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Two people on a Royal Caribbean cruise were laughed at by other passengers after they showed up late and missed their ship, the UK’s most popular newspaper The Daily Mail has reported.
A video of the couple returning to the dock in Saint Kitts more than half an hour after departure time has gone viral, claim The Mail. They were seen in a golf cart chugging toward the cruise liner, but their ship had already sailed and was pulling away from the dock.
The cruise staff had actually already waited over half an hour for this pair of passengers, but eventually removed the boarding ramp and steamed off. Other passengers mocked the couple, yelling “goodbye” and cheering as the ship sailed off.
This happened on April 3 during the fifth day of a seven-day cruise that began in Puerto Rico on March 30. The ship had already stopped in the US Virgin Islands and St Maarten and was headed to Barbados next. It’s not clear if the couple were able to get to Barbados and catch up with the ship later.
The cruise cost at least £1,011 ($1,342), and the ship, Rhapsody of the Seas, carries over 2,400 passengers and 770 crew. It first launched in 1997 and was updated in 2016.
Missing a cruise ship seems to be becoming an increasingly common problem. Many people show up late and are left behind. Videos of these “pier runners” often go viral online.
Travel experts say to always listen to announcements about return times and be back at least 30 minutes before departure. Booking tours through the cruise company may be more expensive, but it’s safer. If something goes wrong, the ship knows where you are.
Cruise ships run on very tight schedules from port to port, but captains will try to keep the gangway open as long as possible if they hear some passengers are late getting back.
But once the ship realises you have not returned, they will often go into your stateroom and take essential items like passports to leave the items with port agents on land.
Experts suggest taking photos of your ID, passport, and cards before leaving the ship. You should know how to contact your cruise line, insurance company, and the local embassy in case you get stranded.
Sources: Daily Mail.
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