Disney Fantasy deviates towards Miami

I looked out this morning and saw a cruise ship that looked like it was leaving Miami....but thought....no, not at 10 in the morning! Checked it out on a cruise ship tracker and saw that it was the Fantasy. Looked at its past track and it left Port Canaveral yesterday but stopped for several hours during the night about halfway between W. Palm Beach and Freeport. Resumed and then came almost all the way into Miami, then turned and left. I'm wondering if they found some migrants during the night and went to Miami to drop them with the Coast Guard?

I saw earlier today - on Twitter, I think - that it was for a medical evacuation.

We were on the Fantasy that morning and was very surprised to wake up and see Miami out our veranda window. The Captain did make an announcement that the Fantasy had actually diverted and returned to Miami due to a medical emergency. Best we could tell it looked like they made the transfer to a Coast Guard boat.

Yeah...guests are often told there is a "medical emergency" when the ship has a different issue that they don't choose to announce. We were once informed that the first tender was being reserved for a "medical emergency," but we actually saw a man being taken off in handcuffs.

Your medical emergency could have been one...or it could have been an issue where the ship picked up some people in distress and turned them over to the Coast Guard....or something else.

on our last day of our cruise - a sea day - the disney wonder was just slowly cruising along when all of a sudden it started going really fast...

everyone noticed and was looking out of the windows, etc to see what was happening..

within minutes we were in sight of land - turned out it was palm beach..

we were met by a coast guard ship and a girl (on a stretcher) and her family were transferred to it. She had suspected appendicitis.

the captain announced what was happening and we all watched the transfer from the windows.

in addition to the coast guard ship, a zillion yachts came around as well....it's not every day that a DCL cruise ship comes around there....

Yeah...guests are often told there is a "medical emergency" when the ship has a different issue that they don't choose to announce. We were once informed that the first tender was being reserved for a "medical emergency' date='" but we actually saw a man being taken off in handcuffs.

 

Your medical emergency could have been one...or it could have been an issue where the ship picked up some people in distress and turned them over to the Coast Guard....or something else.[/quote']

 

In the area where this happened, along the East Coast of Florida, it would be very unlikely that the ship would be instructed to pick up people from a boat in distress or refugees, unless they were actually in the water. USCG would have told the ship to remain in the area and observe, until a cutter could get there. If a cutter is an hour or two away, they don't recommend picking people up, but leave it to the professionals. I've done this several times all the way down the coast to the keys.

In the area where this happened, along the East Coast of Florida, it would be very unlikely that the ship would be instructed to pick up people from a boat in distress or refugees, unless they were actually in the water. USCG would have told the ship to remain in the area and observe, until a cutter could get there. If a cutter is an hour or two away, they don't recommend picking people up, but leave it to the professionals. I've done this several times all the way down the coast to the keys.

Wasn't there a story recently where one of the Disney ships picked up some people in distress?

Wasn't there a story recently where one of the Disney ships picked up some people in distress?

Yes, they have, but as I say it depends on the circumstance (are the people in the water?) and the response time of any Coast Guard vessel. Particularly for ships calling in the US, USCG would rather handle the people themselves if possible.

I believe that most of the time, the explanation from the captain concerning alterations to plans is accurate. However, having seen at least one instance where it was a blatant lie, I realize that DCL, much like Disney in general, tends to hide ugly truths from guests.

I believe that most of the time' date=' the explanation from the captain concerning alterations to plans is accurate. However, having seen at least one instance where it was a blatant lie, I realize that DCL, much like Disney in general, tends to hide ugly truths from guests.[/quote']

 

You can say that again :p

We were on the Fantasy that morning and was very surprised to wake up and see Miami out our veranda window. The Captain did make an announcement that the Fantasy had actually diverted and returned to Miami due to a medical emergency. Best we could tell it looked like they made the transfer to a Coast Guard boat.

It was City of Miami Fire-Rescue.

We were on the Fantasy that sailing as well! Peering over the starboard midship, I saw 2 family members (who appeared fine) transfer to the Miami Fireboat1. Waited a while to see who else was getting off and if they were on a stretcher or injured, got impatient, snapped this pic, and went back to breakfast.