Atlantic storm Dorian

[cruising grandma]

58 minutes ago, 3redheads said:

We are flying in to Fort Lauderdale next Friday and sailing out of Miami next Saturday, the 7th.  I have no idea what to expect!  

 

 

My plans(right now) are to fly into Ft Lauderdale a week from tomorrow and cruise on Allure Sunday. However, plans can change, depending on the damage in south Florida and power outages, hotels closed and airport closures etc. 

 

I've been through these scenarios before dealing with a hurricane cruise.(3 on Allure).

 

 Prayers for all in the hurricane path. Life and safety is much more important than a cruise.

[PelicanBill]

Dorian strength and path mostly the same.  Landfall center near Jupiter, FL.  North of West Palm and south of Port St. Lucie.  (My Father in law's winter home is in a trailer park right on the bad side of the line!)

 

Florida landfall 2pm Monday.  This is why ships are not expected to return to Florida Tuesday.  Wednesday is still a concern as the storm will move very slowly inland creating major flooding and storm conditions may exist into Wednesday at the ports... certainly at Port Canaveral. Flooding will be felt all the way up the coast including Daytona, Jacksonville and Savannah. Inland flooding will be serious due to slow storm movement.

 

Freeport and the northern Bahama Islands are in the path.  Watches are posted.

 

Remember, we have 3 days yet, plenty of time for path and strength to change.

 

 

 

 

 

[PelicanBill]

8 hours ago, Traciewatson said:

On the phone waiting for Royal right now. Does anyone know how this will work if you cancel? It says get the refund 9/20 does that mean I have to wait until 9/20 to book my next cruise? Plus, I paid with their new finance program UPLift so do I just keep paying for a cruise I’m not going on? And looks like no credit discount for future cruises either if you cancel just a credit for the cruise fare only? Now what if we go and cannot get on the ship  9/4 due to damage then is it again just a 100% fare credit after you spent all that extra money to be there and wait for them to go? Sorry I’m just feeling overwhelmed and sad 

Sorry nobody had any ideas for you.  Did you get through?  What happened?

[Siobhan]

Does it look more likely now that NCL Sun will arrive and leave as scheduled on Monday Sept 2nd?

[cruising grandma]

3 hours ago, Traciewatson said:

Sorry for the late response. I had to take a break from Dorian cause I was beyond upset, but then I put it into perspective that this is just a cruise that I can and will go on again, but there are those that do not even know if they will have a home in a few days. Dorian won this time, but she won’t ruin my families vacation! We are all booked and leave for Seattle in the early morning for the rest of the week. For everyone going to or in Florida please be safe. 

 

Last question, does anyone know how the

credits work? 

 

The future cruise credit will have a number, and $ amount and can be used toward a cruise, probably within a year. 

 

I’m happy for you and your family making other plans, and hope you all enjoy Seattle. My daughter’s family were there pre Alaskan cruise in June and really had a great time.

[Lukin5]

7 minutes ago, Siobhan said:

Does it look more likely now that NCL Sun will arrive and leave as scheduled on Monday Sept 2nd?

I scrolled through the latest 3 pages looking for any mention of The Sun...following.

[PelicanBill]

8 minutes ago, Siobhan said:

Does it look more likely now that NCL Sun will arrive and leave as scheduled on Monday Sept 2nd?

I expect Port Canaveral to close sometime Sunday, be closed Monday, Tuesday and probably Wednesday.  Based on current forecast.

Edited August 30, 2019 by PelicanBill

[Siobhan]

3 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

I expect Port Canaveral to close sometime Sunday, be closed Monday, Tuesday and probably Wednesday.  Based on current forecast.

Would you expect MCO also to close sometime Sunday?  We would prefer not to get to Florida at all if we can’t leave again before the worst of the storm hits. 

[cruising grandma]

2 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

I expect Port Canaveral to close sometime Sunday, be closed Monday, Tuesday and probably Wednesday.  Based on current forecast.

 

Royal Caribbean has on their website the changes for cruises. They are showing several ships leaving Wednesday. Of course, I know these changes can be updated, depending on port conditions and closures. I recall Miami having a sailboat in the port area they had to get removed before reopening that port a couple years ago.

 

We have many cruise friends living all over Florida, including Port St Lucie. Hopefully, your dad won’t be in his winter trailer home next week. 

[thrifty99]

30 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

Valid concern. Where are you driving from?  The roads may be closed from flooding (and be careful you aren't the first to find flooding.)  The port may not open Wednesday - here's what happens after a storm passes: The port and USCG have to re-survey the channels for depth and obstructions.  They have to clear sunken sailboats or debris.  The port buildings have to be inspected for safety - roofs, gantries, etc.  There has to be enough crew to show up to handle the cruise - people may be handling their homes or still returning from evacuation.  Lots to decide.  This is unprecedented.

Driving down from Nashville.  Will need to watch what happens and see what will be a safe route, if any, on Tuesday / Wednesday.  

[PelicanBill]

3 minutes ago, cruising grandma said:

 

Royal Caribbean has on their website the changes for cruises. They are showing several ships leaving Wednesday. Of course, I know these changes can be updated, depending on port conditions and closures. I recall Miami having a sailboat in the port area they had to get removed before reopening that port a couple years ago.

 

We have many cruise friends living all over Florida, including Port St Lucie. Hopefully, your dad won’t be in his winter trailer home next week. 

Like the past few days, cruises were listed as no change... until they were changed.  They just haven't made decisions for Wednesday yet because there is still a day to wait and see. But if the forecast holds, MCO will be closed Wednesday and so will the port... I am quite sure.

 

No, my father in law has not left for Florida yet - supposed to be October... if there is a habitable mobile home to go to!

 

[orlandok]

8 minutes ago, Siobhan said:

Would you expect MCO also to close sometime Sunday?  We would prefer not to get to Florida at all if we can’t leave again before the worst of the storm hits. 

 

Possibly. They closed the day before Irma when Irma passed through late the next night. 

[buckeyefrank]

We too have been watching and anxious about our upcoming cruise on 9/2.  Our cruise looks good at this point with the exception of where we will be sailing to.  Not sure about Nassau and HMC at this point.   We're a little more concerned about our car at the Charleston port than anything.  No matter what, the cruise is secondary.  This storm looks like it will be a monster for Florida and up the coast as well.  

 

Everyone who is traveling, please stay safe.  Our prayers are with those people in the impacted areas.

[PelicanBill]

A passenger on NCL Sky reported on Facebook they are hurrying into Miami now and the Captain told them Port Miami will close early Saturday.

[geocruiser]

18 minutes ago, thrifty99 said:

Driving down from Nashville.  Will need to watch what happens and see what will be a safe route, if any, on Tuesday / Wednesday.  

Getting gas might be a issue in Florida.  People are gassing up now to get out.  The gas trucks will not make it in during the storm..There is a app.  Maybe called Gas Buddy that tells you what stations have gas.

[buckeyefrank]

10 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

A passenger on NCL Sky reported on Facebook they are hurrying into Miami now and the Captain told them Port Miami will close early Saturday.

I'm confused why the port of Miami would be closing early Saturday.  Unless I'm reading the graphs wrong, Miami isn't expected to get tropical storm force winds until Sunday evening at this point.

[NyYankees2k3]

11 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

A passenger on NCL Sky reported on Facebook they are hurrying into Miami now and the Captain told them Port Miami will close early Saturday.

 

Are they going to board the 8/31 people?? I am on that trip...

[geocruiser]

13 hours ago, gapeachcruzr said:

USCG Code X-ray link

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCG/bulletins/25b84a2

I don't see Port Canaveral in Code XRAY?

[erdoran]

23 minutes ago, orlandok said:

 

Possibly. They closed the day before Irma when Irma passed through late the next night. 

@orlandok we have a 2pm flight out of MCO Sunday.  How much notice do they give if MCO closes?  Looking at the map and the fact that it seems like it is making landfall noon Monday well south of MCO, would you still predict a Sunday closure?  They’d announce ahead of time, right?

[Coopdog08]

10 minutes ago, buckeyefrank said:

I'm confused why the port of Miami would be closing early Saturday.  Unless I'm reading the graphs wrong, Miami isn't expected to get tropical storm force winds until Sunday evening at this point.

The people who work at the port need time to make preparations and or evacuate is the most likely reason to close the port earlier than the aforementioned Sunday. 

[NyYankees2k3]

23 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

A passenger on NCL Sky reported on Facebook they are hurrying into Miami now and the Captain told them Port Miami will close early Saturday.

 

Are they going to board the 8/31 people?? I am on that trip...

 

I just look online. nCL Sky is at the port. Live view shows it there and tracker.

[cangelmd]

2 hours ago, thrifty99 said:

We would like to still go on our Harmony cruise departing Wednesday now but will ask RCL when we can decide for sure. I don’t like the forecast showing it will still be a Cat 1 storm near Orlando Wednesday morning. A bit worried about driving through that. And will the port be open if the storm is that close?

I would be planning on canceling, and thrilled if it works out that you don’t have to. I’ve driven in tropical storms, and I would not drive with category 1 winds unless it was an absolute emergency. Also, coming from Nashville, you will be in storm a lot of the drive, not hurricane, but rain and wind, exhausting over a long drive. The storm, right now looks like it’s going up the Florida peninsula, that is going to be bad for that whole part of the southeast.

The thing is timing, and last minute shifts, both good and bad, no one really knows until 1-3 days out, and with the storm slowing, it shifts all th3 uncertainty.

 I feel for everyone, some people are concerned about home and family, and my prayers are with them, we can be in their shoes any fall. But that doesn’t mean that concerns about vacations aren’t valid as well.

[orlandok]

36 minutes ago, erdoran said:

@orlandok we have a 2pm flight out of MCO Sunday.  How much notice do they give if MCO closes?  Looking at the map and the fact that it seems like it is making landfall noon Monday well south of MCO, would you still predict a Sunday closure?  They’d announce ahead of time, right?

Hard to say but they will announce ahead of time. 

 

Winds too strong for aircraft may arrive in Orlando long before landfall. 

[PelicanBill]

1 hour ago, Siobhan said:

Would you expect MCO also to close sometime Sunday?  We would prefer not to get to Florida at all if we can’t leave again before the worst of the storm hits. 

I *think* it will still be open.  Of course, airlines can make their own calls on whether to send planes in.

 

43 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

Getting gas might be a issue in Florida.  People are gassing up now to get out.  The gas trucks will not make it in during the storm..There is a app.  Maybe called Gas Buddy that tells you what stations have gas.

Gas Buddy was in fact reporting widespread cases of stations out of gas last night.  There is time to get trucks in and out so I hope the oil companies are working hard to do that now.

 

33 minutes ago, buckeyefrank said:

I'm confused why the port of Miami would be closing early Saturday.  Unless I'm reading the graphs wrong, Miami isn't expected to get tropical storm force winds until Sunday evening at this point.

I can't answer that But agree with the other observations.  Watching for condition Yankee to go, which is the order for ships to leave port.  These ships are in Miami: Sky, Seaside, Victory, Navigator.   I don't have time to look them all up and see who is early or was scheduled today. No ships in Fort Lauderdale.  In Canaveral we have Liberty, Dream, and Mariner.

33 minutes ago, geocruiser said:

I don't see Port Canaveral in Code XRAY?

With so much happening, information will always be incomplete and sometimes inaccurate.  The USCG bulletin from the Jacksonville sector states X-Ray was set for Port Canaveral at 3pm Thursday.

 

29 minutes ago, erdoran said:

@orlandok we have a 2pm flight out of MCO Sunday.  How much notice do they give if MCO closes?  Looking at the map and the fact that it seems like it is making landfall noon Monday well south of MCO, would you still predict a Sunday closure?  They’d announce ahead of time, right?

In this case I would say MCO will announce with quite a few hours notice to avoid diverting flights in the air.  I estimate MCO will still be open Sunday, but night close sunday night to avoid flights enroute Monday morning.  A guess.

[thrifty99]

13 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

I would be planning on canceling, and thrilled if it works out that you don’t have to. I’ve driven in tropical storms, and I would not drive with category 1 winds unless it was an absolute emergency. Also, coming from Nashville, you will be in storm a lot of the drive, not hurricane, but rain and wind, exhausting over a long drive. The storm, right now looks like it’s going up the Florida peninsula, that is going to be bad for that whole part of the southeast.

The thing is timing, and last minute shifts, both good and bad, no one really knows until 1-3 days out, and with the storm slowing, it shifts all th3 uncertainty.

 I feel for everyone, some people are concerned about home and family, and my prayers are with them, we can be in their shoes any fall. But that doesn’t mean that concerns about vacations aren’t valid as well.

Thank you - Agree with all you said.  Will wait and watch to see how the storm path updates the next few days.