jgh1204 Posted September 12, 2008 #1 Share Posted September 12, 2008 We are sailing(hopefully) on Oct 4. They should have things cleaned up by then. Anyway, last year when we sailed on the Conquest, they allowed the handicapped to use the VIP line. Is this still the case even with the Ecstasy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoozeman Posted September 12, 2008 #2 Share Posted September 12, 2008 We are sailing(hopefully) on Oct 4. They should have things cleaned up by then. Anyway, last year when we sailed on the Conquest, they allowed the handicapped to use the VIP line. Is this still the case even with the Ecstasy? yes it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernew2cruising Posted September 12, 2008 #3 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Snoozeman, hi just wondering if you know what is going on down in Galveston. Conquest is out there in all this mess, they are evacuating Galveston and Carnival is saying they are sailing as normal. Is anyone going to be at the pier to get these people off the ship, get them to their cars (if they are still there or not underwater)? And then there are the people on the next sailing. Unless Carnival has just updated their website, my question is..who is NUTS, Carnival or Galveston? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rancher Dave Posted September 12, 2008 #4 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Snoozeman, hi just wondering if you know what is going on down in Galveston. Conquest is out there in all this mess, they are evacuating Galveston and Carnival is saying they are sailing as normal. Is anyone going to be at the pier to get these people off the ship, get them to their cars (if they are still there or not underwater)? And then there are the people on the next sailing. Unless Carnival has just updated their website, my question is..who is NUTS, Carnival or Galveston? Doubt you are boarding Conquest on Sunday...Port will most likely still be closed. Port of Houston will likely shut down through the weekend 06:07 PM CDT on Thursday, September 11, 2008 Associated Press DALLAS -- Hurricane Ike threatened to wreak havoc with international commerce along the Gulf Coast, as the port of Houston -- the nation’s second busiest—prepared Thursday to shut down cargo operations through the weekend, and airlines canceled flights to the region. The Port of Houston Authority said it relied on information from the Coast Guard in deciding Thursday to halt all cargo operations at the end of the day and remain shuttered through the weekend. The 25-mile-long Houston port receives consumer goods— “anything that you could buy at Wal-Mart or Target,” said port spokeswoman Lisa Whitlock—plus automobiles, industrial equipment and other cargo from around the world and ships out vast amounts of petrochemicals and agricultural products. Officials told cargo operators to prepare their vessels to leave the port if requested by the Coast Guard. “It’s safer for vessels to go out to sea to get away from turbulent waters,” Whitlock said. “If they’re stuck in port, they have nowhere to go and can bump against docks.” The port is expected to reopen Monday. The approaching storm caused gasoline prices to surge on concerns that the storm could damage Texas refineries, or at the least halt production for several days. October gasoline futures rose 8.7 cents to $2.75 a gallon on the New York Mercantile Exchange. But along the Gulf Coast, wholesale prices—what refineries charge retailers, who then mark up prices at the pump—rose to nearly $5 a gallon, up from $3 to $3.30 a gallon on Wednesday, according to Tom Kloza, publisher of the Oil Price Information Service. Even before making landfall, the storm interfered with oil refining and chemical operations clustered around Houston. Dow Chemical Co. was shuttering its enormous Freeport facility that includes 75 plants producing 27 billion pounds of chemicals and chemical products per year. It was also closing down Union Carbide plants in Seadrift and Texas City, said Dow spokesman David Winder. BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, began closing one its two larger Texas plants and was deciding what to do with the other Thursday. The German-based company has 14 facilities along the Gulf Coast. Shell Oil, the U.S. arm of Royal Dutch Shell PLC, said it began shutting down its Deer Park refinery and chemical operations and its joint venture Motiva refinery in Port Arthur was running at reduced rates. LyondellBasell also began shutting down its Houston refinery and has stopped production at a dozen other Gulf Coast chemical and polymer facilities, spokesman David Harpole said. Airlines curtailed service to Texas cities in the storm’s path. Continental Airlines Inc., Southwest Airlines Co. and AMR Corp.’s American Airlines canceled many flights to Houston, Corpus Christi and Harlingen, Texas. Houston is Continental’s largest hub, and the airline expected to stop outgoing flights early Friday afternoon there and possibly at other airports along the Gulf. Houston service will not resume until Sunday, the airline said. Southwest operates 144 daily flights from Houston’s Hobby Airport, one of its biggest operations. American expected to resume flights to Houston Sunday, a spokesman said. Trains and automobiles were affected by the incoming storm as well. Amtrak stopped service in parts of Texas because freight railroads, whose tracks it uses, began closing facilities around Houston. Amtrak said ticketed passengers slowed by the storm could get refunds. Union Pacific Corp. halted all rail shipments around Houston except autos and intermodal containers. The railroad said employees were moving equipment out of the path of the storm, then evacuating the employees. Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. closed its facility at the Houston port Thursday afternoon but kept its New Orleans hub open. The company expected shipments would be delayed two to three days. German auto maker Volkswagen AG had about 5,000 new vehicles at the port of Houston and wanted to move them indoors. The problem: VW only has enough indoor parking for 100 cars. Spokesman Tom Wegehaupt said luxury Audi models would get the best spots. As for the rest, workers were busy removing signs and any other nearby objects that could become fender-bending, windshield-smashing projectiles in high wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wernew2cruising Posted September 12, 2008 #5 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Yep Carnival is nuts. I wouldn't mind sailing right now but since we drive to the port I would be so worried about my car. It is going to be interesting to see what happens with Conquest and Ectasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floatingaway2525 Posted September 12, 2008 #6 Share Posted September 12, 2008 I think tomorrow and into Sat morning will tell the story...unfortunately, it is difficult to sort out the news between the likely reality and the sensationalism they love.....Carnival is pretty good at what they do and if there is a way to get the ships safely in and out they will do it. And there is more than one place to port in and around G-town. I think most do not fly in to get on these ships and even if they do, it's surprising what folks can figure out to get on a cruise ship...;) Need to wait and see what tomorrow brings. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst...:) Of course, in October...no worries about that now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgh1204 Posted September 12, 2008 Author #7 Share Posted September 12, 2008 yes it is Thanks Snoozeman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothomeonacruise Posted September 12, 2008 #8 Share Posted September 12, 2008 It's not sensationalism if you have ever gone through a high cat. storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHP Posted September 12, 2008 #9 Share Posted September 12, 2008 It's not sensationalism if you have ever gone through a high cat. storm. I think Float is talking about how every time the wind blows...the reporters show a picture of the "leaf" that fell off the tree. It is getting ridiculous to watch the news these days. Things are bad enough without trying to "create drama". Hubby went through Camille (2 blocks from the beach and they stayed in the house through it)....so he knows real news when it happens. Sadly because the news does "sensationalize" every wind that blows...when something serious does come people's way...they don't pay the proper attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LHP Posted September 12, 2008 #10 Share Posted September 12, 2008 yes it is Stay safe Snoozeman....we want you in one piece come the Blogger's Cruise!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy_Baby Posted September 12, 2008 #11 Share Posted September 12, 2008 I share the same concerns. I am departing on the 25th. All fingers and toes crossed that the port of Galveston and the Ecstasy remain safe (as well as all the peeps and the city too). :( I have a customer departing on the Ecstasy on the 20th. She told me she read somewhere they may have to leave out of New Orleans. I have not read that for myself and not sure where she found it. Could that really be possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskier Posted September 12, 2008 #12 Share Posted September 12, 2008 I share the same concerns. I am departing on the 25th. All fingers and toes crossed that the port of Galveston and the Ecstasy remain safe (as well as all the peeps and the city too). :( I have a customer departing on the Ecstasy on the 20th. She told me she read somewhere they may have to leave out of New Orleans. I have not read that for myself and not sure where she found it. Could that really be possible? There is a slight possibility they could be sent to New Orleans. It all depends on how much damage it done to the terminal. One of the reasons the terminal in Mobile is able to bounce back so quickly, is because everything needed for operations is located on the second floor. To restart ops after Katrina, they had to power wash the mud off the lower floor, and bring the forklifts back. New Orleans based the design of the new Erato St terminal off of Mobile's design. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisin53 Posted September 12, 2008 #13 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Just think about the people who have cars parked at the terminal security parking. Will they have cars to come back to??? Waves already topping the seawall at 15 feet. Scary!!!:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne21 Posted September 12, 2008 #14 Share Posted September 12, 2008 I encourage all that plan to travel to Galveston this next week, to please have a back up plan. If you are flying, keep in touch with your airline. If you are driving, please keep in mind that all the residents will also be coming back, so the traffic will be unreal. Remember, Keep your sense of humor, and remember, if you do get on the ship, you are much better off than the rest of us, who don't have a ship to get on.:) Stay safe all!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floatingaway2525 Posted September 12, 2008 #15 Share Posted September 12, 2008 It's not sensationalism if you have ever gone through a high cat. storm. Oh believe me, I do not minimize the reality of big storms, just the vulture-like behavior of some of the newscasters waiting for a tragedy...I spent from 1978-2006 in FL, Daytona, Palm Coast and Melbourne...and I am a claim adjuster as well....I DO know very well the impact of the big ones...:( Praying hard that this one turns out to be less than they think...not lookin great I know...:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothomeonacruise Posted September 12, 2008 #16 Share Posted September 12, 2008 I agree the news does make a big deal sometimes, and I get really peeved when I see them standing on the beach yelling as the wind blows them. But, I also think some people NEED to understand the impact of a storm. It's NOT just wind.. Charley had tornados (many of them). In the early 1960's my dad picked up bodies off the beach in Key West after a hurricane. The news media does need to scare people into taking precautions and to be careful. I personally feel they don't warn people enough. (Veteran of many hurricanes, including a high cat. 4) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbevrn Posted September 12, 2008 #17 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Depending on when the mandatory evacuation is lifted, it wouldn't surprise me if the Conquest couldn't dock even if there is little to no damage. It has taken days to get everyone out. It is going to take days to get everyone back in. Getting stuck on the highways for 6-8- 10 hours is not my idea of fun. I'd wait to go back personally. So who's gonna be there to help at the terminal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne21 Posted September 12, 2008 #18 Share Posted September 12, 2008 The storm is not even in Galveston yet, and the road is already covered. Weather channel is saying now that this will be a very slow storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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