Two people just got left behind as Harmony sailed away

[mollyeilis]

If you book your tours with RCCL you are guaranteed not to be left behind. The ship is required to wait on all passengers on an official RCCL shore excursion.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Another chaining in with “nope”. They’ll wait as long as they can, but ultimately the need to get on with the sailing and the huge cost of extra port fees will weigh on the captain. If you’re on a cruise tour they take responsibility for you, and sometimes that means getting you to the next port. It doesn’t mean that they will absolutely always wait until the tour is back.

 

Someone posted a very good hint in another post. Take a photo of the page of the cruise compass with the ships departure times and details. Keep a photo on your phone of your passport details.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

And wear a normal watch that is set to ship time.

[BensonFan711]

Imagine that, traffic in Boston :confused:

 

 

I live out here, and would never expect anything to be on time if it involves driving :cool: Boston was trying to get the olympics out here, and I couldn't stop shaking my head.

 

I'm in Boston, too. Traffic backs up if an ant decides to cross the highway. The Olympics here would have been a disaster!

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Someone posted a very good hint in another post. Take a photo of the page of the cruise compass with the ships departure times and details. Keep a photo on your phone of your passport details.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

It's also good to have Port Agent's info. It's also listed in the Compass. You never know what might happen while you're off the ship.

 

Sent from my SM-J727T using Forums mobile app

[SadieN]

Someone posted a very good hint in another post. Take a photo of the page of the cruise compass with the ships departure times and details. Keep a photo on your phone of your passport details.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

.....and do not mix up 14:00 with 4 o’ clock. Know two groups that mixed up military time conversions.

[DrHfuhruhurr]

No, the ship is not required to wait if you are on a ship excursion. They will wait if they can, but it is not always possible. If you are on a ship excursion, they guarantee they will get you to the ship in the next port of call if the ship leaves without you.

 

Many private tour companies make this same guarantee.

[capriciousc]

I feel sorry for the little boy - years from now it may be a funny story to tell around the dinner table at Thanksgiving but the poor child was probably frightened.

 

I'm entirely too paranoid to cut it close like that. We're always back on board with an hour or so to spare - we actually enjoy watching the process of getting ready to leave the dock (typically with a nice adult beverage in hand).

[poncho1973]

We were pretty close to missing the ship in Athens, but still wound up with about 15-20 minutes to spare. Our subway train broke down and it was looking bad for a while.

 

We were with another random couple from the ship and she was obviously pregnant. We got to the port entrance, the three of us who weren't pregnant played up the *OMG SHE'S PREGNANT AND WE WERE STUCK ON THE SUBWAY* card, and they pulled a minibus around for us and drove us right up to the gangway!

 

We had a few hecklers on their balconies, but we were on the ship long before the final call.

[memoak]

ALWAYS carry the port agents phone number with you while in port !!!

[blackshirt]

Another chaining in with “nope”. They’ll wait as long as they can, but ultimately the need to get on with the sailing and the huge cost of extra port fees will weigh on the captain. If you’re on a cruise tour they take responsibility for you, and sometimes that means getting you to the next port. It doesn’t mean that they will absolutely always wait until the tour is back.

I also agree with those saying there is no guarantee they will wait, ship sponsored tour or not. They will wait as long as possible but there are some ports where waiting is just not possible. I think there was a port on our Canada cruise, Halifax I think, where the captain said departure time was absolute due to tides and that if they did not leave on time, they would not be leaving at all.

[Merion_Mom]

Best port for watching pier runners, by far = ENSENADA. ;) :D

[xpcdoojk]

Best port for watching pier runners, by far = ENSENADA. ;) :D

 

I have not been there, but what is in Ensenada that would keep anyone from being on the ship? I figure it was a crap hole, and that everyone could not wait to leave. Is it just cheap beer in a bar????? The best for me has always been in Cozumel, and the Spring break cruise there a couple of years ago was a classic. On TAs we have twice been last port of call at Madeira and one time on a Sunday when nothing was open, it was amazing how many people who would next see the ship in 6 days in Florida show up an hour after scheduled departure time. One of which was on our roll call. Classic. Doing a TA next October for the first time since 2009. There is only one port on the Symphony. People are talking about renting a car to go to Alhambra and I am like the ship doesn't hit land again for 10 days. Take a ships tour. I expect that will be a late departure, but I will be on the ship watching the pier...

 

JC

[Merion_Mom]

I have not been there, but what is in Ensenada that would keep anyone from being on the ship? I figure it was a crap hole, and that everyone could not wait to leave. Is it just cheap beer in a bar????? The best for me has always been in Cozumel, and the Spring break cruise there a couple of years ago was a classic. On TAs we have twice been last port of call at Madeira and one time on a Sunday when nothing was open, it was amazing how many people who would next see the ship in 6 days in Florida show up an hour after scheduled departure time. One of which was on our roll call. Classic. Doing a TA next October for the first time since 2009. There is only one port on the Symphony. People are talking about renting a car to go to Alhambra and I am like the ship doesn't hit land again for 10 days. Take a ships tour. I expect that will be a late departure, but I will be on the ship watching the pier...

 

JC

 

 

Yes, the bar and alcohol situation in Ensenada is like Cozumel on steroids. :D

[Ocean Dancer]

Cozumel is classic with all the balloon hat runners!!

[constable145]

To the overwhelming majority of those who miss the ship I say "oh well... To bad.. Be back on time"..

 

Medical emergencies and a catastrophic mechanical breakdown are the exception to the rule.. But the overwhelming majority of the folks who are late in my experience is because of their carelessness.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[kctwinmommy]

I'm in Boston, too. Traffic backs up if an ant decides to cross the highway. The Olympics here would have been a disaster!

 

Haha!! We visited Boston 2 years ago and loved it! But we learned right away that we weren't driving anywhere. We had a hotel near the waterfront (the Westin) and even though it took us about 20-30 minutes just to walk into the more downtown tourist area every day, it was way better than trying to drive it. But - we LOVED Boston! Saw so many things and loved walking around everywhere.

[Dennis#1]

To the overwhelming majority of those who miss the ship I say "oh well... To bad.. Be back on time"..

 

Medical emergencies and a catastrophic mechanical breakdown are the exception to the rule.. But the overwhelming majority of the folks who are late in my experience is because of their carelessness.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

 

I agree that carelessness (including drinking why too much) are the main reasons why many cruisers are late.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DISFANS3]

Be on time..

[grapau27]

Be on time..

On Freedom in June there was almost 200 people late back from Rome and over 1 hour after sailing time the ship finally departed with several people missing.

[trev71]

Sad. I always make it back on the ship one hour before. Learnt from here on here to never trust your cell phone. my cruise in May we had some late guests about 20 mins , there is a video on you tube of people yelling at them it was awesome.

[Cyber Kat]

On our recent cruise to Canada on the Sunshine, the ship was ready to leave. We were on our aft balcony and we could hear the Halifax dock workers joking that someone was going to have a long bus ride home. Halifax was our last port before heading home to NY.

 

We could see ship personnel on the gangway and kept waiting for pier runners. Someone came out from the ship, spoke with the other ship people and they all got back on the ship, the dock workers dropped the lines and we pulled away.

 

Later on we learned that the people who “missed” the ship planned to stay in Canada. They had told some others that they wouldn’t be back.

 

I have no idea how they got off the ship with luggage and no one stopped them to ask what they intended.

 

Would love to know the rest of that story!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Williamsburgcruiser]

I want to say that this post contains some awesome advice for all cruisers! Well done! And Thank you all!

 

1 - Carry the port agents phone number with you

2 - have a "standard" watch - set to ship's time

3 - if you're nervous about an excursion - stick to the cruise line's excursions - where there is some sort of guarantee - even if to meet up at the next port

4 - get back to the ship at least an hour before "all aboard" if you are on your own

 

and I would like to add - BE NICE! Karma will follow you, and if you are assuming the ship won't leave without you - oh, it will.....

 

Happy sailings everyone!

[bobmacliberty]

This would be our worst nightmare and we always make sure we are back on the ship way to early but rather that than not at all, there was a great post on here a while ago about someone who did miss the ship in Nassau and everything they had to go through to get to the next port.

 

Here's a link to that post. Well worth reading. After a lot of early posts by others, the OP gets into the details around post #165.

[colocop004]

I have not been there, but what is in Ensenada that would keep anyone from being on the ship? I figure it was a crap hole, and that everyone could not wait to leave. Is it just cheap beer in a bar????? The best for me has always been in Cozumel, and the Spring break cruise there a couple of years ago was a classic. On TAs we have twice been last port of call at Madeira and one time on a Sunday when nothing was open, it was amazing how many people who would next see the ship in 6 days in Florida show up an hour after scheduled departure time. One of which was on our roll call. Classic. Doing a TA next October for the first time since 2009. There is only one port on the Symphony. People are talking about renting a car to go to Alhambra and I am like the ship doesn't hit land again for 10 days. Take a ships tour. I expect that will be a late departure, but I will be on the ship watching the pier...

 

 

 

JC

 

 

 

Ensenada is not a crap hole! There is some great shopping, and good restaurants/ bars in town. For a great excursion go to La Bufadora or wine country.

 

La Bufadora is one of the three largest blow hole in the world and if you can get there when the tide is coming in it is truly amazing! the shopping there is also pretty good and cheaper than downtown, but the vendors are very aggressive. Great churros from the street vendors as well. There are a couple of pretty good restaurants there also.

 

Wine country is fun, there are some really good wineries there, it is about an hour and a half away from the port. There is also a nursery in the area that serves an amazing lunch.

 

A lot of people go to the FOX studios (if it is still open),but that is a complete bust IMHO.

 

I have only been one one cruise the Ensenada, but have family that live there so I have been there many times!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Candleonwater]

Stuff happens. On our last holiday cruise, IIRC, the diamond lounge concierge messed up the timing, and got left behind.

 

When in Nassau, I always plan on staying at Senor Frogs until the last minute... never manage to do it. Fear of missing the ship is too great.

[tiger belle]

I want to say that this post contains some awesome advice for all cruisers! Well done! And Thank you all!

 

1 - Carry the port agents phone number with you

2 - have a "standard" watch - set to ship's time

3 - if you're nervous about an excursion - stick to the cruise line's excursions - where there is some sort of guarantee - even if to meet up at the next port

4 - get back to the ship at least an hour before "all aboard" if you are on your own

 

agreed...excellent advice...worth repeating for emphasis