Need Advice - What Would You Do????

[MARLEY225]

I am booked on a B2B on the "Eurodam" - Nov. 26 - Dec. 10th this year using an exclusive casino discount offered. My final payment is due in three days. This is a Eastern/Western route which includes Grand Turk, St. Maarten, San Juan, Half Moon Cay, and Key West - all of which have been or will probably be impacted by "IRMA". My flights have been booked independently. So my question is - What would you do? Leave the reservation and hope for the best if they adjust the itinerary? Or look for a different itinerary in the same time frame? Cancel out? Suggestions please. Thanks.

[canadianbear]

Such a personal choice that we just struggled with as well. We are booked for a 21 day Caribbean cruise starting November 29 on the K. We decided to keep the reservation and go-as long as the ships can sail somewhere we will be happy just to be away.

 

You have a few more days to decide so talk it over. Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

 

 

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[sail7seas]

I would plan to go.

[RMLincoln]

I'd go and have a fabulous cruise. Why look for another itinerary as the cruise line will already be doing that? The itinerary will be adjusted to ports that are available.

 

Go with the flow, because if you had your heart set on this specific itinerary it can't happen this year. If you really want to visit those places, maybe next year. m--

[ger_77]

I would make final payment and go - you know you're going to be on a ship where they'll take good care of you, no matter what port stops are made (or not).

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[puppycanducruise]

I would make the payment and go on the cruise.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[kazu]

I'd go to. No point in changing itineraries as Hurricane Jose is still coming through and who knows what hurricane follows next?

 

No way to predict so let HAL do it for you. JMO though.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would go.

Several years ago we had Hurricane Paula change one of our itineraries -- happened while we were on the ship.

[Scrapnana]

I love sea days so if HAL cancelled some ports I would still be happy. I would go.

[wesport]

Go!

[Paulinda]

It will be an adventure. Just do it.

[1025cruise]

Its really to early to tell. I would expect you'll still go on a cruise, just the itinerary might be different. Plus, until both Irma and Jose finish, it will be hard to determine how long ports will be out of commission. I would assume the ports will do whatever is possible to get back up and running for tourists as quick as possible, their livelihood depends on it.

[jbecker6469]

We are on the K 21 day embarking Nov 8th and have already made final payment. Since we are driving down from Georgia, I'm more concerned about hotels, parking (Park-N-Go) and highways than where HAL is going to take us. While we were looking forward to all the ports on the first leg (Eastern), if they take us on an adventure to other ports we will still have a great time.

 

Be flexible and enjoy your trip.

[Vict0riann]

We're booked in January on the K'dam, too, and we are definitely planning on continuing. If HAL decides to change the itinerary, I'm sure they will do it for the best. If you've got your flights organized, I would say, just go and enjoy your cruise. :)

[summer slope]

We have a cruise booked in February and 5 of the ports are no longer. : ( I feel so sorry for the people in the islands. We are going to cancel and look into something else.

[mamaofami]

How can you stop at those Islands that have been devastated?

We have a 3 day December cruise to Bahamas and private island. I'm planning on staying on board and enjoying the ship.

[RocketMan275]

Just remember, the people in those ports will need your help in recovery. No, you don't need to take a saw and hammer but doing a bit of business in those ports will help them too.

[SFBayAreaShipLover]

I agree, this is when the people really need us to visit as as soon as the ports are open. They have provide many of good times to the tourists. They don't have all the support we have in the states. We are one world and need to help each other. HAL will adjust the ports as needed.

 

 

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[English_in_Spain]

I am booked on the Southern Caribbean cruise on the Veendam on 8th December.

 

This cruise was going to be so special for me. My husband died last September. In our 47 years together we did 30 cruises. One of his favourite ships was the Veendam and his favourite island was St Martin.

 

I had arranged with HAL to scatter his ashes at sea and I was planning on planting a bush or something at Kakao restaurant at Orient Bay in his memory.

 

Among our ports of call are HMC, Tortola BVI, St Kitts, Guadeloupe, St Martin and San Juan. I don't know how many of those will still be possible.

 

This whole trip is costing about $18,000 for two of us including flights, hotels and transfers. Because of the rules for us in Europe I cannot cancel without losing a lot of this money.

 

I hope HAL do not cancel or make major changes to the itinerary like changing it to a Western Caribbean.

 

I guess, like everyone else, I will just have to wait and see. I just hope they give us good warning of the changes and not leave it until we have left home (which will be on the 5th)

[RuthC]

Carol, I am so sorry you have to face this. Bad enough that you have to deal with your husband's death, but to have the lovely plans you had for his ashes ripped out from under you is pouring salt on the wound.

 

Chin up. You will come up with a plan that works for you, and you will be comforted when it's completed. And if HAL cancels entirely (not likely), you will get your money back, and another opportunity to go with Plan A!

[mcmarya]

Apparently Cozumel welcomed cruise ships again just 3 weeks after hurricane Wilma devastated the island. Tenders were used until the piers were repaired but cruise ships came. Certainly the experience was not the same for vacationers since the island was in tatters. But, tourist dollars were needed so that life could go on.

 

We will have to wait and see in terms of how itineraries will change but may be surprised at how quickly these islands are reopened to cruise ships. Cruisers do not need the kind of infrastructure required for those on land vacations--no hotels or even restaurants are required--so they can return much more quickly than those on land vacations. Until repairs are made, cruisers are going to provide most of the tourist dollars for awhile.

[CruisinNana]

Marley, I always consider the ship a very important destination no matter where the ports are as we always have such a good time on the ship. I would definitely go. We have a cruise on the Eurodam in January and we have a cabana reserved so we will definitely use the ship as our destination if we cannot get onto the islands.

[English_in_Spain]

Carol, I am so sorry you have to face this. Bad enough that you have to deal with your husband's death, but to have the lovely plans you had for his ashes ripped out from under you is pouring salt on the wound.

 

Chin up. You will come up with a plan that works for you, and you will be comforted when it's completed. And if HAL cancels entirely (not likely), you will get your money back, and another opportunity to go with Plan A!

 

Ruth, thank you for your kind words.

 

If HAL cancels the cruise or makes it a cruise we do not want at all we will lose the cost of our flights (Spain to UK, Return UK to Miami business class and then UK to Spain). We have hotels booked and paid for. Private excursions booked.

 

I have been planning this trip for over 4 months.

[kazu]

I am booked on the Southern Caribbean cruise on the Veendam on 8th December.

 

This cruise was going to be so special for me. My husband died last September. In our 47 years together we did 30 cruises. One of his favourite ships was the Veendam and his favourite island was St Martin.

 

I had arranged with HAL to scatter his ashes at sea and I was planning on planting a bush or something at Kakao restaurant at Orient Bay in his memory.

 

Among our ports of call are HMC, Tortola BVI, St Kitts, Guadeloupe, St Martin and San Juan. I don't know how many of those will still be possible.

 

This whole trip is costing about $18,000 for two of us including flights, hotels and transfers. Because of the rules for us in Europe I cannot cancel without losing a lot of this money.

 

I hope HAL do not cancel or make major changes to the itinerary like changing it to a Western Caribbean.

 

I guess, like everyone else, I will just have to wait and see. I just hope they give us good warning of the changes and not leave it until we have left home (which will be on the 5th)

 

Oh Carol, so sorry to hear this.

 

I don't know how quickly things can be repaired ( I fear it may be a long time, but you never know) but I do so hope that somehow you can carry out your plans that you have been so carefully making.

 

Best wishes to you.

[innlady1]

Carol, I am so sorry to hear this. I, too, hope you can go ahead as planned. Best of luck.

 

 

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