As I recall, the passenger gangway was already closed and "someone" had to board the ship through the supply hatch with the produce and frozen lobster tails.
Yes, similar story.. this was in 1995, long before homeland security and the headaches that brought to travel. We were cruising out of Miami on the Celebration. Our flight was supposed to be in Miami by 1PM (Carnival booked flight). BUT plane trouble pushed our departure back by almost 2 hours. With the time zones, we hit the ground in Miami about 4PM. The ship was supposed to leave at 4PM. Luckily there were about 25 people on the flight that were going on the same cruise.
A Carnival rep was waiting for us at the gate as we got off the plane. They rounded us all up for a mad dash to the luggage pickup area. We pointed at our bags and a CCL baggage guy grabs the bags while the rep pushed us out to waiting buses. By this time it was at least 4:30. All the time the rep is radioing back to the ship.. "We have them, yes all of them, ETA 15 minutes..." I'm thinking that there is no way a bus is going to make the pier in 15 minutes.. I was wrong! I have never been on a faster moving bus in my life. It was like the movie "Speed" where we would turn a corner and everyone counter leaned against the turn to keep the bus from rolling...
We pulled up to the ship, the gangway was already pulled back and they had two entry doors open at the aft of the ship (like where the food and crew entered the ship) they had a utility gangway sticking out from the pier but since the ship had already pulled away from the pier and was just holding position it wasn't really connected to the ship. The baggage guys are tossing our luggage to guys on the ship through one door and we had to leap across the gap between the gangway and the ship into the other. I though for sure we had missed the ship... but they got us on board. It is the closest I ever want to come to missing a cruise. I have never booked air fare with the cruise line since and unless it simply isn't possible, I come in the day before, even if I am driving. Its not worth the stress. It took several drinks of the day to relax me from the bus ride. It was a family reunion cruise. We found my MIL crying in the lobby because they had closed the doors and we had not come through them yet. Yes, that is one of my more interesting cruise stories.
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================================================== ========== Carnival Cruise Lines:
Fantasy 90, Celebration 95, Victory 05, Conquest 05, Spirit 6/06, Freedom 6/08, Holiday 7/08, Victory 6/09, Valor 9/09, Dream 6/10, Splendor 8/10,Conquest 8/11,Magic 11/11,Triumph 4/12,Spirit 7/12,Freedom 11/12, Triumph 2/13 - The fire cruise
NCL Dream October 2006, RCCL Mariner OTS June 2007
I just booked on the Carnival Legend May 17. I will fly down the day before and home the day after.
I have noticed that airlines know which flights cruise ship passengers will need to be on to connect with the ship and charge a hefty premium. By flying from Buffalo instead of Toronto and the day before and after - the tickets were more than half price. Multiply by 3 people and that adds up!
I just booked on the Carnival Legend May 17. I will fly down the day before and home the day after.
PC GUY, Congrats on booking the Legend.
Jim, A very similar experience indeed. We were several hours past the scheduled departure time due to fog delays. We kept missing our connections all day. There was another flight late that had about eight guests that had booked their air through Carnival. I had booked my own and kept calling the hotline when I could. If the other flight would not have been late I would have literally missed the ship.
A Carnival person was waiting at the bottom of the escalator for us with a walkie-talkie. I'll never forget her saying "I have two more, hold the van". We grabbed our luggage and the carnival rep checked us in while we ran through the airport terminal. She had some kind of electronic device and swiped my credit card on it, and asked if I was a U.S. citizen, then put some kind of sticker on my shirt.
The van/shuttle ride was nerve racking as we still didn't know if we would make it. The Carnival rep went with us and was on the walkie-talkie the entire time with the ship asking them to hold it.
Now, this is several hours past when the ship (Destiny) was scheduled to leave. There were no gangways of any kind, only a skinny loading type thing with rollers on it they were loading produce with. They literally had to grab us to use it to get on the ship. I had never seen that part of a cruise ship before.
That was the worst pre-cruise experience I have ever had. I am lucky another flight was late and they held the ship that long. I have never arrived at the port the same day again. BTW, I think I had several DOD's after to calm my nerves as well.
PC GUY, Yes, I have noticed that as well. It could be the airlines price them that way on purpose OR that the good flights sell out quickly because the cruise lines have blocks of seats held on those flights plus the people booking on their own.
In any case, the savings is normally more than the cost of a hotel stay so you get two advantages for doing a day early.
Yes, Dwayne, the skinny rollers loading gangway is what we used too... I am still amazed when I think back and remember 2 crew members grabbing and pulling me into the ship as I am watching my luggage fly across the water into another crew members hands... I'm glad they were good bag chuckers
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================================================== ========== Carnival Cruise Lines:
Fantasy 90, Celebration 95, Victory 05, Conquest 05, Spirit 6/06, Freedom 6/08, Holiday 7/08, Victory 6/09, Valor 9/09, Dream 6/10, Splendor 8/10,Conquest 8/11,Magic 11/11,Triumph 4/12,Spirit 7/12,Freedom 11/12, Triumph 2/13 - The fire cruise
NCL Dream October 2006, RCCL Mariner OTS June 2007
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