Hurricane Matthew Thread

[ducklite]

They told me they have NEVER had to cancel a cruise. I would find it very unlikely that it wouldn't happen at all.

 

They lied. There have been at least two cruises cancelled on the Magic. one was due to noro like illness and one was due to bad weather on a TA. I am almost certain there was another cancellation in 2004 because the ship couldn't get into port.

[cjkmiller]

I suspect the Magic out of NYC will sail on time but will have a last minute decision made on ports. Depending on the hurricane forecast it could make the cruise up into NE/Canada or go to Puerto Rico. I would take clothes for both directions. Sailing to PR and back in the 7 days might be a a rougher riding cruise since she would have to sale straight there and back with minimal course deviation to find calmer waters.

 

The Fantasty, should be able to make the Virgin Island ports but she might not sail out of PC.

 

The Dream 3 day, everything is up in the air for her.

 

The GFS model (most accurate for the last few years) is calling for a power up loop off of the Carolina's in the warm/ deep gulf stream and then running across the middle to south of Florida. Mathew is being to be a PIA for a long time.

 

I think I am going to over pack tonight! Nothing like packing for Canada and the Caribbean in one bag! Glad we are driving.

[moki'smommy]

I'm not aware of a TA that was canceled (and I've sailed many of them), but there was definitely a cruise canceled because DCL made a decision to not take on passengers and do a thorough cleaning of the Magic and Wonder after other cruise lines had major issues with Noro. DCL actually had very few cases, but decided that the only way to make sure it didn't get worse was to cancel the cruises and clean the ships.

 

We were on the early cruise when PC was closed--our 7 night cruise from PC became a 4 day cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale. So technically it wasn't canceled. They also fooled around with the Wonder sailings, transferring guests who wished to the Magic. A short time before that, a 7 night cruise extended to 10 nights because of a storm and the cruise that was supposed to go out on that Saturday didn't depart.

 

Bottom line, they have definitely canceled cruises.

 

I hate to say this, but you cannot believe what DCL CMs will tell you on the phone. They will say what they have been instructed to say, no matter how inaccurate.

 

Updated forecast just broadcast--nothing new!

Edited October 5, 2016 by moki'smommy

[ArthurUSCG]

I think I am going to over pack tonight! Nothing like packing for Canada and the Caribbean in one bag! Glad we are driving.

I wouldn't park on the bottom or top level of the parking garage. Sandy caused a 14ft storm surge.

[yellowfish78]

I knew about the Jones Act, I just wasn't sure protocol after the fact. I'm curious to see if Matthew loops back around. And Doctor Disney was the one that mentioned that the port was closed for 11 days in the past. He's currently on the Dream now and posting updates from the ship.

 

I've priced out rooms at Disney just in case and they have limited availability for next weekend; maybe we'll move to Universal if Matthew decides to stick around and we can't depart.

 

Again, that's a chance we take for going during hurricane season.

[Cbear1973]

I'm supposed to be on the Dream on 10/7. I've just gotten off my 4th phone call in 4 days with Disney (and in doing so, learned to just ask for a shoreside supervisor instead of talking to a phone rep).

 

They answer in the typically happy Disney-tone, which gets me even more grumpy.

 

I want to know how Disney, in good conscience, can keep insisting that the port is fine, the cruise that's to get in on the 7th will be able to port, and we'll be able to get out Friday afternoon.

 

They say they have no answers yet, and they're trying to pull all the information they can before they make a definitive answer. Meanwhile, they're pretty much playing with people's lives, by not giving at least SOME information, even sketchy.

 

They say that they'll let us know before cruising time. They'll take care of people who are up in Orlando, who've flown in. Well, the only way I could get to the port is driving. I live in South Fla. I really don't want to have to drive 3 hours north, only to be slapped on a bus (in the middle of +50 mph winds, mind) and ride 4 1/2 hours down to Miami...

 

Disney really needs to get their act together and either pee or get off the pot. I'm tired of not knowing.

 

Had to vent.

[Host Mick]

I don't remember Port Canaveral being closed for 11 days' date=' but it is possible. Our experience was that it was closed for a few days till the storm went by, but was functioning on schedule the next week (we returned to PC after our altered cruise).

 

[/quote']

 

It was. A hurricane rolled right over it causing a lot of damage. I believe that DCL used Port Lauderdale for a few weeks while PC was getting cleaned up.

[suz0319]

I wonder what the chances are that the Bahamas or Castaway Cay are so demolished that you won't be able to visit them for any future cruises? I ask this cause I am contemplating moving to the cruise that leaves on Oct 15th, Oct 22nd or Oct 29th - which doesn't stop at Nassau, but does stop at Castaway Cay and Port Canaveral. Do you think this is a safe bet to change over to and have a successful cruise?

[ducklite]

I'm not aware of a TA that was canceled (and I've sailed many of them)' date=' but there was definitely a cruise canceled because DCL made a decision to not take on passengers and do a thorough cleaning of the Magic and Wonder after other cruise lines had major issues with Noro. DCL actually had very few cases, but decided that the only way to make sure it didn't get worse was to cancel the cruises and clean the ships.

 

We were on the early cruise when PC was closed--our 7 night cruise from PC became a 4 day cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale. So technically it wasn't canceled. They also fooled around with the Wonder sailings, transferring guests who wished to the Magic. A short time before that, a 7 night cruise extended to 10 nights because of a storm and the cruise that was supposed to go out on that Saturday didn't depart.

 

Bottom line, they have definitely canceled cruises.

 

I hate to say this, but you cannot believe what DCL CMs will tell you on the phone. They will say what they have been instructed to say, no matter how inaccurate.

 

Updated forecast just broadcast--nothing new![/quote']

 

The cruise that was cancelled was the one AFTER the TA. They had hit bad weather on the way over and were significantly delayed.

[moki'smommy]

I wonder what the chances are that the Bahamas or Castaway Cay are so demolished that you won't be able to visit them for any future cruises? I ask this cause I am contemplating moving to the cruise that leaves on Oct 15th, Oct 22nd or Oct 29th - which doesn't stop at Nassau, but does stop at Castaway Cay and Port Canaveral. Do you think this is a safe bet to change over to and have a successful cruise?

 

Castaway was not open to guests for a long time (months) after one hurricane.

 

"Any" future cruises--not gonna happen. They have had to rebuild Castaway a couple times now. The amount of damage has varied. Disney basically built the island from a bare rock, and they'll rebuild as necessary. But I'm not a bit sure you'll be docking there any time in October. Can you hold off a few days? The storm is supposedly in the Bahamas now. A few days should move it toward the US, but also allow a preliminary assessment of the damage to the island.

[Tonka's Skipper]

As Moki pointed out there were indeed at least 2 cruises cancelled as she described.

 

The third one was not a TA for weather, I think it was the Magic, which was delayed leaving the shipyard and late returning to the states. The 1 st cruise was cancelled early, to help people change plans.

 

AKK

[ducklite]

It was. A hurricane rolled right over it causing a lot of damage. I believe that DCL used Port Lauderdale for a few weeks while PC was getting cleaned up.

 

I think it was Charley--after it took out MCO.

[moki'smommy]

 

 

They say that they'll let us know before cruising time. They'll take care of people who are up in Orlando, who've flown in.

 

Disney really needs to get their act together and either pee or get off the pot. I'm tired of not knowing.

 

Had to vent.

 

Be very careful of their definition of "take care of." We did a week at WDW and then the hurricane cruise. We were supplied with bus transportation to the new port, a voucher for lunch, and a granola bar as we boarded the bus. We couldn't use the voucher because the waiting line at the restaurant was too long for us to have time to eat and then get back to the bus stop (of course, the bus was ultimately 7 hours late.)

 

DCL did not assist in any way with obtaining a place to stay for the canceled nights. A VERY nice CM at WDW did. She informed me that there was no room available at the resort where we were staying, but she got on the phone and found us a place to move to. We had to pay "rack rate." Those extra 2 nights cost me as much as the entire week before had for the same level of resort! DCL DID give us a 40% refund on our cruise fare, which did cover the 2 additional nights at WDW. Travel insurance did not cover our food for the extra days because we went to a grocery store and got the things we'd need rather than eating at a restaurant. Oh yeah, we couldn't eat at a restaurant because we did as Disney instructed us--lock resort room door and do not open door for any reason until they notified us that it was safe.

 

Another aside--we were rather irritated to learn that people who were camping at Ft. Wilderness were moved to the same resort that we stayed at, but they got their hotel free.

[moki'smommy]

As Moki pointed out there were indeed at least 2 cruises cancelled as she described.

 

The third one was not a TA for weather' date=' I think it was the Magic, which was delayed leaving the shipyard and late returning to the states. The 1 st cruise was cancelled early, to help people change plans.

 

AKK[/quote']

 

You are absolutely right--she was delayed in dry dock. There was not a problem with the crossing, but rather with getting the work finished.

[Host Mick]

I wonder what the chances are that the Bahamas or Castaway Cay are so demolished that you won't be able to visit them for any future cruises? I ask this cause I am contemplating moving to the cruise that leaves on Oct 15th, Oct 22nd or Oct 29th - which doesn't stop at Nassau, but does stop at Castaway Cay and Port Canaveral. Do you think this is a safe bet to change over to and have a successful cruise?

 

The last time that a Hurricane rolled over CC, the Island was repaired and ready to go in a few days except for the wharf. It sustained severe erosion and had to have major repair work. It took... 8 weeks?

So, no, they won't close CC permanently.

[Tonka's Skipper]

I am sure everyone here that is awaiting word on their cruise is really frustrated. I would be too!

 

The thing is there are likely 8 to 10 lines running cruise ships on the Florida east cost, maybe 20 or so ships involved. Then take into count 6 US ports and a 15 of so destination ports.

 

Add to the mix 1 severe storm running right up the middle.moving in any direction and speed.

 

then on top, transportation and accommodations getting to and from the ports.

 

One big changing puzzle....

 

I can see the lines holding back and trying to make one change and not repeated changes. It would only make things harder to say one thing, have people make reservations and arrangements only to discover the next morning everything has changed again.

 

cross your fingers!

 

AKK

[Host Mick]

And Today's Weather advisory: Same as yesterday's.

 

Advisory Message

 

• Tropical Weather Update
   
  October 5, 2016
  Disney Cruise Line is closely monitoring tropical weather systems in the Caribbean.
  At this time, no itinerary changes have been made to the following sailings:
   
  
  • October 7 – Disney Dream & Disney Magic
    
  • October 8 – Disney Fantasy
    

  If needed, we can alter the itinerary of our ships to ensure the safety and comfort of our Guests and Crew. We will provide updates as they are available.

[gometros]

They lied. There have been at least two cruises cancelled on the Magic. one was due to noro like illness and one was due to bad weather on a TA. I am almost certain there was another cancellation in 2004 because the ship couldn't get into port.

 

Do we include the cancellation after the dry dock ran over? Or are we only talking about weather related cancellations?

[ArthurUSCG]

Some one on facebook grabbed this. It is not looking good for the port.

[Cbear1973]

That is probably the end of the world as we know it. Any time that *#(#$*$ Cantore shows up...kerfluwie

[Tonka's Skipper]

Do we include the cancellation after the dry dock ran over? Or are we only talking about weather related cancellations?

 

If you really want to get technical...........NONE were canceled due to a Hurricane directly effecting the vessel themselves. So the CM was right to that point , but there were 3 cancelled/ time/adjusted cruises for various reasons.

 

AKK

[Eisernes]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&source=web&q=&url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2016-10-05/article-4657222/Disney-Magic-to-make-unexpected-return-to-Sydney-on-Monday/1&usg=AFQjCNGtOt3k74CnlhlUGKErkXfyu6IvOw

 

Magic is going right back to Canada

[belle907]

Castaway was not open to guests for a long time (months) after one hurricane.

 

"Any" future cruises--not gonna happen. They have had to rebuild Castaway a couple times now. The amount of damage has varied. Disney basically built the island from a bare rock' date=' and they'll rebuild as necessary. But I'm not a bit sure you'll be docking there any time in October. Can you hold off a few days? The storm is supposedly in the Bahamas now. A few days should move it toward the US, but also allow a preliminary assessment of the damage to the island.[/quote']

 

CC was closed for 1 month after Floyd hit it. We were on the first cruise after it reopened.

[moki'smommy]

CC was closed for 1 month after Floyd hit it. We were on the first cruise after it reopened.

 

It has been closed a few times after hurricane damage. I don't know if Floyd was the longest closure or not.

[Cbear1973]

10/7 cruise on the Dream has been cancelled. Check for email.