Hurricane Damage Discussion and Photos

[samtig]

Does anyone have any info. on what shape Cozumel is in? Heard a lot about Cancun on the news but little on Cozumel. Only thing I heard was that the cruise ship pier near downtown was partially destroyed. We were supposed to go there on our 12/11 cruise out of Houston. Heard from TA that Norwegian has said if they can't go to Cozumel, they will go to Vera Cruz, Mexico. Any info would be appreciated. Happy Cruising!

[QTBabyNurse]

I believe I have read in another message on this board that the cruise ship pier in Cozumel has been destroyed. The passenger ferry dock is partially functional. Not sure where cruises will go for now. But hopefully, they will be able to return soon to Cozumel as our dollars are really a big part of their income.

[booboo4031]

I just pulled this off the stormcarib board. This is someone in the states that has been talking to his daugher that lives in Coz:

 

Talked to my daughter again this AM. They have heard that two of the large cruise ship docks are broken into several large pieces, and a third pier is completely gone. The passenger ferry pier in the downtown is apparently intact, so once ferries resume, pedestrians traffic can also resume. But the car ferry is dependent on the cruise ship piers, and they are working on a solution as we speak. Meanwhile, the plan is to remove seating from the passenger ferries, and use the open space to bring in crates & supplies, in addition to people, whenever that can happen.

[rangerdog]

These pictures were just posted on the Cozumel board: http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/photogalleries.php?s=8185

 

This is so sad for the nice people of Cozumel! We were just there (Puerta Maya pier) last month and everything is gone. Our prayers and love are with all those in Cozumel!!

[cherylandtk]

Oh my, that looks like a lot worse damage than was originally reported. I hope the repairs can be made quickly so that cruise ships can return ASAP and get the tourism dollars back into the area. I wonder if short-term the tenders could be used to another dock? Is there one?

[Sweet_Misery]

It is really sad, I was just there on Sept 27th.

[yst347]

Oh my, that looks like a lot worse damage than was originally reported. I hope the repairs can be made quickly so that cruise ships can return ASAP and get the tourism dollars back into the area. I wonder if short-term the tenders could be used to another dock? Is there one?

 

 

In the short term food, water and the equipment and personel needed to clear and repair the damage will stress the island's remaining infrastructure. Cozumel is dependant on the mainland to supply these basic needs and the mainland is its own disaster. I think it will be many months before cruise ships are able to return to Cozumel. :( We were supposed to be there in 8 days, but we will be back as soon as we can.

 

God Bless Cozumel!

[Stircrzy]

Hard to believe I was just there October 10th...

[Stircrzy]

"doh"

[sierraN]

Those photos are shocking. Were were just there two weeks ago. It's heartbreaking.

[MrPete]

OH MY! :eek: I didn't expect that!

[silentbob007]

Wow.

[oakleys]

anyone know what happened to fat tuesdays etc & that area

[luvdale]

I was just in Conzumel in April, and took some pictures of the shopping area. I compared them to now and it is so amazing the power and force of water. It just broke my heart to see the damage. I hope that they get the help they need to survive. I have been searching the internet for information on Conzumel and haven't been able to find anything. If anyone has anymore information, please post all of the information that you have. I remember thinking how nice that the shopping area was, and now, completing gone. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Conzumel and Cancun.

[loppster]

We were there just last Tuesday 10/18, and I am almost in shock after looking at these pictures. I compared them to some I had taken, and this is just terrible. I can't hardly believe it!

[Andmarnclt]

We were there just last Tuesday 10/18, and I am almost in shock after looking at these pictures. I compared them to some I had taken, and this is just terrible. I can't hardly believe it!

 

I was on that same ship (assuming you were on the Inspiration) and have compared the pictures as well. It seemed unbelievable that a storm of that magnitude was just a few days away. I remember knowing that a storm was coming, but I just took for granted what it could, or would do. If anyone has any info on Chankanaab Park or the Dolphin Discovery program there, please post it.

 

Andmarnclt

[BlueHerons]

They can't afford to wait many months to get their infrastructure up and running again. Cozumel's only source of income is..tourism.

 

I think it will be back up and running to some degree a lot sooner than you think.

 

No tourist=no dollars

[rsjc]

Well I assume it will be at least summer before they can dock ships again. They made things so nice down there in the last five years.

[OTTER]

Wow, that really is a lot of damage. I hope the residents can recover quickly. Its amazing how bad the storms have been this year.

 

I read elsewhere that the resorts of Cancun were hit so bad that they would not be ready to open till April. If its true, that is six months to recover. Devastating...

[4yanx]

All appropriate sympathies to those in Cozumel, especially the everyday folk who depend on the tourist dollar and cannot withstand a shortfall for very long.

 

I am wondering, though, just how long the port will be closed to cruise ships. In our group is a 90 year old woman who will definitely stay on board if the port call is via a tender. Our cruise is supposed to be in Coz on 12/28. Anyone figure the port will be open by then?

 

Personally, after the way Carnival handled our original reservation and provided "information" (on the Sensation out of NOLA which was cancelled), I don't trust them to provide an accurate assessment. We have three more days during which we can cancel without penalty and wondering if we should just plug pull.

[elaineb]

Read some of these updates from the Cozumel board. I read that Chankanaab Park is gone. Here is the link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=243914

It is so sad. I hope that they can get supplies to these people quickly.

[barbemm]

anyone know what happened to fat tuesdays etc & that area

How sad, they had built puerto maya so beautifully...can't believe it's gone..the duty free shop is destroyed, the pier is gone, fat tuesdays has nothing there but some poles, Ron Jon's surf shop litteraly a memory, how terribly sad...the poor people, so much work to be done to rebuild...they need our prayers especially since they rely on tourists for their economy. Looks like it will be quite some time before a ship can dock there...sad

Barb

[PMARSHALL]

Wow. My prayers are with everyone in the affected areas. I hope they can recover quickly.

[SeaPA1]

I was on that same ship (assuming you were on the Inspiration) and have compared the pictures as well. It seemed unbelievable that a storm of that magnitude was just a few days away. I remember knowing that a storm was coming, but I just took for granted what it could, or would do. If anyone has any info on Chankanaab Park or the Dolphin Discovery program there, please post it.

 

Andmarnclt

 

On several different scuba websites, from several different sources, I have read that Chankanaab is "gone." One was a relay of a phone conversation between a friend of mine & a resident of Coz who was still on island. The local said "Chankanaab is gone." My friend inquired along the lines of "you mean the palapas where the dive shops are"; the local replied "I mean the Chankanaab, the whole thing, is gone. Just gone like it was never there."

 

I hope & pray it is an exageration, but I fear it is not - especially after seeing some of the pics of damage to some of the large concrete structures.

[FnyFACEnAL]

Our prayers are also with these folks.

We are sailing there in about six weeks; does anyone have a speculation if the port will be usable and if not, if Carnival will substitute a port or just give us another day at sea? Our other ports are Key West which I think will be okay and Belize.