I sure miss new Pier Runners videos lately....

[NavyCruiser]

What!!???  No new Pier Runners videos posted lately....?

 

[Essiesmom]

They are practicing social distancing...

[jimdalva]

I have never been comfortable laughing at the misfortune of others.

[Organized Chaos]

18 minutes ago, jimdalva said:

I have never been comfortable laughing at the misfortune of others.

 

Let's face it, many of them (probably a majority of them?) put themselves in that position by being completely irresponsible. It's one thing if an independent excursion operator (not booked through Carnival) makes them late. Passengers have little to no control over that. But that's not what happens most of the time. People push their luck too far and there's dire consequences. Everyone knows what time they need to be back and knows the ship will leave without them. I do feel some sympathy for them because it must be a terrible feeling that I hope to never experience, but in most cases, they caused their own misfortune.

 

For what it's worth, pier runners are rarely ever discussed on the Carnival boards. They're sometimes mentioned in passing, but certainly not talked about at length. And videos of them on here are even more scarce. The OP makes it sound like it's a common thing, but it's not.

[TooManyWakeUpsTilWeSail]

My one experience watching for pier runners from the ship was less entertaining that what I expected.  Yes, they were late but wouldn’t even go beyond a brisk walk even with a hundred folks “encouraging” them.  I assume they were mostly experienced cruisers who felt comfortable in not being left behind or bothered by being razzed.  
 

So I went back to what makes me happy: finding  a quiet lounge chair where I could slowly watch the islands disappear.  That never gets old

[Luckiestmanonearth]

I had the same experience on the Celebrity Edge in March in San Juan .  Several groups of people who were walking down the pier after the planned departure time and they were casually sauntering down the pier taking their own sweet time

 

Very inconsiderate in my opinion 

[crusinpsychRN]

On 4/19/2020 at 11:04 AM, Luckiestmanonearth said:

"Very inconsiderate in my opinion" 

Indeed.

[Purvis1231]

I hope I can see a pier runner one day. On many cruises I have sat and watch for one but I have yet to see one. 

[MrsTocko]

My husband and I watched from our balcony on our honeymoon.  We were waiting for 4...not on an excursion, just exploring on their own.   We were supposed to leave at 3 or 4pm.  they showed at 4:30ish.  We saw them from the the pier entrance (we were the only ship left in port at this point).  They didn't even hurry their walking steps...the crew had done everything they could do, while they waited and the officers were getting ready to pull the gangway when the wayward passengers showed up.  I think that is the only thing that saved them.  The officer followed them up the gangway and it was stowed immediately. so they were very lucky.

 

This was my husbands first cruise. He decided then and there that it was much less stressful to be on board watching than it would be to be watched...so, if all aboard is 3pm, you can bet that we are on board by 1:30 at the latest.  He doesn't like to do excursions that cut it too close coming back to the ship. Doesn't mind (i do though) paying the extra to book through the cruise line, for that added protection of "what if".  All that makes it so much easier to book book and cruise.

 

even during the excursion itself (or tour of any kind), if we have a 45 minute stop.  WE had a 30 minute stop.  we are usually the first ones back.  10 minute picture stop...5 if at all.  get off the bus take 2 or 3 pictures and on board again.  We MAY miss some of the stop, BUT we have learned to not...dilly dally.  get our souvenirs, get our photos...take a look around, decide if we want to stand in line with the 30 other people on the bus, to get that rum sample or are there other things that are more important?

 

our vacation is the adventure, and being a pier runner is not an aspect he and I do not need to add...

 

we assume it is irresponsibility, and poor planning on their part if they have to run the pier to make the ship.  while we are waiting for them I think about how are they going to get home, how embarrassed they must be, do they have what they need to GET home, what about the clothes and things they left in their room, will they try to meet the ship at the next port, where they traveling with just ID and birth certificate or do they have actual passport, did they leave it locked in thee safe or that it with them ashore (we always take with us), what CAUSED them to be late, did someone have some kind of emergency that prevented them from coming back on time (have they been sitting in an ER or filing a police report for some unknown reason)...the list goes on.  Then when i see them running down the pier, i know they have at least a thought about the thousands of people waiting on them to show up, and i cheer them on "Run Forrest Run!".  the ones though that are sauntering up without a care in the world...and it irks me and makes me feel less than charitable. Then i wonder what would it take to make them run...

 

So we wont ever be a pier runner, but we will watch for them, cheer them on and curse them for making us all wait, or watch them on youtube and laugh at the overboard dramatics of the consequences of their decisions....

 

Man - November can't come soon enough! Come on america, get it together, stay home, and lets get back to cruising....

[jimdalva]

Sometimes people rely on cell phone time, not realizing that cell phones automatically change to local time.

 Sometimes people confuse yesterdays 'All Aboard' with Todays.

Sometimes taxis get stuck in traffic.

Sometimes people Do think the ship will wait.

And Yes, sometimes people are completely irresponsible.

None of these things make them 'Bad' people.

I still find it hard to laugh, knowing what they are in for. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

[Organized Chaos]

6 hours ago, jimdalva said:

Sometimes people rely on cell phone time, not realizing that cell phones automatically change to local time.

 Sometimes people confuse yesterdays 'All Aboard' with Todays.

Sometimes taxis get stuck in traffic.

Sometimes people Do think the ship will wait.

And Yes, sometimes people are completely irresponsible.

None of these things make them 'Bad' people.

I still find it hard to laugh, knowing what they are in for. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

 

Three out of four of your "sometimes" are all instances of people being irresponsible. A taxi stuck in traffic isn't necessarily the cruisers fault, but it is their responsibility to make sure they give themselves plenty of time to get back to the ship. All I said was that they were irresponsible, not bad people. I don't wish it upon good people, but I believe they have to take responsibility for their own actions and realize there are consequences. My enemies, on the other hand...I couldn't care less if they missed the ship.

[rufflesmom]

Of all the pier runners videos I have watched I have never seen a big group of people (like coming back from an excursion).  It is always just a few people.  And almost all have either shopping bags or beach bags.  Evidence of not paying attention to the time.  I don't feel the slightest bit sorry for those people.  They were given the same information I was about what time to be back on board and thousands of other people managed to get back on time. 

 

The only time we have ever NOT been back on the ship in time was on a Carnival excursion.  We were on the ferry from Carmen to Cozumel at our sail away time, along with over 100 people on the same excursion.  Yes, the ship did wait because it was  a ship excursion.  But when the ferry docked we all ran to get to the ship, not strolled along at our own pace. 

[pirate4me2]

6 minutes ago, rufflesmom said:

The only time we have ever NOT been back on the ship in time was on a Carnival excursion.  We were on the ferry from Carmen to Cozumel at our sail away time, along with over 100 people on the same excursion.  Yes, the ship did wait because it was  a ship excursion.  But when the ferry docked we all ran to get to the ship, not strolled along at our own pace. 

 

We had the same experience in Cozumel on a CCL excursion, and when we got off the ferry and onto the pier I felt so embarrassed by all the "encouragement" from our shipmates, even though I knew it was not our fault we were late! It was crazy to watch the 2 other Carnival ships sailing out at our sailaway time as we were on the ferry....I kept looking to make sure neither ship was ours! Haha.