How well or poorly do you think DCL have handled communication for Hurricane Matthew?

[Ex techie]

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being very poor, and 5 being excellent) how well or poorly do you think DCL have handled Guest communications for Hurricane Matthew?

Edited October 6, 2016 by Ex techie

[moki'smommy]

Are you interested in only those people who were booked on these cruises or what those of us who were not booked were able to learn at the web site or other locations?

 

One thing I noticed in the last 2 days--they have been sending notifications to Facebook stating that there is an update and giving the link. I probably clicked "like" on FB a long time ago and we currently have nothing booked.

[Ex techie]

Are you interested in only those people who were booked on these cruises or what those of us who were not booked were able to learn at the web site or other locations?

 

One thing I noticed in the last 2 days--they have been sending notifications to Facebook stating that there is an update and giving the link. I probably clicked "like" on FB a long time ago and we currently have nothing booked.

 

Both those cruising now, those with a cruise imminent, and those just watching this unfold.

 

ex techie

[moki'smommy]

Hard to answer. Normal communication from DCL is poor. I'm not booked so it really doesn't affect me, but in most cases I'd see the information on line from a reliable source before DCL announced it. For example, the ports in Canada released a list of ships that would be docking there on particular dates which included the Disney Magic before DCL released information that the cruise was being altered.

 

The fact that their computer system then messed up people's refunds was rather the final straw!

[Ex techie]

Hard to answer. Normal communication from DCL is poor. I'm not booked so it really doesn't affect me' date=' but in most cases I'd see the information on line from a reliable source before DCL announced it. For example, the ports in Canada released a list of ships that would be docking there on particular dates which included the Disney Magic before DCL released information that the cruise was being altered.

 

The fact that their computer system then messed up people's refunds was rather the final straw![/quote']

 

I 100% agree!

 

ex techie

[NYGirl1002]

I was booked to leave today and even though I got the email at 5 pm on Wednesday, leaving my TA to deal with holding for CS for 2 hours, I would have said they were pretty good. However I had to pay for the second cruise because I didn't get my refund yet.

[JenBelle]

Just coming in on Disney Dream departed oct 3rd. Family of 7- 4 adults 3 children under 10. I cannot say enough of the wonderful job Disney has done. Every expectation was met! Communication was often and straight forward easy to understand. This was our 3rd cruise with Disney, probably not our last.

 

 

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[JenBelle]

Definitely a 5!!

 

 

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[Tonka's Skipper]

With reference to this storm, I believe they did a pretty good job, when you considered all the storm and then government and private groups that had to decide what was going to happen before and of the lines could.

 

Points:

 

1.There are about 10 lines and what?.... 30 ships/cruises being effected.

 

2. This was a odd tracking, very intense storm. It was not only going slowly, it was side swiping the entire southeastern coast, effecting/or likely to effect ALL the 3 cruise ports, and the major deep water ports all the way to North Carolina. It was not like other storms that crossed Florida effected 1 maybe 2 ports.

 

2. Different Lines had different berth priorities. So the lines were dealing with trying to figure out what ports will be effected and when the government and other port services would open.

 

3. Then add when land transportation, cars, trucking supplies, Airline and trains, getting people in and out of Florida and when!

 

This was a massive logistics problem, and many other decisions had to be made before the lines could determine where and when to have their ships there and ready.

 

So none of the lines wanted to put out schedules until they were pretty sure of what was going to happen.. We all know if they did, people would go nuts over any additional changes. Most schedules were out there 2 or 3 days in advance....Prettygood in my book!

 

Reading the various forums and peoples posts and the lines information as posted, I think all the Lines did a amazingly good job!

 

 

AKK

[Jestocost]

Was on the Oct. 1-9 (ha!) Fantasy sailing and from the perspective of being on board during the hurricane I can say Captain Fabian did an excellent job.

 

There were some initial missteps with setting realistic expectations around when guests would be able to disembark that I think could have been handled better. Ultimately the issues that resulted at disembarkation had more to do with passengers ignoring clear and specific instructions from DCL.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Jestocost

[moki'smommy]

It looks like the people on board at the time got much good information while those on land had lesser quality of communication.

[cruiseabuser]

It looks like the people on board at the time got much good information while those on land had lesser quality of communication.

 

Yes. Those on the ship were an audience under direct responsibility of the Captain, so they tried to reassure and assist in every way possible. However, the decision to extend a day was not communicated to those onboard until Wednesday afternoon, around the same time it was posted to the Disney Cruise website, that the following cruise would be canceled.

 

If I had to guess, Matthew was a very unique storm in ithat its projected path, intensity and speed kept changing the last week of September and into October. Originally, it was expected to be north of Port Canaveral by Thursday. if the Dream could have safely sailed to Miami on Friday, my guess is they would have bussed to and from Port Canaveral. Once it became clear that Matthew would be hitting near Port Canaveral on Friday, and that roads would also not be safe, plans changed.

 

It created a major pickle for those who would be traveling to cruise on Friday since some might have been traveling on Wednesday; if they could have made the decision one day early, it might have been better. However, this storm was less predictable than many others; just look at what actually happened and where.

[cruiseabuser]

Was on the Oct. 1-9 (ha!) Fantasy sailing and from the perspective of being on board during the hurricane I can say Captain Fabian did an excellent job.

 

There were some initial missteps with setting realistic expectations around when guests would be able to disembark that I think could have been handled better. Ultimately the issues that resulted at disembarkation had more to do with passengers ignoring clear and specific instructions from DCL.

 

I wouldn't be surprised that the decision to extend the sailing one day was due to giving those on the following cruise time to fly in on Saturday since airports were closed on Friday. Plans on the Dream were also somewhat in flux, but eventually, they settled onto a few scenarios and let those onboard use phones for free to plan accordingly.

[Jestocost]

I wouldn't be surprised that the decision to extend the sailing one day was due to giving those on the following cruise time to fly in on Saturday since airports were closed on Friday. Plans on the Dream were also somewhat in flux, but eventually, they settled onto a few scenarios and let those onboard use phones for free to plan accordingly.

 

That may have been an extended reason but the main one, I imagine, would be that the port was closed when were supposed to be docking and didn't open until later on Saturday. That's the simplest answer. And when they made the decision to stay at sea an extra day there still was no guarantee that the port would reopen by Saturday (or at any time in the near future, really).

[CruisingwithAutism]

Absolutely appalled at Disney's lack of communication during this ordeal. They were still encouraging us to travel to the port when the Governor was pleading with residents to evacuate. I may not sail with Disney again even with the paltry discount they offered. :mad:

[CruisingwithAutism]

And I find it laughable that those "stranded" on the Dream for additional days will be singing the praises of DCL and their communication. Of course they will, they got a longer vacation out of it! Much different perspective from those of us on the next sailing that had zero communication from Disney whilst waiting for a decision.

[Ex techie]

I think that the advisory on the website still saying the sailing (10/7) was going ahead until around 5pm on the 5th, despite it being reported that Port Canaveral would be closed and evacuated on the 4th around 9pm is inexcusable.

 

It is obvious those on the ships were advised and kept in constant up to date information by the Captain and Cruise Director.

Those on land waiting to find out if their cruise was going ahead as planned were receiving very delayed information in comparison, and at some stages was contradictory to official reports from the port.

 

Those aboard seem to have had great information. Those ashore not so.

 

ex techie