cruise passengers left on St. Thomas

[Cheryl Loyless]

First of all I wanted to say hi to everyone because this is my first post to this message board. My family and I were on the June 15-22 Eastern Caribbean cruise and a couple was actually left behind on St. Thomas. The cruise director announced that we were turning around to go back and get them. Has this happened to anyone else? I've heard that they wouldn't turn the ship around to go back and pick up anyone but they did. They actually backed the ship up to the dock and dropped a gang plank and the couple got back on board. We also heard that the only reason they did this was because the couple had a baby back on board in the Flounder's Reef nursery. Because of this, it caused us to miss 2 hours at Castaway Cay.

 

[Michelle]

Hi Cheryl, and welcome to the Cruise Board!

We actually had several posters that were on that sailing who gave us updates and had the same story you did, they had a child left onboard. It is not too rare for someone to get left behind, but it IS very rare for the ship to go back and get them. The ships sail on strict schedules and it's the guest's responsibility to get back to the ship on time.

Hope you had a great cruise!

 

[Anita Williams]

One other poster said also that the ships computer said everyone was on board, so part of the mistake was DCL's. That's one of the reasons they went back to get them. Of course having their children is another good reason! Anita.

 

[DavidRoss]

I have taken two Disney Cruises and a Carnival Cruise. I thought the way Carnival checked people on and off the ship was a little bit better than the setup Disney has. They take your picture as they give you your room/charge key. Then when you leave or enter the ship, they swipe your card and look at your picture. They also scan everything you bring back to the ship and make you walk through metal detectors. Has Disney stepped up there security this way yet? It makes me wonder about what happened with this couple. Do you think they somehow went by security without having thier room keys scanned?

 

[Otisp]

DavidRoss:
What you describe Carnival doing is sort of what Disney did during our cruise this month. They swipe your KTTW card leaving the ship, and (after going through a metal detector) they swipe it when you get back on. They also check the picture ID of the adults.

 

[tezb]

As far as I know DCL always follows that procedure. They have always swiped our cards when leaving and do the same when we get back on. Even on Castaway, we weren't sure if my teen son had beat us back to the ship yet, so we asked the guy at the check in...he was able to look us up and tell us exactly who from our family was on board. Maybe it was a computer gliche because we have been on 2 DCL cruises so far and they always swipe each persons card to and from....

 

[mmouse37]

DCL should have your photo on your KTTW card as some other cruise lines do.

MJ

 

[gottaluvdisney]

Even if the DCL computer was wrong and they guests should have still showed as being off the ship, how long should DCL wait for them? I am all for leaving people behind if they can't make it back to the ship on time.

Actually it was posted earlier I think that they had a child on the ship with no adult.

 

[bennett]

We were on the June 15th cruise-this came right from the captains mouth to us (in person)--a child was left on the ship without any other family member-the couple did have another child that they did take with them onto St. Thomas-the couple thought the boat left at 7:00 Dah!!! -the captain told us they have never turned around before-we were only about 45 minutes late Castaway Cay-if that-I am sure that was enogh to screw up a few tours-In my opinion-so what if everyone wasn't on the boat--how can they wait for everyone--that would really screw things up---

 

[StaceyA]

Hi,
We just got off yesterday and my husband was talking to someone at "his" bar Signals (adult pool) and the guy he was talking to said that he was left on Castaway Cay on his last cruise, he was walking in an area where he couldn't hear the horn signaling to come back so when he walked back he realized that he was left behind.

There are about 30 or so crew members that live on the island and one of them signaled for the ship, and he told my husband that they sent a lifeboat back for him.

I found that an interesting story!

 

[Tluvs2talk]

I think it is very irresponsible to come back late especially if you have a child onboard. The only GOOD reason would be if you were knocked unconscience. If I had a child onbored without me I would make certain to be back on the ship at least an hour before last call. I think the couple should be fined a few hundred dollars for the inconvenience of going back. I know when we went to St. Maarten there were about 5 people who were late. They hired a boat and were pulled onto the magic by crewmen. I hear this happens all the time, what I don't understand is why???

 

[trishy]

"Why?" Because there is absolutely no penalty. I'm with you. People should be notified up front - even when scheduling a cruise - that there is a monetary fine for having to delay the ship for that passenger. I think it should be steep - $1,000 per person. I think that would make it worthwhile for these people to buy a watch and look at their navigators. It's irresponsible; however it will keep happening until DCL cracks its whip.

 

[hokie5cruiser]

On our 6-22 Western, for some reason my card would not swipe correctly as I left and entered the ship so the CM had to hand enter me each time. (It worked to charge $$ though-LOL) Imagine my surprise(and my mother's) when my name was called as we were supposed to be leaving Cozumel. I had to contact guest services ASAP to tell them that I was really on board.

 

[gscott8075]

We were on the St Thomas Twice cruise - I was also on the New Year's Wonder cruise - a guy missed the ship in Freeport. We turned around and went back. The Wonder did not dock - a power boat brought the person to the ship.

 

[PiperG]

Maybe I will change my mind some day, but at this point, I can't imagine leaving DS on the ship while we take off. What if we were in a car accident? To scary to think about.