Cruise ship excursions have to start leaving late comers behind.

[oakridger]

2 hours ago, SD Lover said:

Shore Excursion office

 

On my Fall 2022 cruise, the Shore Ex didn't answer their phone other than the couple hours a day they were "open". In my case, by the time I found out the time had changed, the group had already left the ship.

 

I didn't think to call guest services but if needed again, I'll try that.

 

~Nancy

[jay888]

I have been on many shore excursions provided by the ship, with many different cruise lines, in many different countries.  There always seem to the two that arrive late smiling carry a lot of bags. The next excursion, you see them again, your heart sinks, followed by a lot of swear words in my head  and yes you guessed late again at the stops.   I find this Behavour to be very rude with no consideration to others, not a sociopath, but I’m narcissist.

[syesmar]

Is a Shore Excursions representative still at the gangway for a couple hours each day once the all clear is given to get off the ship? 

 

Another way to find a representative is in the World Stage (or other shore ex meeting places) if shore excursions are meeting there before departing the ship.

[SD Lover]

2 hours ago, syesmar said:

Is a Shore Excursions representative still at the gangway for a couple hours each day once the all clear is given to get off the ship? 

 

Another way to find a representative is in the World Stage (or other shore ex meeting places) if shore excursions are meeting there before departing the ship.

Exactly!

[OlsSalt]

11 hours ago, SD Lover said:

Actually, you could have called either Guest Services or the Shore Excursion office if you're not going to make the tour.  (Guest Services could have then called the Shore Excursion office.)  Shore Excursion staff all have walkie talkies and/or cell phones so they can communicate between themselves.

 

Could have, should have ...... lesson learned. 

[cruisinsince75]

17 hours ago, syesmar said:

I’m curious what their response / behavior was to you fellow travelers that they caused to miss the walking tour? Somehow, “oopsie! I’m sorry, how ‘bout that time!” just wouldn’t have cut it. Absolutely inexcusable. Good for you that they had to find their way back after St. Peter’s!

It was a company sponsored cruise to reward salespeople that made their goals.  She was a co-worker that had a reputation of always doing things her way.  I was not her boss, but was in charge of booking three private tours on the cruise.  She and two of her friends during our stop in Pisa, were busy shopping and stopped to get gelato.  Once back on board, i asked her what time it was and what time she was told to be back on the bus.  She answered both correctly, but said time got away from them.  I told her in front of the entire group, that if it happened again on any of the other tours, that we would leave them.  Which we did in Rome after waiting a little over 10 minutes.  Amazingly, she and her friends got back in plenty of time on our tour in Malta.  As a side note.  She got fired a week after that for fudging some numbers.

[Hlitner]

One reason that DW and I became very happy DIY/Independent travelers/cruisers was because of some bad experiences with cruise ship excursions back in the 80s.  Constant waiting for folks was one of the situations that soured us on group tours (which we now only take as a last resort).  

 

My opinion is that when folks are late, they should be left behind whether they be on an excursion of late back to the ship.  Each individual needs to take personal responsibility for their own situation and stop making excuses.  In the past year we have started to take more excursions because they were part of our cruise fare/package.  Again, it is common for groups to sit and wait for some late soul.  I would think that once folks are left behind they will quickly get the message.

 

Hank

[albingirl]

Yeah,  have lost patience for people who don't care about you waiting for them. Happens all the time. I tend to be on time for everything, so I don't want to go on tours unless necessary. Then you have the window bus hogs. You just can't win.

[Haljo1935]

Thanks @whogo for starting this thread - interesting and important conversation. Now if we can get the cruise lines and tour companies to listen...

 

[57redbird]

1 hour ago, albingirl said:

Yeah,  have lost patience for people who don't care about you waiting for them. Happens all the time. I tend to be on time for everything, so I don't want to go on tours unless necessary. Then you have the window bus hogs. You just can't win.

I have to chime in about window hogs - for medical reasons on our last cruise we were window hogs - me with severe emphysema & him just recently a total knee replacement.  We didn't exit the vehicle at any stop. This was a bucket list/one & done cruise & we did want to experience it.  I didn't hear any grumbling - sometimes there are reasons that others don't know about.

[RuthC]

I have some severe mobility problems, which have gotten worse over the years---slowing me down even more. And I take mainly HAL excursions. 
I have been back to the bus late exactly once---and that was only by a few minutes. 

Being slow, I can't get to the rest room as quickly as the others, so I am typically at the end of the line. One time I got lost trying to find my way back out of the building, with a zig here, and a zag there. I was a bit late. 
But as I said, that was exactly once. If I can get back to the bus in time, anyone can. 

[ontheweb]

7 minutes ago, RuthC said:

I have some severe mobility problems, which have gotten worse over the years---slowing me down even more. And I take mainly HAL excursions. 
I have been back to the bus late exactly once---and that was only by a few minutes. 

Being slow, I can't get to the rest room as quickly as the others, so I am typically at the end of the line. One time I got lost trying to find my way back out of the building, with a zig here, and a zag there. I was a bit late. 
But as I said, that was exactly once. If I can get back to the bus in time, anyone can. 

👍, that really says it all. In general, those who are late are late because they do not care about anyone but themselves.

[65Mommy]

This is why an actual 90 minute tour is actually 4 hours or wasted people logistics 😞

[OlsSalt]

3 minutes ago, 65Mommy said:

This is why an actual 90 minute tour is actually 4 hours or wasted people logistics 😞

 

Never had this happen on any HAL tour and we have been on many of them. They do a good job. And HAL passengers do tend to "follow the rules". 

[syesmar]

On 1/13/2024 at 6:45 PM, ontheweb said:

👍, that really says it all. In general, those who are late are late because they do not care about anyone but themselves.

I realized a while back that with some who have serious time management problems, it doesn’t matter what the excuse is. There will ALWAYS be one for repeat offenders, as there is a consistent error on their part to properly plan for the unknown. A meeting time is kind of a joke to their loved ones and colleagues, who pad the start time just to get them there in a reasonable time-frame. There shouldn’t always have to be 2 sets of times: one for the punctual, and another for the habitually tardy.

 

I don’t know how it can be corrected! Can anyone give us a good news story of someone previously always running late, but are now reformed? What got through to you/them to change your/their habits?

[ontheweb]

20 minutes ago, syesmar said:

I realized a while back that with some who have serious time management problems, it doesn’t matter what the excuse is. There will ALWAYS be one for repeat offenders, as there is a consistent error on their part to properly plan for the unknown. A meeting time is kind of a joke to their loved ones and colleagues, who pad the start time just to get them there in a reasonable time-frame. There shouldn’t always have to be 2 sets of times: one for the punctual, and another for the habitually tardy.

 

I don’t know how it can be corrected! Can anyone give us a good news story of someone previously always running late, but are now reformed? What got through to you/them to change your/their habits?

I actually once had a girlfriend who was always late. My friends and I would always give her a time earlier than the real time. It worked for a while, but then she caught on.

[Petronillus]

On 1/13/2024 at 6:37 PM, RuthC said:

I have some severe mobility problems, which have gotten worse over the years---slowing me down even more. And I take mainly HAL excursions. 
I have been back to the bus late exactly once---and that was only by a few minutes. 

Being slow, I can't get to the rest room as quickly as the others, so I am typically at the end of the line. One time I got lost trying to find my way back out of the building, with a zig here, and a zag there. I was a bit late. 
But as I said, that was exactly once. If I can get back to the bus in time, anyone can. 

Those who are new to this board may not know that Ruth is our matriarch, and what a treasure she is. She chimes in frequently and ALWAYS has something worthwhile to contribute.  Unlike me and my ilk, who like to crack wise, Ruth is a font of wisdom born of long experience.

[IAcruising]

18 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I actually once had a girlfriend who was always late. My friends and I would always give her a time earlier than the real time. It worked for a while, but then she caught on.

 

Our son's best friend was so consistent we called it "Willy Time".

 

"I'll be there" meant he wouldn't be.

"I'm on my way" meant he was just getting in the shower.

"I'll bring the food" meant to order pizza because we might get a bag of chips.

 

It was funny, but sad.

 

[Boatdrill]

On 1/13/2024 at 2:07 PM, Hlitner said:

My opinion is that when folks are late, they should be left behind whether they be on an excursion of late back to the ship.

Sometimes people who are late returning to the ship have legitimate reasons which are out of their control. The decision to pull the gangway is a serious one, and not meant to punish anyone.

Edited January 16 by Boatdrill

[RuthC]

1 hour ago, Petronillus said:

Those who are new to this board may not know that Ruth is our matriarch, and what a treasure she is. She chimes in frequently and ALWAYS has something worthwhile to contribute.  Unlike me and my ilk, who like to crack wise, Ruth is a font of wisdom born of long experience.

Not sure I ever thought of myself as a 'matriarch', but I thank you for the kind words. 
You have made my day! 😀

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Boatdrill said:

Sometimes people who are late returning to the ship have legitimate reasons which are out of their control. The decision to pull the gangway is a serious one, and not meant to punish anyone.

I am sorry, but disagree.  Perhaps some folks have a reason to be late, but they are late and can impact thousands of others and increase the cost to the cruise line.  IMHO, the gangway should be pulled at the scheduled time....period!  Yes, there are rare times when delays are unavoidable but holding a ship because somebody decided to spend more time shopping, forgets to leave a bar, forgets to reset their watch, etc. is not cool.

 

Hank

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Sometimes people who are late returning to the ship have legitimate reasons which are out of their control.

For example?
Notice in most of the videos of people running for the ship, they are carrying shopping bags. 

[IAcruising]

3 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Sometimes people who are late returning to the ship have legitimate reasons which are out of their control.

 

Like what?

 

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Sometimes people who are late returning to the ship have legitimate reasons which are out of their control...

Sometimes.

And sometimes they simply chose to be late with a fair certainty the bus (or ship) would still be there waiting on them.

The busload of us who were on time were not offered any legitimate reason (or in fact, ANY reason) for the tardiness that cost us a visit to the Arizona Memorial as mentioned by OP.

[IAcruising]

15 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Sometimes.

 

Never.

 

Once someone leaves the ship and goes out on their own, they are assuming complete control of their situation. If something happens to them that is "out of their control", that's the chance they chose to take. The ship and it's 1000's of other passengers have no responsibility to wait because of their bad decision. And we shouldn't wait.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17 by IAcruising