Saint John Instead of Bermuda

[slotmomma3]

We are leaving tomorrow on the Liberty of the Seas.  We were supposed to go to Bermuda , but got the dreaded email.. We are going to Saint John New Brunswick instead due to bad weather.  While docked overnight in Bermuda the casino opens at 9pm.  Can anybody tell me if the casino will open or stay closed on the overnight in Canada?  Also any suggestions of what to do there???

[shipgeeks]

To do: Bay of Fundy Reversing Rapids, Old City Market, HOHO bus, Container Village at the port, breweries, Tim Horton's....

[sgttami]

The casino will be open!

 

[dogsdogs]

Was on an overnight in Quebec City earlier this month and the casino and the shops were closed the entire time.

[RD64]

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

To do: Bay of Fundy Reversing Rapids, Old City Market, HOHO bus, Container Village at the port, breweries, Tim Horton's....

@shipgeeks - Tim Horton’s? Really? I am Canadian and cannot drink that swill. However - the doughnuts are a different issue, and the quality truly varies based on location. I have had them at several locations in Michigan, and they are far superior to those found in Vancouver, Toronto, and points in between.

[OldSeaDog1969]

1 hour ago, sgttami said:

The casino will be open!

 

You're incorrect. The casino will be closed when docked in St John.

[lgbeddow]

We left early this morning and flew from Charlotte NC to Newark NJ for our RCCL cruise to Bermuda. We packed summer dresses, sandals, shorts, and short-sleeved tops/shirts. RCCL just changed our cruise to St. John's Bay of Fundy.

 

Really, RCCL? Did you even consider that people who booked Bermuda did not want to go to Canada and/or did not pack for cold weather? You couldn't find a single place heading south?

 

Oh, and your $100 onboard credit is beyond insulting. We have wasted pre-night hotel expenses, flights, etc. 

 

We have sailed with the RCCL family of ships for 30 years. Obviously, it's time for a change.

 

 

[lgbeddow]

6 hours ago, slotmomma3 said:

We are leaving tomorrow on the Liberty of the Seas.  We were supposed to go to Bermuda , but got the dreaded email.. We are going to Saint John New Brunswick instead due to bad weather.  While docked overnight in Bermuda the casino opens at 9pm.  Can anybody tell me if the casino will open or stay closed on the overnight in Canada?  Also any suggestions of what to do there???

 There will be no open casinos while docked, and there is very little to do there. It will also be damp and cold.

[mets123]

2 hours ago, lgbeddow said:

We left early this morning and flew from Charlotte NC to Newark NJ for our RCCL cruise to Bermuda. We packed summer dresses, sandals, shorts, and short-sleeved tops/shirts. RCCL just changed our cruise to St. John's Bay of Fundy.

 

Really, RCCL? Did you even consider that people who booked Bermuda did not want to go to Canada and/or did not pack for cold weather? You couldn't find a single place heading south?

 

Oh, and your $100 onboard credit is beyond insulting. We have wasted pre-night hotel expenses, flights, etc. 

 

We have sailed with the RCCL family of ships for 30 years. Obviously, it's time for a change.

 

 

What southern port do you think you can get to from Bayonne in 5 days? Maybe Nassau or Coco Cay for a day visit? And what if there no docking space at those ports? It's unfortunate but weather happens. They have to visit a foreign port.

[chengkp75]

5 hours ago, lgbeddow said:

You couldn't find a single place heading south?

 

Well, let's look at a map, for a change.  The next closest foreign port, after Bermuda would be the Bahamas, taking just over 2 days each way, so only a day in port, but guess what?  You would go through the exact same bad weather as if you went to Bermuda.  And, if you went through that weather, you'd be complaining about that, and how could RCI jeopardize their passengers by stupidly going through a storm?

[sunseeker2014]

6 hours ago, lgbeddow said:

We left early this morning and flew from Charlotte NC to Newark NJ for our RCCL cruise to Bermuda. We packed summer dresses, sandals, shorts, and short-sleeved tops/shirts. RCCL just changed our cruise to St. John's Bay of Fundy.

 

Really, RCCL? Did you even consider that people who booked Bermuda did not want to go to Canada and/or did not pack for cold weather? You couldn't find a single place heading south?

 

Oh, and your $100 onboard credit is beyond insulting. We have wasted pre-night hotel expenses, flights, etc. 

 

We have sailed with the RCCL family of ships for 30 years. Obviously, it's time for a change.

 

 

Totally agree!  We’re canceling. They said we’d get a 100% refund as they made the change within 24 hours of sailing.  Very disappointed though.

 

On another note, didn’t realize there were so many hateful people here on this site.  People have a right to question extremely poor customer service.  
 

For the people saying oh no can’t go anyplace else in this weather but Canada, ship wouldn’t be going through the same weather to go south.  Or that you can’t go anywhere from there in a short period of time, maybe have a look at a map yourself.  In fact, sailing leaving from same port to Nassau and Coco Cay the next day.  Unfortunately sold out because desperate people scrambling to not have their vacation ruined.

 

Really, Royal Caribbean?  Canada?  Unbelievable!

Edited September 30, 2023 by sunseeker2014

[RD64]

It is hurricane season on the Atlantic coast - no surprise to anyone that weather events occur at this time of year. Happened before, will happen again.

 

Anyone who books East Coast or Caribbean cruises at this time of year should do so realizing that things may not go as planned. Flexibility is key, as is good travel insurance,

[RD64]

9 minutes ago, sunseeker2014 said:

Totally agree!  We’re canceling. They said we’d get a 100% refund as they made the change within 24 hours of sailing.  Very disappointed though.

 

On another note, didn’t realize there were so many hateful people here on this site.  People have a right to question extremely poor customer service.  
 

For the people saying oh no can’t go anyplace else in this weather but Canada, ship wouldn’t be going through the same weather to go south.  Or that you can’t go anywhere from there in a short period of time, maybe have a look at a map yourself.  In fact, sailing leaving from same port to Nassau and Coco Cay the next day.  Unfortunately sold out because desperate people scrambling to not have their vacation ruined.

 

Really, Royal Caribbean?  Canada?  Unbelievable!

The weather “the next day” is not the same as the same day - things change. There is only so much you can do with a five day schedule - so please look at the map and offer suggestions as to where they could go if they rode out the storm one night in NJ and turned it into four days as an example.

[sunseeker2014]

I’ve cruised many times during hurricane season and this is a new low, getting an email that we’re cruising to a nothing town in Canada.  There’s no excuse for that.  That’s just throwing money away.  I can now use that money to sail with a different cruise line.  That’s the flexibility I have.  Thanks for your input though.

[sunseeker2014]

2 minutes ago, RD64 said:

The weather “the next day” is not the same as the same day - things change. There is only so much you can do with a five day schedule - so please look at the map and offer suggestions as to where they could go if they rode out the storm one night in NJ and turned it into four days as an example.

They could go that route today.  The weather is not effecting these ports today or tomorrow.  Not a valid argument that it’s a days difference.  There’s no weather issue to these ports at all due to this storm. 

[chengkp75]

12 minutes ago, sunseeker2014 said:

For the people saying oh no can’t go anyplace else in this weather but Canada, ship wouldn’t be going through the same weather to go south.  Or that you can’t go anywhere from there in a short period of time, maybe have a look at a map yourself.  In fact, sailing leaving from same port to Nassau and Coco Cay the next day.

Having sailed up and down the East Coast for years, I know that whether the ship was sailing from NY to either Bermuda or Bahamas, you will be either going through the exact same weather, or worse.  The ship needs to avoid the Gulf Stream, so sailing east of the Stream, is the same course as Bermuda (so, same weather), or sailing west of the Stream, will give the fringes of the weather, but worse seas due to being closer to shore.

 

And, as another poster said, "what a difference a day makes", depending on the track of the storm.  And, that cruise was originally slated for the Bahamas, so they know they can dock there, where as a last minute diversion maybe couldn't.  And we shall see how that cruise fares with the weather, and how many complain about it.

 

And, if you think that RCI is the only line that has diverted a fall/winter cruise from NY to Canada instead of the south, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

[chengkp75]

1 minute ago, sunseeker2014 said:

They could go that route today.  The weather is not effecting these ports today or tomorrow.  Not a valid argument that it’s a days difference.  There’s no weather issue to these ports at all due to this storm. 

The weather issue generally isn't with the ports, it's that pesky path in between them that might have some bad weather.  But, you should know that given your many hurricane season cruises.

[marci22]

13 hours ago, slotmomma3 said:

  Also any suggestions of what to do there???

Pete's Historic Walking Tour is cheap and gets good reviews. It's about 2 hours. Reviews on Trip Advisor.

 

When we were last there we went to Cask and Kettle for lunch (they have outdoor seating if it's nice out) and walked to the city market which was fun.

 

Overall there is not a ton of stuff to do there, but you can have a pleasant day with little effort.

[sgttami]

10 hours ago, OldSeaDog1969 said:

You're incorrect. The casino will be closed when docked in St John.

It never was.  Is this new?

[shof515]

20 minutes ago, sunseeker2014 said:

They could go that route today.  The weather is not effecting these ports today or tomorrow.  Not a valid argument that it’s a days difference.  There’s no weather issue to these ports at all due to this storm. 

 

Bermuda has lots of reefs that the ship needs to navigate around to dock. you can see the outlines of some these reefs from the ship as the ship pulls into and out of the dockyard pier area. Due to these reefs, that channel that ship uses is very very narrow. If there any strong winds in Bermuda, the ship can not dock or leave port. the strong winds can push the ship around in unpredictable ways causing additional problems.

 

Here is a map of the schedule winds for tomorrow afternoon:

20-40 mph winds between New York and Bermuda that will last all day Sunday causing a bumpy and somewhat unpleasant ride to Bermuda 
the safest option to avoid this storm by sailing near the Long Island coast towards Canada

 

 

[RD64]

32 minutes ago, sunseeker2014 said:

I’ve cruised many times during hurricane season and this is a new low, getting an email that we’re cruising to a nothing town in Canada.  There’s no excuse for that.  That’s just throwing money away.  I can now use that money to sail with a different cruise line.  That’s the flexibility I have.  Thanks for your input though.

Also thank you for your comments regarding that nothing town on Canada. Having done multiple cruises during hurricane season,I assume that you are able to provide first hand accounts of its “nothingness”.

[shipgeeks]

37 minutes ago, sunseeker2014 said:

I’ve cruised many times during hurricane season and this is a new low, getting an email that we’re cruising to a nothing town in Canada.  There’s no excuse for that.  That’s just throwing money away.  I can now use that money to sail with a different cruise line.  That’s the flexibility I have.  Thanks for your input though.

Saint John is one of my favorite ports. Sadly for me, my C/NE cruise a couple of weeks ago was sent to Bahamas at the last minute, instead.

[Ourusualbeach]

46 minutes ago, sunseeker2014 said:

For the people saying oh no can’t go anyplace else in this weather but Canada, ship wouldn’t be going through the same weather to go south.  Or that you can’t go anywhere from there in a short period of time, maybe have a look at a map yourself.  In fact, sailing leaving from same port to Nassau and Coco Cay the next day

So I did look at a map.

 

The closest port is CocoCay ay 1049 miles or 911 nautical miles.

 

At 22 knots (fairly high speed) it would take 41.4 hours to get there and that is not including a lower start up and slowing down as well as docking times.  Add those in and you are a minimum or 44 hours and possible more to get to CocoCay.

 

Departing at 5:00 would put you at CocoCay at app1:00 at the earliest only to turn around and head back.  That is best case scenario.  Ant reduction in speed due to rough weather and you would not make it at all.

 

Sorry. not trying to be negative just pointing out actual facts why there are no 5 day sailings that go to the Bahamas and back.

[OldSeaDog1969]

28 minutes ago, sgttami said:

It never was.  Is this new?

There are zero ports in Canada where the Casino can open. I know this for a fact.

[shipgeeks]

33 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Saint John is one of my favorite ports. Sadly for me, my C/NE cruise a couple of weeks ago was sent to Bahamas at the last minute, instead.

BTW, that redirected cruise turned out to be one of the best cruises ever, even for those who didn't have an opportunity to add shorts to their packing.  Maybe the fact that with the cancellations, the ship was uncrowded and service was spectacular.  Maybe having a good attitude about change helps.....