Amber Cove - attack of the flies

[azbirdmom]

We had one that was very persistent buzzing us while we were on our balcony during sailaway from Amber Cove. And when we went up for pizza after coming back from the Amber Cove pool area, we thought there would be a wait for pizza as the pizza tins seemed to be all empty. There was pizza but the server ingeniously used a second one turned upside down to shield the pizza from the flies. It was really bizarre!!

[easyboy]

I was on the ship and witnessed the invasion of flies. The worst area was the open decks on floor 16-17. The bars were covered with the pests and I mean covered. I wanted to take a picture but didn't want to make the bartender feel uncomfortable, who was just as grossed out and upset as the passengers. I think there were more flies on the ship than Amber Cove. Maybe recent flooding and decaying organic matter caused the influx of flies, or an unseen garbage dump.

Won't be surprised if that area is deserted at that time.

[rwilk1129]

Just off Regal yesterday and Amber Cove was our 1st port. We did not get off the ship while there but up on pool deck there were flies everywhere. Went up to get a burger but those cooking them had to keep waving their arms to get rid of the flies. Grossed us out so forgot the burgers and headed to the Horizon court for food. Hope something can be done there for future cruisers to Amber Cove.

[clearwaters]

Had trouble uploading till now let's see if this works

 

 

I will try just the link

 

http://s780.photobucket.com/user/RMM34667/media/Regal%202016/20161115_151136_zps8nu74nwf.mp4.html

 

 

Disgusting.

[floridalover5623]

Reminds me of when we used to live in the country near a cow farm. :D

[kendon]

Wonder if there's ALWAYS a big time "fly problem" at Amber Cove? :confused:

 

I spent 4 days there on the fathom ship...not one fly OR mosquito. More insects in my backyard. Freak things can happen anywhere.

[Whimsy]

We were there this past week, no fly problem.

 

 

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[yuccaman]

We were there this past week, no fly problem.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Yes, someone needs to close this thread. It's been well established that this coincided with recent (then) severe flooding in that area. Port days were even cancelled on various cruise lines (right before the flies :)) due to waist high water on the local streets.

[RMM34667]

Why would the thread need to be closed? It may have been caused by recent flooding but it happened and future visitors should know it is a possibility. It might not be everyone's experience at this port but it was our experience.

 

Do you have financial interest at Amber Cove and you don't want future visitors to know? I can't believe it will be a one time occurrence.

[yuccaman]

Why would the thread need to be closed? It may have been caused by recent flooding but it happened and future visitors should know it is a possibility. It might not be everyone's experience at this port but it was our experience.

 

Do you have financial interest at Amber Cove and you don't want future visitors to know? I can't believe it will be a one time occurrence.

 

Closing a thread doesn't remove it, it's still kept active. You just can't reply to it any more. I didn't say remove it, I said it just needs to be closed. It's done to time-sensitive threads or those that have been beaten to death/definitively answered. Of course this information is useful for future knowledge.

 

And, no, I don't give a crap about Amber Cove or have an interest there, but I think this is already apparent from my answer. It's amazing, the conclusions/assumptions some jump to on here, and how people like to attack using any opening or excuse!

Edited December 5, 2016 by yuccaman

[satxdiver]

Thanks to the OP and the video. We will be calling on the DR in March. Hopefully we will not have the fly infestation to deal with then.

[Whimsy]

Thanks to the OP and the video. We will be calling on the DR in March. Hopefully we will not have the fly infestation to deal with then.

 

I think it is all dependent on weather conditions. The word around the ship before we arrived was about the fly infestation. Many people were afraid to get off the ship. We went and had a very nice day in the port by the pool. It's a shame others let something that happened weeks ago interfere with what they could of easily walked off and found out for themselves so they missed a port day. To each his own but as I told my husband, if we found it to be undesirable we would turn around and get back on the ship.

[Whimsy]

Yes, someone needs to close this thread. It's been well established that this coincided with recent (then) severe flooding in that area. Port days were even cancelled on various cruise lines (right before the flies :)) due to waist high water on the local streets.

 

Maybe it helps to know that the conditions change. There were many on the Regal who were afraid to get off the ship because of what happened a few weeks ago. Hopefully others will read it'snot like this all the time and will get off. Leaving the thread as it stands with the flies only encourages the wrong information. Hopefully my comment will assure someone else to get off the ship as conditions change.

[yuccaman]

I think it is all dependent on weather conditions. The word around the ship before we arrived was about the fly infestation. Many people were afraid to get off the ship. We went and had a very nice day in the port by the pool. It's a shame others let something that happened weeks ago interfere with what they could of easily walked off and found out for themselves so they missed a port day. To each his own but as I told my husband, if we found it to be undesirable we would turn around and get back on the ship.

 

YES! As I stated a couple of days ago here, "It's been well established that this coincided with recent (then) severe flooding in that area. Port days were even cancelled on various cruise lines (right before the flies) due to waist high water on the local streets."

 

It was because of tropical storms (Matthew, maybe?- trying to remember the timing)... and tropical storm season is over, until next summer, and even then, it appears the flies were due to EXTREME flooding in the surrounding neighborhoods. Living in South Florida where there is a sizable Dominican population, the film clips were all over the news. The flooding was extreme, and I felt very sad for the people there. If anything, they NEED this tourism to help get going, again!

 

People need to stop being afraid of their own shadows.

 

(Like now, the Grand Princess is returning to Honolulu due to a problem with the tender port platform opening at sea, and being damaged. People are posting "Oh, wow, I hope things are okay in time for my cruise next AUGUST!!!!" Huh? Give me a break!) <-- Sorry for the rant part. :)

[arizonaperson]

I was on the same cruise ( November 13, 2016 )as the OP. And I did a tour in the Dominican republic and we experienced no flies. We could not go to some of our plan destinations on the tour because of the rain for the past two weeks prior, but what we did see was wonderful and great.

We also after our tour walked through the pool area ,zip line area and took some pictures and never experienced any flies. We did spray ourselves with DEET/Zika bug spray so not sure if this had anything to do with it or not ,but we did not experience any bugs or flies in Amber Cove or on our tour in the Dominican republic . ( and we were in some pretty dense vegetation )We would love to go back to the Dominican republic/Amber Cove we enjoyed our tour immensely. Our tour was with outback adventure and we did this through princess. We were notified the night before that we would not be going to all of our plan destinations and if we wanted to cancel we could with no penalty .we opted not to cancel and we got $10 back each per person from princess for the tour and we even got port charges refunded for this particular port.

Sorry for all of those that you did experience the flies and made your Amber Cove /Dominican republic stop unbearable .

Julie