We arrived in Florida the previous day to sailing, stayed at a hotel for the night and went to the port the next day. We had our luggage tags already via mail so they took our luggage and we went into the building to get through security and get our boarding passes. We were next in line when a man named Pedro was asking " Is anyone using a birth certificate or passport card to board?" We were so I raised my hand. He told us we needed to go to Miami to get a passport card and explained they were not accepting those forms to board the ship. He wrote down the passport offices address in Miami and told us that when we get there not to take a number, but to go to the counter and tell them you need a 1 hour passport and its for a ship that leaves at 4:00pm today. This was at 11:00am. 47 minutes and $72 later the cab dropped us off at the passport office. It was PACKED. We went right up the window like Pedro said and told them we needed a 1 hour passport for a ship leaving at 4 and the woman said they she'll see what they can do. Long story short for the passport office, we were the last ones to leave the office at 5:30pm.. ship leaving us for sure. We had friends onboard that told the crew members to keep our luggage in our room that we would be coming. We met 12 other people that were also rejected out of line for using a passport card/birth certificate as well. All 12 of us missed sailing time. We flew into Grand Caymans that night with the clothes we had out our back, a purse and his wallet and stayed in the cheapest hotel we could find which was a Holiday Inn for $196 a night. The ship was due to port 2 days later.

On the 10th out of 6 scheduled ships that were supposed to port, only 1 did because of the winds. This made us worried. We rented a car and went to the port authority who sent us to Bodden shipping company, the local company that would be tendering the ship if it did port. They contacted the ship via email and explained that there was now 8 of us that were on the island and more to be coming the next day waiting to board. They replied with saying if the weather allows they would be coming to port as expected. The weather for the next day was supposed to be 5mph faster wind then it was the day the ships didn't port so we were losing faith. We were asked to be at the port at 6:30am when it opens so if they did hear anything they could let us know so we can make future plans. Our cell phones did not have service in the Caymans to communicate easily plus we had no phone chargers because they were in our luggage so when they died wifi did not help. We bought all our meals for those days with out spending money for excursions and trinkets.

LUCKILY, the ship did come in on the 11th. We met with the Guest relations manager, who did not apologize for any inconveniences or anything along those lines. He just asked for our names and cabin numbers and wrote them down on his roster and moved on. We were checked into customs at 9:30 and tendered to the ship. They made us both a seapass and key card for out room and told us to pick up our passports when they notify us. We picked them up a few hours later with a letter saying on the last day we needed to be ready to leave the ship at 6:30am to be the first ones through customs. Read more