Hurricane Irma Watch

[CRUISEFAN0001]

:-) That's the attitude I have about my cruise. I actually feel a bit silly watching all this and "Worrying". We are going out on our 10 year anniversary. BTW, this thing could make a lot of headache back home if the track has it heading up the east coast too. This could be a major situation for a lot of people.

Amen. You've restored at least some faith in at least some people having the wisdom and perspective on this kind of event.

Harmony leaves on Sat so when will we know, I need answers before Thursday...... I am so frustrated with all this.

Booking any cruise during hurricane season comes with risk.

 

It appears that there will now be a 2nd major hurricane disrupting cruise schedules...and the season is not over until November.

 

Frustration is understandable, but to many people...this comes as little surprise (in terms of things like this happening this time of year in the Caribbean area. The reason cruises are a good deal cheaper this time of year is for this very reason...they may not actually happen or at least be changed.

 

Based on the latest forecasts, it's clear than any Eastern Caribbean cruise and likely any one departing from or returning to a Florida port is at very high risk, and probably going to be cancelled ( or significantly re-routed).

 

Waiting to hear about any kind of "official" announcement is a good thing, but also a foregone conclusion at this point.

 

Time might be better spent researching when/where you'll be scheduling a cruise sometime in the future. Odds are nothing is going to the Eastern Caribbean in the next 3-6 days nor leaving/returning to Florida ports.

 

It would be great for all that information to be totally wrong. Then again, I haven't found any takers on betting against it.

[Luv2Cruiise]

Very sorry that you are frustrated about your vacation. By the way, people on the islands you so desperately need to visit are going to die. Maybe you can cruise over and help with clean up efforts? You will get the information you need by Thursday. If you aren't satisfied with the information, stay home. At the moment, you should be mentally prepared for your cruise to be canceled. A massive, catastrophic hurricane is headed to Florida the same weekend you would like to go... If it ends up working out, good for you. If not, it's fine.

 

Most people down here are trying to get gas and supplies and many are considering evacuating by Friday. We are expecting tropical storm force winds by Friday. You want to fly into that so bad for a cruise?

 

And by the way, Irma is now officially the strongest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Just relax, disasters happen. Your cruise is not important.

 

 

Excuse me..... Don't be rude. My concern is not whether the ship goes out or not at this point due to a Hurricane. I am concerned about not being given accurate info so I don't go to the airport expecting to fly out and lose money etc. People fly in from all over the world to cruise and need ample time to make other arrangements etc. Is it too much to ask to be properly informed about whether or not its going to be cancelled? If I am suppose to sail on 9/9 waiting until that date or 9/8 to inform me doesn't help my flight situation when im flying out 2 days prior and can't change flights,cancel etc. I am well aware of the Hurricane so don't treat me as if I am not aware or don't care or lack concern!!

Edited September 5, 2017 by Luv2Cruiise

[BNBR]

Amen. You've restored at least some faith in at least some people having the wisdom and perspective on this kind of event.

 

Booking any cruise during hurricane season comes with risk.

 

It appears that there will now be a 2nd major hurricane disrupting cruise schedules...and the season is not over until November.

 

Frustration is understandable, but to many people...this comes as little surprise (in terms of things like this happening this time of year in the Caribbean area. The reason cruises are a good deal cheaper this time of year is for this very reason...they may not actually happen or at least be changed.

 

Based on the latest forecasts, it's clear than any Eastern Caribbean cruise and likely any one departing from or returning to a Florida port is at very high risk, and probably going to be cancelled ( or significantly re-routed).

 

Waiting to hear about any kind of "official" announcement is a good thing, but also a foregone conclusion at this point.

 

Time might be better spent researching when/where you'll be scheduling a cruise sometime in the future. Odds are nothing is going to the Eastern Caribbean in the next 3-6 days nor leaving/returning to Florida ports.

 

It would be great for all that information to be totally wrong. Then again, I haven't found any takers on betting against it.

 

And who would even want to go to the eastern Caribbean? The ports are going to be a disaster. A lot of suffering and humanitarian issues coming over the next few days/weeks.

[bashleyf]

I live in the Tampa area. I personally would not be trying to fly to FL this week for a cruise. I'd be hoping for a cancellation.

 

I live in Tampa too. I'm supposed to be on the 9/10 Oasis departure and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they do cancel. We have 2 dogs and a cat and I don't want to leave them behind (they would be with a trusted pet sitter, but still...) to try to ride out the storm without us. If they do cancel my husband and I are using our vacation days to head north with all of our pets. If they don't cancel we will probably do the same, we will just be out the money we spent on the cruise. I agree, I wouldn't be trying to fly into this mess right now. I'm already thinking of how to get out of it...but for now we will just wait and see what happens.

[Cruising crazy 1511]

Vista here out of Miami sept 9th watching close don't know if my flight will be canceled or if I want to fly in Friday at all.:confused:

[BNBR]

Excuse me..... Don't be rude. My concern is not whether the ship goes out or not at this point due to a Hurricane. I am concerned about not being given accurate info so I don't go to the airport expecting to fly out and lose money etc. People fly in from all over the world to cruise and need ample time to make other arrangements etc. Is it too much to ask to be properly informed about whether or not its going to be cancelled? If I am suppose to sail on 9/9 waiting until that date or 9/8 to inform me doesn't help my flight situation when im flying out 2 days prior and can't change flights,cancel etc. I am well aware of the Hurricane so don't treat me as if I am not aware!!

 

Who said they are waiting until 9/9? Pretty much every other post here is saying we expect to know today or tomorrow from Royal.

 

https://twitter.com/JamesVanFleet

 

In fact, he will have Friday decisions TODAY by 8PM. Your Saturday decision will most likely be by tomorrow at the latest.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Excuse me..... Don't be rude. My concern is not whether the ship goes out or not at this point due to a Hurricane. I am concerned about not being given accurate info so I don't go to the airport expecting to fly out and lose money etc. People fly in from all over the world to cruise and need ample time to make other arrangements etc. Is it too much to ask to be properly informed about whether or not its going to be cancelled? If I am suppose to sail on 9/9 waiting until that date or 9/8 to inform me doesn't help my flight situation when im flying out 2 days prior and can't change flights,cancel etc. I am well aware of the Hurricane so don't treat me as if I am not aware!!

The weather reports are quite profound already today (9/5).

 

The other poster who responded pointed out that at this point...the probability your cruise will depart Florida on 9/9 is slim to none. Things could change...but not sure why anyone would think differently based on the current weather information being broadcast by every major news outlet.

 

The reality is you should assume the cruise will be cancelled, and plan for the future rebooking. Once the "official announcements" come...both the airlines and cruise lines will work with you to rebook for another time. Rather than worry now, the time might be well spent to research alternatives in the future...so when they ask you "when/where would you like to rebook?"...you'll know.

[Misplaced Texan]

Waiting until Friday to make a decision for us doesn't help as we fly out to tampa on Thursday so what are we suppose to do? Cancel and lose $$$ on everything, thats what Royal told me today when I called. this is ridiculous!

 

You're misreading it.

 

They will be making decisions for cruises SCHEDULED TO DEPART on Friday by this evening. Sounds like they will also be updating Sat/Sunday cruises potentially this evening as well rather than on Wednesday as originally planned (though I wouldn't be stunned to hear that they'll give final word tomorrow).

 

The call center isn't going to tell you anything until an official decision is reached. So wait a few hours and see what this evening brings.

[BNBR]

I live in Tampa too. I'm supposed to be on the 9/10 Oasis departure and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they do cancel. We have 2 dogs and a cat and I don't want to leave them behind (they would be with a trusted pet sitter, but still...) to try to ride out the storm without us. If they do cancel my husband and I are using our vacation days to head north with all of our pets. If they don't cancel we will probably do the same, we will just be out the money we spent on the cruise. I agree, I wouldn't be trying to fly into this mess right now. I'm already thinking of how to get out of it...but for now we will just wait and see what happens.

 

Don't accept "being out the money on the cruise." Charge it back if they won't refund it.

 

Current track has Tampa possibly taking a direct hit. No way would I be going on a cruise this weekend and worrying the whole time.

[MANDMTRAVEL]

Labadee has already been cancelled for your cruise. That was announced yesterday. We are out on the 9/10 Allure so still waiting to see here.

 

 

Where you saw that Labadee is cancelled on the Allure 9/3 ?

[bouhunter]

Excuse me..... Don't be rude. My concern is not whether the ship goes out or not at this point due to a Hurricane. I am concerned about not being given accurate info so I don't go to the airport expecting to fly out and lose money etc. People fly in from all over the world to cruise and need ample time to make other arrangements etc. Is it too much to ask to be properly informed about whether or not its going to be cancelled? If I am suppose to sail on 9/9 waiting until that date or 9/8 to inform me doesn't help my flight situation when im flying out 2 days prior and can't change flights,cancel etc. I am well aware of the Hurricane so don't treat me as if I am not aware!!

 

I believe you said you're flying SW? You can cancel almost up to the last minute and get a credit for future travel.

 

https://www.southwest.com/html/air/fare-information.html

 

So wait until late tomorrow or early Thursday and make a decision on whether or not you want to fly into a hurricane (assuming SW will take you there). In the meantime RCCL may offer a refund on request at some point either before or after that flight. And they may cancel anyway and refund the cruise fares. The decisions are yours, welcome to sailing in hurricane season.

[LadiDicruiser]

Excuse me..... Don't be rude. My concern is not whether the ship goes out or not at this point due to a Hurricane. I am concerned about not being given accurate info so I don't go to the airport expecting to fly out and lose money etc. People fly in from all over the world to cruise and need ample time to make other arrangements etc. Is it too much to ask to be properly informed about whether or not its going to be cancelled? If I am suppose to sail on 9/9 waiting until that date or 9/8 to inform me doesn't help my flight situation when im flying out 2 days prior and can't change flights,cancel etc. I am well aware of the Hurricane so don't treat me as if I am not aware or don't care or lack concern!!

 

WELL, if I may interject....I believe you will know tomorrow what is happening...also, airlines are VERY flexible on cancellations due to weather related issues....happens sometimes in the winter with flights from Florida headed North....MANY times I have called and asked to re-schedule due to the conditions and have never been denied or charged for changes....

 

AND, you may not have to make the decision on your own...the airlines may start cancelling flights themselves....

[Treyo33]

Folks,

Take it from someone who has lived in florida his whole life and im pretty sure my fellow floridians will tell you this too. Do NOT mess with this storm. If you have a cruise coming up this weekend leaving from here it's better to be safe than sorry. The water down here in the gulf is very warm which is going to fuel this storm even more before it hits us. Don't put yourself or your family at risk by flying down here only to be stuck in this thing. Us floridians are preparing for the worst. I live in tampa and thought at first it wasn't going to hit us but the more south this storm goes the more worried I get. Stay safe!

[dandkcruise]

Where you saw that Labadee is cancelled on the Allure 9/3 ?

 

I believe it was from James Van Fleet's twitter.

[Luv2Cruiise]

You're misreading it.

 

They will be making decisions for cruises SCHEDULED TO DEPART on Friday by this evening. Sounds like they will also be updating Sat/Sunday cruises potentially this evening as well rather than on Wednesday as originally planned (though I wouldn't be stunned to hear that they'll give final word tomorrow).

 

The call center isn't going to tell you anything until an official decision is reached. So wait a few hours and see what this evening brings.

 

Thank you!! I don't have twitter so couldn't read much of what was stated. When I called the airlines they said they hadn't cancelled any flights to the Tampa area and not sure they would, maybe that will change, not sure.

[dandkcruise]

Where you saw that Labadee is cancelled on the Allure 9/3 ?

 

 

I did find it on his Twitter feed. He confirmed it twice that Labadee is cancelled.

[BNBR]

Excuse me..... Don't be rude. My concern is not whether the ship goes out or not at this point due to a Hurricane. I am concerned about not being given accurate info so I don't go to the airport expecting to fly out and lose money etc. People fly in from all over the world to cruise and need ample time to make other arrangements etc. Is it too much to ask to be properly informed about whether or not its going to be cancelled? If I am suppose to sail on 9/9 waiting until that date or 9/8 to inform me doesn't help my flight situation when im flying out 2 days prior and can't change flights,cancel etc. I am well aware of the Hurricane so don't treat me as if I am not aware or don't care or lack concern!!

 

You are not going to be cruising on Saturday. Current forecast has tropical storm force winds Friday, worsening Saturday. You think by Saturday evening you're cruise will be departing? That would be crazy and I would not be going regardless of what Royal says.

 

As another poster said, start making arrangements for when you reschedule your vacation.

 

"Computer models are in strong agreement that by Saturday, Irma will be approaching the Florida Keys — where dangerous storm conditions are likely."

[beachnative]

Thank you!! I don't have twitter so couldn't read much of what was stated. When I called the airlines they said they hadn't cancelled any flights to the Tampa area and not sure they would, maybe that will change, not sure.

 

 

It is spelled out in detail in post 325.

[BNBR]

Thank you!! I don't have twitter so couldn't read much of what was stated. When I called the airlines they said they hadn't cancelled any flights to the Tampa area and not sure they would, maybe that will change, not sure.

 

Delete the Twitter app on your phone so that it will open twitter in your web browser. It won't require an account to view it.

[3dogmom]

Just Posted on RCCL Facebook & webpage:

 

Hurricane Irma Update | Sept 5, 1pm:

We’re closely monitoring Hurricane Irma’s path and its potential impact to our current and upcoming sailings. Our Chief Meteorologist, James Van Fleet, is closely tracking the storm’s progress. While it’s difficult to predict the path of the storm outside of 72 hours, it is likely that Irma will impact Florida at some point this weekend.

We will be providing updates on any impacted sailings no later than 2 days in advance of departure. Based on that timeline, we will provide you additional information on Friday departures as part of our 6 pm update today.

The following sailings are canceled:

**Enchantment of the Seas: September 8 Bahamas cruise**

**Majesty of the Seas: September 8 Bahamas cruise**

We are very sorry for the impact this storm has had on your vacation, and please know that we made the decision with the safety and comfort of our guests and crew in mind. The cruise fare and fees will be 100% refunded to the original form of payment, and we are also offering a 25% future cruise credit, based on the cruise fare, if a new cruise is booked in the next 30 days. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call 1-800-256-6649.

The following sailings are departing as scheduled:

Adventure of the Seas: September 9 Southern Caribbean cruise

Grandeur of the Seas: September 7 New England/Canada cruise

Liberty of the Seas: September 10 Western Caribbean cruise

Serenade of the Seas: September 10 New England/Canada cruise

Vision of the Seas: September 7 New England/Canada cruise

The following sailings are currently being evaluated and we will provide our next update at 6 PM EDT:

Allure of the Seas: September 10 Western Caribbean cruise

Anthem of the Seas: September 9 Bermuda cruise

Empress of the Seas: September 9 Cuba cruise

Harmony of the Seas: September 9 Eastern Caribbean cruise

Oasis of the Seas: September 10 Eastern Caribbean cruise

For all guests currently sailing with us, the Captain and team onboard will be providing you specific updates at noon and 6 pm daily, and of course will update you immediately if anything changes.

Should we need to make an itinerary change or cancel a sailing to avoid the storm, we will reach out to guests directly, as well as update our website and social media feeds immediately. Please know that the safety and comfort of our guests are our top priority and we will continue to provide regular updates throughout the week.

For more frequent updates, please follow our meteorologist on Twitter @JamesVanFleet or visit the Royal Caribbean Facebook page

[cruisinfanatic]

Thank you!! I don't have twitter so couldn't read much of what was stated. When I called the airlines they said they hadn't cancelled any flights to the Tampa area and not sure they would, maybe that will change, not sure.

It was all stated here on post 325 from twitter. Your flight will probably not be affected Thursday, but plan on not traveling to port

[BNBR]

I can see why people are frustrated with Royal. Clearly they are doing better with announcements this time around, but even as of yesterday their dolt "meteorologist" is telling people that Miami cruises will be good to go on Monday. Seriously?

[Misplaced Texan]

Thank you!! I don't have twitter so couldn't read much of what was stated. When I called the airlines they said they hadn't cancelled any flights to the Tampa area and not sure they would, maybe that will change, not sure.

 

It's really not clear right now.

 

The latest GFS model (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Forecast System) has the storm further east than previously, basically scraping it's way up the East Coast of FL. There should be another update this afternoon.

 

The Euro model (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) only updates twice a day, so we'll see what it shows later today.

 

The further the track shifts east, the less impact it will have on Tampa.

 

But still a lot of uncertainty.

 

Really the best bet right now is to keep an eye on what RCI says today and tomorrow. It seems like they're on the ball this time and will be making decisions multiple days before each cruise is scheduled to depart.

 

If the forecasts are bad enough to cause a cancellation or delay of your cruise, it's almost guaranteed that your airline will issue a weather waiver and allow free changes and cancellations. Airplanes are much more sensitive to wind and weather than are cruise ships.

[bashleyf]

They just announced a cancellation of 2 cruises, both leaving on 9/8. From the Royal Caribbean website:

 

The following sailings are canceled:

Enchantment of the Seas: September 8 Bahamas cruise

Majesty of the Seas: September 8 Bahamas cruise

We are very sorry for the impact this storm has had on your vacation and please know that we made the decision with the safety and comfort of our guests and crew in mind. The cruise fare and fees will be 100% refunded to the original form of payment, and we are also offering a 25% future cruise credit, based on the cruise fare, if a new cruise is booked in the next 30 days. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call 1-800-256-6649.

[ResearchObsessed]

This is one case where I'd probably try to fly to Chicago or Atlanta and then non-stop to San Juan.

 

If I have learned anything, it is that you can trust Bob! I just switched to the best option they had - Den > South Carolina > San Juan. I know SC might be impacted eventually, but I feel MUCH better not going into Miami.