2Tack

4 minutes ago, Cruzbear24 said:

Well said Strathnaver. I would be interested to know 2Tack's cruising history to try and understand how he has decided the Captain is incompetent.

Easy, failed as a leader and ran away from his responsibilities and consequences of his decisions. Leaving the guest services staff to field the questions of the large lines of disgruntled passengers is a disgrace.

6 minutes ago, strathnaver said:

I've refrained from weighing in since I saw (and was frankly shocked and stunned) by the post we are all referring to on Monday night. And no, I was not on the cruise but that doesn't disqualify me from trying to accept or reject differing reports from people who were. Nor having an opinion.

 

Royal Caribbean were damned if they did and damned if they didn't from the moment the accident happened with regard to almost everything - itinerary (? continuing even), onboard activities (? fun), updating frequency , etc. We at home (in fact globally) were exposed to a barrage of information, coming out more quickly than the journalists were able to get right. I haven't see anything, including here, which suggests the captain was incompetent. 

 

As well as for some passengers, being a port still important to them,  continuing to Wellington may have been necessary as a refueling and re-provisioning point. 

 

The White Island tour (which I have done, from a land-based trip) is not an "adrenaline junkie" activity. It is an extraordinary experience. A quarter of a million people have visited it over three decades without incident - until now. While nobody would be under any illusion that volcanoes cannot be dangerous (it's in the waiver that you sign), so are many other activities we do on a daily basis, e.g. driving on the roads. They had full and reasonable expectation to return back to the ship unharmed but 2Tack wants to blame them for their own deaths AND particularly, upsetting his plans.

 

As we all know, you don't have to cruise for too long to miss ports you were keen to visit. It in the contract. And it is disappointing, I would say with some ports for every passenger on a particular cruise. It happens for many reasons - one of mine was a mischievous or malicious rumour from onshore of an Anthrax risk (later disproven).  How much more a reason is that 40+ of your fellow passengers were killed or critically injured?

 

2Tack, I am now honestly concerned about your apparent lack of compassion for those people, who were doing the same as you except for choice of tour, and their families. I do empathise that you feel that you should be better compensated for what you missed out on through no fault of your own. I also think there could be more of an impact of what happened on and to your cruise than you realise - perhaps you should talk to somebody about it, rather that rant anonymously on here. 

 

 

People make decisions and the consequences of those regions cannot be ignored. Your misrepresentation of numbers doesn't do you any favours and there was no need to refuel or add provisions at Wellington which initially was a very quick stop. 

There is no defense for the captain actions which included a very poor level of communication originally which turned to zero communication once he made his decision was made to change the itinerary.  

He had the means to broadcast an explanation via the internal tv channel and a decent and competent leader would've had one or more presentations with an open floor to answer questions regarding his decision.  RC could have easily provided on board counsellors, especially for the kids, but that was too hard

 They could of also assisted any passenger who wanted to go home immediately via plane. 

I have decades of experience in managing and dealing with critical incidents and emergencies, hands on experience with the dead and the dying and frankly have no time for some weak impostor who found it so confronting that he could not perform his duties appropriately or even have the stomach to attend the Maori ceremony. I suppose that's the difference between me and you, I was there, I have experience and knowledge in these things and you and the others here have led a sheltered existence and lead the arm chair experts brigade.

15 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

Laughable to criticise them over representing their cruise passengers and yet you claim to represent everyone on your cruise. I think there may be more than one incompetent person aside from your claim of it being the captain.

What's laughable is people who weren't there putting their 20 cents worth in. Remember it was the crew members telling passengers initially that the captain wasn't coping and then he went awol. They provided zero support to passengers apart from a generic go see your gp handout. If you think thats acceptable you truly have no idea. 

7 hours ago, gbenjo said:

So all those  other passengers, and there seems to be a lot of them, who were on the ship and say that the captain did a good job  are all   (according to you ) lying ?  Why is your version of things more valid than others?

Wow you must have been good to get on and speak to everyone to get that info. The captain was incompetent 

55 minutes ago, Haoie said:

Anyone else who had first hand experience want to chime in?

They don't want first hand experience because that doesn't fit their narrative. 

49 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

So your attack is because you would prefer the Sounds over Wellington, and skip Wellington to make up time spent at Tauranga.

 

What makes your view right and anyone else who actually preferred Wellington wrong? Since you could no longer have it all.

So first question is were you on the cruise? My guess is no you weren't. So in reality your opinion in null and void but to humour you even guest services who had to deal with the inco.petent and weak captain's decision admitted that the majority of passengers were unhappy with the changed itinerary.  

Wellington was only ever a short day and Picton was an absolute waste of time. There was time to do the itinerary as we signed up for and there was no issue with weather as the other RC ship was heading down south the next day. 

Really everyone who "Had a friend on the cruise" or "I heard on the news people were happy with the captain" are talking rubbish. The captain hid after his decision, demonstrated zero leadership or concern for the passengers on the ship and RC needs to be held to account for there incompetence. 

5 hours ago, Esilef said:

We are going on the ovation in February. It never crossed my mind to cancel.

 

i have learnt with life, you can never be guaranteed of anything. Life has a way of throwing you curve balls. It’s how you deal with these challenges which is what matters. 

I do agree with you and the captain and RC  showed with their actions exactly what they were made of and how badly they lacked in leadership and consideration for the welfare of almost 5000 passengers plus their crew. 

2 hours ago, datone said:

Isn't it obvious that they couldn't keep to the itinerary due to having to stay the extra time in port and that other ports would have to be missed.   What did you expect RC to do - carry on with the same itinerary and arrive back in Sydney 2 days late?  Then half the passengers would of missed flights home and another shipload of passengers would have had to hang around in Sydney for 2 days waiting - many of them having to book hotels as they were from out of town.   Would RC then take 2 days of their cruise?   Just cannot believe you don't understand all this.   We missed a day out of a cruise a few years ago when a passenger jumped overboard the last night and they had to go back and search for him.   Out of town cruisers had to book hotels and a port was missed as we boarded 24 hours late.    Things happen and quite frankly it's not the end of the world to miss a day or two of a cruise.   You should be thankful you haven't had to go through what the families of the deceased have.

Simply they had the time to continue the itinerary and chose not to. They were never going to be back 2 days late and anyone who says that was going to happen is either a liar or plain stupid. Adding the hours at Wellington and then the Picton stop was ridiculous. If anything Wellington could've been missed and the rest of the trip continued.

Frankly I'm amazed that all those who weren't on this ship of doom with no personal knowledge of how RC and the captain kept the flea markets going and skipped the major draw of the cruise wish to defend them.

Anyone who was there and has knowledge of the Captain and officers lack of interest in the welfare of the rest of the passengers and outright neglect of their duty to keep passengers and crew informed while they wallowed in self pity, especially after RC had been trying to flog the fatal shore excursion, have been disgusted by it and all those supporting RC and captain with no idea of the facts should accept they don't know what they are talking about and be quiet. RC is profit driven and demonstrated this clearly in this instance with the dollars and protection of the brand being put first and foremost. 

20 minutes ago, vxmono said:

2 Tack, 

RC definitely did not earn many Of the passengers respect for their paltry refunds Which I am sure they put down due to force majeure. Definitely upsetting and insulting. However, I agree with others’ that the captain was most likely taking orders not only from the Head Office in Miami,  but RC’s legal team and most likely from the NZ and AUS government officials. Imagine how much responsibility rests on their shoulders. His and the crews’ hands were tied. Also, if you look at the footage of the Maori event, one of the senior officers motions to the captain who was watching from above with the other crew members on the platform mid ship. 
Very sad and frustrating experience for all. I think RC should have issued a refund or credit towards another trip. 

I have no doubt that RC had a hand in the decision but the Captain is the master of the ship and needed to take command and explain to passengers and crew what was happening. 

I am well versed in the processes involved in dvi and police forensic procedures and that was why we were initially supportive and only a handful of people complained initially about remaining. 

I was watching the Maori ceremony from my balcony and like all the passengers around me were unhappy and embarrassed that the Captain failed to go down to be part of it. The symbolic staying in his castle was not lost on us and was a sign of things to come from him. The local Maori people and locals did more for the passengers and crew then RC and the officers which again is ahead indictment upon RC and the captain and his officers.  

I also note that in spite of RC saying we'd have customer surveys to complete the day of disembarkment that they have not appeared. Maybe they have torally written this cruise and its passengers off.

7 hours ago, Judyrem said:

Very good article, thanks for posting.

I was on the ship and had to dodge the media whilst disembarking at the same time and he is 100% spot on. 

13 minutes ago, Elorac123 said:

God forbid anything like that happening at any time in the future, if I was on that particular cruise I would like to think I would handle the decisions made   with grace.

Elorac, 

we were treated like a nuisance. It was obvious that the officers in charge just were trying to find a way to get us off and out of the way with minimal effort. There was one announcement about red cross counsellors but in reality there was zero support for passengers by Royal Caribbean. 

I just got home from this cruise. The facts are that the captain was pathetic and lacked any leadership.  He gave 2 updates a day initially but when he decided to cut our cruise in half without reason or explanation  he then went missing. 

As sad as it is for those that chose to visit an active volcano, they made that decision and must bear responsibility of that decision. It is unreasonable to remove the second half of the cruise without cause disadvantaging the bulk of passengers. If anyone on the cruise wanted to go home they could avail themselves of the airport and head off.  

There was no issues with weather, there was plenty of time and it was straight out a disgraceful action robbing the majority of passengers of the experiences that they paid for. A paltry $112 refund per person does not make up for this decision by the Captain and Royal Caribbean. 

Add to this the Captain not attending the ceremony by local Maori people conducted as a healing activity and his straight out avoidance of taking of responsibility for his decision, leaving guest  services to explain to disgruntled passengers his decision, demonstrates his lack of leadership and lack of fitness for the role of captain of a ship that size.