Our heavenly week became the cruise from hell

[jaja]

Gosh, who knew one person could tick so many people off so quick! It was a horrible night and its doesn't make me a treacherous person to wonder when the captain has an 8am flight and one often hears of a reroute to avoid bad weather. Our cabin steward said it was the worst night that he has ever experienced and that his roommate was reduced to tears. Our concierge slept in Cagney's to get out of her room but it is what it is. After 5 cruises out of NYC, I will repeat that but maybe look to heading out of Florida from now on. Once the seas calmed to 26 feet, a nap and a shower did me and many other passengers a world of good. I will prob do a trip review in a few days when I calm down some more and get some rest.

 

I DO feel bad that you had such a terrible return. I am sure it was a scary,uncomfortable experience.......BUT I think you struck a nerve with some of us with your allegations about the captain's motives...there is no way any of the captains would put their passengers/staff/ship in harms way for ANY reason.. And knowing how captains usually use humor to put their guests at ease...you obviously mis-interpreted his comment .

[njhorseman]

Gosh, who knew one person could tick so many people off so quick! It was a horrible night and its doesn't make me a treacherous person to wonder when the captain has an 8am flight and one often hears of a reroute to avoid bad weather. Our cabin steward said it was the worst night that he has ever experienced and that his roommate was reduced to tears. Our concierge slept in Cagney's to get out of her room but it is what it is. After 5 cruises out of NYC, I will repeat that but maybe look to heading out of Florida from now on. Once the seas calmed to 26 feet, a nap and a shower did me and many other passengers a world of good. I will prob do a trip review in a few days when I calm down some more and get some rest.

 

You might have gotten a more sympathetic response if you didn't include the nonsense about the captain having an 8 am flight home. Please explain how the captain could make an 8 am flight even if everything from weather to arrival time NY was just perfect. Your ship's scheduled arrival time in NY is 10 am. Even if it's 2 hours early just how does anyone catch an 8 am flight?

Edited February 16, 2014 by njhorseman

[valleyvillage]

We're glad it got better!

Edited February 16, 2014 by valleyvillage

[NJGeorge]

You might have gotten a more sympathetic response if you didn't include the nonsense about the captain having an 8 am flight home. Please explain how the captain could make an 8 am flight even if everything from weather to arrival time NY was just perfect. Your ship's scheduled arrival time in NY is 10 am. Even if it's 2 hours early just how does anyone catch an 8 am flight?

X2

 

Bad weather and traveling conditions affect all modes of transportation, mostly in a negative way. When on board it's easy to forget that you are on a boat in the ocean.

Titanic ring a bell?

I was once on a flight from Buffalo to NYC a 50 minute flight...2 1/2 hours later we landed after weathering massive thunder storms.

The plane descended 3,000 feet in 10 seconds on it's own:eek: during the flight.

It was the flight from hell but had nothing to do with the carrier;)

I would bet the Captain of that flight wasn't worrying about his connection!!

[mking8288]

 

That was part of our ride coming back up the coast in Nov. 2012 on the Gem & rough seas. Heading south less than a week after Sandy - conditions were far worst. (in our review, under the Signature) Nothing really too unsual - we've been tossed around in the much smaller NCL Crown on our previous Bermuda runs ....

 

As for the captain making his 8 AM flight, even for a domestic departure at LGA or EWR, he would've have to dock at Pier 88/90 by 5 AM & be cleared, and the first one off the gangway at 5:30 doing Express Self-Walkoff, fly pass CBP, leaving everyone behind scratching heads & hightail to the airport in a waiting limo/car service by 5:45 AM - skip airline counter check-in and get pass TSA before 7:00 AM for his gate ... Highly unlikely & surely, unless he's not planning to return and/or his contract is up.

 

Unless, he's getting a helo ride, pier to tarmac or police escort on the ground. :D

 

Who was the Captain for this sailing, BTW ??

Edited February 16, 2014 by mking8288

[BeagleOne]

Back in 1980 my family and I were on a summer astronomy cruise from NYC to Bermuda. On the way back we hit 50-knot winds and 40-foot waves. My brother and I were prostrated with sea sickness except when we were fighting for the bathroom. Most of the crew was sick. My parents, OTOH, were perfectly happy and went to the afternoon astronomy lecture, which the lecturer gave lying on his back on stage so he wouldn't throw up.

[softsands]

We have had the most wonderful time on The Gem (February 8-February 17) and my review was going to gush over the near perfect vacation. But yesterday, we were in such rough conditions, I do not think that I will ever take another cruise. We have just become platinum level, too. I do not know yet what the specifics were last night but suffice it to say how relieved I am this morning and the conditions are listed as 26.2 ft waves and 41 knots wind speed. It's still difficult to stand or walk but it is not harrowing like it was from approx 8 pm till 3am. I cannot understand how we did not hang back near Florida for several extra hours yesterday instead of sailing right into this thing. Earlier this week, the captain made reference to his 8:00 flight home on Monday and we are now wondering if that is an am flight or pm flight. I am sad to think that we forged ahead to ensure an early arrival for his convenience.

 

You are on a ship. On the ocean. In February. Pop a gravol, have a drink and enjoy the ride.

Edited February 17, 2014 by softsands

[spk9075]

Rough weather can happen at any time its part of cruising. My husband and i were on the jewel when hurricane sandy hit. The captain did an amazing job keeping everyone safe. Although the itinerary had to be modified we still had a great time its what you make of it.

[FreestyleNovice]

Exaggerated topictitle.

 

OP, please read http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26194897 and come again. Thanks.

[johnsak123]

Sorry you had bad weather

But that shouldnt stop you from taking a future cruise

The weaather changes all the time so you can have good and bad

Was on the gem 1/1 and had rough seas all the way to puerto rico and when we left samana we hit a bad storm and it was worse

Still wouldnt stop me from sailing in the future but it wasnt the best of times

[Medtech2]

The link didn't work because there was an = sign in it.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=5740

This is soooo sad!

 

Makes a little seasickness not so bad....

[Demonyte]

Gosh, who knew one person could tick so many people off so quick! (...) I will prob do a trip review in a few days when I calm down some more and get some rest.

 

What ticks people off is exaggeration. You should have taken the time to calm down before posting anything until you are able to think clearly after the initial shock from the really bad weather.

 

As already said by others, there is no way the captain could have had 8am flight to home (it'd have been impossible by the timeframe alone) and since weather on NE coast is often like that during winter, there might not have been any means to go around the weather since it was right where you were going to. It's a whole different thing to take a longer route on a sea day to avoid a storm than when you are approaching your final destination.

[kjbacon]

Like it or not, the captain has an 8am flight and that's not my fault; I'm not his travel agent :) We also learned that during the night, the waves were up at deck 8, not sure what that is in actual measure and the winds were well above 40 something (where is was when it had started to calm yesterday morning).

 

Most of the trip was great but unlike many of you, I'm not into spending (however much time) laying on the floor moaning, crying, puking, and clutching my duct tape. That doesn't make you a jerk and it doesn't make me a jerk. Different really shouldn't be considered so poorly! There aren't rules, just personal preferences.

[sparks1093]

Like it or not, the captain has an 8am flight and that's not my fault; I'm not his travel agent :) We also learned that during the night, the waves were up at deck 8, not sure what that is in actual measure and the winds were well above 40 something (where is was when it had started to calm yesterday morning).

 

Most of the trip was great but unlike many of you, I'm not into spending (however much time) laying on the floor moaning, crying, puking, and clutching my duct tape. That doesn't make you a jerk and it doesn't make me a jerk. Different really shouldn't be considered so poorly! There aren't rules, just personal preferences.

 

Sorry you missed the Captain's obvious joke.

[kjbacon]

His family and the staff must be in on it too. I'm not sure why our busy concierge made up a story and told us about her conversation with his wife ... that he has done his 10 weeks on and now it's time to head home and so on. A lot if effort and collusion for one gag.

[sparks1093]

His family and the staff must be in on it too. I'm not sure why our busy concierge made up a story and told us about her conversation with his wife ... that he has done his 10 weeks on and now it's time to head home and so on. A lot if effort and collusion for one gag.

 

So what time did you pull in to port? As for the rough seas they aren't for everyone but I've spent a large part of my life on the ocean and had my sea legs years ago.

[njhorseman]

So what time did you pull in to port? As for the rough seas they aren't for everyone but I've spent a large part of my life on the ocean and had my sea legs years ago.

 

The ship is just docking now...7:15 am. I guess he won't be making that 8 am flight. ;)

Edited February 17, 2014 by njhorseman

[paradise sailor]

Like it or not, the captain has an 8am flight and that's not my fault; I'm not his travel agent :) We also learned that during the night, the waves were up at deck 8, not sure what that is in actual measure and the winds were well above 40 something (where is was when it had started to calm yesterday morning).

 

Most of the trip was great but unlike many of you, I'm not into spending (however much time) laying on the floor moaning, crying, puking, and clutching my duct tape. That doesn't make you a jerk and it doesn't make me a jerk. Different really shouldn't be considered so poorly! There aren't rules, just personal preferences.

I've been on one or two cruises and I have to say that there were no waves up to deck 8....maybe sea spray but not waves....

[sparks1093]

The ship is just docking now...7:15 am. I guess he won't be making that 8 am flight. ;)

 

I totally missed that the OP is onboard right now:o.

[Demonyte]

Like it or not, the captain has an 8am flight and that's not my fault; I'm not his travel agent :)

 

In starting post you stated that you don't even know if the flight is 8am or 8pm. And since the ship has only docked around 7am, there is no way the captain could have had 8am flight.

[NoahtheRed]

Well, this has been a fun thread. It reminds me of the time I heard tourists complaining about the heat....in Miami....in July.

 

Also, unless the boat...

 

• Was attacked by pirates
  
• Caught on fire and burned to the waterline
  
• Lost power for several days while you drifted aimlessly
  
• Had a major norovirus outbreak
  
• Sank into the north Atlantic
  
• Exploded
  
• Ran aground and was marred hundreds of miles from home
  
• Owned by Carnival
  
• Broadsided by a rogue wave
  
• Involuntarily brought into a global naval conflict
  
• Infested with cannibal rats
  
• Slowly dissassembled by gremlins
  
• Lost at sea
  
• Ran out of food
  
• Crewed by the souls of the honorless and the cowardly
  
• A misguided trip to Alang, India
  

 

...it's not really a "Cruise from Hell". It's more like "Uncomfortably active cruise"....but not cruise from hell. Cruise from hell is reserved for cruises where any of the above happened.

Edited February 17, 2014 by NoahtheRed

[Crusin6]

The ship is just docking now...7:15 am. I guess he won't be making that 8 am flight. ;)

 

Just speculating here. But would it have been possible for the capt to have left his assistant in charge and gotten on the pilot boat? Doesn't the pilot dock the ship in NYC? Just asking and not commenting on the op or the waves or the flight time. Just wondering if this could happen

[Demonyte]

Just speculating here. But would it have been possible for the capt to have left his assistant in charge

 

I highly doubt that any cruise line would allow the ship's highest officer to abandon their post just because they have an early flight to catch.

 

Of course the new captain could already be onboard and they'd make the switch of command already in the middle of the cruise but haven't heard anything like that happening before.

[NJGeorge]

well, this has been a fun thread. It reminds me of the time i heard tourists complaining about the heat....in miami....in july.

 

Also, unless the boat...

 

• was attacked by pirates
  
• caught on fire and burned to the waterline
  
• lost power for several days while you drifted aimlessly
  
• had a major norovirus outbreak
  
• sank into the north atlantic
  
• exploded
  
• ran aground and was marred hundreds of miles from home
  
• owned by carnival
  
• broadsided by a rogue wave
  
• involuntarily brought into a global naval conflict
  
• infested with cannibal rats
  
• slowly dissassembled by gremlins
  
• lost at sea
  
• ran out of food
  
• crewed by the souls of the honorless and the cowardly
  
• a misguided trip to alang, india
  

 

...it's not really a "cruise from hell". It's more like "uncomfortably active cruise"....but not cruise from hell. Cruise from hell is reserved for cruises where any of the above happened.

 

Nice:D;)

Edited February 17, 2014 by NJGeorge

[sparks1093]

I highly doubt that any cruise line would allow the ship's highest officer to abandon their post just because they have an early flight to catch.

 

Of course the new captain could already be onboard and they'd make the switch of command already in the middle of the cruise but haven't heard anything like that happening before.

 

I think it is likely that the new Captain is already on board because the turnover has to take more than a couple of minutes, so if the outgoing Captain is leaving the ship today the incoming Captain probably boarded at the last port (this is all pure speculation on my part of course).

 

But I believe the OP mentioned that the Captain's family is on board and I am not sure they would want to ride in the pilot boat (or that there would be room for everyone and their luggage).