LIVE from Explorer with a bad propellor 2/1/09

[esbie11]

I feel sorry you missed the wedding, etc, but here the thing, if it was such an important event, you should have flown to Bermuda instead of trying to plan a wedding around a cruise, that is just asking for trouble, and unfortunate, it happened to you!

 

The number one most important rule of cruising, NEVER EVER PLAN on going where you are supposed to be going, mechanics, mother nature, and acts of idiotic management will fail you when a date, time, and place is planned around a cruise! A cruise is a vacation, not a mode of transportation from point A to point B for some big event.

 

"Itineraries are Subject to Change" is pretty much the wall paper of any and all cruise lines, learn to live by it! We are all lucky that this does not happen more often - but it happens enough.

 

As far an a broken prop, do you think that the purser can just walk to K-mart in St Thomas and buy one at the blue light special...? These are most likely a specialty item made specific to a cruise lines specs. They are balances to the millionth degree, so just going underwater and welding one would not be a great fix and it will be off balanced and vibrations would cause further damage to bearings, etc, and not to even think the complains from the passengers who felt those vibs...god help us all!

 

Once they get a prob made, they just can not Fed Ex it either...most likely due to the size (these are not for a mercury 185 outboard) - they need to be air freight to a port that can even handle an airplane that does air freight, I suspect Cape Air into St Thomas with their 9 person planes would not work! So, it would have to be barged or steam shipped (freighter) to a port other than the country it came from, probably the Netherlands or some European country....

 

Good grief people...you booked a cruise for a vacation, and that is what you are going to get, sure you might not end up where it was originally planned to go, but at least you are going somewhere...or cancel and sit at home - your choice, but stop blaming RCCL for every little detail...no wonder why nit picky people ruin vacations...

 

What's next, the amount of ice cubes in your water...? To much salt in the water at the beach, heck, lets blame RCCL for the cold temps in Florida the last few weeks...I really think they are at fault!!!!

 

This is ridiculous. The vast majority of cruises go on as planned, especially during non-hurricane season. To say that you should just fly to your wedding doesn't guarantee anything either. Flights can be cancelled or changed too. heck, you could plan your wedding in your hometown and the church could catch on fire 3 hours before the ceremony. You just never know what could happen no matter where you make your plans. This is a story of one of the few weddings that couldn't go off as planned. There are probably about 3 brides on each sailing of each ship, so you can bet that most to go as planned without any problems. Besides, the person in the post was not the bride, she was a guest at the wedding. And the point of the post was not to bash RCCL for changing the itinerary (which they obviously have the right to do), but to point out the mis-information that was provided to them time and time again prior to leaving. I mean they called from the cruiseport and were told the sailing was going on as planned and then found out minutes or hours later that it wasn't. No excuse for that!!!

[setsail]

1-that would do away with all the complainers at the excursion desk.What do you mean,I just got on the ship,how could that excursion be sold out

 

2-A big YES

 

3-Not if it means putting their pax in harms way.Remember from reading these boards,RCCL is in business to scam people so changing the itinerary would fit right in.

[diesldood]

I hope it's resolved. I'm looking forward to riding my motorcycle and we lost tortola allready which we haven't ridin on yet . So to loose another stop and not be able to ride is kinda a waste of money for us. If we did'nt have the bike we would'nt care.

[hazz24]

I hope it's resolved. I'm looking forward to riding my motorcycle and we lost tortola allready which we haven't ridin on yet . So to loose another stop and not be able to ride is kinda a waste of money for us. If we did'nt have the bike we would'nt care.

 

 

I am assuming you are doing the Harley cruise. My DH and I are thinking about doing it next year when he buys a bigger bike. Please let me know what you think of it. Ex What is different onboard? What kind of entertainment is different if any and how is the riding in the ports.

 

Thanks in advance

Brandy

 

PS: DH and I love Explorer and are sailing this year regardless if the prop is fixed or not as she is our fav and we will miss her when she leaves.

[BJane]

In regards to an earlier post about missing Labadee, I guess I have been lucky. Of the seven times I've been scheduled to go there I've made all of them. It is a beautiful island. I've also been to Coco Cay, but did not care for it.

[FIRELT5]

EOS is scheduled to be in Labadee Haiti on 2/16/2009 @ 0800. This is according to the AIS realtime MGT System which was just filed.

[wolfcathorse]

In regards to an earlier post about missing Labadee, I guess I have been lucky. Of the seven times I've been scheduled to go there I've made all of them. It is a beautiful island. I've also been to Coco Cay, but did not care for it.

 

FYI, Labadee is not an island but a fenced in private beach area on the northern shore of Haiti. CocoCay is a Cay on a 99 year lease from the Bahamian government. The buildings there are RCI property so stuff has to be cheap as materials have to come in by sea. Labadee can be more developed because materials can be trucked in (after being flown in if not made in Haiti or Dominican Republic).

[alwalaska]

EOS is scheduled to be in Labadee Haiti on 2/16/2009 @ 0800. This is according to the AIS realtime MGT System which was just filed.

 

Do you know if this was their first scheduled stop or if it is a revised itinerary?

[YSTim]

Do you know if this was their first scheduled stop or if it is a revised itinerary?

 

Yes, this is their first scheduled stop.

 

Itinerary

 

Depart Fri 13/02/09 Cape Liberty 16:00

Sat 14/02/09 At Sea

Sun 15/02/09At Sea

Mon 16/02/09 Labadee, Haiti 08:00-17:00

Tue 17/02/09 Samana Bay, Dominican Republic 08:00-18:00

Wed 18/02/09 Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 09:00-18:00

Thu 19/02/09 San Juan, Puerto Rico 07:00-14:00

Fri 20/02/09 At Sea

Sat 21/02/09At Sea

Sun 22/02/09 Cape Liberty 08:00

[FIRELT5]

Do you know if this was their first scheduled stop or if it is a revised itinerary?

 

Not Sure Ann, If this schedule is indeed correct, looks like the EOS is capable of doing her top speed. Encouraging for 3/15.

 

 

Voyage Related Info (Last Received):

Draught: 8.8m

Destination: LABADEE HAITI

ETA: 16/02/2009 13:00:00

Info Received: 13/02/2009 20:30:34 (0 days, 0hrs 10' 13'' ago

[FIRELT5]

EOS Departed Cape Liberty at 1625 and is sailing out to sea :0

[massfriends]

Not Sure Ann, If this schedule is indeed correct, looks like the EOS is capable of doing her top speed. Encouraging for 3/15.

 

 

Voyage Related Info (Last Received):

Draught: 8.8m

Destination: LABADEE HAITI

ETA: 16/02/2009 13:00:00

Info Received: 13/02/2009 20:30:34 (0 days, 0hrs 10' 13'' ago

 

Just got off Explorer today.....I can tell you that she never sailed at top speed. The best was 19 knots.

[Salt air hair]

This is ridiculous. The vast majority of cruises go on as planned, especially during non-hurricane season. To say that you should just fly to your wedding doesn't guarantee anything either. Flights can be cancelled or changed too. heck, you could plan your wedding in your hometown and the church could catch on fire 3 hours before the ceremony. You just never know what could happen no matter where you make your plans. This is a story of one of the few weddings that couldn't go off as planned. There are probably about 3 brides on each sailing of each ship, so you can bet that most to go as planned without any problems. Besides, the person in the post was not the bride, she was a guest at the wedding. And the point of the post was not to bash RCCL for changing the itinerary (which they obviously have the right to do), but to point out the mis-information that was provided to them time and time again prior to leaving. I mean they called from the cruiseport and were told the sailing was going on as planned and then found out minutes or hours later that it wasn't. No excuse for that!!!

 

 

Thank you, that WAS my point, they had the answer, they just weren't willing to tell folks over the telephone. Get 'em to the pier and then BAM! If interested in the rest of the story, the bride then tried to arrange a beach wedding here at home in early September, no hurricane, but full moon and unusually high tides caused a tremendous amount of temporary beach erosion and the only way to continue with the wedding on the beach was to wear waders!!! She and her groom were married at the reception venue and I'm happy to report they are living happily everafter!

[FIRELT5]

Just got off Explorer today.....I can tell you that she never sailed at top speed. The best was 19 knots.

 

3 Almost full days (70 Hours) to arrive home at 19 Knots. Looks like the EOS will be able to make Haiti in 60 Hours :)

[Salt air hair]

Very well put, but they can't here you because of all the screaming about OBC and I want my money back because Bla Bla Bla. The people who man the pursers desk must just want to hide somewhere. The prop police are watching.

 

 

FYI, we did NOT receieve any OBC, didn't ask for any. Didn't ask for our money back because we were all aware of the right to change itin. All we asked for was a little courtesy and some information, RCL couldn't/wouldn't oblige.

[above sea level cruiser]

This is ridiculous. The vast majority of cruises go on as planned, especially during non-hurricane season. To say that you should just fly to your wedding doesn't guarantee anything either. Flights can be cancelled or changed too. heck, you could plan your wedding in your hometown and the church could catch on fire 3 hours before the ceremony. You just never know what could happen no matter where you make your plans. This is a story of one of the few weddings that couldn't go off as planned. There are probably about 3 brides on each sailing of each ship, so you can bet that most to go as planned without any problems. Besides, the person in the post was not the bride, she was a guest at the wedding. And the point of the post was not to bash RCCL for changing the itinerary (which they obviously have the right to do), but to point out the mis-information that was provided to them time and time again prior to leaving. I mean they called from the cruiseport and were told the sailing was going on as planned and then found out minutes or hours later that it wasn't. No excuse for that!!!

 

At 600+ posts, you should have already come to the same realization as a lot of us. CC is full of 2 cent people. (sorry if this thread gets pulled).

 

For the most part, if they are not on the ship, not going on the ship soon, or cruising another ship - they really don't care. They say they do but in actuality, they don't. But boy do they have an opinion.

 

I find that the ones that have no cruise booked, or one a few months out really could care less about the predicament of the ones going through any turmoil. Hence the "it's a cruise......if it changes "suck it up". mentality.

 

That is really true - ship happens but never ever ever come here looking for sympathy.

 

The people that say they are sorry for your problem are probably true.

 

The "anytime, any-cruiseline loyalists with the suck-it-up-attitude", are not.

 

Sad but true. Some people have way too many fingers when it comes to the internet.

[YSTim]

Labadee is closer than San Juan. Their schedule has a 2 days at sea return trip to Cape Liberty from San Juan rather than the 3 days just completed. Can that be done at 19 knots or will a day need to cut from their itinerary? If they can get back in 2 days than there will be no problems with future itineraries until the ship can have final repairs.

 

Anyone of you experts know what the typical cruise speed is on the trip from Cape Liberty to San Juan and vise-versa? What is the distance?

 

Leaving at 2pm day 1, 2 full days at sea, and arriving at 8am day 4, that should be aproximately 66 hours give or take time change. At 19 knots that would be roughly 1,264 nautical miles. My Drive from Harrisburg PA to Titusville Florida is 950, so I don't think that is enough.

 

My trip leaves 2/22 and has 2 days to San Juan and three days back from Antigua. Don't know what will happen, but if they can't make it back, we won't make it down.

[FIRELT5]

Labadee is closer than San Juan. Their schedule has a 2 days at sea return trip to Cape Liberty from San Juan rather than the 3 days just completed. Can that be done at 19 knots or will a day need to cut from their itinerary? If they can get back in 2 days than there will be no problems with future itineraries until the ship can have final repairs.

 

Anyone of you experts know what the typical cruise speed is on the trip from Cape Liberty to San Juan and vise-versa? What is the distance?

 

Leaving at 2pm day 1, 2 full days at sea, and arriving at 8am day 4, that should be aproximately 66 hours give or take time change. At 19 knots that would be roughly 1,264 nautical miles. My Drive from Harrisburg PA to Titusville Florida is 950, so I don't think that is enough.

 

My trip leaves 2/22 and has 2 days to San Juan and three days back from Antigua. Don't know what will happen, but if they can't make it back, we won't make it down.

 

If you figure 20 Knots= 23mph x 66 Hours= 1523nm or around 1780 miles. The actual Distance between Cape Liberty & SJU is about 1370nm or 1630 miles :) It's doable at 20 Knots.

[massfriends]

Labadee is closer than San Juan. Their schedule has a 2 days at sea return trip to Cape Liberty from San Juan rather than the 3 days just completed. Can that be done at 19 knots or will a day need to cut from their itinerary? If they can get back in 2 days than there will be no problems with future itineraries until the ship can have final repairs.

 

Anyone of you experts know what the typical cruise speed is on the trip from Cape Liberty to San Juan and vise-versa? What is the distance?

 

Leaving at 2pm day 1, 2 full days at sea, and arriving at 8am day 4, that should be aproximately 66 hours give or take time change. At 19 knots that would be roughly 1,264 nautical miles. My Drive from Harrisburg PA to Titusville Florida is 950, so I don't think that is enough.

 

My trip leaves 2/22 and has 2 days to San Juan and three days back from Antigua. Don't know what will happen, but if they can't make it back, we won't make it down.

Check your scheduled arrival time for San Juan......I believe it's 3 PM not 8 AM.

[heynow]

At 600+ posts, you should have already come to the same realization as a lot of us. CC is full of 2 cent people. (sorry if this thread gets pulled).

 

For the most part, if they are not on the ship, not going on the ship soon, or cruising another ship - they really don't care. They say they do but in actuality, they don't. But boy do they have an opinion.

 

I find that the ones that have no cruise booked, or one a few months out really could care less about the predicament of the ones going through any turmoil. Hence the "it's a cruise......if it changes "suck it up". mentality.

 

That is really true - ship happens but never ever ever come here looking for sympathy.

 

The people that say they are sorry for your problem are probably true.

 

The "anytime, any-cruiseline loyalists with the suck-it-up-attitude", are not.

 

Sad but true. Some people have way too many fingers when it comes to the internet.

 

I couldn't have said it better.

[jumbo1]

3pm is correct . 71 hrs approx sailing from bayonne.

[YSTim]

Check your scheduled arrival time for San Juan......I believe it's 3 PM not 8 AM.

 

I wasn't being clear, the calculation I am doing; 2pm day 1, 2 days at sea, to 8am day 4, is the current scheduled cruise returning from San Juan to Port Liberty.

 

Yes our cruise is supposed to arrive at 3pm on day 4 after leaving Port Liberty at 4pm on day 1. Therefore we have more hours to make the Cape Liberty/San Juan trip than the current cruise has to make the return San Juan/Port Liberty trip.

 

It appears that the ship can now make at least 19 knots, therefore, we should just be able to make it.

 

Hopefully

[beachbuzzard]

Just got off Explorer today.....I can tell you that she never sailed at top speed. The best was 19 knots.

 

With Tortola off of the itinerary, there is no need for EOS to go faster than 19 knots to get back to Bayonne on time. Let's see how she does next week getting to San Juan.

 

I find that the ones that have no cruise booked, or one a few months out really could care less about the predicament of the ones going through any turmoil. Hence the "it's a cruise......if it changes "suck it up". mentality.

 

I leave fairly soon (3/15) and while I care about the predicament, I am one of the one's that says its a vacation and "ship" happens. Look, I've been waiting a year to get on this ship and if it misses a port, it misses a port. I'll still be on my 12 night cruise. So I'll keep an eye on what's going on just so I know, but what happens happens. I'll still have a blast and not be working!!! YEAH!!!

 

I see a ton of blasting at RCCL for not really saying what is wrong, but did it occur to anyone that perhaps it really IS fixed and perhaps no ports are expected to be missed? Isn't that still a possibility? And if it is what they think, isn't that the correct answer to be giving the pax???

 

If you're right and they are lying to everyone, then I will retract that. But I just think its not fair to be bashing them until they've 100% earned it. Then I'll jump to the front of the line!!

[nancronin]

Labadee is closer than San Juan. Their schedule has a 2 days at sea return trip to Cape Liberty from San Juan rather than the 3 days just completed. Can that be done at 19 knots or will a day need to cut from their itinerary? If they can get back in 2 days than there will be no problems with future itineraries until the ship can have final repairs.

 

Anyone of you experts know what the typical cruise speed is on the trip from Cape Liberty to San Juan and vise-versa? What is the distance?

 

Leaving at 2pm day 1, 2 full days at sea, and arriving at 8am day 4, that should be aproximately 66 hours give or take time change. At 19 knots that would be roughly 1,264 nautical miles. My Drive from Harrisburg PA to Titusville Florida is 950, so I don't think that is enough.

 

My trip leaves 2/22 and has 2 days to San Juan and three days back from Antigua. Don't know what will happen, but if they can't make it back, we won't make it down.

 

It's almost 3 whole days to San Juan - Sunday at 4 pm to Wednesday at 3 PM (I think that's it but I know it's sometime in mid-afternoon).

[YSTim]

It's almost 3 whole days to San Juan - Sunday at 4 pm to Wednesday at 3 PM (I think that's it but I know it's sometime in mid-afternoon).

 

Yes you are correct, I was just thinking full sea days.

 

If our calcualtions are correct, there shouldn't be a delay for either cruise and things should be OK.

 

One way or the other, I'll have a great cruise.:)