Upcoming Galveston Departures

I have an Oct 4th cruise scheduled and that looks iffy to me. Carnival has made no decisions except for the cruises for yesterday and today.

What have they done in the past? Just cancel or move the departure to another port?

Educated opinions and wild guesses appreciated.:) It's just that we have looked forward to this cruise for months and dang it, I don't want my money back I want to go on a cruise.

At this point this a merely an uneducated guess...:)

Each situation is unique, but if I had to guess, I would say that as soon as the Houston Baytown Cruise Terminal and surrounding infrastructure is up...

that is where Carnival will go.

Now when that will be is anyone's guess....but if I was a fly on the wall...I bet I would hear some "deals" in the works.....

Here's my "educated" guess:

Based on what Carnival did with the Conquest during Katrina in 2005, I am going to assume that if the port of Galveston is closed indefinitely, they might launch the Conquest from New Orleans temporarily. The ship is already in position in New Orleans awaiting for the port of Galveston to re-open. If for some reason the port of Galveston hasn't re-opened by next Sunday and the Conquest is unable to re-position, I will say that you can plan on departing from New Orleans.

In 2005, When Katrina destroyed New Orleans, the Conquest was moved to Galveston "temporarily" waiting for the port of New Orleans to re-open. Unfortunately for the city of New Orleans, when it was apparent that it wasn't going to be a short term solution, the Conquest remained in Galveston as a permanent resident. I don't think that it will be the reverse case this time though, but we'll see!

It would seem to me that Galveston would want the port to re-open as soon as possible to keep from losing business to NOLA or the new port in Houston.

It would seem to me that Galveston would want the port to re-open as soon as possible to keep from losing business to NOLA or the new port in Houston.

I'm sure they'd want to, but just as the people who lost their houses "want to" get them back up and running as soon as possible, it just isn't much of a reality at this point.

We're keeping our fingers crossed and eyes peeled for any information for the Conquest going out on the 28th.

It would seem to me that Galveston would want the port to re-open as soon as possible to keep from losing business to NOLA or the new port in Houston.

Carnival won't be losing any business to the new port any time soon. There is no ship sailing from there..

Do we know yet if the terminal in Galveston was even damaged?

Not Carnival, the Port of Galveston would be the one to lose the business if Carnival decided to move their operations there.

I have heard alot of different things to the terminal had 3 feet of water in it, the dock was missing, half the building to mud on the bottom floor and building is intack but no power, etc. I sail in 3 weeks and having been stressing about it alot. My guess would be that it will stay in NOLA and we will probably port out of there. I don't think the problem will be with the Galveston terminal but with parking, transportation and even getting on the island safely.

I don't think either ship will stay in New Orleans permanently.

Carnival has the Fantasy coming back in October. And the Triumph coming next year.

Galveston was a money maker....and if the Baytown Cruise Terminal is available....it would make sense to simply move these ships there until Galveston is ready.

Baytown has been begging for ships to come there and now it looks like Baytown as the upper hand. I would imagine they will be requiring at least a 6 month - a year commitment from Carnival before Baytown comes to the rescue.

Not Carnival, the Port of Galveston would be the one to lose the business if Carnival decided to move their operations there.

Since I have apparently lost the ability to discern the english language I better get off these boards.:o . Yes, you are right..

After evacuating from the storm and getting very little sleep, then staying on the boards watching for news about my cruise, I am making myself a basket case..

Since I have apparently lost the ability to discern the english language I better get off these boards.:o . Yes, you are right..

 

After evacuating from the storm and getting very little sleep, then staying on the boards watching for news about my cruise, I am making myself a basket case..

No problem Carolyn. I have family in the area so I know how you feel.

Ship also has to bunker, provision, and offload trash while in port, so doubt Galveston can provide that for a while. EM

They are reporting 3 feet of water in the Terminal and a section of the Port wall is missing. Also all Vehicles parked at the port are totalled.

I was thinking maybe they would give Corpus Christi a chance at housing the ship for few weeks and see how cruising fairs out of that port. They built a new terminal a few years ago and no cruise ship every came. I think it could work out for a trail run.

We went through the hurricane. They are not even going to allow residents to return for probably 30 days. No way any cruises are going out of there.

The news shot footage from near Pier 21 (by the restaurants) and they believe the cars that were there are from the cruise ship parking.

No good for Galveston.

I have to admit that I understand the threads about how the ship(s) should move to Corpus Cristi or to Houston, because I'm sure it would be nice for those in Texas to still have a drive-able port available, however, Carnival won't be the only entity involved in the decision. The decision isn't a simple process. A huge cruise ship, traveling international waters, with U.S. and non-U.S. citizens, requires involvement from Homeland Security, Customs & Immigration, the local Port Authority, the Coast Guard, and, I'm certain, many others.

All this speculation has to be tempered by news reports that a cruise ship will be used in Galveston to house first responders and those displaced by the storm. No reports yet on what ship or exactly when.

....I sail in 3 weeks and having been stressing about it alot...

Me too! We leave (suppose to) in 10 days. Now with talk about them commandeering a ship for disaster relief, who knows.

I am all in for relief and helping, matter of a fact we have several crews heading down there, phone has been ringing off the hook. I just wish Carnival were a bit quicker in their decision making process and relaying info to us, their customers

I have to admit that I understand the threads about how the ship(s) should move to Corpus Cristi or to Houston, because I'm sure it would be nice for those in Texas to still have a drive-able port available, however, Carnival won't be the only entity involved in the decision. The decision isn't a simple process. A huge cruise ship, traveling international waters, with U.S. and non-U.S. citizens, requires involvement from Homeland Security, Customs & Immigration, the local Port Authority, the Coast Guard, and, I'm certain, many others.

The biggest would be the non-US citizens onboard the ship as their visa does not allow them to work in the US.

Dave