Update on St. Thomas

[caribophile]

As of now Princess plans to resume calling at St Thomas on December 15. If they actually go through with the planned December itineraries people will be in for quite a shock. Media coverage of the USVI has been far less than that of Puerto Rico as the latter took that second even stronger hit from Maria. But the infrastructure destroyed in all the storms will take years to return to normal. Ask the people on Long Island, five years and counting after Sandy. Or New Orleans--make that the entire Gulf coast--after the tripleheader of Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005. After this year's tripleheader it is surprising that only a minority of cruises were changed to Western Caribbean from Eastern, or that more than just a couple ships were taken out of service in the region given the number of cancellations.

 

Princess tells us we'll be stopping at St. Thomas on December 13th.

[LoriPhil]

Princess replaced St. Thomas with St. Croix for our November 30th cruise. Yes, we know they also took a serious hit too, but we're looking forward to the experience and to interacting with people there. I can't fix an island, but I can make a small impact in some individual lives by being friendly, appreciative and bringing cash for tips for the bus driver and boat crew who are working to provide us with an excursion. Wait, I think I just tipped off my soapbox...

[deliver42]

We just booked the Dec 10th cruise. If we indeed go to St. Thomas, we will make the best of it. I'm just enjoying the cruise. We've never been to Princess Cay or Antigua, so that will be new to us. This is our first Princess cruise, and are excited. Printed out docs and luggage tags this AM.

[BarbinMich]

We are on Dec 10th Regal sailing and are still scheduled for a 12 hour port call in St. Thomas on the 13th. Irresponsible for Princess to go there at all, much less for 12 hours!. . . What they do need is for our government to re-build their islands.. . .

I find it disturbing that FEMA doesn't seem to be doing anything in the Virgin Islands, at least mass media isn't reporting anything about that happening. Heck, I don't think the media has even mentioned the V.I.'s situation. All I know is pretty much from CC and some research on my own. They and PR are all U.S. territories. Finally, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas looks to be only about 60 mi from San Juan. Not like it's far, far away!

[BarbinMich]

In October 2005, hurricane wilma, category 5, decimated Cozumel destroying the cruise piers along with many buildings. We were on a ship that stopped in Cozumel later the following spring. Cozumel looked like a war zone. The cruise piers had been repaired and repair work was going on on the island but there were a lot of boarded up buildings and businesses. . .

 

We were in Cozumel in Jan 2006 and it was very bad--piers not yet rebuilt so had to tender (they used the ferry boats) ashore. I had signed up for a snorkeling excursion--all we did was go a few hundred feet from the ship about 100 ft from shore at best. Absolutely nothing to see--probably never is that close to the pier area. Very sad scene as we departed and sailed north along the coast--windows blown out of the high rise hotels/condos up there. Just flying into FLL was startling enough: blue tarps everywhere. We happened to stay at the Pier 66 that time-- they has just planted new palm trees in a major redo and those were lost. Those homes around Pt Everglades and the exit canal were badly damaged (you may have noticed that many of those homes now have what I assume are "hurricane" roofs). The Best Western that used to be at the eastern end of the bridge was badly damaged and later torn down.

[Steelers36]

I find it disturbing that FEMA doesn't seem to be doing anything in the Virgin Islands, at least mass media isn't reporting anything about that happening. Heck, I don't think the media has even mentioned the V.I.'s situation. All I know is pretty much from CC and some research on my own. They and PR are all U.S. territories. Finally, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas looks to be only about 60 mi from San Juan. Not like it's far, far away!

 

The MSM isn't reporting on this anymore - don't hear much about TX and LA either. Perhaps if local to the area. Anything good going on (resources, hard work, etc) makes government look good and that is not the MSM agenda. Their agenda is to make POTUS look bad.

[USCcruisecrazy]

We are on an 8 day on the Crown and scheduled for St Thomas on 14 December. We have been told it is still a go. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line published a report the other day that they are sending people and supplies to Megan's Bay to get it cleaned and restored since it is such a high interest area for cruisers. They expect to have people visiting there by the end of November.

[Sharobson]

The MSM isn't reporting on this anymore - don't hear much about TX and LA either. Perhaps if local to the area. Anything good going on (resources, hard work, etc) makes government look good and that is not the MSM agenda. Their agenda is to make POTUS look bad.

 

The Palm Beach Cruise Line ship was chartered by FEMA and is in the Virgin Islands providing housing to the relief workers there.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Provides Housing

 

To National Guard and First Responders in U.S. Virgin Islands

 

Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused major devastation to islands in the Caribbean, parts of Florida and more. Our hearts go out to all of the individuals, families and communities that have been impacted.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line responded to a request from FEMA for a ship to house the National Guard and first responders as they help to rebuild communities and damaged infrastructure. Our ship, the Grand Celebration arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 24, for a 90 day period. The ship was originally positioned in St. Croix, but is now stationed in St. Thomas as of October 15.

We are proud to support this humanitarian effort and will update this page as more details of the relief effort unfold. We will resume our normal cruise schedule between the Port of Palm Beach and Grand Bahama Island beginning with the cruise on December 23, 2017.

[eclue]

While you are welcome to your opinion, I find this to be a drastic over reaction, and rather inaccurate...Zika is not a “post -storm disease” and neither is malaria or either version of hepatitis. And you aren’t going to be getting dysentery from drinking bottled water you buy on the ship. For the matter, there have been no reports of epidemics of any of these diseases in any of the Virgin Islands, although I would not be surprised if dysentery breaks out in Puerto Rico - or for that matter, in parts of Houston and southwest Florida. If you feel this strongly, treat it as a sea day and don’t go ashore, but don’t base your fear on inaccurate information.

Is that you, Jodi??

I totally agree with you on the disease transmission - the other poster surely has no medical knowledge.

eclue:cool:

[VirginiaVacationer]

Is that you, Jodi??

I totally agree with you on the disease transmission - the other poster surely has no medical knowledge.

eclue:cool:

 

Hi Mary!!! Yes it is me — and dammit, if Royal docks in STT the week of the 10th, I am getting off the boat, lol!!

[Steelers36]

We are on an 8 day on the Crown and scheduled for St Thomas on 14 December. We have been told it is still a go. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line published a report the other day that they are sending people and supplies to Megan's Bay to get it cleaned and restored since it is such a high interest area for cruisers. They expect to have people visiting there by the end of November.

 

They had a volunteer residents clean up day there recently.

[metairiegal]

Saw this story on our local South Florida news tonight and also found this story about Carnival not returning to St. Thomas & St. Maarten until January 2018:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2017/10/23/carnival-cruise-line-wont-return-st-thomas-st-maarten-until-january/789816001/

[satxdiver]

The MSM isn't reporting on this anymore - don't hear much about TX and LA either. Perhaps if local to the area. Anything good going on (resources, hard work, etc) makes government look good and that is not the MSM agenda. Their agenda is to make POTUS look bad.

 

You need to keep your political commentary to yourself. This is not the website for it.

[satxdiver]

The Palm Beach Cruise Line ship was chartered by FEMA and is in the Virgin Islands providing housing to the relief workers there.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Provides Housing

 

To National Guard and First Responders in U.S. Virgin Islands

 

Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused major devastation to islands in the Caribbean, parts of Florida and more. Our hearts go out to all of the individuals, families and communities that have been impacted.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line responded to a request from FEMA for a ship to house the National Guard and first responders as they help to rebuild communities and damaged infrastructure. Our ship, the Grand Celebration arrived in the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 24, for a 90 day period. The ship was originally positioned in St. Croix, but is now stationed in St. Thomas as of October 15.

We are proud to support this humanitarian effort and will update this page as more details of the relief effort unfold. We will resume our normal cruise schedule between the Port of Palm Beach and Grand Bahama Island beginning with the cruise on December 23, 2017.

 

Carnival had a ship docked in New Orleans for the crews that were cleaning up the city for several months. This is the best solution of how to house the many extra workers on the island assisting in cleaning it up. Kudos to them.

[Geoffa30]

Just received an emailing from Princess saying our 26 November Regal Princess Cruise is now visiting St Thomas again from 10am to 10pm. This is how it was originally scheduled before it was initially changed to St Croix.

[pablo222]

They had a volunteer residents clean up day there recently.

 

I read an artical about how a bunch of power trucks -- 30? 50? were driven to miami.

They were being put on barges, and taken to St Thomas to rebuild the power grid.

They had some navy ship anchored offshore provide housing for the power workers.

 

Even with this, it is expected to take months to repair the power grid in St. Thomas.

 

And, the good new the main stream media is overlooking is a volunteer

clean up day?!?!?

 

Yeah. And, I don't expect them to interview each grain of sand on the beach, either...

 

BTW, the power grid is worse in San Juan.

[baronessk]

WOW on the video link. I have a friend who works there every winter, Her brother and sis-in-law lives there year round. None know if they will even be there when our ship arrives in Dec. By the looks of this, probably not.

 

I just looked at a You Tube video of St. Thomas, post-hurricane (there are many on YT). Someone did the video from a car as it wound its way down a mountain road. Nothing was untouched. The videographer interlaced "before" and "after" video clips of each area.

[eclue]

Hi Mary!!! Yes it is me — and dammit, if Royal docks in STT the week of the 10th, I am getting off the boat, lol!!

Well, I would too!!! We are on the Royal on Nov 24th for a short 5 day from FLL - Turks and Cacoas were eliminated for Princess Cays and will stop in amber Cove...not a great itinerary but a good deal from the casino and I have casino cash to play with, so might as well go.

doing the TA on the Regal in april...Hope all is well with you.

eclue:cool:

[metairiegal]

I work with someone who has family in St. Thomas and they said they won't have electricity until December.

[Mingus]

Just received email from Princess.

The Royal Princess will call on St. Thomas (8am to 5pm) instead of St. Croix, on Dec 3rd......too bad, never been to St. Croix.

[cdngrl]

i am on the nov 5 royal sailing. st thomas has been added back to our itinerary:

 

ITINERARY CHANGE

We have recently learned that St. Thomas has recovered much more quickly than expected from the recent hurricanes in the Eastern Caribbean. Our port agents have indicated that shops and restaurants are open, beaches are ready, and there are multiple shore excursion opportunities to accommodate our guests.

As a result, we will restore the call to St. Thomas to your cruise itinerary...Tours for St. Thomas may be booked on board

[Appofed]

Have been told by an employee in one of the biggest shops in Saint Thomas that the first cruise ship will be arriving November 10, and several will be arriving on the 11th

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[VirginiaVacationer]

Well, I would too!!! We are on the Royal on Nov 24th for a short 5 day from FLL - Turks and Cacoas were eliminated for Princess Cays and will stop in amber Cove...not a great itinerary but a good deal from the casino and I have casino cash to play with, so might as well go.

doing the TA on the Regal in april...Hope all is well with you.

eclue:cool:

 

I go to the casino deal too....you can stop laughing now!!! I’m on the 10 day on dec 10. Fabulous deal, and travel agent was able to give me some obc and an additional discount.

I can’t think all the way to April! Maybe they’ll send me another casino deal, lol. Still hoping for canal in mid to late spring.

[caribbean2000]

You need to keep your political commentary to yourself. This is not the website for it.

 

 

Amen.

[Steelers36]

You need to keep your political commentary to yourself. This is not the website for it.

 

Didn't consider it a political comment - it was simply a fact. I hope the applied resources are getting things back to order.