QM2 misses Saipan

http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=117351&cat=1

Barry

The last couple of years the QM2 has been able to dock in Guam, so I cannot see why they chose to go to Saipan instead this year if they needed to tender. I would also think that Guam has more points of interest for the passengers.

Some one once said that the routes for the World Cruises are chosen by people who have never been to most of the ports of call and whose job seems to be to stick random pins in a world map.

I really don't think that comment on how ports are chosen can be serious. We may not like some of the ports, but research has to be done on docking, tours, etc.

As to Guam having sites to see, that is questionable. On last year's world cruise, most non-U.S. passengers were more interested in the shopping at U.S. stores. We were happy to find a Mexican restaurant online, as we were really missing that after 2 months travellling. Hotels and beach were pretty.

It was the wors port to get back on the ship. Everyone met at a luxury hotel and lined up for hours waiting for shuttles to the ship. I am not exaggerating about the "hours". One frustrating thing was that no Cunard person or anyone controlled the waiting line, and many people arriving from tours at the hotel saw a shuttle and got on it right away, while hundreds and hundreds stood inside in line. It wasn't rudeness, it was not knowing there was a line.

I really don't think that comment on how ports are chosen can be serious. We may not like some of the ports, but research has to be done on docking, tours, etc.

As to Guam having sites to see, that is questionable. On last year's world cruise, most non-U.S. passengers were more interested in the shopping at U.S. stores. We were happy to find a Mexican restaurant online, as we were really missing that after 2 months travellling. Hotels and beach were pretty.

It was the wors port to get back on the ship. Everyone met at a luxury hotel and lined up for hours waiting for shuttles to the ship. I am not exaggerating about the "hours". One frustrating thing was that no Cunard person or anyone controlled the waiting line, and many people arriving from tours at the hotel saw a shuttle and got on it right away, while hundreds and hundreds stood inside in line. It wasn't rudeness, it was not knowing there was a line.

I quite liked Guam and had a pleasant half day Cunard tour which took us right around the island. The only hitch was when the bus broke down on the mountainside and we had to wait for a replacement. I spent my time surveying the bushes for the notorious tree-dwelling snakes. Guam reminds me of Hawaii before the great tourist expansion of the 80s.

I was on the ship when we missed Saipan. There is no doubt in my mind that the Captain's decision was the correct one, even though I understand that the people of Saipan were disappointed.

The Deputy Captain rode a tender ashore to assess if it was suitable for passengers and he said it was not (bearing in mind that it was a 40 minute ride on those rough seas). It was so rough that a passenger with a medical emergency could not be taken off at Saipan; they tried several times but each time he became unstable as they tried to transfer him to a tender. Ultimately he was kept on the ship until we reached the Osaka pilot station and transferred off there.

According to several announcements from the Captain, there was serious difficulty with the immigration officials in Saipan even after the call was cancelled. Saipan officials ruled that every passenger and crew member on board the ship would have to go through US immigration even though no-one was physically landing on Saipan. The Captain had to negotiate with the Governor of Saipan and ultimately with authorities in Washington before this ruling was changed and we could proceed to Osaka.

I say "Thanks Captain" for making the decision to cancel Saipan in those circumstances.

I say "Thanks Captain" for making the decision to cancel Saipan in those circumstances.

I second that!! It was most certainly THE only decision. We watched that tender make its way to and from Saipan and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to have been on it.

Hopefully the medical situation turned out for the best in Osaka.