Family Misses Ship in St. Thomas

[Judgekw]

I was on board that ship too and it really was too bad. I did not realize they cut their sailing times so close. We didn't get to our beach chairs in Castaway Cay until close to 11:00 because of this one inconsiderate family. It really cut into the day and the kids had to make some choices about doing this or that. I was not that upset because I realize some cruises don't even make it to the island due to weather etc. But it does really get to you that a family would be so inconsiderate to be late and leave a child aboard. You know there is traffic and you always arrive early just to be on the safe side. I also wish they had to pay some type of fine or fee and maybe they will think twice next time they chose to be irresponsible. They were not on a shore excursion and no one was injured so there is really no excuse for thier behavior. A lot of people on the ship were saying he was going around like a little celebrity all proud of his status as the "Late guy"

 

[MFan]

Oh, that's all we need, making them a celebrity of sort. Talk about the ironic lesson being taught here -- don't worry, we'll wait or come back for you if you're an inconsiderate imbecile who inconvenienced everyone else onboard!!

I still insist that Disney (and other cruise lines) need to penalize them somehow. Otherwise, they are implicitly encouraging that kind of disruptive behaviour...

 

[pal2pluto]

what if this person is a DISer and visits this board? What if they are a lurker........

 

[MFan]

And...your point is? Why would it matter? He/She/They should know how others felt about their inconsiderate action. I wasn;t on that cruise, but quite a few posters who were have already provided their thoughts on the subject...

If the husband is as judgekw described, I suspect none of these will even remotely bother him.

My position is DCL should impose fine and/or other form of penalty for offenders. Otherwise, they are encouraging this kind of behaviour (it's Parenting 101).

 

[inkkognito]

Personally, I would think that it's great if they're a lurker, or even a regular, on these boards...let them know how others feel! Of course, I am the kind of person who does not hesitate to speak my mind. I believe in being polite, but not when someone is rude and causing an inconvenience to me. It amazes me that I am usually the only person who will speak up if someone lights up in the non-smoking section of a restaurant or cuts in front of others in a line. If more people spoke up and called rude people on their behavior, I think there would be less of it.
Of course, I like to think that they DON'T read these boards because no one here would do something like that!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

What amazes me is that so many people are jumping up here yelling "Hang them!!!" when you have no idea what actually happened in this case, and so far we've not seen very much real data.

You have no idea why these people were late getting back to the ship, but simply assume that they are inconsiderate louts because the ship had to turn around. What if they did everything within their power to return to the ship on-time and simply could not make it back before the ship left?

Isn't DCL the real one at fault here? DCL's computer system should have known that the child was at the kids club and was part of a family that hadn't returned - what's the purpose of checking kids in and out of the club and "logging" in and out of the ship. No, DCL screwed up and for whatever reason left a family stranded at a port, only to realize that they had really screwed up one hour later and in turn cost people 2 hours off of their precious cruise time.

Speaking as a parent, I would consider it punishment enough to get to the dock late after trying my darndest to get there on time, knowing that DCL's policy was to sail at the set time, only to find the ship and my child missing. Not knowing what was going to happen to my family at the port or my child on the ship.

Now, people that clearly abuse the policy of the ship sails at a given time should walk the plank, but in a situation like this, where you have no data to indicate that the people were purposely abusing that policy and in fact have some evidence to suggest that their intent was to not miss the boat....

Well folks, I think you all need to lighten up a little bit and consider what you would feel like if you ever found yourself in a similar situation - and don't tell me you haven't at some point in time found yourself making excuses for being late for an appointment at some point in time.

 

[4crusinransiers]

Firefighter Mickey you took the words right out of my mouth!

Lighten up folks!

 

[4nana]

I agree w/Firefighter Mickey....
True, we don't know all the details and it could have been a real emergency. IMO just the fact that the ship returned to shore sounds as tho someone was trying to CTA.

 

[gscott8075]

I certainly am enjoying all of the different opinions. Sure, I've been late for things - but, in all of my travels and many cruises, I have never missed a plane and I have never missed the ship sailing. If there had been an emergency - sure - I would stick up for them in an instant. There were no indications of this at all. Everything pointed to a mis-read of the schedule or bad planning.

I was there and the points are --

1. The guy was videotaping the ship and flexing his muscles. He also got down on his knees and prayed.

2. The guy turned himself / was turned into a celebrity of sorts.

3. The Magic cruised on time - which is 30 minutes after everyone is supposed to be on board. Whether the computer said they were there or not - the ship does not wait. The ship did not leave early.

4. They went off on their own and were not on an excursion. My group of 10 made it from a cab, to a ferry, to St. John, to a cab, to Trunk Bay, back to a cab, another ferry, and another cab. I made it back with 90 minutes to spare. If 2697 people could do it, they could have to. No one else had a problem making it back.
Other folks would have mentioned traffic problems and been affected by them. No one was.

5. As a result, 2697 people lost about 2 hours on Castaway Cay. That's a combined 5400 hours cut out of one of the highlights of the trip.

I think they lost track of time and blew it. We are not talking about 25 - 30 people. We are talking about one couple.

I don't want to hang them - I think they should incur some penalty. The cruise price is high enough without this type of additional expense on Disney's part.

 

[inkkognito]

gscott8075, you said it very well!!!
I could sympathize if it was some sort of emergency, but the evidence indicates that it was not. True, I've been late to some appointments in my life, but never when I had 2700 other people waiting for me. No sympathy!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Chris in Boise]

If I were in charge, I would have required Mr. & Mrs. Late to pay $20 for each of the 2,600 or so passengers who were inconvenienced, and put that money as a credit toward everyone's shipboard account.

The amount of the "fine" is about right and the money would benefit the people who were actually hurt by the bozos.

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

Oh give me a break. No one was hurt by "these bozos" if that's what they really were.

Since people are determined to be judge, jury and prosecution in this case, I'll bow out now, and wish you all the best of luck should you ever find yourselves in a similar situation.

 

[Thumper1]

Firefighter Mickey,

Your statement "Oh give me a break. No one was hurt by "these bozos" if that's what they really were." Doesn't show compassion for the others on board the ship.

How would you feel if you were in the other 2600 people's places that lost valuable vacation time because of a couple of obviously late people?

Rules are not made to be broken, but to be kept. That's why there are rules. "Courtesy" is what can make or break a society. Lawlessness can lead to the breakdown of a society. Lack of respect for others is what causes crime of all sort. Believe it or not this is not blowing it all out of proportion. The downfall of society starts with a small spark and ends in anarchy.

Think of the lessons that were taught to all of the children on board - that they can break the rules and get away with it and be made a celebrity because of it.

I have a feeling you might be one of the first to complain if this happened on your vacation.

 

[gscott8075]

I do not want to be judge or jury - I am merely sharing my perspective. Being late for a port departure is not the same as being late for a dentist appointment.

I am not slamming them or anyone else.

It was an inconvenience. We usually spend the morning with the kids on the family beach and check them into OC for the afternoon while my wife and I go to Serenity Bay. We could not do that this time. Not a huge deal, but we were looking forward to it nonetheless.

 

[mmouse37]

OMG....I had a nightmare last night about missing the ship and facing the wrath of the DIS!!!! It was really scary!!!

I certainly would do my utmost to make it back on time barring any type of emergency.

MJ

 

[TnRobin]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This post has turned into a bash party for the people who missed the ship. As stated, no one knows for sure what the circumstances surrounding the missed departure are except the people involved and DCL.

Since this post is providing no additional information; is it helping anyone plan a cruise, and it is now turned into personal attacks on unknown cruisers, I am locking this thread.