Missing the Boat (literally)

[david63]

Anyone been following the saga on Facecloth about the group who missed Ventura sailing from Lisbon.

They claim that the on-board time was 4:30 and when they arrived five minutes late they were handed their passports as the ship was under way and are now bemoaning the fact that P&O did nothing to help them get home - they gave them their passports, what more did the want?

Me thinks that there is a lot more to this story than the one side that has been posted. Fortunately, in this case, social media is not having the desired effect as there is not one drop of sympathy - and quite right too.

[Stephen]

Clever little trick that. Being able to hand them their passports while the ship is under way. And how did they get access to their passports? You would think they would be locked in the cabin safe.

Have you got the link David only I can't find the article on facecloth.

[david63]

Have you got the link David only I can't find the article on facecloth.

Try this
https://www.facebook.com/pandocruises/posts_to_page/#

And how did they get access to their passports? You would think they would be locked in the cabin safe.

Not difficult - reception can get access if needed as I know when I forgot the code once!

[Stephen]

Thanks David.

Yes it would be interesting to hear P&O's side of events. It doesn't all ring true to me. For starters, I can't believe P&O would depart leaving passengers ashore for being just five minutes late back. We have seen the ship delayed much longer than that without abandoning passengers. On the flip side we have also witnessed passengers arriving back late and running towards the ship as it is leaving it's berth.

[Meg 50]

I suspect it was any of
a) longer than 5 mins
b) it was '5 mins' at the dock gate,not at the gangway
c) they were waited for - seen in the distance, but decided to nip into the shop

and thinking about it, it'd take a deal longer than 5 mins for the passports to be unearthed..... Ours aren't in the safe - t'would be a major ransack to find them!

someone has posted that "Another passenger on Ventura said you arrived at 4:50 and the ship had sailed"

[barney]

Clever little trick that. Being able to hand them their passports while the ship is under way. And how did they get access to their passports? You would think they would be locked in the cabin safe.

Have you got the link David only I can't find the article on facecloth.

We've friends who have just come back from a Med cruise on Navigator of the Seas.

They failed to change their watches to European time and just made the ship by the skin of their teeth, literally they were closing the door.

The security guy was standing at the gangplank with their passports in hand although they were left in the safe.

They can only assume that the security have an over riding code, but were too shameful to ask.

it was their first cruise, so hopefully, lesson learnt.

[david63]

This story is getting more incredulous by the minute - that latest bit is

in thoses 5 minutes we were held at the security waiting for the captain to make the call To let us go through or not !!! And the answer was "no"

Now come on if the gangway was still down they would have been allowed on - OK they would have had some "grief", but they would have deserved it.

I am guessing that these passengers had been the cause of trouble somewhere else on the cruise. Another possibility is that they may have been over indulging in the local "refreshments"

[Ray B]

If they had a genuine problem getting back to the ship , it may have helped if they had phoned ahead and stated their problem using the contact number in the Horizon newspaper. Not good to have a ship and all aboard playing the waiting game and not knowing what's going on.

[Stephen]

I am guessing that these passengers had been the cause of trouble somewhere else on the cruise.

That thought also crossed my mind.

[Meg 50]

Do you think that perhaps they had been told to get off, and ignored the order? Trying to get back on and now playing the sympathy card?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Whatever the case, 4.30 means 4.30. If they started letting people assume it meant 4.35 they'd arrive back at 4.40, then 4.45 etc. A bit like the people who complain they only overstayed their parking by 10 minutes but still got a ticket.

[Meg 50]

Someone has posted thus: Actually I was on the cruise watching them wait for you. I can assure you a representative of the captain was stood waiting at gangway for a good 20 minutes that we saw. They went in terminal looking for you and put out many calls and we were over half hour late sailing

setting the record straight

[Mervyn and Trish]

I always wonder when people are not being entirely straight with a story they post their angst publicly. On a forum like FB there will always be someone to put another viewpoint.

[david63]

I always wonder when people are not being entirely straight with a story they post their angst publicly. On a forum like FB there will always be someone to put another viewpoint.

But for once on FB there is nobody on her side - obviously not got many FB "friends"!

One thing that has not been mentioned is - how did they get their luggage back?

With that post from Meg I am now guessing that the clocks may have gone forward and they had not realised - still no excuse as the other 2,000 passengers managed to get back on time!

[Mervyn and Trish]

I suppose clocks going forward is a possibility. Though Lisbon is on UK time so arriving from anywhere else in Europe going back would be more likely!

[Meg 50]

I always wonder when people are not being entirely straight with a story they post their angst publicly. On a forum like FB there will always be someone to put another viewpoint.

But for once on FB there is nobody on her side - obviously not got many FB "friends"!

One thing that has not been mentioned is - how did they get their luggage back?

With that post from Meg I am now guessing that the clocks may have gone forward and they had not realised - still no excuse as the other 2,000 passengers managed to get back on time!

probably went to Southampton and collected it when the ship arrived back

[bassman67]

My friend was on that cruise and returned on Friday, but he's not mentioned this incident! I'll ask him if he was aware of it. Incidentally, this happened on our Oceana cruise last year and the port agent stood at the gangway for 30 minutes, continuously making phone calls, before the Captain ordered "cast-off". We never heard what happened to the passengers, but they were continuously being asked to report to Reception if they were already on board.

[Meg 50]

despite what is implied on FB, the decision to leave a passenger behind isn't taken lightly

[david63]

despite what is implied on FB, the decision to leave a passenger behind isn't taken lightly

... if for no other reason than it probably involves a lot of paperwork!

[Kendhni]

On our last Royal Caribbean cruise, as soon as we got away, the captain made a public announcement giving the names and cabin numbers of any passengers who had caused us to be delayed. It was done in a light hearted way along the lines of 'We had to wait an additional 20 minute for the last couple of passengers ... Isn't that right Mr & Mrs Smith of cabin C456".

On the final day of the cruise he gave recap of each port and also mentioned again those that had caused delay ... it was all taken in the good humour it was meant.


PS: Maybe in this case the passenger had removed automatic tips from their onboard account :EEK:

[Stephen]

If nothing else it makes a good read on facecloth.

[oldbluefox]

From what I have read it's all a load of cobblers. Five minutes late and they weren't allowed on? Pull the other one.
It would take some time to find and collect passports and their names and cabin number would have been called several times on the tannoy. I suspect we have only been told a part of this story.

[david63]

I suspect we have only been told a part of this story.

A very small part, in my opinion

[Mervyn and Trish]

There are always some who leave it till the last minute and allow no time for hitches. Often they come strolling down the pier not even aware there's no one else with them. Crazy.

We always ain to be back at least half an hour before the last on board time. No point in stress on holiday.

[david63]

I suppose clocks going forward is a possibility. Though Lisbon is on UK time so arriving from anywhere else in Europe going back would be more likely!

I think that theory can be dismissed - I have just looked that cruise up and prior to Lisbon Ventura was in the Canaries which has the same time as Lisbon.