Hurricane Matthew Thread

[Ex techie]

I thought I would look around at other lines and what their advisories were for comparison.

 

Royal advise that

If you have not done so already, we strongly suggest guests complete their online check-in as soon as possible, including the section requesting your preferred method of contact while traveling. You can access online check-in at http://www.royalcaribbean.com/onlinecheckin.

 

Carnival have set up (and has been in place for a few days) a text alert system:

Additionally, to stay up to date on any changes that may affect your sailing, we encourage you to sign up for text alerts by texting the codes below to CRUISE (278473).

 

Carnival Fantasy 10/7 CCL2

Carnival Magic 10/8 CCL3

Carnival Sensation 10/6 CCL4

Carnival Pride 10/9 CCL5

Carnival Valor 10/8 CCL6

Carnival Victory 10/6 CCL8

Carnival Elation 10/8 CCL9

Carnival Glory 10/8 CCL10

Carnival Splendor 10/8 CCL11

Carnival Conquest 10/9 CCL12

 

DCL?

Update the website when we get around to it.

No method of being alerted, no advice to check in and be alerted.

They are a farce IMO.

 

ex techie

[ArthurUSCG]

In DCL defense they only have 4 ships. And they spent ask thier money on magic bands, thinking this text thing was just a fad.

 

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[moki'smommy]

I thought I would look around at other lines and what their advisories were for comparison.

 

Royal advise that

 

Carnival have set up (and has been in place for a few days) a text alert system:

 

 

DCL?

Update the website when we get around to it.

No method of being alerted, no advice to check in and be alerted.

They are a farce IMO.

 

ex techie

 

Well, they do ask for contact information, but in our case they didn't use it even after telling me that they would! And at this point, people who used a Florida based TA may be out of the loop for several days. You can't really expect a small TA in Jacksonville, FL or Savannah, GA to be up and functioning as fast as DCL should be. Sorry, but there should be a provision that in an emergency, DCL can/will contact booked guests directly rather than hoping that a TA can have phone lines and internet communications back up. They DO have e-mail addresses. How hard is it to form a notification list for each cruise.

 

Princess did it for us--they sent notification to our e-mail, cell phone, and TA. That's as it should be. They need to use every method possible to communicate.

[Ex techie]

Well' date=' they do ask for contact information, but in our case they didn't use it even after telling me that they would! And at this point, people who used a Florida based TA may be out of the loop for several days. You can't really expect a small TA in Jacksonville, FL or Savannah, GA to be up and functioning as fast as DCL should be. Sorry, but there should be a provision that in an emergency, DCL can/will contact booked guests directly rather than hoping that a TA can have phone lines and internet communications back up. They DO have e-mail addresses. How hard is it to form a notification list for each cruise.

 

Princess did it for us--they sent notification to our e-mail, cell phone, and TA. That's as it should be. They need to use every method possible to communicate.[/quote']

 

Yep! 100% DCL fail.

 

ex techie

[bear3412]

This was passed out to Dream pax this evening.

 

[Ex techie]

3 scenarios presented to Dream Guests:

 

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/2016/10/disney-dream-passengers-updated-disembarkation-scenarios-due-hurricane-matthew/

 

I find it odd that these scenarios are not the same as what is being presented on the DCL website for Fantasy Guests?

 

Left hand and right hand not communicating?

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

This was passed out to Dream pax this evening.

 

 

I think the link you posted to is broken

Was it this from Scotts disneycruiselineblog?

 

 

ex techie

[moki'smommy]

Seems reasonable. I mean, what can they do? They are taking care of the passengers on board and letting them know that essentially "This is what we think now, but be aware that it might change. If it has to change, this is what we will try to do."

 

They have to go with what they know and their best guesses. They'll probably have more info in the morning since the news people are listing the worst of it at 6 am for Port Canaveral.

[Ex techie]

I think it is reasonable advice for those Guests aboard the Dream.

Based on the Fantasy's last heading before she dropped off land based AIS stations, they are fairly close together, heading around the west of Cuba back home. (even though the Dream is heading to "Florida Cays" and not USPCV (US Port Canaveral) as the Fantasy is spotted by ArthurUSCG). Weird that the ship could input that as a destination when it is non specific!

 

I can't help feeling that they have pushed the Fantasy back to Sunday and publicly announced this now, but said nothing public for the Dream.

 

I can see many family and friends of those aboard the Dream that would be worried and refreshing the website to see how they are and when they may get back, not being informed by the lack of update to the DCL site.

 

ex techie

Edited October 7, 2016 by Ex techie

[belle907]

There is no need to put that info for the current Dream sailing on the website. Communicating that info to guests on board is all that is needed.

 

As far as guests who use a TA to book their cruise and being notified, it is up to the TA to make sure the guests info is on the reservation. Many TA's don't want to give the guest info and want all communication to go thru them rather than to the guest directly. Can't fault DCL if the TA won't give up the info.

[moki'smommy]

People will start decompensating on Sunday when they learn that they aren't going to make it home for work/school on Monday.

[Ex techie]

There is no need to put that info for the current Dream sailing on the website. Communicating that info to guests on board is all that is needed.

 

As far as guests who use a TA to book their cruise and being notified, it is up to the TA to make sure the guests info is on the reservation. Many TA's don't want to give the guest info and want all communication to go thru them rather than to the guest directly. Can't fault DCL if the TA won't give up the info.

 

Well you seem to have assumed the role of information distribution supervisor, and what is deemed appropriate or necessary to put forth on the website then. :rolleyes:

 

And for those Guests that DID use a TA, wouldn't a text based system with automatic updates be useful for them or family planning on picking up their friends or family on the Dream and Fantasy sailings be useful?

You know, like updated PAT times, if the port reopens, if they divert to another port?

 

ex techie

[moki'smommy]

Sorry, this is an emergency situation in which some TAs may be unable (not unwilling) to communicate with clients.

 

In my situation, I was already on vacation at WDW. A DCL CM agreed that since I was there already, they would contact me directly with updates. They didn't. Would have been easier had they just said, "No, we can't do that."

 

Each cruise line sets its own policy in this regard. Sometimes, DCL's policy of "everything thru the TA" is unreasonable, and this is one of those times.

[ArthurUSCG]

There is no need to put that info for the current Dream sailing on the website. Communicating that info to guests on board is all that is needed.

 

As far as guests who use a TA to book their cruise and being notified, it is up to the TA to make sure the guests info is on the reservation. Many TA's don't want to give the guest info and want all communication to go thru them rather than to the guest directly. Can't fault DCL if the TA won't give up the info.

Having the info on the website allows family members to be informed and attempt to get a flight for Sunday.

 

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[ArthurUSCG]

It looks like Matthew is going to make landfall at the Cape Canaveral air force Base. It is still a cat 3 with 120mph winds

 

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Edited October 7, 2016 by ArthurUSCG

[Reader0108598]

My bad. I thought I was at the end of the thread, but still had a few pages to go. I try so hard not to get reprimanded when I post here, and it hasn't happened in a long time, but it finally happened again. I failed. :(

 

slightlysilly give yourself a break!

 

When I become perfect,I will feel free to reprimand you.

Until then......... not so much!:D

Edited October 7, 2016 by Reader0108598

[ArthurUSCG]

Amazingly enough, the PC webcam is still working and someone is controlling it.

http://www.portcanaveralwebcam.com/

 

It is located here on top of Fishlips Waterfront Bar & Grill,

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fishlips+Waterfront+Bar+%26+Grill/@28.408745,-80.6165349,70m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x88e0a63a6cbd0ced:0x58fe660eb2b0a770!8m2!3d28.4087033!4d-80.6164884

 

and here is the twitter account.

https://twitter.com/PTZtv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

It is currently just past low tide and will increase until high tide at 12:44 pm.

[gometros]

Just to be picky (and clear)' date=' the parks and Disney Springs are closing. The hotels are among the safest places to be in a hurricane, and they will be "open" to booked guests although you may not be able to leave your room if you are not in a central/main building.

 

When we were there during a hurricane, they also moved a large number of CMs and in some cases their families into the All Star resorts. Concern for their safety was the official reason, but it also provided WDW with a crew on site to get to work as soon as it was safe (no problem with trees across roads, etc.) It was quite impressive to see how quickly the area around our hotel was cleaned up.

 

We heard about huge events in the lobby for those guests in hotels that didn't require a trek outside to get to the lobby--they sold grilled hot dogs for 25cents each, etc. and made a big party of it. Those of us who couldn't leave our rooms had non-stop movies on all the resort channels (they took off all the advertisement channels and ran films.) Can't say it was fun, but we were safe.[/quote']

 

They did evacuate Ft. Wilderness, obviously becuase it's a camp ground, not a hotel. Disney had stopped taking reservations for the weekend a few days ago in anticipation so that they could keep open rooms in case of anticipated evacuations.

[moki'smommy]

They did evacuate Ft. Wilderness, obviously becuase it's a camp ground, not a hotel. Disney had stopped taking reservations for the weekend a few days ago in anticipation so that they could keep open rooms in case of anticipated evacuations.

 

Correct, and those guests who had paid to stay in the campgrounds were moved to a WDW deluxe resort at no additional charge. If they chose to depart the Florida area in anticipation of the storm, their campground fee was refunded for the unused days.

[NYGirl1002]

I'm really pleased for you that you were able to change your cruise!

 

No wishing to dampen your spirits, but I would make sure you are both very well prepared to miss Castaway Cay.

DCL are still saying they are going there, however they do not know the extent of the damage the island may have sustained, and wrongly IMO, are keeping up a false pretence that everything will be fine by then. They really should be saying subject to inspection after the hurricane has passed.

 

I hope you do get to visit CC though, and have an amazing cruise whatever happens.

 

ex techie

 

CC isn't as important as WDW.. which is why I changed cruises. I just wondering if we would replace CC with another port since that would ultimately end up as a cruise to WDW. Don't you need to have a foreign port in there someplace?

[ArthurUSCG]

CC isn't as important as WDW.. which is why I changed cruises. I just wondering if we would replace CC with another port since that would ultimately end up as a cruise to WDW. Don't you need to have a foreign port in there someplace?

 

At this point even Port Canaveral is not guaranteed. They had 107mph gusts earlier this morning.

 

I haven't heard any status updates on any of the Bahama ports yet.

[amscene1]

At this point even Port Canaveral is not guaranteed. They had 107mph gusts earlier this morning.

 

 

 

I haven't heard any status updates on any of the Bahama ports yet.

 

 

 

The fantasy and dream will both be going to port Everglades this week.

 

 

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[belle907]

At this point even Port Canaveral is not guaranteed. They had 107mph gusts earlier this morning.

 

I haven't heard any status updates on any of the Bahama ports yet.

 

Was that the highest gusts received there?

Let's hope the storm doesn't loop back around.

 

Heard that Nassau is assessing the area and is not ready to welcome back ships until the assessment is finished. Sounds like the area didn't get hit as hard as anticipated.

Hope CC was spared.

[ArthurUSCG]

Was that the highest gusts received there?

Let's hope the storm doesn't loop back around.

 

Heard that Nassau is assessing the area and is not ready to welcome back ships until the assessment is finished. Sounds like the area didn't get hit as hard as anticipated.

Hope CC was spared.

 

The 107 mph was highest before the equipment stopped transmitting. Sustained in the 80mph range.

[ArthurUSCG]

 

The fantasy and dream will both be going to port Everglades this week.

 

 

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good find.:)