Cruise itinerary change Part II

[Raycruise2010]

So I understand cruise lines are under no obligation to compensate passengers if weather changes an itinerary. A southern Caribbean hurricane in late October is very rare so I'll take my changes. Here's my next question: In the unlikely event weather requires a change, does anyone have a guess (or experience) in what the itinerary was changed to? We're on the Millienium Oct. 22, out of San Juan, headed to Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Greneda, Aruba and Curacao. Thanks for any insight

[celebrity]

Hi Ray.

 

Yes, it is unlikely you will have an itinerary change but there is no way anyone can predict what ports of call would be affected. The hurricane pattern would determine what changes would need to be made. For example, you may totally skip a port and spend the day at sea or dock at an alternate port depending upon the storm's path.

In any event, that's an awesome itinerary so I hope it all comes to fruition. I loved the Millennium when I sailed her in 2001 & I'm sure you will too! Bon Voyage!

[Lois R]

Hi:) I agree with the previous poster. There is really no way for us

to give you an educated answer to your question. Hypothetically?

It could be any of the islands that are "in the area" but then again,

if something happens and the ship could absolutely not dock? The

Capt could be in the position of just making sure he is at sea so

you could end up not going to another port and would have another

sea day.

There is no way to tell you where you would go (or not go) and the

main part of the scenerio is to keep 2000 + passengers and crew

in the safest possible position.

[Eileen G]

I was on a cruise the second week of November the last two years and both cruises were diverted because of a hurricane. A hurricane in Oct is not rare! We did visit all the ports just in a different order.

[sanjim]

Did you ever join the roll call for the Oct 22 sailing? The only thing you have to worry about is a Hurricane dead on Center for San Juan, and the airports are closed. Then I really don't know what happens. If a Hurricane hits during our cruise the capt will change course and head for safer waters. Remember when a hurricane is coming all ships go to sea, Its safer at sea than at dock. because a ship can out run for the most part the bad weather. Now that is not to say its not going to be a rough ride, these cruise ships can take a huge waves over the bow. Its the rogue Waves very rare, broadsides that they would have a problem with.

[hcat]

you sometimes need to go with the flow & trust the Captain..

 

we are sweating out our Summit trip to Bermuda this coming Sunday--ship is now in now Eng/Canada for the week--hope it gets back on time & we go someplace safe!

[biker1972]

Another consideration is post hurricane itinerary changes, because of damage done to infrastucture. Costa Maya is an example.

[smoosh21]

So I understand cruise lines are under no obligation to compensate passengers if weather changes an itinerary. A southern Caribbean hurricane in late October is very rare so I'll take my changes. Here's my next question: In the unlikely event weather requires a change, does anyone have a guess (or experience) in what the itinerary was changed to? We're on the Millienium Oct. 22, out of San Juan, headed to Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Greneda, Aruba and Curacao. Thanks for any insight

 

Since the Hurricane would be coming from the East (Most Likely), you would probably head to the south and west. If something like Earl happens then, I would guess that from San Juan they would send you to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and then down to Aruba.

But again, who can say because it will all depend on the storm track.

[JeffCoud]

So I understand cruise lines are under no obligation to compensate passengers if weather changes an itinerary. A southern Caribbean hurricane in late October is very rare so I'll take my changes. Here's my next question: In the unlikely event weather requires a change, does anyone have a guess (or experience) in what the itinerary was changed to? We're on the Millienium Oct. 22, out of San Juan, headed to Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Greneda, Aruba and Curacao. Thanks for any insight

 

The big most common change always seems to be....can't go east? Then go west. Can't go west, then go east. Throw in a private island somewhere if you can.

 

Although the S Carribean route you describe is more hurricane proof than sailings out of Florida. Not that it can't happen, of course, but statistically less likely to be disruptive the further south you go as compared to sailings out of Florida.

 

Jeff

[JeffCoud]

you sometimes need to go with the flow & trust the Captain..

 

we are sweating out our Summit trip to Bermuda this coming Sunday--ship is now in now Eng/Canada for the week--hope it gets back on time & we go someplace safe!

 

breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. We'll be fine! I just know it.

 

Jeff

[tprime76]

You honestly should be OK as long as the hurricanes leave San Juan airport and San Juan pier alone. S Carib ports don't get nailed as much as their northern couterparts, especially at that time of the year. While a previous poster indicated that October hurricanes are not rare, they are MUCH less frequent than ones that occur in August or September.

 

Bottom line is that the cruiseline and, more specifically the captain, will do EVERYTHING in its power to get you ashore. Relax and just keep counting down the days until you are on Millennium; we have been on her twice and she is an amazing ship.

[jagoffee]

So I understand cruise lines are under no obligation to compensate passengers if weather changes an itinerary. A southern Caribbean hurricane in late October is very rare so I'll take my changes. Here's my next question: In the unlikely event weather requires a change, does anyone have a guess (or experience) in what the itinerary was changed to? We're on the Millienium Oct. 22, out of San Juan, headed to Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Greneda, Aruba and Curacao. Thanks for any insight

 

What are the odds that your cruise will be diverted? 1 out of 1000? 1 out of 10,000? Perhaps even less. If it was me I would spend another minute thinking about it!

 

You are visiting some very nice southern ports and you should have a great time.

[Denny01]

Hurricanes have a bit of a repeatable history of where they form and where they go......a big generality, but, here is a website that shows you where Hurricanes usually form and where they 'usually' go by month:

 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastprofile.shtml#ori

 

This shows in June, they usually form in the South Caribbean and head into the Gulf. For July - Sep they are the classic 'Out of Africa Lows' that form in the mid-Atlantic and come into the Caribbean or up the East Coast. In Late Sep and into Oct, they usually form again in S Carbbean, and head into the Gulf or up the East Coast, and Nov forming in the East Caribbean and heading back into the Atlantic.

 

With all that said, it Is Wx, and a generality. For Oct, there are chances. We had one form in the Caribbean, head into the Gulf and hit us (Ft Walton Beach area) on my wife's 5 Oct birthday. Life in Paradise.

 

There is no way of knowing if/when/where one will form and where it will go. For example, Right now, any cruises coming out of the East Coast and even ones going up to Canada could/will be affected by these two current Hurricanes, and one is a Cat 4. I have a feeling none of the people signing up for a New England/Canadian cruise thought they'd be impacted by a hurricane, but they will be more 'impacated' than any Caribbean cruise except those trying to get To the Caribbean from New England/NY/NU!

 

Does this help give you some perspective? And just in case this lowers your stress of worrying about what probably won't happen and about something you have no control over.....there have been Hurricanes in Dec, Jan, etc. This is statistics, and you know what we say about that.

 

Denny

[reklawr]

you sometimes need to go with the flow & trust the Captain..

 

we are sweating out our Summit trip to Bermuda this coming Sunday--ship is now in now Eng/Canada for the week--hope it gets back on time & we go someplace safe!

 

 

hcat, Please let us know how your Bermuda cruise maneuvers around Earl and Fiona. Be safe! Bon Voyage!

[Denny01]

So I understand cruise lines are under no obligation to compensate passengers if weather changes an itinerary. A southern Caribbean hurricane in late October is very rare so I'll take my changes. Here's my next question: In the unlikely event weather requires a change, does anyone have a guess (or experience) in what the itinerary was changed to? We're on the Millienium Oct. 22, out of San Juan, headed to Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Greneda, Aruba and Curacao. Thanks for any insight

 

Since this is your second thread on this subject OP, why specifically do you want to know? This isn't really tracking. I'd think you'd understand after the last thread that since no one can tell you if a Hurricane will affect you, that no one can tell you how it will affect you and how your ship/Capt will respond to this theoritical Hurricane that no one knows where it will form and where it will go and what Islands it will impact. If it causes you not to pull into a port, it will depend on the Hurricane track what port the Capt would go to instead, if any.

 

So what is the point of this and the last thread? Don't plan a private tour that makes you pay upfront, don't set your heart on going to a specific place. If you are getting married somewhere, then I can see a bit of a stress especially if people are flying there to join you. But that is also a low-stresser - my daughter got married on a cruise in St Thomas. Great time, and no one tried to 'plan ahead' with a what-if. Cant do it.

 

I spent my life in the Navy and trust me, this is a useless exercise.

 

No one knows. If you had the Capt of your ship and he was able to talk very plainly to you, he'd say.....I have no idea....and he is the one, along with the Company's group that work these issues who will decide. So a bunch of cruise posters can only give you the same generalities you got before.

 

Please do respond - a few of us have spend more than a few minutes trying to help out here and it would be nice to know what is the point. And I mean this nicely.

 

Denny

[Raycruise2010]

I'm not worried about it, or stressing about it. I was just wondering if anyone had any insight into where a a ship might be diverted. All of the posts/answers have been very helpful, and I thank everyone

[FastFreddie]

It was too rogh for our ship to dock @ the Port of Costa Maya so we sailed to the next port Ocho Rios jamaca. When we got there it was too rough to tender in to Ocho Rios and we went to Montego Bay. Of course it was too rough there so we headed back to Ft Lauderdale.

 

Personally I like Sea days, so this was fine with me. A lot of passengers griped. It's your vacation enjoy it. I guess my point is the ship will try to get to a port but as prudently as it is safe.

[Chooz2Cruz]

They wil divert to anywhere the hurricane is not. At that time of the year, most likely more west. Aruba is not one to get hit by hurricanes, as noted by a native Arubian last year.

[dkjretired]

They wil divert to anywhere the hurricane is not. At that time of the year, most likely more west. Aruba is not one to get hit by hurricanes, as noted by a native Arubian last year.

 

And they will divert to whatever is available for them to dock....

[Jerry and Shelly]

Hurricanes have a bit of a repeatable history of where they form and where they go......a big generality, but, here is a website that shows you where Hurricanes usually form and where they 'usually' go by month:

 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastprofile.shtml#ori

 

This shows in June, they usually form in the South Caribbean and head into the Gulf. For July - Sep they are the classic 'Out of Africa Lows' that form in the mid-Atlantic and come into the Caribbean or up the East Coast. In Late Sep and into Oct, they usually form again in S Carbbean, and head into the Gulf or up the East Coast, and Nov forming in the East Caribbean and heading back into the Atlantic.

 

With all that said, it Is Wx, and a generality. For Oct, there are chances. We had one form in the Caribbean, head into the Gulf and hit us (Ft Walton Beach area) on my wife's 5 Oct birthday. Life in Paradise.

 

There is no way of knowing if/when/where one will form and where it will go. For example, Right now, any cruises coming out of the East Coast and even ones going up to Canada could/will be affected by these two current Hurricanes, and one is a Cat 4. I have a feeling none of the people signing up for a New England/Canadian cruise thought they'd be impacted by a hurricane, but they will be more 'impacated' than any Caribbean cruise except those trying to get To the Caribbean from New England/NY/NU!

 

Does this help give you some perspective? And just in case this lowers your stress of worrying about what probably won't happen and about something you have no control over.....there have been Hurricanes in Dec, Jan, etc. This is statistics, and you know what we say about that.

 

Denny

 

My only concern is pre-paid excursions. If booked through the ship, and they refund by giving you on-board credit, will you get an actual refund if you don't use up all of your credit?

[Gonzo70]

My only concern is pre-paid excursions. If booked through the ship, and they refund by giving you on-board credit, will you get an actual refund if you don't use up all of your credit?

 

Yes.