Change in Ports..What Happens?

Anyone ever had ports changed while at sea? What happens? Do they offer shore excursions or are you on your own?

We leave thurs on the Sensation and are scheduled for Cozumel. I have serious doubts about actually docking there and I know Carnival will not decide until the last minute.

We were on the Holiday last week when she dodged Dennis. As we boarded, we were notified that our stop at Costa Maya had been canceled. We were now sailing to Progreso which isn't a normal stop for this cruise. Any missed excursions that were booked through Carnival were credited. I can't tell you about excursions booked seperately. There was then a mad rush to sign-up for excursions at the new port.

PB Tom just posted on the Coz boards, says all the ports in Coz are structurally sound and ready to receive ships... you may want to read the updates over there... it sounds like the island is being cleaned up quickly and you will likely make it there... good luck.

PB Tom just posted on the Coz boards, says all the ports in Coz are structurally sound and ready to receive ships... you may want to read the updates over there... it sounds like the island is being cleaned up quickly and you will likely make it there... good luck.

Thanks, that is good news for all!!!

Anyone ever had ports changed while at sea? What happens? Do they offer shore excursions or are you on your own?

 

We leave thurs on the Sensation and are scheduled for Cozumel. I have serious doubts about actually docking there and I know Carnival will not decide until the last minute.

We played "dodge the hurricane" in 2001 on the Elation out of Long Beach. We only got one of the three scheduled ports before having to turn and run from the storm. The CD scrambled to get us different ports. We actually ended up with one more stop than planned. There were excursions set up in each of the port stops. There was a good deal of grumbling among some of the pasengers but my wife and had a great time. I'm sure Carnival has contingency plans for weather related changes but sometimes there is just so much they can do.

It's my vacation! We leave in less than 3 weeks! Yeah, maybe the piers can receive ships, but I am planning on visiting pristine tropical destinations, not restructure from a hurricane! Alot of the beaches will be eroded becouse of the tidal surge and vegetaiton will be down everywhere! I feel for the people affected, but I think cruise ships should change itinerary for at least a month!

It's my vacation! We leave in less than 3 weeks! Yeah, maybe the piers can receive ships, but I am planning on visiting pristine tropical destinations, not restructure from a hurricane! Alot of the beaches will be eroded becouse of the tidal surge and vegetaiton will be down everywhere! I feel for the people affected, but I think cruise ships should change itinerary for at least a month!

And go where?? Another affected island? Or one that might be affected within the next 3 weeks? This is what happens during hurricane season, and Grand Cayman has had obvious damage for the last year, and it's still open... and people still love going there. The ports can't just "slip" a ship in... many ports are full and can't accomodate more ships... the cruiseline will do the best they can... but I would suggest if someone really really wants to see a port, try to avoid hurricane season... although, ports can be skipped or have damage at any time of the year. The ports will rebuild and clean as quickly as they can... and the latest reports are there was not as much damage as there could have been.... You can better believe if Carnival decided to take off Cozumel and replace with a sea day, everyone on these boards would be up in arms... it's a no win situation...

It's my vacation! We leave in less than 3 weeks! Yeah, maybe the piers can receive ships, but I am planning on visiting pristine tropical destinations, not restructure from a hurricane! Alot of the beaches will be eroded becouse of the tidal surge and vegetaiton will be down everywhere! I feel for the people affected, but I think cruise ships should change itinerary for at least a month!

Anyone ever had ports changed while at sea? What happens? Do they offer shore excursions or are you on your own?

 

We leave thurs on the Sensation and are scheduled for Cozumel. I have serious doubts about actually docking there and I know Carnival will not decide until the last minute.

J___ and I were on the Carnival Victory when the ship was dodging Hurricane Dennis. If you are aboard a Carnival ship that has to change ports and itineraries, the cruise director should make an announcement, then his staff will be frantically busy making contact with Carnival excursion subcontractors at other ports to see if the can fit a ship full of surprised passengers into their excursion plans. After that, you're likely to get a bulletin on available shore excursions at your new port of call as well as talks about the attractions and excursions for your next stop or two.

Also, your prepaid excursions for your original ports of call are likely to be cancelled and your payments cancelled, too.

I learned of Carnival Victory's first change of course while the ship was passing through the Port of Miami's Government Cut. I spent part of my time frantically calling Hertz to cancel my auto rental reservation for Playa del CArmen before the ship moved out of cell phone range. Moral of story: making your own tour arrangements prior to embarcation may be cheaper--but only if your itinerary doesn't suddenly change.

No,I dont agree they need the ships to go there so the vendors can make money to help rebuild it needed.

I can't imagine bringing in 2000+ Americans in if a port is already a disaster area trying to provide water, food and shelter to its people. Do you want to sightsee and watch human misery for yourself - is that a vacation?

If you are injured or made sick in the port because the facilities/sanitation are not available, will that give you the vacation you desire?

Why don't you wait for the next major disaster and try being a tourist in that area. I am sure we will see many more serious disasters this year. You may be able to actually fly to the spot and sightsee if you can stomach it.

The countires make it know to the Cruise Companies when it is indeed safe for outsiders to visit, until then, they will skip the port for the safty of the poeple in the country and for you. As a tip vist the State Department at state.org. Advice is there about the safety of any country or port to U.S. Citizens. It is a wise site to check in these uncertain times.

miracle is apparently stopping at ocho rios this week - see my separate post "hurricane changes"

I can't imagine bringing in 2000+ Americans in if a port is already a disaster area trying to provide water, food and shelter to its people. Do you want to sightsee and watch human misery for yourself - is that a vacation?

If you are injured or made sick in the port because the facilities/sanitation are not available, will that give you the vacation you desire?

 

Why don't you wait for the next major disaster and try being a tourist in that area. I am sure we will see many more serious disasters this year. You may be able to actually fly to the spot and sightsee if you can stomach it.

 

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I've done that already. Back in 2001 I made a trip to an earthquake zone in El Salvador with a group of railroad buffs. We'd already made hotel arrangements and our hotel and meal arrangements were still good. Our whizzing around on a chartered steam train greatly bemused the locals who found watching the crazy gringos to be a pleasant break from the process of cleanup.

I hadn't planned to be a tourist in a disaster area, it was just that the disaster occured between our group's making our travel arrangements and our arrival.

From my experience when they change ports they offer new excursions, no charge for ones missed.

Don't visit a damaged port for at least a month? Like if the western itinerary ports were damaged just run the eastern route for a month or more? Wonder if there would be any pax complain about tendering in from who knows how far out since the regularly scheduled ships will have all the dock space. Or would anyone complain because all the excursions are booked by those same ships. Or would the fact that the port is overrun with twice its normal amount of pax cause any concern.

Very simply, if the port is reachable, its already being visited by some ships.

They will go wherever else they can if there is serious damage in a port, but the results will piss off as many as are made happy.

Its just one of those situations we all must tolerate.

Our way is, we look at each other and say, "The adventure continues." and go from there.

Dan

We were in Jamacia 2 days after Isadore, 2 days...and there was damage but come on if they have water and power then thay have COLD BEER....the beaches are as wonderful as ever and the shops still have great things. We visited Grand cayeman last year in one of the first ships back and ..they had water and power and COLD BEER and the shops still had great things.

We have been through several hurricane cruises. Our anniversary is sept 9 so we sail that time of year. Oh yeah, we sailed during hurricane OSAMA. We have missed ports and such and have still had the most wonderful times of our lives. Each and every crusie is an ADVENTURE, somethigns are beyond human control and that is one of the things that make life full of wonder. wonderful :)

Well, at least most of you visited some type of port....sigh.... Hubby, I, and my daughter just got through riding around, and around, and around in the Gulf on the Sensation......a 5 day cruise to no-where....thanks to Hurricane Emily and, I assume, Eastern Carribean Ports being full? We enjoyed it; but by the 4th day at sea, we had ocean fever....eeeeeeeeeek! We were offered a $50 on-board credit and half off of our next cruise; which I feel was a decent deal and still we got to enjoy cruisng for a while anyway. I heard everyone that booked excursions through Carnival got refunds on our cruise. We wanted to play it by ear rather than book excursions ahead of time; so, we didn't have to fool with worrying about that aspect anyway.

DH and I were on the Zuiderdam 7-day eastern carib in 2001 and missed ALL ports except 1 !!! The rest of the days turned into sea days. Holland refunded all Holland booked excursions and Gave everyone on board a FREE GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE on formal night for all of our troubles!!!

Sounds like carnival gave you a good deal w/50.00 OBC and 1/2 off next cruise!!!

WE were on the ECSTASY 7/11-16 and the weather was PERFECT!! Lots of jokes about cruising btwn 2 hurricanes (what Luck!).

If the port you are to dock in is damaged due to a hurricane, the captain will attempt to find another port near by or will make the day another day at sea. I've sailed on the QE2 during a hurricane and we sailed around it but we still felt the waves and rocking and on another cruise missed two stops in the western carib and could not dock at any island and it was in November. So be prepared to gamble or read a good book.

If the port you are to dock in is damaged due to a hurricane, the captain will attempt to find another port near by or will make the day another day at sea. I've sailed on the QE2 during a hurricane and we sailed around it but we still felt the waves and rocking and on another cruise missed two stops in the western carib and could not dock at any island and it was in November. So be prepared to gamble or read a good book.

If you have booked shore trips they refund your money.