Stranded on Coco Cay November 2002 - Were you there?

I was one of the many passengers that was stranded on Coco Cay back in November 2002 when due to a change in the weather conditions passengers could not return to the ship and had to spend the night on the island.

My husband and I are due to return to Coco Cay for the first time since (now with 2 children in tow) and it has started me thinking about that night again.

Were you there? Have you been back?

I keep saying that if there's the slightest bit of a breeze I'm stay on the ship!

I was one of the many passengers that was stranded on Coco Cay back in November 2002 when due to a change in the weather conditions passengers could not return to the ship and had to spend the night on the island.

 

My husband and I are due to return to Coco Cay for the first time since (now with 2 children in tow) and it has started me thinking about that night again.

 

Were you there? Have you been back?

 

I keep saying that if there's the slightest bit of a breeze I'm stay on the ship!

I remember reading all about it here on CC - back when I was a lurker and not yet a member..... That must have been some night.

I wasn't there that trip, but what will shock you is how much CocoCay has changed in 9 years.

First time we went there was in 1994 and it was basically just an island with one hut. Very cool because it felt remote.

Now...it has a commercial feel too it. Kind of sad, but still a very cool stop.

Wow...what arrangements did they make for you?

Wow...what arrangements did they make for you?

A blanket and a pile of sand. LOL :D

A blanket and a pile of sand. LOL :D

Actually, I remember there not being enough blankets/towels, etc. to go around. And it was cool that night. There were stories of people taking care of the older and younger passengers, etc. And there were stories of people selfishly just looking out for number one...... :rolleyes:

Actually, I remember there not being enough blankets/towels, etc. to go around. And it was cool that night. There were stories of people taking care of the older and younger passengers, etc. And there were stories of people selfishly just looking out for number one...... :rolleyes:

So that's where they got the idea for Survivor!:D

I was one of the many passengers that was stranded on Coco Cay back in November 2002 when due to a change in the weather conditions passengers could not return to the ship and had to spend the night on the island.

 

My husband and I are due to return to Coco Cay for the first time since (now with 2 children in tow) and it has started me thinking about that night again.

 

Were you there? Have you been back?

 

I keep saying that if there's the slightest bit of a breeze I'm stay on the ship!

That certainly makes for one interesting cruise!!

Last February I was on the Disney Magic and we were not able to pull away from the dock at their private island of Castaway Cay. Winds picked up pretty fast....and the surf was rolling. The ship just happened to be pulled into the pier bow first which was unusual to begin with....so the captain was having a very hard time backing her out of the pier.....wound up finally leaving the next day around 1pm or so......so our 7 night cruise turned into an 8 night cruise. Now the whole scenario would have been crazy had the ship tendered to Castaway Cay!

There certainly were some selfish people that night. They managed to get a load of blankets, sweatshirts, t-shirts etc sent over from the ship. There probably would have been enough to go round if some people didn't grab more items than were essential. There was a speed boat that went from the island to the ship (I'm surprised it made it though) and it brought the ship's doctor back to the island.

What people who weren't there don't realise is that nearly everyone was in beach attire and believe me in November when that sun went down it was COLD and WINDY.

The staff were excellent and could not have done any more. There was some work going on somewhere on the island at the time and the staff managed to get some plastic sheeting to help act as windbreakers.

"Chilled to the bone" was an understatement that night. It took all the next day to feel like normal again.

Some families were split up because only half of them had gone ashore. I heard that there were some people on the ship complaining that they weren't getting their usual service because all the staff on the ship were running around sorting out stuff for the "stranded".

There were people camping out in the toilets just to get in from the cold and wind.

If you had a tent and the right clothes with you then spending the night on Coco Cay would be great.

The compensation ended up being really good (although of course you don't know that at the time). They refunded everyone the full cost of that cruise, plus the same amount again to be used against another future cruise. This was the case for all passengers, whether you were stranded or not. It was also free drinks for the rest of the day when everyone got back on board.

We laugh about it now of course and it's made for a great dinner party story.

So that's where they got the idea for Survivor!:D

hahahahahha

That certainly makes for one interesting cruise!!

 

Last February I was on the Disney Magic and we were not able to pull away from the dock at their private island of Castaway Cay. Winds picked up pretty fast....and the surf was rolling. The ship just happened to be pulled into the pier bow first which was unusual to begin with....so the captain was having a very hard time backing her out of the pier.....wound up finally leaving the next day around 1pm or so......so our 7 night cruise turned into an 8 night cruise. Now the whole scenario would have been crazy had the ship tendered to Castaway Cay!

everybody out and start pushing! :p:D:confused:

There certainly were some selfish people that night. They managed to get a load of blankets, sweatshirts, t-shirts etc sent over from the ship. There probably would have been enough to go round if some people didn't grab more items than were essential. There was a speed boat that went from the island to the ship (I'm surprised it made it though) and it brought the ship's doctor back to the island.

 

What people who weren't there don't realise is that nearly everyone was in beach attire and believe me in November when that sun went down it was COLD and WINDY.

 

The staff were excellent and could not have done any more. There was some work going on somewhere on the island at the time and the staff managed to get some plastic sheeting to help act as windbreakers.

 

"Chilled to the bone" was an understatement that night. It took all the next day to feel like normal again.

 

Some families were split up because only half of them had gone ashore. I heard that there were some people on the ship complaining that they weren't getting their usual service because all the staff on the ship were running around sorting out stuff for the "stranded".

 

There were people camping out in the toilets just to get in from the cold and wind.

 

If you had a tent and the right clothes with you then spending the night on Coco Cay would be great.

 

The compensation ended up being really good (although of course you don't know that at the time). They refunded everyone the full cost of that cruise, plus the same amount again to be used against another future cruise. This was the case for all passengers, whether you were stranded or not. It was also free drinks for the rest of the day when everyone got back on board.

 

We laugh about it now of course and it's made for a great dinner party story.

wow:eek:

I wasn't there that trip, but what will shock you is how much CocoCay has changed in 9 years.

 

First time we went there was in 1994 and it was basically just an island with one hut. Very cool because it felt remote.

 

Now...it has a commercial feel too it. Kind of sad, but still a very cool stop.

If you walk around to the other side of the island, it's "almost" remote. At any rate, it's a lot quieter and nicer. Have fun this time!

that would be right up my alley. even though it was probably pretty rough night I'd be game for a night there. sounds kind of adventurous.

When I hear this story,I wonder if there were any parents stuck on the island,while their kids were on the ship..........that could make someone go insane with worry,I bet.

When I hear this story,I wonder if there were any parents stuck on the island,while their kids were on the ship..........that could make someone go insane with worry,I bet.

I know I would of been just insanely crazy! :eek:

ClairS, that was quite a story. Did the ships Dr stay the night on the island? When were you able to make it back to the ship?

Unbelievable how some people think only of themselves...the ones back on the ship boo-hooing over not enough staff...real jerks!

***

I had forgotten about this one. That must have been quite an adventure.

Drew Devine the current CD on Monarch was there and has talked about this during Q&A's at "From the Top" discussions with the Captain. It sounded pretty scary then and even more so now with your added info. Hope you enjoy Coco Cay this time around!

I know I would of been just insanely crazy! :eek:

 

ClairS, that was quite a story. Did the ships Dr stay the night on the island? When were you able to make it back to the ship?

 

Unbelievable how some people think only of themselves...the ones back on the ship boo-hooing over not enough staff...real jerks!

 

***

I'm pretty sure the Dr did stay. It was really dangerous even sending the speed boat to get him and some supplies. I saw the speed boat leave the island and I thought for sure it was going to flip over or someone go overboard the sea was that bad.

I think there was a house on the island somewhere that they took families with young children and the elderly too.

I can remember seeing one chap with a sweatshirt on his top half, a sweatshirt on his bottom half (with his legs through the arms) and a blanket, when around him there were others that hadn't managed to get anything.

Again, the staff were fantastic and were coming round all through the night checking on people.

I can remember seeing one chap with a sweatshirt on his top half, a sweatshirt on his bottom half (with his legs through the arms) and a blanket, when around him there were others that hadn't managed to get anything.

I hope that guy reads this now, recognises himself and is thoroughly ashamed. I somehow doubt it though. The selfishness of some people just astounds me!:mad:

Wow. Harrowing story. Makes me glad that we have a pier at every port on our cruise next week.

I've only heard about it, but thanks for relating your story. I hope you will come back to this thread when you get back and let us know how it went. I've had two good visits to Coco Cay.

There is no way I'm getting off that ship if the sea looks rough. Maybe I'll go ashore with an overnight bag just in case :rolleyes:

I would imagine there are two rough areas when tendering at Coco Cay, 1 getting on the tender from the island and 2, getting from the tender onto the ship.

When I was there in 2007, both Sovereign and Majesty were there at the same day and using different piers. The one we went to was pretty much out in the open. When I was there again last November we used a different peir, one that was in a little protected lagoon (Think Gilligan's Island) It looked to me like they were working on a 2nd pier as well. The original pier was just something you pulled up along side where the new one had an adjustable walkway that would accommodate different water levels.

From what I can see in my limited visits they are trying to improve their ability to tender here. I would also guess to some extent they can tender to either side of most ships and would choose the side of the ship away from the wind.

Just purely from observation and not based on anything factual, when I first came to this forum in 2005 it seemed like the success rate of even making it to the island was 50-75%, its seems more recently that average is higher.

I haven't been there yet, so not too familiar. Didn't see any reports, so I assume nobody built any fires?

Was that even attempted?

Theron