Ever Miss the Boat? We Did.

[ronandannette]

We are currently on a cruise around the Canadian Maritimes. Due to a very convoluted series of operational issues, the first three port stops on our NCL Jade itinerary were all rescheduled from their original times. By the time we got to Sydney, NS, we were simply confused abouț what was happening and when. This was exacerbated by having gotten a rental car that had been previously driven in Newfoundland and had the clock set to the wrong time zone - something we didn’t realize until way too late.


We ended up on the pier 4 minutes after the gangway had been hauled up and watched for another 17 minutes before they pulled the lines and departed.

Now we are fully aware that this was our own fault and accept that. It’s a minor misadventure that we will eventually laugh about. But for now, I’m extremely surprised and disappointed about a few things. Firstly, the local Port Agent. He was on the pier when we got there and his demeanour was shocking. He refused to try and contact the bridge - said he “didn’t do that kind of thing”. Didn’t offer one single smidgen of help or advice or try to explain any options. He actually turned his back on us when we asked what to do next. Didn’t walk away, just turned his back and stood there. WTH? Had we not been experienced cruisers and knew we could reboard at the next port, I’m not sure where we would be now, or what would become of a less-experienced traveller. Totally unacceptable.

My second issue is with the the Jade on- board management. We reboarded the next morning in Halifax and nobody batted an eyelash, even though I could see their security screen had us flagged. Now, a day later, we’ve still not been contacted by anyone to enquire about our well-being or ask about our experience or if we need assistance. At no time were we or our emergency contacts ever contacted (and all our necessary contact methods had been provided). At a minimum I would have expected this as a basic courtesy and act of human compassion. I’m left with big concerns about safety. If something truly dire had befallen us, would anyone ever have been alerted? How long before anyone would have noticed if we’d fallen off the face of the earth? I’m truly confounded by it all.

 

[AgentMama]

Glad you were able to get it all sorted and reboard.

Maybe they saw you all missing the boat and realized it was timing and not tragedy?

 

[leebee]

I'm glad you made it on to your ship, even if it wasn't the experience you anticipated. I've never cruised, so I don't really know what I am talking about, but with all the heightened security we have at US airports, I'm surprised that an entire cruise ship would take off with passengers who hadn't shown up. I mean... is there any way a missing passenger could have gotten luggage (or a bomb disguised as luggage) on board without being on-board themselves? Like I said, I've never cruised so I don't know the procedure for boarding, but being as security is so tight at airports, I find this surprising. I'm also surprised that they didn't check on your whereabouts. I guess, they have their money so they don't care if you show up for the cruise or not?

Enjoy your trip!

 

[John VN]

Glad you were able to get it all sorted and reboard.

Maybe they saw you all missing the boat and realized it was timing and not tragedy?

r.e. bold -- It was likely that the Crew (and the Captain) PLUS TONS OF PASSENGERS witnessed your pier dash and disappointment. Maybe a first for you but as we have witnessed, not a FIRST. Glad you made it back on.

I'm glad you made it on to your ship, even if it wasn't the experience you anticipated. I've never cruised, so I don't really know what I am talking about, but with all the heightened security we have at US airports, I'm surprised that an entire cruise ship would take off with passengers who hadn't shown up. I mean... is there any way a missing passenger could have gotten luggage (or a bomb disguised as luggage) on board without being on-board themselves? Like I said, I've never cruised so I don't know the procedure for boarding, but being as security is so tight at airports, I find this surprising. I'm also surprised that they didn't check on your whereabouts. I guess, they have their money so they don't care if you show up for the cruise or not?

Enjoy your trip!

r.e. bold -- Cards are scanned when leaving a ship at a Port and scanned when returning. The Captain knows that the count is not complete and waits as long as possible, sometimes longer when a booked Shore Excursion is late returning, before the ramps are removed.

While DW and I have never been late returning, DW's sister and friend were recently and they held off removing the gang plank because EVERYBODY could see them RUNNING BACK TO THE SHIP on the long - LONG PIER.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

Hey, it happens. "Ain't no one no how perfect" - Pogo.

We print all our reservations and schedules not relying on the phones screen shot and arrive a day early and still have come close to missing it all.
Always check the airports gate departures screen over and over. They can change at the last minute and our last two flights that happened, no announcement. We really came close to missing our flight, as did others.

We feel it all flows better with DCL. Maybe because we've cruise with DCL often? We dunno we approach the dock and seemed to always get whisked though with appreciative and lovely attitudes that one will NEVER experience with Carnival or NCL..

Always take into consideration time zone changes. You may be arriving a day later/earlier than you think, or hours earlier/later than you think.

Grand Canyon over-flites we were the only people that arrived on time. I asked the agent over the phone when making the reservation "what current time they had,",, it was 2 hours different than the time I had, so we arrived on time. The rest of the plane passengers didn't.

Has nothing to do with the subject of this thread but traveling and visiting places and get pressed for time and in a hurry,, if we need to find the restrooms always ask any mom pushing a stroller. She'll direct you instantly.

 

[jo-jo]

I've never cruise before either, but I would have thought at the least, send a text or call, ask if ok, and procedure of what to do next.

 

[Kitty 34]

How stressful that would have been!! I'm sure glad you guys made it back on the ship and hopefully can cruise peacefully.

 

[kdonnel]

Never missed the boat but thought we were once.

It was a Princess cruise around the UK. This was back when CruiseCritic was still big and we had met a group online going on the same cruise. As a group we had arranged our own tours.

In one of the ports in Scotland we cut it too close for my comfort. With the all aboard time 30 minutes away we kept passing signs saying we were 30 miles to the port. Somehow after 10 minutes of driving the next sign would still say 30 miles.

We didn’t pull into the port until the all aboard time and I just knew we had missed the boat.

I was never so glad to see a massive line. It was a tender port and probably 1/3 of the ships passengers were waiting in line for the tender ride to the ship.

That has been and will hopefully be my closest cruise missing experience.

I have documented on here how we did have to leave a Disney Cruise in Mexico mid cruise due to a medical emergency.

DCL and the port agent were extremely helpful. DCL recommended a hospital that catered to tourists, recommended accommodation and helped with reservations, and the port agent took our six passports and got them stamped and returned them so we would not have issues leaving by air in a few days. I always thought you had to go through customs and immigration personally and with your stuff, but not that day.

I’m glad you were able to catch up at the next port.

Time math on cruises can be confusing. Sometimes the ships time is not the same as local time and on cruises with lots of time changes I can easily see a mistake being made. On cruises I turn off auto timezone changes on my cellphone and ensure it is matching ship time when getting off in port to help reduce the possible confusion.

 

[Snowflakey]

You missed the boat but the Port Agent and onboard Management wasn't to your approval???? YOU missed the boat......

 

[NYCgrrl]

He refused to try and contact the bridge - said he “didn’t do that kind of thing”.

Companies pay many many thousands of dollars to dock and face a heavy financial penalty for leaving late so I can understand the port agent’s response but of course it would have been useful if he’d more experience dealing with customers.
Glad you made the best of the situation!

 

[kdonnel]

I'm surprised that an entire cruise ship would take off with passengers who hadn't shown up. I mean... is there any way a missing passenger could have gotten luggage (or a bomb disguised as luggage) on board without being on-board themselves?

In this case it was not initial boarding but reboarding during a port call.

In any event the luggage is screened just like at the airport, so hopefully bomb free. Passengers go through TSA style security each time they board the ship as well.

As to why the ship would leave people at a port, money!

It costs a lot of money for a cruise ship to use a pier. Staying there past the agreed upon time could costs thousands in port fees.

Sometimes the cruise line can stay for no or little fee and will wait until fuel costs become the issue. The routes are mapped for efficiency. While it might be possible to make the next port of call in a shorter period of time by going at a higher speed, that higher speed can cost thousands in fuel.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'm glad you made it on to your ship, even if it wasn't the experience you anticipated. I've never cruised, so I don't really know what I am talking about, but with all the heightened security we have at US airports, I'm surprised that an entire cruise ship would take off with passengers who hadn't shown up. I mean... is there any way a missing passenger could have gotten luggage (or a bomb disguised as luggage) on board without being on-board themselves? Like I said, I've never cruised so I don't know the procedure for boarding, but being as security is so tight at airports, I find this surprising. I'm also surprised that they didn't check on your whereabouts. I guess, they have their money so they don't care if you show up for the cruise or not?

Enjoy your trip!

People miss ships pretty often, they will usually not wait unless the passengers are on a ship sponsored excursion. It costs money to wait, they’re paying the port, fuel costs increase if they have to sail faster to the next port, sometimes tides dictate when they need to leave by. Passengers are warned many times to be back onboard at least 30 minutes before sailing, and to make sure there are no time change issues.

 

[NAB]

This is my fear and we cruise a lot. I always assumed someone would be there to help and direct you.

Long drive from Sydney to Halifax . Glad you got back to the ship . The car you rented probably came across the ferry from Newfoundland.

 

[Dznypal]

We were on a cruise quite a few years ago coming back from a ship booked excursion. Traffic was heavy when we got back to the ship the crew was actually counting heads to make sure the number in line matched what the computer said. We were one of the last to get back on

On another note this was right out of I love Lucy. I saw the pilot boat next to our ship. We had already sailed. Didn’t think much of it until I went to the laundry room. There was security talking to a guy. Seems the wife missed the boat. Hubby didn’t look to happy and there was a kid in the room crying.

 

[justafigment27]

I’ve never thought of it from that perspective - but, yeah, if you don’t make it back to the ship seems like maybe they would try to contact you or your emergency contacts to make sure you were ok. I mean, it could be a missing persons case …

 

[CdnCarrie]

Since you were Canadians and still in Canada maybe the crew was less concerned? Maybe different if in a foreign country.

I know ships cannot wait too long due to port laws.

If you book excursion via the cruise line they will wait if it's delayed returning but not if you are on your own.

Hope you enjoy the Maritimes. I love it out there.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

You missed the boat but the Port Agent and onboard Management wasn't to your approval???? YOU missed the boat......

Personal responsibility.......

 

[DCLMP]

I am surprised they didn't try to contact to you. I have no idea what the standard procedure is for that. I do know on DCL we have waited a bit for passengers.

It's probably a good idea to keep the cruise lines emergency number on you when in a foreign port. I never do, but your story incentivizes me to do that.

 

[DCLMP]

You missed the boat but the Port Agent and onboard Management wasn't to your approval???? YOU missed the boat......

It's normal human decency to just be polite. Most port authority workers are pretty nice and helpful.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Long drive from Sydney to Halifax .

Not really that long - about 4 1/2 hours.