Sensation repercussions?

[Janespup]

1. There had to have been more Cruise Critic members onboard the Sensation yesterday. I'd like to hear their stories. Did you miss your flight? Have to overnight in Fl? Were airlines, hotels sympathetic with your situation? Did trip insurance come into play?

 

or

 

2. Were you arriving to leave on your cruise and found the terminal lot closed? What time did you finally get to board? When did you finally embark? How did Carnival handle it?

[MrPete]

There was at least one Sensation sailer posting on the Sensation bomb thread.

[cruisecruisecruise1234567]

1. There had to have been more Cruise Critic members onboard the Sensation yesterday. I'd like to hear their stories. Did you miss your flight? Have to overnight in Fl? Were airlines, hotels sympathetic with your situation? Did trip insurance come into play?

 

or

 

2. Were you arriving to leave on your cruise and found the terminal lot closed? What time did you finally get to board? When did you finally embark? How did Carnival handle it?

 

Why does there have to be more than one?I doubt 1% or less even know about CC.

[Janespup]

Wow! So early in the morning for such attitudes.

 

Peter, Is it your hobby to search out posters who have missed an earlier post? I had seen that someone had already posted about having been on the Sensation, hence my reference to "more members".

 

Second poster, If your calculations of 1% or fewer are members of cruise critic, then 1% of 2400 people onboard is 24 possible members.

 

I was just curious to see if there were any repercussions for any travelers. Not a major crime,IMO

[TrinaLC]

Given that virtual every sailing on the major lines has an active M&G group (often 30 or more posters), I'd think yes, there probably are a good 20-30 or more on any given sailing ...

[MrPete]

Wow! So early in the morning for such attitudes.

 

Peter, Is it your hobby to search out posters who have missed an earlier post? I had seen that someone had already posted about having been on the Sensation, hence my reference to "more members".

 

Second poster, If your calculations of 1% or fewer are members of cruise critic, then 1% of 2400 people onboard is 24 possible members.

 

I was just curious to see if there were any repercussions for any travelers. Not a major crime,IMO

 

"Search out"? Hardly. :rolleyes:

 

But you'll get more and better answers if the threads are streamlined. That CC memeber found that thread very easily. You seemed to think others would not, and felt the need to start another thread.

 

That "next" member may end up posting on whatever thread is closest to the top, and most likely not both. And then 50% "MAY" miss what they have to say.

 

Have you tried looking for what you seek on their roll call?

[Jen99SS]

1. There had to have been more Cruise Critic members onboard the Sensation yesterday. I'd like to hear their stories. Did you miss your flight? Have to overnight in Fl? Were airlines, hotels sympathetic with your situation? Did trip insurance come into play?

 

or

 

2. Were you arriving to leave on your cruise and found the terminal lot closed? What time did you finally get to board? When did you finally embark? How did Carnival handle it?

 

I was on the Sensation yesterday. Luckily I live in Florida so other than arranging to pick my kids up a few hours late I didn't have many inconviences. I think Carnival did a great job handling the situation. I know we would like to think that if they had told us sooner than 7:30-8:00 about the "threat" we could have slept later or not have been wondering why in the heck we were not at port yet. However I believe that knowing before they knew it was a hoax there would have been a huge panic! I don't know of any refunds that Carnival will give or may have given any passengers but they did open up the food lines so that everyone could eat lunch. It would be nice if they would give us all some sort of refund or credit for future bookings but honestly I'm not expecting anything, afterall it wasn't Carnivals fault. I was in zone 10 for debarkation and we were one of the first zones called after self debarkation and we were in our vehicle at 2:00 pm. There were no future passengers around. And as for the other 2 ships in port I didn't see much movement there either. At the time we left there were still a lot of passengers left debarking so I'm guessing it was a few hours later before anyone new came on. Well I'm rambling on now so I will go. I'm grateful to be home safe with my family but I do miss being on the ship!!

[soxfan7]

I was on this cruise and what a nightmare! I had a 12:11pm flight out of Orlando and they didn't even tell us until about 7am or so why we were stopped off the FL coast. They told us anyone with flights prior to 12:30pm needed to see Guest Services so we could get off first. When I went down, I told them my flight was at 12:15. The woman told me, "You're not going to make it, you need to change it" and that was it. I went back to the room and started scrambling to find another flight. I booked another flight for 1:10pm, then realized we were still sitting stopped by 11 and I wasn't going to make the 1:10 flight either. I was in a definite state of panic and they couldnt have cared less.

 

I called Delta, who I was flying on, and they told me it would cost me $764 to change to a 3:30pm flight. Once I explained the bomb threat and asked for a supervisor, they told me it would be no charge. We docked around 12, and still had to have customs come through, etc. We had bought the transfers through Carnival and finally made it on the bus about 1:30pm or so. I was with 6 of my friends, we all had different flights, starting at 3:30pm and spreading to as late at 6:05pm.

 

The bus driver took his time, made us all stay in the bus while he got out all of the luggage and then allowed us to come out after it was all lined up. I was the second stop at the airport and the driver was making me extremely nervous. We were cutting it close already and here he is taking his sweet time. There were other people on the bus with me saying the same thing. When we finally got off, I ran and got my bags and went up to ticketing. I got there about 2:37 maybe, and I missed the cutoff for baggage. They wouldnt let me or my bags check in for the flight, and bumped me to the 7:40pm flight. My anxiety levels were so high at this point I broke down and started crying in the airport, I felt like such a loser but this was the worst day for me all because of one stupid person on the ship. I sat in the airport for 5 hours waiting for my flight and finally got on the plane at 7:30pm.

 

As someone who had to fly, I thought Carnival handled the situation very poorly as I just wanted to get home and they didnt assist whatsoever with this. They kept saying over the PA to speak with Guest Services if you have an early flight so we could get off first, but when I went down there they just told me to change my flight. Extreme frustration, to say the least.

[balcony bound]

aww, Soxfan, I'm sorry - what a crappy way to end a cruise! I could feel your anxiety - I don't do well in the kinds of situation you were in. I was impressed that your airline didn't charge you extra when they heard what the circumstances were.

 

I hope the good times on the cruise will overshadow the difficulties getting home.

[BC Todd]

I was on this cruise and what a nightmare! I had a 12:11pm flight out of Orlando and they didn't even tell us until about 7am or so why we were stopped off the FL coast. They told us anyone with flights prior to 12:30pm needed to see Guest Services so we could get off first. When I went down, I told them my flight was at 12:15. The woman told me, "You're not going to make it, you need to change it" and that was it. I went back to the room and started scrambling to find another flight. I booked another flight for 1:10pm, then realized we were still sitting stopped by 11 and I wasn't going to make the 1:10 flight either. I was in a definite state of panic and they couldnt have cared less.

 

I called Delta, who I was flying on, and they told me it would cost me $764 to change to a 3:30pm flight. Once I explained the bomb threat and asked for a supervisor, they told me it would be no charge. We docked around 12, and still had to have customs come through, etc. We had bought the transfers through Carnival and finally made it on the bus about 1:30pm or so. I was with 6 of my friends, we all had different flights, starting at 3:30pm and spreading to as late at 6:05pm.

 

The bus driver took his time, made us all stay in the bus while he got out all of the luggage and then allowed us to come out after it was all lined up. I was the second stop at the airport and the driver was making me extremely nervous. We were cutting it close already and here he is taking his sweet time. There were other people on the bus with me saying the same thing. When we finally got off, I ran and got my bags and went up to ticketing. I got there about 2:37 maybe, and I missed the cutoff for baggage. They wouldnt let me or my bags check in for the flight, and bumped me to the 7:40pm flight. My anxiety levels were so high at this point I broke down and started crying in the airport, I felt like such a loser but this was the worst day for me all because of one stupid person on the ship. I sat in the airport for 5 hours waiting for my flight and finally got on the plane at 7:30pm.

 

As someone who had to fly, I thought Carnival handled the situation very poorly as I just wanted to get home and they didnt assist whatsoever with this. They kept saying over the PA to speak with Guest Services if you have an early flight so we could get off first, but when I went down there they just told me to change my flight. Extreme frustration, to say the least.

Let me get this straight...you were in a situation that included a bomb or at least a threat of a bomb and you were six hours late leaving. Give me a break, you should be thankful you made it home that night. And besides it cost you nothing!

 

Another point, what were you thinking changing your first flight scheduled for 12:15 to a flight less than one hour later! You could likely have selected the 7:30 flight in the first place and then not stressed out about your bus driver's professionalism.

 

I swear, what did you expect? You were involved in a potentially dangerous situation and the sum total cost to you was six hours. Thank you lucky stars and mark this as a learning moment.

[RicRack]

Let me get this straight...you were in a situation that included a bomb or at least a threat of a bomb and you were six hours late leaving. Give me a break, you should be thankful you made it home that night. And besides it cost you nothing!

 

Another point, what were you thinking changing your first flight scheduled for 12:15 to a flight less than one hour later! You could likely have selected the 7:30 flight in the first place and then not stressed out about your bus driver's professionalism.

 

I swear, what did you expect? You were involved in a potentially dangerous situation and the sum total cost to you was six hours. Thank you lucky stars and mark this as a learning moment.

 

Thanks BC...Now back to work at CCL corporate!

 

PS: In high school, we had bomb threats. Now the hard truth is we actually have bombs...w/o threats.

[Raven Days]

Let me get this straight...you were in a situation that included a bomb or at least a threat of a bomb and you were six hours late leaving. Give me a break, you should be thankful you made it home that night. And besides it cost you nothing!

 

Another point, what were you thinking changing your first flight scheduled for 12:15 to a flight less than one hour later! You could likely have selected the 7:30 flight in the first place and then not stressed out about your bus driver's professionalism.

 

I swear, what did you expect? You were involved in a potentially dangerous situation and the sum total cost to you was six hours. Thank you lucky stars and mark this as a learning moment.

 

I usually dont respond to someone's else post in this manner - but I think that this is rather rude. The poster has the right feel what ever he/she chooses to feel. It was an evidently stressful event for them and they chose to share that. No one should be belittled for doing so. The OP asked a question and this poster chose to share thier experience.

 

And NO ONE knows how they would react unless placed in the same situation. Everyone has different stressors and breaking points.

[gatour]

soxfan7, While I feel and understand your frustration, I am not sure what else you would expect Carnival to do? It sounds like Carnival notified the airlines about the situation, and the airlines agreed to waive their change fees, which you were able to take advantage of.

 

If you had booked your original flights on your own, and now expected Carnival to rebook the return flights for you. Think of the logistics. You have four or five people at most at the pursers desk taking your flight information, contacting the airline and then picking your return flight for you. Not multiply this by hundreds of people. It would take hours upon hours to rebook everyone.

 

The alternate in this case is that the ship was relatively close to the shore, so people could use their cell phones to rebook. Now instead of 4 or 5 Carnival employees available to rebook your flights, you now have hundreds of airline employees available. Plus you have can figure out which flight(s) would work best for your individual situation instead of having a middleman just making random choice.

[happylady]

Let me get this straight...you were in a situation that included a bomb or at least a threat of a bomb and you were six hours late leaving. Give me a break, you should be thankful you made it home that night. And besides it cost you nothing!

 

Another point, what were you thinking changing your first flight scheduled for 12:15 to a flight less than one hour later! You could likely have selected the 7:30 flight in the first place and then not stressed out about your bus driver's professionalism.

 

I swear, what did you expect? You were involved in a potentially dangerous situation and the sum total cost to you was six hours. Thank you lucky stars and mark this as a learning moment.

 

 

WOW :eek: I'm in South Florida and even I can feel the cold. :(

[LHP]

soxfan7, While I feel and understand your frustration, I am not sure what else you would expect Carnival to do? It sounds like Carnival notified the airlines about the situation, and the airlines agreed to waive their change fees, which you were able to take advantage of.

 

If you had booked your original flights on your own, and now expected Carnival to rebook the return flights for you. Think of the logistics. You have four or five people at most at the pursers desk taking your flight information, contacting the airline and then picking your return flight for you. Not multiply this by hundreds of people. It would take hours upon hours to rebook everyone.

 

The alternate in this case is that the ship was relatively close to the shore, so people could use their cell phones to rebook. Now instead of 4 or 5 Carnival employees available to rebook your flights, you now have hundreds of airline employees available. Plus you have can figure out which flight(s) would work best for your individual situation instead of having a middleman just making random choice.

 

 

Very good point....I don't know what else Carnival could have done???

 

Carnival does not even get to control when to dock once the bomb threat was turned over to the Feds.... the Feds are the ones that say when and where....

[littlesnit]

soxfan7,

I, too, am sorry you had a lousy end to your vacation. That one stupid person probably wreaked havoc for hundreds of you trying to get home, and many more who were waiting to get on, and those who were waiting in the parking lot to pick up family and friends, etc. Luckily, you finally did catch a flight that day and got home safely. Thank goodness for cell phones. At least you could call loved ones and let them know you were okay so they wouldn't be worried sick, also.

 

Thank you for sharing your story.

 

I hope there is a SEVERE punishment for that skum-bucket.

[soxfan7]

Thank you to the posters who were empathetic to my situation, for the ones who aren't, to each his own. When they did tell us over the PA that there was a threat, they told us the ship had already been searched at that time and there was nothing found, so there was never a worry that we might be in danger.

 

I know it was beyond Carnival's control but they didn't do anything to alleviate any stress or organize things to make it any easier. I have been on two other cruises, both with Royal Caribbean, and both were a week, not 3 days, so I wish I could have seen how the normal debarkation was for the 3 day cruise, or the Carnival debarkation normally was, because this debarkation was crazy, people everywhere and mass chaos to get off the ship.

 

I wasn't looking for anything from Carnival, they did what they did and that was it, I had a good time prior to that day and I'm taking it with a grain of salt, but the OP did ask and I gave my situation and opinion. Again, to each his own. Now, back to cruising! I'm sailing on Oasis five weeks from Saturday and I can't wait to be on the water again!

[nrdsb4]

Just curious, what should they have done to "alleviate the stress?"

[kelz66]

Let me get this straight...you were in a situation that included a bomb or at least a threat of a bomb and you were six hours late leaving. Give me a break, you should be thankful you made it home that night. And besides it cost you nothing!

 

Another point, what were you thinking changing your first flight scheduled for 12:15 to a flight less than one hour later! You could likely have selected the 7:30 flight in the first place and then not stressed out about your bus driver's professionalism.

 

I swear, what did you expect? You were involved in a potentially dangerous situation and the sum total cost to you was six hours. Thank you lucky stars and mark this as a learning moment.

 

 

Someone needs a hug. :p:rolleyes:

 

LOL

[Chief Cruiser]

I would certainly hate to have my cruise end on such a note. While I take no particular side in this debate, it does cross my mind that sometimes we are our own enemies. People are entitled to feel what they feel and we all know hindsight is 20/20 and bystanders always have the perfect solution to an event they didn't experience.

 

While I am a "thinker/detail" type person, I know other people are not while others do not handle stress very well. When given a situaiton such as this, I always plan for the worse and work back towards the best that it can be. Remember, the norm and routine is gone and the best that it can be is all you have left and generally ends being what WE make it, not what others do.

 

For instance: I would have never rebooked a 12:15 PM flight for 1 PM knowing that my debarkation time was still in doubt given the dynamics of what was going on. I would have went with the later flight to allow time for "other" delays and unexpected things to happen and taken any future stress off me. My new departure time would have been the 7 PM flight and I would reset my thinking and frame of mind. Then, I would have gone to the buffet and enjoyed my additional time on the ship and water since the "threat of danger" had been diminshed.

 

It would have been far less stressful to rebook the flight from a later flight to an earlier flight if one was available and the events if the day worked out that way. If not, then I would have been where I would have expected to be with the later flight. Life is what it is. Often times it is not the situation that is the problem, but merely how we handle it!

 

Based on what I've read, Carnival did about all it could do. Keep in mind that crew and passenger safety is always first and I see a 6 hour delay a small price to pay for ensuring the safety of my life. As an emergency responder for 16 years, I know the ins/outs of the time it takes for the process to play out to investigate this type of situation and the "red tape" it takes to document it. The feds will slow down a funeral prossession and there is nothing that you can do about it and neither can Carnival. I know some things the feds could do much faster, but when considering the magnitude of this entire event, the amount of people involved, the vessel, the logistics, the potential loss of life and property, etc., the short delay experienced here is quite reasonable in my mind.

 

If you think the situation you went through was a nightmare, what if the captain had ordered muster and the vessel vacated while you were sitting just offshore of the port? Things could always be worse!

 

JMHO

[Traveler353]

Someone needs a hug. :p:rolleyes:

 

LOL

 

Or a smack up side the head.:eek:

[LHP]

Or a smack up side the head.:eek:

 

At the VERY least, I hope they put that moron on a "no cruise list", since he only spent like 24 hours in jail before bonding out and will probably just get a slap on the wrist.....

[LHP]

Btw, Kudos to Delta for waiving the change fee......

 

an airline doing the right thing....who da thunk it ????

[Essiesmom]

I totally agree with the frustration about the bus driver and luggage. The same thing happened to me in Long Beach. I think they make everyone wait on the bus so they can be done with the luggage and have their hand out for tips. Needless to say, he didn't get a tip from me! the only way I made my flight was because the gate knew from the computers that I had checked in. Then there was the long line at security. They knew by name who I was when I made it to the gate,a nd closed the door after I boarded. Was so surprised when my checked bag came off the conveyor belt in Savannah! EM

 

Oh, and those folks who were no where to be seen, waiting to board for the next cruise...Missed Freeport and had a sea day because of a big storm and a freak tornado that knocked over cranes at the port and caused three deaths.

[Jen99SS]

To those of you who are asking why she changed from a 12 something flight to a 1 something flight, when we were first notified of the situation they we telling us that we would be off the boat around 11. Well since it was out of Carnivals hands then that obviously didn't happen. Maybe the airline is the one who told her to take the 1 something flight. My boss just happened to be dropping someone off who was supposed to be leaving Sunday on our ship. When I got into work Tuesday and was talking to him about it he said that when they arrived at the port right before noon Sunday they were handed a map, a letter and some forms to fill out for the sailing guests. The letter told them to come back to the port at 1:00 so they did and guess what they were turned away again for a few more hours. So it seems to me that between the Feds and Carnival that none of them expected it to take so long. My point here is don't be rude and tell her she shouldn't have expected to be able to make that flight either. And 6 hours is a LONG time when you have no clue what is actually going on! Yeah they told us it was all clear but would they really tell a ship with over 3,000 people on it otherwise?? I would think not.

 

To Soxfan...I'm sorry it turned out to be a terrible day for you but I'm glad you finally got home safe. I know my 2 hour drive home was the longest drive ever, I was just ready to be home! Give it another try, this was my 4th Carnival cruise and by far the worst....and only was Sunday bad. It is usually a lot better experience debarking, as long as there are no idiots on board like we had on ours! I think with the frustration of our situation and being able to really not do anything but sit around for hours it multiplied the chaos getting off.