Don't be late! Don't miss the ship!

[sfaaa]

and those suggesting lawsuits against NCL, etc...

 

NCL's likely response to all the chest thumping internet litigation commandos: Go ahead and bring it on. Our team of in house litigation lawyers are getting bored and needing something to keep them amused.

[GeezerCouple]

Yes, this was unfortunate, and it *seems* that the mother was simply careless and lost track of time (although that detail isn't totally clear).

 

However, it's a very slippery slope.

 

*IF* ships routinely wait, say, 30 minutes when someone is late (it doesn't seem this woman was in view quite yet; the ship waited longer), then people will figure "Okay... they'll wait 30 minutes, no need to rush..."

 

And then it would be 45 minutes... and an hour...

 

Once any cruise line lets it be known that "yes, we'll wait <up to X amount of time> in case you are running late...", there WILL be people who will quite consciously abuse this "backup plan" and make it part of their "Plan A". :mad:

 

It's obviously very tricky, and also obviously the Captain (at least sometimes) does have a bit of discretion. How much might depend upon schedules and tides or other factors unknown to us.

 

But the "be back on board by <time>" will break down IF it is known that there is "flexibility".

In a way, that could be worse, because "how much" flexibility?

Some might assume it was the same extra time they knew was given to someone else, but their own circumstances might not allow that.

It would open up a can of worms.

 

Better to have everyone UNDERSTAND that the ship LEAVES as scheduled.

Plan accordingly, adults!

[LMaxwell]

 

I also think it is very generous of NCL to provide travel and lodging assistance. I wonder if NCL paid for it or if they just helped make the arrangements?

 

I am not heartless, I have empathy, but I sure hope NCL didn't pay one red cent for those arrangements. I do think the assistance in planning / communications is very important and glad NCL attended to that, but I draw the line at paying for these people's mistakes.

[pieshops]

Thanks for posting this link. I hope people reading this thread will take the time to view this article. It has eye witness interviews which in turn gives us a more accurate view of what happened.

 

eyewitness accounts of anything are generally the least accurate. Very little faith on police work is put in eyewitness accounts. If you put 10 people in a room and have them witness something you will have 10 different accounts of what happened

[3Fluffies]

I am not heartless, I have empathy, but I sure hope NCL didn't pay one red cent for those arrangements. I do think the assistance in planning / communications is very important and glad NCL attended to that, but I draw the line at paying for these people's mistakes.

 

I'm with you. Even if it was some mishap out of the family's control (traffic jam held Wife's excursion return up, injury, etc) where do you draw the line at making the ship wait? Especially now that we know for a fact that the two kids were NOT ALONE on board but were with another member of their family, the parents are ridiculous with the tantrum they threw on the pier. Too bad, so sad, you snooze, you lose. Pay your own way home because the other 4000 people on board shouldn't have to pay for your delay.

[jacketwatch]

This was the lead story on Inside Edition a few mins. ago. There were three kids and they had an uncle on board to supervise them and the parents were reunited with them in NY. Live and learn and pay attention to departure times. I don't blame NCL for anything.

__________________

[Tommy3putts]

So she wasn't performing emergency surgery or stopping an armed robbery?

[pmk515]

So she wasn't performing emergency surgery or stopping an armed robbery?

 

No, your details are just slightly off.

 

She was performing a planned surgery when an armed robbery broke out in the hospital! She stopped that which is why she was late. Otherwise, the planned surgery would have been done in plenty of time for her to make it back to the ship on time. The bags contained her medical supplies.

[mking8288]

She was performing a planned surgery when an armed robbery broke out in the hospital! She stopped that which is why she was late ... The bags contained her medical supplies.

Nah, I say - she would've gotten a free & quick ride on an ambulance and/or with a police escort, and, the navy patrol boat would've been notified of arranging for a transfer once she's on the pier. :rolleyes:

 

Conditions permitting, put on the life vest just in case & climb up the ladder/steps with the safety nettings ... or, with the pilot boat. :D

[Two Wheels Only]

This was the lead story on Inside Edition a few mins. ago.

I wonder if she'll use her upcoming 15 minutes to give a valid reason as to why she was late.....or blame someone/something else for being late...or blame the "meanie old" captain for leaving without her. :rolleyes:

[jacketwatch]

I wonder if she'll use her upcoming 15 minutes to give a valid reason as to why she was late.....or blame someone/something else for being late...or blame the "meanie old" captain for leaving without her. :rolleyes:

You never know what people will do. A few yrs. ago at a ML baseball game the camera was on a fan who was fast asleep. The announcers made a joke about but then Rip Van Winkle tried to sue the network for emotional distress. :rolleyes:

[blackwing]

No, your details are just slightly off.

 

She was performing a planned surgery when an armed robbery broke out in the hospital! She stopped that which is why she was late. Otherwise, the planned surgery would have been done in plenty of time for her to make it back to the ship on time. The bags contained her medical supplies.

You forgot the part where she was stuck in the toilet because she was sick. And then after stopping the robbery, she got run over by a car and was in an accident. :rolleyes:

 

What I want to know is whether she took home that bag of souvenirs. Because every time she looks at that owl made out of straw, it would be a reminder of her thousand dollar mistake.

 

On Inside Edition, I'm assuming they didn't actually interview her? If they had, she probably is thinking she is going to transform this into a book or movie deal.

[jacketwatch]

You forgot the part where she was stuck in the toilet because she was sick. And then after stopping the robbery, she got run over by a car and was in an accident. :rolleyes:

 

What I want to know is whether she took home that bag of souvenirs. Because every time she looks at that owl made out of straw, it would be a reminder of her thousand dollar mistake.

 

On Inside Edition, I'm assuming they didn't actually interview her? If they had, she probably is thinking she is going to transform this into a book or movie deal.

 

No interview. They showed the clips available to us, nothing more. Someone in the cruise industry commented and said NCL acted within their rights and reminded people to be on time. I wonder if this was their 1st cruise.

[Two Wheels Only]

I wonder if this was their 1st cruise.

 

Probably their last. :D

[RIvacationgirl]

We were on this cruise, and we happened to go onto the elevator that evening and there was a man who started talking to us. He told us two people from his party (group) had been left in Nassau. They were going to have to fly back. So, there was some people who were still on the ship who knew the kids.

[NoName]

I am sorry.....while I do believe the Mom should have been back on time...her fault.....BUT NCL should NOT have left children without BOTH of their parents.

[sfaaa]

I am sorry.....while I do believe the Mom should have been back on time...her fault.....BUT NCL should NOT have left children without BOTH of their parents.

 

Alone? Huumm...don't you know NCL offers babysitting service onboard? All it needs is a credit card #.

[blackwing]

I am sorry.....while I do believe the Mom should have been back on time...her fault.....BUT NCL should NOT have left children without BOTH of their parents.

Did you read the dailymail article posted? The wife hadn't come back, NCL contacted the husband who was on board. They consulted with the husband and the family and the family decided that the husband would take travel documents and wait on the dock for the wife. The children were to be cared for by the uncle.

 

This was apparently a decision that NCL and the husband reached together. So trying to paint NCL as "Big Bad NCL" that left children orphanned is simply NOT an accurate picture of what happened.

 

Here is an excerpt from the article:

"Norwegian Cruise Line told MailOnline Travel: 'During Norwegian Breakaway’s seven-night Bahamas cruise from New York that departed on April 17, one female guest did not return to the vessel by the widely communicated scheduled all aboard time of 5:30pm during the ship’s call in Nassau, Bahamas, on April 21. The onboard team located her husband and children on board but the family was not able to reach her nor did they know when she would be returning. Due to the circumstances, the ship went beyond normal protocol and waited alongside an additional half an hour for the guest. When she had still not returned and following consultation with the family, it was decided that the husband would disembark with their travel documents to wait for his wife while the children would stay with their uncle and his family on the ship for the remainder of the voyage. The company offered travel and lodging assistance to the couple and arrangements were made for them to reunite with the ship upon her return to New York on April 24.' "

[andymattmom]

Saw story tonight on Inside Edition. They said the kids uncle was onboard and parents flew to NY. They honestly deserved to be left IMHO.

Edited April 27, 2016 by andymattmom

[Viva_la_Vida]

Here's the Inside Edition coverage for anyone interested

 

http://www.insideedition.com/videos/8292-mom-distraught-on-dock-after-cruise-ship-leaves-with-her-kids-on-board

[cruisebie]

I am sorry.....while I do believe the Mom should have been back on time...her fault.....BUT NCL should NOT have left children without BOTH of their parents.

 

As others have pointed out, this was a decision made by NCL and the father. The father could have taken the kids ashore with him to look for their mother if he had wanted too. It was his choice to leave them aboard with their uncle. Under the circumstances, I think both the Dad and NCL made the best possible choice, from the few choices available to them.

 

I do feel bad for this family. This was a hard lesson to learn. I've done a few stupid things in my life, but thank goodness none of them have been posted on YouTube or held up for public shaming on the internet.

[kassimer1]

i found an artical that said the kids were left to an uncle that was on the ship. the kids were 9 and 12yrs old. they parents had to fly back to new york.

[Silent Penguin]

I wonder whether teh family involved will put a cruise review on here :D

 

Would make for great reading!

 

 

 

Ha! I was wondering the same thing, is she a member of cruise critic. Is she on the roll call?

[Computer Nerd]

Absolutely!!!!!

 

 

Alternately wait 10 minutes extra

 

Too much risk to ncl to have those kids on board without the parents

 

Captain was wrong to leave with parents so close and in sight

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

kids could have had one of the parents onboard but the parents choose not to board with the kids. the father was at the boat and left. captian was right, parents were wrong.

[beerman2]

I am sorry.....while I do believe the Mom should have been back on time...her fault.....BUT NCL should NOT have left children without BOTH of their parents.

 

What isn't clear about other family members were onboard, and the father CHOSE to get off and stay with wife?