I am Certain Princess would act differently

[floridalover5623]

Bought experience is always the best experience. I bet she won't be late for anything ever again.

 

She's probably late to everything she does. Those types of people don't change.

I can't wait till the reporters interview her when she gets back to the US and here how horrible the cruise line was. :D

I'll bet she's thinking of a lawsuit right now.

[Thrak]

The cruise line plainly says that the uncle was onboard with the children so they had a (supposedly) responsible adult with them. I would guess he's at least as responsible an adult as the mother who was laden down with shopping bags and missed the ship.

 

Everybody is told when to be back onboard. The line says they had already waited 30 minutes.

[sfaaa]

What does this incident have anything to do with Princess?

[shredie]

What does this incident have anything to do with Princess?

 

See the title of the thread.

[kruisey]

If you are late for a plane, do they wait for you? I actually know someone who got to a plane after gate closed and the plane was still attached to the gateway and they got left behind. If you are late for a train, does it wait for you? If you are late for a bus, does it wait for you? If you can not get to a play or performance before the curtain goes up, do they delay the performance for you? I have been at some concert performances where they make you stand at the back of the auditorium or in the lobby until there is a natural break in the performance. I am sure that I could add more examples if I wanted to.

 

Even if there are totally valid reasons for you being late to any of these examples such as a traffic jam or your connecting flight got delayed, they still leave or start without you. If you are running through the airport to make your plane or stepping out of your cab as the performance starts, this still means that they do not delay the start just because you are not there.

 

So why should a ship be any different? Be there on time or be left behind.

 

With regard to the respondent who said that you should call the ship (if that is even possible) to tell them that you will be late getting back, try calling United Airlines to tell them that you will be late getting to the airport and can they hold the plane for you.

 

Again, I have absolutely no sympathy for these people. They deserve to be left behind in the probably unlikely hope that they will learn from their experience.

 

DON

 

On all my cruises with Princess never experience being left behind a on a dockside in a strange country watching my ship disappear in the distance through no fault of my own.

As I mentioned earlier we do not know the reason this lady was late returning to the ship.

Who knows in the future it might be possible you will be in the same position as this lady.If it ever does do let me know how it feels to be on 'the other side of the coin'.

Edited April 28, 2016 by kruisey

[kerryincork]

If I was ever in the position of that woman I would understand that the responsibility for getting to the ship was on me. Even if it wasn't my fault I wouldn't expect the cruise ship to wait for me.

My family and I missed a flight once. We arrived at the airport at correct time to find they only had 2 security lines open instead of th 10 they should of have. Spent over 2 hours in line but by the time we got through the plane had left. I didn't blame or rage at the pilot, it wasn't his fault. Fairly mad at airport operators, but ultimately no matter how much you plan sometimes things happen and you just have to get on with it. So I would be fine if I ever got left behind by a cruise ship.

[CU64]

Sorry to see this however no cruise line will wait if you are late unless you are on a ships tour and that it late returning.

 

I wonder how this turned out and how old the kids are.

 

OP the hubby also missed the ship. He got off to look for her and then they both were bumped.

 

Big question is why was she late??

 

she was shopping

[hel0013]

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?

 

In Cozumel, we were late getting back from a ship's excursion by a 1/2 hour after the leaving time where some of us were walking to the waiting ship... And yes there were people yelling down off our ship plus the Grand was docked beside us and they took to the heckling as well...

 

For me I was walking.... not because as you say "arrogant" or "important" but because at the time my knee wouldn't take the beating if I ran on the concrete dock...

 

Sometimes there is another reason for what someone does....

Edited April 28, 2016 by hel0013

[donaldsc]

If I was ever in the position of that woman I would understand that the responsibility for getting to the ship was on me. Even if it wasn't my fault I wouldn't expect the cruise ship to wait for me.

My family and I missed a flight once. We arrived at the airport at correct time to find they only had 2 security lines open instead of th 10 they should of have. Spent over 2 hours in line but by the time we got through the plane had left. I didn't blame or rage at the pilot, it wasn't his fault. Fairly mad at airport operators, but ultimately no matter how much you plan sometimes things happen and you just have to get on with it. So I would be fine if I ever got left behind by a cruise ship.

 

One respondent suggested that the late arrivals should call the ship to tell them that they were late and have the ship wait. Did you even think to try calling the airline and asking them to hold the plane. LOIL!!!!!

 

DON

[Thrak]

One respondent suggested that the late arrivals should call the ship to tell them that they were late and have the ship wait. Did you even think to try calling the airline and asking them to hold the plane. LOIL!!!!!

 

DON

 

Hey! I once joked that the plane should turn around because I had left my other shoes in the hotel. They had a good laugh until we landed in Sacramento and discovered they had left my traveling companion's wheelchair sitting on the tarmac in San Diego. There were no jetways in San Diego at that time. It was not a pretty thing... They should get down on their knees and give thanks that I was with the guy rather than his wife as she would have screamed and yelled and probably sued. Maybe they should have turned the plan around for my shoes. :D

[hel0013]

If you are late for a plane, do they wait for you?

 

Depends... If your luggage is on the plane they will have to remove your luggage first before they can leave.

 

It happened to me where we sat at the gate waiting on a passenger where I overheard the FA saying it would probably be quicker to wait than to remove his luggage. He showed up a few minutes later with a coffee in hand! JERK!

[Steelers0854]

I saw a show called Mega Ships that profiled various cruise ships. One of the items that was discussed was the ship waiting for passengers. When they wait and try to "make up time" to the other port, as many people casually state, it actually costs the ship tens of thousands of dollars to "make up the time". I guarantee the cruise line isn't just eating that cost but instead passes it on to passengers in the form of increased fares and fees. While I'm sure I would love for the boat to wait for me if I were delayed and couldn't get back on time (which hasn't happened yet because we are hyper paranoid about missing the ship), I certainly wouldn't expect them to.

[Wehwalt]

They will provide assistance as to who the passengers need to contact for hotel and flight arrangements back to NY.

If one is stranded in Nassau, they would not know which hotel is safest, etc. The ship probably has a partnership in every port with certain hotels for people left behind.

 

It's like if you have a dental problem on the ship that needs attention, the ship will assist you for dentists in every particular port.

 

When I was left behind in Tahiti due to breaking my arm, the port agent was very helpful. Brought my possessions that were taken off the ship to my hospital room, arranged for a medical service for after the hospital let me go to drive me to appointments from my hotel, and finally to the airport. Provided me with a cell phone with a small amount of credit (I gave that back before I left), and arranged for calls to my doctor in the states. And there was an email I could send to at Princess with a helpful person on the other end. And no, I did not have the insurance, my own medical eventually reimbursed me for much of it. I fault Princess for many things, but not for that experience.

[paul929207]

On all my cruises with Princess never experience being left behind a on a dockside in a strange country watching my ship disappear in the distance through no fault of my own.

As I mentioned earlier we do not know the reason this lady was late returning to the ship.

Who knows in the future it might be possible you will be in the same position as this lady.If it ever does do let me know how it feels to be on 'the other side of the coin'.

Sorry Kruisey, but the woman was due back by a specific time. She wasn't there. It is her fault. The ship was correct in leaving her behind.

[keithm]

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:

Sorry, Putterdude, but I'm too sick & tired of people who have screw-ups like this. It's their own damn fault, period. When traveling to a new island, we either do a ship excursion(that way, they are responsible for you)or we just explore very locally. I've seen too many problems to not plan ahead. It's my/your job to learn all about your destination. That way stupid things like this don't happen. If a highway is shut down(for whatever reason) trust me, you reverse direction & go back the way you come. How hard is that?

[keithm]

What does this incident have anything to do with Princess?

Nothing. Some wishful thinker feels Princess would wait for them. Trust me They wouldn't!

[moki'smommy]

Bottom line--you have to be back on board before the last person who was on a cruise line sponsored excursion.

 

If a sponsored excursion is late, the ship waits for them. So if they are 20 minutes late and you are 10 minutes late, you're still ok. But if they are on time and you are 10 minutes late, hope you have your camera for that beautiful shot of the ship departing........

Be on time and you have nothing to worry about.

[paul929207]

For those insisting the cruise line should have waited, how long should they have waited? They we already 35 minutes or so late sailing. Should they wait an hour? 5 hours? a full day?

[blkspy]

As stated earlier, ships departure at times is determined by Tides. Even if you are on a ships excursion. ....The ship will leave you......In this case, Princess will take care of ALL cost incurred in you catching up with the ship or getting home. Having said this.

 

There is NO tour, shopping disount or special booze found on ANY island (especially Nassau :eek:) worth you missing a ship. My basic rule is this.....If its a first time visit to a port I use the ships tour. If im comfortable with the port, ill do my own thing...BUT if the boarding time is 4:30pm. Im back no later than 2:30pm. There is Nothing worth missing the ship.

 

NOTHING ....

 

Happy Sailing Everyone :)

[Susieq0102]

If you are late for a plane, do they wait for you? I actually know someone who got to a plane after gate closed and the plane was still attached to the gateway and they got left behind. If you are late for a train, does it wait for you? If you are late for a bus, does it wait for you? If you can not get to a play or performance before the curtain goes up, do they delay the performance for you? I have been at some concert performances where they make you stand at the back of the auditorium or in the lobby until there is a natural break in the performance. I am sure that I could add more examples if I wanted to.

 

Even if there are totally valid reasons for you being late to any of these examples such as a traffic jam or your connecting flight got delayed, they still leave or start without you. If you are running through the airport to make your plane or stepping out of your cab as the performance starts, this still means that they do not delay the start just because you are not there.

 

So why should a ship be any different? Be there on time or be left behind.

 

With regard to the respondent who said that you should call the ship (if that is even possible) to tell them that you will be late getting back, try calling United Airlines to tell them that you will be late getting to the airport and can they hold the plane for you.

 

Again, I have absolutely no sympathy for these people. They deserve to be left behind in the probably unlikely hope that they will learn from their experience.

 

DON

 

Donaldsc, you are absolutely right about being on time. No disagreement from me. I am in no way holding the ship responsible because they had to adhere to the schedule.

 

However, my sympathy is with the children, not the adults. What ages were the children? It must have been horrible for young ones to be on the ship without their parents. If older, they probably had a better time without their parents around. ;) Either way, the ship became responsible for their safety and well-being.

 

I am not judging the mother because she may have been in an impossible position. I simply don't know. If she was messing around then maybe she learned a valuable lesson.

 

My problem is with the dad. He should have gone back to the ship when he realized she wasn't going to make it back on time. Those children should have come first. Period. What a tough position, though.

 

Saying this, my DH and I will taking our first cruise (43 years of marriage) in September. We had already discussed being back on the ship an hour before the scheduled time. This just confirms we can get back early enough. ;)

[Cruisin' Chick]

The only time we left our daughter onboard while we took an excursion, was in Skagway on a ship's excursion, which actually did get back to the pier about five minutes after the scheduled sailway. The guide did keep in touch with the ship (there were weather conditions which made us late) and the ship did wait for our group, with the gangway coming up just seconds after we all got on board.

 

Other than that, anytime we did leave her in the kids' program while we were in port, we stayed closed to where the ship was docked and always got back on board long (maybe at least two hours) before the deadline. We would check our watches against the ship's clock before leaving, and I would always have the ship's newsletter with so there was no doubt about the all on board time.

 

We don't know what excursion this woman took, but it doesn't sound like it was booked through the cruise line. And it would demonstrate that despite what many people say, not all tour operators will get ship's passengers back in time....or, it could be that the tour returned, but this woman decided to go shopping.

 

By not getting back on board a reasonable time before the deadline, she was playing with fire, and she got burnt. She held up a ship, which, unless she has a very valid reason out of her control, shows that she was being inconsiderate.

[paul929207]

I don't see any evidence that the woman took a tour (private or ship). Everyone else was back on board 35 minutes before she arrived. That is not the fault of a tour operator. It appears the woman was shopping.

[Rosethorn40]

I have seen Princess leave a number of people behind. Once in Barbados we had pulled away from the dock and were making our way out to sea when the pilot boat pull aside. A sling was dropped down from an upper deck, and two very young children were put inside and the sling was hoisted up the side. Next a rope ladder was dropped and a young woman, followed by a young man climbed the ladder. They looked very small climbing up that ladder (This was on the Sea Princess). In Mexico in 2006 our captain was a very punctual man, and we left every port as scheduled. We left people behind in all three ports. The last time I know I was on a ship that left someone behind was on the Emerald Princess in 2009. It was Barbados (again!) and as we pulled away a woman came running from the terminal shopping area with her hands full of bags.

 

I normally don't have much sympathy for pier runners, but in this case I do. Maybe I am getting soft in my old age, but she is a real person, with real feelings and I can't even imagine her anguish in watching the ship sail away with her children on board. She is very lucky that her husband got off the ship with their passports, and the children were in the care of a family member.

 

About a year ago I read on CC a thread started by a man that missed a ship. He took full accountability for what happened, but it was interesting to read just how it happened (It had something to do with the extended family going to a resort for the day, and somehow his son and another family member got separated from the group, and went back to the ship. He sent the rest of his family back to the ship while he searched high and low for his son, who was safely on board). I think it was in Nassau as well, but I can't remember what ship he missed. He was able to join the ship a few days later in Jamaica. After reading his account I have more empathy for those that miss or almost miss the ship.

[Susieq0102]

I have seen Princess leave a number of people behind. Once in Barbados we had pulled away from the dock and were making our way out to sea when the pilot boat pull aside. A sling was dropped down from an upper deck, and two very young children were put inside and the sling was hoisted up the side. Next a rope ladder was dropped and a young woman, followed by a young man climbed the ladder. They looked very small climbing up that ladder (This was on the Sea Princess). In Mexico in 2006 our captain was a very punctual man, and we left every port as scheduled. We left people behind in all three ports. The last time I know I was on a ship that left someone behind was on the Emerald Princess in 2009. It was Barbados (again!) and as we pulled away a woman came running from the terminal shopping area with her hands full of bags.

 

I normally don't have much sympathy for pier runners, but in this case I do. Maybe I am getting soft in my old age, but she is a real person, with real feelings and I can't even imagine her anguish in watching the ship sail away with her children on board. She is very lucky that her husband got off the ship with their passports, and the children were in the care of a family member.

 

About a year ago I read on CC a thread started by a man that missed a ship. He took full accountability for what happened, but it was interesting to read just how it happened (It had something to do with the extended family going to a resort for the day, and somehow his son and another family member got separated from the group, and went back to the ship. He sent the rest of his family back to the ship while he searched high and low for his son, who was safely on board). I think it was in Nassau as well, but I can't remember what ship he missed. He was able to join the ship a few days later in Jamaica. After reading his account I have more empathy for those that miss or almost miss the ship.

 

 

:):):):)

[tonit964]

You're so right. I remember my "late" arrival to a ship in Nassau very well. I was hit by a wave on Cabbage Beach - broke my collarbone, bruised some ribs and blew out my MCL. After a quick stop at the ship, I was taken to the hospital. Long story short, I was released about 30 mins before the ship was due to leave. I remember running (as best I could) to get to the ship and they pulled the gangplank up behind me at precisely 5:00PM. I remember hearing someone say "if he can make it on time, so should the rest.". To me it would be so arrogant to saunter back to the ship. You've got people waiting on you - get there on time!

 

Oh my gosh! How horrible for you! I hope you had a speedy recovery.

Thank goodness you were able to continue on your cruise. Kudos to you for running! You rock! :)

I would totally say you have a pass for being late!

 

Most folks don't fall into that category.