Golden Princess Seattle missed the ship..

[momthecruisedirector]

It wasn't us......but husband and I were down at the pier today watching the Golden and Holland America's Oosterdam prepare to sail away. We got down there around 3:30 and at that point there was a Shuttle Express roaring through the parking lot to drop people off, a couple cabs and a private car. We watched as everyone on board disappeared to do the muster drill and we watched the HAL ship sail away. At a few minutes after 4:00 as the ship was just pulling away from the dock a taxi came speeding in, horn honking....but it was too late. Husband and I felt so awful, they were so close. We could see that there was someone from the pier (from Princess???) with a radio but it was just too late. Not sure what will happen to those four people, if they'll have to fly to the first port or what. We headed home to West Seattle and went to the viewpoint to see if they were able to charter a boat OR SOMETHING to get them on the ship but it didn't look like it. My heart really went out to them. I would assume they were stuck in traffic - the downtown area of I-5 is under major construction for these next two weeks and traffic looked like it was just stopped.

 

If this was your friends or family, please post and let us know how they fared.

 

If you are coming in tomorrow or the next few weeks be sure to mapquest a few different routes to the pier to give to your cab driver in case traffic is backed up. I know the cab drivers should know but there have been plenty of times a cabbie has claimed they don't know where to take us, like from LAX to Long Beach pier and that's with normal traffic.

 

I am going to post this in the West Coast section too, just to remind everyone to plan for heavier then normal traffic getting into Seattle.

[YoPhilly]

What a way to start your cruise!!!:(

[judyjudy56]

What a way to not start your cruise!!!

[Hulagirl]

Hi Momthecruisedirector!!!

 

We haven't talked in quite some time.

 

I've been thinking of those coming in to Seattle for the cruises this month. The freeway is a mess, but it sounds like they are going to be done ahead of schedule. There is really no fast way to get into Seattle, though there are alternative routes from the South and a good cab driver here should know that. This mess on I-5 is all over our local News stations, so anyone here can't say they don't know about it. But those flying in would have no idea.

 

That is really too bad those people missed the ship. I saw the Golden on the Seattle webcam today and it looked so nice sitting there. Would hate to have missed it also.

 

Mom! How are things going? It is raining right now here up north and as much as we really do need it, I would rather have sun.

 

Take care,

 

Susan

[momthecruisedirector]

Hey hulugirl! I've wondered about how you are doing.

 

Regarding the traffic - at $100,000 a day I figure the construction crew padded pretty heavily and will bust a hump to get the work done early.

 

I didn't know what to do for those poor people today - felt like I should have invited them home with us!!! I looked at the roll call and their were only 10 postings.

 

The weather has been terrible this summer - warm but gray. I am wondering how many more people will be on anti-depressants by the time October hits and it seems like we've had no true summer at all!!!

 

Take care.

Pam

[DrKoob]

I happen to think we have had OUTSTANDING weather this summer. Not too hot except for that one week. And the grass and trees are greener than most summers. Some of us like this weather. Can't wait for winter.

[JLC@SD]

....another testimony as to why it is important to fly in the day before .......and not try to make the ship in the afternoon......especially if it sails at 4.....;)

[momthecruisedirector]

I am a lifer - not a transplant (not that you mentioned that one way or the other) and although I don't mind the gray rain of the fall winter and spring - I NEED our summer that starts on July 5th and ends in mid-September.

[Hulagirl]

Agree about flying in the day before! We always do also no matter where we cruise from, even if out of California which isn't a long flight from Seattle. It just doesn't pay to take the chance of delayed flights and missing the ship. Too bad about those people that got there late.

 

Pam, I'm a lifer here also. Have to say I'm glad we haven't had any really hot days, but I'm just not in the mood for rain, or winter. Had enough of it last winter with all the snow days. Hopefully we will get an Indian summer and it will last into October. Went to Europe this summer and sailed on the Royal Princess. It was hot in the Med, so I was glad to get back home.

 

Take care,

 

Susan

[Pam in CA]

While I'm sympathetic, I can't imagine how or why someone would plan on cutting it that close. With airline delays, traffic, etc., there's no way anyone wouldn't (or shouldn't) take those into consideration and plan accordingly. If you can't fly in the day before, then don't take the chance unless you live relatively close and have hours to spare. If you live further away, pay the extra bucks for a non-stop flight if possible. At least they'd have their insurance to fall back on if they're unable to catch up with the ship.

 

I've had the worst happen to me a couple of times so I really do know what it's like. The first time, Boston Logan Airport shut down early in the day for the entire day for a snow storm. Even though I was flying to San Juan the day before boarding, I still missed the ship due to missed flight connections due to the entire Eastern Seaboard having been shut down and having to reposition planes. Yes, I caught up with the ship and no, I didn't have to pay for my hotel, food or additional flights.

 

The second time was three years ago when we were taking a Christmas cruise, flying out of MHT (Manchester, NH). When we got to the airport for our flight, we discovered that: a) the plane was still snowbound in St. Louis; and b) Delta and their regional airlines were going on strike. This was a Saturday, we were embarking on Sunday, and the earliest Delta could get us to FL was Tuesday. We ran over to Jet Blue and got on stand-by to Tampa; when we arrived in Tampa, we were able to get standby to FLL, arriving only an hour later than our original flight. I had to pay full fare but Delta refunded our tickets so it wasn't too painful.

 

Moral of the OP's post: fly in the day before and plan ahead. If you've made your own flight arrangements, don't automatically book the cheapest since that sometimes isn't the best way.

[momthecruisedirector]

Our son and dil booked a 'hurricane season' cruise this year (late Sept) and booked their air to leave in the middle of the night from Sea to arrive in Miami hours before the cruise. I was so glad when they called last week to say their airline had changed their flight to one that wouldn't get them there in time so they were forced to change their flight and now will fly in the day before (without paying for a ticket change) and arrive (if everything goes well) the evening before. I would have hated to get that "the ship left without us" phone call!

 

Okay - okay - the weather hasn't been rainy but I could certainly use more vitamin D in it's natural form! We're heading to Mexican Riviera in a few weeks - hoping for hot sunny days.

[Cruzbw]

In my weakest moments, I have thought about taking a red-eye from Seattle to FLL, arriving about 10 a.m. the day of. Then I've said, no, no, no. Too much of a chance. Actually, I prefer two days prior to the cruise, as I get older!

 

Regarding travelling on I-5...two days ago I went north on I-5 to Spokane Street (the exit for Princess ships), about 10 a.m. and it was crawling at that empty hour. As others have said, don't take a chance in Seattle this year.

 

Bill

[gooch47]

Is it even possible to take a small boat to the ship after it has left? I'd think than unless Princess did it themselves, no one would be allowed to approach the ship.

[momthecruisedirector]

We figured it wasn't allowed here but have seen it in Cabo when people missed the ship and they are hoisted up and yanked on board.

 

I wish there was a way to know what happened to them, not that it's any of my business but I am so curious.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We are flying into SEA on the Friday night before our Sunday departure, we will make sure we leave with plenty of time to get to the ship, thanks for letting us know about the traffic:eek: :eek:

[Colo Cruiser]

While I'm sympathetic, I can't imagine how or why someone would plan on cutting it that close. With airline delays, traffic, etc., there's no way anyone wouldn't (or shouldn't) take those into consideration and plan accordingly. If you can't fly in the day before, then don't take the chance unless you live relatively close and have hours to spare. If you live further away, pay the extra bucks for a non-stop flight if possible. At least they'd have their insurance to fall back on if they're unable to catch up with the ship.

 

 

I agree 100%. :eek:

[Are we there yet?]

While I'm sympathetic, I can't imagine how or why someone would plan on cutting it that close. With airline delays, traffic, etc., there's no way anyone wouldn't (or shouldn't) take those into consideration and plan accordingly. If you can't fly in the day before, then don't take the chance unless you live relatively close and have hours to spare. If you live further away, pay the extra bucks for a non-stop flight if possible. At least they'd have their insurance to fall back on if they're unable to catch up with the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

Moral of the OP's post: fly in the day before and plan ahead. If you've made your own flight arrangements, don't automatically book the cheapest since that sometimes isn't the best way.

 

 

I totally agree with you and I just did this on Friday with my TA. We are flying with Princess 4 days before the cruise leaves and I just got her to change the first leg to non-stop even with so much time to work with. One of the other reasons is I hope they won't lose my luggage if there is only one flight and another is I don't like take-off so the less we have to stop and go the better.;)

[cherylandtk]

Those poor folks; I am pretty sure that they are not allowed to board the ship at the next port (Juneau, Monday), since this is a RT Alaska cruise and doing so would violate the PSA. Perhaps it will be allowed if they pay the fine....

[SoFloDeb]

I'm reading this thread with great interest because of you local Washingtonians. so you guys have had a cooler summer??? sure hope you don't get a heat wave for Labor day weekend. we're flying in on saturday for a sunday departure and we are praying for cool weather. Summers in Florida last way too long, plus we're in the most active time of hurricane season. Dean will miss us, but a few of the models are spinning something up at the bottom of the bahamas for late next week. We;re planning to put up the hurricane shutters even if nothing is approaching. I can't imagine being in alaska and hearing about a cat 2 or above approaching Florida - if we didn't have the shutters up I'd be a nervous wreck.

 

Anyway, we're flying in on Saturday for the sunday cruise - first time we've ever flown to a cruise - usually just drive the 20 minutes to the port.

[Co. Cruisers]

Is it even possible to take a small boat to the ship after it has left? I'd think than unless Princess did it themselves, no one would be allowed to approach the ship.

 

We were on the Crown this past Dec. at one of our Ports of Call. We were dockside in our balcony stateroom. They had pulled up the gangway and had released all but 2 of the dock ropes when a younger couple came running down the dock trying to make it back before it sailed, all of us watching were yelling and clapping for them to make it - they didn't and sat dejectedly on a post as the Crown pulled away from the pier. :confused: All of a sudden a man came over to them, talked with the couple who boarded what turned out to be a pilot boat. The "little" boat took off after the Crown with all of us clapping and cheering. We had friends on the other side of the ship whp told us the pilot boat got alongisde and the couple were able to transfer to the Crown; - amid MUCH clapping and cheering. :) Think about it - all they had was on the Crown, they would have been stranded at a Port of Call with nothing including probably no money! It pays to pay attention to the ship's schedule! :D

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

On my CB cruise in Jan out of Ft. Lauderdale, some people who missed the ship were allowed to board from a smaller boat.

[Pam in CA]

FYI, it's not a piece of cake to transfer from a pilot boat to the ship since you have to jump from the boat to a small doorway. (About 10x more difficult than getting from a tender to the ship.) Experienced pilots have been killed doing just that so unless you're quite agile, it's not a good option.

 

It's my understanding that unauthorized boats are not allowed within 100 ft of the ship for security reasons. Obviously, pilot boats are allowed.

[gooch47]

Pilot boat, yes. Private boat, probably not.

 

On a cruise recently we couldn't get into Maui because of high seas and wind. We saw them transferring people from the pilot boat. It looked really dangerous. We figured they were entertainers.

[Bucky3]

We watched from our balcony one time as three late people came out from Zuatinejo in Mexico in one of those little panga boats. They had to climb a rope ladder to board the ship. I can't imagine having to do that especially while the rope sways back and forth! Not sure if these were passengers or crew members.

[NOBADDAYS]

Mom and hullagirl...

 

You could just come visit me in Wenatchee:D Seems that is what a lot of Seattle folks are doing this summer...catching the sun over here and enjoying all our fine wine!

 

It's cooled off a lot here too, winter seems to want to come earlier this year!!! :((

 

Stephani