Hurricane Maria

[ONECRUISER]

It's slightly surreal to be on Oasis right now and traveling *towards* Maria (so we can port in Labadee tomorrow). Of course we should be a few days ahead of her arrival near Hispaniola. Still unnerving. (On that note ... shouldn't they be doing storm prep on Labadee by tomorrow?)

Hurricane is 700+ miles away "possible" Tropical force winds are 48+ hrs away. Ship be ok, they'd change ports or head away...

Sailed one yr we had 4 Hurricanes in area over Labor day. Had wild waves at times but very little bad weather as we steered around them changing ports...

Edited September 19, 2017 by ONECRUISER

[Dennis#1]

It's slightly surreal to be on Oasis right now and traveling *towards* Maria (so we can port in Labadee tomorrow). Of course we should be a few days ahead of her arrival near Hispaniola. Still unnerving. (On that note ... shouldn't they be doing storm prep on Labadee by tomorrow?)

 

Seems strange that the Oasis will visit Labadee tomorrow when Maria has become a Category 5 hurricane and is expected to hit Haiti sooner than expected.

 

Yes, they will be preparing for the hurricane. Many of the attractions will not be available.

[Riverwinds 13]

I think we better start praying ..... I will be on that cruise too. I would think that we will encounter some rough seas. Hopefully, What is left of Marie will stay away from the Eastern seaboard. See you onboard.

 

Let's say a little prayer for the people in the Caribbean. Real though break for them. So sad!

[Jzx1103]

At this rate, all the eastern carribean sailings on the Oasis class ships will switch to Western Carribean. Since all the places on the eastern carribean where they can dock would have been hit by a Cat 4 or Cat 5

[LMaxwell]

I just can't believe it...it is so surreal to be sitting here, fresh showered, comfortable, air conditioning, had a hot dinner, a stark contrast to a week ago...and to think these islands are going through so much worse, AGAIN. It's like being in the twilight zone.

[perditax]

Seems strange that the Oasis will visit Labadee tomorrow when Maria has become a Category 5 hurricane and is expected to hit Haiti sooner than expected.

 

Yes, they will be preparing for the hurricane. Many of the attractions will not be available.

 

It also seems to me that if the track shifts West to threaten Florida, it could be another weekend of missed ports and lengthened/shortened cruises. Cruise industry must be losing their minds right now.

 

(This is not to detract from the fact that Maria is making landfall on Dominica right now, likely a devastating one.)

 

This has been a sobering hurricane season.

[BND]

At this rate, all the eastern carribean sailings on the Oasis class ships will switch to Western Carribean. Since all the places on the eastern carribean where they can dock would have been hit by a Cat 4 or Cat 5

 

Geez, all Caribbean ports will not be destroyed. Get a grip. Dominica is currently being hit by the eye. St Kitts will not take a direct hit. They're getting outer bands.

[perditax]

Geez, all Caribbean ports will not be destroyed. Get a grip. Dominica is currently being hit by the eye. St Kitts will not take a direct hit. They're getting outer bands.

 

I'm generally not a fan of panic-mongering (such as the person who said Miami and Ft Laud would be 'uninhabitable for months' after Irma), and one thing I noticed with Irma is that my definition of the words 'devastated' and 'destroyed' are different from other people's. (With 'destroyed', I expected no structures to be standing on the 'destroyed' areas, but that's not what people typically mean, it seems.)

 

All this said, St Kitts is under a hurricane warning and looks like they would be on the 'bad' side of the storm. Max sustained winds 160mph.

 

I'm not a meteorologist, just looking at maps and the NHC site.

[LMaxwell]

For a frame of reference, two years ago a tropical storm with 50 MPH killed 31 people and destroyed almost 400 homes in Dominica. The last major hurricane was almost 40 years ago. It is currently being hit by a storm that went from Tropical Storm to Cat 5 160 MPH winds in about a days time.

 

[joluvscruzin]

My cruise isn't until Christmas. What about the people already ON their cruise? I haven't seen an announcement on them. Agreed with all the comments about the people directly affected (effected? I can never remember) too! Good thread.

 

Renee

 

I always reminded my students to be thankful they were born speaking Engish and didn't have to learn it as a second language with so many rules to remember!. Here's how to decide which one: Effect is the noun, affect is the verb. You were right the first time!

[LMaxwell]

Here is a link for the up to date what's what

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/sep/19/hurricane-maria-landfall-dominica-caribbean-category-five-storm-live

[gentlemancruiser]

For a frame of reference, two years ago a tropical storm with 50 MPH killed 31 people and destroyed almost 400 homes in Dominica. The last major hurricane was almost 40 years ago. It is currently being hit by a storm that went from Tropical Storm to Cat 5 160 MPH winds in about a days time.

 

 

Having seen how poor the construction of the homes are on Dominica I can only imagine the devastation.

Anyone who's been in Roseau will know how flimsy many of the wooded structures are. Most buildings look like they are ready to fall over. The Garraway Hotel is about the strongest structure in Roseau. Any good strong wind gusts would blow most of them down. The Fort Young Hotel was also badly damaged by that last tropical storm.

[Coopdog08]

I just can't believe it...it is so surreal to be sitting here, fresh showered, comfortable, air conditioning, had a hot dinner, a stark contrast to a week ago...and to think these islands are going through so much worse, AGAIN. It's like being in the twilight zone.

Let's be honest and put this in perspective for the people of Dominica. I believe you are from Fla so you will be a good guinea pig. Using fla as an example. Yesterday, 27 hrs ago Maria is a TS. You would be brushing it off...now 27-30 hrs later you are on the verge or in a the cusp of a cat 5 160 mph hurricane that is full feed ahead. The state of fla and most notably the area of anticipated LF would have been complete chaos today. Many people would not have evacuated as Maria was not even a major hurricane eight hrs ago. Not that the people of Dominica could evacuate but they had little time to prep with little support and not nearly the supplies that Fla would have. I fear this is going to be as bad as St Maarten. I have already heard the prime minister has been evacuated from his house as he lost his roof.

[BND]

I'm generally not a fan of panic-mongering (such as the person who said Miami and Ft Laud would be 'uninhabitable for months' after Irma), and one thing I noticed with Irma is that my definition of the words 'devastated' and 'destroyed' are different from other people's. (With 'destroyed', I expected no structures to be standing on the 'destroyed' areas, but that's not what people typically mean, it seems.)

 

All this said, St Kitts is under a hurricane warning and looks like they would be on the 'bad' side of the storm. Max sustained winds 160mph.

 

I'm not a meteorologist, just looking at maps and the NHC site.

 

My point was that all the Caribbean ports were not going to be destroyed. Yes, St Kitts is under a hurricane warning, but look at the radar. They are in the outer bands and the way the storm is moving they won't take anything close to a direct hit.

 

Dominica on the other hand is getting a direct hit. I don't know of many ships that go to Dominica, but they are going to be devastated by this storm.

[Coopdog08]

Here is a link for the up to date what's what

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2017/sep/19/hurricane-maria-landfall-dominica-caribbean-category-five-storm-live

Search Roosevelt Skerrit on Facebook. He is the PM of Dominica. Very scary, reports galvanized steel flying all over the place.

[gentlemancruiser]

My point was that all the Caribbean ports were not going to be destroyed. Yes, St Kitts is under a hurricane warning, but look at the radar. They are in the outer bands and the way the storm is moving they won't take anything close to a direct hit.

 

Dominica on the other hand is getting a direct hit. I don't know of many ships that go to Dominica, but they are going to be devastated by this storm.

 

Dominica really gets quite a few ships. Celebrity, HAL, Costa, Cunard. It's a very lush tropical islands that is very hilly. A lot like St. Lucia, but with more lush vegetation.

[BND]

Search Roosevelt Skerrit on Facebook. He is the PM of Dominica. Very scary, reports galvanized steel flying all over the place.

 

Galvanized steel, while cheap for roofing and siding is completely useless in a big storm. It weighs close to nothing. We've seen so many different structures in the Caribbean. In St. Maarten, even though concrete buildings survived, unless they had impact resistant glass, they had damage from wind/rain on the inside. The walls stood, but the windows were blown in. Building codes in the islands are virtually non-existent. The large hotels/resorts, particularly foreign owned tend to do better because they are built to higher standards.

[JandRtravel]

Currently on day 2 of our Adventure sailing. We just left St. Croix, which replaced the St. Maarten stop. The rest of our itinerary has been altered (thankfully) to avoid the storm. Antigua, St. Lucia, and Barbados have been dropped.

 

 

 

St. Kitts will only be a brief loading stop for supplies; no one will be disembarking. We'll be continuing to Aruba and stay overnight. The next day is Bonaire, followed by an "at sea" day and God willing, back to San Juan PR. I'm just grateful for Royal's care for their passengers. :)

 

 

 

This itinerary sounds fantastic! What a great alternate route! Hoping for calm seas and a return to PR!

 

 

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[BND]

I always reminded my students to be thankful they were born speaking Engish and didn't have to learn it as a second language with so many rules to remember!. Here's how to decide which one: Effect is the noun, affect is the verb. You were right the first time!

 

I see a lot of people who are confused about the difference between affect and effect. I paid attention in english class and being an admin I do edit other's work on occasion. It's the same with the different meanings of ensure and insure. It comes naturally to me to know the difference and it's just how my mind works, even if others don't get it.:D

[nyllrap]

I've never been this scared in my life... after seeing the devastation Irma caused in Barbuda, St. Marteen and St Thomas, I am not emotionally ready to handle this... I'm speechless right now... thanks to everyone that is worried. I know that a lot of you, my fellow cruisers, love San Juan and consider it your favorite port... please keep us in your thoughts...

 

 

 

Prayers sent for you and Puerto Rico.

 

 

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[JandRtravel]

 

Looking at Vessel Finder, most ships are out of the pathway of the storm at this time, they are either hugging coast of Florida or heading to Cuba or Nassau

 

 

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[Coopdog08]

Galvanized steel, while cheap for roofing and siding is completely useless in a big storm. It weighs close to nothing. We've seen so many different structures in the Caribbean. In St. Maarten, even though concrete buildings survived, unless they had impact resistant glass, they had damage from wind/rain on the inside. The walls stood, but the windows were blown in. Building codes in the islands are virtually non-existent. The large hotels/resorts, particularly foreign owned tend to do better because they are built to higher standards.

Hospital in Dominica has lost its roof and generators have failed. Radio broadcasting station has also lost its roof.

[perditax]

 

Looking at Vessel Finder, most ships are out of the pathway of the storm at this time, they are either hugging coast of Florida or heading to Cuba or Nassau

 

 

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Pretty sure that's not showing the position of Oasis, so may be missing others.

[Mr. Muster]

Prayers go out to all those in harm's way and for all those affected.

[LMaxwell]

Let's be honest and put this in perspective for the people of Dominica. I believe you are from Fla so you will be a good guinea pig. Using fla as an example. Yesterday, 27 hrs ago Maria is a TS. You would be brushing it off...now 27-30 hrs later you are on the verge or in a the cusp of a cat 5 160 mph hurricane that is full feed ahead. The state of fla and most notably the area of anticipated LF would have been complete chaos today. Many people would not have evacuated as Maria was not even a major hurricane eight hrs ago. Not that the people of Dominica could evacuate but they had little time to prep with little support and not nearly the supplies that Fla would have. I fear this is going to be as bad as St Maarten. I have already heard the prime minister has been evacuated from his house as he lost his roof.

 

I read Maria is the fastest intensifying storm in over 60 years.

I wouldn't brush off a tropical storm, but I would not be figuring out how to leave either. And you are right, I would never imagine a trop storm would be a cat 5 hurricane a day later. The past two weeks I've felt very aware of living on a peninsula and it is massive compared to these islands.

 

I can't imagine the dread people who have nowhere to go and know their structures will be demolished feel.