I missed the ship last week! Allure, at first port... what to expect...

[msmarvel]

I'm thinking the reason they had to leave at 5:00 is because of the port fees. They are booked for a certain time in port, and from discussions I have heard, the ports are uber strict and will charge you a lot if the ship stays past its port hours.

 

Also, if the next port is fairly far, they will need to sail faster and burn more fuel to make it there on time. This can add up to tens of thousands of dollars, so while the Captain probably will make every effort to wait, they do answer to a higher power and probably a strict protocol to follow.

 

I always make copies of PP and take them on shore while the PP is in the safe. I always bring my phone and a credit card (not a debit bard). make sure you have the CC's phone number back on the ship in case you lose it at port and need to cancel it. Also a decent amount of cash and/or make sure you know the PIN for the CC to use it at an ATM.

[cello56]

I certainly hope that the friend who caused all these problems will cover all your expenses. If it was me, I certainly would.

[pepsicruiser]

Reimbursement??? For what? The ship/cruise line did nothing wrong.

 

 

 

I'm not going to argue with you for what I FEEL IS RIGHT but I do feel reimbursement for money spent off ship is due to him. No further statements are required.

[KPfromCT]

Thank you for coming back and telling us your story. SCARY STUFF!!!!!

I am a female, and if that happened to ME, I'd be a MESS!!!!:eek:

Your story helps us all prepare for the worst.

Now we know what we need to take off the ship, in case something like this happens.

Thank you for the taking the time to share your story with us.

 

I honestly think this is every cruisers worst nightmare.

 

Glad it turned out OK for you.:D

[lah66]

I'm not going to argue with you for what I FEEL IS RIGHT but I do feel reimbursement for money spent off ship is due to him. No further statements are required.

 

Remember, the friend is a dentist and the OP and his family are getting a lot of free dental work! Do you know how expensive dental work is?? I am sure they will get their $1000 worth!

 

Thank you so much to the OP for such a great story! Your writing style is amazing! You sound like such a wonderful man and father! I don't think I have ever read anything on CC that had me so emotional and sitting on the edge of my seat to hear more! This is all very valuable info for cruisers!

Thanks again for sharing your "adventure".

Lauri

[time4u2go]

I'm not going to argue with you for what I FEEL IS RIGHT but I do feel reimbursement for money spent off ship is due to him. No further statements are required.

 

I would bet that you are the only one that feels that way.

Edited October 26, 2014 by time4u2go

[gubby]

Thanks for relating the story of your unfortunate situation. While we do have copies of our passports, which we always take ashore, leaving the actual PP in the safe, I heard from another cruiser that if you do miss the boat, security will retrieve your PP from your room safe and give it to the port agent. Is this true. I may have relied on bad or mis- info for a false sense of security and it was not true.

 

As for port agents, we had an unfortunate medical crisis and were disembarked early in Naples last year. The Princess port agent was absolutely phenomenal and gave me lots of help and advice. This was especially important where we did not speak the language and needed to rebook flights back home after the crisis was resolved 10 days later. I assumed most port agents and cruise lines were like this. Princess checked in with us every day and wanted to do anything they could to help. We even received a call from head office 4 months after returning home to check up again. Mind you, we were billed for the port agent's services, but why shouldn't we be?

[Cindy]

I've been on these boards for years and have read now and again where someone misses the boat ..... I definitely remember reading how someone from Royal would always be at the pier to help personally get you situated. I have also remembered how 2 people actually were put on another ship (probably same line) to meet up at next port. If the ship actually did leave at 5pm and it was the expected time I'd DEFINITELY send a copy of this saga to someone in charge at Royal and hopefully get some reimbursement from them. Stop saying it wasn't their fault. I've been on many Caribbean cruises where we left 1/2hour to 1 hour late while we see people running to the ship. Those ships waited. Sorry but I do think they could have waited.

 

There are numerous factors that impact when a ship leaves. While it would be nice to think they could wait for everybody, if they are directed by the port authority to depart, then that's what they must do.

 

I feel badly for the OP and anyone else who misses a ship through a misunderstanding or miscommunication, but they're absolutely not due any reimbursement from RCI.

[Coralc]

Mind you, we were billed for the port agent's services, but why shouldn't we be?

 

That is interesting. I guessed, I suppose incorrectly, that they would be paid or reimbursed by the cruise line.

 

klfhngr, thanks for sharing your story. I'll bet the phone charges might be high. Calling Vancouver from Nassau, is probably not inexpensive.

 

:)

[Cruising89143]

Here is my problem with that. While its highly unlikely, things still happen. Transportation breaks down. Major traffic jam etc and so forth. Are the reputable companies gonna put you up for the night and get you to the next port on their dime? :)

 

I dont do excursions but if I decide to, I will book on the ship. My worst fear is being left behind and all the expense and headache it would cause me.

 

Each person has their own level of comfort though! Maybe Im just too paranoid about missing the ship :o Ive actually had nightmares about it.

 

In June we were on a ship booked tour in Rome. There was road construction between Rome and Civitavecchia. We along with several other buses were an hour and a half late. The tour company was in constant communication with the Equinox. The ship was late leaving the port as was the other three ships but as soon as the last tour bus arrived we dropped lines and left. Not sure if any independent tours were left behind but I was happy to have been on a ship booked tour.

 

The day before we watched as a family on an independent tour pulled up to the ship in Livorno Italy. They were 40 minutes past last call for being on board. We waved to them as the ship sailed away. They had to get down to Civitavecchia to rejoin the ship. Good thing for them as it's not that far between the two ports.

 

I feel much better taking a ship booked tour for this reason but to each their own.

[Peacemkr59]

Just checking back in to the "endless" story and I find at last a voice of reason...

The OP's choice of name in this community seems to speak volumns !

 

I'll check back tomorrow, this thread could have been so informative to so many, instead it has turned into a lonnnnnggggg drawn out exercise in frustration!

 

Certainly glad the OP was safe and rejoined his family at some point but the details have still not been shared and the usefulness of this report is diminishing.

 

JMHO

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Nana, the story may not be over but I for one have lots of useful information on this thread. If you don't like how long it's taking, why not just move?

 

JMHO

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Cuizer2]

Do you have car insurance, house insurance? Mandatory correct?

Does Bill Gates have car and house insurance, I expect ;)

 

Does Bill Gates go on cruises, no he has his own super yacht!! Guaranteed his yacht is insured.

What the hell does Bill Gates have to do with this:p

 

Agreed I do not know everyone's circumstances, but traveling without a passport or insurance just for us is a no brainer:)

 

If you can afford a cruise, and a drink package and excursions and all else that goes with it, insurance is a small price to pay. IMHO

 

One phone call to the insurance company, that hotel could of been the Hilton and not the one OP had to stay in as offered to him by Alfred.

The insurance company may of got earlier flights. Notice I said May of.

 

It was a bullet list:eek:

 

If you can't grasp the concept of wanting to protect your family with insurance, that's your choice and your entitled to travel without for the sake of piece of mind and a few $$$.

 

Happy Days!

 

I never said that someone should not buy insurance. You said that if someone cannot afford the insurance then they cannot afford to cruise. You have no right to say this, and that was clearly the point of my post. I see now that you have backed off that statement. Nonetheless, you are now providing other false information to make your opinion sound more plausible.

 

Neither car nor home insurance is mandatory. The lender might require first party coverage, but if you don't have a lender then the first party coverage is not mandatory. No law in California that requires a homeowner to have liability insurance. As for the car, all you have to do is post a bond. This means that you are self insured. And, following this line of reasoning, insurance is NOT mandatory for cruising.

 

Since you admit that you don't know everyone's situation, then you are in no position to say that if someone cannot afford the insurance they cannot afford to cruise. Just because it gives you peace of mind does not mean that everyone who cannot, or chooses not to buy insurance cannot afford to cruise.

 

It does not matter how small a price you believe that insurance is. It is not up to you to decide what someone else chooses, or chooses not to do with their money.

 

You are confusing Bill Gates with Paul Allen. Paul Allen owns a super yacht. Bill Gates does not. Check your facts. Bill Gates either rents a yacht or goes with a friend who owns a yacht. However, Bill Gates does not own a yacht. Therefore, yes, Bill Gates does cruise. His choice of ships may be different than ours, but he does not go on his own ship, just like we do not.

 

Does he have insurance for his car or home. You admit you don't know, and just because you think he does, does not make it so.

 

As to the hotel, I again point out, what happened to the OP IS NOT A COVERED EVENT. One call to the insurance company would NOT have changed anything.

 

Even if the event was covered, which it is not, the following is from a travel policy ...

 

PAYMENT OF CLAIMS - The Company, or its designated representative, will pay a claim after receipt of acceptable proof of loss.

 

PROOF OF LOSS - The Claimant must send the Company, or its designated representative,

proof of loss within ninety (90) days after a covered loss occurs or as soon as reasonably possible.

 

PROOF OF LOSS - You must furnish the Company, or its designated representative, with proof of loss. This must be a detailed sworn statement. It must be filed with the Company, or its designated representative within ninety (90) days from the date of loss. Failure to comply with these conditions shall invalidate any claims under the Group Policy.

 

SETTLEMENT OF LOSS - Claims for damage and/or destruction shall be paid after acceptable proof of the damage and/or destruction is presented to the Company and the Company has determined the claim is covered. Claims for lost property will be paid after the lapse of a reasonable time if the property has not been recovered. You must present acceptable proof of loss and the value involved to the Company.

 

So one phone call to the insurance company would not change anything.

 

Here is a list of the perils that the company will pay for under trip interruption, trip delay or missed connection ...

 

TRIP INTERRUPTION

 

The Company will pay a benefit, up to the maximum shown on the Confirmation of Coverage, if You are unable to continue on Your Covered Trip due to:

 

(a) Sickness, Accidental Injury or death of You, Traveling Companion, or Family Member or Business Partner; which results in medically imposed restrictions as certified by a Physician at the time of loss preventing Your continued participation in the Covered Trip.

 

(b) You or a Traveling Companion being hijacked, quarantined, required to serve on a jury, subpoenaed, the victim of felonious assault within 10 days of departure; or having his/her principal place of residence made uninhabitable by fire, flood or other natural disaster; or burglary of his/her principal place of residence within 10 days of departure.

 

© You or a Traveling Companion being directly involved in a traffic accident substantiated by a police report, while en route to departure.

 

(d) A transfer of You by the employer with whom You are employed on the Effective Date which requires Your principal residence to be relocated.

 

(e) The death, or hospitalization of Your Host at Destination.

 

(f) A Terrorist Incident that occurs in a city listed on Your Covered Trip itinerary and within 30 days prior to your Scheduled Departure Date. This same city must not have experienced a Terrorist Incident within the 90 days prior to the Terrorist Incident that is causing the cancellation of Your Covered Trip. Benefits are not provided if the Travel Supplier offers a

substitute itinerary. Your Scheduled Departure Date must be no more than 12 months beyond Your Effective Date. This benefit only applies if the policy has been purchased within 21 days of Your initial payment for the Covered Trip and for the full cost of the Covered Trip.

 

(g) Your Traveling Companion or Family Member, who are military personnel, and are called to emergency duty for a natural disaster other than war

 

(h) Strike that causes complete cessation of services for at least 24 consecutive hours.

 

(i) Weather that causes complete cessation of services of the Common Carrier for at least 24 consecutive hours.

 

(j) Bankruptcy and/or Default of the Travel Supplier which occurs more than 10 days following Your Effective Date. Coverage is not provided for the Bankruptcy or Default of the agency from whom You purchased their Land/Sea Arrangements. Your Scheduled Departure Date must be no

more than 12 months beyond Your Effective Date. Benefits will be paid due to Bankruptcy or Default of an airline only if no alternate transportation is available. If alternate transportation is available, benefits will be limited to the change fee charged to allow You to transfer to another

airline in order to get to Your intended destination.

 

(k) You are terminated, or laid off from employment subject to three years of continuous employment at the place of employment where terminated.

 

(l) Natural disaster at the site of Your destination that renders the destination accommodations uninhabitable.

 

TRIP DELAY

 

The Company will reimburse You for Covered Expenses on a one-time basis, up to the maximum shown in the Confirmation of Coverage, if You are delayed en route to or from the Covered Trip for six (6) or more hours due to a defined Hazard:

 

Covered Expenses include:

(a) Any prepaid, unused, non-refundable land and water accommodations;

(b) Any reasonable additional expenses incurred;

© An Economy Fare from the point where You ended Your Covered Trip to a destination where You can catch up to the Covered Trip; or

(d) A one-way Economy Fare to return You to Your originally scheduled return destination.

 

Hazard means:

a) Any delay of a Common Carrier (including Inclement Weather).

b) Any delay by a traffic accident en route to a departure, in which You or a Traveling Companion is not directly involved.

c) Any delay due to lost or stolen passports, travel documents or money, quarantine, hijacking, unannounced strike, natural disaster, civil commotion or riot.

d) A closed roadway causing cessation of travel to the destination of the Covered Trip (substantiated by the department of transportation, state police, etc.)

 

MISSED CONNECTION

This benefit covers missed Cruise departures that result from cancellation or delay (for three or more hours) of all regularly scheduled airline flights due to Inclement Weather or any Common Carrier caused delay. Maximum benefits of up to the amount shown in the Confirmation of Coverage are provided to cover additional transportation expenses needed for You to join the departed Cruise, reasonable accommodation and meal expenses (up to the per day amount shown in the Confirmation of Coverage) and nonrefundable trip payments for the unused portion of Your Cruise. Coverage is secondary to any compensation provided by a Common Carrier.

Coverage will not be provided to individuals who are able to meet their scheduled departure but cancel their Cruise due to Inclement Weather.

 

ITINERARY CHANGE

In the event a cruise/tour supplier makes a change in Your Covered Trip itinerary that prevents You from participating in an event/activity pre-paid prior to departure and scheduled on Your Covered Trip itinerary, nonrefundable pre-paid event/activity expenses will be payable up to the

Maximum Benefit Amount shown in the Confirmation of Coverage.

Benefits will not be paid if the event/activity is rescheduled during the course of the Covered Trip.

 

Verification by the cruise/tour supplier of the change in the scheduled Covered Trip itinerary will be necessary for claim payment.

 

What happened to the OP does not meet the definition of any of the above named perils, thus there is no coverage for what happened to the OP.

 

All insurance policies have exclusions. Check out exclusion number sixteen below. Once again, I point out that what happened to the OP IS NOT COVERED by travel insurance.

 

LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS

 

The following exclusions apply to Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Trip Delay, Missed Connection, Itinerary Change, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Emergency Sickness Medical Expense, Emergency Accident Medical Expense, Emergency Evacuation, Repatriation of Remains, Optional Flight Accidental Death and Dismemberment:

 

Loss caused by or resulting from:

1. Pre-Existing Conditions, as defined in the Definitions section (except Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains) unless the insurance is purchased within 21 days of the initial Covered Trip deposit;

2. Suicide, attempted suicide or any intentionally self-inflicted injury while sane or insane (in Missouri, sane only) unless results in the death of a non-traveling immediate Family Member;

3. Intentionally self-inflicted injuries;

4. War, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities between nations (whether declared or not), civil war;

5. Participation in any military maneuver or training exercise or any loss starting while You are in the service of the armed forces of any country. Orders to active military service for training purposes of two months or less will not constitute service in the armed forces. Upon notice to the Company of entering the armed forces, the Company will return to You pro-rata any premium paid, less any benefits paid, for any period during which You are in such service;

6. Piloting or learning to pilot or acting as a member of the crew of any aircraft;

7. Mental or emotional disorders, unless hospitalized;

8. Participation as a professional in athletics;

9. Participation in underwater activities;

10. Being under the influence of drugs or intoxicants, unless prescribed by a Physician or unless results in the death of a non-traveling immediate Family Member;

11. Commission or the attempt to commit a criminal act;

12. Participating in bodily contact sports; skydiving; hang-gliding; parachuting; mountaineering; any race; bungee cord jumping; and speed contest (speed contest shall not include any of the regatta races), scuba diving, spelunking or caving heliskiing or extreme skiing;

13. Dental treatment except as a result of an injury to sound natural teeth limited to $750;

14. Any non-emergency treatment or surgery, routine physical examinations, hearing aids, eye glasses or contact lenses;

15. Pregnancy and childbirth (except for complications of pregnancy) except if hospitalized;

16. Curtailment or delayed return for other than covered reasons;

17. Traveling for the purpose of securing medical treatment;

18. Services not shown as covered;

19. Directly or indirectly, the actual, alleged or threatened discharge, dispersal, seepage, migration, escape, release or exposure to any hazardous biological, chemical, nuclear radioactive material, gas, matter or contamination;

20. Confinement or treatment in a government Hospital; however the United States government may recover or collect benefits under certain conditions;

21. Care or treatment that is not medically necessary;

22. Care or treatment for which compensation is payable under Worker's Compensation Law, any Occupational Disease law; the 4800 Time Benefit plan or similar legislation;

23. Care or treatment that is payable under any Insurance policy that does not require deductible and/or coinsurance payments by You;

24. Injury or Sickness when traveling against the advice of a Physician;

25. Cosmetic surgery except for: reconstructive surgery incidental to or following surgery for trauma, or infection or other covered disease of the part of the body reconstructed, or to treat a congenital malformation of a child.

 

The bottom line, insurance would NOT have helped the OP one bit.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Cuizer2

[Cuizer2]

Seriously !!

So if you have no mortgage you would not insure your house:eek::eek:

So it gets burnt down and mmmmmm how do you pay for all the damage.

 

You are confusing two words. Mandatory and advisable are not synonyms.

 

No one is claiming that they would not insure their home. However, that does not mean, as you seem to believe, that insurance is mandatory. It is not.

[CAC104]

As soon as I started reading this thread, my heart starting pounding remembering all too well when my son almost missed the ship in Cozumel. Yes, you guessed it..another Carlos and Charley victim. 😡

He confessed after the cruise was over that he jumped in a cab with other cruisers praying they would make it back to the ship in time.

To the OP: please come back and continue the story. It's a valuable lesson for all cruisers and a wake up call that everyone in your party needs to stay together when in port.

 

This story was told a few pages back, and I have no idea what is meant by the red highlighted sentence. Does anyone know the meaning of this?

[MysticRhythmCruiser]

Once I get all of the costs, I'll go ahead and post. It good to know what to expect AFTER the fact. I'm really concerned about the phone costs, but I mostly used my friends and his daughters.

 

Again, thanks all. As I tell my boys, 'Learn from MY mistakes! You don't have to make the same mistakes that I made'! Or, 'Learn from the mistake of others'.. in this case, Klfhngr's!

 

Sincere thanks for a really thorough and open recap of your journey. I happened to really enjoy the serial nature of your posts because sometimes, you just don't want to read a novel online. DH and I had a lot of discussions in between your postings about what happened and what would happen next. Thank you for not only relating important messages to us cruisers but giving a really enjoyable reading experience. Safe and on-time journeys ahead to you, sir!

 

Esther

[time4u2go]

This story was told a few pages back, and I have no idea what is meant by the red highlighted sentence. Does anyone know the meaning of this?

 

Basically they got drunk and missed/nearly missed the ship.

[Cuizer2]

I told the group that I wanted to head back to the ship early, JUST IN CASE I RUN INTO ANY ISSUES.....

 

What could possibly go wrong? :)

Edited October 26, 2014 by Cuizer2

[Barb Nahoumi]

To the OP,

 

Thank you for taking the time to post your story. I have learned a great deal from reading this, and now know what to have with me for "just-in-case. One never knows.

 

One thing-----we usually take ship trips when the ship is only in port for a few hours.

[bearandbee]

He entered Jamaica via air transport - departed via cruise ship. Had to check out of the country's system.

 

Oh, that makes sense. Thanks!

[Cruising89143]

OP thanks for telling your story. I can only imagine how I would feel if this happened to me and is something that I hope never happens to me. It is sad that some tried to take this off topic.

[Cuizer2]

I'm not going to argue with you for what I FEEL IS RIGHT but I do feel reimbursement for money spent off ship is due to him. No further statements are required.

 

Why do you feel Royal Caribbean owes the OP anything?

Edited October 26, 2014 by Cuizer2

[Cruising89143]

There are numerous factors that impact when a ship leaves. While it would be nice to think they could wait for everybody, if they are directed by the port authority to depart, then that's what they must do.

 

I feel badly for the OP and anyone else who misses a ship through a misunderstanding or miscommunication, but they're absolutely not due any reimbursement from RCI.

 

Agree Cindy. RCI did not do anything wrong in this case. I appreciate the OP taking the time to tell his story. Certainly makes one think about what they would do in this same situation.

[Peacemkr59]

Thanks Klfhngr for telling us your story. Sorry it happened and sorry our group never got an opportunity to meet you! Another time maybe! Did you and your son ever make it to the brewery in Ft. Lauderdale the day before the cruise?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[celebrity]

Thanks for sharing your story. I too learned a lot. Prior to having a passport, I never brought my birth certificate off the ship. I would imagine that helped expedite your travel plans.

I now bring a photo copy of my passport and cash for the day. I suppose from now on, I'll bring a credit card but will make sure that I notify the credit card co of my travel plans.

Also never brought my cell phone off the ship so I guess that will change as well.

I hope your friend at least offered to reimburse you for your expenses.

Although your outcome was a happy one, I would imagine that no one in your party really had a good time.

Hope you get to sail again to erase this memory.

[trev71]

klfhngr

 

Thanks for sharing your story. Crazy that stuff like that can happen so fast.