American passenger unaccounted for on Veendam cruise

[Salacia]

"Halifax Regional Police are asking for the public's help in locating a 70-year-old U.S. citizen who may have walked off a visiting cruise ship in Sydney or Halifax..." more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/10/09/ns-cruise-missing-woman.html

 

According to reports, the woman was last seen on Sept. 30.

 

additional sources: http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2012-10-09/article-3095306/Cruise-ship-passenger-missing/1

 

http://www.halifaxnewsnet.ca/News/2012-10-09/article-3095276/U.S.-woman-missing-from-visiting-cruise-ship/1

 

Best wishes to the passenger, her family and friends. -Salacia

[CtheW0rld]

wow. that was 9 days ago and they are just putting out the alert now? :confused:

[Salacia]

wow. that was 9 days ago and they are just putting out the alert now? :confused:

 

It is odd, plus key cards are needed to get on or off the ship, and isn't information stored to show where and when passengers depart/embark the ship? So I'm also suprised that they don't know exactly which port the missing passenger might have walked off the ship. -S.

[3rdGenCunarder]

It is odd, plus key cards are needed to get on or off the ship, and isn't information stored to show where and when passengers depart/embark the ship? So I'm also suprised that they don't know exactly which port the missing passenger might have walked off the ship. -S.

 

Sounds like her card didn't scan properly and nobody noticed.

 

When they first had the scan cards on QE2, there were lots of mis-scans. So if you didn't get scanned properly getting off, when you returned, the computer read the scan as leaving, not returning. There would usually be a half-dozer or so names read out close to departure form a port, and they were nearly always on board, but the scan had been missed somewhere along the line. Once the crew got used to checking the scans, it got better. And now they usually have different sounds for going off and returning.

 

Is it QM2 or a HAL ship whose computer says "welcome back" or something like that when you card is scanned as you return to the ship? (or is it hello and goodbye? I just remember the computer saying SOMETHING, don't recall what)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the link.

Very sad for her family.

I have seen too often people pushing to get off the ship and she may have been in a crowd and her card may not have been scanned properly. Thus the confusion as to where she got off the ship.

What I wonder is why this is now being reported. Weren't her cabin stewards aware that she hadn't been back to her cabin? -- That nothing had been used in the cabin?

[safarigal]

We were on that cruise and heard nothing about it. They must've noticed her missing by the time we went to Bar Harbor, the port after Halifax. Everyone had to go through US immigration before anyone could get off the ship. There was a delay before we could go ashore - I wonder if that's when they noticed she wasn't on board and the report is only just coming out now.

 

You would have thought her cabin steward would have known when she was last in her cabin.

 

Cunard ships used to go ping and say welcome back when they scanned your card, but that didn't happen on the last trip we were on. Very disappointing!

[O2B@C]

Hope they find her and she's ok. This makes me think that if I were cruising alone, particularly if I had medical issues like it sounds like this lady did, I'd try to make friends with at least one of my cabin neighbors, and arrange to check in with them in some unobtrusive way, like leaving a note in the mailbox, at scheduled times. The understanding would be that if the check-in did not occur as scheduled, they would contact the ship's security. That would at least narrow the time frame during which my whereabouts were unaccounted for. As a non-solo cruiser, I would certainly be willing to do that for a solo neighbor - wouldn't you?

[KirkNC]

Wow, I hope it turns out ok, it does nto sound good.

[RuthC]

As of right now, I didn't see where it's conclusive that the woman left via land.

Please tell me I missed that, or is passenger overboard also a possibility?

[superoma]

As of right now, I didn't see where it's conclusive that the woman left via land.

Please tell me I missed that, or is passenger overboard also a possibility?

 

I read this the same way Ruth. Not totally clear that this wasn't a passenger overboard situation. And no news updates on the CBC as of now.

[safarigal]

I read this the same way Ruth. Not totally clear that this wasn't a passenger overboard situation. And no news updates on the CBC as of now.

 

I must say that my first thought was that the possibility of her going overboard was just as likely as her going missing at one of the ports.

[serendipity1499]

As of right now, I didn't see where it's conclusive that the woman left via land.

Please tell me I missed that, or is passenger overboard also a possibility?

 

deleted

[serendipity1499]

As of right now, I didn't see where it's conclusive that the woman left via land.

Please tell me I missed that, or is passenger overboard also a possibility?

 

How sad for both the Psgr & her Family.

 

I could be wrong, but I thought that all cruise lines have camera's trained on all parts of the outside decks including the railings, which would pick up on someone going overboard..Unfortunately can't remember where I read about that..

Perhaps, if it doesn't compromise security, Copper 10-8 would be willing to tell us if HAL has camera's trained on all parts of the outside decks..

Betty

 

P.S. Check out Brian's post 16 on this thread re an RCCL Psgr who went overboard & the security camera picked it up..

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=348240&highlight=deck+cameras

[Boatdrill]

. This makes me think that if I were cruising alone, ...I'd try to make friends with at least one of my cabin neighbors, and arrange to check in with them in some unobtrusive way, like leaving a note in the mailbox, at scheduled times. The understanding would be that if the check-in did not occur as scheduled, they would contact the ship's security.

 

When I travel solo onboard, before I go ashore I often tell the front office or concierge where I'm going, depending on the port/country. Either I write it down for them or they do it, but my name, cabin number, cell phone # and approximate plans ("shopping downtown") are recorded.

[Boatdrill]

Perhaps, if it doesn't compromise security, Copper 10-8 would be willing to tell us if HAL has camera's trained on all parts of the outside decks..

 

 

Yes, HAL ships have cameras covering the outside of the ship.

[sail7seas]

Hope they find her and she's ok. This makes me think that if I were cruising alone, particularly if I had medical issues like it sounds like this lady did, I'd try to make friends with at least one of my cabin neighbors, and arrange to check in with them in some unobtrusive way, like leaving a note in the mailbox, at scheduled times. The understanding would be that if the check-in did not occur as scheduled, they would contact the ship's security. That would at least narrow the time frame during which my whereabouts were unaccounted for. As a non-solo cruiser, I would certainly be willing to do that for a solo neighbor - wouldn't you?

 

When I travel solo onboard, before I go ashore I often tell the front office or concierge where I'm going, depending on the port/country. Either I write it down for them or they do it, but my name, cabin number, cell phone # and approximate plans ("shopping downtown") are recorded.

 

 

 

Very good ideas, both of you.

 

Were I traveling solo, I would think about doing both of those things.

 

[Salacia]

All I know is what I have read from news reports: a passenger last seen on the Veendam on September 30 has not been seen since. I have not been able to locate any statement from Holland America Line or the Veendam regarding this missing passenger. Canadian Police have asked for assistance from the public in locating this missing passenger, nine days after her last known whereabouts.

 

Personally, I extend my thanks to the Canadian Authorities, but I do not understand why Holland American and ms Veedam have issued no statement regarding this missing passenger; please post any statement from HAL if you have found one issued previously.

 

A missing US citizen in a foreign port should also involve US Authorities, no?

 

I don't want to speculate on what might have happened to the missing passenger, I just hope she is found safe and unharmed. Holland America has a lot of explaining to do regarding the procedures followed when a passenger (solo or otherwise) goes missing. -S.

[Salacia]

When I travel solo onboard, before I go ashore I often tell the front office or concierge where I'm going, depending on the port/country. Either I write it down for them or they do it, but my name, cabin number, cell phone # and approximate plans ("shopping downtown") are recorded.

 

Boatdrill, that sounds like a good plan. But from what I've read on previous posts, your key card might or might not register your deparature or return to the ship after a port visit. So if any one of us goes missing, the ship might not know when or where, and might not even notice for days.

 

I agree with you, it's always a good idea to let at least one person know our plans on a port visit. -Regards, -S.

[Salacia]

Yes, HAL ships have cameras covering the outside of the ship.

 

In which case, the cameras will have recorded the passengers who departed and returned from various ports on the missing passengers cruise, right?

[EdmPair]

Yes and hard to know how useful. If the card did not scan properly, you are left manually reviewing all the gangplank footage of all the ports. Many people will be unidentifiable. In large groups of people, you will have times telling guys from girls is impossible, for example. I am sure they have tired.

 

I do hope she is found safe and sound. Her accent alone will stand out in Canada.

[PathfinderEss]

Well I do hope they find her, what a sad thing to happen no matter how she went missing.

[mconthehighseas]

deleted

[serendipity1499]

All I know is what I have read from news reports: a passenger last seen on the Veendam on September 30 has not been seen since. I have not been able to locate any statement from Holland America Line or the Veendam regarding this missing passenger. Canadian Police have asked for assistance from the public in locating this missing passenger, nine days after her last known whereabouts.

 

Personally, I extend my thanks to the Canadian Authorities, but I do not understand why Holland American and ms Veedam have issued no statement regarding this missing passenger; please post any statement from HAL if you have found one issued previously.

 

A missing US citizen in a foreign port should also involve US Authorities, no?

 

I don't want to speculate on what might have happened to the missing passenger, I just hope she is found safe and unharmed. Holland America has a lot of explaining to do regarding the procedures followed when a passenger (solo or otherwise) goes missing. -S.

 

Your statement that HAL has a lot of explaining to do regarding security procedures when a Psgr is missing is ludicrous!

 

Why in heavens name would you expect Holland American to issue a public statement regarding procedures followed when a Psgr goes missing? And how do you know that the U.S. authorities are not involved?

There may very well be a question of Security which could be compromised & or privacy issues of the Psgr & her Family..

HAL may have been ordered not to issue any statements from the Family, the U.S. & Canadian Authorities or even their Insurance Company..We will never know..

Betty

[Salacia]

Your statement that HAL has a lot of explaining to do regarding security procedures when a Psgr is missing is ludicrous!

 

Why in heavens name would you expect Holland American to issue a public statement regarding procedures followed when a Psgr goes missing? And how do you know that the U.S. authorities are not involved?

 

There may very well be a question of Security which could be compromised & or privacy issues of the Psgr & her Family..

 

HAL may have been ordered not to issue any statements from the Family, the U.S. & Canadian Authorities or even their Insurance Company..We will never know..

 

Betty

 

Hi Betty. Thanks for your comments. Best wishes, Salacia

 

P.S. I have made a note: God forbid, in the event you go missing from a cruise ship, I know not to ask any questions! -following your advice as posted above, mums the word!

[Salacia]

Here is an update on the missing passenger http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/10/09/ns-cruise-missing-woman.html

 

quoted in part: "The Louisiana woman was travelling alone, said Halifax Regional Police Const. Pierre Bourdages.

 

"She was last seen by a crew member on board the ship, so it took time for them to realize she was not on board the ship any more," he said Tuesday.

 

"She left the ship without the crew's knowledge or security's knowledge on board."

 

Erik Elvejord, a spokesman for Holland America, said a ship-wide search was conducted for Powell..."