Question about Frances????

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We are driving down to PC to hopefully board the Magic on 9/4, If Disney reroute us to another port due to Frances, where will we debark the ship?? Our car will obviously be where we embark??? Anyone had this happen???

Julia

[TheWog]

Just recently for Charley they bussed people who missed the ship to Key West to board there. I would say the same would happen in reverse if necessary or permitted.

[captaincrash]

We just got a call from DCL as we are on the same sailing....

 

They were suggesting that (depending on what the Captain decides) they may change the embarkation point to something SOUTH of Port Carnaveral... something like fort Lauderdale! That's 212 miles SOUTH of Orlando! We were going to fly in and rent a car to drive to port carnaveral but if they move it all south then we'll buy DCL trasnfers from Orlando Airport and let them move us around!

 

Aside from that - they suggested we will see Castaway Caye first as opposed to it being regularly scheduled as last.

 

If you had to DRIVE YOUR OWN CAR - then I would contact DCL immediately to "discuss and negotiate" a fair middle ground of what to do and how it will get done. It seems to me that by the 11th when we return all the storms may be gone. If so we'll dock at Port Carnaveral. It's the embarkation that is a mess.

 

Yesterday the centeroid of landfall was Jacksonville and today it turned straight West from it's North-Westerly path - and now it's predicted with a 44% probability of making landfall within 65 miles of FOrt Pierce which is SOUTH of Port Carnaveral. Also, it is predicted that as Frances approaches land it will slow to as little as 4 knots and they say it has a bigger chance of direction change in that state. Not mentioned is that at a slower speed in can turn more but - it will be moving slower so will threaten a smaller area... however this storm is huge so folks all over will be effected by it regardless of where it 's centeroid comes ashore.

 

Here's the most recent map of the track and 5 day projection:

 

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics/AT06/refresh/AL0604W5+GIF/290853W5.gif

 

I would be interested to see how DCL handles us and if we are managed well. I am mildly concerned over all this - but I do trust that we will make it to the ship and have a nice cruise with a potential for surprise port calls.

[LibertyBelle]

When I worked at DCL about 3 years ago we did have a situation where the Magic was not able to return to Port Canaveral (can't remember why but I remember the day). All the passengers that were on the ship heading home were bussed back to Port Canaveral and/or the airport (with or without transfers as they had to provide transportation for everyone) and the new passengers that were arriving at the airport were bussed down to the ship (which if I remember correctly was in Ft Lauderdale). basically they will get busses to transport those that need to be, obviously you would not be the only one in that situation.

 

Make sure you call DCL while you are in-route to find out where the ship will be so that you can alot time for travel if necessary. Good luck to you... I can't imagine what they are going to do, all the ports will be affect in someway (Miami is already full on Saturday's, Ft Lauderdale may be feeling the affects of Frances, The ship won't fit under the Skyway bridge so Tampa is out and if they can't get to Canaveral they won't head to Jacksonville)...

 

We are in Orlando and the new track brings it right over my house... I know that it will change course a few times before landfall, so I am watching, but this is really nerve racking...especially so close behind Charley. Good luck to you, I hope you are able to have a wonderful vacation.

[captaincrash]

I spoke to DCL rep just now and the rep suggest Tampa might have been an open port potentially out of the storm's path given the time of embarkation. But if what you say is trune then Tampa is out. Yesterday, a DCL rep did call us and I managed to pull out of her that Fort Lauderdale is a potential alternative - depending on the storm track. I agree that Jacksonville is not a consideration.

 

I am eagarly curious where we'll be going to meet the Magic. And, thank you Belle for your input!

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Thank you all for your input, I am really not too worried about getting on the ship, more worried about driving down thru the storm and feel terrible for all the Floridians who are going to go thru this so soon after Charley.:D :D

Hope it all turns our well for you Belle....we have friends in Boca, when I spoke to them yesterday they didn't seem worried but things could change.

You you have a good flight to Orlando and see you on the ship.:)

Julia

[LibertyBelle]

I could be wrong and the ship might "Squeek under" the Skyway Bridge, but I am pretty sure it is taller than the Carnival Sensation and that ship had to make adjustments to it's tail fin in order to fit under the bridge (it hit it on it's first attempt into the port).

 

Funny thing is I kept saying at work today...It is going to hit us but what about the cruise ships. I am a cruise-a-holic and I am so concerned that the Carnival Glory and the Disney magic are going to be stranded at sea... Good luck to you guys!!

[momofmeg]

It said on headline news this morning (Sept. 2) thal all the cruises out of Pt. Canraval and Miami have been canceled this week end.

 

I was wanting to book the RCCL Mariner cruise that leaves this Sun. but hubby is flying to the keys next Wed. so he voted me down and we are going on the Magic instead Sept.19. So he was saying this morning"see it is a good thing we did not book her" and I told him" 2 weeks ago FL got slammed and now they are getting it again who knows if we will be able to do our cruise."

 

Anyway I am curious if they reroute the cruise or just cancel it altogether-let me know what happens.

[captaincrash]

You may have noted on other threads : they are keeping the Magic out at sea another 2 days (those embarked get a 9 day cruise) and those scheduled on Sept 4th have 2 choices : #1 get a full refund and cancel or #2) meet the ship at port on Monday - sail only 5 days on an improptu western schedule - + get $200 cabin credit + get 40% refund on their original cruise cost + get 25% off a future cruise. The new port schedule may bypass Castaway Caye depending on how it weathered Frances.

 

Also I read elsewhere that a 4 day sailing on the Wonder was having it's schedule changed to just days at sea + a $300 refund. Or something like that - which sounds sort of OK.

 

Hope this helps.

[momofmeg]

Both are pretty decent of disney if you ask me.