Hurricane Dorian talk

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, blueridgemama said:

Hi all, Anxious cruiser here. We are on a Symphony cruise that leaves on Tuesday, Sept 3rd   If the cruise before ours can not get to the port on Tuesday what happens to our cruise?  When and how will we be notified if this happens? Surely we will be notified before arriving at the port? Do we get a full refund, cruise credit or do we just get a shortened cruise? Do we get a choice? I know everyone says don't worry, just enjoy your cruise and you should have never done a cruise during hurricane season but none of that helps me now😊 I also don't have insurance😕

I know that many thousand people have cruised during hurricane season with no problems but I know  I will never do it again. Lessons learned. 

Thanks for any thoughts, suggestions.

 

Just like everyone else, all you can do is wait for Royal to provide all that info.  Keep watching this thread and Royal's itinerary update page:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates

 

 

[ryano]

 

16 minutes ago, blueridgemama said:

Hi all, Anxious cruiser here. We are on a Symphony cruise that leaves on Tuesday, Sept 3rd   If the cruise before ours can not get to the port on Tuesday what happens to our cruise?  When and how will we be notified if this happens? Surely we will be notified before arriving at the port? Do we get a full refund, cruise credit or do we just get a shortened cruise? Do we get a choice? I know everyone says don't worry, just enjoy your cruise and you should have never done a cruise during hurricane season but none of that helps me now😊 I also don't have insurance😕

I know that many thousand people have cruised during hurricane season with no problems but I know  I will never do it again. Lessons learned. 

Thanks for any thoughts, suggestions.

 

I have no idea what to do either,  Im supposed to leave on Harmony this Sunday.  That isnt happening.  We are awaiting an update on our sailing at 3pm.  I was going on down and was just gonna go inland and ride it out but its now looking like  a very shortened cruise that Im not sure Im willing to risk my life for or at best, go through all the chaos for a 3-4 night cruise.  Its looking like Port Canaveral will close the port on Saturday and likely not open it back up until Wednesday at earliest.  I do have travel insurance booked through RC.  Im in hopes that a state of emergency and evacuation will let me get my money back.    If not, it looks like a future cruise credit that isnt price protected and has to be redeemed within 12 months and you still have to pay the 250.00 per person deposit to use.  Telling me I shouldnt have booked during hurricane season doesnt help me right now either but there is always some that love to rub salt in your wounds. Lol.  Ive learned my lesson too.  🙂

 

"

HARMONY 9/1/19 & HARMONY 8/25/19  

Currently, the two main weather models used for prediction (American & European) have the hurricane going different ways. So, we’re going to wait a bit more to evaluate the new data, which we’ll receive this afternoon. Then, we’ll confirm alternate ports and share your final itinerary changes with you by 3 PM on Thursday, August 29^th, or sooner."

Edited August 29, 2019 by ryano

[blueridgemama]

10 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Just like everyone else, all you can do is wait for Royal to provide all that info.  Keep watching this thread and Royal's itinerary update page:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates

 

 

 

I have been following that page. I was just hoping to get my other questions answered from anyone who has experience with this so I know what to expect.

[ryano]

Just now, blueridgemama said:

 

I have been following that page. I was just hoping to get my other questions answered from anyone who has experience with this so I know what to expect.

 

Based on Irma affected cruises, if your cruise is affected by the storm, you can either go on the shortended cruise with a prorated refund as an OBC and certain % future cruise credit or receive a future cruise credit for 100% of your fare paid to be used within one year which you still have to pay deposits to use.  No full refunds  😞 

[Clarea]

9 minutes ago, blueridgemama said:

 

I have been following that page. I was just hoping to get my other questions answered from anyone who has experience with this so I know what to expect.

 

Hard to say as each of these events has unique. circumstances.

 

Royal says they will have more info this afternoon.

[blueridgemama]

4 minutes ago, ryano said:

 

Based on Irma affected cruises, if your cruise is affected by the storm, you can either go on the shortended cruise with a prorated refund as an OBC and certain % future cruise credit or receive a future cruise credit for 100% of your fare paid to be used within one year which you still have to pay deposits to use.  No full refunds  😞 

 

Our cruise is only 4 nights so I'm not sure I would want to go on anything shorter. So we would get a choice of a future cruise credit? Why would we have to pay another deposit since we paid deposit in our cruise fare?

[irishgal432]

We are on Allure on Sunday. There has not been any verbiage regarding this sailing on any rc updates. 

[ryano]

4 minutes ago, blueridgemama said:

Why would we have to pay another deposit since we paid deposit in our cruise fare?

 

My same question.  Im just relaying what was posted in A&Ls live thread.  Its really disheartening lol.  It looks like the ONLY way you get a full refund from RC back is if they cancel the cruise totally. 

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, irishgal432 said:

We are on Allure on Sunday. There has not been any verbiage regarding this sailing on any rc updates. 

 

Could be because the predicted storm tracks are still showing a miss to South Florida.

[John&LaLa]

28 minutes ago, ryano said:

Its looking like Port Canaveral will close the port on Saturday and likely not open it back up until Wednesday at earliest.  

 

Where do you see that?

[blueridgemama]

5 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Could be because the predicted storm tracks are still showing a miss to South Florida.

 

We are literally sunk because both tracks affect us. We live in SC just above Savannah so if it tracks that way we are in its path. If it stays on its S Florida track then our cruise is affected. Unfortunately a no win for us😕

[ryano]

16 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Where do you see that?

 

My apologies, that is just me assuming based on the current forecast from the NHC, which of course I know can change. Port Canaveral will close the port totally at 35mph sustained winds which are forecasted to be there Saturday.  The current forecast also calls for a stall over FL through Tuesday. Im awaiting official word from RC today by 3pm to see when they expect Harmony can get into port.  

[luckygem]

Apologies if this has been answered already. My daughter is on the Harmony right now and has asked for my advice in order to have a back up plan. For those of you that have had to fly out after a storm lengthened cruise, how did an airline such as Southwest handle gettIng you home. They need to get back to Kansas City. 

Thanks 

[John&LaLa]

Just now, ryano said:

 

My apologies, that is just me assuming based on the current forecast from the NHC, which of course I know can change. Port Canaveral will close the port totally at 35mph sustained winds which are forecasted to be there Saturday.  The current forecast also calls for a stall over FL through Tuesday. Im awaiting official word from RC today by 3pm to see when they expect Harmony can get into port.  

 

No worries, I thought I missed something.  I feel for your potential dilemma. We don't have the logistic issues you do.

Be safe

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, luckygem said:

Apologies if this has been answered already. My daughter is on the Harmony right now and has asked for my advice in order to have a back up plan. For those of you that have had to fly out after a storm lengthened cruise, how did an airline such as Southwest handle gettIng you home. They need to get back to Kansas City. 

Thanks 

 

Southwest has always been very helpful in situations such as these.  Also, the ship will normally give free internet to those needing to change airline reservations.

[John&LaLa]

Here's a little wrench to throw into the gears.

While Sunday only has Harmony and her 6,000 pax to deal with, Monday is a six ship day here.

And we only have 5 terminals. The 6th one is a port call.

They expect 20,000 passengers over the two days

So if Harmony gets bumped, a domino affect hits

Luckily Tuesday is wide open, so time will indeed tell

 

[bouhunter]

1 hour ago, blueridgemama said:

Hi all, Anxious cruiser here. We are on a Symphony cruise that leaves on Tuesday, Sept 3rd   If the cruise before ours can not get to the port on Tuesday what happens to our cruise?  When and how will we be notified if this happens? Surely we will be notified before arriving at the port? Do we get a full refund, cruise credit or do we just get a shortened cruise? Do we get a choice? I know everyone says don't worry, just enjoy your cruise and you should have never done a cruise during hurricane season but none of that helps me now😊 I also don't have insurance😕

I know that many thousand people have cruised during hurricane season with no problems but I know  I will never do it again. Lessons learned. 

Thanks for any thoughts, suggestions.

No one here can have any answers for you, unfortunately.  All you can do is monitor RCCL website and watch your emails.  Based on the current forecast I would doubt Tuesday cruises will be affected.

 

After 20 years of cruising, we have our first Hurricane Season sailing booked for late October - knew it going in, it is what it is

[AshleyDillo]

10 minutes ago, luckygem said:

Apologies if this has been answered already. My daughter is on the Harmony right now and has asked for my advice in order to have a back up plan. For those of you that have had to fly out after a storm lengthened cruise, how did an airline such as Southwest handle gettIng you home. They need to get back to Kansas City. 

Thanks 

 

Southwest handles this better than most airlines.  As soon as she gets the notice that she is going to miss her flight she can go online and reschedule it.  She will have to pay the fare difference but her current flight will be a credit towards that.  Travel insurance will reimburse her for the difference but she will need to get proof from Royal that her cruise was extended, so make sure she saves any letters and such that they give her.  

[Lionesss]

How the airlines helped us during Hurricane Charlie.

 

When Orlando airport closed for three days, we got the last rental car at 10 am to go to Tampa--- at Disneyworld rental place.

During the drive we called the air line and they re-booked us on a 6 pm flight to Pittsburgh.

Well traffic being what it was we would not make it.

 

So as the husband drives I am on hold on my cell phone for 2 hours waiting to book another flight.

 

As bumper to bumper traffic goes, I got the husbands cell phone and called Pittsburgh and see if they could help us. Keeping on hold with mine.

I just called the airport (Pittsburgh) and asked for our carrier, stating it was an urgent situation....................they connected me  🙂  

 

The airlines  added another flight leaving from Tampa at 8pm --we got the last 3 seats.

 

So, we made it to Tampa aroung 6:15 ish after bumper to bumper traffic.

 

We check in and the earlier flight we thought we could not catch was delayed because of  the storm was a connector and no flights were going to Atlanta.

 

So our direct flight to Pittsburgh, left before the other flight thru Atlanta.

 

Made it home safely.

 

Keep your options open.

 

Safe travels

Edited August 29, 2019 by Lionesss

[Sea Dog]

I'm thinking about everyone involved and hoping for the best. As John put it, that's over 20,000 passengers that could be affected. We always cruise in October, it's our anniversary month. We know the risks and are willing to take them. Our cruise two years ago missed hurricane Maria by about two weeks but in the the process cancelled two of our islands. We still had a great cruise and are cruising this October 13th on Harmony to go back to the islands we missed.

[VCR]

1 hour ago, blueridgemama said:

 

Our cruise is only 4 nights so I'm not sure I would want to go on anything shorter. So we would get a choice of a future cruise credit? Why would we have to pay another deposit since we paid deposit in our cruise fare?

They made my friend still pay the deposit when this happened a few years ago.  We definitely made out better taking the shortened cruise and getting 50% back in cash and 50% back in fcc minus taxes and fees.  We luckily live an hour from the port.

[molly361]

On 8/27/2019 at 11:42 PM, John&LaLa said:

 

I seem to recall it was 10. Laura was on the 4 day after and got 7, which became 21 since solo and JS.

I got nothing.😥

But it was free. 😁

Half OBC in cash, the rest an FCC, I think

Correct. We got 7 ,points for the 4 day cruise

[ryano]

Im currently trying to find out if airfare is booked through Air2Sea, if RC allows cancellation and issues a FCC, if the airfare is refunded or a credit given.    

[eaflorida]

I am presently on the Harmony. We are currently in Roatan, and scheduled to go to Costa Maya on Friday. Hopefully after that, we find out what happens later today as promised. But again, simply based on current forecasts and my gut, we certainly are not going back to Port Canaveral before Wednesday. As to those trying to fly home, lord only knows how backed up and delayed that airport will be. Our biggest worry right now is what THE Hurricane has in store for our car parked 1/8th of a mile from the beach in a lot in Port Canaveral. Thankfully its fully insured. And as frequent cruisers we Always Buy Travel Insurance!

 

[SuiteLady]

On ‎8‎/‎27‎/‎2019 at 7:22 PM, suesnake2002 said:

Our seven day cruise ended up being ten days

 

Silly question in the grand scheme of things,  but did you get 7 or 10 days credit to your C&A??

I was on Anthem in May and we had an extra day (9-day turned into 10-day), due to a medical emergency and needing to go 12-hours out of our way to dock for the patient needing heart surgery.  We got 10 C&A points, not 9!