Next Batter Up----Pier Runners

[Pinboy]

Next batter up--- Pier Runners

I " struck out " from reading the numerous pages relating to Future Cruise Credits, Refunds, and When we will be able to cruise again, and watched some You Tube videos of Pier Runners.

Perhaps we can share any experiences we had or witnessed and " How long would you wait if you were the Captain '' ?

From all of our over 50 cruises we only witnessed one couple waving " Goodbye " as we pulled away after waiting 30 minutes.

If I were the Captain , I would delay departure  no more than 15-20 minutes , unless notified that there was a problem getting back on time. 

 

 

 

[Bo1953]

Although I have only witnessed this once, I do find it 'fun' to see the runners.

 

I Am always happy that I Am not the one on the pier trying... this is one thing which my spouse always fears, as such we are back on board at least one (1) hour to 90 minutes before sail away...

 

I Am the straggler in the family... LOL

 

bon voyage

[omeinv]

A lot of factors come on to the decision on how long to wait.  One often hears the ship will always wait thirty minutes.  This seems accurate based on what I've seen, but I certainly wouldn't want to count on it myself. 

 

Obviously if the late people are on a ship's excursion, that is a huge factor.  Beyond that waiting time can be influenced by the particular port's imposition of fees for late departure, and also by the need to sail due to tides, or weather changes. 

 

All things considered, the cruise line would prefer not to leave passengers behind, even though they may richly deserve it. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

[TeeRick]

We usually enjoy standing on our balcony with drink in hand and witnessing the "Run of Shame".

[marieps]

Many years ago on Grandeur of the Seas, the captain chose to stop soon after pulling out so the pilot boat could deliver 4 passengers who'd missed departure.  We were at dinner, and heard the call of an inquiry as to whether they'd purchased a watch in Grand Cayman.   No "Run of Shame" in a tender port...but shame none the less.

Edited May 7, 2020 by marieps

[ipeeinthepool]

I saw this once on a Disney Cruise, a mother and a couple of children got to the dock as we were leaving.  The Captain didn't stop and continued to leave.  The mother convinced a nearby boat to take her and her children onboard and chase the ship as it left port.  It worked.  The Captain stopped the ship and let them board in the middle of the harbor.  At a Q&A session later in the cruise he said he stopped so that no one got hurt.

Edited May 7, 2020 by ipeeinthepool

[cgolf1]

We always go to the promenade deck to watch this. The most interesting/sad thing we ever saw was a young lady on a call screaming at the top of her lungs at someone and watching the crew have to come over and try to get her to finish the call and get her to go on board. Not sure if she was a passenger or crew, but something heavy was going on in her life and felt bad for her and the crew trying to get her on board.

 

We were late once due to a ship sponsored excursion and ran from the bus to the ship, but most just took there time that were with us. The only uncomfortable experience was on the Adventure where some people that I would guess had drunk one or ten adult drinks were really giving people a hard time as they were coming on. Language was fairly colorful. Most seemed to ignore it. Did they screw up sure, not sure it warranted the comments from those watching. We stayed away from that group and continued to watch. 

 

It is just always interesting to see the different ways late people come back. The true runners that know they screwed up and the entitled ones that seem proud that the ship waited for them as they slowly make their way back.

[cruznjan]

I didn't see them running, but I did see a couple left at the pier.

[davekathy]

If I was the captain I wouldn't wait. See ya! 🤣

[Mike981]

A few years ago I was looking at the hoards of people that were still walking down the pier to the ship. I looked at my wife and said, "I can't believe how all of these people are just  slow walking to this ship, as we are throwing the lines." She smiled at me and said, "honey that's for the other ship behind us." I couldn't see it from where I was standing.

[ECCruise]

7 minutes ago, Mike981 said:

A few years ago I was looking at the hoards of people that were still walking down the pier to the ship. I looked at my wife and said, "I can't believe how all of these people are just  slow walking to this ship, as we are throwing the lines." She smiled at me and said, "honey that's for the other ship behind us." I couldn't see it from where I was standing.

We've seen this a number of times but actually coming to our ship.  Totally unconcerned, officers at the gangway waving for them to hurry up with no response.  A couple of months ago saw "walkers" over 30 minutes late, same scenario, officer and security waving frantically,  stopping to take pictures of the ship and the harbor.  📷

[Captain Rob]

In St Lucia a few years ago the captain was wise to the passengers that frequented the Rum Shack  and Karaoke in the dockside bar. He sounded the port leaving signal 15 minutes early. Amazing watching the revelers stampede back to the ship staggering and weaving all the way. You don't realise how much you have consumed until you stand up. Later cruises they stationed some crew members in the bar to move people on. Not so exciting to watch.

[marieps]

Thanks to the OP for an entertaining (and happily distracting) forum.

[C-Dragons]

Years ago we were on Connie on a cruise to Russia and the Baltic’s.

When the time came to leave St. Petersburg, there were repeated announcements for two people to confirm their presence on board. We were watching from our aft stateroom as the ship finally pulled away from the dock. Suddenly a black sedan come roaring down the road, screeching to a halt at the end of the dock. The rear car doors flew open and a man and woman with multiple large shopping bags jumped out screaming at the top of their lungs. The Captain didn’t stop. 

[marieps]

19 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

Years ago we were on Connie on a cruise to Russia and the Baltic’s.

When the time came to leave St. Petersburg, there were repeated announcements for two people to confirm their presence on board. We were watching from our aft stateroom as the ship finally pulled away from the dock. Suddenly a black sedan come roaring down the road, screeching to a halt at the end of the dock. The rear car doors flew open and a man and woman with multiple large shopping bags jumped out screaming at the top of their lungs. The Captain didn’t stop. 

How in the world do you strand someone in Russia, and how do you put yourself in that position as a passenger?  Where was their escort?  St. Petersburg is the LAST Place Id' want to go on a shopping spree... JMHO

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

In Katakolon a couple of years ago (on Royal) they called for a family a couple of times and the second, a crew member went to where he could see the entrance to the port compound since there was a walk. My friend and I had a balcony on the port side and they had the final line only left to pull off. The crew member yelled "Come ON!" and I guess radioed that they were there. They were hurrying until they rounded the corner and saw lines still attached and then began not only sauntering, but put their toddler on the ground to walk (and we know how long that can take). EVERYONE was yelling at them at that point.

 

A couple of years before (also on Royal) I was doing a 12-night Med/Venice cruise. First port - Villefranche; several parties paged, one four times. Second port - Livonia; 2 parties paged, one (the same one from the day before) four times. Third port - Civitavecchia; only one party paged (yep...same couple) four times. I was next to a window that night in the MDR (same section in My Time but the couple who had the window table (a whole group of us had the same time reserved so we kept the same servers) and when the 4th call sounded, my server said "Watch and count." and pointed towards the pier. By the time I got to 15, a couple of crew members had exited with suitcases and stood next to the pier agent. When I got to 30, the crew came back and bags stayed ashore. That couple was officially disembarked from the ship.  My server explained that when a party was late 2 port stops in a row, the captain met with them and made it clear if they were late again, they would be disembarked. Period.

[cluso]

Many ports/countries have HUGE late departure fees.  Thousands of dollars per the minute.  I imagine the port authority has the hammer, not the Captain.

Once in a Lahaina, Maui (which is tendered), two teenage girls never showed up back on the ship.  The whole family had to pack up and get left behind (by tender).  Those girls learned a lesson the hard way.  Later heard the family flew to Oahu, and then home.  $$$ 😳

[C-Dragons]

25 minutes ago, marieps said:

How in the world do you strand someone in Russia, and how do you put yourself in that position as a passenger?  Where was their escort?  St. Petersburg is the LAST Place Id' want to go on a shopping spree... JMHO

They personally arranged for a private car and driver. I'm guessing they had been there before.

As far as “stranding them”, every passenger is made aware of departure times in each port. It is their responsibility to get back to the ship on time. 

[marieps]

2 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

They personally arranged for a private car and driver. I'm guessing they had been there before.

As far as “stranding them”, every passenger is made aware of departure times in each port. It is their responsibility to get back to the ship on time. 

I agree it was on the passengers.  I saw no flexibility anywhere during my one and only trip to SPB.  I suspect the local authorities keep strict departure schedules and are unwilling to deviate to accommodate tardy tourists.  

[yorky]

We met a couple of guys when on an excursion a few years ago, the next day in Antigua there was an announcement over the ships PA system asking them to make themselves known if they were onboard. After the third time I think we both said they have missed the boat and they had. Couple of islands later we met up with them again, they had gone to meet friends who lived on the island and thought the ship was sailing an hour later. It cost them a pretty penny to pay for their own flight out to the next island.

[Baron Barracuda]

A few years back someone wrote on the X or Royal board about his experience after being left behind in Nassau.  Had gone to Sandals with another family and when they didn't show up at meeting point at agreed upon time sent family back to ship and waited for them.  Found out later they had gone back to ship early.  Anyway, he waited too long and ended up watching ship sail away.  Held no cash, just cc and copy of passport.  Had to find hotel, get new passport from US embassy and obtain transport to next port of call which I believe was in Jamaica, long drive from airport.  Took him a couple of days to reconnect with ship.

[davekathy]

45 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

They personally arranged for a private car and driver. I'm guessing they had been there before.

As far as “stranding them”, every passenger is made aware of departure times in each port. It is their responsibility to get back to the ship on time. 

Agree. We've been in ports where we've had passengers come up to us and ask are we on their ship and if we know what time we have to be back on the ship. Unreal!  

Edited May 7, 2020 by davekathy

[Lilactime]

That was me -- once -- on Langkawi Island, Malaysia. I'd gone off with a friend and didn't realize there were two docks for ships in Langkawi. Our taxi arrived at the "other" one. We realized our mistake and the driver set out for the one we needed. We were the last ones running up to the ship. Luckily it was twenty years ago and we could still run. That was the last time I cut it so close and the last time I was so cavalier about where I was going. 

[markeb]

St. Maarten seems to be the poster child for this. I don't think we've ever pulled away from the dock without a whole bunch of runners/strollers/shufflers heading down the pier. In a little bit of fairness, that pier is a lot further from things that it looks, and a lot longer. I don't think we've ever knowingly seen anyone left behind, but pretty much every time we've been there it's started to look like high adventure at the end!

 

We were in Reykjavik on RCI a few years ago. Second evening of an overnight, with a relatively late departure back to Harwich, and we were waiting and waiting when finally a cab comes almost to the ship. Apparently the family had split up between two cars and they sent the teenager up, probably hoping for the sympathy factor. Didn't work. They didn't board him without the rest of the party, and they were offloaded right there. Had to have been a heck of an expensive lesson, as they'd have had to fly to London (I believe we had two sea days back), get to Harwich (I assume), collect the rest of their stuff, and then possibly back to London for a flight that same day... 

[cruisestitch]

My first cruise, in the Med, on another cruise line.  It was their policy to have a member of staff come along on every shore excursion, and I happened sit next to the same nice young lady who worked in the casino on two different excursions.  She was new to cruising, and very chatty, and filled me in on all sorts of shipboard gossip and "news".   I don't gamble, but I would stop in the casino each night to say hi and see how her day went.  A few days into the cruise, we are at one of the Greek Islands.  It comes time to leave, and the Captain pages two ladies who aren't on board.  He repeats the page, and repeats it again.  Then he comes on the intercom to say that, while it is company policy not to wait for stragglers, in this case, the ladies' husbands were on board and were quite concerned about their missing wives, so the ship would wait a few more minutes.

 

I went onto the balcony to watch the sailaway.  The next thing I heard was the screech of tires and honking of a car horn from faraway, but getting closer to the pier.  A taxi pulled up next to the ship.  I watched as a group of five people came climbing out.  Not two elderly ladies, as I expected to see.  I recognized one as the casino worker I had gotten to know.

 

That night, I stopped by to see what had happened.  She and four others had lost track of time and were late coming back, and the ship HAD to wait because otherwise they couldn't open the casino that night.  Needless to say, they were all "confined to quarters" outside of working hours, and would all be put off the ship at our destination.  They all lost their jobs, and would have to pay their own way home.  

 

And the two elderly ladies?  They were actually on board the whole time.  They had gone to a movie, and the Captain's announcement didn't get piped into the theater, so they never heard their names called.