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St Maarten stop replaced by St Kitts

loman

By loman,
in Royal Caribbean International

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
We are sailing on OA at end of January -- itinerary -- St. Maarten, San Juan, Labadee -- wonder if St. Maarten will be ready for us by then or if they will substitute St. Kitts.

 

St. Maarten was hit by Hurricane Luis in the fall of 1995 and our late Feb. 1996 went to St. Croix instead.

I read someplace that St. Maarten won't be accepting cruise ships until next May.

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Sky616

Sky616

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We're on the Adventure out of San Juan in October. Given that it's a port heavy itinerary (St. Maarten, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbados) I'm expecting that St. Maarten will be replaced with a sea day. While I'm sorry we won't be stopping there, and I'd be happy with another port, I'm also ok with a sea day.

You may go to Martinique. We did last year but that was scheduled.

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dutchclogs

dutchclogs

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Originally posted by Kwolfsbauer I just received a text from Royal that Oct 8th sailing, St Maarten is being replaced by Nausea.

 

 

 

:') :') :')

 

Freudian slip there?? I don't mind the port thanks to Balmoral Island now, but I know a lot of people hate it.

 

 

LOL Must 'fess I didn't get it first reading -- the dreaded auto correct strikes again ?? :o

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
I have Freedom booked for April 28. I wonder if we will make it in. I really want to go there.

One factor in your favor is that they really need the commerce from tourism, so I would bet that if it's possible to accelerate the recovery process, it will happen.

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BND

BND

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I read someplace that St. Maarten won't be accepting cruise ships until next May.

 

I read that most of the hotels won't be accepting guests until May, but I saw somewhere else that they want to try to bring cruise ships back in Feb.

 

We haven't received official word that we're going to St. Kitts on our 22 Oct Oasis cruise, but someone the official RCI FB page asked and "RCI" responded that yes, we are going to St. Kitts. Someone else who is going on Nov 5 was told decisions haven't been made yet. I think we all know that they won't be going to St. Maarten, but I guess they're still working on where they'll go. St. Kitts can only take two ships at the pier. Nassau can obviously take a lot more, but they already have their schedules so it will depend on availability. Oasis has limited ports that it can visit so that makes it harder to reschedule.

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BNBR

BNBR

Posted
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:') :') :')

 

Freudian slip there?? I don't mind the port thanks to Balmoral Island now, but I know a lot of people hate it.

 

A lot of people who make no effort to get out and have fun hate it. I haven't been to Balmoral yet. I know it's the island shared with Sandals Resort, though. I'm sure it's pretty darn awesome. Right off Cable Beach. I've stayed at Baha Mar a couple of times and you can see the island from the beach. Such an awesome area. The water is crystal clear, warm, and white sandy beaches with service minded islanders.... ugh... hate it!

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BNBR

BNBR

Posted
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I read that most of the hotels won't be accepting guests until May, but I saw somewhere else that they want to try to bring cruise ships back in Feb.

 

We haven't received official word that we're going to St. Kitts on our 22 Oct Oasis cruise, but someone the official RCI FB page asked and "RCI" responded that yes, we are going to St. Kitts. Someone else who is going on Nov 5 was told decisions haven't been made yet. I think we all know that they won't be going to St. Maarten, but I guess they're still working on where they'll go. St. Kitts can only take two ships at the pier. Nassau can obviously take a lot more, but they already have their schedules so it will depend on availability. Oasis has limited ports that it can visit so that makes it harder to reschedule.

 

I can confirm that on Oct 7th Harmony, St Kitts instead of St Maarten. I have a good feeling Oasis will be the same a couple weeks later. Though I also think St Maarten will be rapidly rebuilding, I'd be surprised if it's more than a couple months before ships return, if not sooner.

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jagsfan

jagsfan

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Can the Oasis tender? When I was on the Allure I was told there were no tenders, only lifeboats.

 

I was in St. Kitts (docked) on the Norwegian Breakaway, so I imagine it can handle the Oasis.

 

 

 

Your post reminds me of years ago in Sitka. We were being picked up to go back to the ship (Sky Princess), when I noticed the name of the ship was on the boat. I hadn't noticed on our way to shore. I made the comment that Princess must keep boats in Sitka for their passengers. That's when a nice man told me we were in a lifeboat. I felt just a little dumb!

Most of the time you are tendering in a lifeboat.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

 

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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I read that most of the hotels won't be accepting guests until May, but I saw somewhere else that they want to try to bring cruise ships back in Feb.

 

We haven't received official word that we're going to St. Kitts on our 22 Oct Oasis cruise, but someone the official RCI FB page asked and "RCI" responded that yes, we are going to St. Kitts. Someone else who is going on Nov 5 was told decisions haven't been made yet. I think we all know that they won't be going to St. Maarten, but I guess they're still working on where they'll go. St. Kitts can only take two ships at the pier. Nassau can obviously take a lot more, but they already have their schedules so it will depend on availability. Oasis has limited ports that it can visit so that makes it harder to reschedule.

That would really be great as I have Allure booked in February.

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2DogHooman

2DogHooman

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We're also on the 10/7 Harmony sailing heading to Labadee, San Juan and now St. Kitts instead of St. Maarten. I'm happy to have a replacement port, and happy that it is one that we haven't been to before!

 

Getting worried about soon-to-be Hurricane Maria, though. If it goes as is projected, that could take San Juan and St. Kitts out of the mix (also potentially hitting St. Maarten and St. Thomas AGAIN)... then I am afraid we'll see all three Oasis-class ships flip over to Western itineraries for the foreseeable future, as all other options for Oasis-class ports are out of service. We are thrilled to have gotten a great deal on Harmony, and we are really going on this one for the ship more than anything else, but man... Costa Maya, Cozumel and Labadee are going to get CROWDED in a hurry if that happens! I'm happy to wait in a long line for a tender to Grand Cayman, though, if they are taking votes for back up locations?

 

Also, let it be said that the inconvenience and changes that we are experiencing pale in comparison to those that live in the ports that we love so much. I hope that all efforts to rebuild are quick and efficient, and that safety and security is available in all of the locations, sooner rather than later.

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PTAngel

PTAngel

Posted
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I'm on a cruise in November out of Baltimore on the Grandeur to Port Canaveral, Freeport, Coco Cay, Nassau, & Miami. I feel pretty safe with those ports.

 

However, in January I'm on a cruise on the Serenade to St Thomas, St Croix, Dominica, St Kitts, & St Maarten.

I'm pretty sure we won't be stopping at St Thomas or St Maarten. I wonder where they will send us if we are already scheduled for St Kitts? We'll have fun no matter where we go but I do like those ports & plan something different each time I go there.

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SherriZ366

SherriZ366

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We are sailing on OA on 1-28-2018 and are scheduled to be in St. Maarten. From cruisecal.com, it looks like there are already 3 ships in St. Kitts on the day we are scheduled for St. Maarten (Jan. 31) but it might work if they reversed or changed the itinerary so we could be in St. Kitts on Feb.1

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Clarea

Clarea

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I'm on a cruise in November out of Baltimore on the Grandeur to Port Canaveral, Freeport, Coco Cay, Nassau, & Miami. I feel pretty safe with those ports.

 

However, in January I'm on a cruise on the Serenade to St Thomas, St Croix, Dominica, St Kitts, & St Maarten.

I'm pretty sure we won't be stopping at St Thomas or St Maarten. I wonder where they will send us if we are already scheduled for St Kitts? We'll have fun no matter where we go but I do like those ports & plan something different each time I go there.

 

San Juan? Labadee? Sea day?

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Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

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We are sailing on OA on 1-28-2018 and are scheduled to be in St. Maarten. From cruisecal.com, it looks like there are already 3 ships in St. Kitts on the day we are scheduled for St. Maarten (Jan. 31) but it might work if they reversed or changed the itinerary so we could be in St. Kitts on Feb.1

Maybe tender in St. Kitts. I have tendered off of Serenade before. It isn't my preference but it can be done.

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Blauelini

Blauelini

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Though I also think St Maarten will be rapidly rebuilding, I'd be surprised if it's more than a couple months before ships return, if not sooner.

 

Even now people are trying to get off the island that have lived there for years and years. They are saying the infrastructure is just to far gone and they are wanting to start over somewhere else. This storm cannot be compared to any others. There is no money coming in (tourism is their life blood) other than from governments. It will be at least a year if not longer.

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julesbeara

julesbeara

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Captain on Adventure told us last week St Thomas will be replaced with St Croix going forward & St Maarten will be replaced with St Kitts. I talked to a friend & business owner on St Thomas. The plan is to repair Crown Bay by December, so they don't miss the high season totally.

 

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Hoopster95

Hoopster95

Posted
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I'm on a cruise in November out of Baltimore on the Grandeur to Port Canaveral, Freeport, Coco Cay, Nassau, & Miami. I feel pretty safe with those ports.

 

 

 

However, in January I'm on a cruise on the Serenade to St Thomas, St Croix, Dominica, St Kitts, & St Maarten.

 

I'm pretty sure we won't be stopping at St Thomas or St Maarten. I wonder where they will send us if we are already scheduled for St Kitts? We'll have fun no matter where we go but I do like those ports & plan something different each time I go there.

 

 

 

St. Lucia & Barbados would make your itinerary totally awesome

 

 

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