Clarification on USCG Advisory for Port Everglades

[MikeInPgh]

We are leaving bright and early tomorrow morning and this has me panicking a little, just a little. The way I read this is that they will close the Port 24 before the expected landfall. Now the if the freakin' storm is expected at 2am Sunday - they'll close the port at 2am Sat and not the the ships dock, disembark & embark the new passengers??? BTW the weather.com states that the storm isn't going to hit until Monday - so all this fret could be for not.

 

Your thoughts????

 

 

U.S. COAST GUARD ANTICIPATES ISSUING 48-HOUR ALERT

October 20, 2005

The U.S. Coast Guard anticipates issuing a 48-hour hurricane alert (X-RAY) on Friday, October 21 at 11 a.m.

Cruise passengers should contact their cruise lines for updated sailing information.

Current Actions: Waterfront facilities should be removing potential flying debris, hazardous materials and oil pollution hazards from dockside areas. Coast guard Port Survey Teams are conducting port surveys. All oceangoing commercial vessels greater than 500 gross tons must prepare to depart the port and shall depart the port immediately upon the setting of Port condition YANKEE (24-hour alert). Vessels that are unable to depart the port must contact the Captain of the Port (COTP) to request and receive permission to remain in port. Proof of facility owner/operator approval will be required. Inbound vessels which will be unable to depart the port upon the setting of Port Condition YANKEE are advised to seek alternate securing arrangements to the COTP. The COTP may require additional precautions to ensure the safety of the ports and waterways.

Anticipated Future Actions: The Port, facilities and operators should anticipate the following actions as the storm approaches, and adjust operations accordingly: Port Hurricane Condition Yankee: Tropical storm force winds within 24 hours.

The Port will be closed to inbound vessel traffic and cargo operations not associated with storm preparations. “Cargo operations associated with storm preparations” include moving cargo within the port for securing purposes, crane and other port/facility equipment preparations, and similar activities, but does not include moving cargo onto the port or loading/discharging operations unless specifically authorized by the COTP. Oceangoing commercial vessels greater than 500 gross tons must depart the port. Outbound vessel traffic and cargo handling within the port in preparation for the storm are permitted.

[JDee]

Cruise passengers should contact their cruise lines for updated sailing information.

 

It would appear to me, that is your best course of action.....

[kryos]

We are leaving bright and early tomorrow morning and this has me panicking a little, just a little. The way I read this is that they will close the Port 24 before the expected landfall. Now the if the freakin' storm is expected at 2am Sunday - they'll close the port at 2am Sat and not the the ships dock, disembark & embark the new passengers??? BTW the weather.com states that the storm isn't going to hit until Monday - so all this fret could be for not.

All I can tell you is what happened to us on the Zuiderdam last August. Port Everglades was closed down due to Hurricane Francis, I believe. We were supposed to return that Saturday, and the port was closed. The ship stayed out to sea on Saturday and on Sunday. We did not dock until Hurricane Francis had passed ... on Monday (Labor Day). Basically, people paid for a seven-day cruise, but got a 10-day one. HAL even suspended the auto-tips for those extra days, though I think most of us went down to the purser's desk and told them to put them the hell back on there! We're getting great service, great food, why not at least give the standard auto-tip?

 

Then, the people who were due to board that Saturday when the port was closed got the option of either cancelling their cruise with a full refund, or taking the shorter cruise (Monday to Saturday, September 11th) and getting a nice shipboard credit, plus a discount on a future cruise equal to 25% of the original cost of the current one.

 

I only know the exact details of this deal because even though I was on a b2b ... not planning on disembarking until September 11th anyway, I got the same deal on that second half of the b2b. After all, I was missing ports too ... and had missed several the first week as well due to high seas.

 

HAL also made some deals for the current passengers on the extended cruise to stay onboard for that second week ... the shortened cruise.

 

Sadly, though, most passengers opted to skip that short cruise and schedule something else. Not to many on the extended cruise opted to stay onboard either. Frankly, I was shocked that the ship was sailing that shortened week ... because we only had something like 600 people onboard. This was the Zuiderdam that holds what ... 1900?

 

We had a ghost ship that week ... but it was heaven. There were so few people that HAL went to one dining room sitting, one show each night. It was almost like being on your own private yacht.

 

I can well understand why this will be HAL's last hurricane season sailing the Caribbean. This sort of stuff has to cost them a bundle.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[KAKcruiser]

I was on the Zuiderdam for the shortened week. You are right that it was wonderful with the small number of passengers. We enjoyed the large shipboard credit and did use our future cruise discount. We were disappointed with the Western itinerary rather than Eastern but it worked out okay. I was glad we went.