On Oosterdam now, have cancelled or changed 3 out of 4 ports

[sprockie]

We got on the Oosterdam on Saturday and because of this nasty storm that doesn't seem to go away, we missed HMC, had Cap Cana changed to Samana and now we're in San Juan instead of grand Turk.  I fully grasp why, but very disappointed.  We booked this itinerary for the beaches.☹️

[I Luv Crusin]

We missed Charlottetown PEI on our last cruise.  My husband went to a talk the next day that the Captain fully explained how he tried docking and why he ended up bailing on the port.  I really wanted to go to Green Gables but it was still a great cruise.

 

[sprockie]

That's too bad.  Charlottetown is a very nice port

[drowelf]

8 minutes ago, I Luv Crusin said:

We missed Charlottetown PEI on our last cruise.  My husband went to a talk the next day that the Captain fully explained how he tried docking and why he ended up bailing on the port.  I really wanted to go to Green Gables but it was still a great cruise.

 

 

We ended up having a miserable time at Green Gables (chilly & very rainy) back in 2000, when we did a Canada/New England Leaf tour, that I surprised my wife several years later with a trip to Halifax and a drive over to PEI so we could get a decent visit in. Did that one in August, so the weather was much nicer. Also got to take in a couple of Lobster Dinners (yum, yum). 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry to hear about missed ports and changes in itinerary.

 

It has happened to us a few times.

 

Just go with the flow.

[VTcruisenut]

1 hour ago, sprockie said:

We got on the Oosterdam on Saturday and because of this nasty storm that doesn't seem to go away, we missed HMC, had Cap Cana changed to Samana and now we're in San Juan instead of grand Turk.  I fully grasp why, but very disappointed.  We booked this itinerary for the beaches.☹️

We've been lucky, never missed a port due to weather!  We usually cruise mid-March, my sister was on the Oosterdam on the 12th- 19th and said the seas were rougher than she was used to, but she didn't miss any Ports.   I too, would be very disappointed, especially if I had to go to San Juan again!  It is my leas favorite port after Ocho Rios!

[sprockie]

50 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

We've been lucky, never missed a port due to weather!  We usually cruise mid-March, my sister was on the Oosterdam on the 12th- 19th and said the seas were rougher than she was used to, but she didn't miss any Ports.   I too, would be very disappointed, especially if I had to go to San Juan again!  It is my leas favorite port after Ocho Rios!

Exactly our thinking.  San Juan has absolutely no appeal to me.  We've been here several times too many.  Here we are on the ship.  Might as well be at sea.  I sure wish it was an option to circle back to HMC and catch it on the way back but that is never done.  I don't know why.  We've missed HMC a few times and GT once before, but never this kind of a mess.

Do other lines miss ports often or is this a smaller ship HAL thing?

Edited January 23, 2019 by sprockie

[Vict0riann]

We missed a couple of ports and changed days for others on a South Pacific cruise a few years ago.  Everyone understood that safety came first, and all the responsibility lies with the Captain.  

[VTcruisenut]

37 minutes ago, sprockie said:

Exactly our thinking.  San Juan has absolutely no appeal to me.  We've been here several times too many.  Here we are on the ship.  Might as well be at sea.  I sure wish it was an option to circle back to HMC and catch it on the way back but that is never done.  I don't know why.  We've missed HMC a few times and GT once before, but never this kind of a mess.

Do other lines miss ports often or is this a smaller ship HAL thing?

I think it is more about the weather regardless of the size of the ship.  Safety is always their primary concern.  But I am with you, I would be so disappointed to miss Half Moon Cay as it is my favorite place!  It seems any of the ports you have to tender into, if the weather is bad or sea if rough, you miss that port.  I guess we have been lucky and will hope for the best in March!

[OlsSalt]

Winds seem to be even more of a factor than weather or seas (actually all one and the same) - that is where the interesting stories get told. What high winds can do to essentially a hollow box floating on the water.

Edited January 23, 2019 by OlsSalt

[Djptcp]

We are sailing on the Feb. 2nd Oosterdam and don't care if ports are changed or cancelled. After 47 cruises, we have seen them all and just enjoy the ships more now. DH gets off to buy cigars, but we have done the excursions we wanted to in the past. On other cruises we have been turned away at Mahogany Bay, Roatan twice because of high winds and once in Freeport for the same reason. Also couldn't stop at Grand Cayman one time because of high seas and too dangerous for tendering. They turned into at sea days. Third time was the charm at Roatan and we finally got to get off on another cruise. Can't help the weather and people who blame the cruise lines should care that the Captains regard safety above all else.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Djptcp
Forgot to add one sentence.

[Nymich]

4 hours ago, I Luv Crusin said:

We missed Charlottetown PEI on our last cruise.  My husband went to a talk the next day that the Captain fully explained how he tried docking and why he ended up bailing on the port.  I really wanted to go to Green Gables but it was still a great cruise.

 

They changed 

 

5 hours ago, sprockie said:

We got on the Oosterdam on Saturday and because of this nasty storm that doesn't seem to go away, we missed HMC, had Cap Cana changed to Samana and now we're in San Juan instead of grand Turk.  I fully grasp why, but very disappointed.  We booked this itinerary for the beaches.☹️

Same thing happened to us on Oosterdam in November but we found a famous beach in Samana so it worked out well!

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

On the Prinsendam holiday cruise last month, we missed Cap Cana but the Captain took us to the Island of Catalina off the Dominican Republic instead.  We also missed HMC,  I think because the Captain felt the ship could not hold anchor there due to swells. Missing ports does happen unfortunately, and safety is their primary objective.

[Homosassa]

3 hours ago, sprockie said:

I sure wish it was an option to circle back to HMC and catch it on the way back but that is never done.  I don't know why.  We've missed HMC a few times and GT once before, but never this kind of a mess.

Do other lines miss ports often or is this a smaller ship HAL thing?

If you are due into home port this Saturday, 1/26, Half Moon Cay may not be an option for any ship scheduled to be there on Friday, 1/25. 

 

We are expecting a frontal passage on Thursday, 1/24, that will go from west to east over Florida.  Heavy rain with gusts up to 60 mph are currently predicted for us  on the west coast.  As the front moves east and out over the Atlantic, there is a good chance Half Moon Cay will be a no go on Friday.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Homosassa

[Crazy For Cats]

4 hours ago, VTcruisenut said:

We've been lucky, never missed a port due to weather!  We usually cruise mid-March, my sister was on the Oosterdam on the 12th- 19th and said the seas were rougher than she was used to, but she didn't miss any Ports.   I too, would be very disappointed, especially if I had to go to San Juan again!  It is my leas favorite port after Ocho Rios!

 

If I were on board I’d be thrilled with going to San Juan instead of a Grand Turk.  San Juan being our favorite port.  I see this as an example of how two people on the same ship can have different views of the same cruise.  

[I like vacation]

We are on same cruise as op.  Disappointed as well.  Had a great time at hmc in nov.  Also disappointed that we tried to get on the behind the scenes tour but they won't run it unless there are 4 passengers interested.  

[I like vacation]

We are on same cruise as op.  Disappointed as well.  Had a great time at hmc in nov.  Also disappointed that we tried to get on the behind the scenes tour but they won't run it unless there are 4 passengers interested.  

[I like vacation]

They have us plus one other for 3 but don't appear to be interested in finding one more.  No mention in the when and where or any other announcement.

 

[I like vacation]

They have us plus one other for 3 but don't appear to be interested in finding one more.  No mention in the when and where or any other announcement.

 

[Copper10-8]

It happens.............

[kazu]

sprockie, if it makes you feel any better, when we did the Hawaii, Marquesas, Tahiti cruise a few years ago, it was the worst weather in 50 years.  (We heard it enough time from locals to know it was true).

 

We ended up spending more time at sea than a Transatlantic would plus.

 

Missed 3 ports and then the itinerary had to be shuffled so that the ship could get stores.

 

disappointed?  Yes, but that's what happens sometimes.  Captains can only do what they can do with what weather they are dealt.

 

It was a really bad storm - trust me, you wouldn't have wanted to be in the middle of it.

 

We are still skating here or sliding in cars from it.

 

If you've been to El Moro before in San Juan, how about heading to the other fort?  They are both quite captivating (if you like history).  

 

Hope you can enjoy the cruise and the ship just the same and sorry to hear about your disappointment.  I totally 'get' it.

[Overhead Fred]

Great picture @Copper10-8!

[mcrcruiser]

4 hours ago, Djptcp said:

We are sailing on the Feb. 2nd Oosterdam and don't care if ports are changed or cancelled. After 47 cruises, we have seen them all and just enjoy the ships more now. DH gets off to buy cigars, but we have done the excursions we wanted to in the past. On other cruises we have been turned away at Mahogany Bay, Roatan twice because of high winds and once in Freeport for the same reason. Also couldn't stop at Grand Cayman one time because of high seas and too dangerous for tendering. They turned into at sea days. Third time was the charm at Roatan and we finally got to get off on another cruise. Can't help the weather and people who blame the cruise lines should care that the Captains regard safety above all else.

Definitely agree passenger & crew safety must come first & that is the prime thinking for any cruise ship captain  except that idiot  Costa Cruise line captain  that killed 30 odd passengers  .So sad

[VTcruisenut]

9 hours ago, sprockie said:

We got on the Oosterdam on Saturday and because of this nasty storm that doesn't seem to go away, we missed HMC, had Cap Cana changed to Samana and now we're in San Juan instead of grand Turk.  I fully grasp why, but very disappointed.  We booked this itinerary for the beaches.☹️

Question?  my sister got off the Oosterdam on the 19th when you boarded and she said the Seaview pool /aft deck was out of commission the entire week!! has the problem been resolved?  in 7 cruises, I have never been in the Lido pool!  We love the aft deck the best.  

[sprockie]

It opened yesterday