Nov. 11 Now Going Back to St. Thomas

Got a notification this morning that instead of St. Croix, we're going to St. Thomas, which was the original port. I'm very happy about this, as I've always wanted to see St. Thomas.

Google "Whats Happening Saint Thomas" and look at the facebook link. The island is still in huge trouble. Tickles at Crown Bay is open but that is where there are lines for fuel. Rough times.

Well, I am disappointed and I am not ashamed to say so. I have been to St. Thomas countless times, and I was looking forward to St. Croix.

Looking forward to the reports from CC peeps once they’ve had a chance to view the aftermath.

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Looking forward to the reports from CC peeps once they’ve had a chance to view the aftermath.

 

 

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For those disappointed about not going to St. Croix please share with us what you were hoping tot do there that you are sad you will miss . I've been there 3 or 4 times and it was never high on my list of great things to do sort of place. jMO.

For those disappointed about not going to St. Croix please share with us what you were hoping tot do there that you are sad you will miss . I've been there 3 or 4 times and it was never high on my list of great things to do sort of place. jMO.

It's pretty simple really ... I've been to St. Thomas already and I haven't been to St. Croix yet. I'm a traveller and hence enjoy visiting new places when life presents the opportunity, and then make my Own opinion if I like it ;).

Ah variety ... the spice of life!

D Holland

It's pretty simple really ... I've been to St. Thomas already and I haven't been to St. Croix yet. I'm a traveller and hence enjoy visiting new places when life presents the opportunity, and then make my Own opinion if I like it ;).

 

Ah variety ... the spice of life!

 

D Holland

Prretty simp.le. When you are interested, , book another cruise haat includes St. Croix in the itinerary. :

For those disappointed about not going to St. Croix please share with us what you were hoping tot do there that you are sad you will miss .

We have some friends who moved to St. Croix a year ago. We were going to see their villa and have lunch with them somewhere in between. It's not so much that we're not going to St. Croix, as it is our fear that St. Thomas is ready in name only.

I, too, would be disapppointed to miss out on seeing friends.

Prretty simp.le. When you are interested, , book another cruise haat includes St. Croix in the itinerary. :

You asked a question and I answered it 😉

Also simple is you can mind your own business and not tell people what cruises they should book. Are you even on this cruise? :rolleyes:

dh

You asked a question and I answered it 😉

 

Also simple is you can mind your own business and not tell people what cruises they should book. Are you even on this cruise? :rolleyes:

 

dh

No, dh,

I am not on that cruise.

Prretty simp.le. When you are interested, , book another cruise haat includes St. Croix in the itinerary. :

Easier said than done. Not all that many cruises go to St. Croix. And your comment has nothing to do with her being disappointed in not getting to St. Croix THIS time around. My sister and I are also cruising HAL in November and we were very thrilled to be going to St. Croix as neither of us had been there. We researched the excursions, booked one and then found out we have been switched to St. Thomas. We, too, have been there countless times and we, too, are not ashamed to say that we are disappointed that St. Croix has been replaced by the old reliable, St. Thomas.

I can only speak for myself but I would not take it kindly if someone told me that 'It's simple, book another cruise', especially when no one knows my personal circumstances, financial and otherwise.

Easier said than done. Not all that many cruises go to St. Croix. And your comment has nothing to do with her being disappointed in not getting to St. Croix THIS time around. My sister and I are also cruising HAL in November and we were very thrilled to be going to St. Croix as neither of us had been there. We researched the excursions, booked one and then found out we have been switched to St. Thomas. We, too, have been there countless times and we, too, are not ashamed to say that we are disappointed that St. Croix has been replaced by the old reliable, St. Thomas.

 

I can only speak for myself but I would not take it kindly if someone told me that 'It's simple, book another cruise', especially when no one knows my personal circumstances, financial and otherwise.

So far my January cruise hasn't been changed, but I had been sort of hoping for St Croix instead of St Thomas. Not that I wished St Thomas a slow recovery, but like you, I've never been to St Croix and I've heard it's very beautiful. I've been to St Thomas more than enough times and we usually just stay on the ship. If the turtle snorkel runs, I'll do that If it doesn't, spa time! And maybe a walk to the ice cream place if it's open.

I am also on the Oosterdam supposedly stopping in St Thomas on November 8th. There are so many articles about RCl being the 1st ship back to St Thomas a few days later I'll be really surprised if we end up in St Thomas. It sounds like RCL has gone above and beyond helping St Thomas to recover so they have earned that 1st ship back. In reading articles on all this the past few days I'm somewhat concerned about safety. Electricity is not back to most of St Thomas yet and the whole island is still under a boil water advisory (from a NPR article this week). The hospital is not open. They don';t have enough buses to transport kids to school. I'm supposed to come and take buses and water away from people who need these resources? I know they need our money but they don't need thousands of people using the scarce resources available at this point. If we do dock there (which I don't think will actually happen) I'll spend some money in the market right by the port but won't be eating or drinking anything. I just can't imagine taking an air conditioned bus excursion knowing I'm depriving people of that resource that they need.

We were also schedule for St. Croix...we've only been once...and I think that was on a Carnival cruise...we have been to St.Thomas multiple times....I think that the cruise lines are doing the best they can...but am a bit disappointed...we will just walk around the port a bit...and get back on the ship...

It's also pretty inconsiderate of HAL, IMHO, to switch back after giving us two weeks to cancel our original plans and research and book replacement activities. When you make a switch 5 weeks out, you stick with it.

Just a gentle reminder that ALL cruise lines reserve the right on ALL cruises to change the itinerary. It's in the contracts, and is the very nature of cruising: weather happens.

Got a notification this morning that instead of St. Croix, we're going to St. Thomas, which was the original port. I'm very happy about this, as I've always wanted to see St. Thomas.

My cruise was supposed to go to St Thomas on Nov 16. It was changed to Punta Cana a while ago. So far, there's been no indication of it being changed back.

It's also pretty inconsiderate of HAL, IMHO, to switch back after giving us two weeks to cancel our original plans and research and book replacement activities. When you make a switch 5 weeks out, you stick with it.

You've been getting grief over this statement (shocking, right?). I just want to say that I agree with you. My cruise embarks in 13 days, which means my plans are pretty much set. I too will be a little disappointed with HAL if they switch back this close to our sail date. And it has nothing to do with a lack of empathy for the islands. I'm from the Keys and live in New Orleans. I know hurricanes quite well and have had my property damaged/destroyed more than once. They can change the itinerary a thousand times for all I care, but at some point closer to sailing, they need to stick with it and stop making changes.

My cruise was supposed to go to St Thomas on Nov 16. It was changed to Punta Cana a while ago. So far, there's been no indication of it being changed back.

 

 

 

You've been getting grief over this statement (shocking, right?). I just want to say that I agree with you. My cruise embarks in 13 days, which means my plans are pretty much set. I too will be a little disappointed with HAL if they switch back this close to our sail date. And it has nothing to do with a lack of empathy for the islands. I'm from the Keys and live in New Orleans. I know hurricanes quite well and have had my property damaged/destroyed more than once. They can change the itinerary a thousand times for all I care, but at some point closer to sailing, they need to stick with it and stop making changes.

Unfortunately, as we all know, that's just not the case. The cruise lines are subject to weather issues, port authority issues, etc., at any time, including while you're on the cruise. They can change the itinerary any time they think it's necessary, and you're agreeing to that when you pay for your cruise. I've even read about them changing the final debarkation location during bad weather in the Gulf area: they had to bus people to either Galveston or New Orleans.

Unfortunately, as we all know, that's just not the case. The cruise lines are subject to weather issues, port authority issues, etc., at any time, including while you're on the cruise. They can change the itinerary any time they think it's necessary, and you're agreeing to that when you pay for your cruise. I've even read about them changing the final debarkation location during bad weather in the Gulf area: they had to bus people to either Galveston or New Orleans.

Yes, we all know about the contract. But that wasn't my point, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't blizzardboy's point. We should all understand when a change needs to be made due to weather or other unplanned circumstances. But when changes don't need to be made, it's perfectly understandable why folks would feel some disappointment, especially so close to sail date.

I am on a 7 day cruise in December and if I could, I would cancel this trip.

I do know however that the cruise contract does not guarantee ports and not a valid reason to request a refund or cancellation. I don't expect or would ask for either. And it is not just HAL, all cruise contracts read this way and it is usually not a big risk.. Unfortunately this time the risk did not work in my favor.

I have been to all the ports on the Eastern Caribbean so changing ports is not a huge issue with me. What is however is that these Islands are not what we are use to seeing or enjoying. They are in bad shape and it is simply not a port change but more than likely not going to be enjoyable stops. Of course the islands want to get you back there soon so they can begin to generate income for all the people who live there, and try to get back to normal. I cant fault the islands for wanting this but I am realistic enough not to expect island life as normal.

I know many cruisers are OK with this and get tons of enjoyment just being on the ship. I am not one of these people. While I love the ships I equally love the stops. This is a year of savings for me and what I thought my vacation would be is not what it will be.... Just my honest take on this. I will have a good time regardless, just not what I had hoped for. If I had a crystal ball and knew this in advance I would be going on a land trip to Aruba!!

Got a notification this morning that instead of St. Croix, we're going to St. Thomas, which was the original port. I'm very happy about this, as I've always wanted to see St. Thomas.

Celebrity Summit was scheduled for St. Thomas, last week it was changed to Martinique.

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Keep a realisitc expectation andtremember the destruction from which they are recovering, enjoy what you can.

I have friends in Puerto Rico, the San Juan area, and although places like El Moro and the smaller fort are open, several places of business are not. Tourist hotels in San Juan still rely on generators for the most part. Don't expect the island to look the same, the storm took much of the lush tropical greenery and left brown dirt and hillsides. If you find an open store, you may do better with cash than credit cards, as they may not be able to have internet or phone lines. Enjoy your cruise.

I have friends in Puerto Rico, the San Juan area, and although places like El Moro and the smaller fort are open, several places of business are not. Tourist hotels in San Juan still rely on generators for the most part. Don't expect the island to look the same, the storm took much of the lush tropical greenery and left brown dirt and hillsides. If you find an open store, you may do better with cash than credit cards, as they may not be able to have internet or phone lines. Enjoy your cruise.

Good advice, Bev.

I communicated with a friend in st. thomas and he told me many businesses there are sstill closed. they have power and s'ome' internet.

I have friends in Puerto Rico, the San Juan area, and although places like El Moro and the smaller fort are open, several places of business are not. Tourist hotels in San Juan still rely on generators for the most part. Don't expect the island to look the same, the storm took much of the lush tropical greenery and left brown dirt and hillsides. If you find an open store, you may do better with cash than credit cards, as they may not be able to have internet or phone lines. Enjoy your cruise.

The green vegetation will come back pretty quickly. Right now it's the lack of power that's holding things back. We're helping a family financially and indirectly some of their neighbors they're helping to feed. They're in San Juan around Miramar south of Condado, using a little generator for lights and a refrigerator. Three families are using the frig. We take a lot for granted.

Good of you to be helping those folks.