On the Freedom now - Doing circles in the Gulf

Those that arrived in Houston by air for the cruise should seriously look at getting a plane out of NOLA before Harvey comes to visit. Pax with cars in Galveston will probably need to stay on the ship. I just looked at parts of I45 north out of Galveston are closed due to flooding so getting off the island and north will be problematic. I agree that staying on the ship, eating their food, being entertained etc is far better than sitting in a hotel room with Harvey coming to visit.

Harvey moved out into the Gulf to recharge with moisture and is headed to the TX-LA border. NOLA may be the recipient of large amounts of rain.

Carnival will have complimentary hop on hop off and complimentary shuttle to the French quarters. We got tickets for the hop on hop off. I'm going to be tacky and have a hurricane at Pat O'briens. It should be a good day in Nola.

 

 

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I absolutely admire your positive attitude! Best of luck to you and everyone affected.

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Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I'm glad to see you and your family are making the most of a terrible situation.

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Best coverage is via YouTube, where KHOU is streaming live. Fox & CNN are too, but their negativity and avoidance of facts doesn't cut it.

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Our room steward said 1/2 the ship have elected to leave. We asked one of the guys helping people debark and he said 1500-1700 left on board with 200 expected to debark today. Those numbers more or less line up I think. Should be returning to Galveston on a half-ish full ship.

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Sorry to derail the thread with politics, maybe this photo will help get it back on track. The room steward has to be running out of ideas.

House is still good and the brazos river is receding a bit for now from what we are seeing, but still expected to crest Thursday or Friday

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First, Carnival has been great through this extended cruise. I feel bad for the people who were set to board the 26th. Freedom is scheduled to be in Nola Tuesday and overnight in to Wednesday and leaving Wednesday afternoon to make our way to Galveston. They are letting people terminate their cruise in Nola if they want. It sounds like we'll be in Galveston Friday or Saturday. Our neighborhood on southwest side of Houston is in a mandatory evacuation notice so no rush to get home. I'm with my wife, 5 year old and 7 year old, along with my parents. My parents live in Galveston and their area is doing great.

 

For now, we're doing circles!! Check out the map.

 

(I hope the photo loads with the slow connection)

 

Photo failed to load after several attempts. I'll try again shortly.

 

 

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Prayers going out for the safety of all who are pulling together to pick the pieces back up in Texas.Safe sailing!I leave sat for Mexico

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Why would you get off in NOLA and stay a week with 6 people staying in a hotel, eating out, then renting a car to get back to Galveston? When Carnival is housing them, feeding them ,entertaining them and will get them back to Galveston free when it's safe.

 

...

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Why? Because unless you are in a 'lucky' area..until the roads are open, you won't be going anywhere. If you have a car parked in Galveston (I wrote at the beginning of the week, mind you)...it won't be going anywhere for a week (as of today, pretty accurate). It is really about...where do you live? The cars are not getting around yet in Houston from Galveston. So, if you drove in from say... Dallas...and parked in Galveston (I was not being specific to Aggie/OP)...you'd be better off getting of ship in NOLA (BEFORE the next wave of rain from Harvey gets THERE) and dealing with car later. UNLESS you have plenty of time and don't have to worry about getting in to work. Logistically, it is getting FROM Galveston TO the other side of Houston that I was making my observation on.

Now as far as today is concerned... I have turned off the TV and didn't watch at all yesterday. Too much. I have family inside the NE Loop of 610... they are on an island, safe, with power. Doesn't get any better than that. Praise the Lord. Another family member going to work today at IAH, supervising janitor staff..making progress on clean up. His house dry, safe. Another family member on the Conroe side. Safe, dry, with power. Blessed.

And the Cajun Navy is on site. THANKS VOLUNTEERS! So everything is under control, as well as can be expected.

So glad carnival has taken such good care of of everyone

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OP - In the midst of this terrible tragedy it's refreshing to see your fantastic attitude! I would hope that if faced with the same situation we would aspire to handle it as you have.

I wish you continued safety and that you return home to find no damage.

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I saw a Facebook post someone shared from Heald showing Freedom should dock Friday in Galveston, pending an open port.

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Not a bad afternoon view.

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Galveston bound. Should be docked Friday morning. The port is open during daylight hours to vessels drafting 33' or less. Hopefully the mandatory evacuation is lifted and levees keep doing their jobs and we'll be home to a dry house Friday afternoon.

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Keep the positive attitude. My boss tasked me yesterday to make a list of the volunteers from our town who were in the Houston area with boats and/or high lifted trucks and a list of the places to donate supplies to be taken to the Houston area. He's paying for an ad in tomorrow's paper so local folks will know who to send supplies with. After combing through hundreds of social media sites and posts, our small community (Palestine, TX) has 38 boat teams rescuing those who are stranded and 28 drop off locations for supplies. I am amazed and humbled by the giving spirit of those in our community. I will do my part to help as much as I can.

I am so glad that your home has been spared so far and I pray that it continues to remain so. I hope you are able to get home safely and resume your normal life.

This from Carnival's website:

Weather Update #9 – 08/30/17 – 12:30 PM (EST)

 

 

Carnival Valor and Carnival Freedom will depart New Orleans this afternoon and will then resume course to Galveston. Carnival Breeze will overnight in New Orleans today and will start making her way to Galveston on Thursday evening.

 

Assuming the port reopens later this week, Carnival Freedom will dock on Friday and debark guests from its previous cruise. Embarkation for the September 2 voyage will take place on Saturday as scheduled.

 

Carnival Valor also will arrive in Galveston on Friday morning to disembark guests. As previously mentioned, the August 31 sailing of Carnival Valor has been cancelled. However, the September 4 sailing will operate as scheduled.

 

Carnival Breeze is scheduled to arrive on Saturday evening to disembark guests from the previous cruise. Embarkation for the September 3 sailing will take place on Sunday as scheduled.

 

We are in the process of finalizing check-in times for this weekend’s sailings and will update this page as soon as the port reopens and more information becomes available.

 

To stay up to date on any changes that may affect your upcoming cruise, we encourage you to sign up for text alerts by texting the codes below to CRUISE (278473).

 

 

Carnival Freedom 09/02/17 - CCL1

 

 

Carnival Valor 09/04/17 - CCL2

 

 

Carnival Breeze 09/03/17 - CCL3

Looks like you're making the best out of a tough situation. I can't imagine not being able to get the news of home when something so big is happening. I pray your home is dry when you make it back.

I was wondering if a cruise gets extended like yours... Do they still entertain like normal cruises? Do shows go on? Are they repeats? Just curious how it works.

Good luck to you. My husband is a police officer in West Texas who's been in Houston this week helping with rescues. Its so sunny and dry where I am that its absolutely surreal what is going on on the other side of the state.

First, Carnival has been great through this extended cruise. I feel bad for the people who were set to board the 26th. Freedom is scheduled to be in Nola Tuesday and overnight in to Wednesday and leaving Wednesday afternoon to make our way to Galveston. They are letting people terminate their cruise in Nola if they want. It sounds like we'll be in Galveston Friday or Saturday. Our neighborhood on southwest side of Houston is in a mandatory evacuation notice so no rush to get home. I'm with my wife, 5 year old and 7 year old, along with my parents. My parents live in Galveston and their area is doing great.

 

For now, we're doing circles!! Check out the map.

 

(I hope the photo loads with the slow connection)

 

Photo failed to load after several attempts. I'll try again shortly.

 

 

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I'm at work. Wanna swap? ;) I'd love to do circles for a week.

We live in the Bees Creek section of Sienna. The southwest section has taken on most of the water. Sawmill Lake, Waters Lake, the sections nears Camp Sienna has all needed boat rescues to get out. The Shipman's Landing side and also north of the bridge has been ok.

Its been a pretty crazy experience so far. Tornados ripped through Scanlan Trace up through Steep Bank West on Saturday night. Went from a voluntary evacuation to a mandatory evacuation on Monday. Predicted crest of the Brazos has gone from 59 ft down to 57.5 ft and now 56 ft with is the 100 year flood height that its built to protect us from so Sienna should be ok. They do say that Sienna Parkway will flood as is planned for water at that level.

If your home had not flooded yet, you will be ok so enjoy the last couple of extra days and just be safe getting back to Sienna.

Looks like you're making the best out of a tough situation. I can't imagine not being able to get the news of home when something so big is happening. I pray your home is dry when you make it back.

 

I was wondering if a cruise gets extended like yours... Do they still entertain like normal cruises? Do shows go on? Are they repeats? Just curious how it works.

 

Good luck to you. My husband is a police officer in West Texas who's been in Houston this week helping with rescues. Its so sunny and dry where I am that its absolutely surreal what is going on on the other side of the state.

We were once on a ship (Royal Caribbean, not Carnival) that had 2 extra days because of a hurricane. They assured us that they would not run out of food or alcohol. They put on an extra show by the crew. I still years and years later remember one line from an assistant cruise director---he renamed the ship the Entrapment of the Seas from the Enchantment of the Seas.

We live in the Bees Creek section of Sienna. The southwest section has taken on most of the water. Sawmill Lake, Waters Lake, the sections nears Camp Sienna has all needed boat rescues to get out. The Shipman's Landing side and also north of the bridge has been ok.

 

We're in Redstone Manor. We got photos a few days ago and we're high and dry. Hopefully the levees keep doing their job. I'm confident they will.

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Galveston!

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Galveston!

 

 

 

 

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Best of luck on your return home. When was your original cruise end date again?

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Best of luck on your return home. When was your original cruise end date again?

 

 

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26th. Our 7 day turned in to 13.

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Aggie-I wish you and your family a safe return home and all the best in the coming months for your friends, family and the area as a whole. Your updates and attitude were beyond refreshing and appreciate you sharing your extended cruise experiences.

Aggie, you are an inspiration to EVERYONE! What an amazing and uplifting attitude.....when you received 'lemons' you truly made 'lemonade'.. how stupendous!

Please do update us once you arrive home - will be hoping and praying for you that you find everything just as you left it on the 26th!!! The best to you and your family!!