Will Cruise Ships Leave Without Me?

[sparks1093]

I don't think that was the one I read about (although I think I remember the one your talking about. I found the review I was referring to. Here's the link.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=81967

 

Two different incidents, but I note in the review the couple said their passports remained safely on the ship;). I believe the one I referenced the OP received a call first from his mother a few days after they had left the ship and was upset that the cruise line hadn't called him and weren't helpful when he called them.

[sparks1093]

I don't think that was the one I read about (although I think I remember the one your talking about. I found the review I was referring to. Here's the link.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=81967

 

Found it:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1501350&highlight=abandoned

 

Of course the OP is long gone and the thread is locked but it still makes for interesting reading.

[Karysa]

Well I guess that answers a few questions. The ship does contact your contact phone # and no they don't go into your safe and remove your passport to leave with the port agent. No NCL doesn't turn the ship around or help you get back on the ship if you do not take the responsibility of double checking watches.

 

You could have drowned for all the ship knows at the time? Or one partner drowns and the other misses the ship because they're still searching. Like I said before there are many reasons for missing the ship. Of course I agree with you that the people who simply don't look at their watch account for the vast majority of the ship missers but not for all of them.

[che5904]

Like I said before there are many reasons for missing the ship. Of course I agree with you that the people who simply don't look at their watch account for the vast majority of the ship missers but not for all of them.

 

I agree completely and I'm sure there are those with very valid reasons that aren't even as urgent as you stated here. Accident holding someone up from returning on time, either because they are in one or got delayed by one. Taxi/bus/vehicle breakdown. But like the review I was quoting on, certainly not on purpose but probably for the most part not valid.

[dread_pirate]

Well for one thing I only cruise to warm destinations. And I could think of far worse things than being stranded (while waiting for a new passport) on a caribbean island ;). Two I would have my passport on me and as I said, I paid for my room and the ship has no business going through my personal belongs until my paid time is up.

Every hotel and every cruise line (heck, every landlord) has the authority to enter someone's room in case of emergency. It can easily be argued that missing the ship is an emergency. And it is more likely than not that this right extends to looking for and finding passports in order to ensure a guest's safety.

 

They do not have the obligation to do so - in fact, there are very few obligations set forth in the cruise contract. But I would bet that they have the right to do so.

[che5904]

Every hotel and every cruise line (heck, every landlord) has the authority to enter someone's room in case of emergency. It can easily be argued that missing the ship is an emergency. And it is more likely than not that this right extends to looking for and finding passports in order to ensure a guest's safety.

 

They do not have the obligation to do so - in fact, there are very few obligations set forth in the cruise contract. But I would bet that they have the right to do so.

 

There is a difference between having the authority and doing this. My original post didn't say anyone could or couldn't do this. I stated that I hoped that poster was wrong that NCL did this. From the latest posting, I would say they were, since the review posted states that NCL didn't do this.

[blindrid]

I'm very paranoid about planning for excursions because I don't want to be left behind.

 

No reason to be but if you truly are, book an excursion through the cruise line - they'll pretty much hold the ship for one of their excursions barring some super long delay i.e. accident, etc.

[leekel619]

Some guests who miss the ship may not have the financial ability (and extra vacation time)to stay at a port in a hotel waiting for a new passport. I'm sure it takes at least a week or longer. It will be a lot more expensive than on a cruise vacation that's for sure.

Besides, when the cruise is over your stuff will be removed from the safe and closets. And it won't be the original guest doing the clean out.

They'll be stuck somewhere with no passport.

Of course they can go in your safe and I'm quite sure it will be security doing it. It would be very convenient (inconvenient for ship personnel) for the guest if they did this right before the ship left the pilot boat area, so they'd have all their personal belongings.

 

I would hate to miss the boat. Don't think I EVER will. But I'd hate it even more if all my stuff was still in my stateroom and who knows where when the cruise ends.

The whole thought is stressful. Watching these YouTube videos is giving me the chills. Especially that one in Alaska with the two ladies. It looked so cold and dank. They should have been in their nice stateroom getting ready for dinner and a show. And maybe a nice cocktail! Chugging along at sea on their way to the next port! I wonder if they had anyone on board stunned that they left without them. Like a spouse or something. It ruins the rest of their vacation too, worrying. Why do people take those chances??

 

Well a few weeks ago we were about to leave 10 passengers. They came running along in different groups. We waited. They were up to ten minutes late. Late meaning past time to leave. Not late according to final boarding. (You know...all guests be back at X:00.)

 

Some of them were mad at the heckles and walking slow. An officer yelled to one young woman.... Do you know if there are anymore behind you at the bus stop?

She said if you want to know go look for yourself.

She couldn't have cared less we waited for her. And of course her friend was running way ahead and he got right on.

The crew had already finished their dance numbers and put all if the equipment and DJ stuff onboard. Plants. Shade tent. Rugs. Chairs. Loosened the ropes.... It was close.

 

Last year when I was on the Dawn in Bermuda we left two passengers. As long as we could see the pier we never saw them running up as we sailed off. No speeding cabs. Nothing We were looking. Some with binoculars so they were wicked late.

I did not see anyone bringing stuff to pier for them. Like suitcases. Maybe they rush and the pilot boat brings it back?? If they're lucky that is. I also didn't stand there much longer so who knows.

I can only gawk and rubberneck for so long and then I have to get back to my own business! I was probably starving by then...

[Suitcasefull]

The Pearl was held a bit of time in Puerta Chiapas on our April tour. Couldn't find a man they were paging. You could see security and crew members combing all the areas around the beaches and trees, etc. so figured there was some reason for concern. Finally saw him (elderly), looking like he could barely manage, coming out the tourist building and down the walkway. One of the security heads, Jon Coxon (a superb individual....had opportunity to see his kindness and care several times and he should be cloned!) ran and took the man's backpack and helped him the rest of the way. No idea where this man had gotten off to but town is a long way from dock but none of those around me seemed upset when they saw what appeared to be a totally exhausted elderly man get on the ship rather than being left behind. Probably would have been a different feeling if it were a group of partiers acting like they couldn't care less. I think we were all just relieved nothing bad had happened but will always remain curious about the circumstances.

[che5904]

Some guests who miss the ship may not have the financial ability (and extra vacation time)to stay at a port in a hotel waiting for a new passport. I'm sure it takes at least a week or longer. It will be a lot more expensive than on a cruise vacation that's for sure.

Besides, when the cruise is over your stuff will be removed from the safe and closets. And it won't be the original guest doing the clean out.

They'll be stuck somewhere with no passport.

Of course they can go in your safe and I'm quite sure it will be security doing it. It would be very convenient (inconvenient for ship personnel) for the guest if they did this right before the ship left the pilot boat area, so they'd have all their personal belongings.

 

 

I think if someone knows that they may not have the financial ability to be stranded somewhere waiting for a new passport then those people should consider taking their passport with them into port. Even if they had their passport (by your scenerio) they may not have the financial ability to get themselves to the next port or home.

 

Therefore I see them having 3 options. Bring their passport and go with a ship sponsored excursion, where the ship will do what they can to wait for them, aid them in making it to the next port or home. Or stay on the ship or within a short walking distance to the ship and then get back to the ship in plenty of time to spare. Or at least have whatever insurance is needed to cover whatever issues may arise.

[leekel619]

Actually it's a teeny odd that people get left behind. We can wonder why those random standings occur and hope they tell all here on CC!

Any cruise I've ever been on the ship leaves with pretty much everyone it arrived with!

But it's still a chilling sight to watch the videos and hear the stories of those who miss it and speculate what may happen next on their journey home. (And their belongings and when and where they will pick them up.) I don't plan on ever knowing firsthand.

 

We never take our passport off the ship. I leave several things in my safe that I don't want to be stranded without either.

 

We could afford to be stranded but we would NEVER want to be. Ever. We love and plan too long for our cruises! Our favorite days are sea days!

[leekel619]

The Pearl was held a bit of time in Puerta Chiapas on our April tour. Couldn't find a man they were paging. You could see security and crew members combing all the areas around the beaches and trees, etc. so figured there was some reason for concern. Finally saw him (elderly), looking like he could barely manage, coming out the tourist building and down the walkway. One of the security heads, Jon Coxon (a superb individual....had opportunity to see his kindness and care several times and he should be cloned!) ran and took the man's backpack and helped him the rest of the way. No idea where this man had gotten off to but town is a long way from dock but none of those around me seemed upset when they saw what appeared to be a totally exhausted elderly man get on the ship rather than being left behind. Probably would have been a different feeling if it were a group of partiers acting like they couldn't care less. I think we were all just relieved nothing bad had happened but will always remain curious about the circumstances.

 

Poor guy I'm glad they found him. And Jon sounds awesome!

[mking8288]

We never take our passport off the ship. I leave several things in my safe that I don't want to be stranded without either.

 

A trick that we've used for oversea travel in other countries, far from the ports visited by most cruising - we adapted a bit of modern technology by storing hi-resolution scanned *.pdf and *.jpg images of our passport with the biographic page(s) - drivers license/state-issued ID and even photos of credit cards that we are carrying - 1 set kept in "Cloud" storage (i.e. MSN SkyDrive, Google Docs and/or DropBox) for retrieval in case of emergencies, and backup set kept on the global smartphone - while it isn't officially accepted documentation, but it sured help in making an emergency replacements a bit easier (or, in a iPad secured folder) if one ended up calling the State Dept's overseas hotline for U.S. citizens ...

 

We make it a habit to note & save the ship's contact info for the port agent's name & telephone number(s) at each port - it's SOP to print that info with the onboard daily newspaper distributed to all guests.

[leekel619]

That's good planning. I'm sure you also wear a watch!

 

I will look into those storage sites you mentioned. I forgot about doing that again. Taking the photos... And they should be kept somewhere that is accessible from any computer.