RCCL: We're Coming Back to Galveston

[*Mach*]

This is a link to an article by Harry Shattuck, the travel editor for the Houston Chronicle. RCCL has no plans to sail from Bayport in December:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/travel/30848714.html

[Pumbaamd]

Thank you very much for posting. We are on Voyager 2/22/09.

Rick and Deirdra

[brn2crz]

RCI is really good at denying the obvious lol

 

We sailed on Rhapsody,during Ivan,leaving from Galveston.

Ike was already entering the Gulf when we boarded,and had already destroyed Cayman Islands.Our stops were to be Key West,Crand Cayman and Coz.When we inquired at boarding,and up till 3 pm,they still said we had no changes.:rolleyes:

 

Galveston is coming along....But they have been overly optimistic in many areas.The Lone Star Rally,which they insisited would take place,has been postponed again,and things are just rough.

 

I am really not doubting they will be open in Dec...Just wont be surprised if they are not..And RCI is not going to announce a change this far out.

[satxdiver]

Galveston still has about two months before the Voyageur returns for the winter season. They can do a lot of work in that period. The question is can they do enough to get both the VOS and two carnival ships back. It is a tall order and they may not make it. I will believe it when I see it. In the meantime stay flexible however the two ports are only about 40 miles apart by road so it really is not a big problem either way.

 

In the meantime I am sure Houston is doing everything they can to keep at least one of the ships for their new terminal. It will be interesting in the months ahead. Stay tuned.

[*Mach*]

RCI is really good at denying the obvious lol

 

We sailed on Rhapsody,during Ivan,leaving from Galveston.

Ike was already entering the Gulf when we boarded,and had already destroyed Cayman Islands.Our stops were to be Key West,Crand Cayman and Coz.When we inquired at boarding,and up till 3 pm,they still said we had no changes.:rolleyes:

 

Galveston is coming along....But they have been overly optimistic in many areas.The Lone Star Rally,which they insisited would take place,has been postponed again,and things are just rough.

 

I am really not doubting they will be open in Dec...Just wont be surprised if they are not..And RCI is not going to announce a change this far out.

 

 

Just a quick point here... I was in Georgetown Grand Cayman about ten days ago and there was NO damage to that Island from any of the systems that blew through there this season. All the business were operating, the tours were all running and all was right with the world...

[zantedeschia]

We sailed on Rhapsody,during Ivan,leaving from Galveston.

Ike was already entering the Gulf when we boarded,

 

Just a quick point here... I was in Georgetown Grand Cayman about ten days ago and there was NO damage to that Island from any of the systems that blew through there this season.

She also said she was sailing on Rhapsody during Ivan. I suspect Ike was a "typo".

 

Btw, I think one is comparing apples to oranges here (wrt lead-in time). I'm reasonably sure Galveston will be ready for Voyager when she returns from Barcelona.

[satxdiver]

...

Btw, I think one is comparing apples to oranges here (wrt lead-in time). I'm reasonably sure Galveston will be ready for Voyager when she returns from Barcelona.

 

I am afraid I do not share your optimism. RCI will evaluate the situation right up to the last minute and then make a business decision. Time will tell.

[zantedeschia]

I am afraid I do not share your optimism. RCI will evaluate the situation right up to the last minute and then make a business decision. Time will tell.

Yeah well. I've been living in Houston 46 years and have been in 3 hurricanes and I don't know how many tropical storms. Houston has a lot of money and people and resources. I've seen how fast things are rebuilt around here numerous times. I remember how trashed Houston was after TS Allison and how people claimed damage was too much and things would never be the same (I remember in particular the Houston Symphony were going on about how they suffered such a huge loss and were about to shut down forever). Damage from TS Allison was staggering. Mind-boggling. A few months later things were all back to normal.

 

It's going to recover.

[futaba951]

Yeah well. I've been living in Houston 46 years and have been in 3 hurricanes and I don't know how many tropical storms. Houston has a lot of money and people and resources. I've seen how fast things are rebuilt around here numerous times. I remember how trashed Houston was after TS Allison and how people claimed damage was too much and things would never be the same (I remember in particular the Houston Symphony were going on about how they suffered such a huge loss and were about to shut down forever). Damage from TS Allison was staggering. Mind-boggling. A few months later things were all back to normal.

 

It's going to recover.

 

Businesses will always recover much faster than the homeowner and renter. Try telling your timeline to folks displaced from their homes who may be years fighting with with their insurance companies and jockeying for contractors to make repairs, who will mostly be taken up by the commercial sector for some time to come. There's more to a community than the businesses. Without the residential sector in place, the businesses will be hurting. I think in your zeal to cheerlead the recovery, you have lost sight of the bigger picture. I live in coastal AL and have seen devastating storms hit the entire gulf coast and watched the recoveries for the last 25 years, so I do know a little about this subject as well. The laws of economics and physics work exactly the same in

Texas as they do in FL, AL, MS and LA. Sometimes you just can't speed up progress anymore than the laws of physics and economics dictate. It is what it is. With that said, yes Galveston will recover and it may happen quickly for some and not so quickly for others. You see businesses coming back online rather rapidly, but that is only half of the equation. As for debris, just from the pictures I see there are hundreds of thousands of cubic yards to be hauled off. This doesn't just magically disapear overnight. I would not be surprised if it takes 6 months to clear the bulk of it, and up to a year of more to be completely rid of it. FEMA contractors were nearly two years clearly all the debris from Katrina in coastal MS. It just takes time. Again, the laws of physics. There will be some real stuggles and heartache for many who don't have the deep pockets and/or get screwed by their insurance carriers. Some neighborhoods may not be allowed to rebuild if they were hovels to start with. Where do those folks go? I think that the Galveston you will see emerging from the ruins will be quite different from pre-Ike. Especially the residential sector. I'm sure it will be better, just different. Your courts will have full dockets for years to come. Count on it.

[buckanear]

In the meantime I am sure Houston is doing everything they can to keep at least one of the ships for their new terminal. It will be interesting in the months ahead. Stay tuned.

 

In talking with port officials in Houston, they are still grossly unprepared for cruise passengers. much of their infastructure isn't ready. The people I talked to were glad that this was a temporary dry run, but that they aren't ready for business yet.

 

School is back in session at galveston college and most people have at least found temporary housing. It's not easy, trust me I know first hand. But the attendance indicates that only a few didn't come back.

[satxdiver]

Well put futuba951. Galveston will come back of course. The question is how long will it take and what will the new galveston look like? I am a professional engineer and I fully appreciate what Galveston is facing and what other coastal communities have faced in the past as well as the future.

[satxdiver]

In talking with port officials in Houston, they are still grossly unprepared for cruise passengers. much of their infastructure isn't ready. The people I talked to were glad that this was a temporary dry run, but that they aren't ready for business yet.

 

I understand that from what I have read so far. However the upper level city management recognizes the opportunity that has been thrust into their laps. They had already started initial talks with cruise lines to use Bayport and now they have Carnival if only for a short time. To think that they are sitting there doing nothing is not practical. Any negotiations or initiatives by Houston at this point is of course kept quiet as are all business moves by any corporation.

[lmcpark]

My DH just got back from Port Arthur accessing the damage there as he is a contractor. We're from Mobile so he is familiar with hurricane damage. His determination there is they are not ready for contractors as they have not begun to get their insurance money if they have any and it may be awhile before they do. We fought for two yrs with our ins co. and we only got 10% of the amount of the damage. He wanted to help but he has to make money too. He had to stay in west Houston area nearly 100 miles away in a hotel that was $160.00 a night and drive back and forth. We sympathize and he'll be back but for now he can not do much. We also are watching Galveston as we are leaving 1/18 on the VOS. We pray for coastal Texas.

[buckanear]

We've now been told that nov 2nd is the last sailing into bayport. Carnival will be back in Galveston, much to their delight.

[Galveston Cruiser]

We've now been told that nov 2nd is the last sailing into bayport. Carnival will be back in Galveston, much to their delight.

 

That is great news cruiseloverandagent.:D

[golfpccc]

Thanks cruiseloverandagent for all the updates. Has RC said if the Voyager will be docking in Galveston on Dec 14? Hope to see you then!

[buckanear]

Repairs are on track and the plan is still dec. 14th in Galveston!