A Cautionary Tale

[3rdGenCunarder]

12 hours ago, kevingastreich said:

Did your glasses float? How did they find them?

 

The sun came out a few days later and someone noticed the sparkle of the glass. The water was only about 3-4 feet deep where I stepped off the dock, and I guess the glasses fell toward the slope up to the land where the water was shallower. It was very lucky that someone spotted them.

 

Regal Air was wonderful. I didn't even realize I'd lost my glasses (prescription is mostly for reading) until I was back at the ship. I thought I'd taken them off in the office where I changed into the sweatshirt they gave me. They looked but couldn't find them. When someone saw them in the water, it was a few days later and we were gone. But they contacted the ship right away. The concierge called me to verify my address so that Regal could send the glasses back to me. I don't know who was more excited that the glasses had turned up, Regal, the concierge, or me.

 

I was home for a week, and still no glasses. So I called Regal and that's when I found out that HAL had never relayed my address to them. In addition to being so kind to me, Regal is a good company to fly with. I've flown in small planes before and I could see how careful the pilot was. I, on the other hand, should have been more careful. I left something on the seat when I got out of the plane, and as I reached for it, I stupidly stepped off the dock. 

 

All my fault, so no lawsuit here.

 

[NowVoyager2]

In the 1990s we went on a Celebrity Zenith cruise to Bermuda out of NYC. The first day we were told there was a storm that would delay our arrival into Bermuda.  A NCL ship & one other line kept their ships in NYC for an extra day. Celebrity & their captain made the decision to sail

.we endured 24 hours of hurricane force winds..we were restricted to our cabins..people & furniture were tossed about.  There were dents on both sides of the bow from the force of the pounding of the ocean. 

Not once were we offered assistance.  Or an explanation.  Just the usual PR of "thank you for sailing w celebrity & we look forward to seeing you again".

After many cruises we never returned to Celebrity.  It's the usual corporate stance where the lawyers have covered the cruise line & the $$$ are in their pockets.

Funny that Celebrity grew out of the old Greek Line which had the worst reputation & ships in the industry.

So get the best insurance & beware..

There isn't much common decency these days when it comes to business.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

8 minutes ago, NowVoyager2 said:

In the 1990s we went on a Celebrity Zenith cruise to Bermuda out of NYC. The first day we were told there was a storm that would delay our arrival into Bermuda.  A NCL ship & one other line kept their ships in NYC for an extra day. Celebrity & their captain made the decision to sail

.we endured 24 hours of hurricane force winds..we were restricted to our cabins..people & furniture were tossed about.  There were dents on both sides of the bow from the force of the pounding of the ocean. 

Not once were we offered assistance.  Or an explanation.  Just the usual PR of "thank you for sailing w celebrity & we look forward to seeing you again".

After many cruises we never returned to Celebrity.  It's the usual corporate stance where the lawyers have covered the cruise line & the $$$ are in their pockets.

Funny that Celebrity grew out of the old Greek Line which had the worst reputation & ships in the industry.

So get the best insurance & beware..

There isn't much common decency these days when it comes to business.

 

 

I bet that was Hurricane Eduardo! 

 

I went to Bermuda that weekend on QE2. Cunard held her in NYC until almost midnight to give the storm time to move farther north. We were rocking and rolling overnight, but nobody was hurt and the ship had no damage. Because of her speed, she made up time and we got to Bermuda on schedule. They never missed a chance to point out that we were the only ship out of NYC that sailed the original itinerary and arrived on time. 

 

When we were in Hamilton, we heard a lot of banging coming from a Celebrity ship. Apparently, crew were inside the hull using some kind of power hammer to bang out the dents. I remember hearing stories that a piano slid off a stage and all the bottles of booze in the duty-free shop fell onto the floor. Was anyone hurt?

 

[NowVoyager2]

Yes 3rd Gen Cunarder...that was Hurricane Eduardo..I wish we had been on QE2. The banging on the hull continued all the way back to nyc... the shop was a mess & it took several days for that poor crew to get the ship back on some order.  There were many with severe bruises etc..slings & crutches...thankfully we were ok.  Many people swore off cruising completely.

YEARS ago when the lines were independently owned the captains were truly the masters of their ships...

Post Carnival/ Carnivore & RCCL conglomerants the only masters were the CEOs & their bonuses..leading to today's cruise industry.

QE2 was fabulous to sail In...no matter where or when..glad you got to enjoy her ..even in a hurricane.

Funny thing is I had taken my Aunt & my parents as my Aunt was experiencing the start of Alzheimer's.  My dad was a WW11 Navy man.  He told just to watch my aunt & he took care of my mother in their cabin on the other side of the ship.  We had outside midship cabins thankfully.  On the last nite I got up to dance with my Aunt...and the first thing she said what a wonderful week we had..and just beautiful weather...I just laughed & agreed with her.

 

 

 

[KroozNut]

On 1/6/2020 at 4:46 PM, kevingastreich said:

Suing the taxi driver?

 

That and blaming the passengers for their obvious ignorance.

[KroozNut]

13 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

I, on the other hand, should have been more careful. I left something on the seat when I got out of the plane, and as I reached for it, I stupidly stepped off the dock.

 

 

This whole story can be condensed to these two sentences. Nuff said.. 😏

[KroozNut]

11 hours ago, NowVoyager2 said:

Not once were we offered assistance.  Or an explanation. 

 

 

Assistance with what? And an explanation of what... heavy seas? 🙄

[NowVoyager2]

On 1/7/2020 at 10:34 PM, KroozNut said:

 

Assistance with what? And an explanation of what... heavy seas? 🙄

Common sense & experience would of dictated the ship be kept in NYC, as the QE2 was( and 1 other ship headed to Bermuda).

I was travelling with older relatives & my heart went out to others that were injured in the hurricane. "Heavy seas" are not hurricane force seas.

Celebrity, & the captain were negligent in taking us into that storm.  Better communications & assistance w securing the cabins while the ship was closed down for 2 days would of helped.

If you were not a passenger you have no idea what I am referring to.

[sail7seas]

On 1/6/2020 at 10:10 AM, Tom O. said:

A lot of natives in the Caribbean drive like maniacs.

One of the scariest rides I have ever been on was on a HAL ship excursion in Saint Lucia. We were in a small bus going to the top of a mountain. The driver drove like a madman. It was like being in a roller coaster, but not as safe. I am surprised there aren't more serious accidents in these places.

 

Lots of  'natives'  in Boston, FLL, NYC etc  drive like maniacs.   And, yes, sadly some of  the resulting accidents   prove to cause fatalities..