Should the ship wait?…

Ten days ago, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas sailed out of Nassau leaving two of it’s passengers behind on the quayside. The  scene was filmed by passengers on the Norwegian Bliss which was docked alongside and, since posting online, has gone viral.

Symphony had delayed sailing for twenty minutes whilst waiting for the missing passengers which I think was generous. Cruise ships have strict schedules to keep to and can be charged heavily for overstaying in port. Times for your ship’s sailing are clearly signed at disembarkation points and on your daily news letters. The time you need to be back on board the ship prior to sailing is also clearly displayed and will be at least thirty minutes earlier.

Of course, this is not the first time this has happened. A well-publicised case in 2016, ironically again in Nassau, was made much worse by the fact that the couple left behind had their three children on board in the kids club.

So, what makes you miss a ship? Obviously, there can be some genuine reasons for this such as ill-health but the main reasons are not changing watches to local times and over-indulging in the local bars. Another is booking shore excursions with local companies who do not have the guarantees of getting you back punctually. You may be saving a few pounds on the sightseeing but it will cost you a lot more in the end.

Regardless of what you have paid for your cruise, the cruise line has no obligation to wait for you any more than an airline do. Having worked in this industry for many years, I still hear people tell me that they will allow an hour prior to their flight to arrive at an airport, or that they will check-in for a cruise an hour before sailing, because they do not like hanging around or because they have booked first class or the top suite. No, it doesn’t work like that. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you have paid, schedules are schedules and they do not wait.

So please, watch the clips (it is on my Facebook page) cry or laugh as you think appropriate, but please be on time.