US NEWS Family of nine left behind in remote Alaska, charged $9K by Norwegian Cruise Lines
- Thread starter GON
- Start date
I’ll probably do an Alaskan cruise in the next few years with the family but it will be on a boat with 100 or less passengers. I have zero interest being in a herd of 3,000+ and know the risk of using a non-affiliated excursion company.
You want to cruise on Holland America. Some of their ships are less than 2,000. They have no plans to enter the mega ships category.
They normally forcefully collect passports of passengers on cruises.
Maybe it’s because I am former Navy - you never, ever miss ship’s movement.
The use of an unapproved, independent contractor that didn’t provide decent transportation back to the ship caused this.
No, the ship can’t “wait” for very long - huge expense in port charges, or fines, for not vacating the pier on schedule, rescheduling or overtime for tugs and pilots, and burning more fuel to go faster to make up time cost the ship operator a lot of money.
You never, ever, miss ship’s movement.
The use of an unapproved, independent contractor that didn’t provide decent transportation back to the ship caused this.
No, the ship can’t “wait” for very long - huge expense in port charges, or fines, for not vacating the pier on schedule, rescheduling or overtime for tugs and pilots, and burning more fuel to go faster to make up time cost the ship operator a lot of money.
You never, ever, miss ship’s movement.
Dang, that’s horrible. Frankly, I wouldn’t step foot on a cruise ship, even if it was free. I don’t think I could deal with the confinement abort ship where I don’t have control of my movements. Likewise, seems like the only time I hear about vacation cruises is when something goes wrong, which seemingly occurs quite often. 
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
The subjects of the article made a catastrophic choice for an offshore excursion. Like you, I have never stepped on a cruise ship and can't imagine ever even considering a cruise ship. Had the subjects of the article not been a told a vehicle would be coming for them, I think that might have told the dad to pay a pirate's ransom to get transportation back to the ship.Dang, that’s horrible. Frankly, I wouldn’t step foot on a cruise ship, even if it was free. I don’t think I could deal with the confinement abort ship where I don’t have control of my movements. Likewise, seems like the only time I hear about vacation cruises is when something goes wrong, which seemingly occurs quite often.
+1
The ship didn't leave them behind, they missed it. That's like saying your flight left you behind, no, you just didn't board before it left the gate haha.
There is always the reflex to blame some big company every single time someone suffers from a self inflicted problem.
Agree. But most (self) here just saying to avoid cruises for lots of reasons.
wemay
Site Donor 2023
This^ Although I do have sympathy for the situation as a whole.
My sister and BIL, have been going on cruises for over 20 years. These days they usually go with another couple. In the past they often took their kids. Now the kids are all married, and they take their kids and grandkids several times per year. They go all the time, often at least one per month, so they must enjoy them.
There's the occasional cruise ship horror story in the news, but I think it's rare, as my sister and BIL, and their family have never complained.
There's the occasional cruise ship horror story in the news, but I think it's rare, as my sister and BIL, and their family have never complained.
The ship could have waited and charged them $46000/hr...
From this link:
https://www.quora.com/How-much-woul...-those-cruisers-who-are-late-back-to-the-ship
While I do not have accurate numbers, you can work out averages by taking my numbers for daily income/operating costs and multiply by the number of passengers the vessel carries. Right there you will see that ‘’fully loaded’’ is the goal, and the smart cruiser will take advantage of offers shortly before a cruise commences.
My numbers are for 2018 and are per passenger and based on 8-day trips:
Income - ticket, on board, casino, tours etc.: $ 1,791.00
Expense - inclusive agent commissions, corporate costs and amortisation :
$ 1,564.00 or $ 195.50 per day per passenger.
So taking a vessel like the ‘’Harmony of the Seas’’ with 6,410 passengers (assuming 90 % filled) would have costs of 5769 x 195.50 /24 hours gives us an hourly cost of $ 46,993.00 on average. No wonder they get angry when there are delays.
Naturally there are a lot of variables, fuel being a major one, but only when steaming. For those interested, the average profit is around $ 227.00 per ticket /trip before taxes. My numbers do not include costs of ‘’make-up time’’ since they are averages.
From this link:
https://www.quora.com/How-much-woul...-those-cruisers-who-are-late-back-to-the-ship
While I do not have accurate numbers, you can work out averages by taking my numbers for daily income/operating costs and multiply by the number of passengers the vessel carries. Right there you will see that ‘’fully loaded’’ is the goal, and the smart cruiser will take advantage of offers shortly before a cruise commences.
My numbers are for 2018 and are per passenger and based on 8-day trips:
Income - ticket, on board, casino, tours etc.: $ 1,791.00
Expense - inclusive agent commissions, corporate costs and amortisation :
$ 1,564.00 or $ 195.50 per day per passenger.
So taking a vessel like the ‘’Harmony of the Seas’’ with 6,410 passengers (assuming 90 % filled) would have costs of 5769 x 195.50 /24 hours gives us an hourly cost of $ 46,993.00 on average. No wonder they get angry when there are delays.
Naturally there are a lot of variables, fuel being a major one, but only when steaming. For those interested, the average profit is around $ 227.00 per ticket /trip before taxes. My numbers do not include costs of ‘’make-up time’’ since they are averages.
"Don't miss the boat," "That ship has sailed," etc. There are numerous cliches that reflect how inevitable and irreversible the departure of a large ship is.
Fuel consumption of a cruise ship increases only marginally when it starts moving. The vast majority of the fuel they burn goes to systems other than propulsion.
When I read the story headline yesterday, Family of nine left behind in remote Alaska, charged $9K by Norwegian Cruise Lines, I thought, dang, where were they left behind?
When I read they were left in Ketchikan, I couldn't stop laughing. That's "remote" all right.
I've been on this cruise back in 2016. Too bad they missed Juneau and Skagway.
When I read they were left in Ketchikan, I couldn't stop laughing. That's "remote" all right.
I've been on this cruise back in 2016. Too bad they missed Juneau and Skagway.
I couldn’t agree more. Just imagine the cruise lines going “Karen”
Maybe that’s not the right choice of word but a cruise ship better not wait for people who show up late. They were destroy their whole industry at least in my mind.
If you’re late, you pay the price, hasta la vista
On my first cruise I was incredibly lucky. I spent just over $500 in drinks and won $500 in bingo. I just finished my sophomore year of college and this was my parent's gift to me due to a lot of studying and, maybe, a few unusual hardships during the prior few years.
I gave my Dad the $500 as soon as I came home and that was it. Great cruise! But any vacation that is sunny and 'free' is great when you're young.
Since then? I married someone who loves cruises. We went throush a Disney cruise during the height of the recession with our young kids which we genuinely enjoyed. It was premium without the usual rowdiness and excessiveness we experienced elsewhere.
The other cruise crowds haven't really been my thing. But my wife and I aren't into drinking, sunbathing, or shopping around tourist traps. The last time I went to the Bahamas, it struck me as a bit sad that all these locals have to outwardly beg for the passenger's business.
I'm one of those who likes to have those who create the enjoyful environment have a real chance to genuinely smile themselves. I probably would enjoy certain types of cruises. But the constant eating, drinking, and sunbathing around a pool just isn't my thing.
I gave my Dad the $500 as soon as I came home and that was it. Great cruise! But any vacation that is sunny and 'free' is great when you're young.
Since then? I married someone who loves cruises. We went throush a Disney cruise during the height of the recession with our young kids which we genuinely enjoyed. It was premium without the usual rowdiness and excessiveness we experienced elsewhere.
The other cruise crowds haven't really been my thing. But my wife and I aren't into drinking, sunbathing, or shopping around tourist traps. The last time I went to the Bahamas, it struck me as a bit sad that all these locals have to outwardly beg for the passenger's business.
I'm one of those who likes to have those who create the enjoyful environment have a real chance to genuinely smile themselves. I probably would enjoy certain types of cruises. But the constant eating, drinking, and sunbathing around a pool just isn't my thing.
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