Missed the ship because of non-CCL excursions?

[Nunu]

I'm sure it happens but it's in no ones interest (especially independent tour operators) to get you back to the ship late. Bad word of mouth can spread quickly.

[vacruizer]

It can happen. We actually had a very close call on our first cruise doing the stingrays in Grand Cayman. We were booked with an independent operator that gets rave reviews here on the boards. They unfortunately just didn't have their act together with ship times vs. port time and they mixed cruisers from two different Carnival ships on top of it - one that stayed on Eastern time all week and one that changed to central during the cruise.

 

We actually ended up making the bus driver pull over and ran for the tender pier. By the time we made it to the ship and went to the room to put our stuff away the ship was already sailing. :eek::eek::eek: Traffic was light that day with only 3 ships in port - one 15 minute traffic jam and we'd have missed the ship. :eek:

[NKG6002]

Okey Dokey, Then !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you all for your responses. I will continue to be a true Capricorn and shy away from taking risks.....and book with Carnival......lol. I only booked excursions in Roatan and Belize and not so sure I would want to be stranded there. But thanks again !!!!!!!

[danixbanani]

Okey Dokey, Then !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you all for your responses. I will continue to be a true Capricorn and shy away from taking risks.....and book with Carnival......lol. I only booked excursions in Roatan and Belize and not so sure I would want to be stranded there. But thanks again !!!!!!!

 

it really depends on timing and what countries you might be in. I was going to book an independent tour in Belize but the excursion we wanted to do was 2 hrs away from the port (we wanted to see the Lamanai ruins) and we weren't in port for long. We decided to book the excursion with NCL and good thing we did because the boat ride on the river was HORRIBLE. The boat we were in broke down SEVERAL times and we had to climb back and forth in the river to other boats. It was ridiculous. Then we were rushed through the ruins...etc etc it was not a good trip. Thankfully it was through NCL so the last tender waited for us because we were stuck on the river for 3 hours!!!!

 

Belize also has bad traffic. So I think, basically, any country that has bad traffic and the excursion you want is far from the dock, stick with the cruiseline.

 

Now in a place like Cozumel, I booked Nachi Cocom myself and I took a cab there and back and made it with plenty of time! I was in control, kept track of time, knew that we were only 15 minutes from port, etc etc.

 

So, like I said....depending on the port, I will book independently. It's worth the risk :)

[unionville3]

We have booked excursions on our own and even plan to go with Bernard Tours on our Thanksgiving cruise. My husband went on a Holland America salmon fishing excursion on our Alaskan cruise. If he had booked this on his own, he would have missed the ship! I was watching from our balcony while the employees rolled up the red carpet and packed everything away. Luckily, it was a ship excursion and they waited for the group of 4 men (including my husband) to return. The bus opened the door and they all sprinted to the boat. He said the tour operator on the bus was in constant contact with the ship the whole 30 minute ride back to the port. The ship did leave later than planned and it made our family realize that sometimes you truly should consider booking ship excursions.

[karenh1127]

Wow after watching the youtube video above I am so glad we only book Carnival excursions! I too felt horrible for the couple. And kudos to the people filming the "event". They were very sympathetic and could have easily been laughing and making fun of them but they didnt. It was comforting to know there are people out there with hearts.

[dommer573]

This topic really made me think. If you book on your own and get travel insurance would that cost more or less than booking through Carnival?:rolleyes:

[fllady61]

I read on here one day, not sure of the port or ship, but ppl were getting back to the port like 2 minutes before the ship left. some even missed it because of the exchursion being timed to the precise moment the ship was to sail.

 

I personally will not book NON CCL exchursions if I ever decide to do one. I would rather go with the group and know I was getting back in time rather than take the chance of having to run the mile long dock to catch the ship before it leaves.

[TakeMeAway1001]

While I am sure it has happened to some I have been on CC for eight years and don't remember reading many, if any reviews that included being left behind or missing the ships departure as a result of being on a private tour. I have read about plenty of close calls but most of them were carelessness on the cruisers part. I am not doubting it can happen and I know many feel comfortable doing only cruise ship excursions but for many of us non ship excursions work, sure anything can go wrong but in my experience and years of reading the Ports boards it doesn't happen often.

 

On my first cruise I felt obligated and was definitely not aware I could go with independent tours so I stuck with the ship sponsored excursions. I personally will never take a ship excursion and will either do an independent tour or go out on our own. I enjoy the personal attention, the small groups and the unbelievable value you get for your money. This isn't for everyone but I think people assume that being left behind is a common thing when it really isn't.

 

Reputable tour groups are not going to plan an excursion that gets timed to the exact time the ship is supposed to set sail and if they did and people were foolish enough to book it that way then they have no one to blame but themselves. Most people who book outside the ship use companies that rely heavily on CC members for their business, they know the ship schedules and any itinerary changes often before many who are cruising do. They know that if they were to screw up that word will get out and their business will suffer. A perfect example of word of mouth would be an outside company in Cozumel that people raved about on CC until they got greedy and began swindling members, now there is a whole thread dedicated to warning others.

 

Ultimately one has to do what one is comfortable with but in the end hopefully we will all make it to our ship on time :)

[LHP]

Last year when oldest son and Dad did an independent cave-tubing in Belize...I had them all set up just in case they missed the ship.

 

They had their passports, money and credit cards in a waterproof thingy..

 

but they made it back fine.

 

Years ago when Carnival would go the Belize and then go to Costa Maya....it wasn't to bad if you missed the ship in Belize. Costa Maya is only a 6 hour drive.

 

So it just depends on the route.....

[pokergirl34]

:eek: That was a very disturbing video!! We booked CCL excursions for our Belize ruins trip and for one in Cayman that ends close to last tender time. I am afraid I would not really enjoy an activity in which I had to watch the time constantly.

 

In Roatan we are going to Fins 'n Flippers, but we control when we leave on the water taxi, so I am ok with that. In Cozumel we have not yet decided.

[salty dingo]

The reputable tour operators know when to have you back. It's extremely rare to miss a ship due to an independent tour, so that should not sway your view of the ship tour versus independent tour. Ship tours are more crowded and often lower quality than independent tours and the cost more to boot!

 

Most of the "missed ship" stories are due to passengers going off on their own, drinking, and losing track of time. You'll often hear stories of people who drink themselves into a stupor at a bar in port and don't make it back on time.

[dustyroad]

i do not hesitate too book independent tours in alaska ( as far up as skagway is all i have been ) and have never been sorry or late with any tour i have taken. but i have read many times of passengers being left behind in other areas of cruises. i am going solo too progresso and cozemel in 4 weeks and have booked a all-inclusive with the ship. i just feel more secure this time booking this way for my first cruise too the caribbean. as suggested== get back at least a 1 1/2 hours before the ship is too take off too make sure you wont get left behind.

[big_duck]

Most "ship missers" are people who just take a cab to the beach or head to a local watering hole - then lose track of time.

 

The good independants will make sure you are back in time.

[misguidedangel]

I recall in January we were 30 minutes away from leaving Roatan and soe DING DONG decided to go shopping in Diamonds International!!!! They did find something they wanted, but the store manager had to run our and tell security, 5 minutes before we were to leave, that they were just writing up a sale for a passenger. I dunno what security said them them, but they got her out of the store very fast, but it was a few minutes after the set departure time. The Captain made a point by blowing the horn a few times and the woman did get an earful from security (he looked East Indian, Pakistani, etc) so rest assured she truly got an earful!!!!!!

 

I also heard we left someone in Belize because they did an independent tour and got back too late. We did leave two young women in Cozumel. I really don't get it, when you hear the horn blow on the ship four or five times and look at your watch and notice it is 4:45, it is at that point you break into a RUN to see if you can make back on before 5pm when the ship is set to leave. Latecomers and late-running tours started to line up at 4:30 (estimated 300+) and at 5pm peoople were still being screened. The last person, who was in fact RUNNING got on board at 5:08 and we left at 5:10. Not even two minutes later two young women come strolling ever so slowly up to the place we WERE berthed at and pointed up to the ship and you could see the guard gesture to his watch and pointed to the ship as we were 1/2 a ships width away from the dock. The captain did not go back to get them and no pilot boat or any boat could get them to the ship on time....These girls were wearing beach wear and it didn't appear to have much else with them.

 

Ah Cozumel--it is almost guaranteed that someone will be left behind in Cozumel. It's happened all three times I have been there since Feb 08.

 

Jamiaca--first time I went to Jamaica a couple of women didn't make it back on time, but then again they did what they were told NOT to do and were given free accommodations courteousy of Ocho Rios Police Department...

[WinnieinWA]

The piece of mind that a cruise sponsored excursion brings is priceless to me. :)

[deepnite10]

while in cozumel there were sevaral couple s late returning to the ship..

as in the youtube vid..the guy s tend to forget they have partner in all this..:confused:

[Snorkel2Much]

while in cozumel there were sevaral couple s late returning to the ship..

as in the youtube vid..the guy s tend to forget they have partner in all this..:confused:

Chivalry - FAIL

[9876]

This topic really made me think. If you book on your own and get travel insurance would that cost more or less than booking through Carnival?:rolleyes:

 

 

I don't think travel insurance covers you at ports...only the original embarkation. Does anyone know any different?

[triplee]

Our plan is this...

for any tour more than a couple hours long or more than an easily accessible cab ride away, we will stick with Carnival.

 

For example, In Belize, we want to see Altun Ha which is about a 5 hour excursion so we will stick with Carnival on that one to avoid a potential disaster.

But in Grand Cayman, we want to snorkel with the stingrays and then hit a beach which just takes a couple hours and then a taxi ride back to the pier. We feel comfortable doing that with an independent tour operator.

 

I would guess that about 99% of the passengers make it back on time, but we don't have the time, money, or inclination to be in that 1% so I'd rather play it safe.

 

Hi Supercrunch,

I don't want to rain on your parade, but this past March, we would have missed the boat had we not been on a Carnival affiliated trip. We were on a tour to feed the stingrays. After the stingrays, we went to an island to lounge around. The pier had room for one boat only and boats line up to pick up their tour passengers to return them to the main island. When it was our boat's turn to pick us up, another boat cut in front, tied up to the pier (a no-no) and stayed there for 35 minutes before the owner came back to leave the pier. Long story short, the ship (Inspiration) was to leave Grand Cayman at 3:00 p.m. We arrived at the pier at 3:20 p.m. The ship waited for us. The pier personnel were looking for us and when we arrived at the pier they took us to the very front of the long, long line and put us on a special tender. As soon as we boarded the ship, it weighed anchor and we began sailing away.

Personally, as much as I know that Carnival makes a lot of money of its tours, I won't go with an independent tour for that reason.

Lee

[supercrunch]

Lee,

that does sound like an unfortunate situation...I'm glad you made it!

I was thinking more along the lines of a beach that is part of the main island and just a quick taxi ride away, or maybe a quick snorkel at Eden Rock (which is within walking distance from the pier)...not a private island that would require a boat for the return to the main island.

 

Whatever we decide to do, we will definitely play it safe.

[vacruizer]

Even though we had a close call on that first cruise, I do still book independent most of the time. There are exceptions, though. I have booked through Carnival when I can't find an independent tour for what I'm interested in, the distance is well away from the port, the tour is an all day type thing leaving not much time for error, and in areas where traffic can be horrible and transportation are unreliable (such as Panama.) My rule now is that any independent tours I book should be back at leat 3 hours prior to sailing (although the Nativeway tour in Grand Cayman was supposed to have us back 2 hours prior and we still almost didn't make it.)

 

I had read so many awful things here where people badmouthed Carnival excursions that I was really leery the first time I took one (not until our third cruise.) I guess I've just been lucky but the Carnival tours I've been on have been very well run, small groups with the exception of the train tour in Panama, and we felt like we got very personal service. But then again, I tend to book the more unusual stuff like hiking in the rainforest. We liked the Champagne Catamaran to St. John so much we did that one twice in less than 6 months' time! We originally did that one because the private operators wouldn't book for less than 6 people.

 

So use your best judgment and you can still get a great tour either way.

[salty dingo]

Although independent tours are the clear best choice most of the time, there are exceptions, when a ship sponsored tour should be booked:

• The tour is only offered through the ship (not typical, but true for some tours)
  
• The tour takes you a long distance from the ship, and the route between ship and destination is not well-traveled or is prone to traffic jams.
  
• You don't really care about having the best tour experience, or saving money.
  

[pokergirl34]

while in cozumel there were sevaral couple s late returning to the ship..

as in the youtube vid..the guy s tend to forget they have partner in all this..:confused:

 

Maybe he was ahead of her because he runs faster...he could possibly hold the ship for her to arrive. I would expect my husband to run ahead since he runs faster than I do. However, I know he would not go on the boat without me if they wouldn't wait the other minute it took for me to run there. JMO

[jayesouthworth]

Yes, people get left behind, there are videos on youtube.

 

I would rather pay the extra and know that the ship will wait for me, than have the ship leave and then you're up dung creek without a paddle. That's a horror story waiting to be told. JMHO.