This is what happens when you Miss the Boat!

[Globaliser]

I have been on enough cruises to know that when there is a time difference on an island everyone is made fully aware of it. On this cruise we did not notice a sign or hear an announcement.

No Freestyle Daily for you? It will have been in there in block capitals. You simply weren't bothering to notice what was being handed to you on the proverbial plate.

I did not write the letter to gain your sympathy, like many of you think, I was honestly trying to help people not make the same mistakes we did.

No, you wrote the letter to NCL to try and wheedle some money out of them. In your original post, you wrote:-

While we take some responsibility for not being at the port when the last tender left, we feel the cruise ship and cruise line are culpable as well. Many of the issues that arose could have been prevented with better preparation and communication. Including the items that came up missing from our luggage, our excursion cost us an additional $3682.76. Needless to say, this is a significantly greater expense than we anticipated. If this cruise had been completed, it would have been my 6th cruise and my 2nd Norwegian cruise. While I am a huge fan of cruising, and truly enjoy the flexibility offered through Norwegian due to it’s “freestyle cruising”, I would need to have these issues resolved before I felt comfortable entrusting Norwegian through another cruise experience. This experience has caused us as well as our friends and family a great deal of stress. We’d appreciate hearing from you at your earliest convenience to discuss this with you.

(Emphasis added.) What is there to "discuss" or "resolve" about NCL's "culpability" causing you "additional cost", if it isn't getting money out of them.

 

You don't even have the grace to acknowledge the extent of your own responsibility - "some" is such a mealy-mouthed way of doing it.

[Leejnd4]

I did notice in the other thread that Orange24 stated that she did not ask NCL for reimbursement. But then, as you point out here, how exactly does she define "having these issues resolved"? Wouldn't that mean money? I mean, what else could they do? Send a letter of apology? I seriously doubt that they would consider that an acceptable resolution.

 

Another note -- in the original letter, the poster stated:

 

A man who worked for the Port Authority drove us to the Executive Inn. On the way there he mentioned that he was waiting until the ship gave him authorization to pay for our expenses while on the island, since this does happen. Arriving at the Executive Inn, the man had not received any authority to pay for our room. We were on our own. [/Quote]

 

Clearly they expected NCL to pay for their room. Yes, they WERE on their own...as they should have expected, given that they didn't return to their ship on time.

 

So her protestations that she wasn't asking NCL for money sound rather hollow when you look at her own words in the letter.

 

LeeAnne

[runner1909]

To echo mkk, it is a sign of society--the majority do not want to accept responsiblilty for their own actions. It has to be someone else's fault. Heaven help us all.

[kalamari]

The people missed the ship. They were in their own little worlds and didn't bother to stop and think about the time change, despite numerous announcments and other postings. Obivously, they are in the minority because everyone else on the ship made it back in time. Maybe they didn't pay attention because they were oblivious, drunk, high, or neither of these things..maybe just ignorant. Who knows. They said in their initial post that they claimed "some responsibility" for what they did..but they never said what their responsibility was. It's obvious they had a responsibility to get back to the ship n time. They didn't do it, so what do they have to complain about? And they haven't posted anything since?? Menina

[zimmerjulie]

she has posted a few times since.

[jennew]

I was on the Spirit, I even spent the day with my family at the same place the poster did- Half Moon Bay. My kids think they even saw this couple.

 

Let me assure everyone that the time change was CLEARLY noted. It was on the TV- on the daily- announced over the PA system and there was a BIG sign that was sitting on the dock as you left the ship.

 

There is NO excuse for this couple's nonsense. NCL did everything except send someone to hold their hands.

 

As we were preparing for sail-away from Roatan, this couple was paged about 10 times. It appears to me that NCL knew they were missing before the couple themselves did.

[Carolyn1950]

Yikes, what a nightmare.. I wouldn't have the money to fly back and guess I would have had to stay and get a job. Probably the reason I am super-duper careful to get back to the ship in time.

On the Sea, they announced continually "Keep your watches on ship's time"..

[cliffd64]

My intentions of posting the letter I wrote to Norwegian was to inform everyone who read it that there is no policy set in place for what to do when you miss a ship, at least a Norwegian ship.

 

There is also no policy for what to do when you fall off your balcony by climbing over the rails. If you are so inclined... you take your own chances.

 

Once you leave the ship on your own, you are just that... ON YOUR OWN. This is hammered into you every single port on every single freestyle daily, and on every port discussion. There is no policy to deal with passengers who ignore the sail-away time (ok, being ignorant of the time change means you ignored it, and that is no excuse), nor is there any policy for people who ignore the rules and do not bring off their identification, which is the ONLY reason you were stuck for a week once the ship had left you. If you had even the slightest bit of foresight to bring your passports and id with you, as it is suggested at EVERY port, then you would have been able to leave much sooner.

 

What type of policy do you expect the ship to apply when they are hundreds of nautical miles away because of your mistake?

 

What do you expect the folks in Miami to do for you when you have no identification except for a cruise card?

 

Seems to me, that they did as much as they could to help you out of the mess YOU created. They share no responsibility in your mistake. Sorry you had to learn a harsh lesson, but it doesn't pay to be ignorant of your environment.

[calee]

Wow !! Over a thousand views, like beating a dead horse, they sure got their moneys worth out of this post.

[PA Cruisers2]

Wouldn't that be just the BEST...:p If you could go on a cruise and leave the ship for your own private excursion...stay as long as you like, because, hey, why does anyone elses schedule matter! Then, if you do miss the ship (how rude of them to leave without you), you could just hop on any ship that just happens to be in port...and if you complained enough:mad: , they would probably give you an upgrade!...After all, you deserve it!!! ;)

Maybe these two "Adults", who have so many great ideas about how the cruise business should be run, would like to start up such a cruiseline. Anyone like to sign up? :rolleyes: We could just cruise forever and the cruise line would pick up all the expenses for our irresponsible behavior. I wonder how long their company would stay in business???:eek:

[Retired not Expired]

Originally Posted by orange24 My intentions of posting the letter I wrote to Norwegian was to inform everyone who read it that there is no policy set in place for what to do when you miss a ship, at least a Norwegian ship.

 

After being a safety NCO as an extra duty in the Air Force, I can tell you there is NO way to write a policy for every way a person can hurt themselves or others. Someone will always find a new way (Murphy’s Law). NCL has a policy in place to inform you of what happens when you screw up and miss the ship and they follow that policy very well. They also have a policy to tell you to take proper ID, again they follow it well. It is up to you to set a policy of what you would do if you fail to follows their policies. I understand what, "You will be on your own" means. Too bad people don't understand that you have no rights unless you accept the responsibilities that goes with each right.

[salty dingo]

This has been a good thread because it made me think of some *real* concerns that I had not taken seriously before.

 

I doubt I would have lost track of time, but what about the unforeseen? I failed to take a copy of my passport ashore (never have during any of the 3 cruises.) Why take the passport, I have my driver's license and key card...

 

Well, in Grand Cayman, I was thinking, what would have happened if, while I was walking alongside the road, I was injured and hospitalized, and the ship sails away. What then? I know I am on my own to get back home, but with a passport the process will be much easier. Simply book a flight and go. Without a passport, you are a virtual prisoner.

 

I think from here on out, I will be taking the passports ashore. Think about it, if your passport is lost or stolen, you will still be allowed to get back on the ship (don't need a passport for that) and you will still return home (though without a passport, you may get a hassle from the US authorities, but they will sort it out eventually.)

 

I think the cruise lines currently do not recommend taking a passport ashore but perhaps they should.

[Happy ks]

There is actually some good to come out of this post, for all other cruisers, especially new ones. Make sure you understand when to get back onboard your ship. The itinerary listed for this ship was sailaway at 17:00, that is 5:00, not 5:30. So, even if your watch had been set to the appropriate time, you still would have missed the ships' sailing. You must be back onboard at least 30 minutes before sailing time and you should allow at least 30 minutes for tendering. You should have arrived back in port no later than 4pm, by the time you got back to port, your ship had been gone for nearly an hour and a half.

 

I'm very sorry you missed your ship, it sounds like it was a horrible experience for you. Thank you for posting, sometimes these lessons are not very well understood without a detailed explanation of just what can happen if you miss your ship. A very expensive and scary experience, your cruise contract makes it quite clear you are responsible for getting back onboard the ship before it sails. They also make it clear they will not reimburse you for any expenses incurred if you miss your sailing.

 

I do hope they locate your missing items, but again, they are not responsible.

[houtexme]

The cruise insurance I recently obtained from an insurance company covers "missed connections" including missing the ship at a port up to $750 per person. I think that might have helped in this circumstance.

[smeyer418]

No I think you are wrong. It covers when the airline is delayed and you miss a connection, not when you show up late. When you fail to return to the ship on time because you misread the time, I don't think that falls within most if not all insurance policies. It insures you against the failure of others, your own illness, your families illness, accidents etc but not you own cupidity.

[HB]

I am wondering why you can't make a copy or even several copies of your passport and just take one of those off the ship instead of the passport its self incase you should need it. We have done that and kept a copy in each of our suit cases incase we should ever lose our real ones. Does anyone know if that would work?

[houtexme]

The insurance agent at the company I bought the policy from specifically said that each person would have $750 for a missed connection, including missing the ship while in port. That would have at least paid for a hotel and food while waiting to get the passport mess they were in straightened out.

[smeyer418]

I am not sure which insurance or what the Agent told you. The only insurance on insuremytrip.com that has a $750 interruption is travel guard

here is the term from that contract

TRAVEL DELAY

The Insurer will reimburse up to $150 a day to the Maximum Limit shown on the Schedule of Benefits if the Insured' s Trip is delayed for more than 12 hours for Reasonable Additional Expenses until travel becomes possible. Incurred expenses must be accompanied by receipts. This benefit is payable for only one delay per Insured, per Trip. Travel Delay must be caused by: (a) the Insured being delayed by a traffic accident while en route to a departure; or (b) carrier-caused delay; © lost or stolen passports, travel documents, or money or (d) quarantine; (e) being hijacked; (f) unannounced Strike; (g) Inclement Weather which prohibits Common carrier departure; or (h) Natural Disaster. Payments for additional accommodation expenses will not exceed $150 per day per individual, up to the Maximum Limit of Coverage for Reasonable Additional Expenses.

 

....

 

Maybe the agent answered a different question that you asked.

[cruising grandma]

Orange24 was only 20 years old, so how was she allowed on the ship without parents or legal guardian??? Check her birthday in her profile.

[jmalstrom]

Having several copies of your passport is a great idea! We have one to leave at home in the fire safe, and one that stays in our favorite carry on for ALL trips.

 

However...you need the real deal to get out of most foreign countries (like Honduras, Belize, Grand Cayman, Costa Rica). So...leave the copy onboard in case the real one gets lost onshore and TAKE THE REAL ONE WITH YOU!!!

 

Having a copy will help you get a replacement faster, but WILL NOT get you home.

 

We sailed on the Sun in November and were told several horror stories by our Dive In instructor on the way to Ambergris Caye. One involved a couple who missed the last tender in Grand Cayman (which I think would be easy to do in that particular port if you were not VERY careful). They were stranded in Cayman until the ship docked at Cozumel and could send them their passports. That was probably a safer, but much more expensive place to be stranded!

 

I had never carried my passport onshore until I heard this story. Now I will always carry it, unless I'm in Mexico - then I will go with the driver's license, ship's card and credit card.

 

It is good to learn from other people's mistakes!

[PA Cruisers2]

Why wouldn't you bring your passpost with you when you go to Mexico?

[jmalstrom]

Having lived in Texas almost all my life, I know that trips to Mexico require only a valid US driver's license.

 

I like to be in or on the water as much as possible when I cruise. Since my driver's license is alot more waterproof than my passport, I will just take it when visiting beautiful mexican ports like Cozumel or Cancun.

[PA Cruisers2]

Thanks for the tip. We are going to Cozumel next January. I will start taking notes for my next cruise on what and what not to do!

 

Any tips on Cozumel...Belize...or Ocho Rios? They are on our itinerary and we haven't visited them yet.

Thanks

PA Cruisers2

[TREATPETSWITHLOVE]

Well, all I have to say is when I sailed on Norwegian, they made it very clear that there is a one hour time difference in Roaton. How someone would miss that is beyond me. You should always pay attention to what is being said over the loud speaker, what is on your television and the activity sheet that is delivered to your room each night. This is yet another example why when you go to a less frequented port - that you should either 1) book thru Norwegian or

2) STAY ON THE SHIP.

[woodz]

When we were on the Spirit in September (Alaska) the Freestyle stated to take proof of citizenship and your key card. I am an American citizen and except for Victoria we were visiting American ports. Every announcement when the ship had cleared customs stated the deck to get off and to bring proof of citizenship. There were others on the ship of different nationalities. I just slipped my passort in my pocket. It got wet a few times, but now it looks like I have really used it.