Missed ports on British Isles Cruises

[auntdot]

I am hoping to get some idea of which ports are commonly missed due to weather, wind, tendering or other reasons.  
 

We are sailing near the end of August and our itinerary includes such ports as Guernsey, Falmouth ( both tender ports) Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands ( docked).  How much of a risk is there in booking private tours where payment is non refundable?

Thank you in advance for any advice.

Auntdot

[ducklite]

On 1/21/2020 at 9:37 PM, auntdot said:

I am hoping to get some idea of which ports are commonly missed due to weather, wind, tendering or other reasons.  
 

We are sailing near the end of August and our itinerary includes such ports as Guernsey, Falmouth ( both tender ports) Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands ( docked).  How much of a risk is there in booking private tours where payment is non refundable?

Thank you in advance for any advice.

Auntdot

Check with your travel insurance.  In many cases they will refund the non-refundable tours if the ship can't port.

[auntdot]

22 minutes ago, ducklite said:

Check with your travel insurance.  In many cases they will refund the non-refundable tours if the ship can't port.

Thanks, ducklite.

 I personally have travel insurance that will cover sudden and unforeseen events, but I am trying to put some groups together and am wondering about how often we might miss ports in case other people ask.

d7

[D C]

You'll read on CC that Guernsey is a 50/50 port.  but that's a gross exaggeration.   Based on data I received from a friend working in the Ports of Guernsey, the success rate for tendering is in the 80-90% range.  That's for the entire year.  The edge seasons (spring and fall) do tend to be stricken with more foul weather than the summer, but mother nature is a bit fickle when it comes to weather in the English Channel. 

[auntdot]

9 minutes ago, D C said:

You'll read on CC that Guernsey is a 50/50 port.  but that's a gross exaggeration.   Based on data I received from a friend working in the Ports of Guernsey, the success rate for tendering is in the 80-90% range.  That's for the entire year.  The edge seasons (spring and fall) do tend to be stricken with more foul weather than the summer, but mother nature is a bit fickle when it comes to weather in the English Channel. 

Thanks, D C.   I guess we just need to wait and see.  We can book with the ship if we are really worried.

[Guernseycruiser]

I agree with D C, there is a gross exaggeration on these boards that Guernsey is a 50/50 port.  The success rate is around the 80-90% rate.

 

Any reputable guide in these ports should provide you with a refund if your ship is unable to dock, they are aware of these situations.  Personally I would not book with a guide who says the fee is non refundable if the ship does not dock in any port around the world.  If you choose to cancel with little notice or do not turn up on the day, then that is a different matter.

 

[Punds]

There is always a chance that you might miss out in Shetland due to weather etc, the North Atlantic can be pretty unforgiving. I have to say though that you should be fine in August. Most cancellations/missed stops tend to occur in the spring and the autumn.

[auntdot]

Thank you for your thoughts on missed ports.  I just hope we make them all as there are so many interesting activities offered in all of the ports!

D

[GrJ Berkshire]

You want miss out on Shetland as it's a docked port. Guernsey is more likely as you moor between Guernsey and Herne, and then you tender ashore, always more of a risk than docking.

[dog]

We tendered at Orkney Islands 

 

missed Guernesy 1/3 times due to weather

 

turned back From Edinburgh to Southampton due to weather missing Le Havre. 

[geoherb]

We missed Portland last fall on a transatlantic cruise due to high winds. A lot of people on our roll call complained about one company wanting to keep their money. I'm not sure how it turned out for them.