JUST Home from Crown ! They DO leave passengers behind !

[Samanthamelody3]

This is why you always set yourself a time to be back that is not at the last minute. But I guess anything can happen!

[Kentchikan]

What makes you think she wasn't the one who told him, "Go ahead and stay, dear, I'm sure they will wait for you"? :) Possibly she enjoyed her cruise even more.

 

Reminds me of what happened to a woman with whom I worked. Her husband took her on a cruise to Alaska out of Vancouver and as they were sailing out of Vancouver told her he wanted a divorce. Must have been a very long cold cruise. I always wondered why he didn't at least wait until they were sailing back into Vancouver.

[Kentchikan]

This is why you always set yourself a time to be back that is not at the last minute. But I guess anything can happen!

 

As in the "I Love Lucy" episode when her dress got caught in a bicycle and she missed the ship and had to be helicoptered out. I know it was a TV show but it's made me very aware of sailing times and random things that might keep me from boarding.

[Samanthamelody3]

As in the "I Love Lucy" episode when her dress got caught in a bicycle and she missed the ship and had to be helicoptered out. I know it was a TV show but it's made me very aware of sailing times and random things that might keep me from boarding.

 

 

I have never actually seen I Love Lucy, as it wasn't on TV when I was a kid. Now I don't really watch TV, but I will make a point to watch this episode!

[redtogo]

FYI:

My husband intentionally gave an old cruise card to the staff member, asked him to see what would come up. Much to everyone's surprise, a person's picture popped up on the screen and it wasn't my husband. So, I guess that they "re-use" the codes that go with then cards.

 

Also, another "card" experience. A elderly woman on our cruise was sailing with her grown daughter. Daughter went on an excursion. Mom went to town shopping. When daughter got back to the ship, scanned her card. Her mom's picture popped up. The crew got very upset with the young lady. Last I heard she was detained until her mother returned from shopping to get the identity issue resolved.

 

On the first cruise that we took, it was explained to us that being back onboard on time was very important.

" The ship blows its horn once when it is time to be onboard. If you hear it blow twice and you are not onboard, just stand on the pier and wave because the ship is out in the harbor. Remember, as you go into town shopping or sightseeing on your own, that a passenger without a ship is a passenger without a country."

 

What really confuses the issue is that some captains will wait for late passengers and other will not. I think it needs to be consistent that anyone late better have their passport, a change of clothes, and a credit card or a fat wallet with them.

 

We were on a tour in Antiqua (sp?) and where told to be at a corner store at 4:00 PM. At 4:15 PM, one person on the tour wasn't on the bus. The tour guide went up and down the streets calling the person's name. No response. At 4:30 PM, we left with one empty seat on the tour bus. I must say it was explained very clearly about the time and the meeting place. Never did find out what happened to the person or if they made it back.

 

Speaking of putting people off of the ship: When we went to the Northern Baltic, we were told that their was a couple who were quarantined to their cabin because of the norovirus. In the next port, the couple got off the ship to sightsee. The staff met with them and explained that they were quarantined and that they had to stay in their cabin. Next port, they got off the ship again and went sightseeing. When they got back to the ship, the captain had the staff waiting with their bags on the pier. They were told by the captain that this was his ship and he was responsible to the other passengers. That since they did not follow quarantine requests, that they were no long welcome to sail on his ship.

 

Captains are in place for a reason. They have lots of responsibility and are within their rights to enforce rules.

[Smokeyham]

 

What really confuses the issue is that some captains will wait for late passengers and other will not. I think it needs to be consistent that anyone late better have their passport, a change of clothes, and a credit card or a fat wallet with them.

 

I suspect there are a variety of factors which the Captain considers when deciding whether to wait or not. Included in those could be: how tight the schedule is to get to the next port, the costs involved in staying at wharf (per hour for the Longshoremen and tugs), and how many people are still ashore.

 

As you say, if you are late you had better be prepared to make a plan to get yourself to the next port, and to have the money to pay for all of the associated expenses!

[Aus Traveller]

Hi There

 

Happens all the time, also you get crew left behind, as well as passenger and crew jumping ship, for life some place better.

 

yours Shogun

It is a bit difficult for crew to jump ship when they do not have their passports. Crew passports are collected when they board the ship at the start of their contract, and only returned to them as they leave the ship at the end of the contract. :)

[jayne52]

I live in Nassau and the US Embassy used to get stuck with Americans all the time who miss the ship sailing. I am a member of a club that used to provide assistance to those stranded. Most people would get Departure time confused with "time to be back on board", and often they would have very little money or credit cards, as they were just in town for several hours. The Embassy provides NO assistance now, except perhaps a phone call to relatives, if the duty officer is nice. "Spring Breakers" are often drinking too much and miss their boat.

[Smokeyham]

I live in Nassau and the US Embassy used to get stuck with Americans all the time who miss the ship sailing. I am a member of a club that used to provide assistance to those stranded. Most people would get Departure time confused with "time to be back on board", and often they would have very little money or credit cards, as they were just in town for several hours. The Embassy provides NO assistance now, except perhaps a phone call to relatives, if the duty officer is nice. "Spring Breakers" are often drinking too much and miss their boat.

 

Curious as to what those people who are left ashore do?

 

Do they get in touch with friends at home and have funds wired to them? Will the embassy help them to get a temporary passport to get home?

[Kentchikan]

I talked to an officer on a Princess ship who said that "disappearing" crew is indeed a problem. He speculated that they have friends or family who already live in the country that help them.

[Kentchikan]

FYI:

 

Speaking of putting people off of the ship: When we went to the Northern Baltic, we were told that their was a couple who were quarantined to their cabin because of the norovirus. In the next port, the couple got off the ship to sightsee. The staff met with them and explained that they were quarantined and that they had to stay in their cabin. Next port, they got off the ship again and went sightseeing. When they got back to the ship, the captain had the staff waiting with their bags on the pier. They were told by the captain that this was his ship and he was responsible to the other passengers. That since they did not follow quarantine requests, that they were no long welcome to sail on his ship.

 

Captains are in place for a reason. They have lots of responsibility and are within their rights to enforce rules.

 

We have friends who were on a South Pacific Cunard cruise and there was this odd odor coming from near their stateroom. Everyone in their area commented on it but no one could figure it out. Turns out is was a very smelly passenger and she was put off the ship on a small island and had to find her way back on her own.

[satxdiver]

Interesting that this happened to the OP in Curacao. Several years ago we left a couple on the same island and that was after waiting 30 minutes past departure time. The captain came on the intercom and said he was waiting because "I am a nice guy". I heard later they showed up at the pier about an hour after we left. They flew to St Marteen and met the ship two days later. The really funny part is that we were ready to leave St Thomas and a couple was not on board. The captain once again came on the intercom and said he was waiting because "I am a nice guy". Well this time just as the ship was about to finally leave a taxi came screeching up, doors flew open and this couple came running out to the ship. Yes you probably guessed it. It was the SAME couple we left in Curacao! I hope the captain gave them a stern talking to.

 

We have left several times pax in Cozumel as well as other ports. Cozumel is notorious because of the heavy drinking at Carlos Charlies or other bars. One time we left a newly wed couple in Coz. They had to fly to Houston, get a ride to Galveston and met our ship two days later when we arrived to debark.

 

Pax who go ashore without a passport and money are tempting fate. They had better made extra sure they get back on time. A pax gets left behind they are on their own to get to the next port and all expenses incurred in the process. The US Embassies/Consulates are not all that sympathetic for your failure to plan ahead.

[Kentchikan]

Years ago on the Song of Norway the captain announced that the ship was leaving promptly at 5. And if someone missed the ship they should take a taxi to the north end of the island and swim like hell.

He was a very funny captain.

[gooch47]

Our waiter missed the ship once but he was back the next night.

 

We were at Tauranga in New Zealand . Ours was the first ship to come back there after 9/11. Hundreds, maybe thousands of their residents came to wave goodbye and thank us for coming. Caused a terrible traffic jam. Our waiter missed the ship but was able to rent a car and drive to the next port since it was also in New Zealand.

[dfields1814]

I thought about missing the ship on purpose when I was in Pago Pago. The more beer I drank the the more I considered it. But in the end I decided to return to the ship.

 

There are several you tube video of runners trying to get to the ship and being left behind.

[Kentchikan]

I thought about missing the ship on purpose when I was in Pago Pago. The more beer I drank the the more I considered it. But in the end I decided to return to the ship.

 

There are several you tube video of runners trying to get to the ship and being left behind.

 

I was touring a ship in San Francisco that was about to sail. I got stuck in the elevator just as the "all ashore that's going ashore" was being called. I thought about it and thought that being stuck wouldn't be all that bad as I wasn't really a stowaway. But the elevator started again and I got off. I still think it would have been kind of fun if the elevator remained stuck until after sailing.