Delayed Spirit embarkation this morning

[lephysteria]

Hey everyone :)

 

My lucky parents found a great deal on the Carnival Spirit which left out of San Diego this morning. I drove them to the port and dropped them off at 11. As we approached the ship we saw some people up on the top deck, and they looked like pax, not crew, because they looked like they were just hanging out (leaning over the railing looking at the view).

 

So we get to the cruise port which was easy to do. My parents needed new tags because their cabin tag color was a grey TBA so I told them I've always seen a table with people servicing the table, you go to the table, they give you your new tags and your cabin assignment.

My mom paid for an oceanview guarantee.

So they get to the port, I have to leave them there, and so I drove home. I got home at 12:15. I made some lunch. I looked at the time, and it was 1:30. I thought I'd be able to talk to my mom as she was unpacking in her cabin.

I called her and she said that they hadn't even gotten through the embarkation yet. :eek:

 

THEY WERE STILL IN THE BUILDING! There was no direction anywhere, there were mass people, no one knew what they were doing, and no one knew where to direct my parents.

 

Apparently there was one cruise ship terminal building located inbetween the cruise ships, which serviced both the HAL ship and the CCL ship.

It looked like chaos even from the outside.

 

She had to hang up with me. She called me back 5 minutes later to say that she had to get her photo taken for the sign and sail card.

So she still sat in the terminal and said she'd call when she got on the ship, they were getting ready to stand in the line to board.

 

She said that the fellow pax seem nice. They were all chatting together and making friends with one another while there was nothing else to do in the line. My parents got the nicknames Uncle Ken and Aunt Honey. So I'm glad that they're making the best deal out of their situation. But she said that hands down, this was the worst cruise embarkation she's done in 15 cruises.

 

Finally at 2pm she called me and said she was in her room and that she was upgraded to a BALCONY cabin!!! WOW!!! For $550 for 8 days they got a balcony!!!

 

She said that overall the ship is nice. She said that she asked a crew member what happened to delay embarkation. Apparently there was a "problem" with the ship returning from Hawaii. That crew member wasn't sure if they'll even leave ontime today. I hope that they won't have any problems on their sailing. I told her to please take notes so I can write a review of the trip for her when she gets home.

 

So thats it for now.

I'm curious to know what the problem was and how it will affect this sailing.

Anyone just off the Spirit this morning that can give some perspective as to what may have caused the delay?

:)

[CPPADILLA]

lephysteria:

 

I was one of the passengers disembarking this morning from the Spirit, along with DH, DFIL and DMIL. Your Mom is incorrect it was indeed a mess. While waiting for our luggage tag to be called over the PA system the announcer was continually asking for certain passengers to come down to either the pursers desk or to the immigration desk. Finally after announcing one passenger's name over and over we were told no one could leave the ship until so and so passenger came to the immigration desk.

 

Finally around 11:20 we were able to get off the ship but then we needed to retrieved our luggage and that is when the big headache began. People and pieces of luggage everywhere and I mean everywhere, blocking the sidewalks, i.e., you now have passengers leaving the ship and passengers trying to get on the ship at the SAME TIME and not just one ship but TWO ships, by now it is getting close to noon. While we waited for the in-laws to get their luggage I could overhear some conversations and I overheard one girl saying she was with 2 other girlfriends and between the 3 of them they had 15 pieces of luggage. I thought hopefully you didn't forget anything then. Since the sidewalks were now blocked with luggage from folks either waiting for a taxi or passengers wanting to get on board their ship or to exit the terminal area, well it was one BIG MESS. Plus you also have busses and private vehicles in the area. It was chaos at its finest.

 

Hopefully, your parents will have a wonderful cruise!

[birdsfly]

My DH and I were among those passengers trying to get off of the Spirit this morning. It was total CHAOS!!! The entire cruise was not quite up to Carnival's standards and I will write more tomorrow after I get a good night's sleep tonight. I am not surprised that the ship embarkation was delayed and I will be extremely interested in hearing from anyone who would like to share their thoughts about this cruise. :(

[VentureMan_2000]

I'm glad it worked out... but no one has the right to complain about not boarding before 1:30 at it is stated plain and clear that boarding does not start until 1:30 PM.

 

If you arive before 1:30 PM and have to wait... it's your own dang fault... Not Carnival's.

[PACURN]

It wasn't the cruise from Hawaii because that was last Sat. I was on that. They had us up and moving before the sun was up. :eek: The Intercom woke us up around five to start disembakation. The first run to Mexico was this past week. They dropped us all off at the SD or LA airport after a fun ride up the coast from Ensenada. Luggage was everywhere. My freinds lost a suitcase in the chaos and it has still not been found a week later. I guess some guy is running around in my freinds undies. :eek: I'm thankful I live here and could just go home. No planes to catch.

[lephysteria]

I'm glad it worked out... but no one has the right to complain about not boarding before 1:30 at it is stated plain and clear that boarding does not start until 1:30 PM.

 

If you arive before 1:30 PM and have to wait... it's your own dang fault... Not Carnival's.

 

While I respectfully understand what you are saying, I don't believe that the ZOO I witnessed this morning should be anyone else's fault except the cruise line. In all of the past cruises, we've been able to get on the ship between 12 and 1pm. So I agree with you that they shouldn't be able to get on board, but at the very least they should have been able to enter the building and be directed to stand in the correct line by an employee that knew what was going on.

 

As CPPADILLA mentioned earlier (and I thank you soooo much for telling us what you experienced this morning), there were TWO ships trying to embark at the same time! Add to this the Spirit guests trying to DISembark, and trying to find their baggage which was everywhere (yes I did see that). The line for the cabs was at least 100 persons long .... the flow of traffic was just a mess, and to go from the drop off, then around the "U" driveway to the exit took 25 minutes. The cars just weren't moving. There were people still walking across the street, running out in front of cars, it was just a real mess. I feel really bad for those that had to experience that. In 16 cruises, no disembarkation has ever looked that disorganized, so if you're a newbie cruiser and reading this, please don't think this was normal!!

[lephysteria]

It wasn't the cruise from Hawaii because that was last Sat. I was on that. They had us up and moving before the sun was up. :eek: The Intercom woke us up around five to start disembakation. The first run to Mexico was this past week. They dropped us all off at the SD or LA airport after a fun ride up the coast from Ensenada. Luggage was everywhere. My freinds lost a suitcase in the chaos and it has still not been found a week later. I guess some guy is running around in my freinds undies. :eek: I'm thankful I live here and could just go home. No planes to catch.

 

:)

What an image of a person running around in your friends luggage contents. LOL

Thanks for the clarification on the itinerary. I just spoke with my mom again as she sailed away and she mentioned that the embarkation photo guy is the one who told her they just got back from Hawaii. So apparently he was misinformed as well.

 

Has your friend been able to file a lost luggage claim with the cruise line?

[lephysteria]

My mom called at 8pm to check in as they began to sailaway. She mentioned that they finally got onboard at 2pm, but weren't given any reason why they were made to wait. I'll have to tell her about this thread when she checks in later in the week. When she boarded the ship, she said the pandemonium continued at the pursers desk. She said that the passengers weren't upset, they just wanted to know what was going on.

 

They made their way to their cabin and discovered they received the upgrade!

Her room is awesome. She has a great balcony cabin on deck 5 above a lifeboat in an "innie" part of the ship. She met her cabin attendant and he was very nice, personable and friendly. He delivered an extra blanket and pillows and seemed eager to assist her.

Then they got some lunch at the buffet. The food selection was great, they had italian, chinese, and mexican selections. She ate a roast beef sandwich and said it was good. My dad had a good lunch as well. When they came back from lunch they had some luggage, but didn't unpack, it was time to go to the muster drill. After the muster drill they went to the "SailAway" party and met the "nicest CruiseCritic people". They had a great time and met everyone and partied. They hadn't pulled away from the dock yet, but it was time for dinner, so they went to the dining room.

 

They were seated at a table for 4, but the other 2 persons didn't show up. The waiter came to the table, gave them menus, took their order, then disappeared for "literally 25 minutes". No bread, no water, no waiter.

She saw other tables around her getting service and got bread from another waiter.

25 minutes later the appetizer showed up.

Apparently Carnival is trying a new menu this week, said the waiter, and he apologized for it taking so long.

.... but he never did introduce himself.

He wasn't friendly and he didn't do a very good job.

They ordered the Talapia (according to my dad VERY GOOD), and mom had the prawns (Great with the salsa from the Talapia). Mom asked for more salsa, but that never came. So she finished her dinner and then left the dining room.

 

They came back to their cabin and the rest of the luggage came. So they unpacked.

They read the capers and will go to Karaoke later tonight, and the welcome aboard show.

 

I asked her how long she's going to tolerate a bad waiter without telling the Maitre D (because she's not one to complain to management), and she said 2 days.

She doesn't know the waiters' name, and guesses he's from the Philippines.

 

More later :)

[PACURN]

:)

 

Has your friend been able to file a lost luggage claim with the cruise line?

 

She has called Carnival and so far nothing. There was luggage dropped off at both ends of the airport and it was left unattended. Luckily we (my family found all of ours). The people who "represented" Carnival at the airport that day were quite rude and no one was checking luggage tags. It would have been very easy to walk off with someone elses luggage. At first we figured someone picked up and didn't realize it wasn't theirs. I was sure it would turn up in a day or two. The people at the airport stated it was out of their hands since the busses that broughts up to the airport handeled the luggage. That would have been Greyhound. It was quite a fiasco. I'm beginning to think it will not show up now. It's been a week.

Since they only do these Repo Hawaii cruises twice a year they (carnival) haven't figured out a smooth way to get people up to San Deigo. Since they couldn't sail into the Port of SD untill 2:00 they had to get us off in Ensenada and clean the ship,and then sail up to SD to pick up the next group.

I booked the first Mexico after Hawaii for next year. I'm wondering how much fun boarding will be. Since I live here I think I will hang out at home and board after the mad surge of passangers. I may be safer. :o

[PACURN]

.

 

They were seated at a table for 4, but the other 2 persons didn't show up. The waiter came to the table, gave them menus, took their order, then disappeared for "literally 25 minutes". No bread, no water, no waiter.

She saw other tables around her getting service and got bread from another waiter.

25 minutes later the appetizer showed up.

Apparently Carnival is trying a new menu this week, said the waiter, and he apologized for it taking so long.

.... but he never did introduce himself.

He wasn't friendly and he didn't do a very good job.

They ordered the Talapia (according to my dad VERY GOOD), and mom had the prawns (Great with the salsa from the Talapia). Mom asked for more salsa, but that never came. So she finished her dinner and then left the dining room.

 

I asked her how long she's going to tolerate a bad waiter without telling the Maitre D (because she's not one to complain to management), and she said 2 days.

She doesn't know the waiters' name, and guesses he's from the Philippines.

 

More later :)

 

We had Alex and Gustavo at table 369 and 371. They were really great. Never a problem with the service. Alex got a little confused sometimes but we were a large group and we ordered everything on the menu. So we cant blame him. We did have some less than great service at breakfast a couple of days. The maitre'd was pleasent enough.

[rufustelestrat]

I was down doing a Photo shoot of the Sculpture Trees On the Port of San Diego. I walked from the end by the Coast Guard Station to the Far side of the Spirit. I posted some of the shots here:

http://s53.photobucket.com/albums/g41/Rufustelestrat/Carnival%20and%20Cruise%20ships/

 

The traffic at 11 am was stupid bad. I also added some shots of the Traffic and people in a huge line.

RUF

[JLC@SD]

I'm glad it worked out... but no one has the right to complain about not boarding before 1:30 at it is stated plain and clear that boarding does not start until 1:30 PM.

 

If you arive before 1:30 PM and have to wait... it's your own dang fault... Not Carnival's.

and......this same thing happened the day before when the Oosterdam and Serenade of the Seas were both in port. Lots of people arrived early and had to wait on the pier for thing to get straightened out.

[yst347]

Has this cruise changed itinerary or is it going to sail around/through hurricane Paul?

[luvocean9]

We will be boarding the Spirit to leave San Diego at 4pm on Dec 1, while others board the Galaxy to leave at 5pm. Standing in line for hours does not appeal to me.

 

Does Carnival board suites any earlier? This is the first time we have ever had a suite. What time would you recommend that we arrive to board? I think it theoretically begins at noon........

[yst347]

Carnival lists these ports as offering priority checkin at this time.

 

Miami, Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Port Canaveral, Los Angeles (Long Beach), New Orleans, San Juan, Galveston, Tampa, Mobile, Jacksonville, Vancouver and New York.

 

This service is available to platinum members and guests in suites. San Diego isn't listed at this time.

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/VIP_Checkin.aspx

[smitch57]

so I'm leaving on the Spirit next Monday. Hoping all these issues are resolved by then. Hope they have a great cruise this week without any more issues.

[rlkubi]

Debbie, we had a group of 8 on the Spirit for the Hawaii cruise on 10/2 too. We had a great time and had Alex and Gustavo also (table 371) at early seating. They were both great and we had an outstanding time! The reason we had to go to San Diego was because of the Jones Act. They had to stop at an international port since we hadn't yet. We ended up staying the night in San Diego and saw the ship pulling in from our hotel room. It was an awesome trip and I plan to do it again some day.

[rlkubi]

Debbie, we had a group of 8 on the Spirit for the Hawaii cruise on 10/2 too. We had a great time and had Alex and Gustavo also (table 371) at early seating. They were both great and we had an outstanding time! The reason we had to go to San Diego was because of the Jones Act. They had to stop at an international port since we hadn't yet. We ended up staying the night in San Diego and saw the ship pulling in from our hotel room. It was an awesome trip and I plan to do it again some day.:)

[VentureMan_2000]

I don't believe that the ZOO I witnessed this morning should be anyone else's fault except the cruise line. ...but at the very least they should have been able to enter the building and be directed to stand in the correct line by an employee that knew what was going on.

 

 

You are right about that one. I don't know why they can't put up a roped line for folks to stand in... with identification on it... like, "VIP", "Wedding", "Special Needs", "Early Check-in", and "All Others". It's a bit of a mess in Long Beach too.

[Boatdrill]

On Sunday, the Spirit was late in arriving in San Diego from Mexico. This of course delayed debark by a few hours. As we all know, no passengers can get off the ship until the ship is cleared by customs and immigration. While this is going on, the baggage is being off loaded. Debark did not begin until approximately 10:15 am (rather than the usual 8:30am). The 2,000 passengers getting off now need to find their bags, get to their transportation, and leave the pier.

 

At the same time, Holland America's Zaandam was on the other side of the pier, just in from Hawaii. The ship arrived on time, debarked passengers on time (from 8:30 am - 10:00), and began to check-in their arriving passengers (approx 1300) on time at about 10:30 am. Those passengers were then allowed to board at 11:30 am.

 

So you have 2,000 people (from the Spirit) leaving the area hours later than usual, while 1300 (for the Zaandam) are going to come in during the day, plus the additional 2,000 that will be coming to join the Spirit throughout the day. Also add three wedding parties for Carnival, with a majority of those people NOT sailing, but taking up "space" in line and in the terminal, as they wait to board with the passengers.

 

Shoreside operations (the same company handles both ships: HAL and Carnival) requested the guest cards (aka security passes, or room keys) from the Spirit BEFORE all the passengers were off the ship so they could begin to check-in the new Spirit passengers, and then have them seated and waiting to embark, once the ship was ready. However, the Front Office on the Spirit refused the request, and said not until all passengers were off the ship, would they release the cards. This of course, held up check-in and created even more of a delay.

 

The day before (Saturday) two ships were in port...HAL's Oosterdam (1800 pax) and RCI's Serenade of the Seas (2,000 ?). Both ships debarked their passengers on time (8-10 am) and checked-in their passengers as on time (10:30 and on). So the out-flow, and then the in-flow, of passengers all happened at the same time. Two seperate shoreside companies handled these ships (the one that worked both ships on Sunday, and another company that just does RCI). The check-in set up was exactly the same as on Sunday. Everything went smoothly, and the ships sailed on time. In fact, the Oosterdam left a little early.

 

Had the Spirit arrived on time on Sunday, all would have gone smoothly.

 

Also, the Spirit changed their itinerary for this cruise...instead of Manzanillo, they will be going to Ensenada, to avoid the hurricane. This also added to their long check-in process, because of complaining passengers taking extra time with the check-in agents.

 

And that's the way it was....

 

Any complaints need to be made onboard the Spirit, and not to the Port of San Diego or the shoreside operations company.

 

And finally, Carnival's airport staff is another company that is not affiliated in anyway with the pier staff.

 

However, Holland America's airport staff is from the same shoreside company that handles debark and check-in for both HAL and Carnival.

[luvocean9]

Boatdrill - Thanks for the explanation. Now I understand. With the hurricane and delay, it was just one of those things.

[yst347]

I wish cruiselines had a spare boat they could use for taking the complaining passengers to Manzanillo during a huricane. :D

 

The cruiseline should also be allowed to charge a large disposal fee for barfbags on this special cruise for special people. :rolleyes:

[rvrgirl]

They were seated at a table for 4, but the other 2 persons didn't show up. The waiter came to the table, gave them menus, took their order, then disappeared for "literally 25 minutes". No bread, no water, no waiter.

She saw other tables around her getting service and got bread from another waiter.

25 minutes later the appetizer showed up.

Apparently Carnival is trying a new menu this week, said the waiter, and he apologized for it taking so long.

.... but he never did introduce himself.

He wasn't friendly and he didn't do a very good job.

They ordered the Talapia (according to my dad VERY GOOD), and mom had the prawns (Great with the salsa from the Talapia). Mom asked for more salsa, but that never came. So she finished her dinner and then left the dining room.

 

 

Sounds like the same waiter we had on the Spirit in 2005. Can't recall his name, but he was from the Philippines also. Worst service we have ever had.:(

[luv2cruz44]

Well said YST347

[PA Dutchman]

Don't you just love the life of a cruiser. :D :D :D You never know what you will run into at Embarkation and Debarkation. You know there will be problems when they keep calling names over the PA. Either they did not go to immigration or somebody did not settle up the bill and they are after them and you just waite till they show up or they find them. Most of the time it's no problem but when it is WOWEEE:D