Atlantic storm Dorian

[May26]

Hello, friends, and thank you for all the great info that has been shared over the last week! We're still debating if we should board our plane tomorrow morning from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. We're on the RCI Empress sailing (originally 9/1), and are worried about whether we'll end up stranded in Miami with the Wednesday sailing cancelled. We have alternate vacation plans (we'll have a grand rail adventure instead and Amtrak all the way down to San Diego!), but our preference is 100% still the cruise (my first!), even if it's cut down to just 4 days. Is it crazy for us to head directly into the hurricane? With the talk of grocery stores being stripped and possible evacuations, it feels a little foolish for us to show up with our cruise luggage with no extra water/ food, etc. Do you think the chances are high that Miami will be evacuated and the cruise cancelled? We have about 10 hours to decide 😄

[Peachypooh]

16 minutes ago, May26 said:

Hello, friends, and thank you for all the great info that has been shared over the last week! We're still debating if we should board our plane tomorrow morning from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. We're on the RCI Empress sailing (originally 9/1), and are worried about whether we'll end up stranded in Miami with the Wednesday sailing cancelled. We have alternate vacation plans (we'll have a grand rail adventure instead and Amtrak all the way down to San Diego!), but our preference is 100% still the cruise (my first!), even if it's cut down to just 4 days. Is it crazy for us to head directly into the hurricane? With the talk of grocery stores being stripped and possible evacuations, it feels a little foolish for us to show up with our cruise luggage with no extra water/ food, etc. Do you think the chances are high that Miami will be evacuated and the cruise cancelled? We have about 10 hours to decide 😄

I really don't know the answer but if I were you I would pack an empty tote bag and once I got through security I would stock up

on bottled water and nutritious snacks if you decide to try to go.

[LHT28]

33 minutes ago, May26 said:

Hello, friends, and thank you for all the great info that has been shared over the last week! We're still debating if we should board our plane tomorrow morning from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. We're on the RCI Empress sailing (originally 9/1), and are worried about whether we'll end up stranded in Miami with the Wednesday sailing cancelled.

Have you checked with the airline to see if you can change your flights? or refund you?

The Empress sailing on the  4th but who knows what it will be like in South Florida  by then

Maybe RCL will refund you or maybe  not

 

[cangelmd]

1 hour ago, KimmieQ said:

New friends of this board, I’m exhausted.  Send us some good vibes that we make it to FLL for our boat!  We have been “traveling” all day and literally got nowhere due to the storms in DFW.  We were boarded on two different planes.  We got above DFW & tried to land, the airport was shut down right before approach, and we circled around for idk how long until we were turned back to TUL.  Then we sat on the plane for an hour and a half, and we’re now hitching a ride in a car with someone we met on one of our TWO planes to DFW.  So, we missed the last possible connection to FLL OR MIA for tonight and have to gamble for tmrw am. I could have driven to DFW if only I’d had a clue. 😞 please don’t rub it in that hubby opted out of trip insurance.  Luckily some of this will be covered by our wonderful Chase Card.  We don’t even know where our bags are, they wouldn’t really say, and I checked my carry on for free at their insistence so we don’t have any clothes or toiletries.  I hope you’ll send me positive thoughts and someone learns from this post. Lol

Bless you! Have a glass of wine before bed, wherever that ends up being

[pjs9876]

1 hour ago, KimmieQ said:

New friends of this board, I’m exhausted.  Send us some good vibes that we make it to FLL for our boat!  We have been “traveling” all day and literally got nowhere due to the storms in DFW.  We were boarded on two different planes.  We got above DFW & tried to land, the airport was shut down right before approach, and we circled around for idk how long until we were turned back to TUL.  Then we sat on the plane for an hour and a half, and we’re now hitching a ride in a car with someone we met on one of our TWO planes to DFW.  So, we missed the last possible connection to FLL OR MIA for tonight and have to gamble for tmrw am. I could have driven to DFW if only I’d had a clue. 😞 please don’t rub it in that hubby opted out of trip insurance.  Luckily some of this will be covered by our wonderful Chase Card.  We don’t even know where our bags are, they wouldn’t really say, and I checked my carry on for free at their insistence so we don’t have any clothes or toiletries.  I hope you’ll send me positive thoughts and someone learns from this post. Lol

So sorry to hear of all your trials and tribulations. You DESERVE a cruise! Good luck!

[pmt3]

Praying for everyone...we live on the Space coast of FL so have not experienced all of the transportation challenges that you all are going through, it sounds awful and I hope you all get a chance to relax soon! We are driving but are also conflicted about leaving at all at this point. Will our home be intact when we return? I've lived here 20 years and have never seen models so spread out, with wind estimates so high. No one even knows where to go, but south FL is starting to look better than North. Hoping there is more clarity tomorrow and it continues to move east away from land!

 

On a lighter note, if you are "stuck" in Miami tomorrow, make the most of it. There obviously are many things to do in the touristy and expensive international  South Beach area but also many things to do inland ... zoo is amazing, Vizcaya, art museums, (hipster/fun)Wynwood, little Havana (Cuban), sophisticated Brickell and quaint Coconut Grove, there really is something for everyone, all ages, all tastes, just search internet and enjoy the city. Ubers and public transportation are plentiful. Best wishes to all, if we get on this cruise, we may need a drink!

[May26]

1 hour ago, Peachypooh said:

I really don't know the answer but if I were you I would pack an empty tote bag and once I got through security I would stock up

on bottled water and nutritious snacks if you decide to try to go.

This ended up helping a lot. I read this to my husband along with some texts from friends in the area, and he said "that doesn't sound like a vacation", and I agreed. We just called it after a whole day of agonizing! We're cancelling and just booked train tickets from Seattle down to San Diego! Happy that we'll still have some sun and ocean time 🙂 Looking forward to my first cruise sometime in the next year w/ RCI. Good luck, everyone!

[Traciewatson]

5 minutes ago, May26 said:

This ended up helping a lot. I read this to my husband along with some texts from friends in the area, and he said "that doesn't sound like a vacation", and I agreed. We just called it after a whole day of agonizing! We're cancelling and just booked train tickets from Seattle down to San Diego! Happy that we'll still have some sun and ocean time 🙂 Looking forward to my first cruise sometime in the next year w/ RCI. Good luck, everyone!

Hi, we also ended up canceling our Harmony out of Port Canaveral 9/1 and we used our travel funds from the airfare and we are in Seattle! We flew up from Phoenix this morning and have had a great day! Still a little sad about the cruise, but happy not to be in all that mess and just hope everyone is safe. 

[pmt3]

I had lunch at PC today, 3 ships in port and beautiful day but probably a good decision because coming back might be a challenge. Come back soon though, it is a great area and leave time to visit KSC and our uncrowded beaches.

[May26]

58 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Have you checked with the airline to see if you can change your flights? or refund you?

The Empress sailing on the  4th but who knows what it will be like in South Florida  by then

Maybe RCL will refund you or maybe  not

 

In case this helps anyone, at first it seemed like we'd lose out entirely on the flight because we booked Alaska's Saver Fare (zero refunds or changes!). When I logged in, it didn't allow me to cancel, and we were outside of their window for "free" changes due to the hurricane. However, we called, and they were great about allowing us to use the funds for a future flight. Same with the hotel, booked on hotels.com with zero cancellations. However, they were happy to issue a refund when we called. So anyone in a similar situation, do try calling! RC is allowing all affected to utilize the $ towards a future cruise within a year. Still a little sad about it all, but at peace with our final decision to cancel! 

[jakeil7]

4 hours ago, KimmieQ said:

New friends of this board, I’m exhausted.  Send us some good vibes that we make it to FLL for our boat!  We have been “traveling” all day and literally got nowhere due to the storms in DFW.  We were boarded on two different planes.  We got above DFW & tried to land, the airport was shut down right before approach, and we circled around for idk how long until we were turned back to TUL.  Then we sat on the plane for an hour and a half, and we’re now hitching a ride in a car with someone we met on one of our TWO planes to DFW.  So, we missed the last possible connection to FLL OR MIA for tonight and have to gamble for tmrw am. I could have driven to DFW if only I’d had a clue. 😞 please don’t rub it in that hubby opted out of trip insurance.  Luckily some of this will be covered by our wonderful Chase Card.  We don’t even know where our bags are, they wouldn’t really say, and I checked my carry on for free at their insistence so we don’t have any clothes or toiletries.  I hope you’ll send me positive thoughts and someone learns from this post. Lol

I’m right there with you!  I was supposed to land at my home airport in central PA from DFW at 10pm. It’s now 3am and I’m driving home from Philly. 😡

[david_sobe]

6 hours ago, May26 said:

Hello, friends, and thank you for all the great info that has been shared over the last week! We're still debating if we should board our plane tomorrow morning from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. We're on the RCI Empress sailing (originally 9/1), and are worried about whether we'll end up stranded in Miami with the Wednesday sailing cancelled. We have alternate vacation plans (we'll have a grand rail adventure instead and Amtrak all the way down to San Diego!), but our preference is 100% still the cruise (my first!), even if it's cut down to just 4 days. Is it crazy for us to head directly into the hurricane? With the talk of grocery stores being stripped and possible evacuations, it feels a little foolish for us to show up with our cruise luggage with no extra water/ food, etc. Do you think the chances are high that Miami will be evacuated and the cruise cancelled? We have about 10 hours to decide 😄

The storm is tracking north.  At 5 am, Miami is out of the cone.  If the trend continues, Ft Lauderdale could be next out of the cone.  Its all unpredictable but the trend is encouraging.

[NyYankees2k3]

I know a lot people have it worse.. I am wondering why NCL waited so long for the 8/31 sky anncoument. Then cancelled Key west only 2-3 hours after the first change.  Now it's not going to even hit key west or Miami.

[murfturf]

9 hours ago, KimmieQ said:

New friends of this board, I’m exhausted.  Send us some good vibes that we make it to FLL for our boat!  We have been “traveling” all day and literally got nowhere due to the storms in DFW.  We were boarded on two different planes.  We got above DFW & tried to land, the airport was shut down right before approach, and we circled around for idk how long until we were turned back to TUL.  Then we sat on the plane for an hour and a half, and we’re now hitching a ride in a car with someone we met on one of our TWO planes to DFW.  So, we missed the last possible connection to FLL OR MIA for tonight and have to gamble for tmrw am. I could have driven to DFW if only I’d had a clue. 😞 please don’t rub it in that hubby opted out of trip insurance.  Luckily some of this will be covered by our wonderful Chase Card.  We don’t even know where our bags are, they wouldn’t really say, and I checked my carry on for free at their insistence so we don’t have any clothes or toiletries.  I hope you’ll send me positive thoughts and someone learns from this post. Lol

 

Praying you get to where you are going safely! You deserve a vacation after your vacation! Please be safe. 

[Raiderguy8]

16 hours ago, buckeyefrank said:

Was talking to my wife about this too.  We may be on a cruise to nowhere as well.  There's not many places we could get to with the storm still out there I would think.  I don't know that we could get down to PR or St Thomas area, Nassau could be a mess, HMC will likely be a mess.  Bermuda is an option, but not likely with no berths left.

All of this time we have been wondering if we would be able to get out of Charleston.  With the latest forecast I am now starting to wonder if we will be able to get back in on the morning of the 8th.  If Dorian stays off of the coast of Florida as some are predicting:

Charleston appears to be almost a direct hit Thursday morning.  Will we be able to get back in and what shape will the port and the city be in when we do get in?  This has been the craziest week watching all of the twists and turns.  Seems like just yesterday it was thought that the Hispaniola mountains would tear Dorian apart....

[Jasonmom]

9 hours ago, KimmieQ said:

New friends of this board, I’m exhausted.  Send us some good vibes that we make it to FLL for our boat!  We have been “traveling” all day and literally got nowhere due to the storms in DFW.  We were boarded on two different planes.  We got above DFW & tried to land, the airport was shut down right before approach, and we circled around for idk how long until we were turned back to TUL.  Then we sat on the plane for an hour and a half, and we’re now hitching a ride in a car with someone we met on one of our TWO planes to DFW.  So, we missed the last possible connection to FLL OR MIA for tonight and have to gamble for tmrw am. I could have driven to DFW if only I’d had a clue. 😞 please don’t rub it in that hubby opted out of trip insurance.  Luckily some of this will be covered by our wonderful Chase Card.  We don’t even know where our bags are, they wouldn’t really say, and I checked my carry on for free at their insistence so we don’t have any clothes or toiletries.  I hope you’ll send me positive thoughts and someone learns from this post. Lol

 

I believe everyone on this site feels for you.  Hope you will come back on and update us.  Hope they at least find your clothes soon. 

[geocruiser]

8 hours ago, pmt3 said:

Praying for everyone...we live on the Space coast of FL so have not experienced all of the transportation challenges that you all are going through, it sounds awful and I hope you all get a chance to relax soon! We are driving but are also conflicted about leaving at all at this point. Will our home be intact when we return? I've lived here 20 years and have never seen models so spread out, with wind estimates so high. No one even knows where to go, but south FL is starting to look better than North. Hoping there is more clarity tomorrow and it continues to move east away from land!

 

On a lighter note, if you are "stuck" in Miami tomorrow, make the most of it. There obviously are many things to do in the touristy and expensive international  South Beach area but also many things to do inland ... zoo is amazing, Vizcaya, art museums, (hipster/fun)Wynwood, little Havana (Cuban), sophisticated Brickell and quaint Coconut Grove, there really is something for everyone, all ages, all tastes, just search internet and enjoy the city. Ubers and public transportation are plentiful. Best wishes to all, if we get on this cruise, we may need a drink!

Wishing you the best with the storm.  We have a place south of you in Indian Harbour Beach.  Across the street from the ocean.  All of Fl needs the hurricane  to be off shore by about at least 75 miles, so the eye and high winds around it don't hit us.   Especially the front right quadrant  Remember what Jennie and Frances did to our area, and they were a cat 2 & 3  making land fall about 60 to 70 miles south of us.

By the way there is a great Italian (not fancy) restaurant in Indialantic (in the Walmart plaza) called Napoli Pizza N Pasta.  The best that I have had in 21 years down there.  

Stay safe

[g_deol88]

Any help will be appreciated...I am booked on the Harmony 9/1. Had the cruise room comped through the casino. However, I upgraded the room for a charge. Now I am

looking to cancel and I am being told by royal the upgrade charge is a add on and will not be refunded or credited. Is that correct? Has anyone had this happen before?

 

 

[geocruiser]

2 minutes ago, g_deol88 said:

Any help will be appreciated...I am booked on the Harmony 9/1. Had the cruise room comped through the casino. However, I upgraded the room for a charge. Now I am

looking to cancel and I am being told by royal the upgrade charge is a add on and will not be refunded or credited. Is that correct? Has anyone had this happen before?

 

 

I don't know the answer.  But is there any way the casino program that you got it from could help?  Maybe by them talking to RCCL?

[g_deol88]

4 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

I don't know the answer.  But is there any way the casino program that you got it from could help?  Maybe by them talking to RCCL?

It’s through the club royal program by RC and I have talked to them. They are the ones that told me upgrade charges are non refundable 

[thrifty99]

7 minutes ago, g_deol88 said:

It’s through the club royal program by RC and I have talked to them. They are the ones that told me upgrade charges are non refundable 

They are non-refundable if you cancel it seems. What happens if RC cancels the cruise entirely, then is it refundable?

[PelicanBill]

3 hours ago, NyYankees2k3 said:

I know a lot people have it worse.. I am wondering why NCL waited so long for the 8/31 sky anncoument. Then cancelled Key west only 2-3 hours after the first change.  Now it's not going to even hit key west or Miami.

Careful... Miami May still be getting a bad storm.  

[erdoran]

I feel for all of you agonizing over whether or not to fly into cities that may (or may not) get hit—common wisdom of flying in a day or two early really has backfired this time!

[GonzoWCS]

Over in the Panhandle and y'all are in our thoughts and prayers.  Be Safe!

 

Steve & Vicky

[PelicanBill]

I am waiting for the 11 am update to post news. As you may have seen, the path shifted east this morning to remain offshore but move dangerously up the east coast of Florida toward SC.