Just returned from the spirit 3/6 - 3/13

[Sea Monster 2]

and I have lived in a few sities where unusual situation do occur and you are wrong, the emergancies are so rare it is total kaos (spelling) from start to finish. we are not talking about the unruley kids, we are talking about the late arrival and the delays that everyone suffered through. Obviosly you are thinking something totally different. Medevac and unstocked supplies was not the main concern or complaint, it was the late arrival and the lack of communication. It does seem NCL has problems from time to time with communication.

 

I've lived through a couple of pretty significant emergencies myself, Nita. :rolleyes: Chaos is usually the result of lack of planning or lack of execution-- communication was definitely a major problem in this case, but that is part of planning for an emergency situation. In my post, I gave a short list of the complaints that had been made here that fall under the category of things that happen on cruise ships from time to time, and for which the cruise companies can therefore have plans of action. Late arrival (including dramatically late arrival) should fall into that category, along with communication. These are things that they can anticipate happening at some point, and train for.

 

Emergencies are rare or catastrophic, which is what can make them difficult to deal with, but emergency planning (there is an entire career based on emergency planning, it is not a novelty or oddity) allows you to identify risks and plan for them. Even my sorority back in the '80s had a risk management and liability committee, so I can't imagine a cruise line doesn't have plans for late arrival-- I suspect the issues were execution. And I suspect that if they had a good plan and implementation, this "emergency" would never have risen to the level of emergency-- it would simply have been an inconvenience, albeit a significant one for some people.

[tkportersat]

I would just advise you to be careful....this was my almost 17yr old daughters 7th cruise; I have never had trouble with my children in the past. This year my daughter hung out with teens ranging from 16-19yrs old. One of the teens parents gave their boys vodka, who in turn gave it to my daughter. Needless to say she spent a day vomiting and sitting in the shower and several more hours sleeping it off.

 

Believe me, she didn't do anything that I didn't do as a teen but I have warned her of the dangers of taking things from strangers as well as the fact that bad things can happen on cruise ships (rape/drowning/going overboard,etc). I honestly was surprised this happened as my daughter has always been very level headed. I think she saw a window when her older brother was away and knew I had my hands full with a 10 month old.

 

Only bringing this up because I knew I didn't need to worry about her getting booze from the cruiseline, but didn't account for other teens that could/would give it to her. And no I didn't report it. She is old enough at this point, she made the choice.

 

 

OMG, I literally put a deposit down for 6 Moms and our teenage daughters to take this cruise next year on March 18th. Never did it occur to me that it would be over run like that. Or that the college kids would be allowed to have an all inclusive alcohol package. :eek:

 

I am going to watch the reviews for the next few weeks and see what they look like.

 

No one else who is going has ever cruised before so I am going to feel responsible if it is a nightmare!!

[newmexicoNita]

I would just advise you to be careful....this was my almost 17yr old daughters 7th cruise; I have never had trouble with my children in the past. This year my daughter hung out with teens ranging from 16-19yrs old. One of the teens parents gave their boys vodka, who in turn gave it to my daughter. Needless to say she spent a day vomiting and sitting in the shower and several more hours sleeping it off.

 

Believe me, she didn't do anything that I didn't do as a teen but I have warned her of the dangers of taking things from strangers as well as the fact that bad things can happen on cruise ships (rape/drowning/going overboard,etc). I honestly was surprised this happened as my daughter has always been very level headed. I think she saw a window when her older brother was away and knew I had my hands full with a 10 month old.

 

Only bringing this up because I knew I didn't need to worry about her getting booze from the cruiseline, but didn't account for other teens that could/would give it to her. And no I didn't report it. She is old enough at this point, she made the choice.

 

Similar thing happened with our granddaughter when she was about 17. She went on a snorkeling tour with her older sister which would have been fine, but it was a run punch ship as well. No one realized it. One experience with run punch and she realized, it isn't for those who know nothing about booze. Of course the following year she left for college and I am sure got even a better education about booze. Her mom never blamed anyone except her own daughters for the run experience.

 

Nita

[tkportersat]

I have let my teens drink in my presence; my son was legal in Mexico this trip. The difference is I am aware and can keep an eye on them. My deal with my daughter is that she barely knew these people. When you accept drinks from strangers you never know if they are adding something to it. Either way we were lucky because nothing happened to her. My son found her and brought her back to the room and then came and got me. He kept saying "please don't yell at her". I didn't yell at her but when she sobered up we had a very serious talk about all the bad things that could have happened.

 

Some things were definitely different this trip. In the past before I remarried we were in the same room and I could monitor her comings and goings; I always set a curfew. I have remarried and was way too busy with a 10 month old to watch her 24/7. She knew this and took advantage of that.

 

Similar thing happened with our granddaughter when she was about 17. She went on a snorkeling tour with her older sister which would have been fine, but it was a run punch ship as well. No one realized it. One experience with run punch and she realized, it isn't for those who know nothing about booze. Of course the following year she left for college and I am sure got even a better education about booze. Her mom never blamed anyone except her own daughters for the run experience.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I have let my teens drink in my presence; my son was legal in Mexico this trip. The difference is I am aware and can keep an eye on them. My deal with my daughter is that she barely knew these people. When you accept drinks from strangers you never know if they are adding something to it. Either way we were lucky because nothing happened to her. My son found her and brought her back to the room and then came and got me. He kept saying "please don't yell at her". I didn't yell at her but when she sobered up we had a very serious talk about all the bad things that could have happened.

 

Some things were definitely different this trip. In the past before I remarried we were in the same room and I could monitor her comings and goings; I always set a curfew. I have remarried and was way too busy with a 10 month old to watch her 24/7. She knew this and took advantage of that.

 

and as you know, she is 16. At that age kids have no idea what they are doing or almost no idea. Thank God most of them (and us too) survive those years to look back and wonder how we could have been so stupid. The only difference then and now, I was a couple years older when I did my stupid things, but I still did them.

 

Nita smiles

[queenbnpimpc]

i was not aware of the bear group, the spring break group, the drink card, etc.....i never once heard or seen kareaoke (however you spell it) but i guess the bars were so crowded i couldn't manage my group of 16 into it.

as far as the ports it was an awesome experience for me and my husband. but i think i have decided to just start flying to the islands i would like to visit. im sorry, but i just dont like spending all that money knowing im taking a chance of missing a port or anything else to that nature.

[tkportersat]

Yeah I know :) And I am sure she will do more stupid things. And to think I started over again and get to go through all this again in another 16 years. I have lost my mind - ha.

 

and as you know, she is 16. At that age kids have no idea what they are doing or almost no idea. Thank God most of them (and us too) survive those years to look back and wonder how we could have been so stupid. The only difference then and now, I was a couple years older when I did my stupid things, but I still did them.

 

Nita smiles