be aware!!!!

[leeuwarden]

just got back from the westerdam. Had a good cruise, the only problem was the gangplank in ketchican. The tide comes in real fast and it is a real high tide in 4 hours.

We got off the ship with no problem at all, i have to use a wheelchair due to polio.

As we retured to the ship the gangplank was to steep about 12 feet higher then when we left. It was a real struggle to get up to the deck and there was nobody to help. So if you have trouble walkin be aware of this. I hurt my back and leg doing the steep climb. We complained to the desk but got the run around.

[kryos]

just got back from the westerdam. Had a good cruise, the only problem was the gangplank in ketchican. The tide comes in real fast and it is a real high tide in 4 hours.

We got off the ship with no problem at all, i have to use a wheelchair due to polio.

As we retured to the ship the gangplank was to steep about 12 feet higher then when we left. It was a real struggle to get up to the deck and there was nobody to help. So if you have trouble walkin be aware of this. I hurt my back and leg doing the steep climb. We complained to the desk but got the run around.

I don't understand no one to help. I would have stayed on the dock and asked someone in my party to go ahead onboard and find someone to come out and help. Surely someone from security could have been summoned.

 

I have seen HAL personnel CARRY someone down onto a tender who had no use of his legs at all. It took three people, but they carried this man down and put him on the tender, and then did the same thing to get him back onboard. After getting him on the tender, they loaded his wheelchair onboard. So I can't understand why no one would have been available to assist you. I have a feeling no one knew that you required assistance and the people manning the security station certainly can't leave their posts.

 

Next time send someone ahead to go onboard and find a staff member who can assist. If the person at the security post can't help, I'm sure the front desk can.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[dandro]

I was on the same cruise as leeuwarden, and many times I saw crew members/staff physically assist passengers with disabilities.

[sail7seas]

I also have seen crew assist guests with going both up and down the gangway. All one needs to do is let someone know you would appreciate assistance.

 

Sorry you had a difficult time and hope you are more comfortable now.

 

[woody73]

We were in Ketchikan twice last month, and there is a dramatic tide change. Too bad no one was there to help you back onboard.

 

Woody

[jmk22574]

Leeuwarden - I'm SO SORRY this happened to you! I was on this cruise and had SA7052.....our balcony looked almost directly over the gangplank, and for some reason, in Ketchikan, there were often times that no one was helping those people struggling to board the ship. I told my husband I would bite my tongue about this cruise, but I think I'm going to find that harder and harder to do as the week goes on. I am actually kicking myself right now for not video taping a particular incident in Ketchikan with an elderly gentleman who was not treated kindly AT ALL by a uniformed officer from the Westerdam. It makes me very emotional just to think about it.

 

Jill

[7toEleven]

Leeuwarden - I'm SO SORRY this happened to you! I was on this cruise and had SA7052.....our balcony looked almost directly over the gangplank, and for some reason, in Ketchikan, there were often times that no one was helping those people struggling to board the ship. I told my husband I would bite my tongue about this cruise, but I think I'm going to find that harder and harder to do as the week goes on. I am actually kicking myself right now for not video taping a particular incident in Ketchikan with an elderly gentleman who was not treated kindly AT ALL by a uniformed officer from the Westerdam. It makes me very emotional just to think about it.

 

Jill

 

 

Jill-

 

I do hope you take the time to report what you do know to HAL. If you were the employer you would want to know so that you could take steps to correct the problem. Think of this, if they don't know how can they fix it? I am sorry you had to see something that was so emotional for you, I do hope you enjoyed your cruise!

[bishop84]

just got back from the westerdam. Had a good cruise, the only problem was the gangplank in ketchican. The tide comes in real fast and it is a real high tide in 4 hours.

We got off the ship with no problem at all, i have to use a wheelchair due to polio.

As we retured to the ship the gangplank was to steep about 12 feet higher then when we left. It was a real struggle to get up to the deck and there was nobody to help. So if you have trouble walkin be aware of this. I hurt my back and leg doing the steep climb. We complained to the desk but got the run around.

 

Leeuwarden, I agree that the gangways can be very steep in Alaskan ports. I am surprised that the ship was not providing assistance as I have always seen it before. Could it be that they were already assisting a guest up the gangway when you arrived?

 

As the gangways in Alaska are provided by the port I think its a pity that they havn't invested in better access to the ships as they must be aware of the problems experienced by some guests with what can be very steep ramps and/or stairs.

It is ironic that the larger ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan now get less money to invest in infrastructure from the state wide $50 per guest tax than they previously did with their individual charges.

[leeuwarden]

let me explain, there was 1 little guy, about 100 lbs,that was stationed at the bottom of the gangplank, we had no trouble getting in the tender in sitka, we took the elavator down to a lower deck. As soon as we got onboard we went to the desk to report that i got hurt climbing the gangplank, we had no trouble in juneau either, what we were told that there was not enough help that day, and they would check and make a report. eventually i got a plate of chocolates as an token.

[DFD1]

This should not have happened to you and for the sake of others who follow on future cruises, I hope you will make enough noise about your experience with HAL Seattle that they will see it does not happen again.

 

I hope you will either call or write until you get the attention of someone who can do something corrective about this.

 

I can't imagine that a ship with hundreds of crew members could not have had enough of them at the gangway to assist returning passengers. I just don't believe that was the case.

 

Sounds like negligence on the part of officer in charge of the gangway.

 

IMO

[jmk22574]

7toEleven - No worries....we did report this to HAL along with some other incidents on this particular cruise. In reference to "biting my tongue," that's just for the sake of the CC boards. I think it's best if I keep some of my (our) experiences to myself.

 

Jill

[vbmom87]

just got back from the westerdam. Had a good cruise, the only problem was the gangplank in ketchican. The tide comes in real fast and it is a real high tide in 4 hours.

We got off the ship with no problem at all, i have to use a wheelchair due to polio.

As we retured to the ship the gangplank was to steep about 12 feet higher then when we left. It was a real struggle to get up to the deck and there was nobody to help. So if you have trouble walkin be aware of this. I hurt my back and leg doing the steep climb. We complained to the desk but got the run around.

 

How sad to hear of this situation. I can't remember which port, but I do remember we had a steep incline getting back to the ship. However, we had several crew members there wheeling up those in wheel chairs. My best guess, is this is another example of the cutbacks HAL has made and the resulting dissatisfaction by its customers. From all I have read, I have a feeling HAL will be out of business soon. Far too many complaints about a cruiseline that just last year I read so much positive about.

[kryos]

We were in Ketchikan twice last month, and there is a dramatic tide change. Too bad no one was there to help you back onboard.

 

Woody

Too bad, my foot.

 

I would have gotten someone in my party to go to the front desk and refuse to budge until they paged someone to accompany me back out to the gangway and help my companion back to the ship.

 

That's crap. I don't care how short-handed HAL is. If they are that shorthanded, well they just need to let some other stuff slide and station more people at the gangway to assist those passengers who may need it.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[alsas]

I am so suprised Kyros you are a frequent cruiser. Sorry that you did not get help. I agree that you should have had help---BUT so many people (Staff) some with experience at the boarding process and some without.You must be your own advocate. happy sailing, Alsas

[vbmom87]

Unfortunately this is the price passengers are paying for the rock bottom cruise prices in Alaska this year.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

vbmom this has absolutely nothing to do with rock bottom pricing for Alaska :rolleyes:

 

OK I am guessing that the particular time you returned to the ship they did not have both gangways open. When we returned which was pretty close to all aboard time there were two gangways open. The Steep one you are speaking of took you to Deck 1 Main Deck and the lower one that did not have hardly any incline went to A Deck. There was a longer line getting on into A Deck so we did the climb for the other gangway.

 

It sounds as though you may have just missed them opening the 2nd lower gangway. Sometimes it is hard for the crew to judge exactly what the tides are doing plus when everyone is returning to the ship at once they cannot just close one gangway. I am sure that as soon as they realized that it was getting very steep they set up the second gangway. But it does take more than a few minutes. They have to set up all the security and get security people in place. You do not often see a ship having two gangways going at once but they did in fact do this in Ketchikan.

 

I wanted to add it is also possible you did not see the lower gangway it was sort of hidden under the higher gangway and the original entrance was for the higher one. There was a line for the one that was practically level into A deck but it almost appeared to look like a crew gangway but it would have been easy for you to use.

[vbmom87]

vbmom this has absolutely nothing to do with rock bottom pricing for Alaska :rolleyes:

 

Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. However, I have read enough this year about the Alaskan cruises to know that they are all short staffed from previous years. With less crew to do all the same jobs, you are going to have situations where you need staff and they aren't available. I am glad I took my first cruise last year, because from all I have read, the cruises this year are not at all like those last year.

 

I do believe those who needed help should have just waited until help became available.

[Mary Ellen]

That's crap. I don't care how short-handed HAL is. If they are that shorthanded, well they just need to let some other stuff slide and station more people at the gangway to assist those passengers who may need it.

Maybe they are too busy helping passengers in the Lido. :rolleyes: Something has to give.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. However, I have read enough this year about the Alaskan cruises to know that they are all short staffed from previous years. With less crew to do all the same jobs, you are going to have situations where you need staff and they aren't available. I am glad I took my first cruise last year, because from all I have read, the cruises this year are not at all like those last year.

 

I do believe those who needed help should have just waited until help became available.

There is just as many crew as there has always been the problem has been crew being ill. Yes Many of the ships have been in Code Red or undisclosed Code Yellow. I am almost sure that the Westerdam did in fact go into Code Red on Sunday.

I am sure that HAL who love to pull axtra crew out of a hat to appear when needed but what would your ather have. A sick crew member helping you a lack of crew members because they have stayed in their cabin.

Frankly this is a No Win situation and HAL will tick off someone on either side of the fence. I think all people traveling just need to take with them a bit of patience and be willing to politely ask for help. In a perfect world when no one on the ship is sick there is definitely enough crew. Also having to open two gangways does take away most of their security then take into account if any of them are ill.

[mamadot]

We were just on HAL for 17 days and found they were woefully under staffed compared to other cruises we have done. I think they have cut back on staff and we were very aware of how much work each crew member seems to be doing compared to earlier cruises! We had a great cruise and did not complain but it was very apparent to us.

[TravelSavvyInc]

Leeuwarden - I'm SO SORRY this happened to you! I was on this cruise and had SA7052.....our balcony looked almost directly over the gangplank, and for some reason, in Ketchikan, there were often times that no one was helping those people struggling to board the ship. I told my husband I would bite my tongue about this cruise, but I think I'm going to find that harder and harder to do as the week goes on. I am actually kicking myself right now for not video taping a particular incident in Ketchikan with an elderly gentleman who was not treated kindly AT ALL by a uniformed officer from the Westerdam. It makes me very emotional just to think about it.

 

Jill

Tell HAL asap about these incidents. The officers can address the group of people who were supposed to be helping guests.

 

I'm cruising on the Westerdam July 5th.

[leeuwarden]

we are in touch with HAL. we got a case number yesterday, so they are looking into it. Thanks for your kind words and the advise from some of you, i was just wondering why this has never come up on the boards.

We cruise 2x a year and have never had this problem before, this was our 2nd cruise with HAL and really liked them, however i think this problem is mostly in alaska as we usually travel south. I also wanted to mention that not only I had trouble, there were heavy set people who were huffing and puffing behind us. It is really like climbing a very steep hill

christina and larry

[Mary Ellen]

Alaska particularly Ketchikan, like the Bay of Fundy in Canada, is well known for extreme tidal fluctuations. In our earlier days of cruising there (1980s - before the heightened security conditions of today), HAL would just close down the gangway periodically and move it to another deck as the tide changed. Now with the scanners and screening process to get back on the ships after being ashore, I've never seen the 'entry portal' change decks.

[DFD1]

With respect to those who defend HAL, for whatever reason, in this situation, nothing should have taken prescident over assisting any passenger who could not navigate the gangway without assistance.

 

With hundreds of crew members, there absolutely was somone available to do this, no matter what else, short of an all out emergency, was happening on the ship.

 

Shortage of crew, low prices, sick crew, moving gangways, whatever; they are not acceptable reasons for what took place.

 

It should not have happened.

[vbmom87]

Shortage of crew, low prices, sick crew, moving gangways, whatever; they are not acceptable reasons for what took place.

 

It should not have happened.

 

You are correct. This should not have happened, but it did.

 

I do think shortage of crews does have an effect on this kind of thing. I think the ship is still getting adjusted to having less staff. They are underpaid and overworked and who knows exactly what happened in this case. Perhaps it was someone's miscommunication as to who was expected to be where. Perhaps it was a tired employee who just needed a rest. Perhaps someone was sick and didn't report to their post and they had trouble finding a replacement.

 

I am a firm believer of "stuff happens." As mentioned several times, the OP and any others needing assistance, should have sent someone ahead to request help. Then just waited until that help arrived. This discussion would not be going on if that was done. I really do believe that if help was requested, it would have been provided. At least I hope I am correct on this. I cruised HAL last summer, and I have to say the staff went out of their way to be accomodating.