Irene - Veendam NYC Arrival/Departure 8/28

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just look at on the headlines of these boards about how 2 cruise lines handled this storm...one took care of the passengers left stranded & one certainly did not(RCCL)...also as a personal note...back in the mid 1990's I took my Aunt & parents on a cruise to Bermuda on a Celebrity ship...it was Labor Day weekend. The QE2, a NCL ship,& the Zenith we were on all were sailing out of NYC the same day. The hurricane was forecast...as we got to the Verrazano Bridge we saw a RCCL ship sailing into NY Harbor - one day early - coming from Bermuda.

 

We had over 30 hours of pure hell...the ship was destroyed....people(staff & passengers were brought up from the lower decks....the casino was turned ino a hospital(after many of the slots toppled)...broken arms & legs. 2 windows broke on the deck we were on & water was running down the corridor in the middle of the nite. We were 24 hours late pulling into Hamilton. Furniture was tossed across the ship from sise to side including pianos & chairs with people in them.

 

The captain was fired for taking the ship out of NYC, one person broke their neck falling on the NCL ship...and the QE2 was held in NYC, sailed the next day & never had a problem......

 

 

<snip>

 

....

 

Was that hurricane Eduardo? I was on QE2 for that trip. We didn't wait an extra day. We were always scheduled to sail the day after Zenith. The original departure was to have been at 5 or 6 PM, but we stayed around to give the storm time to move farther north, and we left at 11:59 PM. (I suspect that time was chosen because overnight port fees kick in at midnight.) I remember that it was a Sunday, because I thought it was a shame that people with extra time in NYC couldn't go see a play because Broadway is dark on Sunday nights.

 

I had paid the supplement to have an outside cabin as a single. Where I was down on 4 deck, they closed the deadlights over the portholes. So much for my "outside" cabin! We really pitched during the night. I could hear the engine speed change when she was bow down into a wave--the props were clearing the water!

 

When we were on Front Street in Hamilton, we heard a loud banging noise. We turned to see where it was coming from, and it was the Zenith! We couldn't believe the size of the dent in her bow. It sounded like someone was down in the bow drying to bang out the dent. While Mom and I shopped, Dad talked to someone from the Zenith who told him about what happened.

 

Because of her speed, QE2 got to Bermuda on schedule. They burned a lot of fuel to do that, but they were a bit more willing to spend money on fuel in those days. They never missed an opportunity to remind us that she was the only ship out of NYC to arrive at her originally planned destination on time. Zenith, as you say, was late. Some other ships went to Canada instead of Bermuda. But QE2 powered through the storm and got to Bermuda on time.

[Oceanwench]

I'm so with you on this. I hope and pray that anyone that is affected by this hurricane gets through it ok. We have had 3 really bad winters in Calgary. In the spring someone started a thread to say how much the weather sucked in Ontario and several of us joined in with our sad stories. A couple of posters living in California and Florida felt the need to say "it's nice and warm and 70 degrees here". Yeah, that's not helpful. I would NEVER think to say to anyone that's in the throws of a hurricane "gee, it's beautiful here". Some people just don't get it. Good luck to you!

 

Well, after the hurricanes in 2004, a lot of people told jokes about the hurricanes in Florida. And I had Northerners telling me that blizzards were so much worse than hurricanes!

[cruz chic]

Well, after the hurricanes in 2004, a lot of people told jokes about the hurricanes in Florida. And I had Northerners telling me that blizzards were so much worse than hurricanes!

We've had some really bad blizzards that led to loss of life and peoples houses burning down because fire trucks could not get to them. We also had a month of -30 weather for the whole month of Feb.2011 where I would imagine there were many lives lost. Feel free to search all my posts, I have never joked about hurricanes. I would expect the same of posters who do enjoy good weather most of the year. Unless people have lived through months and months of incredibly bad weather you simply can't understand what it's like to deal with it and continue to show for work every day. I wouldn't care if I was retired and not required to be anywhere. Yes, I could move but this is where I need to be to earn a living and I don't see any value in poking fun at the expense of others. I would have to argue that snowstorms could be equally bad as hurricanes but not having gone through that I really can't say for sure. YMMV.

[SailorNYC]

Yikes. Extreme weather all around! Thanks for your comments Loerekauf and I would never laugh at a hurricane, Ocean. Thankful you made it through that harrowing cruise, Rotterdam. I do feel for everyone in these conditions... and Knitlady, so amazed at your strength! Can't believe you will weather the storm alone. Thank you to your husband.

 

To those sailing on Aug 28th... watch the news... the latest I heard is that Irene will be a Cat 1 when it hits NYC... and that bad weather will start on Sat, ahead of Irene and her bands. So, flights could possibly be canceled on Sat as well. Of course, I suppose it could dissipate again, and being no hurricane expert, I can't tell you what to do, but I am not looking forward to experiencing a hurricane in NYC.

 

If you can avoid coming to NYC, consider it. Watch the news. Make the best decision for you.

 

Good luck.

[SailorNYC]

So Celebrity - which has the Summit to Bermuda in and out of Bayonne NJ Sunday to Sunday (same as the Veendam) is staying OUT and extra day - rather than come in - and the Sunday cruisers will leave on Monday cutting their trip a day short....

 

So, does this mean the Summit is staying Bermuda an extra day? Or, at least, arriving in NYC a day later? This seems like a wise move.... unless, of course, the hurricane slows down, then perhaps the Veendam will be able to go out on Sun. It's so difficult to tell. Based on current projections seems like a smart decision on Summit's part.

[vbmom87]

Yikes. Extreme weather all around! Thanks for your comments Loerekauf and I would never laugh at a hurricane, Ocean. Thankful you made it through that harrowing cruise, Rotterdam. I do feel for everyone in these conditions... and Knitlady, so amazed at your strength! Can't believe you will weather the storm alone. Thank you to your husband.

 

To those sailing on Aug 28th... watch the news... the latest I heard is that Irene will be a Cat 1 when it hits NYC... and that bad weather will start on Sat, ahead of Irene and her bands. So, flights could possibly be canceled on Sat as well. Of course, I suppose it could dissipate again, and being no hurricane expert, I can't tell you what to do, but I am not looking forward to experiencing a hurricane in NYC.

 

If you can avoid coming to NYC, consider it. Watch the news. Make the best decision for you.

 

Good luck.

 

I am praying this storm goes out to sea and/or fizzles out. This is one case where it is perfectly okay for the meteorologists to get it wrong. My daughter, who is a grad student in Delaware, called me from the supermarket today so I could help advise her as to what supplies she will need in case she loses power. Her university suggested students go home if possible. When home is 600 miles away, that is not easy. First she was evacuated this week from the building she was in because of the earthquake and now a hurricane is heading her way. It is a lot for a young woman away from home to handle. Her roommate is out of state for a clinical, so she is all alone right now. :(

 

I simply can't imagine being in a cruise ship in a storm like this. My DH had a difficult time on our recent Alaska Cruise. I can't imagine what he would be like out on the ocean with a hurricane nearby. Probably would be his last cruise. :eek:

[Sagedeb]

So, does this mean the Summit is staying Bermuda an extra day? Or, at least, arriving in NYC a day later? This seems like a wise move.... unless, of course, the hurricane slows down, then perhaps the Veendam will be able to go out on Sun. It's so difficult to tell. Based on current projections seems like a smart decision on Summit's part.

 

Not sure if they are staying in Bermuda or an extra day out at sea, but appears to me to be the smart move as well. Forecast says storm is moving on sunday night so waiting til Monday morning to come in makes a lot of sense. HAL still saying the Veendam will come in Saturday and sit thru the mess at the pier!

[Taxguy77]

It's concerning enough when people put themselves in harms way to go on vacation. So much more so for those who are in harms way in the service of others.

Thanks to your husband and the others like him who are on call during these emergencies helping to keep those of us not content to ride out the storm at home an added measure of safty. Stay safe yourself in his absence.

 

Amen to that.

[hypercafe]

I read this morning they are thinking about closing Battery Park City because of high tides, storm serge etc. That is not that far down river from the cruise terminal. The storm should be at it's worst around noon so I can't see how people will be able to travel to the ship nor how it can leave on time. Also the ride out will be hell especially since this is a small ship. I would stay at sea till Monday.

[catl331]

... so I can't see how people will be able to travel to the ship nor how it can leave on time.

HAL right now is saying departure on Sun "may be delayed"! :eek:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/news/Main.action?tabName=Travel+Advisories

[Guest LoveMyBoxer]

HAL right now is saying departure on Sun "may be delayed"! :eek:

http://www.hollandamerica.com/news/Main.action?tabName=Travel+Advisories

 

I think they are preparing for people arriving late because of flights and problems with flooding. By the time the Veendam is scheduled to leave, from what they are predicting, the worst of the storm should have passed. I think the major problem is people being able to get to the terminal, which happens at the peak time of the storm

[peaches from georgia]

I think they are preparing for people arriving late because of flights and problems with flooding. By the time the Veendam is scheduled to leave, from what they are predicting, the worst of the storm should have passed. I think the major problem is people being able to get to the terminal, which happens at the peak time of the storm

And what about disembarking pax? If they leave on Sat will they be able to change to early flights on Sat when their reservations would have been for Sunday and could they get a hotel at this point? If they stay aboard and leave Sun morning, which they would have to do, where the heck are they going to go with Irene hitting in full force and the city/transportation and streets/airports shut down? The problem is not when Veendam will be able to leave, but what happens to several thousand disembarking and embarking pax on Sunday while the hurricane is battering NYC. Celebrity was smart to make the more prudent decision to keep the ship and its pax away from the dock on Sunday. Or at least it seems so.

[mamaofami]

There will be no public transportation available and no flights leaving NY. By Saturday, many airports will be shut down. Airlines will not want planes left on the ground in NY during the storm. Somehow, I feel that HAL will figure out how to take care of the disembarking and embarking passengers without leaving anyone stranded. Or, at least I hope that will be the case.

[Oceanwench]

We've had some really bad blizzards that led to loss of life and peoples houses burning down because fire trucks could not get to them. We also had a month of -30 weather for the whole month of Feb.2011 where I would imagine there were many lives lost. Feel free to search all my posts, I have never joked about hurricanes. I would expect the same of posters who do enjoy good weather most of the year. Unless people have lived through months and months of incredibly bad weather you simply can't understand what it's like to deal with it and continue to show for work every day. I wouldn't care if I was retired and not required to be anywhere. Yes, I could move but this is where I need to be to earn a living and I don't see any value in poking fun at the expense of others. I would have to argue that snowstorms could be equally bad as hurricanes but not having gone through that I really can't say for sure. YMMV.

 

I am not going to get into a debate over weather, but I grew up in the Boston area - yeah, I was there for the Blizzard of '78 - and I lived for a long time in Ohio [snow belt!]. Believe me, a snowstorm is nothing compared to a hurricane.

 

People do joke about the weather - people joke about everything!

But to joke about a storm that causes loss of life and terrible property damage -- that's another matter.

 

And for the record - certain types of weather are *expected* depending on where a person lives. That's why 10 degrees in, say, Massachusetts in the winter is not a big deal, yet 20 degrees in Florida is!

[gregdude]

HAL has another 24 hours to change their initial decision. I doubt that HAL or the captain will want to be tied up in NYC when all of NYC will be closed (for the first time in history) and the tides may be 6-10 higher than normal. Who wants a ship tied to a dock in these conditions. The US Navy has moved all of it's ships out to sea to prevent damage if left in port!!!

 

It may very well be that HAL will follow Celebrity and decide to remain out at sea, clear of the storm until Monday.

[IRL_Joanie]

Just got this off of John Heald's Blog (He posted it during the night):

 

"Ok so after a long day of the Captain communicating with our office Coast Guard etc. We will be arriving pier side at 6am Saturday morning and starting debarking guests at 7am as directed by the US coast guard. Once all guests are ashore we will be setting sail to Chesapeake Bay (Near Annapolis) where we will remain to wait out the storm until Monday when we will be back pier side at 10am to start embark."

Joanie

[peaches from georgia]

HAL has another 24 hours to change their initial decision. I doubt that HAL or the captain will want to be tied up in NYC when all of NYC will be closed (for the first time in history) and the tides may be 6-10 higher than normal. Who wants a ship tied to a dock in these conditions. The US Navy has moved all of it's ships out to sea to prevent damage if left in port!!!

 

It may very well be that HAL will follow Celebrity and decide to remain out at sea, clear of the storm until Monday.

Might it be possible that NY/NJ Port Authority may not even allow Veendam or other ships to come in to the docks on Saturday with the intent of remaining through the hurricane? Not only for the safety of the ships and docks, but that whole area along the Hudson may very well flood and they won't want several thousand people unnecessarily trying to come and go on those streets around the docks. Transportation will be at a bare minimum.

 

EDIT: Hadn't seen Joanie's post about change of plans when this was posted. What I thought is what has happened. Coast Guard is smart to get the Veendam the heck out of NYC docks. Hopefully HAL pax who came into NYC on Sat thinking they would be on the ship on Sunday can keep their hotel rooms or get reservations for Sunday night.

[jtl513]

It may very well be that HAL will follow Celebrity and decide to remain out at sea, clear of the storm until Monday.

I'm betting that after the Veendam debarks everyone (Sat if possible, or early Sun at latest) they will go back out to sea to ride out the storm and return Mon morning to pick up the next group.

[lvz2cruz]

When we sailed Veendam in June more than half the passengers were New Yorkers or from Jersey. I would bet they are eager to get off the ship to get home and secure everything and prepare for a power outage/flood/whatever. I'm sure the small amount parked at the pier are eager to get off and get their cars out of the area.

 

I have been thinking about all the New Yorkers we met on the ship and am praying often through the day for them.

[Oceanwench]

I feel bad for the pax debarking ... as they join the throngs of NYers being evacuated to safer areas ...

It's going to be a mess.

[CaroleSS]

ok, here's a question for discussion.....we are flying in on Saturday ahead of the storm. If HAL opts to go out to sea Sunday morning, do you think they'd let us get on the ship Saturday?

[HeatherInFlorida]

For whatever reason ... whenever one area of the country or world is faced with a potential weather disaster there are people in other parts of the world who feel they may have experienced something similar or worse in another type of weather condition. When you live through a hurricane it is the worst Hell on earth. When you're in the midst of a devastating blizzard I'm sure it can feel the same way.

 

Each condition is different and we can't compare them, but I think it's natural to react with an "it's fine over here" remark without malice. After the recent earthquake, California was laughing their AO because they go through a 5.8 just about every 2 years and consider it a minor shaking. Jokes erupted all over the internet.

 

Anyway ..... :). That said, in this particular circumstance there is the belief by experts that this could well be a 100 year event. The former head of the NHC, Max Mayfield, has said that this is the nightmare storm he always feared, the track hitting literally millions of people.

 

So it is possible that this is an event that has little match, at least in the history of North America, because it will affect such a massive area. The technology has improved and hurricane forecasters have become so much more accurate in recent years in predicting the path of these things so unfortunately it's likely to be pretty much as predicted.

 

So all kidding and jokes aside, I sure hope that everyone in its path heeds the directions from FEMA and the NHC and I sincerely hope that HAL recognizes how great the risk is and keeps Veendam wherever passengers, crew and the ship itself will be most safe.

[Oceanwench]

ok, here's a question for discussion.....we are flying in on Saturday ahead of the storm. If HAL opts to go out to sea Sunday morning, do you think they'd let us get on the ship Saturday?

 

No.

[msmayor]

Just got this off of John Heald's Blog (He posted it during the night):

 

"Ok so after a long day of the Captain communicating with our office Coast Guard etc. We will be arriving pier side at 6am Saturday morning and starting debarking guests at 7am as directed by the US coast guard. Once all guests are ashore we will be setting sail to Chesapeake Bay (Near Annapolis) where we will remain to wait out the storm until Monday when we will be back pier side at 10am to start embark."

Joanie

 

 

This is, I believe, for the Carnival Pride which sails every Sunday from Baltimore (we took her last summer on a cruise to the Bahamas).

 

I had read that the USCG directed that she not be in port during the storm and that the current cruise would be cut short by a day while the subsequent cruise would not embark until Monday morning.

 

I was very surprised to see that Explorer of the Seas (RCCL) is still planning to embark passengers and depart for a five-day to Bermuda on Saturday from Cape Liberty in Bayonne (albeit an hour earlier than the original itinerary). Embarkation in this messy weather will be awful as passengers must be bussed to the ship from the check-in area, and I'm sure the ride out to sea will be a rough one.

[Rahi]

And what about disembarking pax? If they leave on Sat will they be able to change to early flights on Sat when their reservations would have been for Sunday and could they get a hotel at this point? If they stay aboard and leave Sun morning, which they would have to do, where the heck are they going to go with Irene hitting in full force and the city/transportation and streets/airports shut down? The problem is not when Veendam will be able to leave, but what happens to several thousand disembarking and embarking pax on Sunday while the hurricane is battering NYC. Celebrity was smart to make the more prudent decision to keep the ship and its pax away from the dock on Sunday. Or at least it seems so.

Very good points!