VIP shuttle issue POM

[reno3]

We (2 of us) got off the Carnival Horizon yesterday morning. We did not have anything booked to get to FLL. It took us longer to get off the ship then expected

so when we did get off the ship the porter we had asked the shuttle driver how long before they left for FLL and did they have room for 2 more. We were told they had room

and the shuttle would be leaving in 10 minutes. We  even confirmed the 10 minute wait when we gave the driver our luggage and he said "yes, 10 minutes".

My husband and I got on the shuttle and 10 minutes went by and then 20 minutes....We asked when the shuttle was leaving and

was told they were waiting for 2 more people and they would leave in 10 minutes. Again more people got on the shuttle and another 10 minutes went by, still not leaving. Another couple on the shuttle said they had been on the shuttle for 45 minutes and were also told when they got on that the shuttle would leave in 10 minutes. My husband and the other gentleman told

the driver we had to leave or we wanted to talk to his boss. His boss came over and told us we could get off the shuttle and get to the airport another way because he was waiting for

more people. My husband and I got off the shuttle and took a cab (after waiting on the shuttle for 40 minutes). I don't know what the other couple did but they figured they would miss their flight even if they had left at that time. We did get to FLL in plenty of time and the TSA lines were short. The driver should have told us the shuttle would leave in 10 minutes or when it was full and we would not have waited. Others on the shuttle were getting tired of waiting also and starting to make noise, the boss didn't care!!! I will never us them and I don't recommend them to anyone unless you want to wait....10 minutes.....10 minutes.....10 minutes.....10 minutes.....

[CruiserBruce]

I guess not having anything booked was not a good idea...

[capriccio]

I'm sorry this happened to you.  Can you provide the name of the shuttle company so others can be warned specifically about their practices?

 

Oops - I just saw the name (VIP) in the title.

Edited January 28, 2019 by capriccio

[JohninDC]

Those shuttles trolling for customers have a well deserved bad reputation.  Reserving with one of the popular shuttles (SAS, QLS, etc.), Uber/Lyft, or a taxi would have been better options.

 

Hope the rest of your cruise was more enjoyable! 😎

[Noxequifans]

Thank you for this warning ... the same applies to many other ports. In Manhattan trolls appear with Uber signs as one walks to the taxi stand. 

[reno3]

CruiserBruce....we did have a plan and we were going to use Uber (which we had never done before from a port) but my husband made a rookie mistake with our luggage. Also, someone on the ship (passenger) told him that FLL was closed the day before (which was not true we found out later) so he got nervous. So when the shuttle was leaving in 10 minutes we hopped on! 

 

I was not aware of the shuttle trolls.....live and learn. Maybe I have saved someone else from making the same mistake we did.

 

We have used SAS and QLS in the past with no problem.

 

We did have a wonderful cruise!!!!