Did the 1/2/05 Rhapsody change it's course?

[rchauv]

As we finally sailed off at 1:15 AM on the Elation, (The fuel barge from Houston was also delayed due the foggy conditions) we were informed that the Rhapsody had sailed earlier but would have to alter its course in order to refuel elsewhere because it chose not to wait for the same barge. I am just curious about what the change was.

 

Surprisingly to me, the circa nine hour delay for the Elation did not effect its arrival at Progresso. This was a big worry to one who had booked an independent tour the Chichen Itza and had put up half the money up front.

[flagger]

We went to Miami for fuel instead of Costa Maya. We were told that you on the Elation did not get fuel until mid morning on Monday and you got your cruise cut short by a day. To be fair, I don't think we would have made Key West at all had we waited and then we would have an extra sea day instead of a port day.

[rchauv]

No, we did not lose a day; we just had a fast trip to Progresso and made up the lost hours with the faster speed.

 

Originally, we were told that the fuel barge would have a longer delay. The peak fog time was around 7 PM but nothing like the white sheet that our waiter described that caused its return to Galveston on the 2nd to be delayed. Fueling began something in the 9-10 PM period.

 

It took us one hour to drive from home and four hours wait to park because of the delayed debarkation to free up the parking lot area. We did the life boat drill at around 10PM. Most people went to bed but awakened at 1:15 AM by some hefty fog horn blowing that lasted for a bit more than an hour.

 

The upside of fog is that you have calm waters. We were fortunate for the whole trip with calm waters. You had to look hard to find any white capping the whole cruise. However, the faster speed to Progresso may have made for a little more motion on that leg. However, it was not at all bad.

[claowens]

I was on the Jan 2 sailing on the Rhapsody. We had good weather for our trip and smooth sailing, it was one of the smoothest cruises that I have had.

 

We were all dissapointed about the trip change, but it really wasnt anything

RCCL could do. One thing I can say, leaving Miami, it was night time and it was so pretty with all the tall buildings and the bridges lit up, I enjoyed seeing that.

[flagger]

Here is what the letter from the Hotel Director reads in part:

 

As you know Rhapsody of the Seas was delayed from entering the port of Galveston by four hours on Sunday due to very heavy fog conditions that were present in the harbor area. The fog in Galveston was also a problem for us, as we found out later on Sunday afternoon that we would not be able to refuel the ship in time for us to leave Galveston and arrive in Key West on time, and in fact we were advised that the delay in having fuel delivered to the dog would have delayed our departure until mid day on Monday. We considered that this was not a suitable alternative for us.

 

Interesting that you did get fueled and were able to leave. Wonder if Carnival got first dibs on the fuel barge. We heard several rumours throughout the cruise as to why we left, what happened, what happened to Carnival. I was waiting to read a post from someone who was on the Elation.

[claowens]

On the way home from the cruise, my children ages 21 & 19 stopped at Whataburger to eat and sat next to someone that were on the Elation and they said that they left around 1:30 am Monday morning, I think RCCL was just saying that they did not get fuel until the next day trying to make everyone happy. I am glad that the Captain did what he did, but I think instead of the Sea day thursday we should have still gone to Costa Maya..since we were scheduled to go, they would have had to pay the extra port charge, but I think they could have afforded it.

 

I heard a rumor that if enough people complained they would get some type of compersation,but I really don't belive that. We had a good trip anyway, just a little dissapointed.