When will we know about Princess Cays?

[teach21566]

With all the chit chat on this board about what if's, I deceided to call Princess and inquire about the cruise I am taking on the Carib P on 10/9, she said so far the intineraries haven't changed and include stops at Princess Cays, even the one going out this sat. She also said that she has heard no word if the island got hurt or not, so I am not sure if Princess is keeping their reservation people in the loop. Just thought I would pass this info on.

[ahracer]

[quote name='jennat'] Isn"t St Lucia right next to St Thomas (or am I crazy? What the heck do I know?)
Jen[/QUOTE]

No, St. Lucia is alot farther south.


Scott

[InDashMP3]

teach21566,
I too called Princess soon after my post. I was told the same thing. Itineraries have not changed. I suppose if this Saturday's cruise is "normal", we will learn from those that are on it....It really doesn't matter to me, however I was looking forward to 3 ports....

[travelscrapper]

I hate to say it but I really hope that we have a port stop. I'm not sure if I can stay on the ship for 7 days...I'd like to go to Nassau....Key West would be nice to I hope not Costa Maya as we've been there.

[Pam in CA]

Well, the guessing game will be interesting. I wouldn't mind going to St. Kitts instead of Princess Cays. We were there several years ago and enjoyed it. I was planning to consider Princess Cays a "sea" day anyway so it really doesn't matter to me where we go.

[DanJ]

As the CC News page says, they haven't had a chance to closely evaluate it yet. I'm sure they will at their earliest opportunity.

As for the Immigration agents in San Juan, they'll have to do it sometime anyway, so San Juan is as good a place as any. If you go St Thomas, St Martin, San Juan, then you get Immigration at San Juan, and don't need to do it back in Ft Lauderdale. You'll just have to deal with customs back in FLL, which is a lot quicker process.

[ToplessPony]

RE: San Juan. If they stopped at San Juan before St. Martin couldn't they skip the immigration? From Florida to St. Thomas to San Juan would all be considered US ports so I think in that case you'd avoid immigration. Of course then they would have to re-schedule St. Martin which may not work out anyway and would upset those that have reserved charters, tours and other shore excursions from a local vendor.

Fun to speculate where we might be going but I am hoping for Princess Cays!!! :) :)

[teach21566]

I'm hoping for Princess Cays too. I am surprised that there is not any information on Princess's website.

[DanJ]

Yes, if they went San Juan, St Thomas, St Martin, they wouldn't need immigration in San Juan. But then you would again in Ft Lauderdale. Like, I said, you have to somewhere. I guess it depends on your point of view which is the better place. I'd rather get it out of the way before debarkation day, which is usually hectic enough.

We did that a few years ago when we cleared immigration in Key West the day before arrival back in FLL. Debarkation was a breeze with only people who needed to deal with US Customs for purchases having to line-up. The rest of us leisurely went about having breakfast and waiting to be called off the ship.

[TinaLee]

I can't believe they are saying no change in itinerary next week! I'm beginning to think of Princess as the ostrich of cruise lines!!

[img]http://www.animalden.net/images/animated/birds/ostrich.gif[/img]

TinaLee

[sue d. miller]

Just like last week, Can't plan till they know where they are going!! :(

[CruiseFever]

[quote name='TinaLee']I can't believe they are saying no change in itinerary next week! I'm beginning to think of Princess as the ostrich of cruise lines!!

[img]http://www.animalden.net/images/animated/birds/ostrich.gif[/img]

TinaLee[/QUOTE]

Wouldn't it be great to be able to believe that though?

[TinaLee]

I understand they can't plan, and maybe they don't even KNOW where they are going, but you'd think when passengers call asking questions they could at least acknowledge that there might be a change in itinerary?!? Just a simple... we are not really sure if the ships will be able to call at Princess Cays, that is still being assessed would work!

The only thing that really irritated me last week was that after the port had been closed for HOURS people calling Princess were still being told that there was no change in itinerary, the port was still open, Caribbean Princess was coming home as planned.

At least acknowledge that you are aware there is something going on... you know? Hence my reference to ostrichism... uh, ostrichood... :D

TinaLee

[Salty Dawg]

TinaLee,

Your gif of the ostrich is too darn cute!

[TinaLee]

[quote name='Salty Dawg']TinaLee,

Your gif of the ostrich is too darn cute![/QUOTE]
Coming from the queen of gifs, I take that as quite a compliment! :D

[larainec]

:rolleyes: We were on the August 7 Eastern Caribbean cruise. Because of the high winds and waves, the tender boats did not go ashore. We stared at it for a while, but that's the closest we got. Safety first.
Another day at sea was wonderful too. The casino was generous that midday.

[DanJ]

In 99 for my Grand Princess cruise, there was a hurricane kicking the heck out of St Martin 6 days before we were leaving. Calls to Princess said we were strill going there, even though I'm staring at devastation on CNN as I sat on hold.

Same thing when 9-11 happenned and I was scheduled on the Carnival Victory out of NYC on 9-15. It was literally until the afternoon of 9-14 that Carnival phone reps acknowledged that the ship wasn't going to be in NYC the next day. No kidding I said.

In the case of Princess Cays, I would say they probably literally do not know yet. I mean, they just had this huge storm on a holiday weekend. Somebody from Princess has to actually go to Princess Cays to have a look. I'd be surprised if that has happenned yet. It really isn't that important whether anyone knows, even when boarding, if Princess Cays will be a stop or not that week, and is certainly not a requirement. Odds are since the stop is scheduled for this Sunday that they won't go there, then they'll wait and see for the next call there 12 days later.

[laginog]

Hopefully, somebody onboard will post soon if they hear something!! That's probably the only way we're going to hear it. We did hear that the people disembarking that Princess Cays was "destroyed". So...somebody must have found out something....or they must have "figured out" that much from looking at the map of the areas and heard what other damage was done. We don't sail until 9/25 but I'll be happy to post what's happening that week!!! I don't get the "free internet" but....I'll probably run up my DH's laptop card for him!!!

[psupa]

I'm guessing the stop will be Nassau, although I'm hoping San Juan. I don't care as long as I'm on the ship. I sure shop the hurricanes let up. Any adventure is fun.

[Susie51]

I'm curious about the difference between damaged and destroyed.

I went to Princess Cay the year in which St. Marten lost the cruise ship dock. It was an unusual, strong, mid Nov. Hurricane, but I don't remember the name of it.

Anyway, the hurricane damaged Princess Cay, but they were able to repair about half of it and 10 days after the hurricane hit we were able to use Princess Cay.

I hope things aren't totally ruined, but with so much rain a lot of things were probably washed out to sea.

[InDashMP3]

Interesting....From the Princess website regarding the cruise that will depart this Saturday:

[COLOR=Red][FONT=Courier New]Caribbean Princess Voyage B438

We are monitoring the path of Hurricane Ivan. There has been no change to the ship’s scheduled itinerary at present.[/FONT] [/COLOR]

I think by now they should have been able to note the damage and whether or not Princess Cay is O.K..According to Princess, it must good enough to port...

[teach21566]

thanks for the good info, I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed.

[Ella2]

According to TODAY'S Cruise Critic update:

[QUOTE] A Princess Cruises' spokeswoman says that its Princess Cays is damaged -- and will likely require more than six weeks worth of effort to restore it. [/QUOTE]
Doesn't sound very likely that any cruisers will be going there soon...let's see how long it takes Princess to update their official information.

[Justmetalkin]

I just called Princess to make a slight change to our acct. I asked the status of Princess Cay and was told "rather emphatically" it will be available to us for the 11/06 CP sailing. So there. For what it's worth!!!!!

Holding my breath. Would sure hate to think I reserved thhose ellusive Cabana's for nought!

[Aquarian]

I just read this on the CC News:

"What has not escaped Frances' wrath unscathed are cruise lines' private islands, which are part of the Bahamas string of isles and thus located in the path of the storm. A Princess Cruises' spokeswoman says that its Princess Cays is damaged -- and will likely require more than six weeks worth of effort to restore it. "