Does Carnival miss ports often?

[jonathansburden]

Hi everyone! I was just wondering if anyone knows if Carnival misses ports often at this time of year. I really want to swim with dolphins in Cozumel, but if that is a port that gets missed fairly often I'll have to do it in Grand Caymen or Isla Roatan instead, even though they don't offer the program I really want to do. Has anyone missed any of these ports at this time of year, especially Cozumel? I didn't think that it would get missed often since it docks not tenders, but should I take the risk?:o

[yst347]

This is the time of year when ports are missed least. Hurricane season is the worst. Still tender ports like Grand Cayman can be missed at anytime if port officials deem conditions to dangerous to allow tendering. Cozumel has dock space for six ships, there is almost no chance Cozumel will be missed baring a mechanical breakdown on the ship.

[Cruzman]

Having sailed Carnival 15 times, I can recall missing a port of call only once. Last April, while aboard the Legend, we missed Grand Cayman due to high winds and surf.

[MEOWSMURPHY]

You are more apt to miss Grand Cayman due to weather since it is a tender port than you are Cozumel. I'd book your excursion in Cozumel and have fun...

[Dave85]

This is the time of year when ports are missed least. Hurricane season is the worst.

 

I disagree with that in part... the Western Caribbean is VERY finicky in the winter. We personally head to leave Cayman early and miss Ocho Rios entirely because of a silly "cold front." Crew reported that this is an unfortunately more common occurrence in the winter. Obviously if you have a summer with an active tropical season it can be REALLY bad... but I don't want to lull the OP into a false sense of security about the winter.

 

I'm not a meteorologist or anything, I'm just reporting what I heard from crew (and bolstered by my own personal experience). We've cruised the last 4 Decembers and the last 4 summers and the seas were far more calm during the summer... obviously subject to tropical fronts.

[yst347]

I stand corrected, hurricanes are far less disruptive to cruise ship schedules than winter cold fronts. :rolleyes:

[luckycruzer]

since Oct of '06..only missed Calica, due to high winds..$25 OBC was given.. I dont cruze Jun/Jul, but from late Aug to May, so that was the time frame

[vkramer]

In all the cruises I have taken, we only missed Grand Cayman due to a tropical depression that was pending to hit there. This was on the Disney 7 night western. We ended up in Cozumel overnight and the next day since we missed that port.

 

Vicki

[jetskier]

Very unlikely to miss Cozumel. Tender ports yes. Costa Maya on occasion due to the limited room if there are high winds.

Dave

[FinsDallas]

No ship has an inside edge with 'the man'. Carnival ships are no more likely to miss a port due to weather than any other cruise line. And the weather has to be pretty foul to keep a ship out of port. These Captains usually turn a ship around in 4-5 hours between disembarking and a new cruise. They're pretty darn good at easing them up to the pier.

[tkportersat]

In 7 Carnival cruises my itinerary was altered twice. 1st was in 2002 during hurricane season - we missed Calica and had to head back to Galveston a day early. The second was in September 2006 on the Ecstasy due to propulsion problems, Cozumel was substituted w/ Progreso. Pretty reliable in my book! But sometimes unforeseen problems arise, you just have to roll with it.

[MrPete]

The only cruises that count are the ones I've been on, and I've never missed a port.

 

Or a meal. :eek:

[mrsfuzzmo]

I will report that on our last cruise, we cruised Royal Caribbean and the Carnival ship right in front of us was unable to dock at Ocho Rios due to apparent winds. That being said, after the Carnival ship sailed away for a day at sea, our captain slid our ship right in there and we had an awesome day in Jamaica.

 

I wouldn't count that as Carnival vs. Royal. Just saying that because one ship/captain can't dock the ship does not mean it for all.

 

For what it's worth, we are sailing Carnival this time in two weeks and will "hopefully" be sailing back to Ocho Rios!

 

Oh, and in 13 cruises we've only missed a port 2 times. 1 x Grand Cayman, 1 x St. Maartin

[jonathansburden]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to go with Cozumel, I'll be there 3 weeks from today!!

[Dave85]

I stand corrected, hurricanes are far less disruptive to cruise ship schedules than winter cold fronts. :rolleyes:

 

There's no need to be snarky... I'm just trying to give the OP accurate information. And yes, a cold front is just as capable as a hurricane at causing a ship to miss a port. I'm glad to hear, however, that you've yet to have the misfortune of missing any ports in the winter.

[G'ma]

I will report that on our last cruise, we cruised Royal Caribbean and the Carnival ship right in front of us was unable to dock at Ocho Rios due to apparent winds. That being said, after the Carnival ship sailed away for a day at sea, our captain slid our ship right in there and we had an awesome day in Jamaica.

 

I wouldn't count that as Carnival vs. Royal. Just saying that because one ship/captain can't dock the ship does not mean it for all.

 

For what it's worth, we are sailing Carnival this time in two weeks and will "hopefully" be sailing back to Ocho Rios!

 

Oh, and in 13 cruises we've only missed a port 2 times. 1 x Grand Cayman, 1 x St. Maartin

 

2 different ship designs, 2 different propulsionn systems... You can't compare apples and oranges.

 

If the Captain of the Carnival ship could have safely docked HIS ship, he would have.

[big_duck]

This is the time of year when ports are missed least. Hurricane season is the worst. Still tender ports like Grand Cayman can be missed at anytime if port officials deem conditions to dangerous to allow tendering. Cozumel has dock space for six ships, there is almost no chance Cozumel will be missed baring a mechanical breakdown on the ship.

 

I would agree, however I would add that a port could also be missed at anytime do to a medical emergency or man overboard.

[LHP]

Thanks everyone! I'm going to go with Cozumel, I'll be there 3 weeks from today!!

 

Cozumel is probably the LEAST missed port....so I would count on it.

 

Of course anything is possible...but Cozumel to swim with the dolphins will be your best best...IMHO!

 

Have a wonderful cruise!!

[Shannon12]

2 different ship designs' date=' 2 different propulsionn systems... You can't compare apples and oranges.

 

If the Captain of the Carnival ship could have safely docked HIS ship, he would have.[/quote']

 

Maybe you missed the line where she said she wouldn't count that as Carnival vs. Royal :rolleyes:

[BND]

Weather isn't always the reason. In 3 Carnival Cruises (4 cruises total) we've only missed one port and that was Roatan this past Nov due to strikes because of utility price hikes. We've tendered in two ports (Cabo and Belize) and while the water was rough in Cabo due to a departing tropical storm, we still made the port. Cozumel seems to be an easy port to visit, especially with the new dock that sits out away from the port itself. No other traffic to manueuver around and newer, better system to protect the pier. Kind of like bumper pads.

[yst347]

Ok...lets list the reasons mentioned so far:

 

1) Tropical weather related diversions between June 1 and November 30, (hurricane season)

 

Very common, in August, September and October one should not book a cruise if missing port(s) is an issue.

 

2) Weather related diversions during non-hurricane season.

 

Not uncommon but infrequent compared to hurricane season.

 

3) Mechanical breakdown.

 

Rare but happens, Carnival Miracle has suffered chronic issues these past months forcing diversions.

 

4) Medical Evacuation

 

Rare but can happen on any given sailing

 

5) Man overboard

 

Rare but happening with what seems increasing frequency.

 

6) Riots, Strikes, Civil Unrest

 

Rare as the western hemisphere has been blessed with a relatively peaceful period, let's hope it last.

 

Please feel free to add.

 

I have missed multiple ports due to reason 1 and reason 3

[charleecrat]

Hi everyone! I was just wondering if anyone knows if Carnival misses ports often at this time of year. I really want to swim with dolphins in Cozumel, but if that is a port that gets missed fairly often I'll have to do it in Grand Caymen or Isla Roatan instead, even though they don't offer the program I really want to do. Has anyone missed any of these ports at this time of year, especially Cozumel? I didn't think that it would get missed often since it docks not tenders, but should I take the risk?:o

 

 

If you really want to swim with dolphins I would Strongly suggest you just fly. Ive never heard of an airlines having a delay or engine problems and then telling the passengers they would have to land in Juarez instead of Cozumel! LOL

 

A better question would be: How many times has Carnival missed Progreso and ported in Cozumel instead???

 

I was shocked after doing a little research at how many times Progreso was subsituted for Cozumel. I am of the opinion that something is up with that too. Why build a 4 mile long pier for such a poor underdeveloped area with nothing to do but Ruins 2 1/2 hours away.? Those same Ruins can be reached from Cancun, a much more desirable location with many tourist options.

 

After being thoroughly dissappointed with my December cruise to Cozumel,oops I mean Progreso, I will have to make other arragements to get my chance to swim with the dolphins which will be on a flight to the location.

[Knights on the Beach]

The only cruises that count are the ones I've been on, and I've never missed a port.

 

Or a meal. :eek:

LOL!! I agree on both counts. In 14 cruises (9 on Carnival), we've never missed a port. Grand Cayman seems to be the one that is most frequently missed, if the comments on this board are any indication.

[yst347]

If you really want to swim with dolphins I would Strongly suggest you just fly. Ive never heard of an airlines having a delay or engine problems and then telling the passengers they would have to land in Juarez instead of Cozumel! LOL

You might enjoy this story.

 

A better question would be: How many times has Carnival missed Progreso and ported in Cozumel instead???

 

I'm a victim, Halloween 2005 Ecstasy cruise to Callica and Cozumel turned into Elation cruise to Progreso and Vera Cruz due to hurricane Wilma. The ship substitution happened due to hurricane Katrina.

 

I was shocked after doing a little research at how many times Progreso was subsituted for Cozumel. I am of the opinion that something is up with that too. Why build a 4 mile long pier for such a poor underdeveloped area with nothing to do but Ruins 2 1/2 hours away.? Those same Ruins can be reached from Cancun, a much more desirable location with many tourist options.

 

Yes, I agree. Why would the city of Merida, population 750,000 require a port. Their just a bunch of poor Mexicans, according to you.

 

After being thoroughly dissappointed with my December cruise to Cozumel,oops I mean Progreso, I will have to make other arragements to get my chance to swim with the dolphins which will be on a flight to the location.

 

I completely agree and have said this many times, if the ports are what matter, don't go by ship.

[Chat Noir]

Missed Sitka and glacier sailing of College Fjord due to iceberg damage on our ship. Worst part, it didn't hit the iceberg on our sailing but on the sailing before us. Carnival still loaded us up like nothing had happened, then waited until we were out to sea to tell us that the ship had iceberg damage and we would be making a beeline to Juneau. :eek:

 

I'll never trust Carnival in Alaska, again... but I do like their (cheap and easy) W. Caribbean sailings to Cozumel.