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Stranded on Coco Cay November 2002 - Were you there?

ClaireS

By ClaireS,
in Royal Caribbean International

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  • 11 months later...
Kevin's girl

Kevin's girl

Posted
Posted

We were there too!!! I have been looking for someone else that was there ever since. I can't believe it.

It was cold and wet. Not enough blankets, and some of RCCI's BEST crew ever. It was a bit scary getting on the tenders to try to get back to the ship and then getting turned away. We bunked with our table mates from dinner. I wouldn't complain if it happened again. Although now with all of the buildings being finished it may not be so much like ruffing it.

You didn't happen to buy the cruise video from that cruise did you? We were still newbie cruisers and didn't buy one. I would love to find a copy.

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sadie8

sadie8

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My son's math tutor told me about the incident in 2004. She was on the island with her sister and elderly mother and said it was a very rough night, especially for her mother. They did compensate them well.

 

So in 2010 when we were on Coco Cay the sky started to darken, the wind picked up, everyone was gathering up their stuff to get back on board. I was with my children (21 and 23) and told them the story about Sue getting stranded and getting a free cruise. So while everyone else left, we just sat there on the beach, drinking coco locos, waiting to get stranded and get our next cruise for free. Nothing happened - but it's a story we love retelling anyway.

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just4kixx

just4kixx

Posted
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I realize the OP is almost a year old, but I'm amazed at hearing the story for the first time! :eek:

 

WOW! Is all I can say. Back then my kids would have been 12 and 9, and since I wouldn't call either "adventurous", I can ONLY imagine! :rolleyes:

 

Glad to hear that those who were there reporting back here made out ok in the end! :p

 

A~

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hotrod1954

hotrod1954

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Posted
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.

The problem was not getting off of the island but the problem was getting back on the ship from the tenders. The waves were so bad the tender boat floated up past the door on the ship so you could not disembark from the tender

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clean1owner

clean1owner

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Posted
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 could think of many worse places to be stranded!

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CruisinMacDonalds

CruisinMacDonalds

Posted
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My son's math tutor told me about the incident in 2004. She was on the island with her sister and elderly mother and said it was a very rough night, especially for her mother. They did compensate them well.

 

So in 2010 when we were on Coco Cay the sky started to darken, the wind picked up, everyone was gathering up their stuff to get back on board. I was with my children (21 and 23) and told them the story about Sue getting stranded and getting a free cruise. So while everyone else left, we just sat there on the beach, drinking coco locos, waiting to get stranded and get our next cruise for free. Nothing happened - but it's a story we love retelling anyway.

 

 

HAHAHAHA

 

Love that attitude! I would totally be doing the same :)

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Maryscooking

Maryscooking

Posted
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Well I wouldn't want to go through either! The Costa compensation package was full refund plus 30% off a future cruise. the RCCL pax received full refund plus a free future cruise. Just sayin'.

 

If I understand correctly, the package you cite is for people who had planned cruises on the Concordia that now will not happen.

 

I don't think I've heard mentioned what the passengers on board when the ship went down will be offered. I'm quite sure it will be significantly more than a full refund plus a 30% discount on a future cruise.

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Addict

Addict

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If I understand correctly, the package you cite is for people who had planned cruises on the Concordia that now will not happen.

 

I don't think I've heard mentioned what the passengers on board when the ship went down will be offered. I'm quite sure it will be significantly more than a full refund plus a 30% discount on a future cruise.

 

That's how I understand it as well.

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Artemis908

Artemis908

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That's how I understand it as well.

 

I have heard the same thing and haven't been able to find anything that says what those poor people are getting. I have heard about possible law suits and the cruise line saying they'd like to personally deal with those filing law suits before going into court.

 

I would say several thousand dollars is a start for them, I mean besides the emotional and physical injuries, just think of everything you take in your luggage on a cruise.

 

Anyway, what an interesting story! I haven't been to Coco Cay for a very long (2002 or 2003) so very curious to see how the island has changed.

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BillOh Holiday Sharing Rare

BillOh

Posted
Posted
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.

 

Same for me, but I remember reading a lot about it here. The thing that impressed me was how everyone pulled together and made the best of it. If it happened today there would be 100 posts demanding a free cruise. Now to read the replies, the stories related before were very interesting. Me? Two wonderful days there.

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sunnysavannah

sunnysavannah

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here's the link to the Concordia compensation plan info on the main site: Click Here

 

Our honeymoon trip in Dec. 2000 was the week after an electrical problem on the Soverign. We showed up and no ship. They gave us our money back and a voucher so that we could take the same cruise, same category stateroom for free! A little upset at first, but we were happy to use it for our first anniversary and went to Disney World for our honeymoon! :)

 

ETA: very minorly upset because of the change in plans. It was our first cruise, first real grown up trip, and honeymoon. We had to go buy some more clothes since Dec in Orlando and Bahamas are not the same weather. :)

Edited by sunnysavannah
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  • 2 years later...
ellio208

ellio208

Posted
Posted
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 there!!!!!! I was helping the workers hand out blankets by the docks. I was 12 at the time. I wanted to help and I did all night till everything was handed out. Makes for a great story. I am going back this September and nervous to go back! I think it is cool to see someone else who was there!! I am new to cruise critic and its amazing.

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maureencruiser

maureencruiser

Posted
Posted
I was there!!!!!! I was helping the workers hand out blankets by the docks. I was 12 at the time. I wanted to help and I did all night till everything was handed out. Makes for a great story. I am going back this September and nervous to go back! I think it is cool to see someone else who was there!! I am new to cruise critic and its amazing.

Welcome to CC, Ellio! Thanks for reviving this thread, I had never heard this story. Have fun on your cruise! :)

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WinterEscape

WinterEscape

Posted
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I did not realize this happened! We visited in 2008 and they evacuated the island. At the time we were leaving the island, we had water up to our knees walking to get on the tender and the seas were very rough. They had to shut off all electricity to the island. It was chaotic to say the least. The first and only time I have ever gone through a metal detector submerged in water!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Kevin's girl

Kevin's girl

Posted
Posted
I was there!!!!!! I was helping the workers hand out blankets by the docks. I was 12 at the time. I wanted to help and I did all night till everything was handed out. Makes for a great story. I am going back this September and nervous to go back! I think it is cool to see someone else who was there!! I am new to cruise critic and its amazing.

Welcome to Cruise Critics Ellio and thanks for the blankets and helping out. I always refer to that night as our Gilligan's Island Excursion.

I never considered a law suit, and yes the compensation was very good. It beat the pants off the Costa package (shame on Costa). RCI did so well by us that we have stayed loyal to Royal ever since.

Does anyone happen to have pics after dark? I only had a throw away water camera and it did not have a flash. I do have daytime pics. I know that during the night it was a bit like house arrest and movement was limited to bathroom runs. But I would love to have some pics of the sleeping set ups.

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vuz98

vuz98

Posted
Posted
If there ever was a thread to be brought foreword from a few years ago, this one is it!

 

CoCo Cay and Grand Cayman both being tendered ports that get cancelled due to the weather or sea conditions this thread is a good reminder of what could happen.

 

***

 

Interesting thread, had not heard this before. I didn't catch the ship,was it the Sovereign?

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