4 people left in water snorkeling excursion

[time4u2go]

Heh heh heh heh heh...ROTFL!

Here maybe this will help : The arrow didn't print...but Labadee is up top about at the 2:00 position and it's not a peninsula either. It's just on the northern coast of Haiti with a bay.

 

 

The nation of Haiti, showing Labadee

Labadee (also Labadie) is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti. It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean International has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on the premises, and paying the Haitian government US$6 per tourist.

 

The resort is completely tourist-oriented, and is guarded by a private security force. The site is fenced off from the surrounding area, and passengers are not allowed to leave the property. A controlled group of Haitian merchants are given sole rights to sell their merchandise and establish their businesses in the resort. Although sometimes described as an island in advertisements, it is actually a peninsula contiguous with the island of Hispaniola. The cruise ship moors to the pier at Labadee capable of servicing the Oasis class ships, which was completed in late 2009

Hmmm... :rolleyes:

[SnorkelAway]

The other reason I can see this happening with an idiot captain is the fact that almost every snorkel excursion boat of this cattle car class in the world misrepresents how much time you have to snorkel. I have been on several excursions when I was told that you could snorkel for an hour, checked my watch for time and confirmed, and then they leave 45 minutes later (although almost always managing to call everyone back). The crews of some of these things just get so numb to the whole process that they are just going through the motions for both safety and pax enjoyment. This kind of thing is the same type of non-thinking that produces much much worse consequences of a different magnitude when done on a much larger scale - like the Concordia.

[BecciBoo]

Hmmm... :rolleyes:

Ha! Just caught that! Well, it's not much of one. Google it.

[QTMichele]

This is why the definition of a ship versus a boat is important. The difference? A boat fits in a ship. ;)

 

Back on topic, I feel bad for the snorkelers. I would have been scared!

[Ashland]

Hmmm..Labadee only has 2 TWO snorkel excursions one is the Arawaky Snorkel Adventure that only takes maybe a max of 8 people and the guide snorkels with the group and uses a very small boat and the Labadee Snorkel Safari which uses a catamaran and also has a limited number of people...So HOW can a head count be missing 4 people and no one noticed :confused:

[jlrn366419]

The lack of reading comprehension on this thread amazes me :rolleyes:

 

They were left in the water by the excursion boat. Twenty minutes later another excursion spotted them and got them out of the water. I'm sure they got back to the Allure safe and sound, and more than a little angry.

 

There is NO excuse at all for an excursion boat to leave anyone. They should do a head count at the very least. When I'm on scuba excursions, with an operator doing things properly, they don't just do a head count but they also do a roll call.

 

Love your comment about reading comprehension! :D

 

I'm assuming this was a larger excursion with a lot of people loaded on a catamaran. I know people were on vacation and probably drinking alcohol like fish, but its a shame no one noticed people still in the water as the boat departed the snorkel site.

[BecciBoo]

Hey the designated driver ain't supposed to be drinkin...just sayin;):p

[spcopps]

What is funny to me is, this is just the type of reasons cruise operators give for booking your excursion through the cruise line directly....don't want to miss your return transportation to the ship SMDH...

[mistergq]

Let me start that I think the over whelming blame is on snorkel boat operator.

 

However, when you are snorkeling, you cannot assume the boat is not going to leave without you. You need to be aware of your surroundings, how far you are from the boat, can the boat still see you, how long you have been in the water, and is the boat getting ready to leave. Don't get me wrong, on private excursions, I have gotten adventurous, but since those boats had many less passengers, I was okay.

 

And if you think I am wrong, watch the first "Open Water".

[SPacificbound]

sounds like they were snorkeling and got back on the wrong boat (glass bottom)

wonder how you can get that mixed up with the Allure! Must of had a Big Bottom!

 

Seriously? And are you trolling?

[clean1owner]

So, the excursion boat left without them and then the Allure left without them

 

Hope they lawyer up and sue the lot of them

 

Disgusting

 

And then the airport transportation left them, then the airline left them. They have been left so much they just changed from Republicans to Democrats.

 

 

Why oh WHY can't people completely read and comprehend a post before replying?

[BBT]

...

 

Why oh WHY can't people completely read and comprehend a post before replying?

 

Then there would be the original post, a couple, maybe a page worth, of sensible replies, then the thread fades into the sunset.

 

Now where would the fun & entertainment be if that were the case?

 

I have to admit I had to read the original post a couple times for it to make sense. Most here seem to be of the opinion that the tour bout operator/crew screwed up. I agree. So? Now what?

 

I also hope one of the affected people find this board & thread and let us know what happened and what response they got from the tour operator & RCCL. It will be interesting to hear how it is handled.

[jonbgd]

I cant believe the Capt left the snorklers behind. One reason I wear a watch and also ask what time I have to be back.

 

Is the snorkeling any good @ Labadee??

[clean1owner]

RCCL I think owes the couple an apology, a huge amount of OBC and another chance to cruise with them. How stupid can a excursion be to leave their customers like this? All it takes is to count the manifest to see if they are missing.

 

Wouldn't the SeaPass computer alert the security agent if someone is not on board? Who is with a shore excursion? The security agent could also be reprimanded for not telling the captain to wait so he or she can call over to the shore excursion to see where the passengers are.

 

If this were me I would be on the phone with my layer and demand a full free cruise as soon as I get back to the disembarkation port and make RCCL pay to change my tickets. I did not get a full cruise because of their negligence.

 

I can see this happening if it wasn't a RCCL sponsored excursion. There was no excuse for leaving the passengers stranded with no way to call for help.

 

Labadee is a private island and there is no one living there. I'm sure these passengers had no cellphone with them. How do you call from Labadee in these situations?

 

I hope Adam Goldstien offers this couple huge compensation for pain and suffering, breach of contract, failure to provide services rendered, if they had health issues no medications etc.

 

Pain and suffering? Breach of contract? Failure to provide services rendered?

 

The lack of reading comprehension on this thread amazes me :rolleyes:

 

Amen, Brother, AMEN!

 

 

 

The last time I was on a snorkeling excursion (with NCL), we buddied up and counted off before leaving the dock, before we started snorkeling at the final destination, and before we left our destination for the return trip.

 

Is this not standard with all snorkeling excursions?

[clean1owner]

Then there would be the original post, a couple, maybe a page worth, of sensible replies, then the thread fades into the sunset.

 

Now where would the fun & entertainment be if that were the case?

 

I have to admit I had to read the original post a couple times for it to make sense. Most here seem to be of the opinion that the tour bout operator/crew screwed up. I agree. So? Now what?

 

I also hope one of the affected people find this board & thread and let us know what happened and what response they got from the tour operator & RCCL. It will be interesting to hear how it is handled.

 

 

You do have a point there.

 

Sometimes the entertainment value is priceless!

[RCCL Fan]

Sometimes when a post is 3 pages long, i'll read the OP and respond without reading the rest...

 

never again, because it just makes you look dumb! lol

 

Yes the OP was a little unclear, but it became clear 2-3 posts in, clearly discussed, and then someone posts again with no clue.

 

they're just not reading.... at least i hope thats what it is.

[SRQfireman]

RCCL I think owes the couple an apology, a huge amount of OBC and another chance to cruise with them. How stupid can a excursion be to leave their customers like this? All it takes is to count the manifest to see if they are missing.

 

Wouldn't the SeaPass computer alert the security agent if someone is not on board? Who is with a shore excursion? The security agent could also be reprimanded for not telling the captain to wait so he or she can call over to the shore excursion to see where the passengers are.

 

If this were me I would be on the phone with my layer and demand a full free cruise as soon as I get back to the disembarkation port and make RCCL pay to change my tickets. I did not get a full cruise because of their negligence.

 

I can see this happening if it wasn't a RCCL sponsored excursion. There was no excuse for leaving the passengers stranded with no way to call for help.

 

Labadee is a private island and there is no one living there. I'm sure these passengers had no cellphone with them. How do you call from Labadee in these situations?

 

I hope Adam Goldstien offers this couple huge compensation for pain and suffering, breach of contract, failure to provide services rendered, if they had health issues no medications etc.

 

All I can say is WOW.....all these people talking about how the Allure never left without them, and then ya get this....

You'd be on the phone with your layer.....are you talking about a brick layer? He must be a nice guy to go along with giving you a free cruise :)

[Hstergo]

Really confusing post. What ship left them? Obviously not "the ship" since Labadee is a private island....further clarification is really needed here.

 

I never said the Allure left them there I am not sure why people are thinking that... I said the boat that took them out snorkeling left them ..I can't believe some people actually think you can snorkel off a cruise ship that two hundred and fifty feet high

[Charles4515]

The last time I was on a snorkeling excursion (with NCL), we buddied up and counted off before leaving the dock, before we started snorkeling at the final destination, and before we left our destination for the return trip.

 

Is this not standard with all snorkeling excursions?

 

Having been on many snorkeling excursions what you describe has been the exception not standard. Never did we count off. Hopefully the excursion staff counted us ....but who knows. Never though was anyone left behind. On a few excursions it was suggested we buddy off. Most did not suggest that. No standard way of doing a snorkeling excursion. The only standard on all of them has been requiring snorkelers to wear some type of vest. A vest is not only a floatation device. It makes snorkelers in the water visible to the staff.

[grand isle joe]

..." DARN IT SAM.....I told you not to book more than 10 people....now I need to use my toes to count them all.......:mad:"

[setsail]

Does anybody have a link to the "glass bottom" boat tour?:rolleyes: Is one even offered??

[rushedmom]

That must have been a very scary 20 minutes for those people! Any snorkeling excursion I have been on I have always seen the tour operators count the people on the boat before leaving the area.

Glad another boat found them!

[jarz85]

Could have been worse... I just watched a video on youtube. Two guys were happily snorkeling when a boat sailed past and the propeller hit his head and he died. They didn't have a buoy with a flag so the boat didn't know they were there!

[denamo]

And then the airport transportation left them, then the airline left them. They have been left so much they just changed from Republicans to Democrats.

 

 

quote]

 

:eek::) Too, too funny! Thanks for a great laugh.

[scubagirrl]

We used to have a snorkeing tour some years back. we used a head count. Problem was, some idiots wouldn't know which boat they were on so they would climb aboard a companion boat and leave.. or some would go ashore and explore (which we told them they couldn't).. and wouldn't return when we gave whistle (we had a 3 step whistle system).. and still others would jump on a jet ski and take off..

The rules were reviewed before anyone got into the water.

 

SO.. we end up with or without a few snorkelers from time to time.

 

The last boat of the day would do a quick run of the area looking for strays.. luckily it was in the sea gardens, so there was land close enough.. but some people are just asking for trouble

 

There are rules to follow to stay safe. Follow them and you won't be left behind.