HAL switched itinerary with no advance notice!

[Copper10-8]

....................... The schedule on the Key West port site has been updated, it had been showing us at Balmoral on Sunday but now shows us at Outer Mole (yippee) on Friday. ......................

 

Just to clear one thing up, there is no "Balmoral Pier" in Key West. There is the Mallory Square Pier, Pier "B" and the Outer Mole or Navy Pier. "Balmoral" is a cruise ship operating for Fred Olsen Lines and she was - now looks like she will also be cancelling KW tomorrow - scheduled at that same Pier "B" tomorrow

This coming Friday, Carnival Sensation will be at Pier "B", Pullmantor Cruceros "Empress" will be at Mallory Square and EUDM at the Outer Mole

[Boytjie]

The option would have been to skip Key West completely, because no one is getting in tomorrow.

 

Also, there was about a 5 hour window to call the tour operator before leaving Fort Lauderdale today.

 

The Balmoral is still showing on the Key West schedule for tomorrow but the Eurodam has been deleted: http://www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov/egov/documents/1488559218_40129.htm

 

Marine Traffic still shows the Balmoral's destination as Key West:

 

[Boatdrill]

. So it's a good reason but it seems like they should have notified everyone of the change at check-in.

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The less said at check in, the better. Sometimes agents simply don't know about a change in itinerary. Sometimes they do, but forget to tell a passenger. Often they DO know, but say nothing, unless asked. If the agent volunteers the information, now they've left themselves open to hearing the passengers complain about it or ask more questions that the agent can't answer.

 

 

The captain's letter is the best remedy. Hardly anyone complains after they read it . They wouldn't dare ! :)

[Copper10-8]

The Balmoral is still showing on the Key West schedule for tomorrow but the Eurodam has been deleted: http://www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov/egov/documents/1488559218_40129.htm

 

Marine Traffic still shows the Balmoral's destination as Key West:

 

 

Track shows her in a holding pattern south of the Conch Republic. An unscheduled stop in Havana would be, well interesting...............;)

[bUU]

Thank goodness HAL takes care of their passengers. My question is, what about people who book private excursions? It's not like you can give them a phone call and change days.

That's one reason I have always chosen to go with cruise line excursions instead of going private.

[serendipity1499]

Thank goodness HAL takes care of their passengers. My question is, what about people who book private excursions? It's not like you can give them a phone call and change days.

 

 

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So am I POA1, I organize a lot of private tours and set up stuff for the roll call, but sometimes, you have to roll with the punches and be prepared to be flexible.

 

 

It's no fun, but it has to be done. Speaking as someone who has been there and done that on both the Westerdam and the P'dam.

 

Best laid plans.......

 

Mr. B this happens on all lines..I too am a planner but understand that things happen..We once boarded a NCL ship & had a complete itinerary change due to weather at the last minute..On one of our first cruises to Bermuda we had a port change due to sea conditions.. Yes we were disappointed but understood why the Captain changed itineraries..

 

As Kazu says when you book independent tours you have to learn to be pro-active & roll with the punches.. All the tour operators in every port we've ever been in know that cruise lines often change ports at the last minute due to weather & sea conditions..

 

Sometimes you will not be advised in advance..

 

I'm retired from the airline business & it happens often on many airline flights too..

 

Relax & enjoy your cruise! :)

[Homosassa]

Weather Happens

In 2010 we sailed out of Tampa. First stop for our westeran Caribbean cruise was Key West. Then we were to go to head west. We did not leave at 6 PM as scheduled and I kept looking out the window in the Crow's Nest.

We left at 8 PM.

If you are heading west -- land should be on the starboard side but land was on our port side -- we were headed east.

Shortly after 8 PM the captain came on and announced that due to Hurricane Paula we would be doing an eastern Caribbean cruise. Okay -- so our itinerary and ports changed -- no problem for us. Go with the flow.

 

 

I am confused. When sailing out of Tampa and heading to Key West, the ship needs to head south,which means from the west coast of Florida, the land is on the port side.

 

And if the ship is heading west, once out of the harbor, no land will be visible except the receding coastline behind the ship.

[sail7seas]

Why are you happy about being at the Outer Mole? I would rather be at Pier B -- that way you can walk directly wherever you want to and not have to deal with shuttle buses, trolleys or conch trains to get to town.

Being docked at outer mole is a nuisance. Much better to be near Mallory

[POA1]

The Balmoral is still showing on the Key West schedule for tomorrow but the Eurodam has been deleted: http://www.cityofkeywest-fl.gov/egov/documents/1488559218_40129.htm

 

Marine Traffic still shows the Balmoral's destination as Key West:

 

 

Marine traffic now showing her off the coast up closer to Miami / Key Largo. Assuming that's correct, it's a very quiet day in KW.

[Copper10-8]

Marine traffic now showing her off the coast up closer to Miami / Key Largo. Assuming that's correct, it's a very quiet day in KW.

 

Yep, she's on her way to Miami which is her scheduled stop tomorrow. Interesting itinerary - 47-day Central America & Mardi Gras, left Southampton on 04 Feb

[regnig]

I am confused. When sailing out of Tampa and heading to Key West, the ship needs to head south,which means from the west coast of Florida, the land is on the port side.

 

And if the ship is heading west, once out of the harbor, no land will be visible except the receding coastline behind the ship.

 

 

Homosassa Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. I read that posting and figured I was just having a very senior moment as I couldn't imagine that ship backing all the way out of the Gulf. ;):eek::D

[sapper1]

I am confused. When sailing out of Tampa and heading to Key West, the ship needs to head south,which means from the west coast of Florida, the land is on the port side.

 

And if the ship is heading west, once out of the harbor, no land will be visible except the receding coastline behind the ship.

 

 

That's the way I thought it through as well. The other scenario had me shaking my head.

[Copper10-8]

It's been said that, at times, you can see Russia from Wasilla, AK, just sayin'................. ;)

[OlsSalt]

It's been said that, at times, you can see Russia from Wasilla, AK, just sayin'................. ;)

 

 

Just quoting ..... a Saturday Night Live comic sketch. Just saying. Only because a BBC moderator on another cruise line sneered this was a direct Sarah Palin quote. Which of course it was not. So for the record, in the great telephone game of life, good to stop misinformation when one finds it.

[MisterBill99]

Thank goodness HAL takes care of their passengers. My question is, what about people who book private excursions? It's not like you can give them a phone call and change days.

 

 

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You're on your own, or as in my case you waste $20 on their horrible Internet emailing your tour providers and hope they respond.

 

I haven't been on since Sunday but they swapped our other two ports as well (also supposedly due to the weather although it rained in Amber Cove today). I DID have excursions booked there (Amber Cove/DR and Grand Turk). I never got a response from my Amber Cove horseback riding provider and they did not show up for me this morning so now I need to try to get my $90 back. The Grand Turk guy responded and I'm good to go there.

 

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[sail7seas]

Just quoting ..... a Saturday Night Live comic sketch. Just saying. Only because a BBC moderator on another cruise line sneered this was a direct Sarah Palin quote. Which of course it was not. So for the record, in the great telephone game of life, good to stop misinformation when one finds it.

 

 

"I csn see Russia from my frotn porch. :D "

 

I borrowed the line line when we dockeded in Aruba. We were port side to the dock and my port side verandah faced the stores and I was happy to see Ferragamo from my front porch.

[AncientWanderer]

Like others here, we've had itinerary changes for all kinds of reasons -- weather, medical evacuations, even provisioning problems. (Can't head across the Atlantic without enough asparagus, right?!)

 

Really, all forms of travel require a lot of flexibility because stuff just happens. It's a little more frustrating when at sea, because we have absolutely zero control over how things are flexed. Just gotta do as you're told by the captain and enjoy the experience. It's life at sea!

[MisterBill99]

So, someone on the ship had a sense of humor. They left this in our cabin on the last day. I have to admit it was a great idea, it left us laughing about the whole thing.

 

[POA1]

So, someone on the ship had a sense of humor. They left this in our cabin on the last day. I have to admit it was a great idea, it left us laughing about the whole thing.

 

That's genuinely hilarious.