HAL and hurricane Irma

[Kate45]

forgive me if I've missed a post on this but does anyone have any info on Turks or Half Moom Cay since Irma. Need to cancel within the week, if I'm going to and not getting anywhere with my TA. Can't find any info on HALs website either. Booked this cruise specifically for these two ports, not sure if I want to go if they are eliminated or substituted.

[sail7seas]

forgive me if I've missed a post on this but does anyone have any info on Turks or Half Moom Cay since Irma. Need to cancel within the week, if I'm going to and not getting anywhere with my TA. Can't find any info on HALs website either. Booked this cruise specifically for these two ports, not sure if I want to go if they are eliminated or substituted.

 

 

I've not read any specific information regarding HMC . I would read the Carnival forum as Carnival ships use HMC during the months HAL does not sail Caribb ean. Better chance to find HMC up date there , IMO.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

The cruise lines are currently coping with passengers displaced directly by the storms, mostly departures within the next 7-10 days only. Very little long term itinerary assessment has been made and it may be some weeks before we see cruise lines announce any ongoing itinerary changes.

 

Any sailing can miss ports due to wind or sea conditions on any given day, so if a port is make/break then cruising to that destination may not be your best option.

[RMLincoln]

There is a long update list on the CC News page as of today. Click the link in the upper right corner of THIS page to take you there and look for the update from 9-12. I scanned the list and I think it said that all Bahamian ports are currently closed, one reopened today I forget which one. I think Turks and Caicos are open but check the list. There was no specific mention of HMC. m--

[wendybf1]

This was posted on HAL's facebook page yesterday:

 

Hurricane Irma Update 9/11/2017: Holland America Line has one ship, ms Maasdam, scheduled to call in Ft. Lauderdale on Sept. 13. The Panama Canal cruise originated in Boston and is scheduled to embark more guests in Ft. Lauderdale on Wednesday. The ship is safe and currently sailing toward Ft. Lauderdale

If you are scheduled to embark on Maasdam, you should contact your airline to confirm your specific arrangements. We understand that South Florida airports should be operating under typical circumstances starting Tuesday, September 12th and expect airlines to start resuming service as early as tomorrow, depending on the carrier.

Should any adjustments be required to future sailings as a result of storm damage to ports, booked guests and their travel agents will be notified. We endeavor to maintain itineraries as published and will continue to monitor closely.

Our parent company, Carnival Corporation, has already begun outreach and support for those islands already impacted on behalf of the family of cruise lines. They have been in communication with officials in many of the Caribbean islands and have activated a plan to begin delivery of supplies on both an immediate and sustained, longer-term basis. These deliveries will be worked into ships’ cruise itineraries as part of ongoing operations.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in communities impacted by Hurricane Irma.

[bUU]

This was posted on HAL's facebook page yesterday:

 

Hurricane Irma Update 9/11/2017: Holland America Line has one ship, ms Maasdam, scheduled to call in Ft. Lauderdale on Sept. 13. The Panama Canal cruise originated in Boston and is scheduled to embark more guests in Ft. Lauderdale on Wednesday. The ship is safe and currently sailing toward Ft. Lauderdale

Maasdam is less than 20 nautical miles from port. It should be docking in a couple of hours.

[blizzardboy]

forgive me if I've missed a post on this but does anyone have any info on Turks or Half Moom Cay since Irma. Need to cancel within the week, if I'm going to and not getting anywhere with my TA. Can't find any info on HALs website either. Booked this cruise specifically for these two ports, not sure if I want to go if they are eliminated or substituted.

I was just looking over our Nationwide Choice Cruise insurance policy and discovered they will pay up to $750 if our itinerary is changed by the line prior to sailing. That will pay for a few poolside drinks if we choose to skip a port visit.

[Krazy Kruizers]

OP

I seriously doubt that you will know in a week if your itinerary will be changed.

[bUU]

I was just looking over our Nationwide Choice Cruise insurance policy and discovered they will pay up to $750 if our itinerary is changed by the line prior to sailing. That will pay for a few poolside drinks if we choose to skip a port visit.

I figured if that comes about it basically makes the insurance free.

[ski ww]

Watching the news the Turks & Caicos was one of the islands hardest hit, don't know if that means they'll cancel that port of call.

Allan

[mhg7274]

I am so torn about our upcoming cruise. We are supposed to cruise over Christmas. We originally were doing the Southern Caribbean, but our itinerary was changed to add the Cuba ports of call. I just don't know if I can go to the ports where they are now struggling, trying to rebuild and survive. I can't imagine sitting on the beach enjoying a drink knowing that there are people trying to survive and rebuild. It just doesn't seem fair does it?

[Brittany C]

Watching the news the Turks & Caicos was one of the islands hardest hit, don't know if that means they'll cancel that port of call.

Allan

 

Hi Allan,

 

Actually, T&C did not receive the brunt of the storm, and fortunately Grand Turk is open for business. For the latest on which Caribbean ports are open and which are the most damaged, please see our news story.

 

Happy Cruising,

 

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

[TXCruiser10]

I made final payment yesterday on my December cruise. I wanted to know what news there was of the condition of Tortola, Half Moon Cay and St. Maarten. I did an on-line chat with HAL and called them. Both times, I heard the same thing. "There are no itinerary changes at this time. They do not know when or if that will happen. There has not been any announcement regarding these ports. They cannot tell me anything else.:

[Boytjie]

Saw this on CC:

 

Half Moon Cay: Carnival brand ambassador John Heald is reporting that there is minimal beach erosion and no major damage at the private island, and that Carnival Corp. brands plan to call there very soon, although it might not be this week.

[innlady1]

Saw this on CC:

 

Half Moon Cay: Carnival brand ambassador John Heald is reporting that there is minimal beach erosion and no major damage at the private island, and that Carnival Corp. brands plan to call there very soon, although it might not be this week.

 

What happens with your RSVP cruise, Peter? I assume they have control over which ports you visit...so you can avoid hurricane damaged ports?

[Rasvar]

I made final payment yesterday on my December cruise. I wanted to know what news there was of the condition of Tortola, Half Moon Cay and St. Maarten. I did an on-line chat with HAL and called them. Both times, I heard the same thing. "There are no itinerary changes at this time. They do not know when or if that will happen. There has not been any announcement regarding these ports. They cannot tell me anything else.:

 

Just for reference, NCL posted an hour ago they are changing all their Eastern Caribbean itinerary to Western Caribbean for the next two months and will evaluate the ports for later sailings down the road.

[Aquahound]

I made final payment yesterday on my December cruise. I wanted to know what news there was of the condition of Tortola, Half Moon Cay and St. Maarten. I did an on-line chat with HAL and called them. Both times, I heard the same thing. "There are no itinerary changes at this time. They do not know when or if that will happen. There has not been any announcement regarding these ports. They cannot tell me anything else.:

 

My November Koningsdam cruise has HMC, St. Maarten and St. Thomas on the itinerary. Same here. No word yet on an itinerary change. I'm optimistic about HMC, but not so much on the other 2. Fortunately, the rest of the cruise is south.

[Boytjie]

What happens with your RSVP cruise, Peter? I assume they have control over which ports you visit...so you can avoid hurricane damaged ports?

 

We will have to wait and see. Our ports were HMC, Amber Cove and St. Thomas. HMC and Amber Cove seem to have been spared major damage but I wonder what would happen regarding St. Thomas (and St. John where a lot of people go to when in St. Thomas). While they sure need tourist money I don't know if they would have enough restored to deal with cruise passengers and might not want to have a lot of damage gawkers around.

 

The charters have a say in which ports to go to. A few years ago we were supposed to call on New Orleans in February and when too many people complained that it would likely not be hot enough (for those escaping the frozen North), the changed the whole itinerary to s Southern Caribbean one.

 

Maybe Cuba could be swapped in! I doubt Koningsdam will be able to go in there.

[NCTribeFan]

I asked about itinerary changes in the HAL for Dummies thread. I sail on 11/8. Our itinerary is more of a Southern than Eastern, but out first POC is supposed to be St Martin and the next-to-last is St Thomas. I will be surprised if those two aren't moved or become additional sea days. Our last day is at HMC.

 

I would never book (nor cancel) a cruise specifically for Grand Turk. Have been many times. It's just OK. Have toured the small island more than once. Absolutely will not get near the madhouse that is Margaritaville. Used to be able to go toward the tip of the island and get away from some of the noise and activity but they've "developed" that end more than it used to be. I don't care for Jack's Shack.

 

Of course, other people love that sort of stuff.

 

Only thing I've ever really enjoyed about Grand Turk was their Horseback Ride-and-Swim. It's up at the northern tip of the island (near the lighthouse), so you get an island tour just going there and back. And the riding in the horses in the water is some of the most fun I've ever had. I did that excursion on four consecutive stops there!

 

Anyway, it's too soon to know how the ports will recover. As I stated in that other thread, I sailed to Dominica 2 months after Erika did major damage there. We still had our (independent) island tour but it was obvious that there was much damage, including washed-out bridge and lots of detours.

[bUU]

I asked about itinerary changes in the HAL for Dummies thread. I sail on 11/8. Our itinerary is more of a Southern than Eastern, but out first POC is supposed to be St Martin and the next-to-last is St Thomas. I will be surprised if those two aren't moved or become additional sea days.

I wouldn't count St. Thomas out yet. Yes it is a big mess right now, and the chances that it'll be resolved sufficiently in two months are not stellar, but maybe we'll see a miracle. (When we visit St. Thomas, we go over to St. John. Unlike St. Thomas, I think it is safe to say that there's no chance of tourists visiting St. John in November.)

[blizzardboy]

I figured if that comes about it basically makes the insurance free.

Nationwide Ins. premium $368 through Insure my Trip. I couldn't care less about the potential itinerary changes, but I mentioned the fact it was covered so others like me who hadn't bought coverage with that in mind would check their policies.

[Tampa Girl]

I am so torn about our upcoming cruise. We are supposed to cruise over Christmas. We originally were doing the Southern Caribbean, but our itinerary was changed to add the Cuba ports of call. I just don't know if I can go to the ports where they are now struggling, trying to rebuild and survive. I can't imagine sitting on the beach enjoying a drink knowing that there are people trying to survive and rebuild. It just doesn't seem fair does it?

 

Have you considered that cruise ships and tourists might actually help these damaged islands?

[Love the beach]

Have you considered that cruise ships and tourists might actually help these damaged islands?

Exactly! They depend on tourism for their livelihood and rebuilding.

[Boytjie]

Exactly! They depend on tourism for their livelihood and rebuilding.

 

Yes, they need tourism money but they may be actually too busy rebuilding than to welcome tourists. Unless the cruise passengers are going to go all Habitat for Humanity while in port.

[bUU]

Nationwide Ins. premium $368 through Insure my Trip.

So pays for the insurance almost twice over, even better!