Hurricane irma....ugh

[Coopdog08]

Irma getting ready to cross Grand Turk with the eye wall

Stinks as this entire island may be under water. They are taking the worse side of 30-40' waves and 15-20' surge. Hoping for the best but Jacks shack and Margarittaville may be gone tomorrow.

[Thorncroft]

On hold with Carnival now and they are saying at least a 30 minute hold time. Also it appears their offices are closing as of tomorrow and will re-open on Tuesday. However, I do know that some of the reps work from home and will still be available.

 

They're locking the doors and hauling ass. I don't blame them. I do work for a company that's just 2 miles from Carnival. They just sent out a mass email to us, informing us that they are sending out our direct deposit payments today, instead of the normal drop date of the 25th, out of an abundance of caution, because they don't know how this storm will affect their operations. They're terrified down there. It almost sounded like a "goodbye" email. LOL

[randytn25]

On hold with Carnival now and they are saying at least a 30 minute hold time. Also it appears their offices are closing as of tomorrow and will re-open on Tuesday. However, I do know that some of the reps work from home and will still be available.

 

I have now been on the phone with Carnival for 2 hours. I opted to take a credit instead of going with the changed plan. It took about 10 tries to get through (busy signal). It only took about 10-15 mins to get someone on the phone and cancel. I was then transferred to a booking agent to book a new cruise. I barely waited 5 mins for that. She got all the info quickly, the problem is she has to get a hold of someone in another department to verify the credit and get it applied. After the 1st hour she offered to call me back when she had the other dept. on the line. She did that but still having to wait because of the other dept.. She is very apologetic and I pretty much expected a wait like this.

 

P.S. I think I can recite every "Fun Fact"

[the_lovely_voyage]

Sorry to break it to you but "after a storm this severe", if it does hit the ports it will be weeks to months before the ports open. Remember Ike took Galveston three months. You also will have limited to no place to stay as most hotels will be damaged. So will take weeks to repair, some months. Most likely you will be cruising out of Port Canaveral (maybe?) or New Orleans. I hate to say it but I am a realist the cruise industry may be turned upside down come Monday thanks to Irma. I wish all good luck.

 

I'm definitely a realist/pessimist and a part of me wants to believe that your guess is probably accurate, but as someone cruising out of Miami on 11/4, I'm really hoping this is wrong and things will be functioning normally soon.

[shof515]

i just seen on facebook someone posted:

Carnival Magic 9-3 is being rerouted to NOLA. She will arrive Saturday.

so i am guessing people will be allowed to leave the ship on Saturday and she will sail empty (or with some people) to Florida after that

[shof515]

also noticed john heald posted this message:

John Heald

 

5 mins · [/url]

Lots of you have been worried and concerned about your family and friends on the Carnival magic and disembarking them . So I thought I would share the message the Captain has only moments ago broadcast to the guests on the ship.

Here it is :

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. This is Captain Marchetti speaking from the bridge.

I want to provide you with an update on our plans for this cruise.

The most recent storm track shows the weather deteriorating very quickly in the area surrounding Port Canaveral. As you know, we have been in regular communication with port officials and have just been informed that Brevard County will now be under a mandatory evacuation order beginning at 3pm tomorrow. We were scheduled to arrive at noon tomorrow, and unfortunately, we cannot speed up enough to arrive sooner and complete a full debarkation. Given the forecast and the evacuation order, the Port is very anxious to have the ship leave quickly, which does not allow time to handle the debark and provisions needed for guests to remain on board. Additionally, because the weather is expected to deteriorate very quickly, we do not want to have guests sailing into what we expect will be very rough seas.

Considering all of these obstacles and after much deliberation, we believe the best option is to divert the ship and proceed directly to New Orleans where we will arrive on Saturday. Guests will be given the opportunity to disembark and make independent arrangements to fly home or remain on board and sail back with us to Port Canaveral, where we will debark the ship as soon as the Port reopens. Please be aware that we have no certainty on the arrival day back, but we expect it will not be earlier than Wednesday.

Rest assured we will stay a safe distance from the storm and we have all the provisions necessary to continue to provide you with an excellent cruise experience.

We will be sending a letter to your cabin with additional information and details. In the meantime, the phone lines are open so you can stay in touch with your loved ones back home.

We thank you for your patience and understanding.

---------------------------------------------------------

We continue to help all we can as this monster storm causes more havoc than I can remember in my 30 years at sea.

we will always look after our guests and keep the safe

#carnivalfamily

[OnCampus2k]

I have now been on the phone with Carnival for 2 hours. I opted to take a credit instead of going with the changed plan. It took about 10 tries to get through (busy signal). It only took about 10-15 mins to get someone on the phone and cancel. I was then transferred to a booking agent to book a new cruise. I barely waited 5 mins for that. She got all the info quickly, the problem is she has to get a hold of someone in another department to verify the credit and get it applied. After the 1st hour she offered to call me back when she had the other dept. on the line. She did that but still having to wait because of the other dept.. She is very apologetic and I pretty much expected a wait like this.

 

 

 

P.S. I think I can recite every "Fun Fact"

 

 

 

"In-laws... cruise... in-laws... cruise... How about... take the in-laws ON a cruise!" That's what I heard for an hour yesterday.

 

 

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[Coopdog08]

also noticed john heald posted this message:

Interesting..heald states don't expect to return before Wednesday...but yet carnival has cruises planned to leave on Tuesday out of Miami and FFL...

[Pearlironic]

I have now been on the phone with Carnival for 2 hours. I opted to take a credit instead of going with the changed plan. It took about 10 tries to get through (busy signal). It only took about 10-15 mins to get someone on the phone and cancel. I was then transferred to a booking agent to book a new cruise. I barely waited 5 mins for that. She got all the info quickly, the problem is she has to get a hold of someone in another department to verify the credit and get it applied. After the 1st hour she offered to call me back when she had the other dept. on the line. She did that but still having to wait because of the other dept.. She is very apologetic and I pretty much expected a wait like this.

 

P.S. I think I can recite every "Fun Fact"

 

Is the credit for the full cruise or the shortened cruise? Are they only going to give a refund based on the shortened cruise?

[alchemy girl]

Interesting..heald states don't expect to return before Wednesday...but yet carnival has cruises planned to leave on Tuesday out of Miami and FFL...

I was actually scheduled on the Magic for the 9th. They have notified me that we would now be sailing on a 3 day starting on Wednesday, so the Wednesday return makes sense.

[dreadpirate3]

5PM Update.

 

[alchemy girl]

I live in Port Charlotte, FL. It is about 35 miles north of Fort Myers. Even Fort Myers has just posted a mandatory evacuation for everybody in a flood zone. Also a mandatory evacuation for all mobile homes. This storm is huge and covering the entire southern part of the state. The stores are out of water, batteries, soup, beans.....Gas stations are out of gas. The major highways are clogged going north. We are hearing at least 52 hours to get out of the state. If you have a flight to come here in the next 2 days...think about it.

[Razor_Poke]

I don't know how it worked out, but I successfully and without penalty moved my flight to Miami back one day to the 11th. Cancelled my Sunday night hotel and booked another for Monday. My only disappointment is that on the hotel, it wouldn't let us book reward travel so I'm going to be out of pocket but that's no big deal.

 

We've decided to hang in there until we know for certain that either Carnival completely cancels our cruise or Miami is destroyed or both.

[randytn25]

Is the credit for the full cruise or the shortened cruise? Are they only going to give a refund based on the shortened cruise?

 

It is for the full cruise HOWEVER, I did find out some info I thought I would pass along (after 3 hours on the phone). I was booking another cruise which online was sold out (for 3 person cabin at least). I asked just to make sure they didn't have anything available. She said that they had one room left and it was an interior room. Fine by me, at least I still get to cruise. One of the things that contributed to such a long hold time, other than all the other Irma and Harvey cruise credits being cashed in, was because there was some confusion when trying to apply my credit. I was told that if you re-book a cruise in a lower class than your original booking you loose some of your credit. I originally booked an ocean view room and this was an interior. She ended up having a balcony room that they were able to give me (sleeps 4 so they try not to book less than that in the room). I don't know what the breakdown was and how much credit I was loosing because I was eager to get booked and off the phone but from an interior room on the 2nd level front to an balcony mid-ship (deck 6 I believe) was only $53 more per person.

[copnlpn2]

Pearlironic,

 

If you cancel the entire cruise, you receive a Future Cruise Credit for the entire amount you paid for your cruise, along with a refund for any beverage packages, excursions, etc., you pre-purchased through Carnival. If you agreed to take the shorter cruise, everything - your cruise fare and all extras you purchased - will be prorated to cover the shortened number of days of your new cruise and the amount refunded for the "lost" days will be pay back to you within 3 weeks (back to the credit card or method you used to make the initial payment.

[dreadpirate3]

8 PM Update.

 

[oakleys]

What's the point of lets do a 3 day cruise. They should just cancel the whole thing & avoid people flying in etc.

[jpm1973]

What's the point of lets do a 3 day cruise. They should just cancel the whole thing & avoid people flying in etc.

 

 

 

$$$$$$$ is the point. They don't make money with empty ships.

 

 

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[cruisin'rose]

We've never done Western Caribbean but family who are with us have and loved it. Doesn't matter to me as long as we get to board the ship and leave port lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[jejpcc]

Hello,

 

My cruise was cancelled, and Carnival's notification email says a refund will be processed to the original form of payment within three weeks.

 

The credit card I used to pay for the cruise is expired, so I will not be able to receive a refund that way. Does anyone know what the alternative refund method is? I tried to call Carnival, but you can imagine how long the wait is.

 

Thanks in advance!

[elliair]

What's the point of lets do a 3 day cruise. They should just cancel the whole thing & avoid people flying in etc.

 

Doubtful they are letting people fly in, people are having a hard time flying out! Last flight out tomorrow from Miami is 2:00 pm and that flight is going to Houston. Lots of people are stuck!

[Ocean Dancer]

Welcome to Cruise Critic. When things settle down call Carnival and give them the update.

[dreadpirate3]

11 PM update.

 

Sent from Middle Earth.

[bUU]

They don't make money with empty ships.

Precisely, and these circumstances (huge storms) and how the cruise line is handling them are built into the cruise contact.

 

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[Phantom09]

What's the point of lets do a 3 day cruise. They should just cancel the whole thing & avoid people flying in etc.

 

Especially a 3 day cruise to Nassau.. right in the path of Irma.. yeah that makes a whole lot of sense. Why would you send a ship to a damaged area...considering what's happened to Barbuda, Antigua, St. Martin.... I don't have a good feeling for Nassau or Southern Florida. I'll be dealing with the insurance company today, my flight was already cancelled, so even if I wanted to do the 3 day one, I have no way of getting there.