Missing ports?

Just curious. My son and I were discussing our upcoming cruise and he asked a question I didn't know the answer to. What happens if weather prevents us from tendering at GC AND safely docking at CC? Is it an all sea day voyage? Or will the ship go to another island? Has anyone ever been on an unintentional all sea day cruise?

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Yes, we've had several missed ports. The most likely one to miss is Grand Cayman due to the tender situation.

What happens depends on the situation. Usually if it is GC, it becomes a sea day. For Castaway, it depends on your specific cruise as well as the schedules of the other ships. If Castaway is open the next day (no ship in) and you are doing Castaway sometimes can reverse a sea day and try for Castaway the next day. However, this is rarely the schedule. Most of the time, Castaway is the last day of the cruise so there is no option but a sea day. They will sometimes wait out the situation and try again to get into Castaway about noon (short day better than no day!)

In the event of a sea day, the cruise staff will add lots of activities and issue a new Navigator.

Another time we skipped one of the "St." islands and went into Key West in order to move around a hurricane.

Since time at a dock requires advance notice and permission, you will have another sea day. That doesn't apply to the "private island/beach" days.

Since time at a dock requires advance notice and permission, you will have another sea day. That doesn't apply to the "private island/beach" days.

Not necessarily. As I noted, we were on an Eastern Caribbean schedule and were able to port at Key West while the captain waited to see the exact path the hurricane would take. Obviously there was advance contact, etc. but the cruise line was able to set it up for us.

The cruise line has your safety in mind, and has a good idea if they will be able to tender or dock as needed. We were in Titusville the night before a Western Carib cruise when I got an email that our Western is now an Eastern because of weather.

We've also had the opposite, when a sea day disappeared and we had 2 trips to CC on one cruise where only one was scheduled.

They have contingent plans for an "extra" sea day and do a great job of coming up with shipboard activities to keep everyone happy.

You'll be on vacation, enjoy it!

The cruise line has your safety in mind, and has a good idea if they will be able to tender or dock as needed. We were in Titusville the night before a Western Carib cruise when I got an email that our Western is now an Eastern because of weather.

 

We've also had the opposite, when a sea day disappeared and we had 2 trips to CC on one cruise where only one was scheduled.

 

They have contingent plans for an "extra" sea day and do a great job of coming up with shipboard activities to keep everyone happy.

 

You'll be on vacation, enjoy it!

Oh, whatever happens (as long as we make it to the ship on time) is fine. My big question was whether or not anyone ever went through a completely port free (other than starting and ending) cruise.

I also wondered if it was "legal" since it would be an American port to an American port. Aren't there rules about that?

It's all curiosity on my part, no worries. Anything that diverts from the original plan becomes an adventure in my book!

Oh, whatever happens (as long as we make it to the ship on time) is fine. My big question was whether or not anyone ever went through a completely port free (other than starting and ending) cruise.

 

I also wondered if it was "legal" since it would be an American port to an American port. Aren't there rules about that?

 

It's all curiosity on my part, no worries. Anything that diverts from the original plan becomes an adventure in my book!

Yes, it happened on one DCL cruise--not intentionally, but due to weather issues. DCL did give compensation to the passengers.

NORMALLY a ship cannot go from one US port to another, but during weather emergencies the usual regulations are suspended. That's why we were able to go from Port Canaveral to Key West. Hurricanes overrule the regs. I'm sure some of our participants with much maritime experience could explain further, but my basic understanding is that essentially the regulations are waived due to an emergency situation.

And you have the right attitude--if you view such changes as an adventure, you'll have a great time. If you see them as a disaster, they will be.