Is Princess going to bag Grenada?

[Nanookz]

We're sailing in 2 1/2 weeks and Grenada is one of our stops. I read that Grenada is pretty banged out from the storm. What's the likely hood that we're still going to Grenada? If they do change where would we end up going?

[roohound]

90% of the houses in Grenada are gone..I suspect there's a good chance you will not be stopping in Grenada..where you will go instead I have no idea

[sue d. miller]

I don't think you are going to jamaica either!!

[PeabodyNVL]

When we were in Grenada in may, we noticed how many little shanties there were on stilts directly on the water. These shanties were at maximum two room houses. We asked our guide "What about hurricanes?". He grinned and said it had been so long since they'd had a hurricane...very lackadaisical about it, like hurricanes were only a remote possibility. The last hurricane to hit the island was in 1955. It is outside the "traditional" hurricane belt.

[TinaLee]

I don't know if everyone will be able to access it, but here were some pics from the AOL news report regarding Grenada

 

 

AOL news Grenada

 

Those photos are heartbreaking. All of these beautiful islands are just being beaten to bits!

 

TinaLee

[Pam in CA]

Chances are between slim and none that you or any cruiseline will be going to Grenada in the near or even mid-near future. This is a very poor island without a lot of resources. It's going to take a lot for them to rebuild, and a long time. :(

[JanetMarie]

Lovely, lovely island Grenada. The smell of the spices was really awesome! I'm sad for all of the folks on ALL of the Caribbean islands.

[espmass]

I was in Grenada in April. Lovely place and such nice people. They were just beginning to build up a tourist trade with the cruise ships and had been working on a new pier to avoid using tenders. What a shame. I wish the people there the best.

[keribeth]

I will be on the same cruise and was wondering the same thing. Will they replace it or just add another day at sea?

[Jesseer]

From the looks of it we wont be going to Grenada this time. Maybe another sea day or a stop in Barbados would be good.

[june1300]

tourism there! we were there 3 weeks ago and cant believe what it looks like now!

we are keeping mandoo in our prayers!

June

[corkpopr]

Talked to Princess and they didnt know so i called a friend that lives and works on St. Thomas. He said the damage is so bad (in Grenada) homes are not 90% destroyed, but 90% of them were damaged including a very large percentage destroyed. he said 1-2 years before ships call there again. St. Kitts untouched so maybe Tortola will be substituted or Martinique. It was a warm pleasant day today in St. Thomas but he said the seas are rough compared to the usual glass of the carribean. I vote for an extra sea day or cancel venezula and add Curaco or Bonaire

[mringenoldus]

My disappointment seems trivial compared to what the islanders are facing - but we were sooo looking forward to Grenada. Most of our roll call group was scheduled to tour with Mandoo. Now we are just waiting to hear that he's OK.

 

I guess I was naive thinking that in a month they might be restored enough to have visitors although there would obviously be remaining damage.

[Brad1185]

Were going on the Golden Sun, I vote for another sea day.

[spongerob]

Would this be a decision made by Princess, or local authorities? I would think that any port facilities would be closed for some time.

[Nanookz]

I just got off the phone with Princess and they said that there hasn't been an official announcement about Grenada yet.

[brn2crz]

Just read about new excursions offered in Grenada

 

1)Catch a criminal horseback/jeep adventure

2)Sailboat recovery/snorkle adventure.

3)Fix a thatched roof/re-build the town bank (extensive lifting required)

 

Seriously...my heart goes out to them.And the next poor Island that lays in Ivans path.I am trying to contact Sharon from Nativeway in the Caymans to send my thoughts & prayers,no response yet.As you see we leave Sunday..Suppossed to be in Key West on Tuesday,and Grand Cayman on Thursday....Pretty much thinking it will be all Mexico instead.As much as I am looking forward to it,its so hard to be excited when there is so much devastation!

[imsulin]

Even the Prime Minister's home was destroyed. I've been to Grenada three times, and it is indeed a lovely island, with very friendly people. (It's where we get our nutmeg and mace from). It is quite hilly, with a lot of banana plantations, too. They're so far below the "hurricane belt", that this sort of disaster is very rare. Many homes are/were built because of this rarity. Good luck to all Grenadians!

[magiceye]

Princess has changed the itinerary from Grenada to Dominica on the September 12th sailing.

[roohound]

Golden Princess Voyage 5438

 

From Princess' home page:

 

 

Due to the US Department of State's Travel Warning advising against travel to Grenada in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, Golden Princess' sailing departing September 12 has been modified to replace the scheduled port call in Grenada with a call at Dominica. The revised itinerary is:

Port Date Arrival Departure

San Juan Sun 12 Sep 11 pm

St. Thomas Mon 13 Sep 7 am 6 pm

St. Kitts Tue 14 Sep 7 am 6 pm

Dominica Wed 15 Sep 7 am 3 pm

Isla Margarita Thurs 16 Sep 7:30 1 pm

Aruba Fri 17 Sep 8 am 5 pm

At Sea Sat 18 Sep

San Juan Sun 19 Sep 6 am

[GSchmidt]

Cruise personalizer now shows the itinerary for the 9/26 sailing as follows:

 

Sep 26 2004 SAN JUAN 12:00PM 11:00PM

Sep 27 2004 ST THOMAS 07:00AM 05:30PM 06:00PM

Sep 28 2004 ST KITTS 07:00AM 05:30PM 06:00PM

Sep 29 2004 DOMINICA 07:00AM 02:30PM 03:00PM

Sep 30 2004 GUAMACHE 07:30AM 12:30PM 01:00PM

Oct 01 2004 ARUBA 08:00AM 04:30PM 05:00PM

Oct 02 2004 AT SEA

Oct 03 2004 SAN JUAN 06:00AM

I've been reading up on Dominica, it sounds beautiful.

[lnoterma]

I spoke to princess today and so far for my cruise date of 10/24/04 we are still scheduled to stop in Grenada. I have a feeling that will change but they haven't said yet.

[sue d. miller]

I spoke to princess today and so far for my cruise date of 10/24/04 we are still scheduled to stop in Grenada. I have a feeling that will change but they haven't said yet.

 

 

Are you on the Star?? :) I am. It is impossible to stop there, the island is destroyed!!

[Cruise Miriam]

We're sailing in 2 1/2 weeks and Grenada is one of our stops. I read that Grenada is pretty banged out from the storm. What's the likely hood that we're still going to Grenada? If they do change where would we end up going?

Hi, the immediate answer to your question is probably on the Princess website http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na701.

[Blue Eyes]

Hi all, if you go to Dominica, by all means take the mountain bike trip :) . We have done it twice and would do it again. They take you up into the moutain rain forrest and you bike down. Take a light weight rain jacket or poncho, you could have rain. You make a stop along side a mountain stream that you can swim across in the freezing water to a natural volcanic hot tub. There is also a stop at a fruit stand for some of the best fresh fruit you can imagine. Bananas just off the tree are wondeful. You end your trip at the coast and they bring you back to the ship along a winding road on the coast. Wonderful trip :D ....