Was Voyager late leaving NOLA?

[voyager70]

Just curious - according to the mobile app Voyager was still sailing down the Mississippi as 10:30 AM EST this morning. This is the first cruise following the TA - maybe they had customs issues?

[zaknzoey]

Just curious - according to the mobile app Voyager was still sailing down the Mississippi as 10:30 AM EST this morning. This is the first cruise following the TA - maybe they had customs issues?

 

 

Yes, they were about 3 hours late leaving. Some posts around here suggest it was crazy at check-in and the port was not ready for a ship that size. Don't know the real reason they were late. I was also thinking customs issues, as well as any check-in problems.

 

It's just the first sailing from NO. I'm sure they'll have everything worked out, even by the next sailing.

 

Hopefully! :) I go on her in January!! :D

[TEXASMUNK]

When a ship hits port for the first time, every crew member has to clear customs, the Coast Guard will do an inspection. The ship will undergo an inspection of the kitchens and food storage, every person must go through the full customs and immigration process. New crew must go through the process, and the new passengers usually are last.

So a delay on the first departure can be pretty well expected.

[denamo]

Our one experience with a ship that changed ports was a late departure as well. It may just be somewhat unavoidable since it's a new port, customs, and getting the ship re-stocked in a new location. It's like trying to fix something on my computer...it always takes longer than I think it's going to! ;)

 

They will get it all down to a science for future cruises I suspect.

[mustangjoe]

It will be ready for next week when Martina has her concert on the ship prior to departure from NOLA.:D

[brichar499]

Last year out of NOLA on Carnival, we experienced our worst embark and disembark. Long lines both ways. Seems like nothing, including customs and immigration, was organized.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if Voyager has the same issues that have apparently plagued this port for sometime.

[CarolSW]

Same was true for us on Voyager out of Galveston 2 years ago when it had just come in from the TA. Embarkation was about 5 hours late. I know there are more customs procedures for first-time-in-a-port, but it also seems that there are many new port staff who are having their first day on the job as well, so things are not usually as smooth as they will be several sailings later.

[Bigtex1622]

Just curious - according to the mobile app .......

 

What Mobile App?

 

 

 

OH Shipmate. Nevermind... Great app though.

Forgot it had it.

Looking up Mariner now.

 

 

 

:rolleyes:

[CFIGuy]

Anyone know ow this week went?

[arlettecruiser]

Voyager was again about 3 hrs late tonight. I just saw her on the Mississippi River around 8PM (should be in that part of the river around 5 or 5:30). I'm not sure if the Martina McBride concert had anything to do with it or if there was still an issue with customs and luggage. I'm sure we will have to wait on someone who is on the ship to find out why she's late leaving tonight.

[CFIGuy]

Good point on the concert, I forgot about that. Guessing that was a lot of the reason for this weeks late departure.

[SAS21]

We left port at 7:45. I was on Voyager first sailing from NOLA, absolutely awful embarkation. Ship was 2 hours late to port which delayed disembarking from the TA. There were no ports in the luggage drop off area, it took us 1 hour to get thru the vehicle line to get the the dop off. After dropping off luggage no one cold tell is where we needed to go. There were lines everywhere and crisscrossing and you could not tell what they were for. Minimal signs directing you where to go. No distinct signage for check in, no C&A status lines, no deck # signs, clerk checking us in took 30 minutes checking in people in front of us. She could not read on the sign & sail pass that we were staying in a suite and was looking for our passes in the regular cabin stacks of sea pass cards. She came back and asked if we were in a suite cabin, took her 1 minute to locate our seapasses after that. I have never been asked that question at other ports, they knew what they were doing at the other ports. We got on the ship at 1:00 pm and went straight to our cabin. So it took us 2 hours to drop off luggage and check in.

 

Luggage did not start loading on the ship until 3:00. We had a cabin on the starboard side so we could see what was going on. It took 6 1/2 hours for us to get our luggage from the time we got on the ship.

 

My father was sailing with us in the cabin next to us and got to the port about 2 pm. His check in took about 45 minutes but he got his luggage about 2 hours later. He said the port itself was still a nightmare with no signage or anyone knowing where you had to go, but he was happy he got his luggage earlier.

[Rancher Dave]

We left port at 7:45. I was on Voyager first sailing from NOLA, absolutely awful embarkation. Ship was 2 hours late to port which delayed disembarking from the TA. There were no ports in the luggage drop off area, it took us 1 hour to get thru the vehicle line to get the the dop off. After dropping off luggage no one cold tell is where we needed to go. There were lines everywhere and crisscrossing and you could not tell what they were for. Minimal signs directing you where to go. No distinct signage for check in, no C&A status lines, no deck # signs, clerk checking us in took 30 minutes checking in people in front of us. She could not read on the sign & sail pass that we were staying in a suite and was looking for our passes in the regular cabin stacks of sea pass cards. She came back and asked if we were in a suite cabin, took her 1 minute to locate our seapasses after that. I have never been asked that question at other ports, they knew what they were doing at the other ports. We got on the ship at 1:00 pm and went straight to our cabin. So it took us 2 hours to drop off luggage and check in.

 

Luggage did not start loading on the ship until 3:00. We had a cabin on the starboard side so we could see what was going on. It took 6 1/2 hours for us to get our luggage from the time we got on the ship.

 

My father was sailing with us in the cabin next to us and got to the port about 2 pm. His check in took about 45 minutes but he got his luggage about 2 hours later. He said the port itself was still a nightmare with no signage or anyone knowing where you had to go, but he was happy he got his luggage earlier.

 

Makes me wonder if we should just show up at 2pm instead...

 

I havent read but a bit of the blog about the cruise...and before I comment on the quality I should read more first. But, I will say the info about day 1 wan't very impressive.

 

I hope RCCL and the port really got it together for the departure yesterday...I will not be happy if on the 24th the departure is a big mess.