Latest news with #RhapsodyoftheSeas
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Pier pressure! Hilarious moments cruise ship latecomers miss the boat… as punctual passengers wave them goodbye
Think you are having bad luck? It can't be as bad as these unfortunate passengers who embarrassingly missed their cruise ship departure time. Over the years clips have been circulated online of so-called 'pier runners', who are jeered on by thousands of other passengers as they make the long, awkward journey down the jetty. From this to being sarcastically waved goodbye by crew members as they leave them on dry land, some holidaymakers are left kicking themselves for their poor time keeping. Last year, one unlucky holidaymaker was left to dramatically fall to his knees on the pier as a huge cruise ship sailed slowly away from him. More recently, two travellers were mercilessly mocked by fellow cruise passengers after they returned to port more than 30 minutes late and missed their boat. In 2023, social media users were left in stitches when footage circulated of a tourist couple on a quayside screaming and begging for a cruise ship captain to wait for them as fellow passengers watched on. And in 2016, a distraught couple looked on in tears as a cruise ship sailed away with their young children on board after they missed the departure time. For those late and left behind, there is nothing more humiliating than for these moments to be captured on camera by those luckier travellers. Pier tantrum View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ge (@ Last April, an unfortunate holidaymaker was left running down the pier with his arms flailing in the air as a Carnival cruise ship drifted off without him. The massive boat sailed slowly away as the man fell to his knees and watched on in despair. Another traveller appeared behind him and dropped down onto the ground before kicking his arms and legs like a toddler throwing a tantrum. They then began jumping up-and-down in an attempt to catch the attention of the cruise crew, but to no avail. The unlucky duo were left behind, having to do the walk of shame back down the pier. Late duo pay the price As the ship started to depart the port, a black golf caddy carrying a man and woman is seen speeding down the pier and towards the ship. The pair were met with merciless cheers and whistling as they watched the cruiseliner prepare to sail away Two holidaymakers were mocked by cruise passengers after they returned to port more than 30 minutes late and missed the boat earlier this month. Video of the duo's devastating return to the Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas at the dock in Saint Kitts and Nevis went viral online. Staff allegedly waited for the pair, whose identities are unknown, for more than half an hour after the ship's scheduled departure time before they pulled the boarding ramp up and started to leave the docks. As the ship started to depart the port, a black golf caddy carrying a man and woman is seen speeding down the pier and towards the ship. The pair were met with merciless cheers and whistling as they watched the cruiseliner sail away. Passengers on board the vessel can be heard shouting 'goodbye' as the visibly sad couple get back into the cart and head away from the docks as the ship sounds its horn and leaves the port. Begging the captain A tourist couple on a quayside were filmed screaming and begging for a cruise ship captain to wait for them as fellow passengers watched on in August 2023. Footage from the time showed two travellers at the port of Bari in south-eastern Italy as the MSC Splendida was departing for its nine-day tour of the Mediterranean. The couple missed the scheduled departure time, and when they arrived at quay 11 the gangway of the 1,100ft ship had already been removed. The man was heard repeatedly shouting and pleading: 'Is the captain there, please?' He later added: 'Captain, wait for us, please. You can do it if you want to.' One of the more than 4,000 passengers on board filmed the scene and could be heard chuckling in the background. Too late to run, now! Back in 2019 a hapless couple were caught on camera desperately chasing a Royal Caribbean cruise ship as it sailed without them while they were on their honeymoon. Maria Gonzalez Roesch and Alessandro Di Palma ended up stranded when they arrived just minutes after their ship Symphony of the Seas left Nassau, Bahamas. Mrs Gonzalez Roesch, a famous TV actress in their home country of Costa Rica, spoke of the 'nightmare' moment they realised the ship was leaving without them - with their money and passports on board. They even claimed that the ship's crew were mocking as they ran alongside the huge vessel. She told The Sun at the time that they had started to panic once they realised their passport, visas, and credit cards remained on board the ship. However these were retrieved by a smaller boat which had been guiding the large ship out of the harbour. Ship sails away with young children on board... as parents cry from pier A distraught couple looked on in tears as a cruise ship sailed away with their young children on board after they missed the departure time in 2016. The woman had reportedly been late to arrive at the port in Nassau, Bahamas, and her husband disembarked the ship - leaving the children in the care of relatives - to look for her. The cruise ship broke with protocol and waited an additional half an hour for the guests and left after consultation with the family. Dramatic footage recorded by passengers on board the Norwegian Breakaway shows the parents, from the US, racing to catch the ship as it set off on its three-day journey back to its home port in New York. In one clip, the father jumps off a buggy and waves his arms, while his wife drops her bags, falls to her knees and clasps her hands in front of her chest as she begs the crew to stop, but by then it was too late. Norwegian Cruise Line said that the mother had been late for the cruise ship's departure. Every minute matters By 5:15pm two unlucky holidaymakers were left stranded on the pier with no choice but to watch the cruise sail away Last June, dramatic footage captured the moment two travellers missed their cruise after turning up 15 minutes late. The ship departed at 5pm on the dot, but passengers were seen with rucksacks and luggage making a run for it until the very last minute. As they made a mad dash, a few travellers made it just in the nick of time, some with even one minute to spare. But by 5:15pm two unlucky holidaymakers were left stranded on the pier with no choice but to watch the cruise sail away. no cigar Hilariously unfortunate video footage captured the moment a man was left running down the entire length of a pier while his cruise ship left without him in September. As he made his way past throngs of other travellers, he sprinted down the wooden path but he already knew it was too late as the massive vessel drifted off to sea. The person filming the scene can be heard in the background yelling: 'No way, he's missing that, that's his ship! 'He's going to miss his ship, oh no it's already leaving I feel so bad if that's his ship, oh my goodness'.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Yahoo
U.S. issues 'reconsider travel' warning for Caribbean cruise port
When people think of some of the more famous islands and ports in the Caribbean, they consider crystal clear beaches, white sand, maybe fruity drinks, and generally all the wonderful parts of a warm-weather tropical paradise. It's hard to picture these beautiful parts of the world and think of them as destinations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, however, have their share of political problems. Some suffer from poverty and have residents who need foundational human needs like food, basic medical care and more. In other cases, the countries are home to criminal groups that cause local problems or political unrest that destabilizes the nation. In most cruise ports that are affected by these problems, the tourist areas are generally safe. Nassau, Bahamas, for example, has been under a low-level U.S. State Department warning for years. That's basically the government just suggesting that you be a little cautious. The same warning would apply if you visited New York, Miami or Los Angeles. A few cruise ports are under the more serious Level 3: Reconsider Travel and Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings. Cruise lines might still call on those ports, but passengers should use abundant caution. That generally means sticking to the walled-off cruise-port area and taking only cruise-line-sponsored and Tobago does not seem like a place Americans would avoid. This beautiful country looks as if it had been made to appear on postcards, not like a place in which visitors should be worried about violence. Royal Caribbean sails to Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, and its website makes it sound like a wonderful place to visit. "Nestled along the calm, blue-green waters of the Gulf of Paria, Port of Spain is a popular starting point for those looking to explore the best of Trinidad," the cruise line writes. "The city has its fair share of marvels, too — it's home to a centuries-old fortress, gorgeous botanical gardens, and a good number of picturesque churches. And nearby you'll find plenty of outdoor adventures, from the shaded mangroves and winding silver rivers of the Caroni Wetlands, to the postcard-pretty sweep of shore known as Maracas Beach." Royal Caribbean currently shows no cruises being sold that stop in Port of Spain. CruiseMapper showed that the cruise line's Rhapsody of the Seas had been scheduled to stop in Trinidad in February but did not show an arrival or departure time. Only a handful of ships are scheduled to stop in Port of Spain over the next few months and all of them appear to be smaller expedition March 21 the U.S. State Department updated its Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning for Trinidad and Tobago. The headline on the warning makes the situation clear. "Reconsider travel to Trinidad and Tobago due to serious risks from crime. There are also heightened risks of terrorism and kidnapping," the government agency posted. The warning was updated because Trinidad and Tobago recently extended its state of emergency. On Dec. 30, 2024, the Trinidad and Tobago government had declared a nationwide state of emergency "due to ongoing criminal activity that could threaten public safety," the State Department wrote. On Jan. 13, 2025, the country's parliament extended the state of emergency until April following conditions are in place due to the state of emergency: The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has the authority to:Arrest people on suspicion of involvement in illegal and enter public and private properties as needed. Bail is suspended for those suspected of committing a crime. Members of the Defense Force are following similar regulations as the local police. Restrictions and rules can also change at any time. "Violence and shootings occur regularly in some areas of Port of Spain," according to the warning. "[Gang] activity, such as narcotics trafficking, is common. A significant portion of violent crime is gang-related. Foreigners and a U.S. legal permanent resident have been recent victims of kidnapping." (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Royal Caribbean adds a surprising new homeport
While Royal Caribbean's () name laves no doubt as to which part of the world most of its cruises sail to, the cruising giant also has itineraries that go around Alaska, the Mediterranean and Central and South America. Leaving from both Florida and California, popular itineraries through the latter pass through countries like Mexico and Panama on the way to more southern ports like Cartagena, the latter city has been a popular Royal Caribbean stop for years, the cruise ship company is preparing to start its first cruises from there in 2026. The new homeport is, alongside Panama's Colón, being brought back following an eight-year gap after Royal Caribbean canceled Rhapsody of the Seas itineraries departing from there. "We are excited to bring back the best vacation experience to the Latin American market with adventures to the Southern Caribbean departing from the region," Itzel Valdés, associate vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean for Royal Caribbean International, said in a two itineraries, which are set to start sailing between April 2026 and 2027, will take place on Royal Caribbean International's Jewel of the Seas. The 2,702-passenger vessel has been sailing since 2004 and is currently on a 10-night Caribbean tour that departed from Galveston. The cruises from both Cartagena and Colón will each take seven days and tour northward through the Southern Caribbean with stops in ports such as Aruba's Oranjestad, Bonaire's Kralendijk and Willemstad in Curaçao. While both the Colombian and Panamanian ports are very popular tourist destinations for their beaches and unique colourful architecture, the cruises are also tailored for the Latin rather than just U.S. market — in particular, South Americans who are looking for a nearer port from which to depart on a cruising voyage. "During this season and its itineraries from Colombia and Panama, the Jewel will celebrate the richness of Latin culture with flavors, music and activities that highlight our identity," Valdés said further. While the exact details of the stops and what will be available at the ports will be announced closet to the start date, the time slots are already available to book on Royal Caribbean's website. More on travel: American Airlines crash with U.S. Army copter leaves no survivorsAnother country just issued a new visa requirement for visitors At present, Royal Caribbean is also working to build a new cruise ship port in the small Italian village of Isola Sacra sitting on the country's Lazio region 20 miles from Rome. Royal Caribbean bought the land on the Tyrrhenian Sea with the goal of opening it up to more routes across the Mediterranean but has recently started seeing significant local pushback due to the disruption such a large project would cause to local residents. While the French city of Nice has more than a hundred times the population, it has still banned large cruise ships wit more than 900 passengers ahead of the upcoming summer season. Overcrowding and pollution from having many large cruise ships in the Nice port were primary considerations that swayed local lawmakers toward passing the ban; Royal Caribbean has repeatedly pushed back against it to no avail. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Will Carnival Cruise Line bring back this popular port?
There are dozens of islands in the Caribbean that cruise ships use as ports of call, but one logistical problem when trying to fit several interesting ports into a week-long cruise is that some of them are far. Just to name a few examples, islands such as Barbados and Aruba in the Southern Caribbean take several days to get to. Now, if the islands are close enough, it's possible to do a couple of sea days, a few port days in a row, and a couple of sea days back. This is generally the case with cruises that visit the 'ABC islands' – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. All three are close enough to each other that a ship could potentially travel between them in just a few the other hand, if a cruise line wants to visit two exotic islands in the same cruise, that aren't right near each other, it can present a logistical impossibility. For example, it would be challenging for a cruise departing from, say, Port Canaveral (Orlando) to visit St. Thomas, Barbados, and a few other islands in the same trip unless it was scheduled for 10 or more this reason, while San Juan, Puerto Rico, is extremely popular as a port of call for Caribbean cruises, some cruise lines use it as an origination port. In other words, by flying to San Juan and then boarding a cruise ship, you'll already be well on the way to the southern islands. And as a result, you might be surprised at how much can be stuffed into a week-long cruise. As an example, Royal Caribbean offers an itinerary aboard Rhapsody of the Seas, departing from San Juan, that features port days in St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. Maarten, Antigua, and Barbados — all in a 7-night short, using an origination port located so far south (about 1,045 miles southeast of Miami) saves roughly 50 hours of sailing time each way for a cruise ship that averages about 20 miles per hour. Therefore, far more time can be spent visiting exotic places than sailing to those places. Of course, there's the cost of airfare to consider, but many cruisers apparently find it well worth the added expense. While Royal Caribbean uses San Juan as an origination port, Carnival does not. Recently, Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald ran an informal poll on his popular Facebook page to gauge interest. The poll had two options related to the idea of a cruise originating in San Juan: 'I know airfare is expensive, but I hope Carnival Cruise Line puts a ship in Puerto Rico as a port soon so that we can visit Southern Caribbean places. I am not the only one who would love this' I AGREE (This option was likely a direct quote from a question a follower asked Heald.) I would not be interested in flying to Puerto Rico to get on a ship. It might surprise you to learn that the responses were almost evenly divided between the two options, with slightly more cruisers voting for the first option. Heald follower Susan Natale, who sailed from San Juan previously (Carnival used to offer cruises from there), said of her trip, 'My first cruise was on the Fascination out of Puerto Rico. It is to this day still one of my favorite cruises!' And many people who have also sailed from Puerto Rico commented in agreement. More Carnival cruise news:Similarly, Vanessa Garcia commented, 'I did a southern Caribbean from PR with Carnival in 2009. A port everyday. 23 cruises in and that one is still my favorite!'There were many other comments from past cruisers on San Juan itineraries who had nothing but positive things to say about the itinerary. A few of the hundreds of comments on Heald's post were not in favor – mostly not negative, just people who simply aren't interested in flying to a cruise port. But the positive responses about potential San Juan sailings far outweighed the negatives. As of now, the only way to visit five or more southern Caribbean destinations on a Carnival cruise is to book one of the line's Journeys cruises, which are usually at least 10 days in duration. But it seems like there might be sufficient interest for Carnival to consider making a change in the future. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Facial recognition tech enables faster cruise ship disembarking in Puerto Rico
Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Royal Caribbean have begun using facial recognition technology to enable passengers to leave cruise ships faster in Puerto Rico. The federal agency and popular cruise line began using the facial recognition technology on Feb. 2 as passengers debarked from the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Rhapsody of the Seas at the San Juan Seaport's Pier 4. "We believe that every aspect of the cruise experience should be seamless including the arrival process," said Roberto Vaquero, director of field operations for the CBP San Juan Field Office in a release. "The successful launch of our biometric facial comparison tool marks a significant step forward in securing our nation's borders," Vaquero said. The Rhapsody of the Seas was carrying 2,000 passengers when it reached its home port in San Juan. Those passengers debarked 30% faster than they would have without the facial recognition technology, according to the cruise line. CBP said the facial recognition technology also helps thwart illegal immigration and other criminal activities that might endanger local communities. "By streamlining the debarkation process for cruise passengers, we empower our CBP personnel to focus on enforcement and protecting our communities," Vaquero added. "The innovation enhances both efficiency and safety, reinforcing our commitment to national security." The system uses biometric facial recognition technology to positively identify passengers and make it easier for them to exit the cruise ship. Passengers pause at a camera-equipped kiosk that takes their individual photo and compares it to existing documents to verify each passenger's identity. The process takes only a few seconds and improves security while making it easier for passengers to disembark. People who don't want to have their photos taken can contact on-site CBP staff to verify their identities through other means.
