Puerto Rico

[gg88]

Don't really consider myself "lucky" here at all. Puerto Rico is devastated. While I am supportive of restoration efforts and fully understand the Islands and Ports wanting to get back to business - Puerto Rico is not prepared to be a port. Our hotel has been devastated, there most likely will not be power for several weeks or months if that. Citizens are walking around with guns, there is no police protection whatsoever. Anyone arriving in Puerto Rico is a target for these desperate individuals and I don't feel there is any safe way to get to the Port. They have limited transportation. While the Port may be fine to dock a ship - it is the worst possible choice for tourists to come to. In calling Celebrity I was informed that I cannot change my cruise to another itinerary as they want to honor this sailing. I don't think this should be done at the guests expense.

 

#FakeNews #ChickenLittle

[PromoLaine]

Where have you read that there is no police protection? Just concerned but I haven't read this. I did read that the National Guard is being used where needed but I thought they were working in tandem with the local authorities.

 

Army Corp of Engineers located in PR. Headline News and Fox News have shown videos of people breaking into stores to get food - they are all desperate and it is understandable. To the person that posted we were being selfish when others have lost everything- that's not true. I fear for the safety of everyone stepping into PR and the Cruise Lines should not be so worried about the financial inconveniences they are facing. They should be assisting in this devastation to help residents and reschedule cruises to another time that is better for all.

[jcpc]

I am on the repo cruise that terminates in San Juan on October 28. I will state right now: I do not want to go to San Juan and I may consider cancelling if the homeport of Summit doesn't change. I realize I will lose my money.

 

I know Celebrity doesn't care if I cancel or not.....they already have my money. I'll make that decision much closer to departure date.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[hcat]

If it terminates there and you can book cruiseline transfers to the airport and have an immed flight out, it could work.....overnight there and getting your own transport for flights might be more complicated

 

Overall, it appears, they are rushing back to ports that are not ready to be vacation places . Scenery and natural beauty have taken huge hits.......fewer tours, less options for restaurants, shopping, etc No assurances of comfort and no credit back for visiting damaged ports.

 

Rebuiding structures, boardwalks, repairing roads will take many months in most of the heavily damaged ports....

[CheckedBaggage]

I just copied this from a Facebook friend's post. I think this says a lot about what recovery looks like. I have seen it first hand after a flood. This woman lives near Key West. I would have posted the picture of what's left of her home but I couldn't figure out how. These are her words not mine.

 

-Know what I've been thinking all week?

Every time a storm hits and devastates a place, you see the damage, and then you go on about your life.

No one tells you that every plant and tree dies. No one tells you how bad it smells. No one tells you that you'll be picking up random garbage and pickle jars and fishing line for months.

No one talks about the mounds, no, mountains, of garbage that will be stacked just outside your home, for who knows how long.

No one tells you that you'll spend nearly a week just trying to clear enough space to check and see how your boat did.

We don't have "TV" here (hell, we don't even have electricity), but I can already see the tides of Facebook changing.

It's all NFL and fall and pumpkin spice and everything but what it was a week and a half ago.

I'm not saying dwell on it. I'm just saying that this storm aftermath stuff is way more than what I've been shown my whole life.

Everything is dead and decaying. Everyone looks lost and everything is broken.

There are porta-potties on every corner.

I just thought someone finally should say what it's like.

Be Kind ❤

[boscobeans]

If it terminates there and you can book cruiseline transfers to the airport and have an immed flight out, it could work.....overnight there and getting your own transport for flights might be more complicated

 

Overall, it appears, they are rushing back to ports that are not ready to be vacation places . Scenery and natural beauty have taken huge hits.......fewer tours, less options for restaurants, shopping, etc No assurances of comfort and no credit back for visiting damaged ports.

 

Rebuiding structures, boardwalks, repairing roads will take many months in most of the heavily damaged ports....

 

 

From all the videos and news stories there is a major problem with the power grid. The problem is that is has been destroyed. It cannot be repaired, it is DESTROYED and has to be rebuilt from the ground up.

 

First the generators must be made well. Then the high tension towers, which in most places have been destroyed, must be put up and the linesmen can finally get to work installing the miles and miles of high voltage lines from the source to the local distribution centers. From these centers to the people, new utility poles, transformers and lines must be installed and rerun. Once that is done lines must wait for all on them to be made ready or cut off line and since so many structures have been damaged or destroyed totally that will be a while. The are videos of people trying to get the downed poles off the streets. The poles are cemented into the sidewalks in many places making replacement ten times more difficult. Where can they get thousands and thousands of poles, hundreds of miles of cables and wires, thousands of transformers, high tension towers and the crews to do the work?

 

The US Army engineers are moving in with heavy equipment, bulldozers, excavators and other equipment needed to just clear the roads. Gasoline is there and is being distributed to hospitals and gas stations (with generators) and limited to 10 gallons per person by decree of the governor.

 

Hundreds of satellite phones have been distributed to areas all over the island to help with emercency communications since there are only a couple of operating cell towers.

 

I would be surprised if any of the cruise lines decisions to make San Juan a viable stop, other than to deliver some rescue suppleis and leave, come to pass.

 

And as far as St. Maarten goes here is a 30 miute video of what that island looks like. Remember it is a smaller island and may be easier to repair however it is getting nowhere near the vast amount of emerc=gency aid that Puerto Rico is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vz2dwnUGgo

 

I hope I am wrong.

 

bosco

Edited September 27, 2017 by boscobeans

[Niagarawine]

If it terminates there and you can book cruiseline transfers to the airport and have an immed flight out, it could work.....overnight there and getting your own transport for flights might be more complicated

 

Overall, it appears, they are rushing back to ports that are not ready to be vacation places . Scenery and natural beauty have taken huge hits.......fewer tours, less options for restaurants, shopping, etc No assurances of comfort and no credit back for visiting damaged ports.

 

Rebuiding structures, boardwalks, repairing roads will take many months in most of the heavily damaged ports....

This how I feel. I am not sailing on this line this time but my cruise goes to,St. croix, San Juan and somewhere else . Just my thoughts also

[CheckedBaggage]

It's been so long since I had to cancel airfare. If you had to is it still the practice that you can pay something and get to keep part of the fare towards new reservations?

 

Praying for PR.

[lostchild]

It's been so long since I had to cancel airfare. If you had to is it still the practice that you can pay something and get to keep part of the fare towards new reservations?

 

Praying for PR.

 

I only had to do it with United and Delta before, but they will let you use your paid fare for another trip within 1 year. You have to pay about $200 per ticket for the change fee. Make sure you save your original trip information (confirmation number, ticket number, dates, flight numbers, passenger name, etc..) before you cancel the ticket.

[Smitty83]

I'm on the Repo cruise Oct 22. I had originally booked non-refundable return flight on the 29th, the day after we dock in PR.

 

I checked yesterday and it will cost $200 per ticket plus any fare increase to rebook to the day that we dock. As a result, I'm hedging and waiting until we see if anything changes tomorrow.

[cruiserchuck]

From what I am hearing on the news, things are really bad in Puerto Rico. I would be really surprised if Celebrity is starting/ending cruises there in October.

[cruiserchuck]

I'm on the Repo cruise Oct 22. I had originally booked non-refundable return flight on the 29th, the day after we dock in PR.

 

I checked yesterday and it will cost $200 per ticket plus any fare increase to rebook to the day that we dock. As a result, I'm hedging and waiting until we see if anything changes tomorrow.

 

Some airlines are waiving the change fee for San Juan and other areas hit by hurricanes. If you have not already done so, you might want to ask your airline if they are waiving change fees.

[CheckedBaggage]

I only had to do it with United and Delta before, but they will let you use your paid fare for another trip within 1 year. You have to pay about $200 per ticket for the change fee. Make sure you save your original trip information (confirmation number, ticket number, dates, flight numbers, passenger name, etc..) before you cancel the ticket.

 

TY I appreciate it..

[CheckedBaggage]

I'm on the Repo cruise Oct 22. I had originally booked non-refundable return flight on the 29th, the day after we dock in PR.

 

I checked yesterday and it will cost $200 per ticket plus any fare increase to rebook to the day that we dock. As a result, I'm hedging and waiting until we see if anything changes tomorrow.

 

Thanks for letting me know.

[CheckedBaggage]

Some airlines are waiving the change fee for San Juan and other areas hit by hurricanes. If you have not already done so, you might want to ask your airline if they are waiving change fees.

 

Thank you for your response.

[CheckedBaggage]

I'm on the Repo cruise Oct 22. I had originally booked non-refundable return flight on the 29th, the day after we dock in PR.

 

I checked yesterday and it will cost $200 per ticket plus any fare increase to rebook to the day that we dock. As a result, I'm hedging and waiting until we see if anything changes tomorrow.

 

I am hoping that whatever happens you and yours will be safe.

[CheckedBaggage]

I'm on the Repo cruise Oct 22. I had originally booked non-refundable return flight on the 29th, the day after we dock in PR.

 

I checked yesterday and it will cost $200 per ticket plus any fare increase to rebook to the day that we dock. As a result, I'm hedging and waiting until we see if anything changes tomorrow.

 

You will be on my mind and I hope it all works.

[Smitty83]

Some airlines are waiving the change fee for San Juan and other areas hit by hurricanes. If you have not already done so, you might want to ask your airline if they are waiving change fees.

 

Not that far out so far.

[michael91401]

I am booked on the November 4 sailing from San Juan on the Summit. So far, Celebrity has changed some of the ports, but the embarkation/disembarkation port of San Juan remains unchanged on the itinerary. I think it is irresponsible for any cruise line to expect thousands of passengers to be planning travel to a disaster zone. Conditions in San Juan are not likely to be significantly improved within the coming weeks, and certainly not within the time frame that passengers require in order to alter airline reservations.

As a colleague I was able to reach in San Juan stated, "This is a disaster zone. This is not a vacation destination."

[cruiserchuck]

Not that far out so far.

 

American Airlines appears to be allowing changes for flights involving San Juan through November 30.

 

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-alerts.jsp

 

Hurricane Maria - Caribbean

Information current as of September 26, 2017

If you’re traveling to/through/from:

 

• San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
  

The change fee may be waived if you:

• Bought your ticket by September 18, 2017
  
• Are scheduled to travel September 18 - November 30, 2017
  
• Can travel September 24, 2017 - March 31, 2018
  
• Don't change your origin or destination city
  
• Contact Reservations to change your origin and destination city (difference in fare will apply)
  
• Rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference
  

Change your trip

 

If your trip is eligible, you can change it online. Here’s how:

• Find your trip
  
• If your trip is eligible, you’ll see the option to ‘change trip’ in the toolbar
  

[trvldog]

Delta also has waivers ~~~

https://www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/advisories/hurricane-irma.html

AFFECTED CITIES (TO / FROM / THROUGH)

IMPACTED TRAVEL DATE(S)

September 5, 2017 – April 2, 2018

TICKET MUST BE REISSUED ON OR BEFORE October 31, 2017

REBOOKED TRAVEL MUST BEGIN NO LATER THAN

September 27, 2018

San Juan, PR (SJU)

St. Maarten SX (SXM)

St. Thomas, VI (STT)

When rescheduled travel occurs beyond September 27, 2018, the change fee will be waived. However, a difference in fare may apply. Final travel must be completed by end of ticket validity, one year from date of original issue. If travel is not able to be rescheduled within these guidelines, customers may cancel their reservation and apply any unused value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket for a period of one year from the original ticket issuance. Applicable change fee and fare difference will apply for new travel dates. Final travel must be completed by end of ticket validity.

[Smitty83]

American Airlines appears to be allowing changes for flights involving San Juan through November 30.

 

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-alerts.jsp

 

Hurricane Maria - Caribbean

Information current as of September 26, 2017

If you’re traveling to/through/from:

 

• San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU)
  

The change fee may be waived if you:

• Bought your ticket by September 18, 2017
  
• Are scheduled to travel September 18 - November 30, 2017
  
• Can travel September 24, 2017 - March 31, 2018
  
• Don't change your origin or destination city
  
• Contact Reservations to change your origin and destination city (difference in fare will apply)
  
• Rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference
  

Change your trip

 

If your trip is eligible, you can change it online. Here’s how:

• Find your trip
  
• If your trip is eligible, you’ll see the option to ‘change trip’ in the toolbar
  

 

Last time I looked it was September 30. Thanks!

[Smitty83]

I was able to change my flight - now I'll be leaving from the ship to the airport. No worries about staying overnight.

[VacationsRme]

We are scheduled for the 10/28/2017 sailing on the summit. We received a call from Celebrity saying we are still good to go and we will are now going to St. Thomas. Have they lost their minds? How in the world can they say that. Hotels are not open. The airport is not open. How will we get a ride to the ship? This is crazy.

[madcitymaven]

We are scheduled for the 10/28/2017 sailing on the summit. We received a call from Celebrity saying we are still good to go and we will are now going to St. Thomas. Have they lost their minds? How in the world can they say that. Hotels are not open. The airport is not open. How will we get a ride to the ship? This is crazy.

 

This IS crazy and it’s a reflection of Celebrity’s greed and disregard for the safety of it’s customers. We’re scheduled for the 11/4/17 Summit sailing and I can’t believe they’re going ahead using the port of San Juan. This is very irresponsible and we are not happy!