Beware!! Westerdam Capt. Waits for noboby

[CalGal777]

I think your right ME is Maine ;) however CA is so laid back he just doesn't own a watch or know how to tell time unless it is digital not analog.:rolleyes:

The favorite saying where I came from in CA is "Zonies Go Home"

[keel_hauled]

I am assuming the Westerdam had to leave the dock at Oranjestad due to the tide. The Westerdam needs a minimum of 10 meters of water to operate. Even with that depth she will be turning the bottom and risk damaging her hull and props. The slip at Oranjestad is very shallow. The entrance and exit of the harbor are 10.7 meters at low tide. That is approximately within two feet of clearance for the Westerdam under normal loading conditions. Low tide occurs in the winter in the harbor late afternoon to early evening. Normally ships leave the harbor late evening, 10 PM to midnight, the normal high tide period to prevent having problems.

 

During the month February low tide occurred between 3:00PM and 7:00 PM in the afternoon and evening. If the Westerdam were trying to leave at 5 PM it would have to try to beat the lowest tide in order to prevent damaging the ship.

 

Bottom line. If it says all aboard at 4:30 that is what means. It is not a suggestion it is the rule. Just think if Captain Bligh would have been the master. He would have sent a boat back to pick him up and then have him "KEEL HAULED" for insubordination :)

 

Habor Map. low tide depth show in meters. As you can see, this is a very shallow harbor.

 

[maxout]

And with the added weight of the OP (and a late start) she'd have stuck on the bar! :D

[BruceMuzz]

Manteca - although pronounced incorrectly in Northern California - is the Spanish word for "lard". This may offer some explanation as to why this fellow was so slow in returning.

 

There are actually several other relevant issues that most passengers are not aware of.

 

In many ports, if a ship returns to the pier even a few minutes after departure, it counts as a new arrival.

The cruise line will be charged "head taxes" all over again. These head taxes can range from US$3 to US$30 per passenger. I remember Aruba as being in the $10 to $12 per passenger range.

 

When the ship returns to the pier, the "meter" starts running again. Minimum port charges in a port like Aruba are in the US$15,000 range.

 

Then there are the unions.

Those fellows who handle the ropes are union employees. The union charges a minimum amount just to show up. In a US port the minimum is around $40,000. A port like Aruba is much more reasonable; something like $5,000. If the ship returns to the pier, they have to pay the union again.

 

And finally fuel. Just maneuvering the ship out of a port is going to cost a few thousand dollars. Bringing it back to the pier and then back out again is expensive.

Even delaying departure by a few minutes can quickly snowball into many minutes lost on the itinerary.

Ships can often make up the time, but at tremendous fuel cost.

A 30 minute delay in departure can translate to US$20,000 in extra fuel consumption - depending on the schedule.

 

Did you know that the salaries of HAL Senior Officers are partially determined by fuel consumption? If the ship does not meet company mandated fuel costs, a sizeable chunk of money disappears from the paychecks of several senior officers on the ship.

 

Would you be willing to donate a large part of your salary to help someone who cannot or will not keep time?

[GatorV]

He's had a sound thrashing...and has not returned if his "post number" is correct....no excuse, none at all not to make it back...if he broke his leg, was arrested or stopped for a quick beer....does not really matter...it is what it is, ...and some where along the line his family made it and he knew he needed to so....Sittin' on the dock of the bay...watchin' the tide roll away...should have headed to the ship at 3!

[KAYEF]

HUMMMMMM

HAL hasn't said anything on here.:confused:

Did it happen?:confused:

We HAVE had people who associate with/prefer other lines get on with "stories" before that were absolutely false.................in an effort to sully reputations.:(

I checked his "2" posts; they are both the same.............and he hasn't responded to ANYTHING.

Has his wife been on to defend him?

One wonders.

Seems we've spent enough time on this guy; we all KNOW the kind of service we receive on HAL...................6 days 15 hours and I'll be on Oosterdam...............on time.;)

[usha]

Too bad HAL wasn't hosting that rude bunch of Dutch cooking show contestants & camera crew & entourage they had on Westerdam last February. The captain held up the ship for a good 45 minutes waiting for these knuckleheads to sashay back onboard in St. Thomas. Wouldn't have been a problem for the OP being late a piddly 16 minutes.:cool:

[mnbruce]

I'm surprised there's that many.

 

I guess I'm surprised that some people are that cold. It's not like the man committed a crime,just made a costly mistake. I'm sure the stress this caused him was awful and I'm sure his wife and kids had a terrible couple of days. I don't have to side with his complaints to feel sorry for them. It's disappointing to see so many pile it on.

[Typhoon1]

Anyone that isn't on board well in advance of the the all aboard time deserves to be left standing at the pier.

[jtl513]

I guess I'm surprised that some people are that cold. It's not like the man committed a crime,just made a costly mistake. I'm sure the stress this caused him was awful and I'm sure his wife and kids had a terrible couple of days. I don't have to side with his complaints to feel sorry for them. It's disappointing to see so many pile it on.

It was his attitude that set me against him:

 

What horrible service!!

 

Horrible service with no regard to passenger safety.

 

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

while excusing himself by saying

Granted I should have been more timely ...

The man just doesn't seem to understand that this was all his own fault, and it was not simply a matter of putting the gangway out again.

[cruz chic]

Would you be willing to donate a large part of your salary to help someone who cannot or will not keep time?

No I wouldn't. Everyone knows what time you need to be on a the ship. It's not a secret. People need to take responsibilty for their actions. If you don't...you will suffer the consequences. The OP seems like someone who needs to blame his mistakes on someone else to make himself feel better. Pretty hard to defend that behavior.

[mnbruce]

It was his attitude that set me against him:

 

Yes ,he had a bit of an attitiude considering he brought the problem on himself,but an attitude is hardly unusual here.

 

By the way,you mistakenly attributed that last quote to me.

[jtl513]

By the way,you mistakenly attributed that last quote to me.

Sorry ... :o

[Petronillus]

Seems we've spent enough time on this guy; we all KNOW the kind of service we receive on HAL...................6 days 15 hours and I'll be on Oosterdam...............on time.;)

 

And our group is right behind you. Of course ;), you will have the misfortune of losing an hour to daylight savings time, which we will not! (I wonder when I'll be at the stage of life to take advantage of the extra hour on the other end, in the autumn . . . . Spring forward; fall back . . . .) In all comradely seriousness, we wish you a splendid cruise. Treat her well and leave her ship-shape for us!

[SakeDad]

Why did I just KNOW this was the 1st post from the OP even though there were 140 replies I hadn't even looked at...and that was BEFORE I even opened the thread!!! HA HA HA HA:p Sometimes it's easier than shooting fish in a barrel!

 

The ship didn't sail early---you arrived late.

 

It is 100% your fault.

 

 

Don't expect to find any sympathy on this board.

[SakeDad]

Great John- now all the Sacramento people are going defensive- nobody wants to be associated with this guy!!

 

Should have picked someplace like Lodi- that nobody- except Credence Clearwater Revival fans- have heard of! :D:D:D

That's not true!:mad: Take that back! Lodi has some fabulous vineyards!:p

[Copper10-8]

Great John- now all the Sacramento people are going defensive- nobody wants to be associated with this guy!!

 

Should have picked someplace like Lodi- that nobody- except Credence Clearwater Revival fans- have heard of! :D:D:D

 

OK then; Grass Valley

[margretha]

Now that it is crystal clear that no one feels sympathy for people coming

late to the ship's departure, may I add another pet peeve: people on tours

who are always late returning to the bus/van. Am I the only one who has been

prompt in returning from a stop and, with 98% of other tourees, sit and wait and

wait and finally that one person or couple eventually come up the steps, all smiles and, my favorite non-meaningful CYA statement, "Sorry 'bout that". And then it happens again and again....

Sometimes I wish the van/bus drivers of the ship's tours could just leave on time...or at least make the lackadaisical shoppers run a little. :cool: margretha

[bob brown]

Wow! This is a real 'hot-button' topic!

 

Just to change the drift a bit....

I have heard stories of people being left behind because of some weather emergency causing the ship to leave Earlier than scheduled. Especially at a tender port.

You would have to be sympathetic in that case. Of course, when that happens, the line does take the responsibility to get the passengers to the next port.

[broberts]

I tried to get on at 4:48 or so. And am totally to blame, but to leave early when other family memebers are on board and to leave early?? Why not at least wait until 5pm, what's the hurry and what happened to passenger safety and service.

 

There are numerous reasons why a ship might leave early. In Aruba the tide may well have been a factor - you might have noticed the sand bar as you sailed in. Leaving 9 - 12 minutes early may have given the ship a much greater safety margin. It's quite possible the tide was going out a little earlier than anticipated.

 

As to your rhetorical question regarding passenger safety and service, it might surprise you to learn that there were 1,800 other paying passengers aboard. For some reason the Captain decided to consider their interests before yours. Go figure.

[Nancyquilts]

OK then; Grass Valley

Oh, John. Not Grass Valley for an example. I used to go to camp there many (many, many) years ago.;)

[Cuizer2]

Beware cruisers!!! I recently went on a cruise on the Westerdam and in the port of Aruba I was left behind with my wife and 2 kids begging the ship to wait a couple more minuites for me. When we booked this cruise the departure time in Aruba was 5pm but once we arrived it was announced the "All aboard time" was 4:30. The gangway was lifted at 4:41 as outlined in the ship log. What horrible service!! To sail early when a customer is missing from the ship?? I was 5 minutes too late. Granted I should have been more timely but mistakes, accidents do happen. My wife pleaded for them to wait, there was even communication from the port security that I was running to catch the ship and the Captain stated that he "waits for no one". I offered $1000.00 to lower the gangway back down ( the ship was still docked, just untied with gangway lifted) or even tender me out and again the Captain stated that he waits for no one. BEWARE!! Horrible service with no regard to passenger safety. Long story short my wife and 2 kids had 2 1/2 days at sea without me and I had to fly back to Ft. Lauderdale to meet them. Why would a ship sail early when passengers are missing?? This was my 10th cruise and I will never sail Holland America again. Even there corporate customer service was bad with a focus on covering there A$$ and backing the Capt. on his bad decision. Don't be late or this cruise line will leave you, no questions asked!!!

 

All aboard is always 30 minutes prior to the departure time. Why should the captain hold up 2000 people just because one person is late?

[Overtime4me2]

I keep wondering how come his wife and kids made it safely aboard and not him. Maybe she sent him back out to buy that cute little something from the shop at the end of the pier! :D:D

 

My thoughts exactly! Maybe they had already done this at a previous port and figured it would work again?? Was he late at another port too? :rolleyes: Who knows, but I think there's more to this story. Everyone else was able to make it on time.

[Cruisin' Chick]

At least the OP wasn't from the (SF) Valley.

[KAYEF]

And our group is right behind you. Of course ;), you will have the misfortune of losing an hour to daylight savings time, which we will not! (I wonder when I'll be at the stage of life to take advantage of the extra hour on the other end, in the autumn . . . . Spring forward; fall back . . . .) In all comradely seriousness, we wish you a splendid cruise. Treat her well and leave her ship-shape for us!

We were on her five or six years ago for the Fall Reposition when they still did MANY of the Islands in the Caribbean............23 nights. It was absolutely perfect.

I'm SO excited to be taking my DIL and Grandson this time. I love this ship and I love those glass elevators. We will try to leave our Suite nice for you..............first time in a suite..........figured we'd need more room with three of us.;)

My ONLY problem is that I "refuse" to take a 7 night cruise since it's really only six days.............but what can you do? It's his Spring Break so I shall suffer and get off so you can board.:(