Galveston Port closed?

[luv2trvlnow]

Everyone keeps saying that Carnival can't control the weather. That is absolutely correct. But they can control how they handle it.

And that seems to be the problem. But not only Carnival's. Also RCL. They have dropped the ball. Some accurate information to those waiting would do wonders. It is the being kept in the dark and the rumors that result from not knowing that is the thing they could do something about. Not handled well be either company. There are thousands of passengers on all 3 of these ships and little information.

Sharon

[wrp96]

Fog looks like it's getting bad again. Hope all the ships get out!

[Cindy]

Well, I'm going to bed. I hope there are ZERO cruise ships in Galveston when I wake up tomorrow!

[BrentCBaker]

Kinda reminds me of my "proposal cruise", December 13, 2009 on the Conquest. I was upset because I wanted it to be a perfect cruise, and we were fogged in until the next day. We ended up not going to Freeport, and Key West flooded (that was interesting). Oh well, I still got engaged!

 

Hopefully these people still have a fun vacation and realize that cruising isn't always like this!

[capndinghy]

 

Fine. We think different, not the first time.

 

Passengers frustrated with being "stuck" versus traveling home are less likely to spend their cash, and with the ship in close the casino is closed anyway.

 

What you"think" about my posts don't make them wrong.

 

.

 

I was on board the Ecstasy. Yes, we held all day waiting for the vis to come back up. We were kept informrd, with basically when we know more, so will you. Who can argue with that. Once the decisioin was made not to plan a landing, we steamed back out out to sea,and yup the casino and duty free openrd. Great meals were served in all the dining rooms. As far as I could see there was no (visible shortage of stores. I c

 

I can say this. Most folks I talked with were understanding, and ha dled the weather frustration well. I suspect the poor wiating on us were really frustrated...who can blame them. We passengers kind of felt a reverse Stockholm Syndrom for them.

[workin4theweekend]

That's for sure, it hard to understand when it's not difficult to figure out how to put a "Weather Alert" or "Cruise Alert" type bullet on the home page so people know where to get to when there is a situation going on....you know how the states have those 511 highway sites and alert all the crashes/delays/etc...and my company has for our policyholders to go to when there is an evacuation or hurricane emergency declared...:confused:

 

 

I agree. Carnival usually puts the information on their website if they are tracking a hurricane or tropical storm, so you would think the fog would be no different.

[CCLMischelle]

CARNIVAL ECSTASY - 2/19/2011 Sailing

 

2/20/2011 - Weather Update posted 11:15PM (EST).

 

We are sorry to inform our guests that a short while ago the Carnival Conquest was bumped by a fuel barge as it approached the vessel. Although no one was hurt and damage appears to be minor, this is delaying the ship's departure as the Coast Guard will need to do a routine inspection before the Carnival Conquest is cleared to sail.

 

Since we are unable to move the Carnival Ecstasy to terminal 1, we will now have no choice but to board guests at pier 10. Guests will be given their room key and have their hand luggage screened at Terminal 1 and then bussed to pier 10.

 

At this time, we still expect to make our call on Progreso. If for some reason we are forced to cancel Progreso, guests will be given the opportunity to disembark in the morning and receive a full refund.

 

We deeply apologize for this new development to an already difficult day.

[capndinghy]

Everyone keeps saying that Carnival can't control the weather. That is absolutely correct. But they can control how they handle it.

And that seems to be the problem. But not only Carnival's. Also RCL. They have dropped the ball. Some accurate information to those waiting would do wonders. It is the being kept in the dark and the rumors that result from not knowing that is the thing they could do something about. Not handled well be either company. There are thousands of passengers on all 3 of these ships and little information.

Sharon

 

Yes Sharon You havw an excellent point. Perhaps they should turn loose some of those same kids that market these cruises on put them on damage control whe these things happen. It kinda sounds like lots of departing gursts were left in the fog. No reason fokr that. A simple web page could xmit the latest info to the folks who need it!

Give the junior kids in marketing a project..how do we keep our customers infomed when irreg. ops occur..they would come up with a simple and effective solution..

[mamiamjo]

Cindy, a couple people on the Galveston.com thread have been saying a tug hit the side of the Conquest....don't know for sure if it is true...but one lady said her son saw it and heard it......so maybe that is the reason....who knows.

I feel for all of them.

 

Yes, it was confirmed on Carnival website. They will now bus passengers to pier 10 to board the Ecstasy as Conquest needs to be inspected/ cleared.

What a mess.

[Golfing Dan]

It is now 1030pm local. VOS at port. Conquest at port. Ecstasy abandoned at pier 10 under armed guard. No more lines outside VOS. Endless lines outside Conquest (Ecstasy pax). Fog is coming in. Ecstasy luggage in terminal. Conquest hit by barge and has "issues". News is that VOS will eventually leave and Ecstasy will move into her place and embark. Sitting in my car in parking lot at lighthouse park drinking bud lite limes.

 

Wait. Tap on my window. We are being tolf told to go to the terminal and they will shuttle us over to pier 10.

The adventure continues.

[wrp96]

It is now 1030pm local. VOS at port. Conquest at port. Ecstasy abandoned at pier 10 under armed guard. No more lines outside VOS. Endless lines outside Conquest (Ecstasy pax). Fog is coming in. Ecstasy luggage in terminal. Conquest hit by barge and has "issues". News is that VOS will eventually leave and Ecstasy will move into her place and embark. Sitting in my car in parking lot at lighthouse park drinking bud lite limes.

 

Wait. Tap on my window. We are being tolf told to go to the terminal and they will shuttle us over to pier 10.

The adventure continues.

 

Best of luck Golfing Dan. Lots of fingers crossed for you guys.

[Raven Days]

We are still at the convention center and was given the info posted above. There were 4 buses outside which all gone now. They left empty. We were told that they would start loading by zones soon...I don't think that's going to happen now.

[Golfing Dan]

We moved through screening and registration at record speed. We are now sitting in chairs waiting for a bus. People are tired. Many can be desc,ribed as giddy. We will be sleeping on the ship atv pier 10. If they cancel our last remaining stop they will let us off the ship in morning with a refund. We will see. Saga continues.

[r121567]

GOOD LUCK DAN!! Keep us posted!

 

 

It is now 1030pm local. VOS at port. Conquest at port. Ecstasy abandoned at pier 10 under armed guard. No more lines outside VOS. Endless lines outside Conquest (Ecstasy pax). Fog is coming in. Ecstasy luggage in terminal. Conquest hit by barge and has "issues". News is that VOS will eventually leave and Ecstasy will move into her place and embark. Sitting in my car in parking lot at lighthouse park drinking bud lite limes.

 

Wait. Tap on my window. We are being tolf told to go to the terminal and they will shuttle us over to pier 10.

The adventure continues.

[Golfing Dan]

We will sleep and eat on ship. Maybe we will get luggage. Fog has closed the port. Mood of people is a mixture delirium and numbness.

[wrp96]

We will sleep and eat on ship. Maybe we will get luggage. Fog has closed the port. Mood of people is a mixture delirium and numbness.

 

 

So disappointed for you. Hope things look up in the morning.

[islasisterchick]

So have any of the ships sailed yet? I see on the weather that visibility has dropped from 5 to 3 miles. Saying a little prayer for everyone. I was stuck outside port on the Ecstasy last March, and while it wasn't fun sitting around in the public rooms until 6pm when they let us back in our cabins, I felt way worse for the people waiting to embark. I sail on the Conquest in two weeks and hope the weather doesn't do this again.

[Raven Days]

We have left the convention center and are headed that way. There are 2 full bus loads.

[Golfing Dan]

Appears to be nearing the end. conquest and ecstasy still in port. VOS appeared to be in port but all the lights appeared to be OFF. Strange. Maybe things will be better in the AM.

[Mickey B]

Here is the cruise ship cam you can watch them come in and out. You can also see how bad the fog is. My dad watched the boats leave every Sun at 4 unless he is doing something else.

 

http://www.galveston.com/cruisecam/

[jhale]

2am local time and the conquest is still docked. her lights are so bright i can't see if there are any ships behind her. it doesn't look foggy at all.

 

but i'm wondering, where is pier 10? i've read a bunch of posts about it, but i'm wondering where it is. i've sailed out of galveston a LOT, so i'm just curious.

[sixgun8]

2am local time and the conquest is still docked. her lights are so bright i can't see if there are any ships behind her. it doesn't look foggy at all.

 

but i'm wondering, where is pier 10? i've read a bunch of posts about it, but i'm wondering where it is. i've sailed out of galveston a LOT, so i'm just curious.

 

 

I was wondering the same thing? Has to be far enough away since they are bussing PAX, wonder how the luggage is getting there?

 

I can't beleive how trying of a weekend this has to be for the Carnival folk. First with the fog, then knowing they were going to have to handle two ships in port in one day, then the fuel barge HITTING the conquest, now more fog? This is ridiculous. Yes, I feel for the PAX too, but the folks that have to sort it all out must be stressed as well.

[floatingaway2525]

I was wondering the same thing? Has to be far enough away since they are bussing PAX, wonder how the luggage is getting there?

 

I can't beleive how trying of a weekend this has to be for the Carnival folk. First with the fog, then knowing they were going to have to handle two ships in port in one day, then the fuel barge HITTING the conquest, now more fog? This is ridiculous. Yes, I feel for the PAX too, but the folks that have to sort it all out must be stressed as well.

 

The logistics are staggering and the crew must be numb at this point:( What a bizarre bunch of stuff!

Pray that this morning brings a return to normalcy and a perfect sail for those guys with the time they have!!

[floatingaway2525]

2am local time and the conquest is still docked. her lights are so bright i can't see if there are any ships behind her. it doesn't look foggy at all.

 

but i'm wondering, where is pier 10? i've read a bunch of posts about it, but i'm wondering where it is. i've sailed out of galveston a LOT, so i'm just curious.

 

From where Ecstasy went off the cam yesterday, it's down Harborside towards the ferry, somebody said about 1/2 mile:confused:

[hywaybeachbum]

Yes we are still stuck in Galveston. I can see the Ecstasy down from us maybe 1/4 of a mile or so. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get on the ship yesterday. We were delayed leaving last night because a fueling barge bumped the ship and the Coast Guard had to inspect the damage before she would be cleared to sail. Cris came on the intercom last night around 11 and announced this. By the time the ship was cleared to sail, the fog rolled in again. This isn't fun anymore!