Left Behind in Nassau on the Symphony of the Seas!

[Desert Cruizers]

Coming off a ships tour and upon entering the gates into the cruise port, they boarded our van and asked for either your DL or Pass Port. 6 people were taken off the van to verify who they were. Always carry a form of ID

[brillohead]

I know for a fact I've been asked for photo ID in St. Maarten (and also not asked for photo ID in St. Maarten) and also San Juan, for gaining access to the pier to get back to the ship.  

Possibly also in other areas, but those two I know for a fact.

[PTAngel]

We were on a ships excursion on our very first cruise in 2014 in St. Maarten.  Our driver took his time & repeatedly said don't worry, they will wait.  We were 45 minutes late getting back to the pier.  My DH doesn't walk well & I asked for assistance.  We were told someone would be there shortly & to wait.  We waited but didn't see anyone so started to walk to the ship.  We were afraid of being left so I walked ahead fast to the ship.  An officer came to me & asked if I was the last person from the excursion.  I explained the situation with my DH & he told me to get on & he would get my husband.  Another officer went with him to assist my husband.  My DH said they really hurried him along & as soon as his foot left the ramp they were pulling it in.  We were late but they did wait & went to get him.  I used only ships excursions for a quite a while because that was too close for comfort.  I'm more comfortable now using a private tour or going off on my own but I pay very close attention to the time.  I did get a little nervous when I was cruising with a friend & she was off shopping.  I think she got back half an hour before all aboard time.  

[CruisinCrow]

20 hours ago, MandyMooToo said:

 

Though this question was meant for another poster...we have never been asked for ID upon returning to the ship.  Our sea pass cards yes, but never ID.  Of course we always have our passports or passport cards with us anyway but I have yet to be asked for them.  I find it odd but chalked it up to the sea pass cards bringing up our pictures when scanned.

 

We've been to Nassau many times and our experience there is that they always require a picture ID to get back through the terminal building.  That may not be true in all ports but it's definitely true in Nassau.  

[Reader0108598]

On 2/22/2019 at 6:15 PM, purplegrapefruit said:

We experienced the opposite on our 2016 Navigator cruise.  A group of 20 people refused to disembark in Fort Lauderdale. They continued to party and hadnt packed a thing, and had to eventally be escorted off the ship. This delayed boarding by over an hour, much to the dismay of the 5000 people waiting in the heat to board. 

 

How did they continue partying ? One place open for a drink not easy to find Some trips. I have needed a bloody Mary before..lol Why would they not cut them off? 

 

 

 

Edited March 1, 2019 by Reader0108598

[Chesneygirl]

For anyone that is interested….the couple in the video has come forward. Happy reading!

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/couple-who-missed-royal-caribbean-cruise-in-bahamas-was-on-honeymoon-traveler-reveals

[BSocial]

21 hours ago, wwjd1947 said:

No need to be snarky BSOCIAL! There was no sign posted to take additional ID.  As stated, it happened to several other people on our cruise.  I am sure the cruise planner did tell us to take additional ID but never having to deal with this issue before on our previous cruises we did not know this would be an issue.  As I said, lesson learned.

 

wwjd,

I honestly didn’t think my question was snarky - that was not the intent at all.  There weren’t even exclamation marks used in my post.  Perhaps I should have phrased it better, so that is on me.    I am glad that you and the others on your cruise were able to get back to the ship without ID.

 

[akcruz]

3 minutes ago, Chesneygirl said:

For anyone that is interested….the couple in the video has come forward. Happy reading!

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/couple-who-missed-royal-caribbean-cruise-in-bahamas-was-on-honeymoon-traveler-reveals

 

Was just coming here to post that article.  Interesting reading, happy they came forward with their story.

[davekathy]

...It later emerged the honeymooners had been given a new itinerary but didn't read it, and assumed the ship would leave the same time as it did from other ports...

[CruisinCrow]

4 minutes ago, davekathy said:

...It later emerged the honeymooners had been given a new itinerary but didn't read it, and assumed the ship would leave the same time as it did from other ports...

 

A "new itinerary" makes it sound like something had changed from the originally scheduled departure time.  I wonder if that was really the case or if the couple just thought the ship would leave Nassau the same time it left the other ports.  Read your dailies, read your dailies, read your dailies.

[katrina915]

38 minutes ago, Chesneygirl said:

For anyone that is interested….the couple in the video has come forward. Happy reading!

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/couple-who-missed-royal-caribbean-cruise-in-bahamas-was-on-honeymoon-traveler-reveals

So it was a publicity stunt for this "actress"?

[davekathy]

8 minutes ago, CruisinCrow said:

 

A "new itinerary" makes it sound like something had changed from the originally scheduled departure time.  I wonder if that was really the case or if the couple just thought the ship would leave Nassau the same time it left the other ports.  Read your dailies, read your dailies, read your dailies.

Exactly. Agree about reading the dailies. My wife folds the daily and puts it in her purse and takes it with us. We've even had other cruisers stop us while in port and ask what ship we are on and if the same ship what time is all aboard.  The two in the video were given the notice of change, didn't read it and assumed. The two in the rodeo only have their selves to blame. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by davekathy

[CruisinCrow]

16 minutes ago, katrina915 said:

So it was a publicity stunt for this "actress"?

 

It could have been a language issue.  But doesn't Guest Services provide the daily newsletters in different languages?

[davekathy]

22 minutes ago, CruisinCrow said:

 

It could have been a language issue.  But doesn't Guest Services provide the daily newsletters in different languages?

Yes they do. In this case they elected not to read the cruise daily. Also there is always the port pre-departure announcements when all aboard is. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by davekathy

[CruisinCrow]

15 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Yes they do. In this case they elected not to read the cruise daily. Also there is always the port pre-departure announcements when all aboard is. 

 

Yeah, it's pretty hard to come up with a valid excuse for not knowing what time you have to be back on the ship.

Edited March 1, 2019 by CruisinCrow

[seabeew]

I was on that sailing. Didn’t even know anyone was left behind.

 

The hours in Nassau were changed from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm to 7:00 am to 4:00 pm due to tide/draft issues in Miami. So I can see how they might have been unaware of the new all aboard time if they were new cruisers and oblivious to the onboard communications. Language could have played a role. However emails about the change were sent several months in advance of the change. 

[SRF]

17 hours ago, seabeew said:

I was on that sailing. Didn’t even know anyone was left behind.

 

The hours in Nassau were changed from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm to 7:00 am to 4:00 pm due to tide/draft issues in Miami. So I can see how they might have been unaware of the new all aboard time if they were new cruisers and oblivious to the onboard communications. Language could have played a role. However emails about the change were sent several months in advance of the change. 

 

Several MONTHS??????????

 

NO excuse of not knowing.

[MrFunInTheSun]

19 hours ago, CruisinCrow said:

 

A "new itinerary" makes it sound like something had changed from the originally scheduled departure time.  I wonder if that was really the case or if the couple just thought the ship would leave Nassau the same time it left the other ports.  Read your dailies, read your dailies, read your dailies.

 

 

This is the email we got back in October. Plenty of notice about the change.

 

 

 

 

Heres our daily Compass clearly telling folks to expect a VERY busy pier between 230-330 for an all aboard of 330.

 

 

[xxHadleyxx]

On our first RCI cruise we sailed the Eastern Med oer Easter and the passenger base was form several different countries in almost even mixes.  There was an "Internatinal Ambassador" who made daily announcements in English, German, Italian, Spanish and French.  I understand all of those except French.  This particular person was taking cultural differneces into consideration when she made announcements and it cracked me up.  Our first port was after two sea days:

 

In Ensligh, we got all kinds of superlatives: this will be the BEST MOST beautiful, place ever.  You are going to have an AMAZING day.  English also got 2-3 reminders of all aboard time, repeated twice each in the announcement.

 

German?  This is a very nice port.  we hope you have a good day.  All abord time is ...., to repeat, all abord is at .....

 

Italian?  This is agreat place to paty.  We'll party at the beach, then back on board you can party some more on deck.  tak about other places to enjoy and party.  3-4 reminders of all abord time scattered into all the party talk and then a one sentence note that the ship does not wait for late passengers.

 

Spanish?  Lots more supperlatives (much like English) with the all aboard time said at least 8-9 times, and a long explanation about how the ship will NOT wait for you.  No seriously, we do NOT do that.  Pay attention.  Be on time.  There is no leeway here.  You will be left behind.  etc.

 

 

I've never heard that since---but it sure made me giggle that day.  

 

[N2DFIRE]

Does anyone think this could of been a publicity stunt.  She is aspiring model and that seems to be the norm for actors and models now days.

[blackshirt]

17 minutes ago, N2DFIRE said:

Does anyone think this could of been a publicity stunt.  She is aspiring model and that seems to be the norm for actors and models now days.

That would mean the person who took and posted the video that went viral was in on it. I say not likely. For one thing, there is no guarantee such a video goes viral or even gets noticed.

[Beth_55]

I wish they would have told us what they did to get back to Miami. Obvious they flew but wondering what a hassle it was. 

[Chesneygirl]

On 3/2/2019 at 10:25 AM, N2DFIRE said:

Does anyone think this could of been a publicity stunt.  She is aspiring model and that seems to be the norm for actors and models now days.

 

On 3/2/2019 at 10:46 AM, blackshirt said:

That would mean the person who took and posted the video that went viral was in on it. I say not likely. For one thing, there is no guarantee such a video goes viral or even gets noticed.

 

I can say with 100% certainty that this was not a publicity stunt since I was the one who took the video. My husband and I were  on the neighboring ship NCL Bliss when we heard some commotion on the pier below. Everyone was gathering by the rail to see what was going on so I went to see as well. I happen to have my iPhone and the videographer in me started recording. I never imagined that my video would get this much attention much less go viral! 

 

https://www.ghanatoday.net/2019/03/04/stranded-honeymoon-couple-reveal-nightmare-moment-royal-caribbean-cruise-ship-left-without-them-with-their-passports-and-credit-cards-on-board/

[nellydean]

On 3/1/2019 at 6:58 PM, katrina915 said:

So it was a publicity stunt for this "actress"?

 

With looks like that, she doesn't need any publicity stunt. 

 

Think the video says more about the person who filmed this couple for 6 minutes

[voyager70]

On 3/1/2019 at 6:58 PM, katrina915 said:

So it was a publicity stunt for this "actress"?

 

That's what it looks like to me.  Idiots.