Should Carnival Visit Local Bars to Keep Guests on Time?
Pier runners – guests who don’t make it back to the ship until the last minute before all-aboard time – are controversial, but is it the cruise line’s responsibility to help travelers stay punctual?
One Carnival Cruise Line guest reached out to John Heald with a suggestion that crew members should take on the additional duty in ports of call to help guests return to the ship in a timely manner.
The guest suggested that the ship has the “responsibility” to send crew members or security to bars near the cruise ports in Cozumel and Costa Maya to alert people to the all-aboard time and ensure they head back to the ship on time.
Heald disagrees, noting that guests need to have some personal responsibility in their timeliness.
“I do not believe it is the ship’s responsibility to send security or other crew to the bars by the pier in Cozumel and the same in Costa Maya 30 minutes before the ship sails to make sure people are back on board in time,” he explained. “I believe people should take personal responsibility for that.”
Both Cozumel and Costa Maya have several bars close to the cruise terminal, as well as restaurants that serve alcohol, and resorts and hotels that serve both food and drinks.
Should Carnival Cruise Line be responsible for visiting every such establishment – not to mention retail stores, restrooms, or photo spots – to be sure all guests are accounted for?
Never mind the fact that the manpower necessary to do this would be immense, but there are also other logistical concerns. How far should crew members venture from the cruise terminal to look for tardy guests? Should they only visit approved retailers, or pop into every bar, restaurant, and shop in busy areas?
Furthermore, what if a guest insists they have plenty of time and refuses to start heading back to the ship?
Fortunately, the original poster is not getting much support from Heald’s other commenters. With more than 1,800 replies, while some think such a service might be a good idea, no one demands it should be implemented.
Instead, the overwhelming sentiment is that guests who are responsible enough to leave the ship and enjoy a cruise port on their own are certainly responsible enough to return to the ship before that afternoon’s scheduled departure.
Carnival Cruise Line does take quite a few steps to urge guests to be back on time. Signs are prominently posted at the gangways telling guests when the all-aboard time is. The information is also included on the daily schedule in the printed FunTimes Newsletter as well as the Carnival Hub app.
Guests are urged NOT to rely on their phone’s automatic time updates, which might adjust to local time. Because this can differ from the ship’s time, it is imperative to remain on ship’s time so you don’t miss the ship.
Similarly, guests should not rely on local clocks – such as in rental cars or bank or shop displays – for when to head back to their ship.
Why Are Mexican Ports So Prone to Pier Runners?
While pier runners can happen at any port of call, Cozumel has a particular reputation for a show of late guests running back toward their ship as ropes are lowered.
The lower drinking age (18 years, compared to 21 years in the US and onboard Carnival ships in keeping with US federal law), cheap libations, and the proximity of so many bars to the pier make the port a well-known pier runner destination.
Read Also: What Happens If You Miss Your Cruise Ship
The multiple docks in Cozumel, as well as their angles compared to ship orientation, also offer prime viewing of tardy guests as they rush back to the ship.
Some travelers have urged Carnival Cruise Line to prohibit the cheering (and jeering!) of pier runners by those already back onboard the ship. While not an officially sanctioned activity, it also isn’t prohibited.
Personally, I love to stake out a good spot and watch for pier runners. Given that it is getting harder and harder on some sailings to get that good spot – because so many other guests are already watching! – this isn’t an activity that will be going away anytime soon.