What are your Hurricane thoughts?

[PhillyFan33579]

4 hours ago, MasterMason said:

September is the most active month of the hurricane season. The entire season runs from May 1st, thru November 30th.

Typically, Carnival cruises are discounted from mid-late August thru September. This is when we cruise historically. In all of our cruises, this will/may be the first that we are effected(We are scheduled to sail 9/2/19 on Liberty).

 

In Florida where we live hurricane season is June 1 to November 30. Always found it interesting that half of the year is considered hurricane season. We are on Liberty today so if your cruise is effected obviously ours will be too. We have had two cruises significantly impacted by fog in Tampa. One was Paradise in January 2016 and the other was Miracle in December 2018. 

[wemjam]

9 hours ago, sixb0nes said:

Currently on the Miracle.  Captain announced they were cancelling Cozumel tomorrow and returning to Tampa, arriving sat at approximately 5:00 pm. They are being cautious in case Tampa port is closed.

Actually....

 

They are bringing you guys in a day early, because we are going to board and sail out on her Saturday night instead of Sunday afternoon......  We are going to get an 8 day cruise instead of a 7 day.... I'm glad we are leaving from Tampa and will get out before the crap hits the fan.  East coast departures are still up in the air and my guess is will get cancelled.... at least they came up with a game plan to not cancel ours :-)

 

 

 

CARNIVAL MIRACLE 9/01/2019 (NOW DEPARTING 8/31/2019)

August 29, 2019         Dear Carnival Miracle Guest,   Our Fleet Operations Center Miami continues to actively monitoring Hurricane Dorian. As the safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority, we are keeping a close eye on the storm, factoring in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and local port officials in Tampa.  Given the storm's unpredictable forecast and the likelihood that the port may close on Sunday, embarkation for your sailing is now set for Saturday evening. Your cruise will now operate as an 8-day voyage, departing on Saturday, August 31, 2019 on our scheduled itinerary. Kindly disregard your pre-selected Arrival Appointment and make plans to get to the cruise terminal between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM for embarkation. We will depart shortly after embarkation is completed.  If you schedule can accommodate this change, here is what you should know: The extra day of fun and additional service gratuity will be on us.  Additionally, guests who pre-purchased any of our beverage and Wi-Fi packages will receive the extra day on a complimentary basis.     Guests with independent air are encouraged to contact their airlines as they are being flexible with change fees. In the event you incur any change fees, you will be reimbursed up to US$200.00, per person.  Please submit supporting documentation via email to airreimbursements@carnival.com. If you booked your air directly with Carnival, our team will contact you to make the necessary changes. If you are unable to continue with your plans to sail with us given the extended voyage, we will provide you with a future cruise credit (FCC) and a full refund for any pre-purchased items.* The refund will be issued to the original form of payment (please note this could take up to three weeks to process through your bank).  Please call our Guest Services Department at 1-800-CARNIVAL, your Personal Vacation Planner at 1-800-819-3902  or your travel advisor by 6:00 PM on Friday, August 30, 2019, to let us know if you will not be able to sail with us.  Once again, we are sorry for this change and thank you for your understanding. We look forward to having you sail with us.

Sincerely,    Colleen Oliverio VP, Guest Services - Contact Centers

Edited August 30, 2019 by wemjam

[jimbo5544]

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

In Florida where we live hurricane season is June 1 to November 30. Always found it interesting that half of the year is considered hurricane season. We are on Liberty today so if your cruise is effected obviously ours will be too. We have had two cruises significantly impacted by fog in Tampa. One was Paradise in January 2016 and the other was Miracle in December 2018. 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

[TNcruising02]

42 minutes ago, wemjam said:

Actually....

 

They are bringing you guys in a day early, because we are going to board and sail out on her Saturday night instead of Sunday afternoon......  We are going to get an 8 day cruise instead of a 7 day.... I'm glad we are leaving from Tampa and will get out before the crap hits the fan.  East coast departures are still up in the air and my guess is will get cancelled.... at least they came up with a game plan to not cancel ours :-)

 

 

 

CARNIVAL MIRACLE 9/01/2019 (NOW DEPARTING 8/31/2019)

Nice!!  If something like that happened with my cruise, I would be fine with it since I always arrive a day early any way.  Have a nice cruise!

Edited August 30, 2019 by TNcruising02

[sixb0nes]

Wemjam, I am glad it worked out for you.  It is nice that carnival is being proactive.  😀

[shof515]

Liberty cruise is canceled 

[PhillyFan33579]

5 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

Three day cruise turned into a six day cruise for the same price, so I am thrilled. However, I feel bad for the people scheduled to sail this Monday on Liberty, since they cancelled that cruise.  

[Host Carolyn]

We had a "Welcome to day 10 of your 7 night cruise" with hurricane Jean. And went into Miami at 3:00 am and bussed back to Port Canaveral. Weird to see 10+ ships sailing around North of Cuba for 3 nights and then one by one they were gone to return to port. 

[TMUSCRUISER]

Still waiting on the Horizon Update I’m hoping they pull the Miracle Option and come in tomorrow so we can leave early with the sport being closed that’s the only thing I can think of they know it’s closed and updated every other ship but ours I came in Today instead of Tomorrow morning just so I can be ready for what happens next maybe try and jump on another ship tomorrow...

[jordanaire]

21 hours ago, jimbo5544 said:

Wonder what a cat 4 would do.....

Having lived through Hurricane Hugo a few years back, I can tell you one thing....it's devastating! It was a Cat 4 when it landed a few miles north of Charleston. Although our home was spared and we were without power for 42 days, those around us suffered horribly! I wouldn't wish a hurricane upon anyone, especially a Cat 4!

[Shaded Lady]

I lived through the dread of Harvey and Irma 2 years ago, while waiting to hear what would happen to our Sept cruise... we missed Key West but other than that, we weren't impacted, unlike a lot of other people, both with their vacation and with their lives, homes and livelihoods.

 

I will cruise at this time of year, but only with the mindset that a hurricane could impact my cruise, and I go into it with the expectation that I can't gripe if it doesn't go as planned. Oh, and I ALWAYS get travel insurance now. Make sure you pay special attention to the policy you get too- sometimes they'll actually pay for trip interruption, which gives you cash back if you miss ports or if your cruise is shortened.

[jimbo5544]

4 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

 

Three day cruise turned into a six day cruise for the same price, so I am thrilled. However, I feel bad for the people scheduled to sail this Monday on Liberty, since they cancelled that cruise.  

Good for you, crappy for them. Enjoy!

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, jordanaire said:

Having lived through Hurricane Hugo a few years back, I can tell you one thing....it's devastating! It was a Cat 4 when it landed a few miles north of Charleston. Although our home was spared and we were without power for 42 days, those around us suffered horribly! I wouldn't wish a hurricane upon anyone, especially a Cat 4!

I bet... this really stinks for everyone affected.  

[jimbo5544]

3 hours ago, Host Carolyn said:

We had a "Welcome to day 10 of your 7 night cruise" with hurricane Jean. And went into Miami at 3:00 am and bussed back to Port Canaveral. Weird to see 10+ ships sailing around North of Cuba for 3 nights and then one by one they were gone to return to port. 

Make the best of any situation. Were there things they ran out of?

[Cookson]

Yup a cat 4 now.... BUT they said that it’s looking to go more north and up the coast..might actually spare Florida a bit(of course that can change).

 

Problem is it’s  such a slow moving storm it can change its course easier.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Cookson

[RjayB]

[RjayB]

I think this sharp of a turn was a bit unexpected.  Good news for Fort Lauderdale and Miami departures, but not so good for Jacksonville or Charleston.

[RjayB]

Hurricane Dorian Weather Update

Weather Update – August 31, 2019 | 10:30 AM (ET)

 

Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is actively monitoring Hurricane Dorian’s potential impact on the departures listed below. Given that storms can be so uncertain, this information reflects our plan for these sailings based on the current forecast.
 
As the safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority, we will continue to keep an eye on the storm and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates as more information becomes available. 

 

The following homeports and ships remain under watch:  
 
CHARLESTON  

 

Carnival Sunshine 09/02/19 – No change to itinerary, we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL3 to CRUISE (278473).

 

 

FORT LAUDERDALE (PORT EVERGLADES)
 
Carnival Magic 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL9 to CRUISE (278473).

 

 

JACKSONVILLE
 
Carnival Ecstasy 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled.

 

Carnival Ecstasy 09/05/19 – Still evaluating.  Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL12 to CRUISE (278473).  

There is a possibility Carnival Ecstasy will not be able to return to Jacksonville on Thursday.  If the port is closed, the ship will be in position to dock as soon as the authorities have reopened the port.

 

 

PORT CANAVERAL

 

Port Canaveral is expected to be closed on Sunday through the middle of next week.  We are optimistic the port will reopen by Thursday.  Consequently, we have made changes to the following Carnival Liberty departures.

 

Carnival Liberty 08/30/19 - This cruise is now expected to return on Thursday, 9/5.  In addition to Nassau, we have added visits to Costa Maya and Cozumel.  

• Guests with air reservations on Carnival’s Fly2Fun program, will have their reservations automatically adjusted to the new return date.  New flight information will be sent to your stateroom.
• Guests with independent air are encouraged to contact the airlines directly as they are being flexible with change fees.  In the event you incur change fees, please send us your airline receipt and we will reimburse up to $200, per person. 
• Guests who elect not to sail will receive a future cruise credit for the full amount of your cruise fare and any pre-purchased Carnival Adventures, Fun Shop purchases and beverage packages. The refund will be processed to your original form of payment within three weeks. 

 

Carnival Liberty 09/02/19 – This cruise is cancelled.  Guests will receive a full refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased items.  More details to follow in our email.

 

Carnival Breeze 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL10 to CRUISE (278473). 

 

Carnival Elation 09/02/19 – This cruise will now operate as a 2 day sailing, departing September 5th and returning September 7th with a visit to Nassau.  Guests who sail will receive a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages. Guests who wish to cancel will receive a future cruise credit for the full amount of their cruise fare.  An email with additional details will follow.

 

 

PORTMIAMI
 
Carnival Conquest 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL8 to CRUISE (278473).

 

Carnival Sensation 08/31/19 – We will now visit Grand Turk on 9/2, Half Moon Cay on 9/3 and Nassau on 9/4. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL7 to CRUISE (278473).

 

Carnival Victory 8/30/19 – This cruise will now return on Wednesday, 9/4.  In addition to Key West, we have added a visit to Progreso on Monday.

• Guests with air reservations on Carnival’s Fly2Fun program, will have their reservations automatically adjusted to the new return date.  New flight information will be sent to your stateroom.  
• Guests with independent air are encouraged to contact the airlines directly as they are being flexible with change fees.  In the event you incur change fees, please send us your airline receipt and we will reimburse up to $200, per person. 
• Guests who elect not to sail will receive a future cruise credit for the full amount of your cruise fare* and any pre-purchased Carnival Adventures, Fun Shop purchases and beverage packages.  The refund will be processed to your original form of payment within three weeks. 

 

Carnival Victory 9/02/19 – This cruise will now operate as a 2 day cruise departing Wednesday, 9/4 with one port of call, to be determined. Guests who sail will receive a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages. Guests who wish to cancel will receive a future cruise credit for the full amount of their cruise fare.  An email with additional details will follow.

 

Carnival Horizon 09/01/19 – The ship will be docking this evening to give guests the opportunity to disembark in anticipation of a port closure on Sunday.  Although officials are requiring the ship to depart tonight, we are seeking approval to remain docked so we can operate tomorrow’s embarkation.  This decision is expected at 5:30 PM today. Please refer to our email which will be sent by 11:00 AM for more information.  Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL5 to CRUISE (278473). 

 

 

TAMPA
 
Carnival Paradise 08/31/19 – Please disregard your arrival appointment and make plans to arrive at the cruise terminal between 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.  All guests must be on board by 1:30 PM. We will sail shortly after on our scheduled itinerary. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL11 to CRUISE (278473).

 

Carnival Miracle 09/01/19 – In anticipation of a potential port closure on Sunday, this sailing will now operate as an 8-day sailing, departing on Saturday evening.  Please disregard your arrival appointments and make plans to arrive at the cruise terminal between 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM.  We will sail shortly after on our scheduled itinerary.  Guests who cannot travel on the extended duration, may cancel and receive a future cruise credit. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL4 to CRUISE (278473). Pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions for cancelled ports will be automatically refunded to your onboard Sail & Sign® account. 

 

We sincerely apologize for the disruption caused by Hurricane Dorian.  We thank our guests for their patience and understanding while we navigate through the uncertainty the storm is causing.

 

We will post another update by 12:00 PM (ET) Saturday.

[RjayB]

Hurricane Dorian Weather Update

Weather Update – August 31, 2019 | 6:00 PM (ET)  

 

URGENT – PORTMIAMI CLOSED FOR INBOUND TRAFFIC – CARNIVAL HORIZON 9/01/19 CRUISE DELAYED.  SEE UPDATE BELOW.

 

Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is actively monitoring Hurricane Dorian’s potential impact on the departures listed below. Given that storms can be so uncertain, this information reflects our plan for these sailings based on the current forecast.
 
As the safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority, we will continue to keep an eye on the storm and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates as more information becomes available. 

 

The following homeports and ships remain under watch:  
 
CHARLESTON  

 

Carnival Sunshine 09/02/19 – No change to itinerary, we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL3 to CRUISE (278473).

 

 

FORT LAUDERDALE (PORT EVERGLADES)
 
Carnival Magic 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL9 to CRUISE (278473).

 

 

JACKSONVILLE
 
Carnival Ecstasy 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled.

 

Carnival Ecstasy 09/05/19 – Still evaluating.  Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL12 to CRUISE (278473).  

 

There is a possibility Carnival Ecstasy will not be able to return to Jacksonville on Thursday.  If the port is closed, the ship will be in position to dock as soon as the authorities have reopened the port.

 

 

PORT CANAVERAL

 

Port Canaveral is expected to be closed on Sunday through the middle of next week.  We are optimistic the port will reopen by Thursday.  

 

Carnival Breeze 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL10 to CRUISE (278473). 

 

Carnival Liberty 09/02/19 – This cruise is cancelled.  Guests will receive a full refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased items.  More details to follow in our email.

 

Carnival Elation 09/02/19 – This cruise will now operate as a 2 day sailing, departing September 5th and returning September 7th with a visit to Nassau.  Guests who sail will receive a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages. Guests who wish to cancel will receive a future cruise credit for the full amount of their cruise fare.  An email with additional details will follow.

 

 

PORTMIAMI
 
Carnival Conquest 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL8 to CRUISE (278473).

 

Carnival Sensation 08/31/19 – We will now visit Grand Turk on 9/2, Half Moon Cay on 9/3 and Nassau on 9/4. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL7 to CRUISE (278473).

 

Carnival Victory 9/02/19 – This cruise will now operate as a 2 day cruise departing Wednesday, 9/4 with one port of call, to be determined. Guests who sail will receive a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages. Guests who wish to cancel will receive a future cruise credit for the full amount of their cruise fare.  An email with additional details will follow.

 

Carnival Horizon 09/01/19 – PortMiami is closed to inbound traffic.  Port officials approved Carnival Horizon to dock this evening to give guests aboard the opportunity to disembark, with the requirement that it depart later tonight.  Our request to remain docked in port through Sunday afternoon was denied.  Regrettably, guests who are already in town for the September 1 cruise will not be able to board the ship this evening.
 
The port is expected to re-open as early as Monday or as late as Wednesday. Embarkation for your cruise will be delayed and we now plan to operate a shortened cruise, on the day the ship returns to Miami.  Given the shortened duration, you may cancel and receive a 100% future cruise credit if you elect not to travel.  Guests who elect to sail will receive a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages, along with a refund of any canceled shore excursions.  
 
We know how much you are looking forward to your cruise and we sincerely regret this delay.  We will provide you with another update as soon as we know when the ship is returning to Miami.  Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL5 to CRUISE (278473). 

 

 

TAMPA
 
Carnival Paradise 08/31/19 – Please disregard your arrival appointment and make plans to arrive at the cruise terminal between 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM.  All guests must be on board by 1:30 PM. We will sail shortly after on our scheduled itinerary. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL11 to CRUISE (278473).

 

Carnival Miracle 09/01/19 –This sailing will now operate as an 8-day sailing, departing on Saturday evening.  Kindly disregard your arrival appointments and make plans to arrive at the cruise terminal between 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM.  We will sail shortly after on our scheduled itinerary.  Guests who cannot travel on the extended duration, may cancel and receive a future cruise credit. Please contact 1-800-CARNIVAL to let us know if you are not traveling.  Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL4 to CRUISE (278473). Pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions for cancelled ports will be automatically refunded to your onboard Sail & Sign® account. 

 

We sincerely apologize for the disruption caused by Hurricane Dorian.  We thank our guests for their patience and understanding while we navigate through the uncertainty the storm is causing.

 

We will post another update by 12:00 PM (ET) Sunday.

 

 

DEPARTED VOYAGES

 

Carnival Liberty 08/30/19 - This cruise will return on Thursday, 9/5.  In addition to Nassau, we have added visits to Costa Maya and Cozumel.  

 

Carnival Victory 8/30/19 – This cruise will return on Wednesday, 9/4.  In addition to Key West, we have added a visit to Progreso on Monday.

[RjayB]

I am very surprised that the port of Miami will be closed.

 

 

[evandbob]

For anyone driving to a port during hurricane season, parking on a mid or upper level in a covered garage is probably the best option, rather than an off site, open ground level lot.

 

And if you fill up your tank on your way into your port before your cruise, you won't have to search for an open gas station if a storm pops up while you were away.

 

Gas Buddy app said 74% of MIA and FLL gas stations were already out of gas today, so pax getting off ships this weekend may have had to scramble to find fuel if their tanks were depleted from the drive getting to the cruise port.

[coevan]

1 hour ago, RjayB said:

I am very surprised that the port of Miami will be closed.

 

 

  You should not be surprised it's the weather, there are at least 6 different tracks. 

[pirate4me2]

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

For anyone driving to a port during hurricane season, parking on a mid or upper level in a covered garage is probably the best option, rather than an off site, open ground level lot.

 

And if you fill up your tank on your way into your port before your cruise, you won't have to search for an open gas station if a storm pops up while you were away.

 

Gas Buddy app said 74% of MIA and FLL gas stations were already out of gas today, so pax getting off ships this weekend may have had to scramble to find fuel if their tanks were depleted from the drive getting to the cruise port.

This is VERY GOOD advice. We were on Vista during Irma in 2017. I had parked my truck on the ground level of a parking garage, and THANK GOODNESS she was ok. Also, thank goodness my husband has pounded it into my head to top the gas tank off before parking her for the cruise. We had a full tank of gas and were able to get pretty far up into FL before needing gas, but it was hard finding a station with fuel! I would say 95% were without, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief when we found some. That experience really drove these 2 points home for me!

[jdemps]

I would never book a cruise during hurricane season.  We like to cruise in Jan/Feb when there aren't many kids on board and there isn't typically any weather issue during those months.  Good luck to everyone that does gamble on hurricane season, especially in the Atlantic.  Stay safe and bring motion sickness meds cuz I'm sure the seas are rockin'!

[shof515]

17 hours ago, RjayB said:

I am very surprised that the port of Miami will be closed.

 

the rain and wind guest from the storm can be felt miles miles miles away from the hurricane eye. ships can not dock in strong heavy winds, it is very unsafe and accidents can occur. Similar reason why sometimes tender ports is often canceled if the seas is too rough