When Should we Expect Tortola to be Dropped from our Explorer Cruise??

[Skeetercat]

We are cruising next January on the Explorer and one of the ports is Tortola ... it is the one port we really, really wanted to get to. I have been reading on these boards that the Explorer is not able to get into the port in Tortola and that RCCL has been changing the port to San Jaun.

 

Does anyone have any other information on this?? When can we expect RCCL to officially remove the port from our itinerary?? Will they wait until after final payment when we won't be able to change cruises??

 

Thanks.

[Alexis]

We are cruising next January on the Explorer and one of the ports is Tortola ... it is the one port we really, really wanted to get to. I have been reading on these boards that the Explorer is not able to get into the port in Tortola and that RCCL has been changing the port to San Jaun.

 

Does anyone have any other information on this?? When can we expect RCCL to officially remove the port from our itinerary?? Will they wait until after final payment when we won't be able to change cruises??

 

Thanks.

 

According to the RCCL website, Tortola is not listed on your itinerary at all. It has been removed from most other ships already, including one I was sailing on.

It seems Grenada and Tortola are the Ports being removed from a lot of the itineraries.

 

2010 Date(s): 14 Jan, Explorer of the Seas

Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey;

San Juan, Puerto Rico;

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas;

St. John's, Antigua;

Roseau, Dominica;

Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey

 

Go to the RCCL website to check this out. You still have plenty of time to change ships. ;)

[sandian]

We are cruising next January on the Explorer and one of the ports is Tortola ... it is the one port we really, really wanted to get to. I have been reading on these boards that the Explorer is not able to get into the port in Tortola and that RCCL has been changing the port to San Jaun.

 

Does anyone have any other information on this?? When can we expect RCCL to officially remove the port from our itinerary?? Will they wait until after final payment when we won't be able to change cruises??

 

Thanks.

We were notified last week that our sailing for the 7th of March had Tortola dropped.

 

The reason given was that the port facility was not yet ready to take the Explorer.

 

Strange thing is on another cruise forum read today, someone was asking about the dolphin discovery which she has booked for this month through RCI and she seems to think that Tortola is still on the itinery. Strange or what!!!!!!! as no other sailing this year has gone there.

[Skeetercat]

I guess I got my answer first hand with RCCL changing the itinerary. This cruise just doesn't appeal to me as much now with San Juan (especially on a Sunday evening), no Tortola and three sea days at the end of the cruise. I'll have to figure out if i should change to a more interesting cruise. The NCL Gem leaves NYC the day before this one and visits 5 ports including Tortola. Hmmm ... something to consider.

 

Thanks for the replies.

[CruiserChloe]

I was in Tortola on a land vacation a few months ago. There was a huge Celebrity ship in port (Solstice) one day, so I know they can handle large ships.

 

However, the bartender at our hotel told us that the government of Tortola was cancelling cruise ships. He said it was a political decision, but didn't really explain why. He was very upset because, supposedly, the hotel I was at was a stop on a cruise ship island tour excursion.

[cruisinfanatic]

I guess I got my answer first hand with RCCL changing the itinerary. This cruise just doesn't appeal to me as much now with San Juan (especially on a Sunday evening), no Tortola and three sea days at the end of the cruise. I'll have to figure out if i should change to a more interesting cruise. The NCL Gem leaves NYC the day before this one and visits 5 ports including Tortola. Hmmm ... something to consider.

 

Thanks for the replies.

It stinks too because there will be next to nothing to do on the ship being in SJU late. We like SJU as a beach day, but you have to be there at aa reasonable time.

These places that tell RCL that they will have port facilities and then don't are getting to be a pain.

Falmouth, Jamaica is another one that is messing up Oasis' original itinerary. They won't be ready till late 2010

[Mango Tango]

I'm on the Grandeur repo cruise in November. I sure hope they don't skip Tortola. :eek: I'm looking forward to going to Tortola again!

[Imalismom]

I was on the Magicin July, and she went to Tortola. It is my new favorite port ever (so far), I hope you get to go.

[Doug R.]

I was in Tortola on a land vacation a few months ago. There was a huge Celebrity ship in port (Solstice) one day, so I know they can handle large ships.

 

However, the bartender at our hotel told us that the government of Tortola was cancelling cruise ships. He said it was a political decision, but didn't really explain why. He was very upset because, supposedly, the hotel I was at was a stop on a cruise ship island tour excursion.

 

Was on Crown Princess, which is also quite large and we docked at Tortola. Sounds like a political decision, as opposed to size restraints on ship. Too bad, we enjoyed Tortola.

[rednose83]

That's disappointing. Tortola is my favorite port. We were just there 3 weeks ago.

[antsnanny]

I guess I got my answer first hand with RCCL changing the itinerary. This cruise just doesn't appeal to me as much now with San Juan (especially on a Sunday evening), no Tortola and three sea days at the end of the cruise. I'll have to figure out if i should change to a more interesting cruise. The NCL Gem leaves NYC the day before this one and visits 5 ports including Tortola. Hmmm ... something to consider.

 

Thanks for the replies.

We love the Gem and have done that cruise a few times. I don't think you'll be sorry. The only bad thing is that the Gem is usually in Tortola on a Sunday and all the shops are closed.

[familia_solis]

Tortola is my favorite port and I would be so sad if ships could no longer go there. The sail away is breaktaking from the AFT. I remember that is it illegal for anyone to wear a bathing suit in town, I wonder if this has anything to do with it .. I mean if the passengers just didnt follow their rules?!?!

[Mark_K]

I was in Tortola on a land vacation a few months ago. There was a huge Celebrity ship in port (Solstice) one day, so I know they can handle large ships.

 

However, the bartender at our hotel told us that the government of Tortola was cancelling cruise ships. He said it was a political decision, but didn't really explain why. He was very upset because, supposedly, the hotel I was at was a stop on a cruise ship island tour excursion.

Explorer is 10-15% larger, has a deeper draft, and is considerably wider than Solstice (although Solstice is longer). If they are having any kind of port issues, both the width and the draft differences could be issues.

[Skeetercat]

If there is a port issue with getting into the port, why can't Royal Caribbean just tender people into Tortola?? I think there is more to this.

[Ants Girl]

I was on the Crown Princess a year and a half ago and we docked in Tortola. I loved that port! Especially the Baths on Virgin Gorda it was my favorite port. So sad if they drop it!:(

[M&M Hayden]

We booked b2b RCCL cruises in 2011; first week it stops in Tortola, second week Grenada......The cruises are port intensive, and these are the two stops we haven't been to yet. They can't substitute San Juan for our cruises because that's where we sail from! ;)

[searoses]

i have visited tortola many times for landbased trips. making a huge ship port has been a political football for years. the locals don't see much return for the use of scarce utilities, the boaters bitterly complain and make fun of cruisers(sheeple is my favorite-not!) and the gov't wants to meet the needs of it's residents and current guests. the real reason-they just ran out of money in this crappy economy to finish the job. was in the local paper a few months ago. plenty of graft and corruption to go around,too! what a shame they've had to put it off.lol:D

[Alexis]

We booked b2b RCCL cruises in 2011; first week it stops in Tortola, second week Grenada......The cruises are port intensive, and these are the two stops we haven't been to yet. They can't substitute San Juan for our cruises because that's where we sail from! ;)

 

Cross your fingers and hope they go there in 2011.

I have booked two B2B cruises on RCCL this year trying to get to Grenada and Tortola.

Both ports were canceled from the itineraries, so I jumped to another RCCL ship to try and get to them.

Then RCCL canceled my cruise on that ship by chartering it out. :o

 

It seems that those ports are being removed from several ships in the RCCL fleet. :confused:

[Robalo23]

My Serenade cruise leaving San Juan on 12/19 still lists both Tortola and Grenada as ports of call. Wonder if this will change closer to the sailing date?

[Alexis]

My Serenade cruise leaving San Juan on 12/19 still lists both Tortola and Grenada as ports of call. Wonder if this will change closer to the sailing date?

 

I had booked the Serenade for 2010 September B2B's and those ports are not on the itineraries as far as I can see.

I have since canceled them.

I do not see them in Oct. or Nov. 2010 either.

[Grannycb]

After reading some on-line newspapers from BVI, it sounds as if they want more land tourists. They spend more per day than cruisers. 2000 cruisers hitting the streets creates a drain on man power and resources. I understand what they are saying, but wonder what the true impact on their economy will be without ships. It's a shame to no longer have Tortola on itineraries.

 

Our cruise (not RCCL) is still scheduled to be in Tortola in January.

[cusyl]

My Grandeur cruise in December still lists Tortola. I've been there before so it doesn't matter, but they would need to replace it with another port.

[GP Cruiser]

We will be on the Serenade in April of 2010 and Tortla is still listed.

[hcat]

Swapping Tortola for San Juan is a bad swap!

 

But I can see where the island could be overwhelmed with the larger ships--The main town (Road Town) is small & there are but a few roads & glorious destinations for those lucky enough to go there!

[LeesSummitCruiser1]

if you really want to see tortola, you can get there from St Thomas, you just have to be ready to take a cab to red hook, take the first boat to tortola and then take the first boat back from tortola. There is not a lot of free time but you can get there.