Dawn's Adrift!

[Rockaway]

Email note from Hugo, the Hotel Director, indicated that the ship is now operational and will be heading for Miami to welcome the next voyage pax on board. He raved about the hotel crew and all the staff for their good work and attitude. He showed great pride in how the situation ended. Kudos to him and his staff. He said that most passangers were understanding and tolerant. Good to hear this news.

 

I received the same e-mail from him and happy to hear that everything turned out ok with out any kind of injuries. That is the main thing. Hopefully the crew can let their hair down for a few days and relax because they are the best crew out at sea and will be ready for the next set of pax on 12/4. Hope everyone has a great cruise.

[BIG_Steve]

But what really upset me was that they said U.S. citizens were not allowed to leave the ship Saturday morning. Sure, you try keeping a U.S. citizen from setting foot on a US Territory. In retrospect, maybe U.S. citizens make better hostages. When they tried to stop me from getting off the ship at 09:30am Saturday they got a real awakening from me and my fiancee. There was no way I was staying aboard a floating piece of cr@p.

 

 

Did they explain why they wouldn't allow you off? Did they back down and let you off when you and your fiancé gave them an "awakening?"

 

Congrats on your engagement BTW.

[sue402001]

Email note from Hugo, the Hotel Director, indicated that the ship is now operational and will be heading for Miami to welcome the next voyage pax on board. He raved about the hotel crew and all the staff for their good work and attitude. He showed great pride in how the situation ended. Kudos to him and his staff. He said that most passangers were understanding and tolerant. Good to hear this news.

Awesome news and it's even better that 2 of you got the same email. I'm so glad we wont have to find an alternate cruise this coming weekend. :)

[Red_Dawn]

Did they explain why they wouldn't allow you off? Did they back down and let you off when you and your fiancé gave them an "awakening?"

 

Congrats on your engagement BTW.

 

Thanks for the congrats!!!

 

They gave no reason as to why we weren't allowed off. They kept saying "only non-U.S. citizens are allowed off at this time." They did back down when I explained that they cannot legally keep me on the ship. Even though I'm not a lawyer, I know my rights!!! :D

[smeyer418]

Thanks for the congrats!!!

 

They gave no reason as to why we weren't allowed off. They kept saying "only non-U.S. citizens are allowed off at this time." They did back down when I explained that they cannot legally keep me on the ship. Even though I'm not a lawyer, I know my rights!!! :D

The Miami Herald report says that it was CBP that decided who should get off and in what order...and they CAN keep you on the ship...and I am a lawyer. The rule is very simple CBP does not need any cause to do what they do. they control entry into the US and have broad discretion on how someone should get off a ship...failure to follow their orders is in fact a criminal violation. At the "Border" you have very little rights.

[Red_Dawn]

The Miami Herald report says that it was CBP that decided who should get off and in what order...and they CAN keep you on the ship...and I am a lawyer. The rule is very simple CBP does not need any cause to do what they do. they control entry into the US and have broad discretion on how someone should get off a ship...failure to follow their orders is in fact a criminal violation. At the "Border" you have very little rights.

 

You believe everything that the new reports? Well guess what, I'm a doctor and my fiancee is a doctor and we both needed to get home. If I broke the law I should have been detained on the spot. Customs may stop me from entering (highly doubtful), but once the ship is docked I can get off if I please. My passport is valid and I'm on U.S. soil.

[Don Haynes]

You believe everything that the new reports? Well guess what, I'm a doctor and my fiancee is a doctor and we both needed to get home. If I broke the law I should have been detained on the spot. Customs may stop me from entering (highly doubtful), but once the ship is docked I can get off if I please. My passport is valid and I'm on U.S. soil.

 

You tend to forget that the judge and jury on a foreign flagged cruise ship is the ship's captain, even in US waters. Rights, ha!, you don't have them on a foreign flagged ship...

[Dolphins]

I received the same e-mail from him and happy to hear that everything turned out ok with out any kind of injuries. That is the main thing. Hopefully the crew can let their hair down for a few days and relax because they are the best crew out at sea and will be ready for the next set of pax on 12/4. Hope everyone has a great cruise.

 

To those passengers who complained about how hot it was in their inside cabins, think about how hot it was down in the crew's quarters. Glad to see the fine staff of the Dawn, many of whom I am familiar with, are getting a welcome respite.

[njhorseman]

You believe everything that the new reports? Well guess what, I'm a doctor and my fiancee is a doctor and we both needed to get home. If I broke the law I should have been detained on the spot. Customs may stop me from entering (highly doubtful), but once the ship is docked I can get off if I please. My passport is valid and I'm on U.S. soil.

 

 

Requiring US citizens to wait on board until non citizens have been cleared appears to be an increasingly common practice. This happened to us a few weeks ago on a cruise returing to Philadelphia. This was an ordinary cruise, returning as scheduled to its homeport, not something out of the ordinary like your cruise on the Dawn. CBP is constantly changing its procedures...it almost seems as though they do it a different way every time we cruise.

 

CBP makes the call as to when the ship is cleared for disembarkation and how it is to be handled. Your being a US citizen with a valid passport is irrelevant. You were returning from a foreign country and must clear customs and immigration. I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate it if CBP told you how to practice medicine.

[terrymtex01]

The Miami Herald report says that it was CBP that decided who should get off and in what order...and they CAN keep you on the ship...and I am a lawyer. The rule is very simple CBP does not need any cause to do what they do. they control entry into the US and have broad discretion on how someone should get off a ship...failure to follow their orders is in fact a criminal violation. At the "Border" you have very little rights.

 

Sid.. not for sure what he and his wife being doctors has to do with anything, especially since the discussion was about law, but I guess that means you can start handing out medical advice. 8-)

[jester121]

So, having read all 13 pages, the thing I took away from this thread is: how did we all become such a bunch of softies? People are complaining bitterly about 6 or 12 or 24 hours without air conditioning. Not food, not water. Chilled air. So it was humid? You broke a sweat? Maybe smelled a bit? Good lord...

 

Amazingly, there are entire countries full of people in the Caribbean (and a bunch in the USA) who manage to survive this every day of their lives, and yet they live to tell the tale without compensation or OBC.

[BIG_Steve]

 

Amazingly, there are entire countries full of people in the Caribbean (and a bunch in the USA) who manage to survive this every day of their lives, and yet they live to tell the tale without compensation or OBC.

 

And if they paid their hard earned bucks for a once in a lifetime vacation, some (maybe most) would also be upset if they had been on this cruise.

 

Stuff breaks, I know that. But I would sure be crabby after my luxury resort had no AC when it was hot.

 

We're all different. If one person can make the best of bad situation, I'm happy for him. But it doesn't make the folks who feel differently bad folks either. I would love to be a fly on the wall if some of the posters here have to go through something similar.

[Don Haynes]

And if they paid their hard earned bucks for a once in a lifetime vacation, some (maybe most) would also be upset if they had been on this cruise.

 

Stuff breaks, I know that. But I would sure be crabby after my luxury resort had no AC when it was hot.

 

We're all different. If one person can make the best of bad situation, I'm happy for him. But it doesn't make the folks who feel differently bad folks either. I would love to be a fly on the wall if some of the posters here have to go through something similar.

 

Or the opposite, going to a ski resort and a ice storm brings down all of the electric lines and your room's heater doesn't work... or your electric blanket....

[CruisnGram]

I know right, NCL could have been left them in San Juan with no hotel or flight back to Miami.

People are so ungrateful.

 

Excuse me? Who said anything about anyone being ungrateful? Or about NCL providing hotels or transportation back to Miami? Certainly not me.

 

Just because you don't like me, and follow me around waiting to pounce on everything I say, is no excuse for you to put words in my mouth. I said that NCL is offering a very, VERY nice compensation for the inconveniece the passengers encountered. Nothing more.

 

You really should read the posts that you respond to (and criticize) before writing a response as you make yourself look pretty foolish when you don't.

[Tideone]

I have read all of these posts and I even posted a few pages back but Jester121 post about no AC and the many people who live in hot, humid conditions and not having air conditioning reminded me of a story my late uncle used to tell about his WWII experiences in the south Pacific...

He was stationed on a destroyer with the Pacific fleet. His ship was not air conditioned, he said there were many nights when he and others of the crew would come topside to sleep because it was too hot to sleep in their bunks... And he served in the Pacific for three years.

And now, we have people complaining about just a few short hours of being temporarily inconvenienced...

[MrPete]

I know it isn't NCL's fault and will remain positive.

 

Tell us what they shared with you and what you know.

[Harris Jeffer]

I hope the passengers left the full $12/day even for the cancelled days - they OWE that money!!

 

 

They owe squat.....no service no tip.....for the gross inconvience they should pay nothing

 

If NCL wants to pony up some cash for the crew let them!

[VentureForth]

Lie number one: The captian had said that they had backup power to run the ship. They didn't! There was no a/c, and the ship could barely move at 9.5kts. When the Navy helicopter arrived, it dropped a GPS beacon into the water so our position could be monitored. We were a floating garbage pail.

Wow. Them are some big accusations there, Mr. Dr.

 

1) 9.5 Kts is NOT barely moving for a cruise ship! That's a very standard speed for inter-island mingling and, well, cruising.

 

2) Without backup power, how could they acheive 9.5 knots?

 

3) Choices - a) Move ship at a "barely" 9.5 knots to get to shore or b) AC for everybody! I think I'd pick a).

[pieshops]

I was on this cruise, aka the "NCL Refugee I" in my opinion. I don't have the time to read all 12 pages of this thread so I appologize if I am being redundant. Although the cruise up until the loss of power was nice, being stuck at sea for six hours without power was not fun. Furthermore, not having a/c for 24 hours is even more intolerable. This cruise was special for me as I planned to get engaged during the trip. Luckily I proposed just as we left Miami, otherwise I'm sure my fiancee would have thrown me overboard if I waited until the end. Now let me expalin some facts at how the NCL staff lied to the occupants of the ship.

 

Lie number one: The captian had said that they had backup power to run the ship. They didn't! There was no a/c, and the ship could barely move at 9.5kts. When the Navy helicopter arrived, it dropped a GPS beacon into the water so our position could be monitored. We were a floating garbage pail.

 

Lie number two. We were informed about being diverted to San Juan and they said we would all be transported back to Miami Saturday. They had no plans to do such a thing, and traveling on Thanksgiving weekend is brutal, nevertheless trying to get 2,200 people off of an island unexpectedly is next to impossible. I found out at 04:00am Saturday that there were only two flights out that day and that all of the passengers we're already selected. I was not on the list to get out that day. However they kept telling us that they would inform us at 07:00am when we would be leaving that day.

 

Lie number three. They said all non-U.S. citizens who had flights leaving Miami on Sunday were the first off. Not true. I meet some people who were not leaving Miami until Monday who were on the first chartered flight out.

 

But what really upset me was that they said U.S. citizens were not allowed to leave the ship Saturday morning. Sure, you try keeping a U.S. citizen from setting foot on a US Territory. In retrospect, maybe U.S. citizens make better hostages. When they tried to stop me from getting off the ship at 09:30am Saturday they got a real awakening from me and my fiancee. There was no way I was staying aboard a floating piece of cr@p.

 

Unfortunately, even with a 75% refund and 50% off voucher for another cruise, I will never go on another trip with NCL. This was my first and last cruise. :mad: Oh, I also to pay to get home on my own and purchased the last two seats on Jet Blue.

 

first of all congrats on the engagement but you are not telling the whole story, i also was on the ship.

 

first of all yes the captain said there was backup power, they used the backup power to get to San Juan, there was enough power to propel the ship slowly with most of the other resources such as a/c, etc being diverted to run the engines, would you rather have been adrift for 4 days with air?

 

The second "lie" - they NEVER said they would transport everyone back saturday, they said they would charter flights and get everyone back to Miami as soon as they could, never did they specify everyone woudl go saturday.

 

the third "lie" again never did they say how they were choosing passengers for the flights, how would they know who had flights when out of Miami unless they were arranged by ncl, and i am pretty sure that is a small majority of people since the NCL air is so much more expensive then booking yourself.

 

lastly, i and my family were on of the first few off the ship saturday after they called for non us citizens on the first flight, we arranged our own air, we got off when they called for the first group of us citizens on the ship on the first flight to get off, we were told by the captain who was at the gangway that we were not on the flight and we told him we booked our own air and he said that was fine we can not keep you on the ship, sorry for the inconvenience and have a good day. there was no argument in any way. Yes you are right they would not let us citizens off in the first wave but right around 9:30 they called for us citizens and then there was no problem.

 

i guess your way sounds much more dramtic though

 

one last thing - you say you had to get home because you are doctors? not sure what this has to do with anything, if the ship had not broke you would not have been home for another day at least, if the ship did not broke were you planning on jumping off and swimming home saturday?

[sjbdtz]

 

one last thing - you say you had to get home because you are doctors? not sure what this has to do with anything, if the ship had not broke you would not have been home for another day at least, if the ship did not broke were you planning on jumping off and swimming home saturday?

 

 

Thank you for that. I was wondering the same thing....but you put it so eloquently.

[hannibal54]

I have read all of these postings, most things have been talked about over and over. My thoughts are about the woman who was in PR who is afraid to fly. I wonder how she made it back to Miami. My GF does not like to fly but does when we go on vacation. What about a person who does not fly and has to?

[Red_Dawn]

Does this look like an enjoyable night of sleep in your cabin? I have many other pictures to document my statements.

 

 

[alwayssingin]

Important Information for Norwegian Dawn Guests:

Miami - Nov 30, 2009 --- The ship's December 4, 2009 nine-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean will sail as scheduled. The technical difficulties the ship experienced on November 27 have been resolved and the ship is fully operational. We look forward to welcoming all our guests on board.

[Red_Dawn]

red dawn,

 

The only problem with your comments are you say you are stating opinions and there is nothing wrong with that but you said they lied, that is not opinion that is fact, but none of the facts as you stated them are true, so i am very confused as to what you are really saying.

 

i respnded to each of your so called "lies", was i wrong in my responses or were you exagerating a bit for some drama?

 

Okay, I saw the passenger list at 04:00am, and they only had two flights out Saturday. Did you not hear the Captian state on Firday over the PA system that everyone would be transported off the ship Saturday back to Miami? At 07:00am Saturday morning, Hugo was still telling people that they were geting off the ship that day when in fact they weren't. The people on the list were already notified, Hugo omitted that during his 07:00am speach.

 

This was my first cruise and I saw things that I never saw before. Did you go on the excursion where a young lady took her infant into the ocean for the Sting Ray feeding? I can document that also. My comment about not being obese was not discrimination, it is a fact. There were people on board who should not have been there.

 

My observations are obviously different than yours, and that is perfectly okay. However, I have photographs to back up my story. Furthermore, people who were not on the ship shouldn't be throwing stones in a glass house.

[WeBeGone]

Okay, I saw the passenger list at 04:00am, and they only had two flights out Saturday. Did you not hear the Captian state on Firday over the PA system that everyone would be transported off the ship Saturday back to Miami? At 07:00am Saturday morning, Hugo was still telling people that they were geting off the ship that day when in fact they weren't. The people on the list were already notified, Hugo omitted that during his 07:00am speach.

 

This was my first cruise and I saw things that I never saw before. Did you go on the excursion where a young lady took her infant into the ocean for the Sting Ray feeding? I can document that also. My comment about not being obese was not discrimination, it is a fact. There were people on board who should not have been there.

 

My observations are obviously different than yours, and that is perfectly okay. However, I have photographs to back up my story. Furthermore, people who were not on the ship shouldn't be throwing stones in a glass house.

 

 

Dear Red Dawn,

You need to chill out dude. Since this was your first cruise, of course you saw things you haven't seen before. But those of us that are well traveled, and that cruise a lot, just need to assure you that everything is ok now. The world did not end. And you cannot make such sweeping statements like " There were people on board who should not have been there. " without be called on it (flamed in cruise critic terms).

 

If you want to be a valued contributor to cruise critic, we welcome you. However if you continue to post such inflammatory posts, those of us with more knowledge than you regarding cruising will need to tell you to take a pill and relax. When one travels, "stuff" happens. One needs to take a deep breath and try to be rational about the situation without becoming hysterical.

 

PS - Airplanes cannot just appear. NCL got everyone back as soon as it was logistically possible. And yes, Sting Ray City and the ocean are perfectly safe for an infant. For all you know the kid could swim. "Judge not lest ye be judged".