Pier runners...Please share what happens next.

[screwsmcernst]

We have all seen pier runners. We wave and we clap when they make it in time. I was just wondering what "The rest of the story" was for those unlucky few who don't make it in time, and watch us wave to them as the ship leaves the dock without them. I thought it might be interesting to hear some of the stories of what happened next in their journey. Will anyone share???

[Essiesmom]

Several recent threads on this. Try a search...EM

[Capt_BJ]

An oldie but a goodie I've posted b4

 

Sea Story follows:

 

Dateline...hmmm 1987....

 

I was Operations Officer on a Coast Guard Cutter working the Caribbean and we were making an R&R stop in Cozumel. Typically, we (@ 210 foot length) were slid into a place on the pier between the revenue producting cruise ships.

 

About 6pm I was on on board and after speaking to the gangway watch, I went to the bridge to watch one of the adjacent cruse ships leave.

 

The cruise ship cleared the pier and headed away when I looked down from the bridge wing to see a lady with a shopping bags in either hand running down the pier. She got adjacent to 'my' ship, stopped, dropped the bags & stared at the empty pier the cruise ship had just left.

 

I called down, "Is there a problem?"

 

"My kids and husband are on that boat." It was now just a few hundred yards away from the pier.

 

"Wait there."

 

I picked up the bridge to bridge radio, "I have one of your passengers."

 

They couldn't come back to pick her up, but.....

 

I rounded up a boat crew, gave her a life jacket and launched our fast rescue boat. The cruise ship lowered the same ladder they use for the pilot and the wayward shopper and mother was rejoined with her family.

 

Somewhere there's a lady with a very special cruise story....my guys felt it was a great change to a boring duty day!

[cb at sea]

I don't know who takes "fun" at watching folks almost miss the ship...that's just cruel!

If someone misses the ship, their stuff is left with the pier co-ordinator...and they will have to make their way home some other way.

[vamartha]

An oldie but a goodie I've posted b4

 

Sea Story follows:

 

Dateline...hmmm 1987....

 

I was Operations Officer on a Coast Guard Cutter working the Caribbean and we were making an R&R stop in Cozumel. Typically, we (@ 210 foot length) were slid into a place on the pier between the revenue producting cruise ships.

 

About 6pm I was on on board and after speaking to the gangway watch, I went to the bridge to watch one of the adjacent cruse ships leave.

 

The cruise ship cleared the pier and headed away when I looked down from the bridge wing to see a lady with a shopping bags in either hand running down the pier. She got adjacent to 'my' ship, stopped, dropped the bags & stared at the empty pier the cruise ship had just left.

 

I called down, "Is there a problem?"

 

"My kids and husband are on that boat." It was now just a few hundred yards away from the pier.

 

"Wait there."

 

I picked up the bridge to bridge radio, "I have one of your passengers."

 

They couldn't come back to pick her up, but.....

 

I rounded up a boat crew, gave her a life jacket and launched our fast rescue boat. The cruise ship lowered the same ladder they use for the pilot and the wayward shopper and mother was rejoined with her family.

 

Somewhere there's a lady with a very special cruise story....my guys felt it was a great change to a boring duty day!

 

We watched a similar scenario play out once in Ocho Rios. I was pretty surprised to see this happen.

 

We've also seen people left behind and we've seen the ship stay later once in Aruba (not just for a single tour group, but about six or seven different late arrivals by different people and we are talking probably well over an hour, closer to two)

[SantaFeFan]

I don't know who takes "fun" at watching folks almost miss the ship...that's just cruel!

If someone misses the ship, their stuff is left with the pier co-ordinator...and they will have to make their way home some other way.

 

I agree. I cringe at the joy some people get from someone else's misfortune. That it might be their own fault for missing the ship makes no difference - I still can't understand enjoying it. It is no different than finding joy when someone runs out of gas and stalls in the middle lane of a busy highway.

 

Only their passports will be left with the cruise line's representative on the pier, and only if it is in their safe. Nothing else is touched. When they make their way back to the ship, they will find everything they didn't take with them in their room where they left it. The only exception is if the next port they can catch up to the ship is the port where they would be disembarking, then their belongings will be boxed and put ashore for them to retrieve.

Edited June 8, 2017 by SantaFeFan

[klfrodo]

I guess I'm just a cruel butthead.

 

I laugh my butt off at them. 2999 people made it back on time and you couldn't even though the ship gave you and extra 30 to 45 minutes? What makes them so special that they get to hold up 2999 other people?

 

Shame on them not shame on me

[Essiesmom]

Here's the most recent thread on the subject:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2492434

[Underwatr]

Here's the most recent thread on the subject:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2492434

I had interpreted the OP to be looking for firsthand tales from someone who had missed the boat. What is the experience like? Do they really give the missing passengers' passports to the port agent? Is it very difficult to arrange transportation to the next port of call?

 

I think we've all read about people onboard watching for pier runners, but I haven't seen many tales told from the other side (especially those who literally missed the boat), if any.

[screwsmcernst]

I had interpreted the OP to be looking for firsthand tales from someone who had missed the boat. What is the experience like? Do they really give the missing passengers' passports to the port agent? Is it very difficult to arrange transportation to the next port of call?

 

I think we've all read about people onboard watching for pier runners, but I haven't seen many tales told from the other side (especially those who literally missed the boat), if any.

 

 

Yes. That is exactly what I am hoping to read. I don't want to laugh. I just want to know what their experience is like. We see them on the pier, and then we go about our business of continuing our vacation and we forget about them. I would like to hear about the hoops they must jump through to meet back up with the ship.

[Hflors]

Years ago dh and I were on a tour with Princess. The tour was divided into two buses. At the end only one bus showed up and the rest of us waited on the side of the road waiting. About 1/2 hr. later the tour operator came out and asked us what we were doing there. Then went back to radio the ship that half of the tour group was still at the boat yard waiting for our ride back to the ship. It took another half hour for the bus to come and pick us up. By that time it was time for the ship to leave so we all were happy that we were on a Princess tour. We were on Grand Cayman. It took about 20 min to 30 min. to get to the pier. Sure enough when we got there a tender was waiting. Without delay we headed for the ship. As we approached people were out yelling and cheering us on. That is the closest we have ever come to missing the "boat".

[TruckerDave]

I don't know who takes "fun" at watching folks almost miss the ship...that's just cruel!

If someone misses the ship, their stuff is left with the pier co-ordinator...and they will have to make their way home some other way.

 

 

{raises hand}...I find it quite funny watching them sprint down the pier. I have NO sympathy for anyone who can't get back to the ship on time. We are all told what time to be back on board by and if person x feels the need to have 1 more beer or buy one more trinket and the miss ships movement....then it's their own darn fault, and too bad so sad. (6 cruises and 5 years in the Navy and NEVER was late getting back on board. (and that includes a "few" times where we (me and my buddies) were BEYOND intoxicated and still made it back.)

[SantaFeFan]

I guess I'm just a cruel butthead.

 

I laugh my butt off at them. 2999 people made it back on time and you couldn't even though the ship gave you and extra 30 to 45 minutes? What makes them so special that they get to hold up 2999 other people?

 

Shame on them not shame on me

 

{raises hand}...I find it quite funny watching them sprint down the pier. I have NO sympathy for anyone who can't get back to the ship on time. We are all told what time to be back on board by and if person x feels the need to have 1 more beer or buy one more trinket and the miss ships movement....then it's their own darn fault, and too bad so sad. (6 cruises and 5 years in the Navy and NEVER was late getting back on board. (and that includes a "few" times where we (me and my buddies) were BEYOND intoxicated and still made it back.)

 

No one said that the ship should held up for late comers. I believe the ship should leave on time, and the late comers suffer the consequences of being late. But I still don't get my jollies out of watching people being left behind for any reason. Laughing at someone else's misfortune shows a total lack of character and decency.

[donaldsc]

An oldie but a goodie I've posted b4

 

Sea Story follows:

 

Dateline...hmmm 1987....

 

I was Operations Officer on a Coast Guard Cutter working the Caribbean and we were making an R&R stop in Cozumel. Typically, we (@ 210 foot length) were slid into a place on the pier between the revenue producting cruise ships.

 

About 6pm I was on on board and after speaking to the gangway watch, I went to the bridge to watch one of the adjacent cruse ships leave.

 

The cruise ship cleared the pier and headed away when I looked down from the bridge wing to see a lady with a shopping bags in either hand running down the pier. She got adjacent to 'my' ship, stopped, dropped the bags & stared at the empty pier the cruise ship had just left.

 

I called down, "Is there a problem?"

 

"My kids and husband are on that boat." It was now just a few hundred yards away from the pier.

 

"Wait there."

 

I picked up the bridge to bridge radio, "I have one of your passengers."

 

They couldn't come back to pick her up, but.....

 

I rounded up a boat crew, gave her a life jacket and launched our fast rescue boat. The cruise ship lowered the same ladder they use for the pilot and the wayward shopper and mother was rejoined with her family.

 

Somewhere there's a lady with a very special cruise story....my guys felt it was a great change to a boring duty day!

 

As far as I am concerned, that was a total waste of taxpayer money. She knew what time she was supposed to be on board. She was late because shopping was more important than promptness. Leave her behind. She deserved it.

 

DON

[Slugsta]

There is a thread somewhere written by a man who was left behind while his family were onboard. I'm afraid I don't remember any details that might help with a forum search though.

[sparks1093]

There is a thread somewhere written by a man who was left behind while his family were onboard. I'm afraid I don't remember any details that might help with a forum search though.

 

Here's a link to the thread I believe you are talking about: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2121215

 

OP, that is the only first hand account that I remember reading since it is very likely that anyone that was left behind would be too embarrassed about it to tell about it on here.

[Essiesmom]

There was a thread from 2010 by a man who claimed to have been left behind in Aruba....with wife and kids onboard. He was very irate but his story was a bit shaky. You see, I and another CC member happened to have been on that cruise and his details just didn't ring true. EM

[afwminseattle]

As far as I am concerned, that was a total waste of taxpayer money. She knew what time she was supposed to be on board. She was late because shopping was more important than promptness. Leave her behind. She deserved it.

 

DON

 

 

Bitter, party of one, you table is ready.

[Nic6318]

No one said that the ship should held up for late comers. I believe the ship should leave on time, and the late comers suffer the consequences of being late. But I still don't get my jollies out of watching people being left behind for any reason. Laughing at someone else's misfortune shows a total lack of character and decency.

 

 

Hi there

 

I totally agree. It's amazing how some might laugh at the misfortune of others but would expect some consideration if they were in need.

 

We have had delays twice.

 

Once a ship was help (not long) on embarkation day for us because the cruise line transfer from airport was unexpectedly delayed. We didn't understand because we were at the airport with hours to spare. There was a cruise line rep with us all of the time who kept reassuring us not to worry. We suggested taking a taxi instead but she insisted they wouldn't leave without us and we should wait, so we did. To my surprise when the bus came to pick us there were other people on board but they were all going to other ships. When we finally arrived at the terminal we were the only ones there. There was only one lady waiting to check us in, it was quite different than your normal check in process. She hurried us along and once we were on board they immediately sounded for the muster call (we didn't even make it to the elevator).

 

The other time was after a cruise line tour in Panama. We were on one of those partial transit tours and I gather they have to follow direction from the canal authorities and were significantly delayed over the course of the day because of this. We were more than an hour late. This is where a tour offered by the cruise line pays off. Of course they were waiting for us. Amazingly, we were also given a partial refund and apology because someone had complained that the tour was supposed to get us back to the ship in time to do some sightseeing/shopping. WOW !

 

As they say stuff happens, some people make poor decisions but nobody puts themself in that position on purpose. Laughing isn't appropriate.

 

may all your cruises have no delays

[Essiesmom]

As far as I am concerned, that was a total waste of taxpayer money. She knew what time she was supposed to be on board. She was late because shopping was more important than promptness. Leave her behind. She deserved it.

 

DON

 

 

Do you suppose her husband felt the same way...? EM

[klfrodo]

Laughing at someone else's misfortune shows a total lack of character and decency.

 

I'm guessing we have different definitions of what we consider "misfortune".

 

There are thousands of examples of truly misfortune out there.

I don't consider someone who can afford a cruise, get too drunk, shop too much, lose track of time,,, to be "misfortune". Those are just poor excuses.

 

What's the maximum range of an excuse? 0 meters.

[Rala]

I'm guessing we have different definitions of what we consider "misfortune".

 

There are thousands of examples of truly misfortune out there.

I don't consider someone who can afford a cruise, get too drunk, shop too much, lose track of time,,, to be "misfortune". Those are just poor excuses.

 

What's the maximum range of an excuse? 0 meters.

 

Great post. I couldn't agree more. Engage your brain and be responsible. ;p

[LA_CA_GAL]

I agree. I cringe at the joy some people get from someone else's misfortune. .

 

I would substitute the word "stupidity" for "misfortune".

[wishIweretravelling]

Stuff happens. People get lost. Wrist watches stop without the owner realizing it. People forget that the smart phone on which they rely for time is on airplane mode, and thus showing the time at home, not where they are. Newbies don't realize that the ship and the port are not on the same time. Or that the clock on the wall in the place that they are is wrong. And, yes, people get absorbed and/or drunk, and lose track of time. It's called being human. I'm not saying that the ship should miss the tide to wait for them, but we can at least be a bit understanding.

[LA_CA_GAL]

Stuff happens. People get lost. Wrist watches stop without the owner realizing it. People forget that the smart phone on which they rely for time is on airplane mode' date=' and thus showing the time at home, not where they are. Newbies don't realize that the ship and the port are not on the same time. Or that the clock on the wall in the place that they are is wrong. And, yes, people get absorbed and/or drunk, and lose track of time. It's called being human. I'm not saying that the ship should miss the tide to wait for them, but we can at least be a bit understanding.[/quote']

 

I understand all of the above. That is why I always plan to be onboard at least one hour before scheduled all aboard time.