Potential fog delays today for Rhapsody in Venice

[bigeck]

Looks like it's lifting on the Hotel Danielli Web cam

 

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[hummy0605]

I didn't get the letter.(where i get one?)

We are too tired to walk , dont know where to go.

Btw, they offer freewifi?

They sent email updates to the email registered on rci page when checked in online

[hummy0605]

Hello, this is Royal Caribbean International. We would like to provide you with an additional update regarding your sailing on Rhapsody of the Seas. Fog in the Venice area has dissipated and port officials have reopened the port. Boarding for your cruise will now take place between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation and we look forward to welcoming you onboard Rhapsody of the Seas!

[Paulxyz2004]

According to MarineTraffic Rhapsody is underway with 8.2 knots.

[stickyshocker]

Update: Fog is out.. Port had just reopened..

[nelblu]

Update: Fog is out.. Port had just reopened..

 

Good news.

[stickyshocker]

Its almost 4,boarding starts 7,.. 3 more hours of pigeon feeding😬

[steamboats]

5:17 pm - Westerdam, Costa neoClassica, Rhapsody of the Seas are docked. Costa Luminosa is just docking and AIDAblu and MSC Poesia on their way to Stazione Marittima.

 

steamboats

[hummy0605]

The ground staff handed out pieces of paper with letters on to help with check in. What an absolute shambles. We were red b and there were people in the priority queue that were e but stayed in that line and wouldnt budge and then argued that they were staying there.The letters were called but people would not queue properly and there was a lot of aggravation. Fog cannot be helped but the way the ground staff organised things was awful. Would have run a lot smoother to have the staff at the top of the queue taking the cards off people as they got there and asking the others to kindly wait until their letter was called. Fog still bad this morning so sea day when we do set sail and kotor will be added onto end

[yuvraj]

Fortunately not caught up in this mess but have encountered this kind of situation a number of times when sailing from UK / Europe.

 

Lessons learnt ...

 

Make sure RCI have my contact details (mobile for text, email, etc.) and that my mobile has data enabled at embarkation port.

 

Never assume that disembarkation will occur on time so avoid booking early flights back.

 

Be prepared for chaos at terminal. If possible, avoid arriving early if embarkation has been delayed. Any option other than waiting in a crowded terminal is better.

 

Avoid certain ports for embarkation. Some ports are better than others in terms of options when problems like this occur. Some ports are more vulnerable to these types of problems.

[salmonoftheseas]

Still sitting docked in Venice.

The nautical crew knew already yesterday early evening that due to the thick fog we do not set sail before noonish today-hopefully. But the captain ordered at 11pm yesterday all passengers, children elderly and the transatlantic jetlagged to perform the muster drill. What an absurd action. Most pax came directly from beds to their station.

[steamboats]

Costa Luminosa is in the Giudecca Canal, Rhapsody of the Seas has just left the pier. AIDAblu and MSC Poesia are still docked by 11 am local time.

 

Out there MSC Musica, Norwegian Star and Oceana are waiting to get into port. But all ships have to leave first.

 

hummy0605, the ground staff tried to give their best but they can´t do much when the pax don´t follow their instructions.

 

salmonoftheseas, even if they don´t move they are required to do the muster drill on embarkation day (since the Costa Concordia -prior to that muster drill within the first 24 hours was o.k.).

 

steamboats

[Saab4444]

Costa Luminosa is in the Giudecca Canal, Rhapsody of the Seas has just left the pier. AIDAblu and MSC Poesia are still docked by 11 am local time.

 

 

 

Out there MSC Musica, Norwegian Star and Oceana are waiting to get into port. But all ships have to leave first.

 

 

 

hummy0605, the ground staff tried to give their best but they can´t do much when the pax don´t follow their instructions.

 

 

 

salmonoftheseas, even if they don´t move they are required to do the muster drill on embarkation day (since the Costa Concordia -prior to that muster drill within the first 24 hours was o.k.).

 

 

 

steamboats

 

 

 

They have to do the muster drill before departure but not on the first day. Before Costa it was 24 hours after departure.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[salmonoftheseas]

.

 

salmonoftheseas, even if they don´t move they are required to do the muster drill on embarkation day (since the Costa Concordia -prior to that muster drill within the first 24 hours was o.k.).

 

steamboats

 

 

wrong statement mrs steamboats,

the SOLAS international mandated regulation for the musterdrill is to conduct the drill within 24 hours after departure. (just check google for better understanding). The circumstances should have allowed to apply this regulation, although RCCL always conducts the md bevore commencing the voyage. Since the weather phenomena in Venice is well known they could have done it thismorning (way before set sail) . MSC btw does it within 24 hrs after departure but due to different embarkation philosophies. Anyway, the law says within max 24 hrs AFTER set sail.

[FLACRUISER99]

wrong statement mrs steamboats,

the SOLAS international mandated regulation for the musterdrill is to conduct the drill within 24 hours after departure. (just check google for better understanding). The circumstances should have allowed to apply this regulation, although RCCL always conducts the md bevore commencing the voyage. Since the weather phenomena in Venice is well known they could have done it thismorning (way before set sail) . MSC btw does it within 24 hrs after departure but due to different embarkation philosophies. Anyway, the law says within max 24 hrs AFTER set sail.

Wrong statement samonoftheseas 24 hour was changed after Concordia. see : http://www.imo.org/en/mediacentre/pressbriefings/pages/45-solas-eif-.aspx#.WeNZcUkpCrV

[stickyshocker]

A little sad that Mykonos and Corfu were cancelled... Anyone here been to Split?Good substitute?

[steamboats]

wrong statement mrs steamboats,

the SOLAS international mandated regulation for the musterdrill is to conduct the drill within 24 hours after departure. (just check google for better understanding). The circumstances should have allowed to apply this regulation, although RCCL always conducts the md bevore commencing the voyage. Since the weather phenomena in Venice is well known they could have done it thismorning (way before set sail) . MSC btw does it within 24 hrs after departure but due to different embarkation philosophies. Anyway, the law says within max 24 hrs AFTER set sail.

 

Nope, MSC is doing the muster drill - as every other cruise line since the Costa Concordia - on embarkation day. And sorry, you are wrong, this has changed after Costa Concordia. Right after the Costa Concordia all cruise lines agreed that they will do the muster drill on embarkation day although SOLAS still had the 24 hours. Following the link of FLACRUISER99 you will see that SOLAS has been changed - in effect Jan 1st, 2015.

 

I know there are muster drills even for one night stays without the ship leaving port.

 

steamboats

[salmonoftheseas]

@Mrs steamboats: I must accept defeat on the Concordia / 24 hrs solas!

Anyway they should not have woken up all pax at 23:00hrs instead should have done the musterdrill during the next morning or until early afternoon when the fog lifted and we set sail

Edited October 15, 2017 by salmonoftheseas

[steamboats]

Anyone here been to Split?Good substitute?

 

Split is a tender port (at least we tendered with the Splendor of the Seas). It has a great historic downtown area with Roman ruins. The downtown area is within walking distance. There are also some nice market areas.

 

Although it´s not a Greek island it´s a nice replacement I´d say.

 

steamboats

[Norwich Cruiser]

Our family always enjoy Split an excellent replacement although a tender port when you get ashore you really are in the midst of everything.

[SKYLAI]

OP, I was in the Rhapsody struck in the ship due to fog. The cruise captain said the port was closed.

We were unable to get off until 4ish. Our plan was to visit Venice on OCT 14 and fly back home on OCT 15.

 

Because of the delay, we couldn't go anywhere for long after we got off from the cruise.

I see you guys are also struck on the port, hoping to get in. We are also frustrated as much as you are. A lot of people on the ship have a flight right after and need to call the airline to re-arrange their departure.

[hummy0605]

Costa Luminosa is in the Giudecca Canal, Rhapsody of the Seas has just left the pier. AIDAblu and MSC Poesia are still docked by 11 am local time.

 

Out there MSC Musica, Norwegian Star and Oceana are waiting to get into port. But all ships have to leave first.

 

hummy0605, the ground staff tried to give their best but they can´t do much when the pax don´t follow their instructions.

 

salmonoftheseas, even if they don´t move they are required to do the muster drill on embarkation day (since the Costa Concordia -prior to that muster drill within the first 24 hours was o.k.).

 

steamboats

 

Hi the ground staff made a rod for their own backs to be honest. They shouldnt have let people join any queue until instructed but some people can give out the nice messages but struggle giving out bad ones. All it would have taken was for one member of staff to man the top of the queues where the signs where and take the tickets from people and ask others to sit back down.

Even if they had used one of the rooms as a holding room and brought people through they wouldnt have had as much aggro.

:D

[steamboats]

hummy0605,

 

I doubt this would have worked... you had app. 2,000 people who all wanted to board the same time and most of them waited for hours. Most of them didn´t even care but all they wanted was to go onboard. That´s the part when everyone forgets about his manners.

 

steamboats

[kawagama]

We were in this mess as well. The terminal could've been organized according to letter by the ground staff (sectioned off while they were all standing around doing nothing), then escorted to the wickets for processing.

 

While the fog was the initial problem, we were also told by ground staff that once the fog cleared the ships were stuck waiting for gondola races to carry on and finish. Imagine?! anywhere else, these races would've been delayed to allow these massive ships to get through first. We feel this was a political statement by the Venetians who clearly do not like cruise tourists.

 

The compensation of half a day OBC was inadequate in our opinion, as two of the ports were cancelled. Yes, they added Split, but if you booked for Greek Islands, like we did, it was very disappointing.

[Christmas flower]

 

The compensation of half a day OBC was inadequate in our opinion, as two of the ports were cancelled. Yes, they added Split, but if you booked for Greek Islands, like we did, it was very disappointing.

 

How much did they give you??