Vacationing family stranded in Bahamas

[oncruisecontrol]

Actually, this is what it said:

"They were all without passports, without much cash and wearing wet bathing suits...... They were given two other rooms, a T-shirt and some toiletries." ...and I have seen in person people wandering around ports like Grand Cayman and Montego Bay in only a bathing suit and knew they were off the ship.

 

 

That was just poor planning on their part (if not downright ignorance). When going ashore, we always bring a change of clothes, a change of shoes, a jacket, plenty of cash (at least $150 each), each of us carries a credit card that has at least $1000 available on it, our passports (we keep black and white photocopies locked in our luggage on the ship), our Carnival Caper, our fully-charged cell phones (which work on many of the islands), our sail & sign card, and our common sense. Inccidentally, when we're on the beach in port, one of us always stays with our bags while the others go in the water. Since we carry such important items with us, we NEVER leave our bags unattended; not for one iota.

[kthy66]

that was just poor planning on their part (if not downright ignorance). When going ashore, we always bring a change of clothes, a change of shoes, a jacket, plenty of cash (at least $150 each), each of us carries a credit card that has at least $1000 available on it, our passports (we keep black and white photocopies locked in our luggage on the ship), our carnival caper, our fully-charged cell phones (which work on many of the islands), our sail & sign card, and our common sense. Inccidentally, when we're on the beach in port, one of us always stays with our bags while the others go in the water. Since we carry such important items with us, we never leave our bags unattended; not for one iota.

 

lmao,, yeh i always bring a winter coat and long johns... ya never know when it will fall below freezing in the caribbean

[Kurbanfan]

Actually, this is what it said:

"They were all without passports, without much cash and wearing wet bathing suits...... They were given two other rooms, a T-shirt and some toiletries." ...and I have seen in person people wandering around ports like Grand Cayman and Montego Bay in only a bathing suit and knew they were off the ship.

 

I know what it said........it was nice that they gave them something clean to change into after they boarded the other ship since they had nothing else to change into.........common sense tells me if they toured Atlantis they had cover ups and shirts on because they won't allow you inside their public areas without them........

Many people take their shirts off while they walk around the islands......we do....it is hot ya know.....it is real simple to slip them back on when you enter stores and restaurants;)

[oncruisecontrol]

lmao,, yeh i always bring a winter coat and long johns... ya never know when it will fall below freezing in the caribbean

 

 

 

Touche. But I must clarify: When I say 'jacket' I mean a lightweight windbreaker or fleece hoodie. I live in Florida for Pete's sake; you never know when a squall will come through. Sometimes the weather can change on a dime in the tropics. The point is, though I may be neurotic about safety and the kitchen sink, If we'd been left behind, at least we'd have money and other necessities that these unfortunate people apparently lacked.

[blancacats]

We learned on our first cruise to always use ship sponsored tours....on 3 different cruises and 3 different ports our tour was late getting back...but the ship waited for us...in Grand Cayman we were 2 hrs late and the ship waited....as soon as my brother stepped off the tender onto the boat they slammed the door shut..we were over 2 miles out to sea before we reached our cabins.

[Kurbanfan]

Touche. But I must clarify: When I say 'jacket' I mean a lightweight windbreaker or fleece hoodie. I live in Florida for Pete's sake; you never know when a squall will come through. Sometimes the weather can change on a dime in the tropics. The point is, though I may be neurotic about safety and the kitchen sink, If we'd been left behind, at least we'd have money and other necessities that these unfortunate people apparently lacked.

 

Well heck then........you don't even need to unpack.......just bring your luggage:D

[canner2u]

They do it more often than you think. The Fantasy took on 4 ladies who missed the Ecstasy in Progreso. As both ships were going to Cozumel the next day, no problem.

 

Dave

 

I was on the Fantasy when either this incident or one similiar happened. They were given a cabin to sleep for the night, tolietries and treated as if they were actual passengers on the Fantasy. The friends and family that they were cruising with, were made aware that they would meet them in Cozumel.

[cuyahoga11]

That's the rule, always the fault of the passenger, not Carnival...it's in the contract. ;)

 

Your rule, always the fault of Carnival, not the passenger:D

[peanutJMV]

Why were only two families left behind? If this was an excursion I think it would have been a larger group.

 

 

Agree-----

 

What are the chances, these two couples were the only people on the excursion??

 

Also some excursions note-"stop at a certain point for shopping etc" if choose to get off ship you are responsible for your return trip to the ship". Seen that on several excursions.

 

something is not right here

[kthy66]

Touche. But I must clarify: When I say 'jacket' I mean a lightweight windbreaker or fleece hoodie. I live in Florida for Pete's sake; you never know when a squall will come through. Sometimes the weather can change on a dime in the tropics. The point is, though I may be neurotic about safety and the kitchen sink, If we'd been left behind, at least we'd have money and other necessities that these unfortunate people apparently lacked.

 

I bring a passport and charge card.. As long as you have a big enough charge card you don't need to carry all the fluff .. plus its a great excuse to go clothes shopping in port... "I've been stranded by my ship could you point in the direction of the nearest boutique?" :D

(it goes without saying that I always wear at least a cover up and shorts in port) ;)

[G'ma]

What if they didn't have passports:confused: Afterall they are not madatory for close looped cruises..........

 

True, but they ARE mandatory for international flights, etc.

 

When you choose to use just a birth cert, ya takes yer chances, I reckon.

[G'ma]

Ooops, don't tell G'ma about that. ;)

 

G'ma knows, sonny....G'ma also knows that international flights and other travel does require a passport.

 

G'ma has carried a passport since the dark ages....about 1965....and it goes ashore when G'ma does.....

[lidodeckbound]

I wish I was in the Bahamas. :D

[Wolfie48]

what a travesty.. can you believe the nerve of some people wandering around in public in their bathing suits??? what's the world coming to!?!?!

 

Really I usually have to go to a men's club and pay good money to see such things :D

[dan40]

The article said they booked their excursion thru Carnival.....

 

And of course, we can always count on a TV consumer advocate to be 100% accurate in his reports.

 

 

"CCL apologized to the families, because CCL was wrong,,,,,,,,,,,or,,,,,the TV was involved?????

 

2 families on a "tour." The report does not elaborate on this strange 'fact'?

 

The 'tour bus' took them back to the ship that wasn't there????

(there are 2 tall structures in the New Providence harbor, Atlantis Hotel and the cruise ships.) line of sight distance from the hotel to the ship= .5 mile or 880 YARDS. [800 METERS]

Should the TV reporter have examined this 'factoid?'

 

Is there any possible way to determine fault from the absence of a single verifiable fact?

 

You guess is as good as anyone's.

[salty dingo]

I read the article posted by the OP. It sounds like a case of passenger stupidity. Rather than keep an eye on the clock, like they should have, they went off on their own and missed the tour bus leaving them behind.

 

Then, they turn around and blame the tour and Carnival. They are lucky they got treated as well as they did.

 

You know what time the ship leaves, and you carry a watch. How can you possibly miss the bus the then miss the ship unless you are just plain negligent?

 

When it got to an hour before sailing, I'd have been running back to the bus, and if no bus, I would take a cab.

[HB Cruiser]

Somewhere earlier a poster stated the ship "did not wait for one minute." Well, if there are 50 passengers out of 2500, just 2% of the total passengers, late one minute, the ship would sail 50 minutes late. I think this is asking a bit much.

 

Tim

[beachbum6264]

I seem to remember reading on the USVI website that the islanders prefer it if you cover your swimsuit with clothes while shopping.

 

Shopping Tips

 

• - Save your swimwear for the beach. It is considered taboo to wear swimsuits only or to walk about bareback anywhere but the beach or poolside. You will receive a much friendlier reception from sales people if you are covered up when walking around shopping areas and entering stores.
  

 

Yes, but they were in the Bahamas, not the USVI.

[Nunu]

If they would have emailed John Heald's blog he would have sent a helicopter in to rescue them.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I dont think you can count on that happening, plus with multiple ships in port, how would you know its your ship leaving.

 

if it was a Disney ship you'd know!:D

 

Bill

[Deloresgardella]

Why were only two families left behind? If this was an excursion I think it would have been a larger group.

 

 

I was thinking the same thing. I have never been on a cruise tour that only had two families on it.

[kcroxyoursox]

And perhaps some clothes? I'm sorry, but leaving a ship in a foreign country with no proper ID or documention, wearing only a bathing suit and flip flops, then not watching the time, or knowing when you have to be back on your ship is just plain ignorant.

When I hear that people only had their bathing suit, or see them in a you tube video jogging towards the sailing ship in a bthing suit, I think that's just totally disgusting and disresepctful. Put some clothes on in public. Besides, being the decent thing to do, then at least if you miss the ship you won't be that moron in a dripping bathing suit with no dry clothes.

Sorry, but people here go on and on about the importance of what to wear for "elegant night", and meanwhile there are these people (hopefully not the same ones!) who actually dare to get off the ship in just a bathing suit?? That's MY pet peeve. Honestly, these disrespectful slobs give cruisers a bad name.

 

The only people who miss the boat that I feel sorry for are the ones that are delayed due to traffic, or breakdowns, or others means beyond their control.

 

It's possible that once they realized they were late and started running for the ship, they didn't take time to put all their clothes back on. Because, you know, time was the one thing they were already short on.

 

If they would have emailed John Heald's blog he would have sent a helicopter in to rescue them.

 

LOL!

[donaldsc]

It's possible that once they realized they were late and started running for the ship, they didn't take time to put all their clothes back on. Because, you know, time was the one thing they were already short on.

 

 

 

LOL!

 

It would have been a hoot to watch them running down the pier in their swim suits as the boat was pulling away. Much better than the drunk "miss the boat" show.

 

DON

[Kurbanfan]

And of course, we can always count on a TV consumer advocate to be 100% accurate in his reports.

 

 

"CCL apologized to the families, because CCL was wrong,,,,,,,,,,,or,,,,,the TV was involved?????

 

2 families on a "tour." The report does not elaborate on this strange 'fact'?

 

The 'tour bus' took them back to the ship that wasn't there????

(there are 2 tall structures in the New Providence harbor, Atlantis Hotel and the cruise ships.) line of sight distance from the hotel to the ship= .5 mile or 880 YARDS. [800 METERS]

Should the TV reporter have examined this 'factoid?'

 

Is there any possible way to determine fault from the absence of a single verifiable fact?

 

You guess is as good as anyone's.

 

And your point is:confused: Aren't we all going by what the article said:confused: Otherwise this would not be a conversation:rolleyes:

[Kurbanfan]

if it was a disney ship you'd know!:d

 

bill

 

lmao!!!