Two people just got left behind as Harmony sailed away

Looked like a man and about a 12 year old boy arrived 40 minutes past all on board time and had to watch us sail away. I could hear the boy crying. I felt bad for him. It looked like someone threw their passports down to them.

 

 

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We were in Bermuda and realized that the ship was leaving in 45 minutes .We were about an hour away .We hitched a ride with a resident and he got us back just as the ship was getting ready to leave .They saw us running and waited (a Cunard ship).

It's not unusual for some to be left in ports. :rolleyes:

Do you think someone really threw their passports to them? I thought the process was if you aren't on board and the ship is leaving that a staff member searches your room for your passports and the passports are waiting on shore with a staff member that will escort you to somewhere (airport or something). I thought you weren't completely abandoned but rather the ship leaves and someone is left to bring you where you need to go to somehow find your way home.

 

Is this the case...or do they ever truly leave you on your own? Not saying most of the people don't deserve to be left on their own. But, for the times when it wasn't in their hands to be late I would hate for them to not have passports and just be stranded there with no clue where to get to help.

Each port has a Port Agent who can help if someone misses the ship. The ship is also in communication with the Port Agent and any family onboard.

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From our balcony, we have seen lots of cruisers running down the pier to board before the gangway is removed. Some have made it, but many more did not. Being late and missing the ship is a horrible and expensive experience. Bet it will never again happen with these cruisers.

Someone posted a very good hint in another post. Take a photo of the page of the cruise compass with the ships departure times and details. Keep a photo on your phone of your passport details.

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I once saw a women standing at the dock, shopping bags in hand, as the ship was moving away from the pier. They had her come out to the ship on a small boat and had to get on the ship like the pilot does. Don’t know how much that cost her. This is why we always book excursions with the cruise line. We were late getting back to the ship twice. Both times coming back to Boston from Salem. Almost an hour late each time, due to traffic. The ship waited for us since we were on a ship excursion.

Gwen [emoji3]

I remember when husband and I were on our second cruise with our 4 year old daughter, he had booked a ship tour scuba diving in St Maarten while we stayed onboard.

Ship sailing time was 5pm and the tour was still not back, they got caught in traffic, the captain waited almost another 40 minutes for them, there were about 6 others on the same tour, but I will tell you, I have never felt so sick in all my life for the fear we would have to leave them behind....... Now I make him book the earliest tour available lol

On the recent Vision repositioning to Galveston there were two incidents of not getting back on time. Bermuda was the first port and Captain Marek announced we could watch for 2 pier runners, phone contact had been made with them, and the ship was waiting.

 

 

 

At the last port in Progresso, the captain announced the ship was departing, leaving behind 2 cruisers. The next day the captain announced they had made it back to the ship just as lines were being released.

 

 

 

On the last day during the captain/officer interview, it was stated that the late arriving couple in Bermuda , day 3 of 15 days, never spoke with or thanked the captain for delaying the ship for them.:confused:

Was on Vision over the summer and Captain Marek would call out the passengers who were late getting back on board by first name during his announcement!

From our balcony, we have seen lots of cruisers running down the pier to board before the gangway is removed. Some have made it, but many more did not. Being late and missing the ship is a horrible and expensive experience. Bet it will never again happen with these cruisers.

My only experience with pier runners was in Cozumel, which seemed to be the most common place when all ships were staying on departure port time. You can see a long way up the pier, I would estimate 400-500 yards. It was already 40 minutes past departure time and the crew on the pier saw a group coming at their leisure and intentionally pulled up the plank to get them to run. They did start running and they did put the gangway back down. This was between two ships, Navigator and Freedom, so there were a lot of people on both sides in their balconies cheering them on or booing them.

This is why my husband REFUSES to book a tour that is not with the ship! It's his biggest fear!

Was on Vision over the summer and Captain Marek would call out the passengers who were late getting back on board by first name during his announcement!

We LOVE Captain Marek. He did the same for a sailing of ours. He announced upon sailing their names and hoped they finished their last minute shopping. And the next (which was last) port, he announced their names and suggested they get their shopping done early or they will have to meet the ship at the next (return) port. LOL

Erika

This is why my husband REFUSES to book a tour that is not with the ship! It's his biggest fear!

He will get over it, I did. If you are on a private excursion, especially with other cruisers, keep your compass with you. If your running late have the tour operator use his cell phone to call the port person, The ship will usually wait if they know you are coming. The captain of Oasis pretty much said so in the Captains corner.

We were late getting back to the ship twice. Both times coming back to Boston from Salem. Almost an hour late each time, due to traffic.

Imagine that, traffic in Boston :confused:

I live out here, and would never expect anything to be on time if it involves driving :cool: Boston was trying to get the olympics out here, and I couldn't stop shaking my head.

I don’t feel a bit sorry for them. All the other passengers were on board, including what sounds like other family members. Why should the rest of the people be inconvenienced? There are certain things than can not done until the ship is underway at sea. Seems simple to me. Be back on the ship as listed in the compass.

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Worst case scenario. Not sure what port but a woman went ashore and left her young child in the kids program on the ship. No other adult on board in her party.

She missed the ship and RCI staff had to stay with the child until they were reunited I think in the next port.

The facts are hazy, I read the post on this board quite awhile ago but it still makes me me shudder big time

I was on a Princess ship in Skagway this summer. I was in a balcony cabin facing the dock. We were suppose to leave, we waited and waited. There was a lonely crew member on the dock walking back and forth. It must have been 20 min - 1/2 hour lately an older woman walked up but she kept looking back as if someone was still coming. They told her to get on the ship and we waited. They brought out a wheelchair, then a van arrived with a lady with a cane. They wheeled her onto the ship. The captain made an announced we were waiting for a passenger who was in an accident. After waiting 1 1/2 hours after our original departure time at the balcony railing, I left the railing. I don't know if the passenger came onboard.

I remember when husband and I were on our second cruise with our 4 year old daughter, he had booked a ship tour scuba diving in St Maarten while we stayed onboard.

 

Ship sailing time was 5pm and the tour was still not back, they got caught in traffic, the captain waited almost another 40 minutes for them, there were about 6 others on the same tour, but I will tell you, I have never felt so sick in all my life for the fear we would have to leave them behind....... Now I make him book the earliest tour available lol

If you book your tours with RCCL you are guaranteed not to be left behind. The ship is required to wait on all passengers on an official RCCL shore excursion.

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Why would they not increase the Time on Board to an hour instead of 30 minutes. When I book a tour, I never book one lasting over 5 hours. This give my husband & myself, 2 to 3 hours to walk the port afterward if we chose to and get back on board to relax. My cruises now will be solo or with the daughter or SIL or a friend now.

If you book your tours with RCCL you are guaranteed not to be left behind. The ship is required to wait on all passengers on an official RCCL shore excursion.

 

 

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No, the ship is not required to wait if you are on a ship excursion. They will wait if they can, but it is not always possible. If you are on a ship excursion, they guarantee they will get you to the ship in the next port of call if the ship leaves without you.

We've seen this happen too....a young couple, I think on their honeymoon, running to the ship in Cozumel as it had already pulled away.

No, the ship is not required to wait if you are on a ship excursion. They will wait if they can, but it is not always possible. If you are on a ship excursion, they guarantee they will get you to the ship in the next port of call if the ship leaves without you.

The ship will never leave a passenger on an official shore excursion offered by the cruise line. For one the PR nightmare that would follow would cost them in the end and

the cruise line does not want to have to get you to the next port.

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The ship will never leave a passenger on an official shore excursion offered by the cruise line. For one the PR nightmare that would follow would cost them in the end and

the cruise line does not want to have to get you to the next port.

 

 

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The ship can not always wait for a late excursion. They have a "worry free guarantee" as stated on their website:

• + In the unlikely event that your tour is significantly delayed, we’ll make all the arrangements for you to return to the ship at the earliest opportunity at no expense to you.
  

The ship will never leave a passenger on an official shore excursion offered by the cruise line. For one the PR nightmare that would follow would cost them in the end and

the cruise line does not want to have to get you to the next port.

100% incorrect. There have been numerous examples where those on a ship-sponsored tour were in fact late enough returning that the ship could no longer wait. The ship will not sit there for hours waiting. They will take care of getting you to the next port of call. That is the advantage of booking ship-sponsored tours.

No, the ship is not required to wait if you are on a ship excursion. They will wait if they can, but it is not always possible. If you are on a ship excursion, they guarantee they will get you to the ship in the next port of call if the ship leaves without you.

Quite true. There are several reasons why they simply cannot wait but if you are on a ship's excursion, they will take care of you until you can meet the ship.

This is rather embarrassing to admit that I once missed my tour bus departure time on my bus tour of Tuscany a number of years ago. Thanks to the help of some really nice English-speaking Italian locals and the tour operator, I was able to take a local bus and rejoin the group at another small town close by. I was totally mortified but really grateful for the assistance from everyone and the lunch they managed to save me from the villa they stopped beforehand.

Totally nothing like a cruise excursion, but I'm just saying that I totally understand what it is like :(