Cruise ships often have strict guidelines for passengers, including mandatory attendance at safety drills and designated meeting points. However, cruise ships occasionally leave passengers behind if they don’t return to the vessel in time for departure. This article explores the reasons why cruise ships may leave passengers behind, the consequences one may face if left behind, and the rights of passengers.
If you bought a ship-sponsored shore excursion and are running late, the cruise will only leave with you. It is a matter of counts, as if many passengers are missing, the cruise will only leave with you. Cruise ship itineraries are planned at least two years before their sail date, specifying the time the ship arrives and leaves port. Passengers going ashore are asked to be back on board half an hour before the departure to ensure they don’t miss the boat.
On 25 cruises, we’ve seen it happen only three times. The ships usually wait 30-45 minutes for late comers, but don’t count on it. If you purchase through the ship, there is some guarantee built in that they will either wait for you or get you to the next port. The rule of thumb is that a cruise ship will not wait for its late passengers. In the event that guests are not yet onboard and the ship is leaving, the captain makes the final call. A fiery debate has sparked after a cruise denied eight passengers to board the ship after they failed to make the 3 pm cut-off time.
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The passengers were late for the scheduled departure, so the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship set sail without them from an island in …
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A couple frantically tried to stop a cruise ship that was leaving without them in the Bahamas after they turned up 45 minutes late to …
Don’t be late, that ship has sailed. They will not and should not wait for late passengers. This happens all the time. If every cruise ship waited for every late passenger, none of these companies would be able to maintain schedules, causing backups and chaos in ports all over the world because people won’t accept responsibility for their own actions. No sympathy.
lol this is cruise ship protocol 101. They tell you explicitly that you have to be back before the departure deadline or you will have to find your own transport to the next port. The fact that these grown children are blaming the cruise line are what is wrong with today’s society. Zero accountability for your own actions.
Anyone missing a ship that departs on schedule is responsible for their actions. There are more than a thousand other tourists on that ship that deserve to keep their schedule. This incident and the complaints are an incredible example of people demanding special treatment, rather than just accepting responsibility for their actions. No pitty party for these privileged people.
It is made very clear on a cruise that the ship WILL leave without you if you are late. Being in the hospitality industry means providing a safe comfortable trip with food amenities. It doesn’t mean putting the entire rest of the customers on hold to wait for a couple of late people. The customer is not always right. What ridiculous entitled people!
Yes cause 4000 people should be inconvenienced because 6 of them can’t tell time. That woman at the end is ridiculous! Cruises are VERY specific in making every passenger aware what will happen if your late. WHY didn’t those 6 people tell the travel guide that it was time to cut the tour short and get them back to the dock on TIME. 🥴
If you go on an excursion organized by the cruise, the ship will wait for you. If you take a local tour on your own, which is much cheaper, the ship will not wait if you are late. Those are the rules. I always try to get back before the crew, which is usually an hour before the passengers have to return.
Cruise ships have tight schedules that they follow getting into each port and they also do wait a bit after the specific time all passengers are supposed to be back on board. We waited 20mins for a family to come back from a private excursions. So the boat probably waited a bit but not for an hour 🙄 at the end of the day you are told to be back by a certain time. I don’t understand why this is called news to me it’s just a bunch of people complaining they missed the boat and want people to take pity on them
But WAIT… I’ve seen Black passengers who show up late for cruises get mocked when the ship leaves them….and everyone agrees with the ship leaving. (Just so you know, I agree with the ship leaving too) So with that said, why do THESE PEOPLE feel like anyone should be sympathetic towards them? It’s weird that they would even agree to do this news segment. I mean the NERVE. Jeez, ya can’t make this crap up folks.
If the ship left later they would have to pay an extra 10 20 grand in port fees…And if you give an inch they take a mile.. Also they were so cheap as to take a non covered excursion and expect to have the same guarantees as when taking a ship excursion.. This is Not news worthy and tells me that this news station is just picking the easy way out rather than reporting true news worthy journalism!
Why do these people think they are entitled to delay the other 2-3k people on the ship. Next time DON’T TAKE A PRIVATE EXCURSION. The cruise lines will tell you that. Cruise ships are like airplanes they have a schedule for a reason. How would they have liked sitting around for AN HOUR, or having an hour less in their next port? I’ve been cruising all my life and when a ship or plane says they are leaving at a specific time…. believe them!
Why is this newsworthy? And to have it presented in a way that NBC presented is ridiculous! I’m sorry but it seems that the vast majority of us are not buying into this! These late passengers are not the victims of this captain’s on time departure! Let’s call it for what it actually is…. Pure entitlement.
Yeah, I’m sure they’d have the same level of compassion if they had to wait for somebody else. When you go on a cruise, you are warned about this. If you go on a private excursion, the ship does not have to wait for you. However, if the excursion is sponsored by the cruise line then they have make sure you board. Hospitality does not mean bending over backward for people who break the rules. These people are entitled twits.
Title should have been “6 idiots think massive cruise runs on their schedule”. I’ve been on an NCL cruise and they warn you a lot about the dangers of using private touring companies. These companies pay a lot for their dock space and have a strict schedule they need to follow or they will lose a lot of money.
Why are you giving time to these entitled people? The cruise line makes it very clear that if you choose to take a private tour, and don’t make it back in time, the ship will not wait for you. They chose to take the private tour knowing this information. The private tour company also knows this, so their excuse that they “called the cruise line to let them know they were running late” is BS.
I’ve never been on a cruise. But I even know that you have to be back at the ship at a certain time or it leaves without you. They are not going to delay the thousands of other peoples vacations for 7 people who couldn’t follow instructions. However, if this was an excursion booked by the ship for their passengers, then they should be obligated to arrange and pay for them to get back to the ship and compensate them for ruining their trips.
I worked in the tourism industry, not on the cruise ships but in a museum and the amount of tours that were late arriving were quite alot almost every tour in fact. The thing is tours run late. It is well known that these things happen. Now, here’s the thing cruise usually wait for cruise booked tours booked through the company. But those booked separately from the cruise company (like in this case) they won’t wait for passengers. So these passengers booked a private tour outside of the cruise company and things happened to go wrong so the ship which couldn’t wait left without them. It’s not the cruise company’s fault it. Why are they are blaming the company? I don’t know. Anyway, these passengers are reportedly back on board now hopefully they’ve learnt their lesson. But I doubt it, these people seem like the type who don’t care, won’t listen and think the world revolves around them.
0:57 They followed those rules too rigidly… Wonder if they’d mind the cruise line relaxing on, oh lets say, rules related to food safety? 1:20 “I believe that they really forgot they they are people working the the hospitality industry.” No, I don’t think so. I think that they were more concerned with the 1000+ other paying passengers who were able to get back to the ship on time. Let’s say the captain waited and was then late getting to the next port, causing people to miss their planed excursions. Would this couple be willing to compensate them? Inquiring minds want to know…
When you book a cruise, you agree to the rules that you are responsible for being back to the ship on time if you are not partaking in one of the cruise provided excursions. They are more than willing to inconvenience the other thousands of passengers. One thing that people may not realize is that ships just can’t hang around a pier or mooring to wait for passengers. The ship incurs heavy fines if they are late departing, there are pilots onboard, tugs may be employed, and they may be delaying other ship traffic coming into port.
The moment you ask for info, they tell you not to be late. The moment you buy, they tell you not to be late. The moment you see, read or hear “advice for cruisers”, they tell you not to be late. The moment you board, they tell you not to be late. The moment you go to shore, they tell you not to be late. Then you show up late and say “it´s THEIR fault”?
One very good reason to only book shore excursions with the cruise line when on a cruise ship. If you are on an official (insert cruise line here) tour and it is late getting back to the ship (let’s say the bus breaks down) then the ship will wait for you. Book a private tour and you are on your own.
For starters, these people missed their ship and were not left behind. You are repeatedly told all aboard time and is your responsibility. A 3pm leave time in a port is especially early and these people should have never scheduled a private excursion (not ship sponsored) to 2 different islands. I also read some medical background regarding the passengers that included elderly, pregnant, quadriplegic and missing heart medication. All of those ailments didn’t stop these people from going on a cruise and boarding an even smaller boat to tiny island nations in the middle of the ocean. But suddenly these medical conditions matter and should be given privilege that includes a ship with thousands who made it on time to wait for them. The entitlement is unbelievable.
Those ports charge the ships a fortune in docking fees while under a contract. Once that alloted time expires, the meter begins to clock up fast. The sheer entitlement to think that not only 1000’s of passengers & crew should have their schedule ruined by waiting around for you to return from youjr little travel adventure but also that the company should have no problem eating a loss of tens of thousands of dollars on top.
Yes, they work in the hospitality industry. And to cause the other 3,000 guests to have an interrupted vacation because you or your excursion couldn’t bother to follow the rules, would not be doing service to everyone but you. And 1 hour isn’t “too rigidly”. It isn’t like they pulled away 3 minutes past the deadline.
The cruise lines are very specific about excursions. If you go on an excursion through a company that works with the cruise line, and you’re late due to the tour company, then cruise will wait for a bit OR will work with you to get back on later. But if you use a non-affiliated company or you go off on your own, then it’s your responsibility to be back. Put your big boy/girl pants on and learn the lesson.
NCL made the right decision here. These passengers knew the rules and they decided to take that risk by traveling to some far away island! Bad decisions lead to terrible outcomes. Why delay the arrival time to the next destination by one full hour for thousands of other passengers on this ship who were punctual? Then there are committed logistics delivery schedules and medical evacuee’s also on board that ship that need to get to a hospital at next destination too. No sympathy for these whining left behind passengers. Let it be a good lesson learned for all of them!
I believe that you really forgot that your entitlement doesn’t extend over other people who can follow directions right to enjoy their trip without hold ups and delays from the people who can’t,don’t or won’t becuase they think that they are special, more important than everyone else or whatever . SMH.
“The tour company calls to tell they will be late”! 🤣🤣🤣 Each ship has a designated time to be at the next port, if they are late, that makes every ship after them late and port authorities can and WILL charge up to $100,000 late fee. They tell you at dinner the night before docking, they will leave you! They tell you while sailing the next day, they will leave you. They tell you before getting off the ship, they will leave you. So why the misunderstanding because they were left?
This is called a failure to follow direction…. Please, let EVERYBODY on the ship put their trip on hold bc YOU can’t be considerate enough NOT sign up for an activity that has a high chance of you not making it back to the dock. The face on entitlement. If they want to get back on the ship’s schedule then they should pay for a flight/transport to the next docking location. But I will say that as a cruise ship, they should expect ppl to not be on time to board, so they should have a contingency plan to transport those ppl (passengers would have to pay for that or that themselves canan offer a higher package that includes and “insurance” to ship them to the next stop with the local stops) who missed boarding time. So if they miss it, they can always get back to their stuff and if they don’ the locals ca keep the retainer fee of a potential transport. A use it or loose it like all insurance policy but kinda like the damage waiver for car rentals. Besides, they should have know about Island time since these are all vacation spot. No one is following a clock tat closely.
Years ago, I took a ship-connected tour to Cairo, Egypt and the Pyramids. There was a major traffic accident, between us and the ship, on the way back. The ship had to wait for us, and it did; otherwise, it would have been our responsibility to get to the next port. I love Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. I have sailed with them since 1988, and as recently as last year. ❤💯
Self entitled people who think the rules don’t apply and boohoo when the cruise line won’t put an entire ship’s passengers behind schedule and wait for them to show up. They are not victims just self entitled looking to sue someone. Pathetic. The expressions on their face is comical..look traumatized for the camera camera 😂
Why is this national news? White, rich, Americans… checks out. I bet had this happened in Florida or Puerto Rico to some foreigners non-english speaking tourists, it would’ve barely made it to local news if at all. And it’s completely their fault. A ship that departs late will incur additional costs, at least for the extra time docked at port.
I feel absolutely no sympathy for these people. The rules are there for a reason. What ALL the other people on the cruise – they managed to make it back on time. They were then completely inconvenienced by these people. I have never been on a cruise before but am thinking about it. I’ve done a considerable amount of research on what to do and what not to do. One of the things not to do is take tours other than those authorized by the cruise line you’re sailing. I am fully aware the authorized tours could very well be a cash grab but those are the rules. Well, at least you can now say you’ve had your 15 minutes of fame! Could it be this idiocy was deliberate? To: Cruise Line Do not give them a discount or give them any of their money back. This was entirely their fault and no one else’s.
I find the duty of care angle a laugh…what about Norwegian Cruises duty of care to rest of passengers and crew? Seriously though how entitled are you when you upset 3000 people didn’t wait for you when you late despite repeatedly been warned they won’t wait if you late …like seriously. Imagine if every person that late for plane made news for not been allowed to board.
Every one who has been on a cruise know the cruise dont wait, it is the guest complete responsibility to get on the boat at the right😂😂😂 we all laugh and the losers who chase the boats on the pier😂😂 there fault and Norwegian cruise better not give them any reimbursement or special treatment theyre lucky theyre allowed back on the boat😂😂😂.
People that don’t make it back in ti.e dont realize them ships pay a certain amount of money for the time they are docked. Each minute they stay there bc I DIDN’T MAKE IT BACK, receives EXTRA DOCKAGE FEES AND LARGE FINES for staying there. And i bet it would be more tban what the 8 pple paid catching up with rhe ship and witching bc THEY DIDN’T FOLLOW THE RULES!!! SIDE NOTE, good thing they weren’t in the US Navy! They would have been UA, Gone to Captains Mass, Lost Wages and been confined to the ship (days are not counted at sea)!! HAHA
This is very characteristic of the Norwegians. They tend to leave their customers behind. The Norwegian Airways (a budget airliner) is notorious for leaving passengers stranded. They are known for their arrogance and cruelty. It’s a Norwegian culture. So, it’s not surprising that this happened to the stranded cruise passengers. I would never spend money on or in Norway or anything that bears its name.
If you have a massive fear of this happening and really want to relax on an excursion, book through the line and stay with your group. It’s in the contract that the ship will not depart without you, so long as the excursion was booked through them. Otherwise, be mindful of the time, (taking into account ship’s time, not necessarily local time and set an alarm for when you need to be making you way back to the ship-with plenty of time to spare) and don’t get go blasted drunk that you’re too stupid to make it back to the ship on time. I think that’s the issue with lots of pier runners.
1) this couple was 45 minutes past the last call. 2) the mother they showed, they should have told the whole story. Her children were not alone on board they had other family to care for them. The boat actually waited over 2 hours for her and her husband. So no one should feel sorry for either couple
I just got back from a Carribean cruise and I would get back on the ship MINIMUM 1 hour early. They stress it over and over that they will leave without you if you don’t come back on time. On our last port the ship was nice and left 30 minutes later than scheduled and people were still running down the dock as they were getting ready to close the doors lol.
I’ve been on a cruise before. They clearly state not to be late or they’ll leave. The only exception is the cruises have their own planned excursions so if their bus is late like mine was once an 1 hour late from Florence they waited. It isn’t their responsibility and they’re wasting money just standing still waiting for you,
During our family reunion cruise organization, our family decided to be back on ship 45 minutes before sail time and meet in a designated area. All 40 members arrived home safe and sound. No one missed the ship. We had a great time 🤣🤣 We’re in the process of repeating the same cruise bc alot of family was not able to go the first time for various reasons; military duty, school, college, too young, children too young 🤷 I am going to suggest we use the same port procedures 😏 It worked the first time, why not 😊
That almost happened to my fiancé and myself and it’s freaking scary. Their security was waiting for us it was a showdown. We decided to skip the outings and stay Inside the ship eating to our hearts content. Enjoying the jacuzzis and spa and avoiding the captain who was keeping an eye on us. Lesson learned and we still enjoyed it so much I guess it was a good thing.
I am going to be on a cruise for four days on February next year start from Miami. I need to return home early. So once we dock at Key West (first stop) and get off the ship, I don’t want to get back on the ship to complete the cruise. I need to fly home that day instead. Getting off the boat is possible?? The cruise company says I CAN NOT do that… what if I just don’t want to continue then what is gonna happen to me? Am I getting charged something? Any thoughts??
Book your flight to arrive the day before your cruise and the day after the cruise with the hotel. Also if you should book shore excursions make sure you book directly through the cruiseline. Because cruise if you book straight through them they monitor where shore excursion is and if your tour is running late the ship will wait or the cruiseline will fly you to the nextport
I’m a pretty relaxed person, being a couple of minutes late for most things is not a problem unless it starts to exceed thirty minutes, but in this case you would want to be thirty minutes to an hour early given the situation of the extremely strict schedule cruise ships have with docking, and also having the weight of making the 3,000 other passengers wait for you. This is not like being a couple minutes late to a restaurant or meeting a friend at the mall.
We just did a Baltic cruise in May, numerous times they called the same names at departure, same people…. At our second to the last stop a couple came riding up at full speed on bikes and watched us thruster away from the dock frantically on their phones, talking back and forth, just staring at the ship….. Pretty sure it was the “luck ran out couple”.