I am Certain Princess would act differently

[kruisey]

I have zero sympathy for people who arrive back at the ship late and expect the ship to wait for them. If departure time is 5:00, the ship should depart at precisely 5:00 even if people are running down the pier. As one post on this thread said about an announcement from the captain, if 2000 people can make it back on the ship on time, why should we wait for 2 of them who can't be on time. It might keep those people who are perpetually late for everything a lesson by being left behind but I seriously doubt that it will.

 

DON

 

Your opinion a little bit harsh.Yes there are those very few selfish folks but most folks do not act that way.Stuff can happen to anyone no matter how conscientious they are.

[A.stew12305]

'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

 

Did anyone else catch this part of the article? Only based on my knowledge of the Princess procedure for missing the ship, this makes me wonder if it really wasn't her fault. I don't think we should judge this woman (or any other people who miss the ship) unless we know the ENTIRE story.

Edited April 28, 2016 by A.stew12305

[Josy1953]

This is standard practice on all lines, we have spent a lot of time on the promenade decks of Princess, Celebrity, Cunard and P&O lines and have seen passengers walking or running down the dock as ships from all of these lines have been leaving the dock, late after having waited between 30 and 60 minutes.

 

On Grand Princess after an incident where an old couple were left behind in St Thomas an officer told us that if you are going to be delayed for some reason beyond your control you should call the ship and give them your eta and they will wait up to 1 hour if you will be back by then, if you do not call they will usually wait for 30 minutes. This is not to say that anyone can assume that the ship will wait even if they call the ship as there may be reasons that prevent the ship to stay in port. My advice to anyone we know who is going on their first cruise is to plan to get back 1 hour BEFORE the time stated by the ship because unless they are on an official tour and they are delayed the ship may well leave without them.

[easyboy]

sMy advice to anyone we know who is going on their first cruise is to plan to get back 1 hour BEFORE the time stated by the ship because unless they are on an official tour and they are delayed the ship may well leave without them.

Yes, as much as possible.

[GUT2407]

This is standard practice on all lines, we have spent a lot of time on the promenade decks of Princess, Celebrity, Cunard and P&O lines and have seen passengers walking or running down the dock as ships from all of these lines have been leaving the dock, late after having waited between 30 and 60 minutes.

 

On Grand Princess after an incident where an old couple were left behind in St Thomas an officer told us that if you are going to be delayed for some reason beyond your control you should call the ship and give them your eta and they will wait up to 1 hour if you will be back by then, if you do not call they will usually wait for 30 minutes. This is not to say that anyone can assume that the ship will wait even if they call the ship as there may be reasons that prevent the ship to stay in port. My advice to anyone we know who is going on their first cruise is to plan to get back 1 hour BEFORE the time stated by the ship because unless they are on an official tour and they are delayed the ship may well leave without them.

 

But some ports tide, pilots and slots in traffic mean they can't wait very long at all.

[mrs and mrs]

Truth be known, the kids probably said You Bloody Ripper, no having to keep my room clean, no listening to mum and dad fighting, all these people being nice and giving us free ice-creams, no having to use manners at the table, no having to get dressed up for dinner, no more silly photos, free sodas, a bridge tour, special food that they like, being able to gorge on pizza and chips and lollies and soft-drink,Muts with heaps of pop-corn,going late to bed,having dvds and watching them all night,getting up-late,not having to communicate with all these stupid adults.Yep I reckon the trauma lasted all of 3 hrs.:eek::eek:.And then bunging on an act at the end and stipulating that they must do another trip,but only if mum and dad stay at home.

Edited April 28, 2016 by mrs and mrs

[Gwendy]

In one of our Greek ports, ship left on time, after considerable horn blowing. Moved away from pier and out into channel, then stopped. Twenty minutes later a small fishing boat came out and offloaded two passengers wh had literally "missed the boat".

I know some shore tours are cheaper than Princess, but you need to weigh up the cost involved if you get back late, also stress involved.

I remember being on a highway in South America with the driver pouring water into a steaming radiator and still 20 miles away from port. All ended well,but major stress.

[Lucky TGO]

To this other cruise line that saw a mother pleading at dockside as ship was leaving port with her two children and husband on board.....left her stranded because she was late arriving. Yes I know everyone is told when to be back on board...there could have been an explanation for her late return.

This is where Princess would have picked her up.

 

I don't think I would like to test Princess on this one :eek: I was on a Costa cruise and I seen a van racing to the ship. It was the start of the cruise and they missed getting on by five minutes.

Tony

[emmak8]

Do we know the details of why the mother was late? At this point it is her fault and not NCL's.

[ontheweb]

In one of our Greek ports, ship left on time, after considerable horn blowing. Moved away from pier and out into channel, then stopped. Twenty minutes later a small fishing boat came out and offloaded two passengers wh had literally "missed the boat".

I know some shore tours are cheaper than Princess, but you need to weigh up the cost involved if you get back late, also stress involved.

I remember being on a highway in South America with the driver pouring water into a steaming radiator and still 20 miles away from port. All ended well,but major stress.

 

Our first Princess cruise was in the Baltic region. I heard the story, and later heard it at dinner from fellow cruisers who had witnessed it, of a couple that had taken a Princess tour, but then not boarded the ship afterwards. The captain sent a lifeboat to pick them up. This was in Talinn, Estonia with the next port being an overnight in St. Petersburg, Russia. Getting there on their own most likely would have been impossible since the only way you can get into Russia without a visa is to be on a cruise ship that goes to St. Petersburg for 72 hours or less. (To get off in St. Petersburg, you can use the group visa from either the cruise line or a licensed local tour agency.)

[paul929207]

Our first Princess cruise was in the Baltic region. I heard the story, and later heard it at dinner from fellow cruisers who had witnessed it, of a couple that had taken a Princess tour, but then not boarded the ship afterwards. The captain sent a lifeboat to pick them up. This was in Talinn, Estonia with the next port being an overnight in St. Petersburg, Russia. Getting there on their own most likely would have been impossible since the only way you can get into Russia without a visa is to be on a cruise ship that goes to St. Petersburg for 72 hours or less. (To get off in St. Petersburg, you can use the group visa from either the cruise line or a licensed local tour agency.)

In advance, you can obtain a Russian visa that will let you go off the ship on your own. I am not sure how difficult it would be to get one coming from Talinn. I am sure it would not be a fun process.

[framer]

On another note: A few years ago I was on a flight from Chicago to Seattle. A women was being paged for about 5 - 10 minutes as the plane was ready to close the door and back away. Her husband was on the plane. They ask him if he wanted to get off and stay with his wife as the doors was going to be closed. He declined and stayed on the plane and flew off without his wife. :eek:

 

That's a happy marriage, NOT.

 

A schedule commercial plane, train or ship have a responsibility to keep that schedule.

 

framer

[LMaxwell]

This is where Princess would have picked her up.

 

Why do you think that? I don't think they would have reacted any differently.

 

The Norwegian ship waited over 30 minutes past departure time.

 

The lady NEVER contacted the port agent to inform them she was delayed. No one knew WHERE she was.

 

The Husband COULD have given paperwork to the port agent but after discussing with NCL he decided to leave his kids with other family onboard and disembark and wait for his wife.

 

I can think of no reason and see no evidence that Princess would have done anything differently in this situation.

[Cindy]

I'm not so sure the outcome would have been different with Princess or any other line for that matter. The ship can only wait if the port authority and conditions allow it, and reports said this ship had already waited a considerable time after their scheduled departure. Once the lines are down and the ship is off it's not a simple matter to stop and re-dock to pick up a passenger.

 

I have sympathy for the children due to the situation. I have a hard time reconciling the idea that the lady was desperately trying to get back to her children with the number of shopping bags she appeared to be carrying.

[nbsjcruiser]

I suppose we're expected to say how awful this was for them and how the cruise line should have waited for them but reading the story makes it very difficult to come up with any sympathy, at least on my behalf it does. The ship waited 30 extra minutes. How long should 4000 other passengers be inconvenienced? Sorry, I know their kids were on board and all but it sounds like the cruise line ensured they were well taken care of so tough luck for them. They won't make that mistake again.

[TFM70]

Bought experience is always the best experience. I bet she won't be late for anything ever again.

[CRUZBUDS]

I feel sorry for the uncle, stuck baby-sitting other people's kids

[Wehwalt]

I've seen many times people coming back late and they just kind of saunter to the ship. Everyone is yelling for them to run, but they just walk normally. It's so arrogant.

 

They must have a complex where they think they are so important and the ship would never leave them.

 

Why is it that everyone else can follow the times and be back on the ship?

 

I don't see that the cruise line acted unreasonably. Somewhat surprised they are apparently paying for hotel/flight.

 

There is no point in running. I've never been in those sneakers, but you aren't going to make a difference to the time. Don't dawdle, walk quickly, but there is no need to run. Besides, many Princess passengers are better off not running, nor seen running.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Wehwalt

[paul929207]

I don't see that the cruise line acted unreasonably. Somewhat surprised they are apparently paying for hotel/flight.

 

There is no point in running. I've never been in those sneakers, but you aren't going to make a difference to the time. Don't dawdle, walk quickly, but there is no need to run. Besides, many Princess passengers are better off not running, nor seen running.

I interpreted the comment about assisting them with flights and hotels to mean they suggested hotels and gave them the phone number for the airline flying the needed route. I doubt the cruise line paid for any of this.

[tonit964]

Did anyone else catch this part of the article? Only based on my knowledge of the Princess procedure for missing the ship, this makes me wonder if it really wasn't her fault. I don't think we should judge this woman (or any other people who miss the ship) unless we know the ENTIRE story.

 

They will provide assistance as to who the passengers need to contact for hotel and flight arrangements back to NY.

If one is stranded in Nassau, they would not know which hotel is safest, etc. The ship probably has a partnership in every port with certain hotels for people left behind.

 

It's like if you have a dental problem on the ship that needs attention, the ship will assist you for dentists in every particular port.

[geoherb]

On one of our Princess cruises to Alaska, we heard them paging the people from a certain cabin to contact Passenger Services several times. The ship eventually left. When I walked by that cabin, I could see that the crew had kept delivering the mail to them. It was piled in their box.

 

On a HAL cruise, we saw a woman get left behind in Curacao. She ended up on the wrong side of the pontoon bridge.

 

On one of our Celebrity cruises, the captain held the ship for a couple off the coast of San Juan. They boarded the ship from a little boat about an hour after the departure. The ship was sailing back to Fort Lauderdale and was able to make up the lost time.

[SadieN]

Why is it on some cruises you'll hear the same names being broadcast the closer it gets to sail away?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[nbsjcruiser]

I've seen many times people coming back late and they just kind of saunter to the ship. Everyone is yelling for them to run, but they just walk normally. It's so arrogant.

 

They must have a complex where they think they are so important and the ship would never leave them.

 

Why is it that everyone else can follow the times and be back on the ship?

 

You're so right. I remember my "late" arrival to a ship in Nassau very well. I was hit by a wave on Cabbage Beach - broke my collarbone, bruised some ribs and blew out my MCL. After a quick stop at the ship, I was taken to the hospital. Long story short, I was released about 30 mins before the ship was due to leave. I remember running (as best I could) to get to the ship and they pulled the gangplank up behind me at precisely 5:00PM. I remember hearing someone say "if he can make it on time, so should the rest.". To me it would be so arrogant to saunter back to the ship. You've got people waiting on you - get there on time!

[Susieq0102]

It really doesn't matter (to me), why she didn't get back on time, but I am not blaming the ship either. They have their schedule and have to adhere to their itinerary. But, couldn't they have sent a tender to pick them up? I want to believe they did everything within their power to help that family.

 

As far as leaving their children on the ship, it really isn't any different than a baby sitter at home. That, again to me, is not an issue.

 

No matter what happened, it must have been so traumatizing for all of them. :(

[donaldsc]

Your opinion a little bit harsh.Yes there are those very few selfish folks but most folks do not act that way.Stuff can happen to anyone no matter how conscientious they are.

 

If you are late for a plane, do they wait for you? I actually know someone who got to a plane after gate closed and the plane was still attached to the gateway and they got left behind. If you are late for a train, does it wait for you? If you are late for a bus, does it wait for you? If you can not get to a play or performance before the curtain goes up, do they delay the performance for you? I have been at some concert performances where they make you stand at the back of the auditorium or in the lobby until there is a natural break in the performance. I am sure that I could add more examples if I wanted to.

 

Even if there are totally valid reasons for you being late to any of these examples such as a traffic jam or your connecting flight got delayed, they still leave or start without you. If you are running through the airport to make your plane or stepping out of your cab as the performance starts, this still means that they do not delay the start just because you are not there.

 

So why should a ship be any different? Be there on time or be left behind.

 

With regard to the respondent who said that you should call the ship (if that is even possible) to tell them that you will be late getting back, try calling United Airlines to tell them that you will be late getting to the airport and can they hold the plane for you.

 

Again, I have absolutely no sympathy for these people. They deserve to be left behind in the probably unlikely hope that they will learn from their experience.

 

DON

Edited April 28, 2016 by donaldsc