What happens when you miss the ship?

[Embracedbylife]

We are planning to do ST. Thomas port on our own - it's our first time really doing our own thing while at port. We always worry about missing the ship, so typically we do the princess excursions when we venture out a ways from the ship.

 

So we are going to be in St. Thomas from 8am-6pm (ship leaves at 6pm) and we are going to take the ferry over on our own to St. John catching a cab by 8:30am and plan to catch the 2pm ferry back to St. Thomas to give us time in case we miss that ferry and/or hit traffic. Plan to be back on board by 4pm.

 

However, worst case scenario - we have a snag with the ferry, or accident in traffic, whatever and miss the ship how does it work??? We'll be carrying one credit card, cash and copies of our passports (although St. Thomas is part of the US and so is PR the next port) should we also carry our driver's license in the worst event we have to fly to San Juan if we miss the ship? Does princess have someone at the pier or is there a number to call if god forbid we miss the ship? I just want to have all this written down and have it with us in case!!! Thanks!

[paul929207]

If you miss the ship, it will be your problem to catch the ship at the next port. Unless you can find a clause in your travel insurance (if you have it), you would have to pay the expenses. These would likely include airfare, hotel, meals, taxis, etc. If you would have to fly to a non-US country, then you would need a passport. If you did not have one you could not fly.

 

Best plan, DO NOT MISS THE SHIP.

[Worn out mailman]

You're bound to get some smart alec answers to your question here. I can't answer but I will tell you that the Captain comes on the intercom and announces that there are stragglers slowing things down as the ship is getting ready to depart.

 

The reason I responded though is to tell you if you plan to go to Trunk Bay (it is really wonderful) don't count on using a credit card for admission, despite the fact that it is a US National Park. At least two March's ago, they took cash only.

 

Good luck.

[imsulin]

The daily Princess Patters will have the contact information for the Port Agent at each of your ports of call, so take it with you. The Port Agent will be able to contact the ship for you, but you're on your own to catch up with the ship at their next port, so take your DL with you in case you have to fly to San Juan. You should be fine, though.

[Druke I]

In the Princess Patter, there will be a listing (name/address/phone) for the Port Agent, who can be invaluable in assisting you, should you miss the ship.

 

It appears that Imsulin and I were posting at the same time!

[markstudy]

You can always look at flights before you leave.

 

I did St John on my own... and its very easy. It would be pretty hard to miss the ship.

 

But if I did, I had glanced at the local flights and knew that there were two ways to get to Bonaire witch would have given me two days to catch up to my ship.

 

I was surprised that some of the local airlines in the Caribbean do not always fly the routes that you would think are most obvious to an American tourist.

[jcm996]

You're bound to get some smart alec answers to your question here. I can't answer but I will tell you that the Captain comes on the intercom and announces that there are stragglers slowing things down as the ship is getting ready to depart.

 

The reason I responded though is to tell you if you plan to go to Trunk Bay (it is really wonderful) don't count on using a credit card for admission, despite the fact that it is a US National Park. At least two March's ago, they took cash only.

 

Good luck.

 

Not on Carnival, the last cruise I was on there were some delays and as I was running (ahead of my wife and in-laws) they tried to stop me so they could undo the lines for the ship. I was pointing going I am on that ship (there were 2 other ships there) and it was only 6:05 not like they waited for 20 minutes or something.

[wilsonqbc]

If you did miss the ship as mentioned above in the Patter; is the contact info for the local agent, they will empty your safe and leave your passport and doc's med whatever is in there with them.

Then you are on your own to catch up with the vessel

[Toto2Kansas]

Keep in mind, a copy of your passport will only be good to expedite getting a replacement passport (which will take some time), it is not good for identification.

[Love Boat Dream]

When we were in Grand Cayman 2 weeks ago (on the Crown) they kept announcing 4 names (passengers who weren't back) Eventually, it was down to 2 and we had to sail. This was a tender port, btw.

 

Just as we were underway, the Captain announced that a small boat was coming alongside carrying the 2 missing passengers. He joked that he was going to charge them for the fuel.

 

I am assuming the people had to pay for the boat that brought them back to the ship.

 

I'm not sure if the Port Agent is listed in the Patter or in the Port Guide (with the map and shopping)

 

Here's another option for you

http://www.simplicitycharters.com/index.html

We sailed with Charlie on the Simplicity in St. Thomas. He sent a taxi for us at the pier. We met him at the dock and he took us to St. John. We went to 2 beaches for snorkeling and he made us a lovely lunch. We had the Simplicity to ourselves and at $125 it was cheaper than the ships tour and a lot more fun. He got us back right on time and the taxi was waiting to get us to the ship.

 

Have fun on St John. It is gorgeous.

[Embracedbylife]

If you did miss the ship as mentioned above in the Patter; is the contact info for the local agent, they will empty your safe and leave your passport and doc's med whatever is in there with them.

Then you are on your own to catch up with the vessel

 

 

Thanks, this is just what I was hoping for. I've seen on other cruises that i've been on people running in tears to catch the ship after they started to move out, and I knew they missed it! I am always very careful to get back with plenty of time but you just never know! So i'll bring along the phone number and our driver's licenses as we'd just have to fly to San Juan which is also part of the US. Thanks again for the kind answers!

[Embracedbylife]

You can always look at flights before you leave.

 

I did St John on my own... and its very easy. It would be pretty hard to miss the ship.

 

But if I did, I had glanced at the local flights and knew that there were two ways to get to Bonaire witch would have given me two days to catch up to my ship.

 

I was surprised that some of the local airlines in the Caribbean do not always fly the routes that you would think are most obvious to an American tourist.

 

 

How was it catching a taxi from Red Hook back to the ship? What time did you take the ferry back and was it crowded? I see there are 2 other ships at port the same day as us. Thanks!

[S&M in Pgh]

I have been told if I miss the ship, I better get a flight back home and start planning my funeral. Because when my wife catches up to me she is going to kill me.

 

Mike

[woody73]

 

I have been told if I miss the ship, I better get a flight back home and start planning my funeral. Because when my wife catches up to me she is going to kill me.

LOL!

 

Woody

[CFD130]

Call me chicken but the cruise ship are excursions are worth the extra money knowing that you wont miss the ship.

[bhopal21]

I have been told if I miss the ship, I better get a flight back home and start planning my funeral. Because when my wife catches up to me she is going to kill me.

 

Mike

 

I think that is only fair.:rolleyes:

 

Mike:)

[paul929207]

I have been told if I miss the ship, I better get a flight back home and start planning my funeral. Because when my wife catches up to me she is going to kill me.

 

Mike

I would be strung up with you.

[bhopal21]

I would be strung up with you.

 

I knew there was a reason I was unmarried.:eek:

 

Mike:)

[markstudy]

How was it catching a taxi from Red Hook back to the ship? What time did you take the ferry back and was it crowded? I see there are 2 other ships at port the same day as us. Thanks!

 

 

Less then 30 minutes for taxi to or from Red Hook

 

Ferry ride seemed like 20 minutes or less. Not full, maybe 70% of capacity.

Just two ships in port the day we were there.

 

We were warned about rush hour traffic, but I didn't see much of a problem, and

we were on the road at 8:30am and driving back at 4:30

 

Lots more info, including ferry schedules and departure times over in the St Thomas

section of Cruise Critic. I did my research and had like 5 pages of notes :D

turned out to be extremely simple :o

 

My ship was 50 minutes late getting into port that morning... but it didn't make

any difference. Still had plenty of time. Just leave a nice window at the end of

the day so your not pushing your luck!

 

We rented a boat in St John... so I was worried about our little boat

breaking-down (just one more thing to go wrong) if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't

have been worried at all... taxi and ferry were very easy to use.

 

[boone2]

The only time we ever came close to being late for the ship was in ST Thomas (hate the place and would be happy never to go there again and not just cos of this incident) A taxi driver promised to pick us up from Sapphire Beach and never turned up, The only other driver around wanted to fill her truck before she would set off and then wanted to take us on a tour of the town. The 5 of us were begging her to take us to the ship as we were so close to sailing and it was only the other passengers on the taxi travelling on Carnival that yelled at her to take us to the CB, we made it but it was too close for comfort. on 2 cruises to Europe we never had that problem even though it is usually a long way from port to city because the the tour guides (and we only used private ones) know it is bad news for them if they deliver passengers back to the ship late

[Crown Prince]

You need to take your passports. ;):D:mad:;):D

[Embracedbylife]

You need to take your passports. ;):D:mad:;):D

 

Even if we are in St. Thomas (which is part of the US) and the next stop is our final stop at San Juan (which is also part of the US) ? You think we'd have problems flying from St. Thomas to San Juan without passport but with a driver's license? I hate carrying my passport around with fear it'll be lost/stolen??

[Embracedbylife]

Less then 30 minutes for taxi to or from Red Hook

 

Ferry ride seemed like 20 minutes or less. Not full, maybe 70% of capacity.

Just two ships in port the day we were there.

 

We were warned about rush hour traffic, but I didn't see much of a problem, and

we were on the road at 8:30am and driving back at 4:30

 

I did my research and had like 5 pages of notes :D

turned out to be extremely simple :o

 

 

 

I was curious what time you actually left the ship (was there a line to get off??) and what time you actually grabbed a cab at the beach in St. John to get to the ferry? Were there plenty of taxi's at the beach in St. John and at the ferry in Red Hook to bring you back to the ship??

 

I'd love to also have a few pages of notes just in case. I am sure it'll be ok, but I'm always a little nervous venturing so far from the ship. We always take cruise excursions when going this far, but this time the ship's excursions are not long enough and we booked Snuba at St. John for 11am. Thanks again for your help!

[paul929207]

For a domestic flight (St. Thomas to San Juan), a DL is sufficient, a passport is not required.

[loveJake]

My son did what you are planning, had no trouble, but worried all day and did not really enjoy himself. We have taken the ship excursion to Trunk Bay, got on the ferry/small boat right where the ship was docked. A very relaxing day. I usually do all independent excursions, but this time the ship excusion was for peach of mind, well worth the extra money.