Dear Great Bay Ferry Management,
Dear Great Bay Ferry Management,
I am writing to formally report an incident that occurred on March 8, 2026, during our ferry departure from St. Barths.
During the voyage, I assisted two passengers who became medically ill on the ferry. Because of this, I was escorted off the vessel by ambulance personnel upon arrival in St. Barths. I was informed by the emergency personnel that I did not need to register with customs since I exited the ferry emergently while assisting the patients.
When we returned to the terminal to depart later that morning, the following occurred:
• We arrived at approximately 10:30 AM, and no staff were present at the service window for several hours.
• When a staff member eventually arrived at the window, we explained that we had been escorted off the ferry earlier by ambulance while assisting sick passengers and asked whether any additional steps were required for departure.
• The employee took both of our passports, reviewed them, and took my travel companion’s ticket, stating that everything was fine.
However, when we proceeded to board:
• The gate attendant yelled at my friend that she could not board without a ticket.
• We explained that the woman at the service window had taken the ticket.
• The attendant became increasingly hostile and ordered her to purchase another ticket before boarding.
While waiting for my friend to repurchase the ticket, I attempted to calmly explain the situation. The attendant responded by yelling aggressively, stating:
“I know. Who the hell do you think opened the goddamn door?”
When I asked him to stop yelling and clarify who he was speaking to, he escalated further and stated:
“I’m French, you Americans don’t know shit.”
I replied that such behavior toward guests was unacceptable. He then called me a “law breaker” and walked away.
Ultimately, my friend was forced to repurchase a ticket that had already been taken by your staff, and we boarded the ferry only after enduring unnecessary hostility, disrespect, and humiliation in front of other passengers.
I want to emphasize that:
• I had been assisting ill passengers in good faith, which caused the initial confusion.
• We approached your staff politely and asked for guidance.
• Instead of receiving assistance, we were met with rudeness, yelling, and discriminatory remarks.
This experience was deeply disappointing and embarrassing. Multiple witnesses observed the interaction.
I am requesting:
1. A review of the incident and staff conduct on March 8, 2026.
2. Reimbursement for the duplicate ticket that my friend was forced to purchase.
3. Assurance that staff will be reminded to treat passengers—especially those assisting in medical situations—with professionalism and respect.
I hope Great Bay Ferry takes this complaint seriously so that no other travelers experience this level of disrespect.