Star is sucking right now!!

[swedish weave]

I hope we hear from some of the pax. I was very close to taking this cruise myself! I wonder if the suite guests had it any better.

 

Suite guests were also delayed, but as VIP, they were among the first to leave the ship escorted by the Concierge if they chose to do so.

[GigCrusier]

Perhaps you could use your appparent influence to obtain a statement from Customs to support your position. Good luck !!

I hope you did not take my post personnaly. You appear to be attacking me for a different opinion.

 

I belive my positon that NCL lacked professionalism by making the "playing games" comment was appropiate.

 

Sorry if I offened you, butit really was not my intent.

[Why Knot Me]

I hope you did not take my post personnaly. You appear to be attacking me for a different opinion.

 

I belive my positon that NCL lacked professionalism by making the "playing games" comment was appropiate.

 

Sorry if I offened you, butit really was not my intent.

 

Could it possibly be that "playing games" was not meant to be a literal interpretation?

[Planer's Edge]

I hope you did not take my post personnaly. You appear to be attacking me for a different opinion.

 

I belive my positon that NCL lacked professionalism by making the "playing games" comment was appropiate.

 

Sorry if I offened you, butit really was not my intent.

 

It doesn't appear as though Swedish Weave was attacking you in any way. It appears as though they were looking for a little justification in your contrary opinion. ;) JMHO!!

 

PE<---is curious when OP will come back with an update...

[Silver Girl]

I'm on the ship right now and we are in the process of docking at the pier. Yes, it was disappointing to board late; however, we were told by several crew members that it was a combination of immigration and drug smuggling problems, which were beyond NCL's control. Boarding was supposed to begin at noon and we were informed at 12:20 that it would be delayed until 2:00, and boarding actually began at about 1:45. Not having a PA system and not being able to hear announcements was frustrating and contributed to the anger that some people felt. We had a great time once we were onboard. I'd take more of these short cruises but they are few and far between for those of us on the west coast.

[swedish weave]

I hope you did not take my post personnaly. You appear to be attacking me for a different opinion.

 

I belive my positon that NCL lacked professionalism by making the "playing games" comment was appropiate.

 

Sorry if I offened you, butit really was not my intent.

 

NCL did not make the comment.

[GigCrusier]

Could it possibly be that "playing games" was not meant to be a literal interpretation?

Why Knot Me,

 

Very good point. A lot of people post inaccurate comments here. I bet you are correct and Swedish Weave might have not stated correctly what was said by NCL.

 

Thank you for your comment.

[GigCrusier]

NCL did not make the comment.

Who is Ray Carr? I assumed he worked for NCL. If I assumed incorectly, please accept my apology.

[GigCrusier]

It doesn't appear as though Swedish Weave was attacking you in any way. It appears as though they were looking for a little justification in your contrary opinion. ;) JMHO!!

 

PE<---is curious when OP will come back with an update...

What does "JHMO" mean?

[swedish weave]

Who is Ray Carr? I assumed he worked for NCL. If I assumed incorectly, please accept my apology.

 

Ray Carr also did not make the comment. He apologized for the delay.

[Why Knot Me]

Why Knot Me,

 

Very good point. A lot of people post inaccurate comments here. I bet you are correct and Swedish Weave might have not stated correctly what was said by NCL.

 

Thank you for your comment.

 

I think Weave said it correctly...

 

"Ray Carr was apologizing for the delay but couldn't do anything about it because Customs was playing games".

 

Thus:

1. Ray apologized for the delay.

2. Weave added the "playing games" for interpretation sake. I did not take that part as literal.

 

I could be wrong, but it's a dicing of words. I don't see any unprofessionalism on Ray's part AND I don't see an inaccurate posting by Weave.

[newmexicoNita]

Perhaps you could use your appparent influence to obtain a statement from Customs to support your position. Good luck !!

 

Thanks, I was about to say something similar. Sure, NCL should just go to the port authority or customs and demand an apology or some such thing. I am sure the customs people will ablidge..LOl

 

Nita

[swedish weave]

I think Weave said it correctly...

 

"Ray Carr was apologizing for the delay but couldn't do anything about it because Customs was playing games".

 

Thus:

1. Ray apologized for the delay.

2. Weave added the "playing games" for interpretation sake. I did not take that part as literal.

 

I could be wrong, but it's a dicing of words. I don't see any unprofessionalism on Ray's part AND I don't see an inaccurate posting by Weave.

 

Your comprehension skills far exceed those of others who post here.

 

Perhaps by explaining that JMHO means "just my humble opinion" will ease the anxiety of other posters, also.

[swedish weave]

Thanks, I was about to say something similar. Sure, NCL should just go to the port authority or customs and demand an apology or some such thing. I am sure the customs people will ablidge..LOl

 

Nita

 

Nita -- I believe I can see your tongue stuck firmly in your cheek !!:D:D As mine is, also.

[Melancthon]

We were on the Star cruise which ended on Friday morning, supposedly to be docked and ready for walking off at 8 a.m. We stood in line for one hour forty minutes before the line ev en began to move from the ship. The best we were able to ascertain was that there was some problem with one of the crew members which immigration wanted to settle before the exodus from the ship was allowed. No imformation was forthcoming from the ship except the cover all generic: We have not been cleard yet. As to who was at fault....good question.

[Ms belp]

Why do people want to go on a one night cruise anyway? Really.

[swedish weave]

We were on the Star cruise which ended on Friday morning, supposedly to be docked and ready for walking off at 8 a.m. We stood in line for one hour forty minutes before the line ev en began to move from the ship. The best we were able to ascertain was that there was some problem with one of the crew members which immigration wanted to settle before the exodus from the ship was allowed. No imformation was forthcoming from the ship except the cover all generic: We have not been cleard yet. As to who was at fault....good question.

 

I doubt that anyone will ever get a truthful specific answer to that question, but NCL was in the same position we were. Customs and Immigration dictates to the cruise line when guests can disembark.

[swedish weave]

Why do people want to go on a one night cruise anyway? Really.

 

If you ask that question to the approx 2100 people who made the trip, you may get 2100 different answers.:p

[crew mom]

Who is Ray Carr? I assumed he worked for NCL. If I assumed incorectly, please accept my apology.

Ray Carr is the Cruise Director on the Star at this time. As such, he is the spokesperson for the company in this type of situation.

 

... Ray Carr was apologizing for the delay but couldn't do anything about it because Customs was playing games.

I understood what swedish weave meant. But I can also understand how the sentence could be misinterpreted to mean that Ray Carr said that Customs was playing games. One of the problems with bulletin boards and such since many people take the way that something is written as fact. Better to ask for verification first as to what the poster meant before jumping to conclusions if you are not sure what was said.

 

Seriously, I doubt that customs was "playing games".

Agreed

 

Sounds more like someone needs to take responsibilty and admit what happened to cause the delay....

... I think NCL shoulld address the Port Autority to resolve the customs issue and then make a public statement as to what happened. (I know this concept of candid open policy is very unlikely).

This happens many times and more than likely it is a Customs or Immigration problem and therefore out of control of the cruiseline or the Port Authority. The CD did apologize for the delay but he was not privy to why Customs or Immigration is slowing down the process. There are many reasons that can happen; Homeland security lists, reports of stolen goods, more muggling then you know - drug, art, fruit & vegetable, animals etc. Anytime you cross any border, by any means of transportation, you have to deal with this.

 

Customs and Immigration are not likely to ever offer an apology or excuse. They are simply doing their job to keep our county safe and prevent laws from being broken.

[newmexicoNita]

Nita -- I believe I can see your tongue stuck firmly in your cheek !!:D:D As mine is, also.

 

you got it, SW

[Atomica]

Regardless of whether it's a one-night voyage or one hundred nights, if customs decides to dig their heels in on something, you're out of luck. There's remarkably little you as a passenger or even the cruise line can do about it. You just have to roll with the punches.

 

Very frustrating to be sure - but remember: the crew and NCL corporate are just as annoyed as you are.

[Kayakbride]

I just arrived this morning on the Star, and we got to the dock at the announced arrival time of 8am, but Customs delayed the debarkation for a long time and I am sure several people missed flights because of it. We were some of the last ones to leave the ship, and we passed a couple hundred in the non-US line still waiting to be cleared. It was after noon when we left the ship, and normally everybody is off and gone by 10 or 10:30am. Ray Carr was apologizing for the delay but couldn't do anything about it because Customs was playing games.

 

I'd be interested to hear if there are extra delays at the airport because of the new xray ( nekkid) scanners, especially because I'm flying out in a few weeks. There is a movement to encourage folks to demand the pat down instead of the new xray scanners which will tie up the boarding lines. I heard there was some new intelligence on terrorism for the holidays with heightened security but that might be political theater for Chertoff's investment in the scanner company and subsequent TSA investment in the scanners. Ships in port are vulnerable so we just have to get used to it. I imagine disembarkation will take longer as a result. It took us an extra four hours for Brazilian customs to allow us to disembark last year in Rio de Janeiro - they said customs came on board and searched the entire ship before allowing any passengers off.

[JohnIreland]

Why do people want to go on a one night cruise anyway? Really.

 

 

I presume because it's one night longer than a zero night cruise :D

[sjbdtz]

I hope you did not take my post personnaly. You appear to be attacking me for a different opinion.

 

How can you have an opinion of what happened, when you weren't there? Besides...these are facts, not opinions.

 

 

 

 

Very frustrating to be sure - but remember: the crew and NCL corporate are just as annoyed as you are.

 

Yes, but Customs hasn't lied about the number of walls in any cabin... :rolleyes:

[STARFISH*4]

I'm on the ship right now and we are in the process of docking at the pier. Yes, it was disappointing to board late; however, we were told by several crew members that it was a combination of immigration and drug smuggling problems, which were beyond NCL's control. Boarding was supposed to begin at noon and we were informed at 12:20 that it would be delayed until 2:00, and boarding actually began at about 1:45. Not having a PA system and not being able to hear announcements was frustrating and contributed to the anger that some people felt. We had a great time once we were onboard. I'd take more of these short cruises but they are few and far between for those of us on the west coast.

 

hey Silver Girl see you back at RC...sorry you had delay in the beginning but GLAD you had a GREAT time after!!