We Are Done, With Celebrity!!!

[TRadle]

Wow. :eek:

 

Death sure is inconvientent. How can an individual even give voice to such pettiness.

[northerncruszr]

Originally posted on Summit Oct 26 Roll Call after cruise was over. You can find the posting on page 2 of the roll calls and then on page 50, post #1488 (sorry, I don't know how to post the link). This letter comfirms the notice received in our cabin over the Captain's signature. There were also articles in the Maui papers regarding the closing of the port.

 

Aloha,

Thank you for taking the time to write to Governor Lingle's office regarding the Summit's port call in Lahaina on Halloween.

 

Halloween in Lahaina is a very large event that draw approximately 30,000 people. Because of potential law enforcement issues, the Maui Police Department consulted with the state agency that operates Lahaina Harbor and it was determined that the harbor would cease operation at 6pm Halloween night for safety and security reasons.

 

Because of this, the Summit's call on Lahaina was cancelled and I believe that the ship called on Honolulu instead.

 

I hope I was able to address your concern. I also hope that you understand the reason for the decision. Visitor safety is one of our top priorities and we wanted to be able to provide a safe and secure area for cruise visitors to come ashore on Halloween.

 

If I can assist you further, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Marsha

 

Marsha Wienert

Tourism Liaison

State of Hawaii

__________________

[Bruin Steve]

Ah Bruin.....

 

I see now. You get paid Insurance money to tell us all how WRONG the patient is, when the doctor makes a mistake. Isn't it one of your lines that medicine is an "art" and not a science, blah, blah blah....

 

So, if West, Thompson, Rutter or CEB don't send out your updates and your pleadings get thrown out on law and motion, don't complain......they just forgot....

 

Ummmmm...

Do you understand the practice of Law?

I am a TRANSACTIONAL REAL ESTATE ATTORNEY...

I don't litigate...

I have no "pleadings"...

I don't tell patients anything...I don't deal with patients...

I buy and lease property and buildings for medical facilities like hospitals and clinics...

I deal with land use entitlements ...and construction matters...and issues like the ADA--which lay out what one needs to do to accommodate handicapped individuals when one is building facilities that will be used by the general public...

 

I can certainly tell why YOU didn't last very long in the practice of law...if, in fact, you ever were in it at all...

 

And I can tell where you somehow think that life and interaction with other is an adversary process...And it's clear to me by the great body of your posts...both on this thread and for the prior cruise which you went off on in a similar way...that this is just your style...The world has done you wrong...the people you deal with are your enemy...You think that if you complain, you will get something...

 

I will guess it's not just cruise lines...I'm guessing you threaten to sue most people you deal with...

 

I hope I never find you on the same cruise I'm on...I tend to look for the good...

[Bruin Steve]

Originally posted on Summit Oct 26 Roll Call after cruise was over. You can find the posting on page 2 of the roll calls and then on page 50, post #1488 (sorry, I don't know how to post the link). This letter comfirms the notice received in our cabin over the Captain's signature. There were also articles in the Maui papers regarding the closing of the port.

 

Aloha,

Thank you for taking the time to write to Governor Lingle's office regarding the Summit's port call in Lahaina on Halloween.

 

Halloween in Lahaina is a very large event that draw approximately 30,000 people. Because of potential law enforcement issues, the Maui Police Department consulted with the state agency that operates Lahaina Harbor and it was determined that the harbor would cease operation at 6pm Halloween night for safety and security reasons.

 

Because of this, the Summit's call on Lahaina was cancelled and I believe that the ship called on Honolulu instead.

 

I hope I was able to address your concern. I also hope that you understand the reason for the decision. Visitor safety is one of our top priorities and we wanted to be able to provide a safe and secure area for cruise visitors to come ashore on Halloween.

 

If I can assist you further, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Marsha

 

Marsha Wienert

Tourism Liaison

State of Hawaii

__________________

 

WOW!!!

I love it...

 

So, the OP doesn't even understand why the ship changed the itinerary...It had nothing whatsoever to do with removing the bodies (yeah, in retrospect, that doesn't make sense--morgue onboard...and people die on Maui too and they don't have to take them all to Honolulu!)...

 

So, the port was CLOSED and there is nothing Celebrity or any cruise line could have done...

 

So, the OP's entire imagined case is based on his own imagination...

A real lawyer might have researched the FACTS before "filing the case"...

 

I guess this thread should be CLOSED and forgotten...

[Germancruiser]

I think everybody would be curious, when one hears rumors of two people dieing- butttttt as curious one may get- it´s definatly non of our buisness- and it would be very tacky, tacktless whatever- if X would anounce every detail of the dead, considering there are mourning realtives on board. Ah what a thread- since the pod problems are solved I never observed such a

" conversation" !

Michael

[Germancruiser]

It was in our newspapers a few month ago- maybe longer. A Airline Passenger reported that he was seated next to dead man on TA Flight! The passenger thought the man next to him was in deep sleep- but at the end of the flight he got worried and asked the attendant if the passenger next to him could be ill. The flight attendant anwered that the man died shortly after take off, because of a heart attack. They just have put a blanked over him. Since it was in first class- they did not sit " that" close together! Can anyone imagine sitting next to a dead passenger??

[lysolqn]

There is no shame in considering there may be some suspect condition on board that bears scrutiny, and I don't think it's unnatural to consider this as a possibility.

 

I assure you, the only "suspect condition" on board was the OP's idle curiosity, overactive imagination and exaggerated sense of importance/entitlement.

 

How about this statement made by the OP - "Just as the families deserve respect and dignity in the time of their loved one's deaths; we work 12-16 hour days in very high stress professions, don't we deserve the right to have an enjoyable vacation, as well?" That's about the most "suspect condition" I can think of!!!!

[Coreopsis]

Steve,

 

Ge wiz, after your first post I was sure that you worked for the cruise line? It must be the rest of us that are really cruise line employees that are posting here. :)

 

This example should serve as a cautionary tale. Cruisers should take note of the fact that itineraries can change at any time for any reason.... mechanical, weather, political, safety, or "dead people". When planing the shore excursion portion of a cruise, passengers should keep that in mind and not get stuck with an excursion that they can't cancel, or Halloween party tickets that they can't use. We thought about this when we booked out 1/2 day snorkle and boat tour excursion in Kona. I booked this tour privately and when I made my reservation I asked what our liability would be if we could not make it into Kona for the excursion. The boat captain was very reasonable and said that it would be just $75 to our credit card should be not be able to make our $600 excursion.

 

Because of the possibility that itineraries might have to be changed, never make plans that you can't change or just live with-out. Hurricanes have caused cruises to be changed from the Bahamas to New Englan and Canada... when brides were planning on having their wedding in the Bahamas during the cruise. So if you HAVE to be in a particular plance on a particular day, don't take a cruise to get there.

Actually, don't take a plane either. I've had the white knuckle experience on two different flights when a passenger had some sort of cardiac arrest.

 

In both cases, the flight team went right to work and there did happen to be medical professionals on board who administered CPR and used onboard equipment to try to revitalize the passenger.

 

We had to make unscheduled emergencu stops - met on the runway by ambulances, the whole bit. All while it is happening two rows in front of you! Hearing the medical team working on the patient and say - flat line- oh geez. You could have heard a pin drop. All of us witnessed the entire thing.

 

In each case, I missed a connecting flight - as we not only had to unload the passenger (in both cases, I doubt they survived - one had CPR administered for 45 min while we descended from 30,000 feet and got emergency clearance to land.)

 

We also had to wait for uniformed cleaning staff to come and remove all upholstery - a standard procedure on commercial lines and probably cruise lines.

 

I got the name/address of the doctor sitting in the seat next to me and wrote him a thank you letter. He got off the plane with the patient to accompany them to the hospital - he was the one who spent 45 minutes administering medical treatment trying to save the passenger. We could only hope we will be that lucky if/when it happens to us.

 

Instead of the OP writing a complaint to Celebrity - he should be writing a sypathy letter to the families who lost their loved one.

 

I've also been staying in a hotel when a guest died. they closed the pool and jacuzzi for several days. I didn't complain to the hotel either. In fact, I appreciated the discretion with how they handled - I wouldn't have known had I not run into police, coroner, etc on my way to the pool.

 

I didn't ask why or how - none of my business and frankly, is just plain nosey. Privacy and compassion are what is necessary during such matters.

 

Maybe Doctors should run around hospitals and pop in each room to let a patient know when someone died? That would be cheery and uplifting. Maybe the Captain could have announced that it looks like one more passenger won't need their frequent flyer miles.

 

Gossip and rumors - OMG! Where is your compassion? What the hell does how many times you cruise or what your status is have to do with this matter in any way shape or form?? I am delighted the staff didn't satisfy your morbid curiosity - it sounds like they exercised discretion and compassion.

 

OP could learn a lesson from them.

[EMTRa]

 

I got the name/address of the doctor sitting in the seat next to me and wrote him a thank you letter. He got off the plane with the patient to accompany them to the hospital - he was the one who spent 45 minutes administering medical treatment trying to save the passenger. We could only hope we will be that lucky if/when it happens to us.

 

Instead of the OP writing a complaint to Celebrity - he should be writing a sypathy letter to the families who lost their loved one.

 

I've also been staying in a hotel when a guest died. they closed the pool and jacuzzi for several days. I didn't complain to the hotel either. In fact, I appreciated the discretion with how they handled - I wouldn't have known had I not run into police, coroner, etc on my way to the pool.

 

I didn't ask why or how - none of my business and frankly, is just plain nosey. Privacy and compassion are what is necessary during such matters.

 

Maybe Doctors should run around hospitals and pop in each room to let a patient know when someone died? That would be cheery and uplifting. Maybe the Captain could have announced that it looks like one more passenger won't need their frequent flyer miles.

 

Gossip and rumors - OMG! Where is your compassion? What the hell does how many times you cruise or what your status is have to do with this matter in any way shape or form?? I am delighted the staff didn't satisfy your morbid curiosity - it sounds like they exercised discretion and compassion.

 

OP could learn a lesson from them.

From someone who has seen just about everything in EMS..

THANK YOU - the world could use more people like you!

[Drew B]

I totally understand the OP's desire to know more and discomfort at remaining uninformed. What I can't understand is his inability to accept that NONE of this is the fault of Celebrity. They don't make the laws.

[pkhddt]

Well, I guess I created this monster, so hopefully I will be the last post and it can die and go away. (bad choice of words, but you get the idea).

 

Yes, it is ABSOLUTELY true that the B and C word were hurled at the ladies with the white hair, wheelchair and walker. Do any of you ever stop to think, WOW he is really upset---I wonder why; or do we automatically jump to ---he is just a fool?

 

If you look at the posts I have made, you will see that there ARE complaints, sure. I thought that was part of this forum, criticism AND compliment. If you look at the posts before this trip and after you can SEE that something went wrong!

 

We tried to help with names of places to snorkel, attractions that were good, places to see, etc. to our fellow cruisers that had not been there before. We were looking so forward to the trip.

 

Apparently, I can't express myself correctly, and am just an idiot, cold and heartless, for wanting to PAY MORE to re-align our groups itinerary, but were denied by Celebrity; and worried about the fact that Celebrity may not be telling us the truth when they first DENIED that there were (2) people that died on board--- which we asked about because of the rumors we heard. It was only after the second questioning and seeing the police tape that Celebrity "came clean" and acknowledged the deaths on board.

 

 

I see in this post, that others have stayed behind, rented a room and caught up with the ship in the next port (which is all we asked), but apparently there are legalities against this, which we did not know. AND WERE NOT EXPLAINED TO US.

 

I guess I am just a cold, insensitive A-hole for wanting a nice trip and to see that an elderly lady battling breast cancer and her friend with congestive heart failure had a nice trip, that we paid for.

 

The one-year that I took off from work to help set up trailers and rebuild in Louisiana after Katrina makes me a VERY SELFISH person!

 

So, with that, thank you for your explanations--those of you that offered explanation as to why things worked the way they did, as we had NO explanation from Celebrity. For the rest of you, WHEN you have a bad experience, and you WILL, it's just the law of averages--I hope you remember your comments and don't complain about it.

[ccletzgo]

WOW!!!

I love it...

 

So, the OP doesn't even understand why the ship changed the itinerary...It had nothing whatsoever to do with removing the bodies (yeah, in retrospect, that doesn't make sense--morgue onboard...and people die on Maui too and they don't have to take them all to Honolulu!)...

 

So, the port was CLOSED and there is nothing Celebrity or any cruise line could have done...

 

So, the OP's entire imagined case is based on his own imagination...

A real lawyer might have researched the FACTS before "filing the case"...

 

I guess this thread should be CLOSED and forgotten...

 

 

I was thinking, why would a family want there there loved one left in Hawaii if they died? That would be a tremendous expense to have them flown home from Hawaii. To the OP's surprise, he may have been cruising the entire cruise with the two body's..As stated before, there is a morgue onboard.

[woodofpine]

Well, I guess I created this monster, so hopefully I will be the last post and it can die and go away. (bad choice of words, but you get the idea).

 

Yes, it is ABSOLUTELY true that the B and C word were hurled at the ladies with the white hair, wheelchair and walker. Do any of you ever stop to think, WOW he is really upset---I wonder why; or do we automatically jump to ---he is just a fool?

 

If you look at the posts I have made, you will see that there ARE complaints, sure. I thought that was part of this forum, criticism AND compliment. If you look at the posts before this trip and after you can SEE that something went wrong!

 

We tried to help with names of places to snorkel, attractions that were good, places to see, etc. to our fellow cruisers that had not been there before. We were looking so forward to the trip.

 

Apparently, I can't express myself correctly, and am just an idiot, cold and heartless, for wanting to PAY MORE to re-align our groups itinerary, but were denied by Celebrity; and worried about the fact that Celebrity may not be telling us the truth when they first DENIED that there were (2) people that died on board--- which we asked about because of the rumors we heard. It was only after the second questioning and seeing the police tape that Celebrity "came clean" and acknowledged the deaths on board.

 

 

I see in this post, that others have stayed behind, rented a room and caught up with the ship in the next port (which is all we asked), but apparently there are legalities against this, which we did not know. AND WERE NOT EXPLAINED TO US.

 

I guess I am just a cold, insensitive A-hole for wanting a nice trip and to see that an elderly lady battling breast cancer and her friend with congestive heart failure had a nice trip, that we paid for.

 

The one-year that I took off from work to help set up trailers and rebuild in Louisiana after Katrina makes me a VERY SELFISH person!

 

So, with that, thank you for your explanations--those of you that offered explanation as to why things worked the way they did, as we had NO explanation from Celebrity. For the rest of you, WHEN you have a bad experience, and you WILL, it's just the law of averages--I hope you remember your comments and don't complain about it.

 

Holloween is for children...

 

Life is for living. ;)

[H2OH!]

Thanks everyone for a great read!!

 

It had it all...sharp dialogue, splintered chronology of events and macabre humor!! Quenten Tarantino couldn't have written it any better!!

[rebeccalouise]

I talked to someone on Celebrity and he said that just about every other cruise- someone onboard dies. You just don't know because the families don't make a production out of it.

[Gonzo70]

Actually, don't take a plane either. I've had the white knuckle experience on two different flights when a passenger had some sort of cardiac arrest.

 

In both cases, the flight team went right to work and there did happen to be medical professionals on board who administered CPR and used onboard equipment to try to revitalize the passenger.

 

We had to make unscheduled emergencu stops - met on the runway by ambulances, the whole bit.

.

 

I bet if you worked 14-16 hour days they would not have diverted!

 

Also, if you had enough frequent flyer miles combined between a couple different airlines, they had a duty to keep you aprised of every detail of the person's medical history. Imagine if this caused you to miss a halloween party!

 

_______________________________

The worst day at work is better than the best day at sea with the OP

[Putterdude]

Oh well with all those who are not going to sail with X ever again, prices should soon be dropping like a rock and there will be some great deals for all of us that love X and all the things that they do well; which are most things. Now the most important thing that we can do for ourselves is to encourage them to quickly move their allegiance to NCL(A) and they will soon have lots of time to spend on the beach.

[bubbie617]

Also, on a European Cruise on The Millennium, we disembarked at Civitivechia (Rome), took the train to Florence that evening and re-embarked at Livorno (Florence) the next day. We did have to fill out some paperwork with Guest Relations in advance but it was no big deal so it can be done.

 

It could be done on that cruise because you weren't going from one US port to another. The laws in Europe are different.

 

Hey Bruin Steve,

 

 

We were traveling with (2) elderly passengers, 86 and 84, respectively.

 

When tendering, with priority disembarkation, would it not seem like a violation of ADA to not have someone escort you to the elevator so that when the doors open and you enter the line, other passengers do not hurl insults and obscenities at you, regardless of the fact you are holding ticket number (5) and they have (17) and higher. Does that sound fair to you? Hand out the tickets and have everyone make a mad dash for the tenders, only to hve the elderly pushed out of the way and when the elevator opens they are called B&%CH and C&%T, because they are trying to rejoin the line?

 

If you had just waited until the majority of passengers who wished to take the tender to shore had already gone, there would not have been a problem. You must take some responsibility because you did not think this through enough. You could have relaxed on the ship for another hour or so and had smooth sailing (pun intended) getting off the ship. When traveling with and being responsible for elderly people, you must have more patience. No one had the right to speak to these women they way you reported it. The whole situation could have been avoided with some forethought.

[Coreopsis]

I bet if you worked 14-16 hour days they would not have diverted!

 

Also, if you had enough frequent flyer miles combined between a couple different airlines, they had a duty to keep you aprised of every detail of the person's medical history. Imagine if this caused you to miss a halloween party!

 

_______________________________

The worst day at work is better than the best day at sea with the OP

Actually, quite often - I do work 14-16 hour days, but I left my T-shirt at home that advertises this fact. And hadn't thought to use this to get a better table at my favorite restaurant - fearing they will laugh me out of the dining room.

 

Has anyone stated the other obvious noting the title of this post: "We are done with Celebrity". Huh, this OP has something in common with the deceased.

 

The other observation - not related to this post alone - has anyone else noted that these sensational, inflammatory rantings where the OP swears they will not do business with cruise line XYZ - well - have you noticed that it is absolutely a win-win? Thank goodness!

 

I think we should just thank them for their decision not to frequent a cruise line we do.

[Gonzo70]

Actually, quite often - I do work 14-16 hour days, but I left my T-shirt at home that advertises this fact.

 

But did you take a year off for Hurricane Katrina?

 

_______________________

The worst day at work is better than the best day at sea with the OP

[lovesublime]

It was in our newspapers a few month ago- maybe longer. A Airline Passenger reported that he was seated next to dead man on TA Flight! The passenger thought the man next to him was in deep sleep- but at the end of the flight he got worried and asked the attendant if the passenger next to him could be ill. The flight attendant anwered that the man died shortly after take off, because of a heart attack. They just have put a blanked over him. Since it was in first class- they did not sit " that" close together! Can anyone imagine sitting next to a dead passenger??

 

I'm sorry, but no way. First, if the person was seated next to the deceased then he would have 'known' what happened. He was sitting next to him right? Second, airline personel cannot take it upon themselves to throw a blanket over someone and declare that he had a heart attack and continue the flight. How would they know he had a heart attack? Could have been internal bleeding, a stroke etc. "Shortly after takeoff"? They would have immediately turned around and landed to take this person off the plane. No way would the flight crew have continued on. Ridiculous! My son is a pilot so I know about these things.

Sounds more like an urban legend to me.

[Coreopsis]

But did you take a year off for Hurricane Katrina?

 

_______________________

The worst day at work is better than the best day at sea with the OP

Holy cow! Just read your signature and almost spit my wine out.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for a great laugh!

[Blanco-Grande]

Summit is a foreign flagged vessel. Since you didn't say what the itinerary was I'm guessing here but I suspect your trip started/ended in LA or San Diego (with a technical stop in Ensenada.) If this is the case allowing you to disembark in Honolulu and/or re-embark in Maui would violate US law because the carrier would be transporting you between two US ports (LA/SD-Honolulu or Maui-LA/SD for example) on one leg or the other; it is illegal for foreign flagged vessels to transport passengers between two US ports (that's why the technical stop in Ensenda). They get fined for doing this and may not knowingly do it, fine or no fine. So they really can't allow to do what you proposed, your expense or not.

 

Celebrity goes Miami then next day to Key West all the time???!!!

Is that not US to US ?

[Wineguys]

But did you take a year off for Hurricane Katrina?

 

_______________________

The worst day at work is better than the best day at sea with the OP

 

I want to get in here before they close this thread...I didn't take a year off from practicing law to go help after Katrina and now I feel like crap about it. The guilt has just made me book a cruise on the Solstice twenty minutes ago! Come to think of it, I don't think I did anything for Katrina, since I was just bumtuckered out from the Tsunami relief. My bad. NOT TO WORRY. I live in Pennsylvania and I've just changed my voter registration from Independant to Democrat so I'll go and make up for it and also relieve my white druish lawyer guilt at the same time on Apr. 22. Yes, we CAN! Oops, this will have to be by absentee ballot because I'll be on a 15 day cruise where someone is SURE to die by contracting the Derwood virus or maybe even the Hudson River virus or something else and the smell of rotting flesh will waft onto the lower two decks and I will have serious concern for those cheap bastands without a balcony who book down in the bowels (you know who you are - OP??? - no wait, he was CC, a balcony with nice pillows and a GREAT breakfast menu). ;)

 

I almost feel sorry for the OP, because I too have strongly stated my opinion on these boards (particularly the HAL board, god forbid you criticize something over there) and have almost gotten crucified until I sacrificed a baby monkey and they went away. But when he took on his "SailFish" lackey - ya blew it buddy.

 

Here is the solution to his problem - NEXT TIME BOOK A SUITE! Get a Sky Suite - more than half the butlers are gossip queens and the rest can find out from them. There is nothing you CAN'T get them to tell you. I knew stuff on our Celebrity cruises before Management, let me tell you! Simple solution.

 

This thread was quite entertaining, enjoyed with a (LARGE) Tanqueray Ranjpur and Tonic. :D Ciao!

 

Patrick

 

P.S. Perhaps I am channelling Endora a bit much tonight but everyone HAS read the OP's history and has sounded out his nomiker, right???

[Blondie007]

OHDEAR:rolleyes: Have browsed through some of these, what I cannot understand, is why the OPs didn't just use their usual method of transport to get to the Halloween party and jump on their broomsticks:D