Beware!! Westerdam Capt. Waits for noboby

[doctork]

Lots of people are finding this thread interesting and they want to continue to read it and post. Since it is a public forum intended for that, why shouldn't we continue if we wish?

 

And if someone else thinks it is silly, or doesn't care for the topic or the individual posters' opinions, then why not just skip reading it?

 

I find it helpful and interesting to read others' opinions. I don't think it is "flaming" to point out that the OP made a mistake (he kind of admitted that, though he really thought it was really the captain's fault), and then learn the high cost of "just putting the gangplank back down."

[jtl513]

That's ok if you disagree and I will adjust that part of my argument if you show me where it's stated that it happened that way.

You're right - there is nothing there that supports my assumption that he was at the gangway when he made the $1000 offer. However, there are still a lot of holes in the story that make me doubt that everything happened as he claimed.

 

I've followed this post and seen some sympathetic replies down to some outright nasty replies. I don't know how people can be so mean and callous, but people have a right to express themselves any way they choose on here.

I believe it was his arrogant "I'm right (even though I should have been more timely) and the Captain was wrong" arrogant attitude that got everyone riled up against him. He can't even bring himself to use the word "late", as that would show more fault than being "untimely".

Even there corporate customer service was bad with a focus on covering there A$$ and backing the Capt. on his bad decision.

He came here looking for support that the Captain and HAL customer service were villians, and when he didn't get it he came back with a tirade calling us sheeple for not seeing it his way!!

 

BTW, that nastiest thing I have said throughout this is that I thought he left an "o" out of the word "noboby" in the title. :)

[1980dory]

Anyone who posts one of 200 new comments here will be official members of the new Cruise Critic 700 Club! ;)

[Virgil]

Suck it up, be a man and assume responsibility instead of trying to blame someone else for your problem. Lesson learned?

[IRL_Joanie]

Why on Earth would anyone want to stand on a balcony with a camera watching for a runner? Weird!

 

Because after seeing a few videos from other (no name calling by me here, so read what ever word you wish here *****s) passengers last August and or September posted on YouTube, I wanted to see if any HAL passengers would be so ...... I also happen to love watching the entire undocking process and was documenting it! I also happen to love to stand at the railing of my verandah for hours as I am mesmerized by the scenery, whether it is at port or at sea. And I always have my camera on hand.

 

And by the way, those photos of mine are only a very few of the shots I have from the last 1 hour we were there.

 

Joanie

 

Joanie

[innlady1]

Interesting and eye opening thread! One positive has to come out of it; The OP will never make this mistake again

 

And, I dare say, neither will a lot of others reading this thread!

[innlady1]

Sorry, I totally disagree. He was offering money to the person standing there to put the gangway out again.

 

Main Entry: bribe

Pronunciation: \ˈbrīb\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, morsel given to a beggar, bribe, from Anglo-French, morsel

Date: 15th century

1 : money or favor given or promised in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust

 

Surely sounds like a bribe to me. It's not a fee for service, so what else to call it but a bribe.

 

Another question: the OP states that the Captain told him he never lets anyone on the ship once the gangway is lifted. How did he talk to the Captain? In my 60 days on HAL, I have never seen a Captain at the gangway. Other officers surely, but never the Captain.

 

I remember seeing John Scott on the bridge...pacing with his arms folded across his chest (body language for being really ticked off) once in St. Thomas when a passenger did this very same thing. Very same timing. They let the couple on the ship, but the crew was not happy.

 

This year, we went to Captain Matebor's Q & A. Someone asked his schedule. He said his main job is to be on the bridge when docking and undocking...other than that the other officers are on the bridge...and he pops in and out as he is in his office or out and about on the ship.

 

I highly doubt that the OP talked personally with the Captain about his dilemma.

[UKBayern]

Anyone who posts one of 200 new comments here will be official members of the new Cruise Critic 700 Club! ;)

 

We'll join!:D

 

And BTW we came back 10 minutes before "all aboard" in Malaga after renting a car, driving to Gibraltar, and finding lines at customs exiting Gibraltar. Phew, made it.... a small extra delay would have stuck us in a bad situation. No way would we have blamed the captain if we had missed the ship - just ourselves.

Putting blame where it is not due is why the OP gets all this criticism, and from a lot of folks even very little sympathy.

[jtl513]

Surely sounds like a bribe to me. It's not a fee for service, so what else to call it but a bribe.

And even if the offer was being made by telephone or radio to the Captain it is still a case of trying to buy a change in his decision, and therefore a bribe.

[mnbruce]

 

Another question: the OP states that the Captain told him he never lets anyone on the ship once the gangway is lifted. How did he talk to the Captain? In my 60 days on HAL, I have never seen a Captain at the gangway. Other officers surely, but never the Captain.

 

 

 

I highly doubt that the OP talked personally with the Captain about his dilemma.

 

I think you and some others need to actually read and comprehend the OP posts. He does not ever say the Captain was at the gangway, plus as I've already pointed out, the OP communicated with the captain through a third party,the Port Authority.

[mnbruce]

And even if the offer was being made by telephone or radio to the Captain it is still a case of trying to buy a change in his decision, and therefore a bribe.

 

I think in todays world most think of the term "bribe" as an unethical action,and I believe that was how the poster who claimed it was a bribe was thinking. Nothing here says his offer fell into that category.

 

But just so I don't waste anymore time on this particular term,you win. :)

[digitl]

Surely sounds like a bribe to me. It's not a fee for service, so what else to call it but a bribe.

How do you know that he wasn't offering to cover any expenses incurred by HAL in allowing him to board...?

 

There are a lot of assumptions being made in this thread.

[jtl513]

How do you know that he wasn't offering to cover any expenses incurred by HAL in allowing him to board...?

As explained in post #129, $1000 wouldn't come close to the expenses incurred, once the gangway and mooring lines had been retracted.

[woody14h]

I'm going to miss this thread when and if it ever winds down. This is better than using the boards for something useful. Banter and castigation. LMAO. I bet the OP wished he never sent out this post. For the record, I am not taking this seriously enough to commit to agree or bash anyone on this post as some of you are seriously taking a stand as if it was the most important topic on Cruise Critic. That's my final answer.!!

[KAYEF]

Wow! Anger issues I think. This really reaches the lowest level of discourse when we stoop to calling people idiots.

.

 

What makes ME angry is the title of the Thread............it looks as if there is something terribly BAD with the way HAL handles its passengers' "issues."

After "discussions" with one person on a Princess Cruise, I'm on the lookout for such biases, I guess.

She seemed to be on board to bad-mouth HAL and to convince "everyone" to "NEVER, NEVER CRUISE ON HAL.............ITS PASSENERS ARE ALL NURSING HOME AGE AND YOU CAN'T GET AROUND THEIR SHIPS BECAUSE OF ALL THE WHEELCHAIRS."

It was NO joke............and when I asked which ships she'd been on to have that opinion, she said that SHE'D NEVER CRUISED ON HAL AT ALL.

Many of us "joked" that she was a paid promoter for Princess...........she was someone one needs to avoid...............

I've learned there are people on CC who could do a lot of damage with their "opinions"...........especially if you're new here and using the information to help you make decisions.

The longer I'm "on" the more I learn to filter/go farther for information.;)

Gotta go finish packing so I can leave for my HAL cruise................love the "O."

[Pettifogger]

Rev. Neal:

I have long admired you for your intrepidity on the Eurodam's inaugural cruise, but, to me, you seemed considerably stricter with the OP than with your fellow CC contributors. Somehow, you believed that he needed pastoral advice, while their "very strongly stated" opinions needed no admonition other than you " ... would have preferred...."

[digitl]

As explained in post #129, $1000 wouldn't come close to the expenses incurred, once the gangway and mooring lines had been retracted.

But you do not know that the OP knew that at the time.

[mnbruce]

What makes ME angry is the title of the Thread

 

I guess my suggestion to you would be that you should not sweat the little stuff such as a post on a message board about cruising. HAL will be fine as long as they continue to be a good cruise line,nothing said here will adversly affect them.

 

 

 

 

Gotta go finish packing so I can leave for my HAL cruise................love the "O."

 

I love the "O" also and I suggest you have a wonderful vacation!

 

[jtl513]

But you do not know that the OP knew that at the time.

I'm just saying that the cost had a great impact on the Captain's decision to refuse to put the gangway back down.

[cruz chic]

I guess my suggestion to you would be that you should not sweat the little stuff such as a post on a message board about cruising. HAL will be fine as long as they continue to be a good cruise line,nothing said here will adversly affect them.

 

 

 

 

 

I love the "O" also and I suggest you have a wonderful vacation!

 

Wow, are you the OP's best friend or something? Seems like you are getting pretty bent out of shape about the posters on this thread.

[Pam in CA]

After "discussions" with one person on a Princess Cruise, I'm on the lookout for such biases, I guess.

She seemed to be on board to bad-mouth HAL and to convince "everyone" to "NEVER, NEVER CRUISE ON HAL.............ITS PASSENERS ARE ALL NURSING HOME AGE AND YOU CAN'T GET AROUND THEIR SHIPS BECAUSE OF ALL THE WHEELCHAIRS."

It was NO joke............and when I asked which ships she'd been on to have that opinion, she said that SHE'D NEVER CRUISED ON HAL AT ALL.

Many of us "joked" that she was a paid promoter for Princess...........she was someone one needs to avoid...............

I've learned there are people on CC who could do a lot of damage with their "opinions"...........especially if you're new here and using the information to help you make decisions.

There are jerks on every board on CC, whether it's Princess, HAL, Carnival, whatever. Ninety-nine percent of the posters on the Princess board would never express that opinion; the vast majority are open to new ideas and trying new experiences. Heck, I've been on quite a few Princess cruises where the visible passenger age and infirmity level is older/greater than on my HAL cruises so whoever expressed that opinion is a bigoted jerk.

[mnbruce]

Wow, are you the OP's best friend or something?

 

No,actually he's my 3rd cousin on my mothers side. I have no friends.:(

[mamaofami]

I think it was back in Kindergarten that we were taught to obey the rules.

[RevNeal]

Rev. Neal:

I have long admired you for your intrepidity on the Eurodam's inaugural cruise, but, to me, you seemed considerably stricter with the OP than with your fellow CC contributors. Somehow, you believed that he needed pastoral advice, while their "very strongly stated" opinions needed no admonition other than you " ... would have preferred...."

 

Thank you for sharing your opinion.

I'm not entirely sure, but I feel like I'm being scolded. If so, so be it.

I offered him advice because his posts, on this board, appeared to call for it.

[innlady1]

I think you and some others need to actually read and comprehend the OP posts. He does not ever say the Captain was at the gangway, plus as I've already pointed out, the OP communicated with the captain through a third party,the Port Authority.

 

Well, since you're his 3rd cousin, I guess we should take your word as law...whew, glad you sorted that out for us. Now I can sleep tonight! :p