Missed the Boat!

[Al Horner]

I just read on CC that on Friday (Feb 15th) a couple was late getting back to the Symphony in Nassau and the ship left without them. They probably should have skipped that last beer!

[twangster]

Hard lesson learned (and expensive).

[rjac]

Hope they had their passports with them! 

[VolFanInGa]

What a crappy port to be left behind in...

[RickinSTL]

That's my biggest fear.. especially with time changes and such.. I think that's the only reason I wear a watch on a cruise and set it to ship time.. 

[LindaN]

It’s understandable, especially if they were using the app instead of the website.  The app says on my cruise planner that the boat leaves at 7:30 but the websites cruise planner says 4.  4 of the excursions you book through the cruise planner are listed as going past the time the boat is in port.

The second picture- left side, shows when the cruise planner website says you leave.  The first picture -right side, shows when the the Royal app says you leave.

The first picture shows the Royal app shows the excursions that go past 4, when the boat leaves.

[twangster]

However when you book an excursion through Royal, it will return prior to departure.  

There are plenty of signs and announcements when the ship leaves and when guests need to be back on board.  Trying to say they looked at the app a couple months before sailing and one or two excursion came back at 5pm is a weak excuse for missing the ship.  

[Fuzzywuzzy]

[twangster]

[twangster]

[LindaN]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

However when you book an excursion through Royal, it will return prior to departure.  

There are plenty of signs and announcements when the ship leaves and when guests need to be back on board.  Trying to say they looked at the app a couple months before sailing and one or two excursion came back at 5pm is a weak excuse for missing the ship.  

I have no idea what happened with these people.  It sounds like what you’re saying is they only have it that the boat leaves in the app months ahead when you are booking excursions and update it later.  We have not gone on or cruise, nor have we been to the Bahamas.  I just know that we are super excited to go there and there are way more excursions that we want to do and when I saw we were there until 7 in the app I was hoping to even book 2 excursions.  I was very confused when booking excursions ahead.  I was simply stating maybe they were confused too.  I feel very attacked. I guess I’ll just stay quiet and not post until I have been on a cruise.

[SpeedNoodles]

Just now, LindaN said:

I have no idea what happened with these people.  It sounds like what you’re saying is they only have it that the boat leaves in the app months ahead when you are booking excursions and update it later.  We have not gone on or cruise, nor have we been to the Bahamas.  I just know that we are super excited to go there and there are way more excursions that we want to do and when I saw we were there until 7 in the app I was hoping to even book 2 excursions.  I was very confused when booking excursions ahead.  I was simply stating maybe they were confused too.  I feel very attacked. I guess I’ll just stay quiet and not post until I have been on a cruise.

Just don’t trust anything on the app as far as times. It’s notoriously inaccurate. Go by the cruise compass. Although I found the menus on Mariner to be accurate. 

[NS8VN]

9 minutes ago, LindaN said:

 I feel very attacked.

For someone replying to your theory with their experience in why it is probably not the case?  Really?

[Lovetocruise2002]

7 minutes ago, SpeedNoodles said:

Just don’t trust anything on the app as far as times. It’s notoriously inaccurate. Go by the cruise compass. Although I found the menus on Mariner to be accurate. 

+1 on this point.  App was highly inaccurate on Indy in December.  Gave up on it after Day 1.

[coolio111]

Thanks for those people letting us first timers know the app is inaccurate for timing. 

[bhageerah]

We ALWAYS head back to the ship a little early, and keep an eye on the time.  We usually book a balcony room and end up getting lucky enough to be on the side of the ship facing the dock.  We get back about an hour or two early and watch the runners, we both understand that although we are on vacation, the crew is at work and still have a schedule to attend to.  I can tell you that if I was the cause of us being late that she would rip me a new one, and if she was the reason we were left I would never let her hear the end of it. So we both agree to get back early, hit the Windjammer, and then shower and watch the runners.  Some things just are NOT worth it!!!!!

[cmdrfrag]

I get quite nervous about going too far from the ship when we head off by ourselves and keep checking my watch. 
I usually try and get us back at least an hour before departure time.

I remember on one cruise we where about 40 minutes late departing from Lanzarote and we where sitting on our balcony just looking out over the port when we saw this taxi screaming though the security point, lights flashing horn blaring. He pulled up right next to the ship and a couple got out and legged the remaining 20 feet to the gangway. Needless to say they where met with many cheers from the on lookers on the Balconys.

[ScooterScott22]

I have to say I am very disappointed in this thread, as it had no video or link to dock runners.  That is one of my favorite pastimes.  We always look forward to departure time and plan for a good viewing spot about 15 minutes before departure time.  Still sometimes we have to get our fix from YouTube videos.  Thanks to @twangster for at least the screenshots!  (Even if it wasn’t the actual couple.). 

 

Edit To add - for those couple of new cruisers posting, the ship has multiple avenues that they will inform you of departure time.  It will be posted in a number of places near gangways and tenders, in the cruise compass and  stated over the daily announcements and at other locations, sometimes even the night before at certain venues.  Yes sometimes things happen but it really is pretty hard to not know.  There are plenty of times this happens and there are plenty of “close” calls that never make it to YouTube because the ships do try to wait at least a reasonable amount of time.  Since the ship can get charges for staying in port extra and they have a schedule to keep they can’t wait too long.

[twangster]

Original poster Chesneygirl at CC posted this to youtube

 

[cmdrfrag]

Don't know if these guys were guilty of it or not as you cant seem them approach but I hate when people are late for the ship and you see them Walk across the port.....

RUN!!! The rest of us where all here on time, you move like you've got a purpose!

[Fuzzywuzzy]

Thanks Twangster! I needed that.

[Marc Van Niekerk]

When we were in Nassau Feb 3 on Symphony I did a periscope of a solo pier runner

https://www.pscp.tv/w/bzrBvDMwMDQwOHwxbW54ZU9YQldBckdYiD-Tnx4rBrDMc-hipBZ4a1EAdD7T9vTecJQRvpPR_Fo=?t=1m26s

it was our observation that the captain of Symphony does not wait around. The ropes were droppped and walkways pulled on schedule. There were no ship wide pages for passengers and there certainly did not appear to be luggage or port agents waiting for this person running to catch the ship.

 

[tiny260]

16 hours ago, LindaN said:

I feel very attacked. I guess I’ll just stay quiet and not post until I have been on a cruise.

Don't feel attacked and don't stop posting, discussions such as this one, are how we all learn. I have been on 18 cruises and @twangster and others have been on many more, but I always check before I leave the ship what time all aboard is and then I plan on being back at least an hour before that, so if there is a traffic jam, the taxi I'm in breaks down, etc., I at least have a small margin for error.

As everyone has said on here already, the ship has a schedule to keep, I correlate being late to the ship, to also being late to the muster drill, people think that it doesn't pertain to them, and you have the majority of people standing outside, packed like sardines waiting for muster to be over, finding out later that it was because people had to found and told to report, etc..

Lesson learned on this thread is don't trust the Royal APP, just yet, go by what your cruise ticket says and then double check that with the cruise compass when on board.

[coneyraven]

Wow --- missing the ship would be one of my worst nightmares --- And no matter what the circumstances are, one thing is for sure, I'll get blamed

[kimpossible1]

1 hour ago, Fuzzywuzzy said:

Thanks Twangster! I needed that.

I think it's a shame that people take pleasure in other people's misfortunes.  I didn't need the photos with the captions or the reposting of the video.  

[Jolly Ogre]

25 minutes ago, kimpossible1 said:

I think it's a shame that people take pleasure in other people's misfortunes.  I didn't need the photos with the captions or the reposting of the video.  

Not any misfortune here. They chose to miss the ship. People need to be held accountable for their decisions. 

 

I am sorry, but their tears sustain me...I enjoyed the photos and video immensely.

 

[twangster]

I think this thread has served a purpose.  Cruisers old and new have learned the ship will actually leave without you when you don't return in time.  Of the 6,000 on board, 5,998 made it back. 

I was on a cruise two weeks ago and I saw 60 - 80 people slowly walking up the pier well past all aboard time.  None were in a hurry.  One drunk girl lay on the concrete pier and rested (or passed out) .   I had to check my watch thinking I was an hour off.  I wasn't.  Crew were waving to them to hurry up.  The bridge blew the ship's horn.  People are way too cavalier and just assume the world revolves around them. 

I tire at the muster drill waiting for the stragglers to show up.  I tire on an excursion waiting for people who show up late.  

Hopefully this video will serve to educate everyone that a ship will leave without you.  It is your responsibility to be on time.

The cruise community has a name for these types of people.  "Pier Runners" and it transcends all cruise lines.   

This is about personal accountability and yes, two ships full of passengers will make fun of you when you miss the ship.  

Lesson learned - don't be late.  

[bhageerah]

High five for @twangster!!! 

[PhantomWolf]

17 hours ago, bhageerah said:

We ALWAYS head back to the ship a little early, and keep an eye on the time.  We usually book a balcony room and end up getting lucky enough to be on the side of the ship facing the dock.  We get back about an hour or two early and watch the runners...

This just became my new favorite thing!

[3trinitythree]

On our last cruise to watch a couple return 30 mins late AFTER the ship had waited for them was one of the highlights of the cruise. They were so drunk they could barely stand and police had escorted them to the ship. I believe the Captain or security refused them onboard and after the couples friends had got off to argue with the decision, the ship left without them. A harsh lesson not to get bladdered while in port and always check when the ship leaves. 

[Pima1988]

I do feel sorry for them,  but honestly this is not like a private yacht.  There is a lot that goes into this, such as the tugs and their pilots to get out of port.  Plus,  as can be seen in  the video RCCL was waiting their turn to leave port.  If they waited for every straggler than it will have a domino effect for the next ship, and so on and so forth.

I recall when we came in to the Bahamas.  We were the 2nd to dock, by the time we came back to the ship.  Disney (left already).  Carnival and NCL were the next 2 and we were the last.  If Carnival waited, than that would have impacted the rest of us leaving.  Bahamas was our 1st stop.  It would have meant to get on time to the next the Captain would have had to increase his speed.

Think of it this way, would any airline wait for that person that was 15 mins late?  No.

I also feel the same way about Muster drills as others.  When we did Enchantment yrs ago.  We had to stand outside in the beating sun for @ 15 more mins before they started because with the muster drill they know exactly who is missing since you are assigned to a specific location and they take roll call.  When they finally found them or they decided to show up, they were received with @100 death glares in our group since it was obvious they were the hold ups.  To boot they were upset because they walked up with a full alcoholic beverage and the staff made them pitch it for the muster.  So we had to wait a few more mins bc now only did they argue about it, but than walked back in to find a table so they could pick it up 1x we were done.  They were standing next to my hubby and I.  As we re-entered I guess someone in front of us watched where they placed it and decided to pick up their drink and dispose of it for them.  Needless to say they were now angrier bc someone stole their drink,.  muttering can you believe how rude these passengers are?

[LindaN]

On 2/17/2019 at 8:54 AM, VolFanInGa said:

What a crappy port to be left behind in...

I disagree with this.  If I were to be left behind anywhere I would hope it was there.  There are so many excursions I want to go on here I can barely even do one in the 4 or 5 hours here.   If I was left behind here I would go back to Atlantas and actually get my money’s worth at the waterpark.  I would check into a hotel and try the next day try and make it to Dolphin Cay in the morning and see the pigs in the afternoon and maybe even something else before getting back to Miami the morning the boat got in.  That’s just me though, I would move to the Bahamas if they weren’t so strict about not letting in dogs that look like any kind of bull terriers.

[LindaN]

2 hours ago, kimpossible1 said:

I think it's a shame that people take pleasure in other people's misfortunes.  I didn't need the photos with the captions or the reposting of the video.  

I appreciate the video.  The video is a cautionary tale for us noobs.

[Pima1988]

LindaN, the problem in your scenario is where do you think your passports will be when you miss the ship?  They will most likely be on the ship.  How do you now get back to Miami without a passport?

You go through immigration on the ship.  Not at the Bahamian port.  You only need your seapass to get back on.  At least that was the protocol 2 yrs ago when I was there.  We did not take them with us when we went to Blue Lagoon for the day.  They were locked in our safe.  

Additionally, I do not know about Bahama, but if you travel overseas every hotel I have been in has requested our passports.  They will hold them for you in their safe until you check out.  This impo is for legal reasons, such as involved in a crime so you can't run.  How do you check in without it?    Pretty sure they are use to it though, they may even have the cruise line numbers on speed dial to verify your passport.

Now add on the additional cost of flying 1 way with 24 hr notice.  Betting that ticket is sky high.  Add into the equation you have jewelry left in the safe.  Your clothes are all unpacked, so on and so forth.  For Anthem of the Seas out of Bayonne, they  go to Bermuda for 2 nights and back to Bayonne the slow route.  So it wouldn't be 1 night, but 2 nights that you would need.  I have to look at my Adventure schedule, but either it is Bermuda or Bahamas as our last port.  We than have 2 sea days and nights, arriving in the a.m. 3 days after we leave the last port.  That is a lot of money.  

 

[Pima1988]

I was just thinking about how long do you think it took them to realize OH CRAP my phone is about to die and I have no charger.  Followed on with OMG these phone calls are going to cost a fortune if I use my phone since I am now it is considered international.

OBTW I reversed it, it was NCL passengers filming the RCL Symphony. 

[RCVoyager]

3 hours ago, kimpossible1 said:

I think it's a shame that people take pleasure in other people's misfortunes.  I didn't need the photos with the captions or the reposting of the video.  

It is kind of fun to watch people running and make it onto the ship.  It does put a different light on the situation when they don't make it.  However, there is a 99% chance this was not a simple misfortune, but rather a neglect of responsibility. 

 

If we can leap from misfortune to neglect, we can then leap to the possibility that it's not the first time they've pushed the envelope in any number of instances when in a public setting.  In that you get a little piece of karma.

 

I wish they'd have made it and this topic didn't come up, but as mentioned, there is a very good chance this isn't the first time.

[kjw83]

After seeing this I`m still undecided on an excursion we want to book...its in Jamaica and says it gets back at 6:15 and the ship leaves at 7...this seems iffy to me but I`ve been told theres no reason to worry...I`m stil not convinced!

[SpeedNoodles]

Just now, kjw83 said:

After seeing this I`m still undecided on an excursion we want to book...its in Jamaica and says it gets back at 6:15 and the ship leaves at 7...this seems iffy to me but I`ve been told theres no reason to worry...I`m stil not convinced!

Is it an excursion through RCCL?

[bobroo]

3 hours ago, Pima1988 said:

LindaN, the problem in your scenario is where do you think your passports will be when you miss the ship?  They will most likely be on the ship.  How do you now get back to Miami without a passport?

You go through immigration on the ship.  Not at the Bahamian port.  You only need your seapass to get back on.  At least that was the protocol 2 yrs ago when I was there.  We did not take them with us when we went to Blue Lagoon for the day.  They were locked in our safe.  

Additionally, I do not know about Bahama, but if you travel overseas every hotel I have been in has requested our passports.  They will hold them for you in their safe until you check out.  This impo is for legal reasons, such as involved in a crime so you can't run.  How do you check in without it?    Pretty sure they are use to it though, they may even have the cruise line numbers on speed dial to verify your passport.

Now add on the additional cost of flying 1 way with 24 hr notice.  Betting that ticket is sky high.  Add into the equation you have jewelry left in the safe.  Your clothes are all unpacked, so on and so forth.  For Anthem of the Seas out of Bayonne, they  go to Bermuda for 2 nights and back to Bayonne the slow route.  So it wouldn't be 1 night, but 2 nights that you would need.  I have to look at my Adventure schedule, but either it is Bermuda or Bahamas as our last port.  We than have 2 sea days and nights, arriving in the a.m. 3 days after we leave the last port.  That is a lot of money.  

 

There is protocol for folks who don’t make it to the ship on time beyond blasting the ships horn. It begins with announcements onboard requesting they call guest relations (because it is entirely possible they are aboard); you can be sure their recent seapass use is researched to see if they have entered their stateroom, bought a drink, played a slot machine, bought some art from Park West, etc. etc. I’d like to think somebody onboard is calling, emailing, and texting the important contact information you were required to submit when you bought the cruise. Finally— security enters their stateroom and ransacks it to obtain their passport and then those missing persons passports are handed to the local port agent before the ship leaves. Offenders are left high and dry but with access to their passports, just no luggage. On the bright side they do have plenty of time to head back to Froggies or Margaritaville.

Who is the port agent you ask? Well, somewhere buried in your cruise documents is the name, address, and phone number of the port agents for the ports you will be visiting. You sign your name that you are aware of this people when you first get onboard. Remember?

We all can be sure the ports where people are frequently late like Rome (Civitavecchia) or Nassau everyone who works on that pier will know which way you need to go and who you need to see.

Not every pier runner is drunk. Hey, sometimes medical emergencies happen while passengers are in port. In those cases, the hospital will usually notify the ship that Mr Smith has had a heart attack and Mrs Smith will be staying with him while he is in surgery or Mr Jones is in traction from a zip line injury earlier that morning; in those cases Royal security will ransack the room and the little safe looking for passports as they do but they will also pack the personal belongings and leave those with the port agent. So maybe hospitality has not completely left the cruise industry?

 

[LindaN]

6 hours ago, Pima1988 said:

LindaN, the problem in your scenario is where do you think your passports will be when you miss the ship?  They will most likely be on the ship.  How do you now get back to Miami without a passport?

You go through immigration on the ship.  Not at the Bahamian port.  You only need your seapass to get back on.  At least that was the protocol 2 yrs ago when I was there.  We did not take them with us when we went to Blue Lagoon for the day.  They were locked in our safe.  

Additionally, I do not know about Bahama, but if you travel overseas every hotel I have been in has requested our passports.  They will hold them for you in their safe until you check out.  This impo is for legal reasons, such as involved in a crime so you can't run.  How do you check in without it?    Pretty sure they are use to it though, they may even have the cruise line numbers on speed dial to verify your passport.

Now add on the additional cost of flying 1 way with 24 hr notice.  Betting that ticket is sky high.  Add into the equation you have jewelry left in the safe.  Your clothes are all unpacked, so on and so forth.  For Anthem of the Seas out of Bayonne, they  go to Bermuda for 2 nights and back to Bayonne the slow route.  So it wouldn't be 1 night, but 2 nights that you would need.  I have to look at my Adventure schedule, but either it is Bermuda or Bahamas as our last port.  We than have 2 sea days and nights, arriving in the a.m. 3 days after we leave the last port.  That is a lot of money.  

 

I thought you always took your passport with you when you leave the ship, I guess not.