Are Pier Runners a Thing of the Past?

[BND]

3 minutes ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

I don't think anyone wants to see people left behind by the cruise ship. I certainly don't! But it is pretty entertaining watching people running to get back in time, especially if they are tipsy. 

Not a guest pier runner, but a crew member coming back to the ship drunk.  We were in Cozumel a few years ago (can't remember which ship) and a girl was weaving down the pier with security steering her away from the edge as we were watching from our balcony.  She was crew and we found out later from our waiter she had to go see the Captain.  Don't know what happened to her but she was late for crew return and really drunk.

Edited October 14, 2022 by BND

[RobInMN]

There's a pier runner video on YT that contains a dock worker(admin/security?) acting like a pier runner and then stopping, and starting, and stopping, and starting, almost taunting the people are yelling to him like he's a real runner, and when he finally gets to the ramp, he just starts talking to the ship security. I think they shake hands, and I think he pulls out a radio from his back pocket that you can't see as he's approaching, and eventually wanders back. It was pretty funny.

[publicpersona]

Most notable "pier runner" incident I've seen on a cruise was on Splendour in 1998. The ship had already sailed away from Venice when a motorboat with two elderly passengers arrived. If they wanted to get on the ship, they'd need to get over any fear of climbing a ladder to get onto a ship at sea. They made it.

 

 

[soremekun]

They should have a fundraiser.  Pay $1 to cast your vote.  Leave on time or wait.

 

All proceeds go to one of a choice of five nonprofits.

[Airbear232]

On 10/13/2022 at 11:01 AM, NeepierRoad said:

Currently on Harmony but even my last cruise to Aruba and Curaçao there’ve been no pier runners (usually a cruise highlight for us!)  Have people become more timely post-Covid?

A similar question, what port do you most enjoy watching pier runners from?  

[BND]

Also, what I find interesting in Cozumel and this has happened every time is the ferry usually arrives just after all aboard time so there's always about 30+ people arriving late.  I assume they're on an excursion to the mainland, but we have seen this every trip.  They all get onboard and then we wait for the inevitable late arrivers.  We're going to Cozumel on our next trip and hope that we dock portside to the port so we can watch from our balcony.  

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Airbear232 said:

A similar question, what port do you most enjoy watching pier runners from?  

Coz at the Rustbucket Cruise Lines pier, for sure.  Long Pier and very drunk runners from the very close bars.

[ccletzgo]

2 hours ago, Airbear232 said:

A similar question, what port do you most enjoy watching pier runners from?  

Definitely Cozumel.    All those bars within walking distance from the ship.  🤣

[lovescats5]

I hope they are still out there.  It is one of the bucket list things I still want to see.  And yes, I still book excursions thru Royal because I also have a bad knee and I would not be running but limping.  

 

[Kathscof]

We didn’t watch for pier runners, but on our Alaska cruise our (AMAZING) Captain Marek called them out and put them on the spot MULTIPLE times....that was my fav part of his announcements hahaha

[Moltar]

Been cruising since 1991 never seen a pier runner and I have better things to do than to look for one, much much much better things to do. You people have yourself a day 🤣🤡🤣

Edited October 15, 2022 by Moltar

[Ret MP]

9 minutes ago, Moltar said:

Been cruising since 1991 never seen a pier runner and I have better things to do than to look for one, much much much better things to do. You people have yourself a day 🤣🤡🤣

While watching the sail away, from any/all port(s), which is a cruise tradition, I'm happy to watch the side show.  It's not that I have much better things to do but decide to watch the "Pier Runners", it is what is traditional with a side benefit.  

 

There, I'm off of MY high horse, now.

[mpk]

20 hours ago, Kathscof said:

We didn’t watch for pier runners, but on our Alaska cruise our (AMAZING) Captain Marek called them out and put them on the spot MULTIPLE times....that was my fav part of his announcements hahaha

 

We sailed with Captain Marek last month and he was great!  Personable at the Q&A, and bridge announcements were precise, informative, and enjoyable.  It's odd, but I looked forward to the bridge announcements on that sailing.  I usually do not.

[Jasukkie]

22 hours ago, Kathscof said:

We didn’t watch for pier runners, but on our Alaska cruise our (AMAZING) Captain Marek called them out and put them on the spot MULTIPLE times....that was my fav part of his announcements hahaha

He's a hoot. As the captain though, any lateness is on his decision to wait. It is pretty hilarious to hear him go on very directly about latecomers. 

[gottagoacruzn]

Yup, on each cruise, do watch for them to comin & runnin. First cruise, the ship kept pagin for somebody again & again, an still didn't show up, finally after the ship pulled away, a taxi come racin up & the guy jumped out, but the ship didn't pull back in, so they threw him a rope an... Turned out to be the guy who was bein paged, an also he was the drummer for the band on board, the boss on board wanted to fire the group. Learned after that, to keep camera with me, cuz...

 

Hope to see the pier runners on the next cruise, which will be in Nov, an on the Navigator ots.

[time4u2go]

6 hours ago, Moltar said:

Been cruising since 1991 never seen a pier runner and I have better things to do than to look for one, much much much better things to do. You people have yourself a day 🤣🤡🤣

Lol of course you haven't seen them if you haven't looked for them! Duh. 

[Spurschick]

36 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Lol of course you haven't seen them if you haven't looked for them! Duh. 

Guessing they have never paid attention to not setting sail on time either!

 

we have been late departing multiple times due to waiting for pier strollers as not many actually run that fast

Edited October 16, 2022 by Spurschick
Spelling

[John Reid]

7 hours ago, Moltar said:

Been cruising since 1991 never seen a pier runner and I have better things to do than to look for one, much much much better things to do. You people have yourself a day 🤣🤡🤣

Please tell us those better things. I feel so out of touch.

[Spurschick]

3 minutes ago, John Reid said:

Please tell us those better things. I feel so out of touch.

Agreed we are normally out wanting to watch the delayed sailaway 🙄

[nasa1974]

On our first Alaska cruise/tour we took the Alaska Line from Denali to Whitter. We were two hours late. Listening to people complain about the delay we explained the captain was waiting for over two hundred passengers not a few pier runners. 

[brillohead]

We had a reverse pier runner on Explorer in Miami today...  a woman wouldn't get OFF the ship!  

All the B2Bers were all dinged off the ship and waiting in the terminal to go down through CBP, and we were waiting, and waiting, and waiting..... FINALLY this one woman and her luggage came off the ship and had to walk past the whole line as we all hollered and clapped.  

We had a couple people late to the ship in Jamaica (the only actual port -- other stops were Coco Cay and Labadee), and about 15 people who were put off the ship in Jamaica due to their poor behavior.  

 

 

Side note: Terminal G in Miami now has two Facial Recognition stations!  WOOHOO!

[mpdog42]

14 hours ago, Moltar said:

Been cruising since 1991 never seen a pier runner and I have better things to do than to look for one, much much much better things to do. You people have yourself a day 🤣🤡🤣

Well🙄

[lcpagejr]

5 hours ago, mpdog42 said:

Well🙄

 

19 hours ago, Ret MP said:

While watching the sail away, from any/all port(s), which is a cruise tradition, I'm happy to watch the side show.  It's not that I have much better things to do but decide to watch the "Pier Runners", it is what is traditional with a side benefit.  

 

There, I'm off of MY high horse, now.

Totally agree... Unless "Moltar" is referring to incabin activities....I can't think of anything more enjoyable while waiting for sail away !! 😂😂

[cruise_co]

Last month we were in Phillipsburg. All aboard time was 4:30 with sail away at 5pm.  We were in one of the back facing lofts so we had a perfect view of the shops and section of the pier before it turned to go between the ship.

 

About 4:50, here comes a guy on a motorcycle speeding up the dock.

 

I was told later the guy on the motorcycle was Captain Johnny returning to the ship.  I can't confirm this, but it is what one of our loft attendants told us. Luckily Captain Johnny was not the latest of the pier runners. The last to return to the ship didn't get back till 5:15 pm. 

[BND]

22 hours ago, Moltar said:

Been cruising since 1991 never seen a pier runner and I have better things to do than to look for one, much much much better things to do. You people have yourself a day 🤣🤡🤣

LOL.  Your post is just as judgmental as those watching pier runners.  You have a good day.