Summit Departed Bermuda about 10 hours early

[Wine-O]

Here's a link to the webcam for those who want to see if Summit does get underway at 2pm.

 

http://www.nyharborwebcam.com/

[emmy]

Summit is on her way now on the webcam http://www.nyharborwebcam.com

[islandjacquelin]

Here's a link to the webcam for those who want to see if Summit does get underway at 2pm.

 

http://www.nyharborwebcam.com/

 

Oh thanks! Now I am even more excited! In two weeks It will be me on her!

[Fish Lover]

I could see being bummed out as a passenger, but you have to understand why. Does celebrity offer any sort of refund/consolation in these instances? Just curious.

 

I just arrived home from having been on this sailing. Why on earth would the cruise line offer any refund or consideration (which I am sure you meant to ask rather than consolation)? The cruise line is not responsible for the weather. They are only responsible for taking necessary precautions when the weather forecast makes it necessary. That includes leaving port early, skipping ports, and possibly changing itinerary all together. Failure to do so would be negligence on their part. Nobody expressed anything except gratitude for the Captain making a wise and prudent decision to leave early. The winds and chopping swells for the next 7 hours after departure from Bermuda were rocking the boat, but then the captain slowed down considerably when the seas became calmer and the storm's effects where far away...allowing for a very smooth sailing.. An adjusted schedule of events was published, allowing for extra activities to be added.

[Fish Lover]

I'm relatively new to ocean cruising.....my question is this: if the passengers on board Summit NOW cannot get home when they dock tomorrow because airports are closed or at least seriously delayed then passengers trying to BOARD Summit won't be able to get to Bayonne either. Why wouldn't Celebrity let the current passengers stay on board an additional night if necessary till the storm blows away and airports are up and running again? or will they?

 

Unless it is some sort of national emergency where life is at stake, then this would never be a scenario that would work. First, the billing adjustments would be a nightmare. Second, if the ship can sail, then too bad for anyone who can not board before it does. Those are the conditions under which you contracted for your ticket. Unless, you have taken out trip insurance to get some refund back under some circumstances. Third, over half of the passengers on any trip out of Bayone live within driving distance. (statistical fact)

[Hydrokitty]

Summit is on her way now on the webcam http://www.nyharborwebcam.com

 

That was so cool!!!! NY Harbor looks pretty calm right now. I was at the beach off Suffolk County and surf is not huge, but getting bigger.

[Fish Lover]

The parking garage is prepaid, so it is leave when you wish. I'm sure the gangway will be closed until the morning when the ship is cleared as the customs agents sure aren't going to work throughout the night.

 

The parking garage is NOT pre-paid. In prior years (pre-garage) the parking was pre-paid. Now you get a ticket when you arrive. Then when you leave you take the ticket (which you have carefully saved somewhere) and pay via cash or credit card in one of four machines on the way back through the parking garage, In exchange you get a ticket that raises the bar when you leave the lot.

[hcat]

Except when the storm hits a day earlier and your flight gets canceled. We had this issue with a land trip to Florida. We didn't get on a flight until the end of the next day. Would have missed the ship. Your best insurance is to buy travel insurance.

 

True... ins is the only way to go

 

One year it cost us quite a bit to advance 5 days to FLL to avert a well forecast ice storm that did matetialize..But we got out and sailed away while many others not so lucky..ship was not full..

 

Another year we went day of...due to snow. You never know. We no longer cruise in winter unless we are already in Fla for the season..

 

And of course..with Charley it hit much further south than expected..you just never know

Edited September 4, 2016 by hcat

[hcat]

Maybe because poster hasn't lived through one and we've both lived through some really bad hurricanes......it's true they kinda started "hyping" this one on the news a little early, which I think is really bad because people get tired of hearing about it and then when it's only days away instead of weeks, they don't pay attention. Still, I'd rather have a hurricane or blizzard than an earthquake or tornado....at least we know where they're going and when they'll be there.

 

We have gone through quite a few.storms...living on LI and having a homevin SW Fl...we get to worry twice as much...but never do we under prepare..!

 

.Sandy was really serious...hoping to do Ok with current storm..

[Motorman23]

We were on the cruise, trip back from Bermuda was fine. Very relaxing. Got in to Bayonne sat night at 10pm, beautiful view of nyc as we pulled in. Very smooth nights sleep, lol. We were about 15th in line for express walk-off but everyone in front of us took the elevator so we were first through cpb and had a nice talk with the agent. Went to to prepaid machines at the garage, paid our money and were on I 78 by 7:10am. We got home to Rochester at 1pm, great time.

 

Mike

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Edited September 4, 2016 by Motorman23

[dkjretired]

The parking garage is NOT pre-paid. In prior years (pre-garage) the parking was pre-paid. Now you get a ticket when you arrive. Then when you leave you take the ticket (which you have carefully saved somewhere) and pay via cash or credit card in one of four machines on the way back through the parking garage, In exchange you get a ticket that raises the bar when you leave the lot.

 

They changed it then since June and I was on the same cruise with Wine-0. I paid going in and then parked in the handicapped area, when we came home, hopped right in the car and took off. It's a new garage,maybe they didn't get the machines until after our cruise.

Edited September 4, 2016 by dkjretired

[Slam308]

The parking garage is NOT pre-paid. In prior years (pre-garage) the parking was pre-paid. Now you get a ticket when you arrive. Then when you leave you take the ticket (which you have carefully saved somewhere) and pay via cash or credit card in one of four machines on the way back through the parking garage, In exchange you get a ticket that raises the bar when you leave the lot.

 

We sailed the Summit a couple weeks ago, Aug 7-14, and the parking was prepaid in the parking garage. $140 for the week. Just an FYI.

[JMG]

I just arrived home from having been on this sailing. Why on earth would the cruise line offer any refund or consideration (which I am sure you meant to ask rather than consolation)? The cruise line is not responsible for the weather. They are only responsible for taking necessary precautions when the weather forecast makes it necessary. That includes leaving port early, skipping ports, and possibly changing itinerary all together. Failure to do so would be negligence on their part. Nobody expressed anything except gratitude for the Captain making a wise and prudent decision to leave early. The winds and chopping swells for the next 7 hours after departure from Bermuda were rocking the boat, but then the captain slowed down considerably when the seas became calmer and the storm's effects where far away...allowing for a very smooth sailing.. An adjusted schedule of events was published, allowing for extra activities to be added.

 

Not sure if you checked your On board account but we got $50 refunded. Typically they refund port charges if a ship misses a port or leaves early.

 

I am sure that in turn they had to pay additional port fees at Cape Liberty but they did not charge the passengers for those fees.

Edited September 4, 2016 by JMG

[JMG]

We sailed the Summit a couple weeks ago, Aug 7-14, and the parking was prepaid in the parking garage. $140 for the week. Just an FYI.

 

Fishlover is correct!

 

For the 8/28 sailing, the parking fees were paid UPON DEPARTURE. There were signs in the garage to take your parking ticket with you on the cruise and to pay when you returned. You inserted the entry ticket into the machine to calculate the # of days/fee owed. There was one cash machine and 3 or 4 credit machines on ground level as you approached the garage.

 

After payment, you received a bar coded ticket that was used to open the gate so your car could exit the garage.

 

It makes sense! One year we did the re-positioning cruise on Summit. When we paid for parking they asked how long was the cruise. We answered that question. They did not take into consideration that we had to fly back to Bayonne. When we got back to the cruise port, the parking attendant came up to us and told us we owed for 1 more day...

 

The system of paying when you exit guarantees that they get the correct payment from all parked cars.

Edited September 5, 2016 by JMG

[dkjretired]

Fishlover is correct!

 

For the 8/28 sailing, the parking fees were paid UPON DEPARTURE. There were signs in the garage to take your parking ticket with you on the cruise and to pay when you returned. You inserted the entry ticket into the machine to calculate the # of days/fee owed. There was one cash machine and 3 or 4 credit machines on ground level as you approached the garage.

 

After payment, you received a bar coded ticket that was used to open the gate so your car could exit the garage.

 

It makes sense! One year we did the re-positioning cruise on Summit. When we paid for parking they asked how long was the cruise. We answered that question. They did not take into consideration that we had to fly back to Bayonne. When we got back to the cruise port, the parking attendant came up to us and told us we owed for 1 more day...

 

The system of paying when you exit guarantees that they get the correct payment from all parked cars.

 

 

Apparently they just changed the procedure so Fishlover was not correct for the three people who reported on here that they paid upon entree. A paid a person when I arrived and drove out at the end. This was the June 5 to 12 cruise on the Summit to Bermuda. As I stated earlier it is a new garage and they probably did not have the system set up.

[Wine-O]

Apparently they just changed the procedure so Fishlover was not correct for the three people who reported on here that they paid upon entree. A paid a person when I arrived and drove out at the end. This was the June 5 to 12 cruise on the Summit to Bermuda. As I stated earlier it is a new garage and they probably did not have the system set up.

 

They must have recently changed the parking garage procedures. We paid in full when we arrived, and drove out when we came back.

 

Since the parking garage was new, I'm sure they were working out the bugs in their system. For example, if we were on a B2B and paid for the first cruise parking up front, they wouldn't know we stayed 14 days instead of the original 7 -- ergo the ticket system to pay when you leave.

[Papacruises]

We sailed the week before last. It was $140 prepaid. There were 2 lanes ...one for cash, one for credit. There were people who directed you into your space. When I got out of the car they suggested I take a picture of the area sign I was in so I would remember. When I paid they put a bright Yellow orange ticket under the windshield (Fellow reached right in my car and placed it there) and I was waved out the exit when we returned.

[riclop]

Because of the storm, The Summit departed Bermuda at dawn Friday morning for her return to Port Liberty, Bayonne New Jersey, causing her passengers to miss a whole day in Bermuda.

 

Better safe then sorry.

[LemonNeko]

We were on this cruise. I must admit I was surprised the number of people who I heard complaining we left early.

 

I'm now 3 for 3 on cruises with a missed port day. I think I'm weather cursed but my mother said I'm cheap and cruise during hurricane season to get better rates.

[Hydrokitty]

We were on this cruise. I must admit I was surprised the number of people who I heard complaining we left early.

 

I'm now 3 for 3 on cruises with a missed port day. I think I'm weather cursed but my mother said I'm cheap and cruise during hurricane season to get better rates.

 

The down side to the 4 New England-Canadian cruises is they're ALL during hurricane season!!! So you're taking the chance without getting the savings. :D

Edited September 6, 2016 by Hydrokitty

[dkjretired]

The down side to the 4 New England-Canadian cruises is they're ALL during hurricane season!!! So you're taking the chance without getting the savings. :D

 

Check out the Summit cruise next year at the end of June, nice ports north with an overnight on the 4th of July in Boston.

[CTSandy]

We were also on this cruise - no complaints from us about leaving early, would rather try to outrun/sail around the storm. All of the people we talked to felt the same way we did. It was bumpy, but not horrible - did a New England cruise a few years ago where people were virtually bouncing off the walls near the gift shops. Great cruise overall and sailing under the Verrazano Bridge at night was a bonus.

[Fish Lover]

We were on this cruise. I must admit I was surprised the number of people who I heard complaining we left early.

 

I'm now 3 for 3 on cruises with a missed port day. I think I'm weather cursed but my mother said I'm cheap and cruise during hurricane season to get better rates.

 

I never heard anyone complaining about the early departure. Given that the boat was rocking quite a bit that day (Friday) to the extent that the pools were closed because the waves in them were too violent to be safe... it makes no sense whatever for anyone to complain. Further, the weather in Bermuda was lousy so there wasn't anything to be missed.

 

Then I don't really "get" some people.... They just seem to be flat out dumb.

[Hydrokitty]

Check out the Summit cruise next year at the end of June, nice ports north with an overnight on the 4th of July in Boston.

 

Thanks Don, but we're going in 2 weeks and I've already got a B2B on Eclipse next August. For personal reasons, I do not like being in large crowds of people especially for events like New Year's Eve; July 4th....etc.

[perodise]

my party of 13 were also on the summit returning early from Bermuda. yes it was sad losing a day in beautiful hot Bermuda but the weather looked pretty bad for Bermuda on that day and after a few morning clouds, it was a beautiful day on the ship. A lot rockier ride with the main pool closed but much cooler thanks to the winds from Hermione.

 

The last sea day was cold and windier with calmer seas and we did arrive in Bayonne at 10. unfortunately we were at dinner but warched the Verrazano bridge go by as our tables were in the back of the boat next to the windows.

 

a big Thank you to the crew of Celebrity, especially Nino, our sommelier who gave up their off days on Friday because we needed to leave early. never a complaint and always a smile.

 

BTW, disembarkation was crazy at the port with everyone coming and going at the same time but Bayonne was the best experience I have ever had for Embarkation and even with the mass confusion disembarking, still a good experience.