Disappointed with Carnival Conquest in Cozumel....make it right :-(

[hassellcastle]

Me and my wife just finished our 3rd cruise last week with Carnival. And I gotta say we are seriously thinking of moving onto another cruise line now after the aggravation me and probably just about every other cruiser had to endure on the Carnival Conquest last Friday (July 13th) while in port in Cozumel.

 

In our two previous cruises getting on and off the ship has pretty much been a breeze when porting in Cozumel, however I can't say the same this last time.

 

We were supposed to be in port from 10am - 5pm in Cozumel. I had booked for me and my family to spend the day at Nachi Cocom, in which we did (eventually). And it was a very nice place and I highly recommend it to others...but that's another story.

 

Anyhow we got up early, ate breakfast on the Lido deck and were back in our oceanview room on the Rivera deck by 9:30am. At this time the Conquest was being tied up to the dock. We proceeded to pack up our beach bag for the day as we were getting ready to disembark the ship in Cozumel. As 10am approached, I could see Carnival Staff constructing the gangway on Deck 0, right below our room. Photographers were getting off the ship getting ready to snap pics of guests getting off the ship, and walking towards to Conquest from the Port Shops were a couple of Mexican Senorita's, a mariachi band and a Pirate on stilts with his human skelton puppet. Now minutes after 10am I see passengers of the shipping leaving the ship, snapping pictures and beginning to start their fun filled day in Cozumel.

 

At this time I told my wife, "we'll they're letting people off now, let's go". So we walk out our door over to the stairwell to go down to Deck 0. One of the entertainment crew from our ship known as "Johnny Bravo" told us we need to go up to deck 3 (lobby) as that is where the line begins to disembark. A little disappointing....but if it helps get everyone off the ship faster so be it.....so we walk up the staircase 2 floors to deck 3.

 

Time now (10:20am) Upon getting to deck 3 (lobby) in the Atrium area, the area is packed with passengers and it's not moving. Now more and more people are flooding into Deck 3 from the above and below stairwells. We're starting to feel like packed sardines. We wait...and wait..I look over to the digital clock on the stairwell and it's reading 10:45am. Now with all these hot bodies crammed together it's getting hot..and in my opinion, unsafe. We have both of our small children with us and they are starting to whine, "why haven't we gotten off yet" and others around us are thinking the same thing. We were told they were letting passengers off first that had a 7 hour excursion.

 

It's now past 11:15 am and we are still standing in the stairwell area. People are getting upset including us. People are chanting "let us off, let us off!". Others are screaming "What is going on!". It was getting ridiculous....There was no announcement about the delay. And if there was, no one could hear it at this point. On top of this it's unsafe, god forbid someone to have a seizure or heartattack, there would be no way to get to someone as it's super crowded with pasengers all around us.

 

Finally they start letting the rest of the ship exit at about 11:25am. :mad: We were PISSED at this point. Almost 1.5 hours wasted and waiting to get off the boat. Employee's are hearding us off the ship and all the keep saying is, be back by 4:30pm. No apology, nothing. Now we've got to weave through the long Duty Free Store along the pier and maneuver through the port souvenir shops before we can get to the Taxi cabs. We held a Taxi pretty quickly and after the 20 minute drive we were at Nachi Cocom around noon.

 

We enjoyed our "short" time at Nachi and realized that we need to head back at about 3:45 so that we can make it to the ship on time as we knew we'd have to catch a cab and walk through all the shops again on the way to the boat. We left as planned and were back in line to embark back onto the Conquest at 4:30pm.

 

So in short. Our said 10am-5pm day in Cozumel, really only amounted to 3 hours and 45 minutes at Nachi Cocom. We were disappointed it was cut so short.

 

Upon arriving back onto the ship. I went up to Deck 11 to find a good spot to watch pier runners. Surprisingly I saw several people just walking at a normal pace back to the ship as the clock was approaching 5pm (the time we were supposed to be leaving port). I stood up there with my son watching off the deck as a small tour boat pulled up to the adjacent dock at the port at 5:30pm. Later I found out this boat was filled with passengers from the 7 hour excursion that they left off the ship early. These folks went on a tour of the mainland, Cancun.

 

Anyhow...I was ticked. I mean I totally understand that you are not going to leave passengers in Cozumel that booked a tour through Carnival that is running late getting back to the ship. But what about the rest of the folks? You let them off first...and then you let them arrive back late too. Further more not once during the debarkation nightmare, or once we got back on the ship..or even the day following did our Cruise Director Craig E make any mention about the delay, apologize or explanation as to what happened. But by gawd he did make sure to remind us to participate in BINGO being played in the lounge or the Slot Tournament.

 

Saturday afternoon I went to complain to Guest Services and try to also find out an explaination as to why the delay. The lady behind the counter told me nothing. Just gave me the same scripted story she had been telling everyone. That sometimes there are delays getting into port. I told her,"there wasn't a delay getting into port. I was looking out my cabin window minutes after 10am and you were letting people off the ship!" I asked for some sort, ANYTHING compensation for not getting to enjoy the port as it was supposed to be. She offered me NOTHING. I tried to be as nice as I could with her, but I was really upset. Heck give me some monetary amount off my sail & sign, heck a free drink...something! She wouldn't do anything. She said all she would do is log it in her system that I complained and she suggested that I fill out the survey that will be e-mailed to me once we return home (to which I did yesterday). She said things happen and if you read the fine print in our travel documents it says sometimes the ship is delayed and or doesn't make port and you have no recourse.

 

I left the desk feeling like I got the shaft from Carnival. I can't understand how they can screw something up like this and offer no apology or anything to the guests on their ship. She said she had numerous complaints that day and on Saturday and I wasn't the first.

 

Anyhow....that's my story ya'll. As I said I'm a bit disappointed over the whole ordeal.It's made me think twice about cruising with Carnival again because of how poorly they handled the situation.Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Quincella]

It would make me mad, too. Not so much that it happened at all (because, let's face it, stuff happens), but how they handled it. Or, rather, didn't handle it at all.

 

Be prepared, though, for the "stop complaining and read your contract and you're on vacation and it's what you make of it so you should have started an impromptu game of charades while all 1000 of you were standing in line to get off the ship so it's really all your fault" people to come and slam you.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Was there a problem?????

[golfadj]

Should have told you the reason for the delay at least.

[spleenstomper]

Were the seas rough or anything? People didn't move at all for 1.5 hours? Not even slowly?

 

We didn't have a bad experience at all, but I do agree I wish Cozumel was longer at port regardless...

 

I'm sorry you had a poor experience and hope your next cruise is better.

[RenoNanaOz]

We didn't wait that long but I agree the way they have you get off in Cozumel is horrendous. You would think they would find a better way. There were people just trying to leave their cabins and were getting yelled at by others who thought they were cutting in line. They definitely need to look into this.

[peptobysmol]

Yeah. Waiting around with something planned to do and NOT being able to do it while not having any recourse, information or sympathy would piss me off to no end. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I know its in the contract s**t happens, but that is my personality. My better half I'm sure would have taken the high road and told me to calm down. But you only have a certain amount of time as you stated and by God at least give me an explanation!!!

 

Feel for yah bro.

[CimW]

They should have made apologies while people were waiting, said something.

 

I would have been angry too, I don't like waiting in big crowds.

But I wouldn't go to a different cruise line because of this, it (and other things) can happen on any ship.

[firefly333]

I have had the Carnival ship I was starting to debark from .. suddenly the line stopped. An announcement they are stopping the debarkation because another Carnival ship is tying up to the pier.

 

It did take quite a while (close to an hour) .. never occured to me to ask for compensation. Things like this happen. Sometimes things happen where you are unhappy that are not due compensation. Thats the only problem I see with your complaint, I dont think you are due compensation. A annoucement over the loud speaker is typical .. I am surprised that nothing was announced that there was a slow up getting off the ship, so sorry .. something. I have gotten this annoucement more than once. Would this have been enough for you?

 

OP you were on a private excursion, and you must know Carnival excursions get off first, and if they are pressed for time they are going to let those who have early excursions off first.

 

I can be sympathetic .. but Ive been there, done that too, a few times, and now hang back and dont try to rush off the ships for this very reason.

 

I hope you dont let this ruin cruising for you. .. as RCL is often just as crowded and I wait to debark in ports on them too. Its not going to be different.

[jaxonboy]

The late arrivals are difficult. I mean coming in late in the morning, not late as in behind schedule. If the ship comes in at 7 am, there is less crowding to get off.

 

All three cruise lines I have been on debark the ship's tours first, independent has to wait.

 

That said, they should have taken control of the situation and told everyone that it would be a while to get off so you didn't stand in line and sweat. I have been there and it is a bad deal. I wonder how long it takes to let 3,000 people punch their sale and sign and walk the gangway?

[vacruizer]

Wow - I've never run into this. We generally wait to leave the ship until later if we don't have a tour planned, though. Sounds like maybe they need call by decks almost like debark day? Have the tours meet somewhere and escort them off like they do in tender ports and then for people going on their own call a deck at time to leave until the main rush is over.

 

It will still aggravate whoever is last called, though. I wonder if the local authorities held up the process somehow? Would have been nice if they'd made an announcement, though.

[rcoaster809]

I think announcements would help.

 

I was on the Miracle with a 3:00 PM arrival in San Juan, and a lot of people were ready to get off the ship as soon as possible. Malcolm, the cruise director, was very good about keeping us informed on where Carnival excursions could debark, where everyone else could debark, and when we could debark.

 

He made an announcement once all of the excursion people were off and the line was moving at a good pace. I went down and was off the ship in about 5 minutes.

 

I know a lot people do not like announcements, but these really helped move passengers efficiently!

[Holders3]

All that ever needs to occur in these situations is to let people know what's going on. When you know the situation you can make decisions for yourself and regain some control of your predicament.

 

Not informing guests of the circumstances for delay is simply rude and unprofessional. It demonstrates a complete lack of concern for the comfort and safety of guests

 

Might cost you customers too.

[smc0320]

That does seem strange and they should have informed you all the while why the line wasnt moving.

 

something Firefly made sense though.....when we were in Costa Maya this past December, we were docked on the outside of the pier....weather was really rough......and as we were preparing to head down to get off the ship (Dream) the held us for what seemed like forever so another ship could come in and dock.....

 

The don't really owe you anything but an explanation and apology, which would have felt a whole lot better to you at the time....a free drink would have been a nice gesture....

[Melismass]

This is the one thing I dislike about cruising. It can be so slow and aggraravating trying to get off the ship! God forbid its a tender port! I feel your pain on this one, I really do! Im not a patient person to start with!

[PA Dutchman]

Over the years we stood on the steps for over 1 hr trying to get off at certain ports, now we waite, 3000+ on some ships trying to get off at 1 time, some ports you have this, people are there 1 hr before debarkation and the line gets long. Just one of the parts of cruiseing, everybody wants to get off at the same time, well sombody will be at the end of the line and they are never happy. Don't matter what cruise line sometimes it takes alittle time to get that many people off a ship.

[firefly333]

Over the years we stood on the steps for over 1 hr trying to get off at certain ports, now we waite, 3000+ on some ships trying to get off at 1 time, some ports you have this, people are there 1 hr before debarkation and the line gets long. Just one of the parts of cruiseing, everybody wants to get off at the same time, well sombody will be at the end of the line and they are never happy. Don't matter what cruise line sometimes it takes alittle time to get that many people off a ship.

 

I posted the same thing .. this is what experience has taught me. The OP has little children, and tried to be one of the first ones off the ship .. and then is upset it took so long.

 

I waited a few times a very long time .. now I wait a while until I know all the people who wanted to be first got off .. then I get in line. It has happened enough times that you get delayed getting off, and it hot and sweaty standing in line .. you learn to wait.. if you rush to be in line .. then to me it seems you dont have a case to then complain how long it took, it happens. Its happened to everyone at some point in time. Then they learn to wait if they dont like to be jammed up waiting to get off first.

[Sh1035]

So my rule of leaving the ship about 11-12 still applies. Sorry for your wait period but thats standard for those that are in a hurry. You still had lots of time at a beautiful beach. As my kids say chilax.....it's vacation. It's not like they did it on purpose but they could have announced an hour delay,etc..then again those affected would bitch and moan.

[Hurricane Girl]

Once while in Cozumel, DH had a dive excursion scheduled through Carnival. He was to meet on the pier at a specified time. He waited until the rush had died down and the line wasn't very long. He went to get off the ship and the Holiday was docking next to us so they wouldn't let him off. Luckily the excursion was through the cruise line so they waited for him.

Another time in Nassau, the Bahamian authorities boarded the ship and held up the debarkation for about an hour. Some friends had a Carnival excursion booked and it did not wait for them, although nobody from our ship had debarked. Carnival did refund their money.

[CorvetteLady]

It is annoying when they don't tell you what is going on. Was there another ship in port that came in after you did? We have had to wait for them to tie up and it seems like it takes forever. We had to wait for a ship to dock and tie up so some of their passengers could go on our excursion. I could have slept another hour if we had been told this in advance, as it was we had to stand around in the hot sun waiting for the other ship.

 

When did they start making you line up on deck 3? Doesn't sound like they had very good crowd control.

 

Too bad there is no way to know when the ship is going to have to leave late because of an excursion. Be nice if everyone could enjoy that extra time. Sorry your day was cut short OP, I would have been upset too.

[jsjjkelly]

When we were on the Legend in Belize, it was a tender port and we were all waiting to get off. We learned early to get there early if you are doing your own thing because it's first come first off when they finally let some independents go.

 

So we kept waiting and waiting. The assistant CD said they were having a delay with customs clearing the ship. Then laughed "remember if you're on a carnival excursion we will wait for you. If you're not, well you better make it back on time".

 

That being said we were on the second tender off the boat and went straight to our tour. We made it back to the tenders with only 30 minutes to spare. If we were much later, it would have been worrisome.

 

I didn't think to ask for compensation though. It just happens...

 

Shawn

[RuthlessBoss]

We all know about waiting, but the OP SAW people getting OFF at a certain time. Even with the halls filling with people from all directions, it should not have taken that long. Nobody even explained the delay.

[btrbill]

Was there another ship in port that came in after you did? We have had to wait for them to tie up and it seems like it takes forever.

 

The Freedon of the Seas, I believe, was in port that day and they also arrived at 10am. However, I am pretty sure they do not use the same pier Carnival uses, since I understand the duty free shops are owned by carnival at thier pier...

[vacruizer]

Once while in Cozumel, DH had a dive excursion scheduled through Carnival. He was to meet on the pier at a specified time. He waited until the rush had died down and the line wasn't very long. He went to get off the ship and the Holiday was docking next to us so they wouldn't let him off. Luckily the excursion was through the cruise line so they waited for him.

Another time in Nassau, the Bahamian authorities boarded the ship and held up the debarkation for about an hour. Some friends had a Carnival excursion booked and it did not wait for them, although nobody from our ship had debarked. Carnival did refund their money.

 

We were held up almost an hour in Key West waiting for a non-U.S. citizen they kept paging to show up for immigration. Since it was our last port call, they did immigration in Key West instead of back at the homeport. You just never know what could hold things up.

 

I do think that in the OP's situation, they should have at least made an announcement as to what was going on. But compensation? I'm sure Carnival didn't hold things up for no reason. Stuff happens that delays things. Don't sweat it and enjoy being on vacation.

[firefly333]

I am sympathetic but the subject line says .... Carnival make it right. He wants to be compensated ... thats where I disagree. He lost my sympathy there.