge for Bonaire. But even so, $3.60?? Are you kidding me? I can't believe people would line up at the pursors desk, to bitch about getting a couple of dollars back!! After all the money they just paid to take the cruise in the first place, gimme a break.

 

If people don't like the fact that the Captain, at any time, for any reason, to his own discretion, can change a port, or itinerary, then maybe they should be looking at land-based vacations, where all the decisions are totally in their control, not someone elses.