This is crazy

[GottaKnowWhen]

Reading all responses, I think people are taking this wrong. After one month, you think that only way to help the islands of Puerto Rico and St martin is by going and playing in there disaster. I think RC L should give passengers the choice. Just like you all the choice to book these cruises still. RCL should give more time for them to rebuild. . In reality RCL would like passengers not to go ashore unless your on one of there tours. Otherwise they want u to drink and spend money on the ship. Shame on RCL Its too soon. One month. Get real

 

 

 

As I am reading through this thread, it seems to me that your basic concern has little to do with the islands. For whatever personal reasons, you want Royal to let you get your money back or reschedule your cruise even though you signed a contract with them and agreed to go wherever whenever they choose. All of this pious bleating about safety and what RCL oughta do is quite tiresome. IMHO.

 

 

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[Dennis#1]

As I am reading through this thread, it seems to me that your basic concern has little to do with the islands. For whatever personal reasons, you want Royal to let you get your money back or reschedule your cruise even though you signed a contract with them and agreed to go wherever whenever they choose. All of this pious bleating about safety and what RCL oughta do is quite tiresome. IMHO.

 

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Very observant. Your post makes lots of good points. Thanks for posting.

[rubyjpi]

I just got back from Puerto Rico. They are begging for tourist to come back. That is the second largest part of the income. We cruised out of there. Old San Juan is running pretty good. They are using generators, but running. Restaurants are open.

 

And btw, for every passenger in a port on a cruise ship, they heave to pay the island anywhere from $6 to $19 per person. That is money to help people living there.

It was still beautiful there. And they need us to go there.

 

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[BNBR]

Edit: I see you are from FLL. Has all the cleanup been finished where you are and advertising billboards that had been blown apart been replaced? Just curious to the differences between the “mainland US” and the Islands.

 

All the debris is not picked up yet and still plenty of damaged billboards. Though generally speaking, these are minor things and we are 99% back to normal. Almost dont even notice the debris anymore. My neighborhood finally had ours picked up yesterday actually.

[A&L_Ont]

All the debris is not picked up yet and still plenty of damaged billboards. Though generally speaking, these are minor things and we are 99% back to normal. Almost dont even notice the debris anymore. My neighborhood finally had ours picked up yesterday actually.

 

Thanks for the mini update. It took me a few minutes to realize why all the bill boards were without adds in FLL a few weeks ago prior to our Harmony cruise until my lightbulb went off. Irma. I wonder if alligators in the swamp are using them for nesting grounds. :') Nice to read that most is back to normal for you.

[mugtech]

Would not miss billboards.

[WeatherFx]

I'm on Anthem sailing Dec. 2, just got email updating change in itinerary for St. Maarten to St Thomas.

[cruiser123!]

I don't necessarily want to go to the damaged areas either, but I do realize they depend highly on the tourism. The islands won't get the port fees if the ships go to a different island. The people that depend on tourists for a living won't be recovering if you're off sipping pina coladas on another beach blissfully ignoring the damage for the sake of your vacation. Sure, it'll make your scrapbooks look better having full palm trees vs destroyed ones, but they NEED that money.

[Biker19]

To be fair, these sound like pretty typical evenings in Oakland Park. :p

I wouldn't know - don't go out at night much in the hood.

[dreadpirate3]

All the debris is not picked up yet and still plenty of damaged billboards. Though generally speaking, these are minor things and we are 99% back to normal. Almost dont even notice the debris anymore. My neighborhood finally had ours picked up yesterday actually.

 

Same in Central Florida. Lots of people still waiting on insurance adjusters and roof companies as well as debris cleanup.

 

OP and cohort of complainers,

 

I understand you don't like the idea of going to a place that might not be picture perfect. However, it's not your call on where the ships go. You booked it, and you will get what you paid for.

 

If you want to avoid second thoughts in the future, get cancel for any reason insurance.

[SRF]

Royal took Adventure of the Seas out of cruise use and took supplies to the area and evacuated many people, as they do after any such disaster in the Caribbean. The Caribbean islands depend on the tourism and tourists dollars and by holding it back you are doing more harm than good. These are not the first storms that hit these areas. They deal with it every year! If anyone knows how to come back from a hurricane, it is the people of the Caribbean. I became more dedicated to Royal for the humanitarian efforts that they provide the people of affected areas!

 

This ^^^^^^

 

We traveled to the BVI a few weeks after Hugo many years ago. Was there visible damage? Yes. Were they pretty much fully functional? Yes.

 

They do this OFTEN. So often, that personally, I would not want to live there.

[SRF]

I disagree. There would be many things a cruise passenger could do in a few hours and not be in the way.

 

Have you ever worked disaster operations?

 

Do you realize how much time and effort is needed just to figure out what each person can do, and get them to a location that they can help, and supply them with what they need to do so?

 

BT, DT, there is a LOT work to get volunteers producing.

 

And when they are only there for 6, 8, 10 hours, how much does that help or actually hurt?

[SRF]

Aaaaaand that's why nothing ever gets done...because of a bunch of BS red tape. You don't need the Red Cross to help someone. You can just go up to someone who appears to need help and ask...Is there anything I can help you with? Can I help the island get back up and running in a few hours I'm there, of course not but maybe I can help one family in some way with the time that I'm there.

 

It is NOT BS red tape. They way you have it, the people living close to the port would have thousands offering help, and others further away getting none. Without regard to who needs it more.

 

And what skills do you have? Can you replace a roof? Can you rewire a house?

 

So you go to house one, and ask to help. They spend 15 minutes finding out you have no skills they need. So you move on. Then the next volunteer comes up, and again the resident spends 15 minutes finding out they have no skills to help. Etc, etc etc. So the resident actually gets NOTHING DONE, putting up with all the "help."

 

That BS red tape as you call it, gets the people with the skills needed to the locations that need the help the most.

 

Or would you rather find out you helped at House A, while your skills at House B could have saved a life? Yeap, that is BS red tape.

[klfrodo]

As I feel that tourism is important, the humanitarian effort is what need now.

 

I agree 100%.

Practice what you preach. Cancel your cruise and donate your proceeds to the hurricane recovery effort.

[maryjaden]

Have you ever worked disaster operations?

 

Do you realize how much time and effort is needed just to figure out what each person can do, and get them to a location that they can help, and supply them with what they need to do so?

 

BT, DT, there is a LOT work to get volunteers producing.

 

And when they are only there for 6, 8, 10 hours, how much does that help or actually hurt?

Agree 100%. If you really want to help, send money!

[Flatbush Flyer]

Have you ever worked disaster operations?

 

 

 

Do you realize how much time and effort is needed just to figure out what each person can do, and get them to a location that they can help, and supply them with what they need to do so?

 

 

 

BT, DT, there is a LOT work to get volunteers producing.

 

 

 

And when they are only there for 6, 8, 10 hours, how much does that help or actually hurt?

 

 

 

Thanks for making my point. Many well-meaning folks on CC want to do good but have zero knowledge (or training or experience) with disaster logistics and management.

Again: donate money to bona fide charities authorized to assist (and specify where you want the money to go (i.e., which disaster) AND shop/dine/stay/etc at affected businesses once they are again operating.

 

 

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[Aviator of the Seas]

Today is a beautiful day here in San Juan. The Viking (Ocean) Sea is in port for three days (end of repositioning, then turn around tomorrow, then first Southern Caribbean of the season). The passengers are enjoying walking tours of Old San Juan and Horseback Riding near El Yunque Rainforest.

 

On Saturday the Adventure of the Seas returns for its fourth turnaround since the storm.

 

Most of San Juan should have power back by the end of this week, or beginning of the next one.

 

And not one Puerto Rican zombie sighting reported yet.

 

San Juan is 500+ years old. It has survived cannibal and pirate attacks. It has endured dozens of invasion attempts. Sacking, looting and burning. Wars. Bombardments. U-boat blockades. Hurricanes too many to count. It has survived this one. Viking and RCI and very soon NCL passengers are having a rare opportunity to witness a live story of resilience and survival AND enjoying themselves while they do that. Which is perfectly fine and welcome by us locals.

 

Are you a tourist or a traveler? Tourists go to Orlando and Las Vegas and other sanitized, make believe "destinations". Travelers will continue to come to Puerto Rico and islands beyond. Destinations that are for real, "as is, where is", where hurricanes are part of life. The "Life in the Tropics" that we love to share with you so much.

 

To all of you who are supporting us by not cancelling your vacations, GRACIAS!

[dwayneb236]

This seems to be a pretty definitive post for continuing the cruising. ^

[beachnative]

Today is a beautiful day here in San Juan. The Viking (Ocean) Sea is in port for three days (end of repositioning, then turn around tomorrow, then first Southern Caribbean of the season). The passengers are enjoying walking tours of Old San Juan and Horseback Riding near El Yunque Rainforest.

 

On Saturday the Adventure of the Seas returns for its fourth turnaround since the storm.

 

Most of San Juan should have power back by the end of this week, or beginning of the next one.

 

And not one Puerto Rican zombie sighting reported yet.

 

San Juan is 500+ years old. It has survived cannibal and pirate attacks. It has endured dozens of invasion attempts. Sacking, looting and burning. Wars. Bombardments. U-boat blockades. Hurricanes too many to count. It has survived this one. Viking and RCI and very soon NCL passengers are having a rare opportunity to witness a live story of resilience and survival AND enjoying themselves while they do that. Which is perfectly fine and welcome by us locals.

 

Are you a tourist or a traveler? Tourists go to Orlando and Las Vegas and other sanitized, make believe "destinations". Travelers will continue to come to Puerto Rico and islands beyond. Destinations that are for real, "as is, where is", where hurricanes are part of life. The "Life in the Tropics" that we love to share with you so much.

 

To all of you who are supporting us by not cancelling your vacations, GRACIAS!

 

Thank you for posting this. You made excellent points.

We will be in San Juan on the Allure in early December.:)

[Aviator of the Seas]

This seems to be a pretty definitive post for continuing the cruising. ^

 

Love you guys!

[Aviator of the Seas]

Thank you for posting this. You made excellent points.

We will be in San Juan on the Allure in early December.:)

 

Our much prolonged Christmas season, which runs from the day after Thanksgiving and well into January, is the best time to visit San Juan, hurricanes or not. See you then!

[molly361]

All the debris is not picked up yet and still plenty of damaged billboards. Though generally speaking, these are minor things and we are 99% back to normal. Almost dont even notice the debris anymore. My neighborhood finally had ours picked up yesterday actually.

I got excited when I saw the debris pickers up the street from us Tuesday. They have not been back since then

 

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[Aviator of the Seas]

I got excited when I saw the debris pickers up the street from us Tuesday. They have not been back since then

 

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Wow. In Florida, really? And here I was complaining because it took them three weeks to pickup the debris in front of our house here in San Juan!

[Dennis#1]

I got excited when I saw the debris pickers up the street from us Tuesday. They have not been back since then

 

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Guess we were lucky with our residence in Bradenton, Fl. The town finished picking up all the debri on our street last week.

[molly361]

Guess we were lucky with our residence in Bradenton, Fl. The town finished picking up all the debri on our street last week.

We are in New Smyrna Beach

 

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