Will Earl cancel our cruise?

[Florida Bubbles]

We're scheduled on Adventure of the Seas heading to Bermuda in 5 days (Saturday).  Tropical Storm Earl is heading that way and the latest report has it passing Bermuda to the East and then stalling, possibly circling around.  Will they cancel the cruise or reroute it?  And if you don't want to go if it's rerouted, will they give you FCC?  Just trying to think ahead. Hopefully this change will happen sooner rather than the day before we leave.  Thanks for any input.

[davekathy]

Earl can't cancel your cruise. Someone higher in the chain of command will have to make that decision. 😁

Edited September 5, 2022 by davekathy

[mets123]

7 minutes ago, davekathy said:

Earl can't cancel your cruise. Someone higher in the chain of command will have to make that decision. 😁

If Earl causes a problem, Royal will re route the ship. Since it's only 5 days, the most obvious choice is Canada, going to Halifax and/or St John. They will not cancel the cruise.

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

Agreed, it would be an itinerary change, not a cancelation.

 

I've had my fair share of itinerary changes due to hurricanes. On once occasion (Hurricane Dorian in 2019) they gave us a small FCC as a goodwill gesture, and on another cruise (2004 I think?) we got some OBC. However, the cruise contract states quite clearly that they can change itineraries as needed without any form of compensation.  So the odds of being allowed to cancel for FCC are slim.

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by la_croisiere_s'amuse

[ARandomTraveler]

If you bought the insurance through the cruiseline, you can cancel and get 90% of your money back in the form of an FCC (future cruise credit). 
 

If you bought travel insurance independently from the cruiseline and your policy covers "itinerary changes" you can get some compensation (how much you get is dependent on the policy you bought).  If your policy includes a "cancel-for-any-reason" clause you can cancel up to 48 hours before your cruise leaves and get 75% of your cash back. 

[cruise wizard]

We are on the Mariner of the Seas right now in Bermuda. We were scheduled to depart on Wednesday afternoon at 3PM - that was changed to us leaving at 7AM so that we could change our route to the Bahamas and try and avoid Earl and get back to Port Canaveral safely on Sunday (9/11).

 

You might want to check cabin availability on Mariner for a Bermuda itinerary...........and you can just drive across State.

[BecciBoo]

I'd put my money on NOPE.  No cancellation just change in itin if any.   We've come close a few times and nothing much happened, maybe a reverse itin but never cancellation.

[Florida Bubbles]

Thank you all!  I also tweeted the RCCL meteorologist who says that we should be fine. Earl should be a little past Bermuda and off to the East by the time we get there.  Whew.  

[ARandomTraveler]

When hurricane Maria happened in 2017, a bunch of the Caribbean ports were heavily damaged. The French side of St Maarten was almost completely destroyed. Puerto Rico lost power and water for weeks (maybe even months in some areas). If I remember correctly, Florida embarkation ports were affected as well. 
 

People with cruises booked that weekend thought their cruises would be cancelled, but they weren't. The cruise lines basically said "we can still sail, so we're sailing" and anyone that didn't make it to the embarkation port was s.o.l. It was a big controversy, with people either being unable to get to the port because of flight cancellations, or because they didn't feel safe, or didn't want to visit a bunch of islands where everything had been wiped out.

 

Point is, the cruises didn't get canceled, and people didn't get their money back if they didn't make it to the embarkation port to leave with the ship (unless they had insurance). It was a big major mess. 
 

Chances are extremely low to nonexistent that your cruise will be cancelled because of Earl. 

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, Florida Bubbles said:

We're scheduled on Adventure of the Seas heading to Bermuda in 5 days (Saturday).  Tropical Storm Earl is heading that way and the latest report has it passing Bermuda to the East and then stalling, possibly circling around.  Will they cancel the cruise or reroute it?  And if you don't want to go if it's rerouted, will they give you FCC?  Just trying to think ahead. Hopefully this change will happen sooner rather than the day before we leave.  Thanks for any input.

Our Bermuda cruises have been sent north to Canada twice.

 

The cruise contract you signed allows the cruise line to reroute you for any reason. The cruise line owe you nothing.

 

Pre-pandemic, you took the cruise or canceled, forfeited your entire cruise fare, and filed an insurance claim (assuming that you have a cancel for any reason policy since your reason is "don't feel like going"). 

 

Pre-pandemic, then gave us some OBC on embarkation. But they had no obligation to do so. 

Edited September 6, 2022 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

In any case, Earl will be long gone before you even embark the ship. Unless the dock is damaged beyond repair, you will likely sail to Bermuda and be constrained by any limitations from storm damage. Some of the risks you take when sailing at peak hurricane season. 

[mets07]

In early June of this year we were supposed to be on your exact cruise. It was changed the day before the cruise due to a storm from the Bermuda itinerary to a Northeast itinerary. We were given the option of a full future cruise credit and we took it. 

 

I am just relaying our experience; does not mean yours will be the same.

 

I hope it does not impact you. We just actually did the 5 night Adventure to Bermuda that sailed August 27th and enjoyed it. Happy cruising.

[Eddie Wilson]

13 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Our Bermuda cruises have been sent north to Canada twice.

 

Does the ArrivCan issue temporarily void the Canada option?

[matj2000]

They will not cancel.

 

It will most likely be a 5 day cruise with no stops.

[rudeney]

32 minutes ago, Eddie Wilson said:

 

Does the ArrivCan issue temporarily void the Canada option?

 

Based on the rules for ArriveCAN, it should, but that doesn't mean it will.  As long as you meet Canada's vaccine and testing requirements and  fill out the info in the ArriveCAN app before boarding, it shouldn't be a problem.  Of course there could be other issues for going into Canada, such as people who have ever had a DUI or felony conviction are not allowed to enter.

[Eddie Wilson]

1 minute ago, rudeney said:

 

Based on the rules for ArriveCAN, it should, but that doesn't mean it will.  As long as you meet Canada's vaccine and testing requirements and  fill out the info in the ArriveCAN app before boarding, it shouldn't be a problem.  Of course there could be other issues for going into Canada, such as people who have ever had a DUI or felony conviction are not allowed to enter.

 

For timing purposes, they would need all that info done prior to sailing.  So no mid cruise plan changes I guess

[BirdTravels]

56 minutes ago, Eddie Wilson said:

 

Does the ArrivCan issue temporarily void the Canada option?

Nope. ArriveCAN can be done for a last minute cruise. 

 

However, Canada does not allow unvaccinated passengers, so those would be prohibited from travel. Also, Canada does a criminal background check and some passengers (for example, those with a DUI conviction) would be prohibited from disembarking. 

[davy jones]

Not a chance that they will cancel.  They will sail through it if they can't reroute.

[smokeybandit]

Earl is supposed to be long gone by Saturday