Dawn's Adrift!

[Cruise_With_Me]

I'd hide right with you Pete....seriously, the You Tube things scare the hell out of me.

 

What scares me on that video is that with the first falling incident everybody stands around and does not even attempt to help. And the jerk shooting the video and then proudly parades in a news room keeps on shooting the video.

 

Shame, shame, shame.

 

Yeah, a bunch of compassionate people. And I am supposed to feel sorry for them when they let another person fall and roll around? No way!!!:mad:

[Cruise_With_Me]

We were on the Dawn. This is a letter we wrote to NCL about our experience. The bottom line is NCL did a great job under the circumstances and the compensation was far more than we expected.

 

 

 

 

We were passengers on the above sailing.

 

In light of the breakdown we wanted to express our thoughts. We had a wonderful cruise and could not have been more pleased with the cruise experience.

 

The breakdown did not occur until after we had visited all the ports of call. We had two sea days left and then the scheduled arrival in Miami on Sunday. When the breakdown occurred we were in the garden café and had just finished breakfast. Since we had not planned on doing anything, we just took the breakdown in stride and relaxed.

 

Fortunately, we had a balcony cabin and the sun was on the other side of the ship. Our cabin was relatively comfortable and we just adjusted to the inconvenience. Our toilets started working within a short time of the breakdown and we had no problems in that regard.

 

Francisca and I are both lawyers, and everyday we deal with situations where something goes wrong and somebody gets mad. We realized that the crew was doing all they could do, so we just relaxed and made the best of it.

 

Saturday was a different story. When we arrived in San Juan, we realized that there was a major problem with the ship and we would not be returning to Miami on the ship. We knew that NCL was working hard to find a way to get everyone home. If we had one complaint at that time, it would be a lack of information and misinformation about what to expect next. We were told not to come to the main lobby, yet the only way to find out whether you were on a flight was to look at the flight list which was, you guessed it, in the main lobby. When the lists of flights were posted it was like a feeding frenzy. Only two lists were posted and hundreds of people were gathered around trying to look at the lists. Eventually two other copies of the lists were placed on the table. This did nothing to abate the frenzy. We felt that no one was in charge and if they were, they could have just as easily printed 10 more lists to avoid the problem.

 

About three o’clock our name appeared on a new list for a 9:00pm flight. We had spent the day on the sundeck so we returned to room and showered and repacked. We had a light dinner and proceed to disembark as directed. At this point another mad scramble occurred, but again we understood the situation.

 

We got on the bus and headed to the airport. This is where we felt NCL completely dropped the ball. There was no one from NCL to meet us at the airport and take charge. We patiently went through the agriculture inspection and then took our place standing in a long line. For over an hour this line did not move and nothing happened and no one at this point had anyone to talk to, to get an explanation of what was happening.

 

The area of the airport we were in was completely deserted. After an hour, someone moved the head of the line to a different part of the airport. At this point five hundred or six hundred passengers were still standing in a line that was going nowhere with absolutely no information from anyone. There was still no representative from NCL anywhere to be found.

 

 

After standing in this new spot for at least 45 minutes the line finally started to move. We went around a corner and could finally see what was happening. Three representatives’ for the charter airline were checking people in. After another 45 minutes standing in line we got to point where we were about 75 people away from the front of the line. Someone (not from NCL) came out and started counting the people in line. He then stopped about 20 people behind after us and had the rest of the line follow him to another part of the airport. Again, still no one from NCL was there to help or explain what was happening.

 

Just as we were the next couple in line to step up to the ticket agent, someone came out and said the plane was full and then guided us to the back of the line of the other passengers who were originally behind us in the original line. We could see that they were being checked in by a different airline.

 

Now it appeared that we missed the flight and we were probably going to miss the next flight because we were at the end of a line of people who arrived at the airport 45 minutes to an hour after us. Finally someone from NCL showed up. He had no information about what was happening and just kept repeating NCL was a cruise line and not an airline and this was the busiest time of the year. This may have been true and a great way to spin the situation, but he was talking to people who had been standing in line for over three hours and had no idea if they were t get on a plane that night. In other words, he had no information about what was actually happening.

 

We eventually got on the OIA flight and arrived in Miami. The flight was a very pleasant surprise. We were expecting an airplane from a third world country and no service whatsoever. We got on DC10 with comfortable seats, eight flight attendants, a movie, snacks and drink service. The service and experience was better than any I have received on a regular airline in many years.

 

We got to Miami and wanted to get to our car which was parked at the port, but were told the port was closed. Instead we were taken to a hotel. Another very pleasant surprise, The JW Marriot. Check in was smooth, you had box lunches waiting for us and a buffet breakfast the next morning.

 

If you could have handled the situation at the San Juan airport like you handled the situation once we returned to Miami, we would have had no complaints.

 

In summary we enjoyed the cruise, understood the problems and appreciated the efforts made to get us home and felt that your refund on the cruise and discount of a future cruise was more than fair. Our only suggestion for the future is that you should consider using the ship’s shore excursion staff once passengers leave the ship and to help organize what goes on at the airport. At every port when we left the ship, we saw the staff organizing the various shore excursions. They should do the same in a situation like this.

 

. You will see us onboard one of your ships again.

 

Beautiful.

You stated what you liked, what could have been better, took most of it in stride.

 

Awesome letter.

[MrPete]

Sorry to say that but you sound more arrogant with every post.

 

You were pampered for the most part of the cruise. You slept one night on the deck (some seasoned cruisers call that a deck slumber party). You got for missing a day or so on the ship and one night of trouble 75% of your cruise fare back (plus the $75 for your wine and 50% off of another cruise).

 

For incidents like that there are no emergency plans. As a doctor and so many years of college I would hope that you have more common sense and logic. What if incidents like that happen of the coast of Dominica? Have you seen that airport?

 

How do you expect any cruise line to have contracts with EVERY air carrier and EVERY hotel for EVERY airport on any of the ports-of-call?

 

Do you think air carriers and hotels stay under-booked just in case any of the thousands of cruise ships sailing the seas every day has a freak problem?

 

You enjoyed most of your cruise. It ended on a bad note, so be it.

 

I would have stayed as long on the Dawn as possible just to have people like you to get off as fast as you can plus I like being on a cruise ship.

 

Heck, give me a cold beer, a deck chair and I have a grand day. I would not be in any rush to leave. Technically my cruise would have lasted another day or two anyhow.

 

And don't tell me "oh but we had no AC". So what. My AC broke once over labor day. Just gave up on me. In Florida, in summer time. I lived through the aftermath of hurricanes with no power - almost a week without AC - in summer time.

 

Some are capable of adjusting, some are not. Some simply can enjoy life, with all its little hurdles and bumps, other can not. I am grateful that I wake up every morning, that I am healthy. A lot of people can not do that. A lot of people are less fortune than you and me yet you complain about minor stuff like that.

 

I wonder what you would do if that would have happened midway on a transatlantic. :p

I'd see that as an opportunity for an extra few days on a cruise ship. You? Expecting a private helicopter or water plane?

 

Take that sentence on your future travels:

 

"Life is short. It can end any minute. Enjoy every second of it."

 

Happy travels to you.

 

I'm surprised you can't accept the fact that regardless of the compensation, some people will just be miserable without sleep. There may be no AC, but there are also NO WINDOWS TO OPEN.

 

I know what a crowded lido deck looks like in the daytime. I can only imagine what it might have looked like at night. I'm sure some would have thught it would be fun. Others, no so.

 

Let those that need to blow off steam, blow off steam. It doesn't half affect you, as what happened to them affected them.

 

No one is asking for lectures.

[Cruise_With_Me]

I'm surprised you can't accept the fact that regardless of the compensation, some people will just be miserable without sleep. There may be no AC, but there are also NO WINDOWS TO OPEN.

 

I know what a crowded lido deck looks like in the daytime. I can only imagine what it might have looked like at night. I'm sure some would have thught it would be fun. Others, no so.

 

Let those that need to blow off steam, blow off steam. It doesn't half affect you, as what happened to them affected them.

No one is asking for lectures.

 

Yet you are lecturing me. How ironic.

 

I didn't lecture anybody. I stated my opinion and how I would react.

 

I think when you post an opinion you subject yourself to opposing opinions. It doesn't matter if your opinion is positive or negative. There always will be opposing opinions.

 

If this happens a day or two into the cruise I maybe could have understood all this hoopla.

But the cruise was almost over, NCL gave a gracious financial return way beyond the actual financial damage. You complete 75 or 80% of your cruise and you get a 75% refund? You essentially cruised for free - ABSOLUTELY free.

 

The financial recovery makes up way beyond any flight changes done on your own. NCL was put on the spot to place 2000 people in airplanes and hotels. Transporting 2000 people from one place to another usually takes months of planing. They did the planing, begin of executing such plan in less than 24 hours (according to reports).

 

What it has become now is just pettiness. Individual experiences are being highlighted not considering the overall magnitude of the task at hand.

 

None of you knows what it means to move 2000 people on a minutes notice. Though being in that business I don't even know that. It is one of these moments where a nightmare comes true. The wast majority of the cruisers were brought back in time to complete their travels. That is a monumental task.

 

This pettiness about not having AC for a day or so or having to conserve water shows the simple me-first attitude.

 

Any cruise line completing a sudden crisis like that should be applauded. It doesn't matter if that is Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL or anybody else for that matter.

 

It sounds so easy, just book us. Multiply that by 2000, getting airplanes into San Juan, dumping an additional 2000 people into an airport with makeshift counters and gates. Pah!

 

Setting up a charter requires a lot of work in the first place. It is a lot of work: additional gate space not to interfere with regular airport operations, gate fee negotiations, additional customers service capable of handling 2000 people, setting up customs and immigration, disembarkation procedures set up on a moments notice.

 

It was a task where NCL, the air carriers, and hotels should be applauded for the sudden change.

 

Any cruise line who handles a task like that within a 48 hour span has my trust and confidence and any airline participating in that would get my business in a heartbeat.

 

All that other stuff: peanuts. It is subjective and individually based on preferences.

 

Unless a ship is sinking there can not be any emergency preparation which includes a sudden movement of that many people - none.

 

Just talk to any travel agency having done a ship charter. It takes a year and longer to plan everything. Now tell that agency they can only plan for the first portion of the trip and have to plan, book and execute the transportation of the entire ship in a 48 hour time frame at the end of the cruise. They tell you "you are nuts".

 

In all that you forget that the employees on the ship were in the same situation - actually worse. They too had no AC and they had to serve 2000 people with individual boo-boos. They did not have the opportunity to sleep on deck, no matter how packked it was. They had no chance to sleep maybe on the balcony. Did they actually had sleep?

 

And while those bitching and moaning, the minute they stepped into the terminal they had AC. Nice refreshing air. The crew? NOT SO!!!!

 

They still sweated and worked hard to get the passengers of the ship - always trying to smile. The bus to the airport had AC. The terminal had AC. It is horrible to stand in line in AC. Much worse than working your butt off, with no AC, trying to help 2000 passenger to get safely home - always with a smile.

 

You have to put this whole thing into perspective and realise how much work, and cooperation was and is involved in such an operation - not just by NCL.

 

Those in the business can only look in awe how 2000 people were so quickly moved onto an island, put into planes and brought back to the US mainland.

 

There are always individual stories of "who cares" and "it sucked" but no matter on which side you stand you have to simply look at the monumental task.

[MrPete]

I didn't lecture anybody. I stated my opinion and how I would react.

 

Sorry, but I didn't read past this statement.

 

Unless you actually experience it, I'm not sure an opinion can even be given. It sounds like you're even romanticizing the situation.

[Beachbum1944]

Mr Pete or anyone else...are there any videos of this situation on-line?

[Cruise_With_Me]

Sorry, but I didn't read past this statement.

 

Unless you actually experience it, I'm not sure an opinion can even be given. It sounds like you're even romanticizing the situation.

 

Selective reading is always helpful. You may want to read the entire post at your leisure.

 

While I was never in an exact situation like that I was in similar situations. I see you have a Carnival funnel as your avatar. Shouldn't you be talking about Carnival ships hitting other ships? Is the NCL incident a welcome distraction from not one but two hitting incidents by Carnival recently?

 

BTW, I hope the captain who was evacuated is doing better.

 

PS: I am not romanticizing anything. I am just pointing out how to make the best out of a horrible situation while considering the overall task at hand. Like I said: read the entire post.

[MrPete]

Mr Pete or anyone else...are there any videos of this situation on-line?

 

I haven't found anyone posting a link, or I missed it, but I did find this. Not much, though.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1IG84oBR9U

[MrPete]

Selective reading is always helpful. You may want to read the entire post at your leisure.

 

While I was never in an exact situation like that I was in similar situations. I see you have a Carnival funnel as your avatar. Shouldn't you be talking about Carnival ships hitting other ships? Is the NCL incident a welcome distraction from not one but two hitting incidents by Carnival recently?

 

BTW, I hope the captain who was evacuated is doing better.

 

PS: I am not romanticizing anything. I am just pointing out how to make the best out of a horrible situation while considering the overall task at hand. Like I said: read the entire post.

 

No thanks. I just obtained your IQ from reading this one.

[AuntieBarb]

Here's a media report that some seem to be referring to.

[Beachbum1944]

Mr Pete & AuntieBarb...thanks for the videos.

[sillysailor 1955]

I'm not sure if its the same video but there was something about this cruise on the Dawn on the local NBC Today in NY show this morning. Didn't look like a "fun" trip.

[AuntieBarb]

Here's a media report that some seem to be referring to.

 

I will sing praises until the "cows come home" about the staff & crew aboard the Dawn. As a whole, I truly believe they are high caliber!

 

I don't know who that crew member is in the video, but despite holding them in high regard it is disheartening to see a crew member just standing there as some passengers obviously should be receiving some attention! Perhaps he was overwhelmed by it all and didn't know where to turn next. IDK

[sillysailor 1955]

I will sing praises until the "cows come home" about the staff & crew aboard the Dawn. As a whole, I truly believe they are high caliber!

 

I don't know who that crew member is in the video, but despite holding them in high regard it is disheartening to see a crew member just standing there as some passengers obviously should be receiving some attention! Perhaps he was overwhelmed by it all and didn't know where to turn next. IDK

 

That's a shame... we really enjoyed our cruise on the Dawn (several years back) I feel sorry for all the cruisers who were inconvenienced.

[dawncruiser09]

We were on the Dawn as well.

 

We never saw anyone fainting or falling down, I guess we were lucky. We did hear from another lady that apparently a woman needed help because after finding out she was being flown out of Puerto Rico, she was hyperventilating because she had a fear of flying. As for sleeping out on deck (we took pictures) people were (we walked mainly in the front of the ship) - laughing, chit chatting...sort of a slumber party - camping- feeling - in fact, my boyfriend wanted to sleep on deck too, but I was against it since we had a balcony in our cabin and had a wee, itsy, bitsy bit of air movement with both doors open.

 

The only thing that got us upset was that my boyfriend and I (we both live in Germany) were booked on two different flights. My German boyfriend was to be flown out on Saturday night to Miami while I was suppose to fly out Sunday morning, but after running around from reception to the 12th floor we were told for him to fly standby with me. Come to think of it - when we checked in on Sunday for our flight out - no one even looked at a manifest or any kind of list. It appeared to be: first come, first fly/serve. I have a strong feeling that NCL just said they had lists to keep everyone from running to the airport and creating an even more chaos. My boyfriend’s original flight was Saturday night along with other Germans (there were +200 Germans on board the Dawn!) I guess because it was Thanksgiving weekend and NCL didn't want them to miss their transatlantic flights. Just a hunch.

 

Due to the circumstances I think NCL did a great job could have been better with the flight organization especially with people booked in the same cabin. But they managed to arrange charter airplanes and fly out 2200 passengers over the Thanksgiving weekend.

 

Up until the power failure we totally enjoyed our cruise. Someone mentioned something negative about the food on the Dawn – now I am a picky eater - but we enjoyed our meals on board. In fact, we wanted to try one of the speciality restaurants but always found something on the Venetian menu that appealed to us.I can only recommend the lemon and ginger pudding. If you get the chance – try it. If you get the recipe – give it to me!

[Planer's Edge]

I will sing praises until the "cows come home" about the staff & crew aboard the Dawn. As a whole, I truly believe they are high caliber!

 

I don't know who that crew member is in the video, but despite holding them in high regard it is disheartening to see a crew member just standing there as some passengers obviously should be receiving some attention! Perhaps he was overwhelmed by it all and didn't know where to turn next. IDK

It appears by the uniform and radio on his hip that he is with security.

 

It is curious that he not on the radio calling for assistance. Maybe he was doing just that moments after the tape cut away from him.

 

I personally find it more curious that the guy doing the video did not jump in and help in all of the situation that he was pointing out.:confused: But, hey that is just me. They also asked people to stay out of the reception area unless they had business there. But, here was video taping. :rolleyes: Go figure.

 

PE

[Harleycat]

We were on the Dawn as well.

 

We never saw anyone fainting or falling down, I guess we were lucky. We did hear from another lady that apparently a woman needed help because after finding out she was being flown out of Puerto Rico, she was hyperventilating because she had a fear of flying. As for sleeping out on deck (we took pictures) people were (we walked mainly in the front of the ship) - laughing, chit chatting...sort of a slumber party - camping- feeling - in fact, my boyfriend wanted to sleep on deck too, but I was against it since we had a balcony in our cabin and had a wee, itsy, bitsy bit of air movement with both doors open.

 

The only thing that got us upset was that my boyfriend and I (we both live in Germany) were booked on two different flights. My German boyfriend was to be flown out on Saturday night to Miami while I was suppose to fly out Sunday morning, but after running around from reception to the 12th floor we were told for him to fly standby with me. Come to think of it - when we checked in on Sunday for our flight out - no one even looked at a manifest or any kind of list. It appeared to be: first come, first fly/serve. I have a strong feeling that NCL just said they had lists to keep everyone from running to the airport and creating an even more chaos. My boyfriend’s original flight was Saturday night along with other Germans (there were +200 Germans on board the Dawn!) I guess because it was Thanksgiving weekend and NCL didn't want them to miss their transatlantic flights. Just a hunch.

 

Due to the circumstances I think NCL did a great job could have been better with the flight organization especially with people booked in the same cabin. But they managed to arrange charter airplanes and fly out 2200 passengers over the Thanksgiving weekend.

 

Up until the power failure we totally enjoyed our cruise. Someone mentioned something negative about the food on the Dawn – now I am a picky eater - but we enjoyed our meals on board. In fact, we wanted to try one of the speciality restaurants but always found something on the Venetian menu that appealed to us.I can only recommend the lemon and ginger pudding. If you get the chance – try it. If you get the recipe – give it to me!

 

Thanks for offering another perspective. I'm glad you got home safe and sound.

[AuntieBarb]

It appears by the uniform and radio on his hip that he is with security.

 

It is curious that he not on the radio calling for assistance. Maybe he was doing just that moments after the tape cut away from him.

 

I personally find it more curious that the guy doing the video did not jump in and help in all of the situation that he was pointing out.:confused: But' date=' hey that is just me. They also asked people to stay out of the reception area unless they had business there. But, here was video taping. :rolleyes: Go figure.

 

PE[/color']

 

All good points, PE !

[pieshops]

the guy is security and if you watch closely you see another crewmember coming in with a wheelchair.

 

Unless you are trained in first aid or are a paramdedic, it is not recomended jumping in as you may cause more damage.

 

i would love to see this video from beginning to end not just a small sampling, the man may have fallen 15 seconds before he filmed this and 5 seconds after he turned it off maybe 5 crewmembers showed up, its all in the perspective you want to show.

[AuntieBarb]

i would love to see this video from beginning to end not just a small sampling, the man may have fallen 15 seconds before he filmed this and 5 seconds after he turned it off maybe 5 crewmembers showed up, its all in the perspective you want to show.

 

:eek: The news media? Put a tainted spin on something? Say it ain't so! :eek:

[Planer's Edge]

Too bad Jeremy Ides won't come here to answer a few questions.

 

PE

[Cruise_With_Me]

Too bad Jeremy Ides won't come here to answer a few questions.

 

PE

 

What is he supposed to answer? Why he didn't go help?

Obviously he is more in it for sensationalism than actually helping others.

 

Yeah, he even said that she bounced and hit her head hard. Thankfully Mr Ides kept is hands solidly at his cam and made sure that there is no shaky picture.

 

Heck, you wanna be a hero? Hand the camera over and be the one comforting the person. You would be the only one. Make sure you smile into the camera though.

 

According to the date on youtube this video was uploaded on November 30.

It is from an Orlando News station. So Mr Ide made it back home, contacted the News Station in less than 72 hours. Considering a few practice runs and editing the video by the News Station Mr Ide probably didn't have to much of a rough time.

[Simon_B]

Too bad Jeremy Ides won't come here to answer a few questions.

 

PE

 

There really is nobody that you folks won't attack, is there?

 

It must be getting harder to spin things when there is actual video showing the conditions. This guy was on the ship - his opinion is worth so much more than all you that weren't.

[GTJ]

I am curious as well to know what happend to the passengers that could not fly, whether it be fear or no passports? Be interesting to know if they were able to book another ship for a return trip.

 

I had not been following this story, but when it was brought to my attention this was my very first thought. I travel by cruise ship in large part because I do not fly. I imagine there are many others in the same position since--as numerous friends and colleagues have pointed out to me--it is usually faster to fly to various places than to go by sea to those same places. Yet, many people choose to go by sea rather than fly.

 

There are no ferries between Puerto Rico and the mainland United States.

 

At the time of this incident there were three vessels that would be making the voyage from Puerto Rice to the mainland United States. The Costa Atlantica left Puerto Rico on Monday, 30 November, and after stops in St. Maarten, B.V.I., and Nassau, will arrive in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, 5 December. The Holland America Eurodam left Puerto Rico on Tuesday, 1 December, and after stops in St. Thomas and Half Moon Cays (Bahamas), will arrive in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, 5 December. The Carnival Liberty left Puerto Rico on Wednesday, 2 December, and after a stop in Grand Turk, will arrive in Miami on Saturday, 5 December. Since the Norwegian Dawn has been expecting to make its scheduled sailing on Friday, 4 December, from Miami, it would have been more time efficient for any air travel-adverse passengers to remain on board the Norwegian Dawn than to attempt to travel on any of the other three vessels scheduled to return to the mainland United States from Puerto Rico. Furthermore, there is the question of how much space was available on these other three vessels, plus transportation on any of those three vessels would have entailed a violation of the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886, 46 App. U.S.C. § 289, thereby subjecting the vessels to a $300 per passenger fine (presumably an amount that those other vessels would have expected NCL to pay).

 

I am curious to know how non-flying passengers were accommodated.

[SPMorrissey]

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.

Where did I say you said people are ungrateful or that you mentioned transport or hotels? My point being NCL paying for transport and hotels is the least they could do. Where have I said I don't like you? What constitutes animal abuse may be different than yours but where have I come out and said I don't like you?

I do disagree with you about compensation. It's OK, not great but OK. 50% off of any room would be nice, 50% off the next cruise based on what you paid is OK, not great but OK