Hurricane Irma Watch

[vburke86]

As of early this morning, yes.

 

 

 

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Thanks! Looking forward to a shower!

 

 

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[Artemis908]

It's times like this I wish the US would invest money into underground wires like they do in other countries. If they just did it in places like Florida then people wouldn't have to worry about power lines coming down. You go to some countries and there isn't a single power line in sight. I mean if Fios can do underground fiber optic cables in so many areas why can't the electricity companies get Florida in a better place to avoid these awful outages?

[Karter]

Thank you for your update! really appreciate that! would you mind to share which hotel were you supposed to stay?

I am flying out on Friday and still unable to reach my hotel .... but i guess many of the hotels in FLL have no power anyways...

 

It was the L Hotel on Miami beach. It was the only hotel I could find when I decided to keep our reservation on Harmony. We are sitting in the Fort Lauderdale airport because it is close to the port and has food and airconditioning. Based on the sign boards approximately 70 to 80 percent of the flights are cancelled but the airport is operational and some planes are arriving and taking off. Maybe 1 an hour. They just said all flights out of terminal 2 are canceled for today.

Edited September 12, 2017 by Karter

[bigque]

It's times like this I wish the US would invest money into underground wires like they do in other countries. If they just did it in places like Florida then people wouldn't have to worry about power lines coming down. You go to some countries and there isn't a single power line in sight. I mean if Fios can do underground fiber optic cables in so many areas why can't the electricity companies get Florida in a better place to avoid these awful outages?

 

This is so true! I was in the military in Okinawa Japan for 4 years and the power lines there are located underground. I went through two Typhoons while there and although you had damage from the winds, we would never lose power the entire time!

[Aquahound]

It's times like this I wish the US would invest money into underground wires like they do in other countries. If they just did it in places like Florida then people wouldn't have to worry about power lines coming down. You go to some countries and there isn't a single power line in sight. I mean if Fios can do underground fiber optic cables in so many areas why can't the electricity companies get Florida in a better place to avoid these awful outages?

 

So that solves the problem from wind....and then creates a new problem by flooding from storm surge.

[capriccio]

Port Everlgades 8 am update:

 

The U.S. Coast Guard is completing surveys of the navigation channels so ships can begin re-entering the port later this morning. Currently, at 8AM Tuesday, September 12, there are three cruise ships, three petroleum tank ships and two cargo ships offshore waiting to come in.

[The Grumpus]

It's times like this I wish the US would invest money into underground wires like they do in other countries. If they just did it in places like Florida then people wouldn't have to worry about power lines coming down. You go to some countries and there isn't a single power line in sight. I mean if Fios can do underground fiber optic cables in so many areas why can't the electricity companies get Florida in a better place to avoid these awful outages?

I remember this question coming up after Hurricane Isabel hit the Mid-Atlantic and so many lost power for so long. If I recall correctly, the local power companies explained that it just wasn't with the cost to bury the entire grid; that's it is cheaper for them to repair the existing lines when the system goes down.

[garnetpalmetto]

DW and I are scheduled on Enchantment for the 9/25 Bahamas cruise. I just got a text that Key West is off the itinerary and we'll instead be going to Freeport on 9/28. Here's hoping the city recovers in short order - we love Key West and have a ton of great memories and experiences there. Off to the port forums to see what there is to do in Freeport!

[H.0814]

It was the L Hotel on Miami beach. It was the only hotel I could find when I decided to keep our reservation on Harmony. We are sitting in the Fort Lauderdale airport because it is close to the port and has food and airconditioning. Based on the sign boards approximately 70 to 80 percent of the flights are cancelled but the airport is operational and some planes are arriving and taking off. Maybe 1 an hour. They just said all flights out of terminal 2 are canceled for today.

Thanks for the update! Have fun sailing today! :)

[Biker19]

Very interesting dialogue going on between Oasis, Conquest and the Pilot boat with harbor master on the Miami cam!

 

Coast Guard just evaced a man with respiratory distress from Oasis and is on its way into port. They also talked about everyone drifting out there beyond the buoys and giving the passengers a good view of one another...it's like a reunion....not to make light of it...just thought its so interesting...hope the man is O.K.

 

 

 

We just drifted by Enchantment on Oasis. It is a bit weird to see all these ships just sitting around.

 

 

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[dswallow]

I remember this question coming up after Hurricane Isabel hit the Mid-Atlantic and so many lost power for so long. If I recall correctly, the local power companies explained that it just wasn't with the cost to bury the entire grid; that's it is cheaper for them to repair the existing lines when the system goes down.

In the business world that's called ignoring the investment for future benefit in your infrastructure in exchanges for profits today. What also always gets me is how towns are often so protective of the "look" of things, regulating business signage heavily for instance. Yet somehow when they look at the same street with the signs, fail to notice hundreds of crooked telephone/electric poles and a spaghetti collection of wiring overhead running across almost every open space, often also even blocking sight lines to traffic lights. That's the ugly thing.

[Milwaukee Eight]

We just drifted by Enchantment on Oasis. It is a bit weird to see all these ships just sitting around.

 

 

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Harmony in front of you. Captain just offered stay on next 4 days for $199 pp. I think JS $400 pp

 

 

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[pspercy]

Waaaaaay back in college days the rule of thumb was that it costs at least ten times as much to bury power lines than string them overhead, suspect it may be an even higher multiple these days.

[Tony20]

Here is how bad it is. We arrived in Fort Lauderdale last night to get on Harmony today to find our hotel boarded up with no power so we ended up sleeping in our car last nignt. I tried my companies emergency travel number and there were no hotels within a 100 mile radius available. We also noticed many hotels even Hilton type properties were open but with no power. Almost no restaurants or food stores were open yesterday all the way down I95 in Florida or in Fort Lauderdale. Hopefully more will be open today but there are lots of areas without power. One side effect is no traffic lights are operational in the areas without power conjesting roads and resulting in accidents when people speed through the intersections. Very few gastions have power or gas and the ones that do have 1 to 2 block long lines. Gas buddy app has been a life saver to find stations with power and gas. Not much fun here looking forward to getting on the ship.

 

 

Wow, I booked the Doubletree (Hilton) in Sunrise yesterday morning before driving to Ft. Lauderdale yesterday afternoon. It was open and serving food too.

[FLSteve11]

It's times like this I wish the US would invest money into underground wires like they do in other countries. If they just did it in places like Florida then people wouldn't have to worry about power lines coming down. You go to some countries and there isn't a single power line in sight. I mean if Fios can do underground fiber optic cables in so many areas why can't the electricity companies get Florida in a better place to avoid these awful outages?

 

There are some places in Florida that have the utility lines buried underground. It's usually in the newer developments though. I live in Weston (Ft Lauderdale suburb) and ours are. We never really lost power or cable (it went out for 2 minutes Sunday evening), so there are benefits to it. But the city itself is mostly a new development (built mainly in late 90s) so it was done that way from the beginning.

[Karter]

Wow, I booked the Doubletree (Hilton) in Sunrise yesterday morning before driving to Ft. Lauderdale yesterday afternoon. It was open and serving food too.

My mistake was I checked the night before and there were plenty of hotels then in the morning we had lost power and Internet so I planned on booking on the road. Unfortunately I waited too long to book - would have loved the doubletree. See you on board.

[Biker19]

Harmony in front of you.

Only for a little while - we are now going out east with some speed. Found out the reason why yesterday during Captain's Corner - the ship can make fresh water better at speed. Apparently the fresh water level got fairly low during the 34 hours in Cozumel and the stated reason to go way out east on the way to Costa Maya.

[Tony20]

My mistake was I checked the night before and there were plenty of hotels then in the morning we had lost power and Internet so I planned on booking on the road. Unfortunately I waited too long to book - would have loved the doubletree. See you on board.

 

I'm easy to spot. Always wearing a Cubs cap. Enjoy your cruise!

[jakeconmag]

Captain on the Harmony just announced the 3D scanning of the port is complete and it will take two hours for them to analyze the results. He says we will have an update then as far as timing of entering the port. Getting closer!

Edited September 12, 2017 by jakeconmag

[BoundForSea]

For those interested, Marriott has the Courtyard, JW and JW Marriott Marquis with availability. Fully operational. No issues. They are directly across port in MIA. Maybe this will help someone.

 

 

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[sandebeach]

. Three cruise ships off shore are now heading toward Port Everglades

 

 

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[sheilb4]

I wonder what will happen to all those people from the ships? I mean if hotels are closed or booked cannot get a flight out or a car...!

 

Bad enough some residents are in dire straights...but introduce thousands more with no where to go. Shelters are packed..

Yikes!

 

Yup, unable to get any of the above, so I am one of them!! Good luck to everyone in same situation!! I think we are going to need it!

[Milwaukee Eight]

There are some places in Florida that have the utility lines buried underground. It's usually in the newer developments though. I live in Weston (Ft Lauderdale suburb) and ours are. We never really lost power or cable (it went out for 2 minutes Sunday evening), so there are benefits to it. But the city itself is mostly a new development (built mainly in late 90s) so it was done that way from the beginning.

 

 

 

We were lucky as our large subdivision built in last 10 years is on what FPL calls the grid. All underground utilities and multiple switches to receive power from. Matthew power was off 22 hours and this one only 12 hours.

 

 

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[Milwaukee Eight]

Only for a little while - we are now going out east with some speed. Found out the reason why yesterday during Captain's Corner - the ship can make fresh water better at speed. Apparently the fresh water level got fairly low during the 34 hours in Cozumel and the stated reason to go way out east on the way to Costa Maya.

 

 

 

Interesting, good info. Did they offer the $50pp per night to stay on like they did on Harmony?

 

 

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[CRUISEFAN0001]

. Three cruise ships off shore are now heading toward Port Everglades

Those are Harmony of the Seas and 2 Carnival ships.