Is HAL jumping the Gun on Jeanne

[Searanger]

I found it interesting today when checking the HAL website that they have already posted the possibility that Port Everglades might be closed today and or tomorrow.

 

None of the other cruise lines have posted this fact on their websites yet. I know HAL was criticised during FRANCES about being slow to repond.

 

Looks like they don't want to be last this time....Question: Does their post scare people into cancelling now rather then taking a look a see approach.

[hdawson]

Darned if they do and darned if they don't.

[jcike1980]

Good For Hal!! My Grandfather Told Me Years Ago To Keep Others First And Foremost And You'll Always Be Taken Care Of. Good Move On Hal's Part. Jcike

[taszmom]

A lot of cruise guests fly in the day prior. I think they are doing the best they can under the circumstances to say "Standby". We have no idea who Jeanne will impact.

[sail7seas]

Exactly, hdawson. There's no way they can win!!! Someone is ready to pounce on them for responding too quickly; someone else for responding too slowly.

 

 

HAL has managed to run their company for over 130 years. I think they have a fair idea how to safely run a cruiseline.

 

Let's let the professionals make those sort of operating decisions until such time as any of us have the training/education/experience to do it better????

 

If a passenger 'makes a hasty decision' to cancel, well........they have that right.

[RedmondCruiser]

With Hurricanes I hope they er on the side of caution. Remember the Fantome was lost due to misscalculating where a Hurricane would go. Also in 2001 the Sun Princess got beat up trying to skirt too close to a storm in the Pacific. I think HAL is doing the right thing.

[Travel Angel]

Just for the record.... Disney Cruiseline has postponed their Sept. 26, 2004 sailing aboard the "Wonder" and will depart on the 27th for a 3 night cruise in lieu of what could occur with Hurrican Jeannes landfall.

 

So it isn't just HAL that is concerned..... Just heard from a client that the Mariner of the Seas will be delayed getting back to port until Monday as well.

 

My opinion for what it is worth.... cruiselines are doing everything possible to keep clients informed and are concerned for the passengers safety as well.

 

Let them do their job in the best way they see fit... they are just trying to cover all the possibilities given when and where landfall will occur. I dont believe we could do a better job than the cruiselines have done in this hurricane season..... My Kudos to ALL Cruiselines (and TA's) during this busy hurricane season...... we have all had our hands full thats fer sure !

[gizmo]

Jumping the gun? No way. At least this time it appears they are doing thing right.

This may be a result of "A Lesson Learned" !

[Guest nhrich]

HAL is definitely not jumping the gun. From http://www.portcanaveral.org -

Port Canaveral will close at noon, Saturday, September 25, to all land and waterside movement. The evacuation of the Canaveral Harbor must be completed and all vessels out of the harbor no later than 10:00 a.m. Please click here for details of the evacuation order issued for small vessels under 500 gross tons.

 

The Port Authority administration office is scheduled to re-open on Monday, September 27, subject to the severity of the storm.

 

For the most current information on Port operations, please call the public advisory information line at (321) 783-7831 and choose option #3. All information is subject to change.

 

Information regarding cruise itineraries should be directed to the cruise lines.

[Golfgrl1911]

We are taking the 9:30a.m. flight out of Cleveland to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow morning, could have taken a flight this afternoon but figured that IF the "Z" can't make it into port we would just be holed up in a hotel room for a few days.......with rain, wind, etc.....well the weather here in Akron is beautiful so might as well enjoy that for another day!! Just spoke with a fellow cruiser 1/2 an hour ago and she said that it's gorgeous there in FLL!! Go figure!! NO ONE is making any definites about this storm......port, cruise lines, airports........it is literally a wait and see............absolutely maddening!! Chef Nancy

[hdawson]

Why are so many anxious to question the wisdom of the cruiseline with all their experience and technology? These storms are costing the cruiselines pretty big bucks. They haven't lost a guest or a ship.

[Searanger]

Gizmo you said it best. There reaction might be that of lesson learned from 3 weeks ago. I think it's great that they are taking a proactive approach this time. Go back in the posts ...Sept 3rd to 6th...as you will see Seattle was slow in keeping their guests apprised of the situation. This time they seem to be taking the lead.

[sail7seas]

The only caution about folks proceeding to travel to FLL and planning to spend their pre-planned pre-cruise stays in various hotels. When Frances was approaching South Florida and Port Everglades was closed, a mandatory evacuation was ordered.

 

 

That meant that hotels had to be emptied. Guests had to leave their hotels and go where???? Shelters??? Careful evaluation by each traveler is warranted and proper. Only you know your own risk tolerance and level of discomfort and inconvenience you are will to endure.

[Searanger]

Oh no...Looks like Port Everglades will be closed tonight at 6pm according to the Port Everglades website.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Keep in mind that the closing of the port probably doesn't totally ride on Jeanne's path, but also on the fact that at the very least she is producing extremely high seas and rip tides. This will be experienced along the entire Florida coast.

 

And unfortunately we are not going to know until the very last minute ... sometime late tomorrow afternoon or evening ... whether she is going to "make the turn" or not.

 

I think HAL is the one to be congratulated for being cautious while perhaps other cruiselines will wait until the last minute and the passengers be damned.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I just checked the Port Everglades cite and besides it saying that the port will close at 6 PM for all incoming ships, it also said that cruise passengers should contact their cruise lines.

I think the time this was posted was around 12:40 this afternoon.

[Searanger]

The Carnival Triumph has already had it itinerary changed out of Miami from a Saturday departure to a Monday departure. And the compensation...(30 discount and a $100.00 shipboard credit and a $100.00 credit to change your air) They didn't even mention a full refund in their press release.

[LittleBit0522]

At least, HAL is on top of it this time.

[KAKcruiser]

I just talked to HAL and they said that an official statement would be issued in a few hours. But, unofficially, they are thinking that the ship will not come in until Monday. They are working on a compensation package now.

[taszmom]

CCL has already changed the Triumph out of Miami to depart on Monday instead of tomorrow...most likely others will follow.

[onboard]

First, let me say I am extremely impressed with the information on this board. I wish I found this site earlier. Second, let me say that I am extremely unimpressed with the way HAL is handling this situation. This is our first cruise with HAL but our 4th cruise overall. We have family coming in to take care of our kids and a red-eye flight out tonight for this cruise. We need this information in a timely manner and I think their lack of response is rude and unprofessional. The people I have spoken to on the phone simply tell me to "check the website" and when I point out that their website is well past the time of update I am told they simply have no further information. I find this unacceptable.

 

We decided to book another cruise this morning on Royal to the Riviera for 9/26. Of course, we would rather be in the Caribbean but it doesn't look like that was meant to be. Thank goodness for trip insurance :) HAL's lack of decisiveness may very well end up ruining the week for many people who may have had the opportunity to make other arrangements. I know that I personally will never book a cruise with them again because of the way their customer service department has handled this and I would assume that people who get stuck in FLL because HAL decided to push the limits when Disney, Royal Caribbean and a few others have already delayed until Monday and given cruisers warnings not to come will have ill feelings towards HAL. Not good marketing no matter how good the compensation package is :(

[hdawson]

onboard. I don't think your travel insurance will cover you other than expenses for travel delay, as long as your cruise sails. I assume you have third pary insurance and in most cases a change of mind at the last minute is not a covered reason. Of course I can't say for sure. Even the meteoroligist can't say for certain what Jeane will do and when. As I said early in the thread, darned if the do and darned if they don't.

Some will say they jumped the gun to make decisions and some will say they waited too long. Either way, these darned storms cost the lines big bucks.

[sail7seas]

First, let me say I am extremely impressed with the information on this board. I wish I found this site earlier. Second, let me say that I am extremely unimpressed with the way HAL is handling this situation. This is our first cruise with HAL but our 4th cruise overall. We have family coming in to take care of our kids and a red-eye flight out tonight for this cruise. We need this information in a timely manner and I think their lack of response is rude and unprofessional. The people I have spoken to on the phone simply tell me to "check the website" and when I point out that their website is well past the time of update I am told they simply have no further information. I find this unacceptable.

 

We decided to book another cruise this morning on Royal to the Riviera for 9/26. Of course, we would rather be in the Caribbean but it doesn't look like that was meant to be. Thank goodness for trip insurance :) HAL's lack of decisiveness may very well end up ruining the week for many people who may have had the opportunity to make other arrangements. I know that I personally will never book a cruise with them again because of the way their customer service department has handled this and I would assume that people who get stuck in FLL because HAL decided to push the limits when Disney, Royal Caribbean and a few others have already delayed until Monday and given cruisers warnings not to come will have ill feelings towards HAL. Not good marketing no matter how good the compensation package is :(

 

 

The National Hurricane Center does not know exactly when or where the hurricane will make land. All meteorologists all over the local and national news do not know where or when Jeanne will make landfall.

 

But you expect that Mother Nature somehow contacted HAL and gave them this information.

 

Get Real!!! IMO

 

What do you expect?

While I agree it is nerve-wracking and you have personal decisions to make. That's life!!!

 

Good luck!

 

I agree it is questionable if regular travel insurance will cover your voluntarily cancelling your cruise. If you wrote HAL insurance, you will get most of your money back as their coverage allows you to cancel for any reason.

[Bill S]

Hal has posted its plans for the Zuiderdam-it will arrive in Port Everglades on Monday, and all information is now available on the HAL website under the box with Hurricane Update.

[HeatherInFlorida]

When I read Onboard's post earlier I was going to be silent. But if Sail7 dares to go there, why not I:o ?

 

I am astounded at this reaction from Onboard. If you were sitting here in West Palm watching how hard they are trying to pinpoint Jeanne's arrival, watching all the different weather highs, lows, etc., moving and changing every hour, you might not be so quick to judge HAL or anyone else. This is Mother Nature!!! Nobody knows what's going to happen. And you demand answers "in a timely manner"!! Unbelievable!!!

 

Try sitting here as you know what's about to happen, try sitting here being told that now it looks like it will hit dead on with 110 mph or higher winds at the exact same hour on the exact same day as 3 weeks ago, try envisioning the next several days, weeks probably, without power and phone (not even cell because the towers go too). Try all that and mull it over as you lounge comfortably on the Royal to the Riviera and feel badly that it wasn't the Caribbean. Poor, poor you.

 

There's a tiny, evil part of me that secretly hopes you don't get your bloody money back. So go ahead, everyone, flame me!!! I really don't care. Chances are I won't be on here to read it for awhile anyway unless we get very very lucky. So why even waste your breath or tire your fingers. I have to go hardboil eggs and make sure I have enough peanut butter.