What is the NCL policy?

[soccermommy]

Well, according to a few, what I've learned on this thread:

1. Don't have anything go wrong, lest you be accused of negligence.

2. Don't ask for clarification of policy.(maybe there isn't one).

3. If you're ever wrong, please don't admit it.

4. Don't ask for help, you don't deserve it.

Thank God for the majority of posters here!

[PIPER50]

Can I just say how sorry I am about your experience. My DH aged 54 is registered blind and I can fully understand your concern. Unfortunately we are not inhuman and sometimes things happen. My husband is very independent and likes to do things for himself - YOU HAVE TO LET THEM HAVE SOME INDEPENDENCE. Accompanying my husband to the bathroom etc would not be an option. His pride would not allow it! LOL.

 

Anyway I can't believe some of the negative comments you have had. It makes me concerned for our first cruise next year if we come across such uncaring people.

 

Please, if you find out what the policy is, post it on here as I for one would find it very useful.

 

Good luck to you and I hope your mum enjoyed her cruise even after her mishap

[AuntieBarb]

I didn't bring up the "fault" issue. OP is faulting NCL...and it's not their issue. The family skrewed up royally and is trying somehow to lay the whole thing on the ship's personnel.

 

When OP called for assistance' date=' she was told what she needed to do - and she didn't do it.....plain and simple. THAT is not NCL's fault..so she shouldn't try to blame them for it.[/quote']

 

You need to get off your high horse or better yet stay on it and go to another pasture!

 

If the front desk personnel acted according to policy, then that policy needs some serious tweaking. It's policy that has been in question here; not who is at fault!

[Harleycat]

We sailed on Dawn on 6/8 to Bermuda. There were 14 of us on our group. DH, 2DS, DD, Blind, diabetic DM, aunts, uncle, cousin and three year old. On Tuesday of our cruise (6/10, 30th wedding anniversary) we were sitting on our balcony. DM and Aunt were in the next (adjoining) cabin on their balcony. DH and I decided to leave the cabin and I leaned over to tell my aunt that we were leaving. She told me my mom was in the restroom but all was well and that we should enjoy ourselves. She got up to check on mom and...mom was gone. I immediately opened the cabin door to look up and down the halls. No mom. My children happened to be coming out of their cabins so I sent them searching while I phoned the reception desk to ask for help. I told them that my blind 80 year old mother was gone from the cabin, missing. They told me to come by the desk and fill out a form. COME TO THE DESK? I asked if they could send someone to our cabin (they send someone to the cabin for every little thing, why not now?) I was told that nothing could be done unless I went to the reception desk and completed a form. I hung up and gathered the 13 family members. We split up and searched the 9th floor (where our cabin was), the 10th and 8th. We finally found her after about 30 minutes of searching. Not only did NCL not come to help but three passengers stopped her to ask if everything was ok. She said I am blind and can not find my cabin. THEY LEFT HER! I was disheartened by this, for sure. Mom was found, all was well and we enjoyed the rest of our cruise, uneventfully!

 

Mom left the balcony to use the rest room. She went out the cabin door thinking it was the bathroom door and began walking. Since we had adjoining cabins, we blocked her entry door for the rest of the cruise so she couldn't make the same mistake.

 

I know this is a long post, but it was so frustrating and very frightening. I was disappointed in NCL's response and just don't understand it. All I needed was a few people to help us search and they wanted me to leave the area to go to the front desk. It won't stop us from sailing on NCL, I just wish they would tweek the "menu" here and help people when they request it. We had a wonderful vacation on a beautiful ship. It just makes us wiser travelers.

 

Thanks for letting me vent. Please don't bash me...

 

Terri

 

That is just horrible! I can't believe NCL's response but what really gets me is those other passengers who just let her be. Just as I wouldn't leave a crying child who was alone, I wouldn't leave an elderly blind person who was lost or anyone who was lost for that matter. If the woman didn't know her cabin number, I would have at least bought her to reception so they could look up her information and return her safely!

 

My mother is 86 and only has vision in one eye, I would hate to think that someone would be so callous if she were lost.

[karen119]

In the time it would have taken to go to reception and complete a form, she could have taken a wrong turn and fallen down the stairs, breaking her neck or worse.

 

G'ma -- You are the type of person who would probably leave the poor woman to wander the halls. (Were you on this cruise???) I sincerely hope that you never encounter a situation like this -- or worse, have to deal with someone like YOU who feels the need to assign blame. Take a look in the mirror -- people like you are a disgrace to humanity. Hide behind your G'ma moniker. I highly doubt you would have the courage to say the same thing to anyone's face. Coward.

[chadbt]

Since we had adjoining cabins, we blocked her entry door for the rest of the cruise so she couldn't make the same mistake.

 

 

Nor could she evacuate the cabin in case of emergency?

 

Unbelievable that nobody picked this little nugget out of the post.

 

With all the flaming happening in this thread, one might consider the danger posed by blocking the exit.

[KerCar]

To try and defend a cruise line by attacking a elderly, handicapped person has reached a new low.... even for this board.

 

Those of you trying to defend NCL and put the blame on the family, should be ashamed of yourselves.

 

Agreed 100%

 

Terri,

 

You have done nothing wrong, please don't let a few narrow minded individuals make you feel otherwise. There is no excuse for the lack of response you received from the front desk. As a mother a two small children, I too would like to know what their policy is to locate a missing person. I think writing a letter directly to corporate, as several have suggested is fully warrented in this situation. By making them aware of how things were in your situation, perhaps they will give their employees better emrgency response training and as a result prevent a future tragedy from occuring. Please keep us posted:)

[KerCar]

Nor could she evacuate the cabin in case of emergency?

 

Unbelievable that nobody picked this little nugget out of the post.

 

With all the flaming happening in this thread, one might consider the danger posed by blocking the exit.

 

They had adjoing cabins. In case of emergency, she could safely exit through the cabin next door.

[terri1020]

Chadbt,

 

As I stated earlier, we had adjoining cabins. The door between cabins was open. Blocking their cabin door did nothing except ensure that she couldn't mistake the bathroom door for the exit door, as they were side by side. In case of an emergency, they would have taken the one easy step into our cabin, exiting with us.

 

Terri

[Sally Forth]

We sailed on Dawn on 6/8 to Bermuda. There were 14 of us on our group. DH, 2DS, DD, Blind, diabetic DM, aunts, uncle, cousin and three year old. On Tuesday of our cruise (6/10, 30th wedding anniversary) we were sitting on our balcony. DM and Aunt were in the next (adjoining) cabin on their balcony. DH and I decided to leave the cabin and I leaned over to tell my aunt that we were leaving. She told me my mom was in the restroom but all was well and that we should enjoy ourselves. She got up to check on mom and...mom was gone. I immediately opened the cabin door to look up and down the halls. No mom. My children happened to be coming out of their cabins so I sent them searching while I phoned the reception desk to ask for help. I told them that my blind 80 year old mother was gone from the cabin, missing. They told me to come by the desk and fill out a form. COME TO THE DESK? I asked if they could send someone to our cabin (they send someone to the cabin for every little thing, why not now?) I was told that nothing could be done unless I went to the reception desk and completed a form. I hung up and gathered the 13 family members. We split up and searched the 9th floor (where our cabin was), the 10th and 8th. We finally found her after about 30 minutes of searching. Not only did NCL not come to help but three passengers stopped her to ask if everything was ok. She said I am blind and can not find my cabin. THEY LEFT HER! I was disheartened by this, for sure. Mom was found, all was well and we enjoyed the rest of our cruise, uneventfully!

 

Mom left the balcony to use the rest room. She went out the cabin door thinking it was the bathroom door and began walking. Since we had adjoining cabins, we blocked her entry door for the rest of the cruise so she couldn't make the same mistake.

 

I know this is a long post, but it was so frustrating and very frightening. I was disappointed in NCL's response and just don't understand it. All I needed was a few people to help us search and they wanted me to leave the area to go to the front desk. It won't stop us from sailing on NCL, I just wish they would tweek the "menu" here and help people when they request it. We had a wonderful vacation on a beautiful ship. It just makes us wiser travelers.

 

Thanks for letting me vent. Please don't bash me...

 

Terri

The NCL response was horrible. What if she'd fallen overboard? And I hope those three passengers who didn't bother stopping to help are one day in that situation.

 

Viv