And Now There's Maria...

[Texbam]

It looks like St Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Barbuda are in the crosshairs again. Later Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic by Wednesday & Thursday. My eastern itinerary looks doomed...leaving on the 23rd. Hello Cozumel along with every other cruise ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Djptcp]

I just saw that Maria is following Irma's path. DH and I lucked out with Irma - we live 30 minutes east of Tampa and had a few bushes uprooted that's all. Let's hope it turns east and goes up the Atlantic and doesn't hit the US!!

[LadyBeBop]

Does not look good for Puerto Rico.

 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at5+shtml/204552.shtml?cone#contents

 

Per the National Weather Sercice, its predicted to hit there as a major Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday. :loudcry:

 

This is not the year to schedule a fall cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. :mad:

[A&Jfamily]

That's cruising in hurricane season for you...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Battlewagon]

Irma has more than likely taken one of my Dec ports. Looks like Maria may try an take some more. I will have a great cruise no matter. I Pray that the folks on these islands survive, overcome and thrive. They don't seem to be able to catch a break this season.

[yogibear]

St Maarten is also on Maria's track!

 

Karen

[riclop]

It looks like St Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Barbuda are in the crosshairs again. Later Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic by Wednesday & Thursday. My eastern itinerary looks doomed...leaving on the 23rd. Hello Cozumel along with every other cruise ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

It's that time of the year.

[perditax]

It's not just that time of year. https://qz.com/1074185/hurricane-irma-all-the-meteorological-records-the-storm-has-broken-so-far/

[hannibal54]

Then there is Lee coming behind her.

[jollyjones]

Lee is forecast to fizzle.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Honolulu Blue]

Pop quiz:

 

You're in charge of the Fascination's itinerary for the week. There's a strong tropical storm that's forecast to become a hurricane in the path of your first stop. Additionally, said forecast puts your disembarkation port right in its crosshairs.

 

What do you do? What do you do??

[WiddyTwo]

Pop quiz:

 

You're in charge of the Fascination's itinerary for the week. There's a strong tropical storm that's forecast to become a hurricane in the path of your first stop. Additionally, said forecast puts your disembarkation port right in its crosshairs.

 

What do you do? What do you do??

 

Cruise is going to happen. I don't think the first stop will be cancelled beforehand. If the storm hits and you are unable to port you will most likely get an extra sea day. As for it hitting Puerto Rico, a large percentage of these sailings are PR residents. The ship will get them home, the cruise just may have to get extended. I'm hoping this thing turns. This is my first time booking a trip during hurricane season and will probably be my last, to stressful!

[nhraformula00]

This sure has been a banner year for storms thats for sure. We are headed to Ft.Lauderdale Friday morning for a 7 day on the Splendor that eaves Saturday. Looks like we will be going western instead of eastern with Maria getting close to the cost of Cuba by weeks end.

[sunset785]

This is the first time we have ever booked a cruise for October. We live in FL so we are use to this but this is too darn stressful this year. I don't know if I will ever book another fall cruise again- too much worrying.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Spaniel Lover]

My eastern itinerary looks doomed...leaving on the 23rd. Hello Cozumel along with every other cruise ship.

 

I'll be right there with you for our cruise starting on the 23rd. I agree that we will definitely not be able to do the original itinerary. Hurricane Maria will prevent us from getting to our first two ports of call: Grand Turk, and the Dominican Republic. I also agree that we are quite likely to get diverted to Cozumel... which doesn't bother me, since that is one of the greatest cruise destinations in the world. There are so many great beaches there, and so many fun things to do. I've been there many times before, and have always had fun there.

What I'm hoping is that we'll be able to get down to Aruba and Curacao as was the original plan. It was the whole reason I booked this particular cruise. It won't ruin my cruise if we don't get there, but I sure am hoping we do get there. I think it's possible, if we just go via a more western route than originally planned. It will be interesting to see how it works out.

I'm especially interested to see how long Carnival waits to notify us of the itinerary change. It will be an interesting test of their customer service. Best case scenario... they send us an email, a day or two before embarkation, explaining that Hurricane Maria will make it impossible to sail to Grand Turk and the Dominican Republic as originally planned. That would be good customer service. They might not do that, though. They might not bother with emails, and just spread the word via their web site and social media. Or maybe they won't announce an itinerary change until embarkation day, simply placing a letter in our cabin to announce it after we're onboard. That would be bad customer service, in my opinion. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

One other thing that wouldn't surprise me... rough seas as we sail out of the port of Miami. I think our sailaway on Saturday will be just ahead of the storm's arrival. Seas may be a bit rough as we sail out of Miami and towards the western Caribbean, with rough seas during our first night. By the next day, however, I would expect much better sea conditions.

[OCruisers]

Sadly, seems Maria is going to cause even more problems for the islands hit by Irma as well as some others ....

[v3cruiser]

Starting to get nervous about our early December cruise on Fascination out of San Juan. I really hope this hurricane changes course. It would be a shame for the islands to take more of a beating and with the warmer waters, hurricane season may just last longer this year.

[Spaniel Lover]

Looking at the bright side for a minute...

The reason that we're getting so many hurricanes right now is that the ocean water is incredibly warm... the warmest it will be during the entire year. So, if you're cruising in the next couple of weeks, you can look forward to some amazingly warm ocean water at the various beaches you'll visit. In the Caribbean right now, there are many places where the ocean water is 85 degrees. So that's going to be really fun to play in!

 

People who are new to cruising may find themselves thinking "why would someone book a cruise for this time of the year, given the potential for hurricanes to disrupt the planned schedule?" Well, the reason this experienced cruise always books a cruise (or two) in the Caribbean in September is because of that very warm ocean water. I live in California, where our ocean water is typically in the 50's... and the warmest it ever gets is the low 60s. To go to a Caribbean beach and swim in 85 degree ocean water is just the ultimate great vacation day for me.

Besides the warm ocean water temperatures, the other great thing about cruising in September is that the price of cruises this time of the year is among the lowest cruise pricing you ever see. And most of the kiddies are in school, so there aren't as many kids running down the hallways screaming when you're trying to relax!

[telebax51]

Starting to get nervous about our early December cruise on Fascination out of San Juan. I really hope this hurricane changes course. It would be a shame for the islands to take more of a beating and with the warmer waters, hurricane season may just last longer this year.

 

I too have a early Dec. cruise on the Fascination, will contact my PVP and push back my cruise until May or June of next year i have the time so i'm flexible.

[Twinzma]

For those of you who remember the Sound of Music:

How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find the word that means Maria? A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown! Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her. Many a thing she ought to understand. But how do you make her stay and listen to all you say? How do you keep a wave upon the sand? Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand? When I'm with her I'm confused, out of focus and bemused. And I never know exactly where I am. Unpredictable as weather, she's as flighty as a feather. She's a darling! She's a demon! She's a lamb! She'd out pester any pest, drive a hornet from its nest.She could throw a whirling dervish out of whirl. She is gentle! She is wild! She's a riddle! She's a child! She's a headache! She's an angel! She's a girl! How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find the word that means Maria? A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

Edited September 17, 2017 by Twinzma
too many lines

[Seashellmama]

For those of you who remember the Sound of Music:

How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find the word that means Maria? A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown! Many a thing you know you'd like to tell her. Many a thing she ought to understand. But how do you make her stay and listen to all you say? How do you keep a wave upon the sand? Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand? When I'm with her I'm confused, out of focus and bemused. And I never know exactly where I am. Unpredictable as weather, she's as flighty as a feather. She's a darling! She's a demon! She's a lamb! She'd out pester any pest, drive a hornet from its nest.She could throw a whirling dervish out of whirl. She is gentle! She is wild! She's a riddle! She's a child! She's a headache! She's an angel! She's a girl! How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find the word that means Maria? A flibbertijibbet! A will-o'-the wisp! A clown!

 

And then there's Paint Your Wagon...

 

 

They Call The Wind Maria (From Paint Your Wagon)

 

Maria, Maria

They call the wind Maria

 

Way out here they got a name

For rain and wind and fire

The rain is Tess, the fire's Joe

And they call the wind Maria

 

Maria blows the stars around

And sends the clouds a-flyin'

Miriam makes the mountain sound

Like folks were up there dyin'

 

Maria, Maria

They call the wind Maria

 

Before I knew Maria's name

And heard her wail and whinin'

I had a gal and she had me

And the sun was always shinin'

 

Then one day I left my girl

I left her far behind me

And now I'm lost so cold and lost

Not even God can find me

 

Maria, Maria

They call the wind Maria

 

Out here they got a name

For rain, for wind and fire only

But when you're lost and all alone

There ain't no word but lonely

 

And I'm a lost and lonely man

Without a star to guide me

Miriam, blow my love to me

I need my girl beside me

 

Maria, Maria

They call the wind Maria

Maria, Maria

Love, my love, pull me

[Texbam]

Looking at the bright side for a minute...

The reason that we're getting so many hurricanes right now is that the ocean water is incredibly warm... the warmest it will be during the entire year. So, if you're cruising in the next couple of weeks, you can look forward to some amazingly warm ocean water at the various beaches you'll visit. In the Caribbean right now, there are many places where the ocean water is 85 degrees. So that's going to be really fun to play in!

 

People who are new to cruising may find themselves thinking "why would someone book a cruise for this time of the year, given the potential for hurricanes to disrupt the planned schedule?" Well, the reason this experienced cruise always books a cruise (or two) in the Caribbean in September is because of that very warm ocean water. I live in California, where our ocean water is typically in the 50's... and the warmest it ever gets is the low 60s. To go to a Caribbean beach and swim in 85 degree ocean water is just the ultimate great vacation day for me.

Besides the warm ocean water temperatures, the other great thing about cruising in September is that the price of cruises this time of the year is among the lowest cruise pricing you ever see. And most of the kiddies are in school, so there aren't as many kids running down the hallways screaming when you're trying to relax!

 

I got excited there for a moment thinking we were on the same cruise. I've followed your blog and cruise reviews for a very long time. In fact, I usually look to see if you've sailed on a ship before I book it. However, I'm on the Splendor sailing out of FLL on Saturday. I have sailed many times during hurricane season and never had a problem except for 2005 thanks to Wilma. So I really can't complain. I've been to Cozumel many times as well and do love the island. I'm guessing we won't be the only ships headed west next week. I've bought some extra Bonine, so I hope I'm ready for a little rough water. Enjoy your cruise!

[Bruner1]

This is my first time booking a trip during hurricane season and will probably be my last, to stressful!

 

 

This!! DH and I booked an all inclusive to Cabo San Lucas for our 25th anniversary 5 years ago. We lucked out but only just barely as a hurricane hit north of our itinerary before our arrival and another hit Cabo after our departure. Now, here we are 5 years later and planning a 7 day out of Galveston on the 23rd and it's been one hurricane after another. I think we'll move our anniversary celebration trips to the spring from here on out! This stress is triple what it was for our wedding!

[khewston]

We are booked on the Magic for September 30th. I have a feeling Maria is going to effect that. I am booked for another cruise next September but I'll be changing that one!

[A&Jfamily]

Starting to get nervous about our early December cruise on Fascination out of San Juan. I really hope this hurricane changes course. It would be a shame for the islands to take more of a beating and with the warmer waters, hurricane season may just last longer this year.

 

 

 

Hurricane season can't last longer - it has fixed dates of June 1-November 30. I am not aware of any hurricane outside of those parameters.

 

September is the peak month for Atlantic hurricane season. It has been relatively quiet in these parts for several years. These horrific storms are just part of nature and while they wreak havoc on humans and our plans, they have existed long before us.

 

Not much to do but pray for those affected and learn to go with the flow.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums