I am Certain Princess would act differently

[rebeccalouiseagain]

The whole thing just sounds bizarre to me. Why Mom wasn't with hubby and an hour late back to the ship is really weird. I do feel sorry for her if she was on a private excursion and something happened, but I doubt she would have gone on a private excursion solo. Most people go to the Atlantis and it wouldn't be difficult to get back to the ship- unless they didn't plan enough time.

Edited April 27, 2016 by rebeccalouiseagain

[shredie]

Leaving a 12 year old with an Uncle and other family sounds better than stuck in a port with no way back with two hysterical parents. These weren't nursing newborns.

Dad got off with the travel documents so mom could get home. I could see how this could happen with time changes and all. I could also see why a husband would want to make sure his wife was ok and not all by herself in a foreign county. Meanwhile the kids were on a luxury cruise ship with extended family.

 

 

Of course, this is information that was not included in the original information here and has been updated since I suggested the kids were traumatized, but I still think it was probably a ghastly experience for them even if they were on a luxury ship with their uncle. I'm not really interested in arguing about how traumatized they were or how much worse if might have been if they were nursing newborns or on a barge with second cousins. :rolleyes:

[CMM]

Of course, this is information that was not included in the original information here and has been updated since I suggested the kids were traumatized, but I still think it was probably a ghastly experience for them even if they were on a luxury ship with their uncle. I'm not really interested in arguing about how traumatized they were or how much worse if might have been if they were nursing newborns or on a barge with second cousins. :rolleyes:

 

Oops didn't mean to come across as argumentative.

Sorry about that!

I think geocruisers link http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/tr...late-port.html made me feel for all of them.

[Treven]

It looks like we're all (almost all?) in agreement, "lady, it's all your fault - you and your shopping bags"!😳

[pris993]

Folks need to get it... late is late!!!

 

I do realize things happen that one can't plan for, had a friend who got a parking ticket in St Thomas years ago and had to pay it before returning a rental car... he missed the ship and had to fly via a sea plane to the next port... the lesson here is allow extra time for the unexpected.

[RMMariner]

I have some sympathy for the family, but it is entirely their fault. As others have mentioned there is a real cost to the cruise line for delaying the departure.

 

One thing no one else has mentioned: What would happen to a cruise line that gained a reputation for waiting for late passengers. I believe that you would have passengers showing up hours late. You would have many, many people take advantage.

 

The only way to impress upon some people that arriving on time important is to have a zero tolerance for lateness policy.

 

I have only been on two cruises, but both times I was shocked as we watched from our balcony as people sauntered up with minutes to spare. If people act like this knowing the ship will sail on time, what would they do if they knew the ship would wait?

[rebeccalouiseagain]

Yep- I bet every passenger on Norwegian will make sure to be on time for their ship from here on out. I agree. What's more- it cost the cruise line for every hour they are docked, and there is a schedule to keep.

 

Yes- the ship will sail late when large groups of people are not onboard. Unfortunately this happened to us on Star Princess. We didn't set sail until 8PM instead of the scheduled 4:30PM and my cruise mate was very disappointed because he invited friends from Austria to do this particular cruise out of Vancouver because there would be several daylight hours to enjoy the inside passage. In any event, I understood not wanting 200 people to miss the cruise and I'm sure some of them had done the cruise line air fare- and this would mean Princess would have to get them to the next port of call, which would violate the Jone's act (one American port to another without a foreign port inbetween). So there are times they will hold up the ship that seems reasonable. However, they won't do it for just one little lady.

Edited April 27, 2016 by rebeccalouiseagain

[Putterdude]

That's the way it should be! It's up to the dopes out there to make sure they get back in time. This includes taxi breakdowns etc. Schedule ENOUGH time!

 

Wow, what a reaction. I sincerely hope that you are not left on the pier because your taxi, broke down or your independent tour runs into an accident scene and the highway is closed. But if you do, then remember that's the way it should be.:rolleyes:

[dreamin'ofthesea]

here is some more of the story.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3561131/Dramatic-moment-distraught-mum-dropped-knees-sobbed-cruise-ship-Nassau-sailed-away-children-board-arrived-late-port.html

 

It doesn't seem like the captain did anything wrong. If he waited an extra half an hour before leaving it means the woman was over an hour late. She was whole and hearty so did not look like she was incapacitated. Good planning means allowing for things that may happen, so not cutting it fine to get back.

Seems like the ship staff knew the kids had relatives on board to look after them. The husband got off to look for his wife so had time to consider the kids(he could have got off with them if really concerned). Of course he did the right thing getting off, not knowing what had happened to his wife. They're adults so need to make adult decisions and face the consequences of their actions. As far as cruisleine concerned the kids were safe in good hands. As the article said thousands of cruisers do the right thing and expect to be in port on time, also port berths are timed. Waiting could have delayed another ship or even port fines for late departure. Imagine the flow on effect if ships returned to pick up passengers every time. Soon everyone would be ignoring the sailing times!

I have sympathy for them and the children for a very stressful time. But as a parent don't leave any margin for error

[dreamin'ofthesea]

cruised many times with Princess and usually there are at least a couple of name announcements at departure time and each time Princess has waited for them at least 30 minutes.

I still feel sorry for what happened to this lady I am certain she has an explanation.Very few folks are that selfish to hold up a ship .

 

Anyone can make a mistake but unfortunately there are people who are selfish enough to expect a ship to wait for them. They are the same people who double park, cut in line or never apologise. Somehow they think they are more important than anyone else.

[CI66774]

If the ship left with the kids wouldn't that be considered kidnapping?

 

Nope. Typically (this varies state to state), kidnapping is unlawful taking by force or fraud. Neither happened here.

[TracieABD]

The whole situation is unfortunate...

It was unfortunate for the mom- who did not mind the time.

It was unfortunate for the dad- who opted to get off the ship in some last ditch stand to wrangle up his errant wife.

It was unfortunate for the kids- as they are the unwitting victims of their parents and are now a subject of a media fluff.

It is unfortunate for captain who had to make a really difficult decision- weighing the needs of one family against the welfare of the passengers against the docking contract with the pier.

It is also unfortunate for NCL- as most people who have seen this are not avid cruisers. Now NCL is painted as the big, bad, unfeeling cruiseline against a mom on her knees on the pier begging for a reunification with her progeny. Another case of a big corporation against the little guy... (eventhough we all know that there is so much more to this story).

 

I say this as a person who almost missed a ship- through no fault of my own. Had the ship left me- I would have sucked it up, pudding cup, and gotten to the next port.

[easyboy]

I feel sorry for the family. Hard way to learn a lesson!

[RDC1]

Wow, what a reaction. I sincerely hope that you are not left on the pier because your taxi, broke down or your independent tour runs into an accident scene and the highway is closed. But if you do, then remember that's the way it should be.:rolleyes:

 

That is the risk one faces with independent tours and traveling one your own.

 

On the recent Princess Star cruise from Chile to LAX the part of the group that went to Machu Picchu ran into problems when their plane had an engine fail on take off. Resulted in the plane going off of the runway and the Cisco airport being closed until the next day. Princess took very good care of those on the Princess tour (took care of all travel costs and hotels and credited them for days missed from the ship), including having the ship do an unscheduled stop in Ecuador to pick them up. Those that did an independent tour were pretty much on their own. Some of them managed to get to Ecuador to meet the ship (at their own expense), but many did not rejoin the ship until Costa Rica (also at their own expense)

[satxdiver]

Sorry the family had to learn that ships do not wait. Sometimes a captain will hold the ship if it is reasonable but don't ever count on it. Take note of the time to be back on board and be on board by that time. However Princess excursions who return late to the ship, the ship will always wait unless something prevents it like storms etc. Three times we have been to Cozumel and taken the ship tour to the Yucatan only to return late between 30 minutes and 1 hour after the ship was supposed to sail (not the time to return which is 30 minutes earlier). The ship waited and we sailed within minutes after all of us were back on board.

[lolane1]

Wow, what a reaction. I sincerely hope that you are not left on the pier because your taxi, broke down or your independent tour runs into an accident scene and the highway is closed. But if you do, then remember that's the way it should be.:rolleyes:

 

Unfortunately, that's the risk we all take with independent tours.

[WupperAV]

We sailed diamond in Dec 1990 and they waited 2 hrs over for everyone to board as there had been a nasty wreck and some people were killed B/N Beijing and Tianjen. We had taken the train or would've been in the mess.

[GUT2407]

We sailed diamond in Dec 1990 and they waited 2 hrs over for everyone to board as there had been a nasty wreck and some people were killed B/N Beijing and Tianjen. We had taken the train or would've been in the mess.

 

Slightly different, when they know there has been a major incident than when one person Doesn't think they need show up on time.

[moki'smommy]

The whole situation is unfortunate...

It was unfortunate for the mom- who did not mind the time.

It was unfortunate for the dad- who opted to get off the ship in some last ditch stand to wrangle up his errant wife.

It was unfortunate for the kids- as they are the unwitting victims of their parents and are now a subject of a media fluff.

It is unfortunate for captain who had to make a really difficult decision- weighing the needs of one family against the welfare of the passengers against the docking contract with the pier.

It is also unfortunate for NCL- as most people who have seen this are not avid cruisers. Now NCL is painted as the big, bad, unfeeling cruiseline against a mom on her knees on the pier begging for a reunification with her progeny. Another case of a big corporation against the little guy... (eventhough we all know that there is so much more to this story).

 

I say this as a person who almost missed a ship- through no fault of my own. Had the ship left me- I would have sucked it up, pudding cup, and gotten to the next port.

 

Well said.

[Putterdude]

Unfortunately, that's the risk we all take with independent tours.

 

I quite agree with you, however I have also found that Princess has been very good about waiting for stray pax, if at all possible.

[cherrybear]

Bet that was a tense plane ride home.

[WupperAV]

I'm not arguing anything, just made a statement. I don't blame them for not waiting as it costs double the fees to go over the allotted port time.

[Skai]

I've seen many times people coming back late and they just kind of saunter to the ship. Everyone is yelling for them to run, but they just walk normally. It's so arrogant.

 

They must have a complex where they think they are so important and the ship would never leave them.

 

Why is it that everyone else can follow the times and be back on the ship?

 

Yeah, that's just about as lame as partaking in some 'schadenfreude' while 'runner-watching' from the promenade deck.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Bet that was a tense plane ride home.

No kidding. :eek:

[donaldsc]

I have zero sympathy for people who arrive back at the ship late and expect the ship to wait for them. If departure time is 5:00, the ship should depart at precisely 5:00 even if people are running down the pier. As one post on this thread said about an announcement from the captain, if 2000 people can make it back on the ship on time, why should we wait for 2 of them who can't be on time. It might keep those people who are perpetually late for everything a lesson by being left behind but I seriously doubt that it will.

 

DON