Running down the pier.......

[jc24cruiser]

Please excuse if this has been asked before, not seen it recently....

 

After my reply to another thread I was curious to see if any one else has seen people miss the ship?

 

I once saw a man and his 2 boys running down the pier waving their arms and then the man fell to his knees....always wondered how much grief he must have had for it ;-)

 

Have you spoken to someone who managed to get back on at the next port? Or is anyone brave enough to admit it's happened to them?

 

Saw a video on you tube of a huge family group that was being police escorted to the port after bad traffic (think the port relies on the cruise trade a lot) they missed the ship but went out on a boat and we're helped aboard up a ladder by rci staff. I would be mortified :-O

[ChipLondon]

That would of been my friends "The Crazy Dutchies" their group all missed the ship, because of a bad traffic accident that closed the road. Yes they did have a police escort back to the ship, but it had already sailed. Luckily the ship stopped in order for the pilot boat to take them out to the ship, and yes all age groups had to climb the rope ladder. Only the leading male had to walk the plank afterwards.

They still all cruise together and are a great group, in fact I am going to Amsterdam this weekend to see them.

[UCF_Knight]

Watching "The Running of the Drunks" is one of my favorite pastimes.

[Trekker954]

I've seen this in Nassau and Cozumel. People left. Funniest one was as the ship was pushing out, here comes a family arms flagging, dad was running down waving uncontrolably, wife was running pushing a stroller, they didn't stop until the reached the end of the pier and just stood there staring, waiting...... No one was around, I do not know of the outcome.

 

I can say almost everytime we stop in Nassau, there are always name annoucements during the all aboard time, where the staff is trying to determine whether or not people were left. I think this is very common.

 

We always use private excursions, but do our research and make sure we are always back in plenty of time.

[Familygoboston]

This why we chose a port side cabin (which in the case of Oasis and Allure is starboard)

I don't wish for anyone to actually miss the ship, because some folks- like the Dutch, are victims of an unfortunate circumstance. But it is fun to watch folks doing their darnedest to hustle as all aboard time gets close. Cruising attracts a lot of folks, who shall we say...are not in the best physical condition, and a 1/4 mile pier just about does them in, and of course some who "lose track of time" do so because they have also "lost their minds" at Senior Frogs, and if you are a sloppy drunk, you just deserve to YouTubed! ;)

[Langley Cruisers]

Sorry, I guess I never understood how laughing at someone else's expense was funny? I mean, I'm a fun gal... I have a good sense of humor, so I am told... but it just seems so terribly mean... :(

 

Oh well. Guess I'm in the minority. :p

[MIcruiser99]

We had an aft cabin so we could watch but there was no one running to catch the ship on our cruise.

 

We did see the pilot ship when we were in the dining room just after leaving Tampa and again after leaving Cozumel so we figured that someone missed the ship.

 

When we got back into Tampa, we heard that a family missed the last port in Key West because they did not change their watches to the ship's time. They had to find their way from Key West to Tampa to pick up their luggage.

That would be a terrible way to end your cruise. I mentioned to my husband that it must be the worst feeling to walk to the pier expecting to board and find no sign of the ship.:eek:

[BLAMBKY]

I mentioned to my husband that it must be the worst feeling to walk to the pier expecting to board and find no sign of the ship.:eek:

 

I do not know why I find this so funny but I can just see someone standing there like :confused: what the heck happened to the ship? It was just here or did it park in another spot? Can we hit our panic button to help find where our ship parked, like with our car?! :p:D Yep, still laughing. I need more to do!

[Sequim88]

We did see the pilot ship when we were in the dining room just after leaving Tampa and again after leaving Cozumel so we figured that someone missed the ship.

 

Generally pilot boat always follows ship out to pick up the pilot that must assist guiding ship out of port (at most ports). No cruise vacation for him(or her), gotta go back to port. :( We make a point of trying to watch the transfer, often from Promenade deck level, since it is interesting to watch then jockey small boat within jumping (stepping really) distance of ship - often dealing with waves and pilot boat bouncing up and down.

 

Runner watching is just one more reason for balcony.

 

We did own touring at Livorno, Italy and pondered options if we were late from visiting Pisa (worried about train disruption). I took RCI phone number in case we had get message ship that we would not make it and would proceed to Civitavechia by train.

[The Viking]

I can not understand why people applaud those who are late and delay the departure.

 

In most cases they are late by their own fault so why applaud selfish or bad behavior?

[TravlGrl]

Yep, I have a video of a couple missing the ship in Nassau. Here it is --

[MermaidWatcher]

Watching "The Running of the Drunks" is one of my favorite pastimes.

 

Better watch your step, before you end up in trouble with the Justice Dept.... I think those with "Habitual Lack of Time Awareness Syndrome" are protected under the federal disabilities act. :D

[johneeo]

Sorry, I guess I never understood how laughing at someone else's expense was funny? I mean, I'm a fun gal... I have a good sense of humor, so I am told... but it just seems so terribly mean... :(

 

Oh well. Guess I'm in the minority. :p

 

Many of us are amused at incredible stupidity. Also, it is a matter of perspective.

 

When you see someone walking down the street, fall in a manhole and die, that's funny. When you stub your toe, that is a tragedy.

[johneeo]

I can not understand why people applaud those who are late and delay the departure.

 

In most cases they are late by their own fault so why applaud selfish or bad behavior?

 

On our Explorer cruise in Bermuda, everyone on the balconies boo'd the latecomers.

 

Many of us wished we had snowballs.

[TEXASMUNK]

Is not a sign of "kudos" but a derisive commentary on stupid behavior.

And yes, we excuse too much in today's society so when the opportunity

presents it self, mocking the stupid may just serve as a reminder to alter their behavior.

 

This garbage of "walk a mile in their shoes".....walk that mile then tell the dummy, thanks for the shoes!....the degradation of standards has gotten absurd.

[BecciBoo]

Sorry, I guess I never understood how laughing at someone else's expense was funny? I mean, I'm a fun gal... I have a good sense of humor, so I am told... but it just seems so terribly mean... :(

 

Oh well. Guess I'm in the minority. :p

 

Sorry Karen, you are in the minority! The reason humans laugh at other peoples foibles is because we inherently possess the trigger mechanism..."There but for the Grace of God go I" syndrome. It's a scientific phenomina:o

[BecciBoo]

Yep, I have a video of a couple missing the ship in Nassau. Here it is --

 

Yes, it's called a very sobering experience:D

[A&L_Ont]

Yep, I have a video of a couple missing the ship in Nassau. Here it is --

 

I think the comments by the people on ths video were classic. The one man says on the video "that with be the most expensive 5 minutes of his life" in regards to the man standing on the pier as the ship sail sails away with his wife a distance behind him. I was thinking the most expensive 5 minutes of his life would've been the amount of time it took him and his wife to share their vows.

 

Missing the ship would've been the 5 minutes of his life that she will never let him forget, or the opposite depending on who's fault it was.

[A&L_Ont]

On our Explorer cruise in Bermuda, everyone on the balconies boo'd the latecomers.

 

Many of us wished we had snowballs.

 

I guessed you were from Phillie:D, maybe with a bit of ice in them...

[Goes Cruising]

Sorry, I guess I never understood how laughing at someone else's expense was funny? I mean, I'm a fun gal... I have a good sense of humor, so I am told... but it just seems so terribly mean... :(

 

Oh well. Guess I'm in the minority. :p

 

Maybe in the minority, but not alone.

[waterbug123]

 

Have you spoken to someone who managed to get back on at the next port? Or is anyone brave enough to admit it's happened to them?

 

 

Yes. In '07 on the Jewel we met a nice couple in the hot tub early in the week, and saw them around the ship over the next few days and always chatted. Toward the end of the week the ship was in St. Thomas. The husband stayed aboard or came back early while his wife was still shopping. She had forgotten to change her watch or something, and the ship sailed without her. The man was absolutely distraught. It was formal night, so a few of my girlfriends and I tried to cheer him up by having our picture taken with him.... he was in his tux, surrounded by ladies in formal wear and it turned out to be a really nice picture, and he seemed happy to have some company. If I recall correctly the next day was a sea day, so the wife had to wait another day to rejoin the ship in Nassau. We got to Nassau and the husband was off the ship first thing, waiting on the pier when she arrived. We spoke to her later and she was so embarrassed at having goofed up and missed the ship, but said the ship's agent had assisted her with hotel and flight arrangements.

[cjdixon4]

Whenever I disembark the ship in Nassau, I make it a point to not have an over-abundance to drink (if anything). I just know what the possibilities are, not to mention...I don't want you CC'ers yelling over your balconies at me and my fam! :rolleyes:

[cello56]

Sorry, I guess I never understood how laughing at someone else's expense was funny? I mean, I'm a fun gal... I have a good sense of humor, so I am told... but it just seems so terribly mean... :(

 

Oh well. Guess I'm in the minority. :p

 

Well ... I think that it is mean and selfish for those who choose to have 'one more round' at Senior Frogs and cause 4,000 other people to have to wait for them! I mean seriously, they give you a time to return to the ship. We are not talking rocket science here - how difficult is it to report back on time? My guess would be the vast majority of 'dock runners' were not stuck in some unforeseen traffic jam, or had an accident. They were simply focussing on their own fun at the expense of everyone else. That makes them fair game to laugh at!

[fantasy51]

My most worrying time was docked in Naples when a friend and I took the local boat to Sorrento. The best boats had evidently been booked out by ship excursions, so we could only book our return on the last possible boat. We were at the Sorrento dock 20 minutes early and looking for it, along with other families. Less than 5 minutes before it was due to leave, we discovered that the boat leaves from a different docking area. We all ran and made it - just! Failing that, it would have been a train to Civitavecchia.

[sparky-elpaso]

As our bus driver on the land portion of our Alaska cruise tour said:

 

The first time you're late - everyone applauds as you get on the bus.

 

The second time - everyone boos.

 

The third time - everyone waves bye-bye. :)

 

We had a great group - the only time anyone was late was the first day and one couple had forgotten we had changed the meeting place.