Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Getting foggy down here!

MichelleChell

By MichelleChell,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

 Share

Recommended Posts

doberdog2

doberdog2

Posted
Posted
I just read that there is only one customs line open. It is going really slow. The folks supposed to leave today are being given $20 OBC to pay for lunch. My guess is that they will also get dinner OBC pretty soon. It would stink sitting in that pier waiting for the ship to clear. We were delayed 36 hours out of Galveston in February a few years ago. It was a bad deal. Hope this clears because we are supposed to leave on 2/15

 

I was on the Magic and got off today, 2/9. I live in Dickinson, so I am very close to the port so I had it good :P But We were in Zone 1 so we were the 4th group called to disembark and I can tell you there were at least 8 lines open in the customs area when we arrived. It did move kinda slow but not because they only had one line open. I doubt the boat leaves port tonight. We were delayed last Sunday and were able to sail away at 11 or so that night. I doubt that happens tonight as the fog is just crazy thick tonight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lynnster

Lynnster

Posted
Posted

My parents are sitting waiting to get onto the ship in the terminal. They haven't given out any food. Just started to give coffee and water. It is their 50th anniversary. I feel so bad for them. When it is this late to leave, do they still make all the ports?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cruise Cat

Cruise Cat

Posted
Posted

They have been passing out peanut butter crackers and bottles of water in the waiting ares an hour ago (I helped). They passed some stuff out earlier today also the one lady said. A passenger (older gentleman with a USAF Retired hat on went and got some water on his own and is passing it out now. Everyone must have had enough because only a few people want it,

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sg4crzn

sg4crzn

Posted
Posted

It would help if Carnival put the word out more that this port tends to have delays from fog. Without this forum I would have not known. It helps to be mentally prepared. Its not anything cruise lines can control but a better communication system is needed. That's a long day without food.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cruise Cat

Cruise Cat

Posted
Posted

They just made an announcement that "DEbarkation is ramping up." Whatever that means exactly, and something about possibly boarding in about an hour.

 

I have never seen it take so long just to get people physically off a ship. Maybe it has something to do with the last port they were at.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cruise Cat

Cruise Cat

Posted
Posted
I am surprised that fog is affecting the cruise ships. When we went to Canada on our cruise this past summer, we had full days when we couldn't even hardly see the Carnival tail. Fog horn every two minutes.

 

The problem here in Galveston is the narrow channel between two islands where the port is and the cruise ships can only come and go from the north end (bridges and other stuff in the way on the other end)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
luv_to_cruz2

luv_to_cruz2

Posted
Posted

Just got off the Magic today, about 4:15pm, we would have docked on time if no fog, but there will still tons of people to disembark. Lots of custom lines open, and any Carnival staff on board were working hard to keep passengers happy and comfortable today, as well as putting on activities & meals. Many missed flights home today & it was stressful for many. They called 'all hands on deck' for the staff on board. They were all tired but still smiling. Hope the Magic makes it out tonight & everyone can enjoy the rest of their week. Same thing happened to us last week, we set sail close to 11pm, but we still made it to all ports. Good luck all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cruise Cat

Cruise Cat

Posted
Posted
Just got off the Magic today, about 4:15pm, we would have docked on time if no fog, but there will still tons of people to disembark. Lots of custom lines open, and any Carnival staff on board were working hard to keep passengers happy and comfortable today, as well as putting on activities & meals. Many missed flights home today & it was stressful for many. They called 'all hands on deck' for the staff on board. They were all tired but still smiling. Hope the Magic makes it out tonight & everyone can enjoy the rest of their week. Same thing happened to us last week, we set sail close to 11pm, but we still made it to all ports. Good luck all.

 

When Magic docked, it did not "appear" they were prepared to start Debarkation as people were still in their rooms on every level. What actually happened after you started towards the harbor?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sg4crzn

sg4crzn

Posted
Posted

That makes the work for the crew so stressful I think. Then passengers get on and are mad. What a bad start to vacation. Not me-I'm going to be mentally prepared, take some snacks and make sure I have my one bottle of wine in case I need to drink it while waiting for my ship to come in. Wouldn't be the first time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
luv_to_cruz2

luv_to_cruz2

Posted
Posted
When Magic docked, it did not "appear" they were prepared to start Debarkation as people were still in their rooms on every level. What actually happened after you started towards the harbor?

 

As we headed to harbor, they let the platinum, gold, fttf, passengers that still had the chance to catch their flights & wheelchair assistance passengers down to the dining area just off the lobby/gangway. No passengers could be in the lobby with their luggage. Only self assisted luggage passengers. All others were asked to remain in their rooms or on the promenade deck or lido so not to cause too much cluster. We sat on the airport shuttle bus at the pier for a long time, and yes, saw passengers on every deck on balconies...not sure what the hold up if it truly took more than a couple hours to get everyone off...any update on embarkation to tonight?? Feeling sorry for those waiting to get on, especially elderly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
luv_to_cruz2

luv_to_cruz2

Posted
Posted

Honesty tho I am surprised they opened the port earlier this afternoon, it was thick fog all day, but the captain and cruise director kept us updated, I started hearing the fog horn about 6:45am, that's when I knew we weren't getting off on time, therefore 2/9 wasn't going to embark on time :( I now sitting in a hotel in Houston & will fly home tomorrow, hope everyone is now on the Magic & can get some rest before the real vacation starts...first time cruisers have a bad taste I hear...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RCT

RCT

Posted
Posted

We are sitting in the holding area of the terminal at 10:50 pm. They finally announced that about 1000 passengers have boarded and that they hope to have the rest of us on board soon. We'll see. Carnival can't help the fog and this has got to be a big problem unloading and loading 2 ships at the same time (Royal Caribbean is here too). Customs must have been slow too, because they originally told us to board between 6:30 and 9:30. We showed up at 7:30 and they were still disembarking. The ship showed up about 4, I believe. In any case, our big complaint is the lack of information. People are much more patient when they know what is going on. There were no other email updates after about 2:45. And information at the terminal has been lacking. We still don't know if we will sail tonight. The fog comes and goes and it didn't look too bad the last time I looked outside. So I assume the captain is playing it by ear too. Hopefully there is still a harbor pilot on duty to take us out. Figures crossed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
luv_to_cruz2

luv_to_cruz2

Posted
Posted
We are sitting in the holding area of the terminal at 10:50 pm. They finally announced that about 1000 passengers have boarded and that they hope to have the rest of us on board soon. We'll see. Carnival can't help the fog and this has got to be a big problem unloading and loading 2 ships at the same time (Royal Caribbean is here too). Customs must have been slow too, because they originally told us to board between 6:30 and 9:30. We showed up at 7:30 and they were still disembarking. The ship showed up about 4, I believe. In any case, our big complaint is the lack of information. People are much more patient when they know what is going on. There were no other email updates after about 2:45. And information at the terminal has been lacking. We still don't know if we will sail tonight. The fog comes and goes and it didn't look too bad the last time I looked outside. So I assume the captain is playing it by ear too. Hopefully there is still a harbor pilot on duty to take us out. Figures crossed.

 

Wishing you all the best RCT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...