Cozumel Closed What is Next Likely Port for Carnival?

[Chucksta63]

I think the Triumph is going to try to go for Belize from what I gather from Carnival's Web Site. I saw another ship doing the same Itinerary as the Triumph and they are going to Belize.

[dosi]

I'm sure they'll be handling cruise ships by tender as soon as they get the bars open again!

 

They will need to rebuild the piers first....even the tenders have to have a pier to tie onto to.

[tpcwags]

Carnival recently announced that the 4 day Inspiration leaving today (originally 5 day leaving yesterday) will be stopping in Progresso.

 

Seems logical to change 4 day to Progresso if there is room in the port on the day that the normal 4 day would have been in Coz.

 

I will be on the Inspiration this Saturday and am hoping that they substitute Casa Maya for Cozumel. This is my second favorite to western port with Coz being my favorite.

 

In any event, Costa Maya, Progresso, Roatan or a third day at sea, I would rather be on the cruise than at work.

 

My best to Paradise Tom, Sally and all of the wonderful people on Cozumel. (and congrats on the the new arrival Tom).

 

Charlie

[jbd2003]

Next week looks like it may be GC, Belize, Costa Maya & Roatan.

Is this just a guess or do you have some inside information. I've called Carnival and they said they won't know until W. Or Th. I was hoping we would go to Ocho Rios but I guess I will try to find some information on Roatan. By the way, where is Roatan??:confused:

[Bunkie103]

Roatan Island is in Honduras.

 

Carnival has told the agent for the Valor Vampires that there is "NO CHANGE" in our itinerary for next week and Cozumel is still on our schedule.:rolleyes:

[Chucksta63]

Roatan Island is in Honduras.

 

Carnival has told the agent for the Valor Vampires that there is "NO CHANGE" in our itinerary for next week and Cozumel is still on our schedule.:rolleyes:

I find this hard to beleave! I am sure there will be a change you can't get a ship in there untill the waters are checked out and then there is no pier I guess you could tender but to do what?

[LUCY55]

bunkie103, I am also waiting to see what they do with the Valor western. I hope there is a substitution and not just a dropping of Cozumel.

[fam6]

My family is booked on Carnival Triumph Dec 24, 2005. Do you think that Cozumel would be an unlikely port of call for that time. I would like to look into excursions early so how would I know which port if not Cozumel?

[Bunkie103]

Chuck, I think they have so much up in the air right now that something happening 10 days from now isn't top priority to them. I hope they pick another port, but whatever, at least I won't be at work!

 

Lucy are you on the Valor 10-30?

[tamhere2003]

I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE PROGRESSO & VERACRUZ WHERE CARNIVAL DOCKED INSTEAD OF COZUMEL. GOOD LUCK NOT ALOT TO DO, BUT WE DID FIND A 5 STAR RESORT TO HANG OUT IN ALL THE FOOD AND DRINKS IN PROGRESSO WHICH WAS KINDA FUN, AND IN VERACRUZ WE TRACKED DOWN A COMPANY THAT OFFERED SNORKLING AND DIVING, EMAIL ME FOR MORE INFORMATION. TAMHERE2003@YAHOO.COM. OTHER THEN THAT NOT ALOT TO DO THERE

[tamhere2003]

Did You Leave On The 17th.. If So I Am A Fellow Cruiser Of Yours

[LUCY55]

Bunkie103, nope--on Valor January 8. My worry is that the Valor Western is a 4 port cruise. And since there are so many ships not going to Cozumel it will cause logistical problems at other ports. A 4-stop cruise could be changed to a 3-stop cruise. However, if Cozumel hotels are planning to re-open by January 31, maybe cruiseships will be able to dock sooner. We can wish!!

[cheshyrkat]

I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE PROGRESSO & VERACRUZ WHERE CARNIVAL DOCKED INSTEAD OF COZUMEL. GOOD LUCK NOT ALOT TO DO, BUT WE DID FIND A 5 STAR RESORT TO HANG OUT IN ALL THE FOOD AND DRINKS IN PROGRESSO WHICH WAS KINDA FUN, AND IN VERACRUZ WE TRACKED DOWN A COMPANY THAT OFFERED SNORKLING AND DIVING, EMAIL ME FOR MORE INFORMATION. TAMHERE2003@YAHOO.COM. OTHER THEN THAT NOT ALOT TO DO THERE

 

Where was the resort you went to in Progreso and how did you get there? Thanks!

[loveJake]

Here is some information I got from Disney Cruise Line, seems they are already planning ahead and want to let people know what's up. I am looking for information because we are on the Glory 12/3 which includes Cozumel. Disney has already posted sail dates which included Cozumel - 11/5 sailing and 11/19 sailing will go to Costa Mayo instead of Cozumel. Also says that they expect later Western cruises to be modified. So I guess all the reports were true, sure hope the people make out without the cruise money in Cozumel.

[MichelleP]

From the looks of these sad pictures, Cozumel will not be taking cruise ships for quite some time. The piers are gone. So sad for all those nice people!!

 

http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/photogalleries.php?s=8185

 

WOW! :eek: That's so sad! I really feel horrible for the people in Coz who will lose out on so many tourist dollars! :(

 

I love Cozumel and was really looking forward to going there in December... I hope things are up and running by then.

[gatour]

Are all of those pictures of the Carnival piers? I have only stopped at the "downtown" piers, the one that now has Carlos and Charlies on one level and Senior Frogs on the other. Most of the pictures did not seem to be of the pier I was think of but a couple could have been.

[DannyMac]

Cozumel is pretty much wiped out. Don't get your hopes up, saw some air photos of Cozumel and it looks like Beirut did back in the 80's. All the piers will have to be replaced, all the beaches are gone, the water front has buildings standing but they are just shells. It is a terrible mess and will cost billions to repair the damage.

[zydecocruiser]

I would expect cruise ships before the end of the year. Not as many as before to start, but ramping up. Same as with Grand Cayman after Ivan last year. Cruise ships were the first tourists let back in and was <2 months after Ivan destroyed Grand Cayman. And GC never has had cruise ship piers. Cozumel has more options.

 

Tons of divers on Cozumel. At least some boats left. They will want to survey the reefs and get the stuff that belongs onshore back onshore, and otherwise help mother nature clean the reefs.

 

You don't need all stores open and restocked - you just need a few to start. And some restaurants/bars.

 

Not to make light of the destruction, Chankanaab was a man-made beach anyway. They can truck more sand in.

 

The passenger ferry has started running again. Cars may take a while longer. The airport is open to bring relief supplies in and remaining tourists out.

 

It will take a long time for all to return to normal, but shouldn't take long at all for enough to return to normalish for a limited number of tourists to be happy.

 

p.s. looks nothing like Beirut, IMHO.

[Terpnut]

I would expect cruise ships before the end of the year. Not as many as before to start, but ramping up. Same as with Grand Cayman after Ivan last year. Cruise ships were the first tourists let back in and was <2 months after Ivan destroyed Grand Cayman. And GC never has had cruise ship piers. Cozumel has more options....

Cozumel took a direct and prolonged hit from a Cat 4/5 hurricane while GC did not. Ivan came very close, but was not a direct hit, and Ivan did not linger like Wilma. Thus Cozumel faced a double doze of Mother Nature's fury. Also, I believe GC is a much wealthier island and thus rebuilding was much easier and faster for them. I am not nearly as optimistic about Cozumel.

[dsclark]

Cozumel took a direct and prolonged hit from a Cat 4/5 hurricane while GC did not. Ivan came very close, but was not a direct hit, and Ivan did not linger like Wilma. Thus Cozumel faced a double doze of Mother Nature's fury. Also, I believe GC is a much wealthier island and thus rebuilding was much easier and faster for them. I am not nearly as optimistic about Cozumel.

 

I totally agree! Not only was Wilma stronger, it parked itself over Cozumel for two days.While Grand Cayman didn't lose any piers (it is a tender port), it didn't lose its beaches. Can they rebuild the piers soon? Can they find the money to truck in sand and rebuild the beaches? One can only imagine the cost. The sorry truth of the matter is, as it stands, Cozumel is a devasted shell of an island. I feel sorry for the people there and yes, I do have fond memories (I will watch my DVD I burned of my last trip to there last xmas week on paradise beach), but I don't think the average cruiser wants to go to a devasted port and see a beach that is nothing more than jagged rocks splashed by the ocean.

Costa Maya is pretty, that's about it. Very lovely beach, but nothing compared to Cozumel.

Progresso is a pit. Compile opinions on it and it is probably the least liked port out there. Heck, I thought even Ensenada was nicer!

I'll be on the Glory western on new Years and Cozumel was the highlight, all day and all night. I'm not of the "who cares where it goes? You're on a cruise!" mindset. I will be disappointed if they sub in progresso. It would be nice if they gave a day in Costa MAya and one in Roatan, but I'd be shocked if CCL threw in four ports for the Glory like they do for the Valor.

[mnsawyer]

Probably Progresso will see some ships with Cozumel being out of service for an unknown amount of time which I am sure is a boost to Progresso since the Glory was pulled as a port in June. The Puerta Maya pier was so beautiful and brand new. I can't imagine that it's been destroyed and the cost that it will take to rebuild. We were on the Glory in April and stopped in Progresso. We thought it was not good but the day was cloudy and windy so the beach wasn't an option. If I was going there, I would book a ruins tour. Tons of people were doing ship sponsored tours on this stop but beware, it's an early start because when we were having coffee on our balcony the morning we were in Progresso, it was still dark and there were tons of people off the ship lined up for their tours. Also, right at the pier, there is a small, but nice shopping area. There will be people selling tours there. Ruins as well as a trip to a resort. The issue with the resort for us was that the bus didn't leave until around 10 ish and we had to be back by 2, so really not a lot of time.

[bellera]

We are scheduled to go to Cozumel on our Jan 7 Inspiration cruise. I am not really thinking that we are going to be able to get there.

 

Where else can we go on a 5 day that already includes GC? Is Jamaica at all possible?

 

The reason I really want to know is because DH and I are using this cruise as a trial for the Carnival Golf! We already have tee times for Coz and GC. Maybe I will contact Carnival Golf and see if they have any info.

[zydecocruiser]

How quickly they forget.

 

When Ivan nailed Grand Cayman it was stronger than Wilma @ Cozumel and didn't move a whole lot faster.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/pub/al092004.public.041.shtml

 

Grand Cayman is tiny and isolated, Cozumel is just a few miles off mainland Mexico.

 

Progreso is not a pit. I really enjoyed Progreso.

 

I have no doubt some tourists will be returning to Cozumel by Christmas.

[zydecocruiser]

Playa Del Carmen may reopen even sooner...

 

Some photos...

 

http://www.playa-maya.com/guestbook/galleries/gallery.php?id=1130153992#

[bruce-r]

Cozumel took a direct and prolonged hit from a Cat 4/5 hurricane while GC did not. Ivan came very close, but was not a direct hit, and Ivan did not linger like Wilma. Thus Cozumel faced a double doze of Mother Nature's fury. Also, I believe GC is a much wealthier island and thus rebuilding was much easier and faster for them. I am not nearly as optimistic about Cozumel.

I certainly don't disagree about the extent of damage on the island, but I disagree with your conclusion. GCM was damaged more by the storm surge than Cozumel was. The ocean surged across GCM, cleaning out everything in it's path.

 

It also doesn't matter that much that GCM has a higher standard of living, the real "wealth" there is mostly in the banking industry, which is all on paper (or computer). GCM is a much more isolated island which means it takes more time/effort to get supplies there. It is a much smaller country with less resources left undamaged than Mexico.

 

Cozumel is close to the mainland so supplies will be easier to transport. Mexico, while not considered wealthy compared to many other countries, does have plenty of resources that were undamaged by the hurricane. Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 really did a lot of damage to Cozumel, and when people built back, they built stronger to be better prepared of the next one when, not if, it came. I also read that the governor of the state is the former mayor of Cozumel with lots of family still on the island, so Cozumel shouldn't be short changed with respect to repairing Cancun.