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Disney Dream August 26 - TROPICAL STORM ??!!!

mrscutecuban

By mrscutecuban,
in Disney Cruise Line

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Shmoo here

Shmoo here

Posted
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We sailed last week and so hurricanes were on my mind. I am curious how private insurance companies would handle this if there was a hurricane warning? Just wondering for the sake of wondering. We don't buy cruise line insurance and go through private companies. Does that change whether or not you have a choice to fly into a hurricane warning area and proceed with vacation?

 

Insurance will typically cover a cruise cancellation, if you do everything that you're supposed to do to try to make the cruise. If the planes aren't flying, it would probably be covered.

 

IF (big if) your policy covers that particular kind of cancellation. Be sure to read your policy, as not all policies cover the same things,

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lawgator

lawgator

Posted
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We missed Castaway Cay once on a 3 night cruise due to high winds in February (even though the sun was out). The Captain was unable to dock although he tried several times. Of course we were disappointed to miss our favorite port, but the ship immediately reprinted and distributed new Navigators with a lot of added activities since we spent the time at sea. I think there were extra things like cooking classes and other classes. We still enjoyed ourselves, but perhaps not as much as we would have if we'd been able to dock at CC. There was no refund or obc given, and we didn't expect any since bad weather and being flexible is just a part of cruising. Good luck to you and I hope you have smooth sailing!

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lawgator

lawgator

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under your reservation in my cruise activities BUT unfortunately the cut off to book activities etc etc for this cruise was yesterday @ midnight..sorry :(

With any cruise once you've made your final payment and you are certain a number days out for the cruise you can pre book spa appts, excursions and activities.

 

You can also book a day pass for the Rainbow Forest Spa to use their lovely showers, sauna, whirpool tubs (on a covered deck outside), as well as their heated loungers with reading lights. They're under 20 bucks each and well worth it. You can find the day passes under the "gifts and amenities" section at the DCL website that you can purchase pre-cruise.

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msmayor

msmayor

Posted
Posted
We sailed last week and so hurricanes were on my mind. I am curious how private insurance companies would handle this if there was a hurricane warning? Just wondering for the sake of wondering. We don't buy cruise line insurance and go through private companies. Does that change whether or not you have a choice to fly into a hurricane warning area and proceed with vacation?

 

You need to read your policy carefully. Most will not cover your choice not to fly into a warning area...its only if there is a cessation of services that actually prevents you from getting there.

 

However, there are some policies that will cover your cancellation if YOUR home is under threat of a hurricane and you need to remain behind to protect your property. Again, its important to know what risks you may face and what the policy you plan to purchase will cover.

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Ex techie

Ex techie

Posted
Posted (edited)
the thought of sitting in P/C due to a storm and not getting out into the sea would be a total nightmare massive disappointment and i would feel totally riped off.

if i did not get a full refund regardless of terms and conditions, who plans to book a holiday and pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars to sit idle and disney not making a profit does not make a hoot to me ...but that seldom happens so lets not worry

 

I'm not sure if this is your first cruise or if you have cruised before?

A cruise to no where is not just staying tied up at the dock. It is where the ship sails out for a day/few days and sails back to the port without making any stops at islands or ports.

It is safer for a ship to be at sea during a storm than docked, hence why they sail out into open water and as far away from the storm as reasonably possible.

 

So you would not sit idle, you would still get the cruise part of your vacation, just not the islands, and unfortunately that is part of cruising.

 

You seem to have a few issues with the way cruises operate, so it maybe helpful to yourself if you go with the attitude of it will be what it will be and I will make the most of it.

You may not give a hoot about Disney making a profit, but they ask you to agree to the terms and conditions, which have many clauses that indemnify them from providing certain services, port stops, ship etc, compensation, and you do so knowingly accept them.

If they are too much for you, IMO it would be best for you to not gone on the cruise.

 

I am on this sailing as well and it will be my first Disney cruise. However, we are sailing in peak hurricane season. This is the risk that we all take booking during this period.

 

If they cancel the cruise (which they won't), I'm sure a full refund would be in order. But if you are on the boat and enjoying the amenities, expecting a full refund will lead to disappointment.

 

Yes, if they cancel the cruise, they will refund you for the cruise fare.

 

Wishing you a great trip!

 

ex techie

Edited by Ex techie
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WrittenOnYourHeart Great Review Rare

WrittenOnYourHeart

Posted
Posted

So you would not sit idle, you would still get the cruise part of your vacation, just not the islands, and unfortunately that is part of cruising.

 

You seem to have a few issues with the way cruises operate, so it maybe helpful to yourself if you go with the attitude of it will be what it will be and I will make the most of it.

You may not give a hoot about Disney making a profit, but they ask you to agree to the terms and conditions, which have many clauses that indemnify them from providing certain services, port stops, ship etc, compensation, and you do so knowingly accept them.

If they are too much for you, IMO it would be best for you to not gone on the cruise.

 

ex techie

 

Very well said ex techie!!

 

I'd only add "Or not to book during hurricane season (June 1 - November 1)" - especially in the late August-October time frame as that tends to be when the stronger storms develop and hit. (Not always, I know there are exceptions. But they do seem to come more frequently in the latter months of the season than in the early months of the season.)

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Ex techie

Ex techie

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Thank you WrittenOnYourHeart.

 

To add to your comment as well, winds, tides and current even when it isn;t hurricane season play a large part in missing ports.

Unfortunately Castaway and Grand Cayman more often than other ports.

 

ex techie

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WrittenOnYourHeart Great Review Rare

WrittenOnYourHeart

Posted
Posted
Thank you WrittenOnYourHeart.

 

To add to your comment as well, winds, tides and current even when it isn;t hurricane season play a large part in missing ports.

Unfortunately Castaway and Grand Cayman more often than other ports.

 

ex techie

 

Yep. Presidents' Week 2015 one of the ships (I think the Wonder, but I'm not sure) didn't make Castaway because of the currents. I was on the Fantasy and we almost didn't make it (my sister said had Commodore Tom not been the Master we likely wouldn't have) - I stood on the deck watching us inch so slowly it seemed like we weren't moving. Finally we were enough in the channel that he sped up a little and I knew we were making it, but it was a later debarkation than scheduled. I was just happy we made it though!

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gometros

gometros

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Thank you WrittenOnYourHeart.

 

To add to your comment as well, winds, tides and current even when it isn;t hurricane season play a large part in missing ports.

Unfortunately Castaway and Grand Cayman more often than other ports.

 

ex techie

 

Is that because Grand Cayman is a tender port?

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Jestocost

Jestocost

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Yes. Attempting to board a tender in rough seas is not something I'd want to attempt.

 

I can tell you from experience it is not a lot of fun. We were on a Magic WC cruise a few years ago and had calm seas tendering in before a Stingray City excursion that was calm as well. When we got back to the dock where we had disembarked from the tender earlier, however, rough waves were washing over the dock area and tender service had been suspended. They wound up walking us over to what was then a commercial area of the port that was more protected (if only slightly) and resumed service there.

 

Lines were long and boarding was slow because the tender deck would drop down 6' below the dock level and then rise 6' above. When it would settle down briefly they would hustle as many people as possible on board and then wait out the next bumpy period. At one point one of the large mooring lines actually snapped and a crew member was knocked into the water.

 

Getting off of the tender and back onto the ship was equally dicey. It was one of the larger boats with the gangway on the top, and we would wait for it to settle down and they would have a group of three people run across with assistance from crew members.

 

All in all, not something I'd like to repeat!

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Ex techie

Ex techie

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Would you let us know if you dock at CC and how the weather is please?

 

The Dream is currently underway heading to Castaway Cay.

I hope they can dock for the Guests aboard :)

 

You can follow the ship if you wish here:

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:373520/zoom:10

 

Weather looks like it should be in the 80's with a couple of thunderstorms (not unusual and usually pretty short) 10-15 mph winds.

 

I hope they make it and have a great day, and you too for your cruise!

 

ex techie

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Lady_831

Lady_831

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I see that Dream is docked in Nassau today, so it looks like the cruise is progressing as scheduled.

 

 

We ended up having nice weather in Nassau today. A little windy, but mostly sunny. Headed to Castaway Cay now....hoping for the same luck tomorrow.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Lady_831

Lady_831

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Would you let us know if you dock at CC and how the weather is please?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

Weather at Castaway was mostly sunny with a brief period of rain around 2pm for about 20 minutes. It cleared up and sunny again.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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