Pier runners

[clo]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

 

So, the answer to that is Yes. That's why it is important for us as passengers to include our/your cell/mobile #s when you prepare your cruise docs. That phone # (and your landline of course won't work for this purpose) is inputted on your profile in the laptops and onboard computers that both the check-in agents at your embarkation port, as well as Guest Services use.

 

I've been present as SECO (security officer) numerous times on embarkation day when we had passengers that were AWOL/no-shows, or just plain late arriving at the cruise terminal. When it get's close to All Aboard time and there are still pax outstanding, the check-in supervisor inside the terminal will start calling the cell phones of those pax in an effort to find our their status and, in particular if they are running late, their ETA to the terminal. That info is relayed by that supervisor to the bridge as well as to guest relations on the ship via portable radio. The captain will wait for confirmed pax if he is able and has time. Sometimes he does, and other times he doesn't, and those late running pax will have to (usually) fly to the first port (at their cost) to meet the ship there.    

 

As far as late runners at routine ports o' call that the ship is calling at, the same principle applies, but those calls are made to the late running pax by someone in Guest Relations on the ship. That particular process is always initiated by the SECO at the gangway who is looking at one of the gangway laptops which keeps an accurate count of who is onboard (pax and crew) and identifies those (by name, cabin #, date of birth, picture ID, etc.). The SECO will relay that info to the bridge so the captain and staff captain are aware that there are missing guests (or crew, that also happens).

 

So, as stated, Guest Relations will attempt to reach those missing pax via their cell phone # and attempt to find out the reason for being late and the ETA back to the ship. The captain will have the same decision to make as on embarkation day: can he wait a bit or does he have to leave now. SOP is (when it gets close to reaching All Aboard time) for a Guest Relations supervisor and one security guard to go to that guest's stateroom where the door is opened via master key, followed by the safe (via a by-pass tool) because 95-99% of the time, that is the location where passengers store their passports during their cruise.

 

Those passports are retrieved and handed to the SECO at the gangway. When the decision is reached that the ship can't wait any longer, the captain will instruct the SECO to "pull the gangway" and close the shell doors. Just prior to that occurring, the SECO will hand the guest passports over to the local HAL port agent who will immediately become the "life line" of the missing/late running pax.

 

He/she will meet the guests on the pier after the ship has departed, and will arrange a hotel and flights at/to the next port, again at the guest's expense.

 

In the "old days" if the ship was off the dock but still near the port, the late running guests would be put on the pilot boat and brought to the ship. The only way to board the ship at that time was via Jacob's/pilot ladder to what's known as the Marshaling Area mid-ships. I've done that on Zuiderdam while wearing a full Santa Claus suit and lugging a bag full of presents 😉 I can guarantee you it's not that easy, especially not for the still average HAL passenger in their sixties or up in age. Subsequently, that practice (transferring to the ship via pilot boat and Jacob's ladder) is no longer being done, primarily for liability reasons.

 

The bottom line:

 

1. Make sure the ship has your cell/mobile phone and have it turned on and on your person off the ship

2. Know the All Aboard time and be back to the ship on time, especially if your doing your "own thing" I've seen a lot of pax take a quit photo of that Al Aboard sign at the gangway, just to have it handy when/if needed to confirm

3. Be aware of "ship's time" and "local time"

4. Place your passport inside your safe. Some pax carry those bad boys with them. That's a personal decision!  

5. Enjoy your cruise and ports o' call 🙂

Do you use that color and font style all the time? 

[Copper10-8]

7 minutes ago, clo said:

Do you use that color and font style all the time? 

 

 

I sure do, I like it!

[clo]

29 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

 

I sure do, I like it!

Oh. Okay. 

[wcook]

10 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Aw, the mom with the baby stroller. I feel sad for her too.   

Coulda been worse. She could have left the baby on ship while she went into port. 

[K32682]

Passengers who laugh at or yell disparaging comments at pier runners or post videos of them on YouTube are ones who deserve to be held in contempt. It is quite possible the passengers were delayed for reasons beyond their control and should not be the subject of ridicule from anyone .   

 

One of the less appealing aspects of cruising is the need for constant clock watching while you are ashore. Land based accommodation never sails away without you. There is never a need to cut an enjoyable moment short or guzzle down your drinks because the boat is leaving soon. 

 

 

Edited May 21 by K32682

[ldubs]

12 hours ago, wcook said:

Coulda been worse. She could have left the baby on ship while she went into port. 

 

Oh boy.  That sounds bad.  From the baby's perspective, I wonder if being cared for on a ship is any worse than being with a frantic mom trying to find a flight to the next port.  

[Mum2Mercury]

On 5/17/2024 at 3:11 PM, Mike981 said:

I kept saying it over and over, then my wife said "you know there is another ship down the pier.

Speaking of multiple ships, I saw something funny (probably not to the woman I'm about to describe) in ... Aruba?  It was mid-afternoon, HOURS from sail-away time.  I was by myself in a short line of people lazily making our way back onboard, and people's cards were softly beep-beeping as we re-entered the ship.  The woman ahead of me presented her card, and ALARMS and SIRENS went off.  The crewman looked again at her Ship ID and said politely, "M'am, you are a passenger on Adventure of the Seas, which is docked over there (he pointed).  You are attempting to board Explorer of the Seas."  She SCREAMED and ran away.  

On 5/20/2024 at 6:46 AM, CDNPolar said:

Personally we are wary of booking private excursions unless the return time is well before all aboard and we know that we might have options to get back to the ship if something goes wrong... such as Uber.

Nah, we always book private excursions -- they are smaller groups with more control over your day.  Without exception, our experience with private excursions has been superior to our experiences with ship's excursions.  We always choose morning activities, and we're almost always back in time for a late lunch onboard -- even with some walking around afterward.  

 

Having said that, we do take care with our plans:  We understand ship's time vs. island time, we know which dock we left, we don't split up, and we always have money for a taxi (in case our plans fall through or someone twists an ankle).  We always plan to be back a full 2 hours before sailaway; that means that if something goes wrong, we have a time buffer.  

 

Having said that, if you're traveling any real distance from the port, or if your excursion uses multiple forms of transportation, that might be the experience that is best through the ship.  For example, if you're in Cozumel and are going to the mainland, that's a time to stick with the ship.  

16 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

I sure do, I like it!

I like it too.