No A/C On bus from Seattle to Vancouver!

[CarolGS]

Bus 1 was overloaded because HAL employee can't count to 41 or many people scheduled for bus 2 went on Bus 1.  Then we start moving and we're all reaching for the vents. Then puzzlement and muttering. Then an organized chant of AC! AC!. NO response at all from the driver.  No air fresh air at all. People on the sunny side are really hot.  I'm fighting off a panic attack.

[1025cruise]

Sounds like an issue for the bus company HAL contracts with.

[CarolGS]

4 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

Sounds like an issue for the bus company HAL contracts with.

Yes, could be. Doesn't make it right.  I finally walked up to the front and sat on the steps next to the driver. I calmly explained that people in the back were starting to feel unwell.  I asked if there was any way he could at least send some fresh air through the vents.  He nodded, turned a know and some passengers applauded.  But air was only coming out on one side of the bus and I'm not sure it is fresh or recirculated. 

[Cruising-along]

When I first read the title of this thread I chuckled because here in the Seattle area we won't need A/C until July, if then. 

But after reading the post, I agree that I'd be complaining too!  No air flow is not good!  I hope you let HAL know so they can let the company know there are complaints.  

[CarolGS]

32 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

When I first read the title of this thread I chuckled because here in the Seattle area we won't need A/C until July, if then. 

But after reading the post, I agree that I'd be complaining too!  No air flow is not good!  I hope you let HAL know so they can let the company know there are complaints.  

I've already tried! But corporate offices are closed on Sunday.  I think it definately is a health hazard.  BTW, each time I walked to the front of the bus I felt cold air coming from the front vents, keeping the driver and the front row nice and comfortable. Just wondering if not cooling the bus is a cost cutting measure.  I'll be interested to know whether passengers on buses 2 and 3 are suffering the same fate.

[cruising sister]

What a Covid nightmare with no circulating air. I feel bad for those behind the front seats. I would be very mad if I caught Covid on the bus ride to my cruise under those conditions. 

[RClark6369@aol.com]

  I will be on this transfer in a couple of weeks.   I am calling HAL tomorrow.   I do not want to test Covid positive on the ship after being cramped on a bus with no circulating air. This is just not acceptable. 

 

    Carol, did it really take 4 hours to get to Vancouver ?   Can you tell me what time the bus arrived in Vancouver ?     I have never seen Vancouver and was hoping to get off the bus and into a taxi to get a quick overview of the city before boarding the ship.      

 

Thanks 

Rex

[CarolGS]

1 hour ago, RClark6369@aol.com said:

  I will be on this transfer in a couple of weeks.   I am calling HAL tomorrow.   I do not want to test Covid positive on the ship after being cramped on a bus with no circulating air. This is just not acceptable. 

 

    Carol, did it really take 4 hours to get to Vancouver ?   Can you tell me what time the bus arrived in Vancouver ?     I have never seen Vancouver and was hoping to get off the bus and into a taxi to get a quick overview of the city before boarding the ship.      

 

Thanks 

Rex

Yes, it did take almost four hours including the stop at immigration, which was a pleasant respite in an aie conditioned building.  We got to the port at around 2pm but there were many hoops to jump through before actually boarding the ship.  So no, I don't think you will have time for a taxi.

 

While on the bus I drew up a complaint letter and 12 other couples signed it. We noted the bus company and bus number.  I will be presenting the letter to ship management tomorrow when things are settled.  BTW, as we were leaving immigration I asked a passenger on Bus 2 if they had air conditioning and was told yes, everything was fine on their bus.

[sfaaa]

Even with AC on full blast, buses don't  have hospital grade vent filter like airplane. I hope everyone had their N95 mask on during the entire 4 hours trip or there is going to be trouble.

[Cruising-along]

6 hours ago, CarolGS said:

I've already tried! But corporate offices are closed on Sunday.  I think it definately is a health hazard.  BTW, each time I walked to the front of the bus I felt cold air coming from the front vents, keeping the driver and the front row nice and comfortable. Just wondering if not cooling the bus is a cost cutting measure.  I'll be interested to know whether passengers on buses 2 and 3 are suffering the same fate.

Was this a transfer through shore excursions?  They need to be told when you're able to get to them on the ship.  Something like this warrants a refund IMO. 

[CarolGS]

2 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Even with AC on full blast, buses don't  have hospital grade vent filter like airplane. I hope everyone had their N95 mask on during the entire 4 hours trip or there is going to be trouble.

I think around 4 or 5 people wore masks. 

[CarolGS]

2 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Was this a transfer through shore excursions?  They need to be told when you're able to get to them on the ship.  Something like this warrants a refund IMO. 

It was part of the cruise package.

[StLouisCruisers]

This happened to us on a Princess transfer from Bangkok to Laem Chabang to get on our ship.  No AC on our bus!  They stopped at a fuel station to buy cold water for us, but it was stifling in that bus, and the trip was almost 2 hours.  You can imgine!  Basically a metal tube with windows that didn't open.  One man had so much sweat dripping off him there was a puddle under his seat.  We all wrote our names and cabin numbers down and had people go to the shore excursion desk asking for a refund.  They said there wouldn't be, but guess what, they did refund us the cost.  Other buses had AC, ours was the only one that didn't.

[jhsocal]

Carol, was it really hot, or primarily lack of air? 

[CarolGS]

1 hour ago, jhsocal said:

Carol, was it really hot, or primarily lack of air? 

Both.  It was an unusually warm day (70+ degrees) and the sun was really heating up the east (right) side of the bus. The lack of fresh air in the beginning of the trip was frightening - I imagined us all passing out from depleted oxygen while breathing in each other's carbon monoxide. Once the fresh air started flowing I felt better psychologically but not physically. It was just a really long 4 hours for many of us, especially some of the older women.

Edited May 23, 2022 by CarolGS

[jhsocal]

Sounds dreadful, fortunate noone became ill. Brings back memory of land tour in Europe many years ago.AC went out  on bus for last two hours. Most of us were females. There were several unbuttoned  shirts and blouses.

[CarolGS]

On 5/22/2022 at 8:36 PM, CarolGS said:

Yes, it did take almost four hours including the stop at immigration, which was a pleasant respite in an aie conditioned building.  We got to the port at around 2pm but there were many hoops to jump through before actually boarding the ship.  So no, I don't think you will have time for a taxi.

 

While on the bus I drew up a complaint letter and 12 other couples signed it. We noted the bus company and bus number.  I will be presenting the letter to ship management tomorrow when things are settled.  BTW, as we were leaving immigration I asked a passenger on Bus 2 if they had air conditioning and was told yes, everything was fine on their bus.

 

[CarolGS]

Just wanted to update: The day before we disembarked we and the 12 other couples who signed the petition were reimbursed $79 per person, which was the cost of the transfer included in our cruise package. We and those whom I spoke with were satisfied with the resolution.

[Boatdrill]

On 5/22/2022 at 2:27 PM, cruising sister said:

 I would be very mad if I caught Covid on the bus ride to my cruise under those conditions. 

Not sure how you would know where you caught COVID ? In any case it sounds like an awful transfer. .

Edited June 3, 2022 by Boatdrill

[Boatdrill]

On 5/23/2022 at 2:26 PM, CarolGS said:

 It was an unusually warm day (70+ degrees) and the sun was really heating up the east (right) side of the bus. The lack of fresh air in the beginning of the trip was frightening - I imagined us all passing out from depleted oxygen while breathing in each other's carbon monoxide. Once the fresh air started flowing I felt better psychologically but not physically. It was just a really long 4 hours for many of us, especially some of the older women.

If you're ever in the same kind of situation again  in the U.S., call 9-1-1 and ask for the Highway Patrol or police. Provide the description of the bus, location and direction of travel.   They'll stop the bus, check on the mechanical condition and passengers' health.  If another bus is needed,  they'll handle it. Don't worry about a delayed arrival at the ship - it will wait for you.

[FlaMariner]

Could you open the window?  

 

(AC was not an option for buses until probably the 1950's or 60's and somehow folks could survive.....how did they do it?)

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

Could you open the window?  

 

(AC was not an option for buses until probably the 1950's or 60's and somehow folks could survive.....how did they do it?)

 

 

I don't think that is an option anymore unless you are on a school bus or something.  I'm sure someone would have done that otherwise.  Things have changed in the last 60-70 years.

[muffin]

I remember when even public buses had windows to open. A godsend.

[sfaaa]

4 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

Could you open the window?  

 

(AC was not an option for buses until probably the 1950's or 60's and somehow folks could survive.....how did they do it?)

 

 

No COVID to worry about back in those days. Those old buses were like a sweat box on a hot summer day.

[silversneakers]

On 5/22/2022 at 12:57 PM, CarolGS said:

Bus 1 was overloaded because HAL employee can't count to 41 or many people scheduled for bus 2 went on Bus 1.  Then we start moving and we're all reaching for the vents. Then puzzlement and muttering. Then an organized chant of AC! AC!. NO response at all from the driver.  No air fresh air at all. People on the sunny side are really hot.  I'm fighting off a panic attack.

Not the same issue, but we were on from Vancouver to Seattle (3-4hours) with a grumpy driver, an inoperable toilet facility AND no offer to stop at a rest area.