Navigator 9/8/19 Stop in Halifax?

[mrlevin]

Anyone on Navigator now?  Are stops in Bay of Fundy, Halifax, and Sydney still on track?  Ship will be one day behind Dorian in both Halifax and Sydney so maybe no big deal however Regent seems to err on the side of caution so would not be surprised if there are significant itinerary alterations.

 

Just curious,

 

Marc

[Tucruisers]

Yes, currently in Boston and tonight’s scheduled departure for Bar Harbour cancelled also planned stop in St Johns. Staying in Boston tomorrow then (maybe) to Portland hoping to catch up on the schedule from Halifax.

[mrlevin]

Thanks for the update.  Hope you have a wonderful cruise.  We are doing reverse on Silver Cloud in a couple of weeks.   I knew when signing up for this cruise that we would be "hurricane bait."

 

Marc

 

PS Hope you got to enjoy some great Boston nightlife with your forced overnight; a fun town (especially when you don't have to drive).

[Tucruisers]

Plenty of worse places to be stuck than Boston. No tours arranged (despite best endeavours of Destination Services) but shuttles into Boston available and actually plenty to see in walking distance.

Some passenger disappointment but most seem to understand. The Cruise Director has produced a very good TV interview with the Captain fully explaining the situation and forecast prediction for the progress of Dorian up the Eastern Seaboard. Hoping to get to Portland tonight but definitely do not want to get caught at sea in a hurricane!

Thoughts are with the real victims of Dorian!

[Tucruisers]

Just to update on the original q. Halifax now cancelled, the port is apparently closed tomorrow. Finally left Boston last night and just arrived Portland with an extra sea day tomorrow which we are not looking forward to at all.

Wise after the event but in the light of these experiences  I would now avoid the eastern seaboard during hurricane season.

[Caroldoll]

DeMilos for Lobster!

 

We take the Eastern cruises in May.  Usually on Oceania.

[mrlevin]

Tucruisers, thank you for the update.  Hopefully chances for "lemonade" later in the cruise.  

 

Marc

[Joanandjoe]

What's important is being safe.  We got off the Navigator on Tuesday, after 20 days cruising across the top of the Atlantic.  We had to skip one port (Akureyri, Iceland)  due to a storm, and we were in Halifax the day after the city was hit by the remnants of tropical storm Erin.  We've missed at least one port on about half of our cruises, even on the Mississippi River, where a stop was missed due to flooding.  On an Oceania cruise, we missed the two ports, Holyhead and St. Peter Port, that were the main reasons for our taking the cruise.

 

Be happy that they've substituted a docked port, Portland, for a tender port, Bar Harbor.  Portland is more interesting anyway, and there's plenty to do there.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[dvgarneau]

On 9/5/2019 at 10:34 PM, Tucruisers said:

Yes, currently in Boston and tonight’s scheduled departure for Bar Harbour cancelled also planned stop in St Johns. Staying in Boston tomorrow then (maybe) to Portland hoping to catch up on the schedule from Halifax.

We got off in Boston on Tuesday and flew home to Fl on Weds. We were dodging the storm.  We knew the next week would be tough for you all on Navigator, but Regent will always take care of her passengers first.  Jamie is creative and I am sure will entertain you all.  Good thing is that the storm as of this morning, Saturday, is passing very quickly and looks like fair weather behind it.  The good news is that you avoided the storm.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise.  

[Tucruisers]

Thanks for the good wishes. Yes, looks like Dorian is passing through more quickly, nice day in Halifax predicted for tomorrow now! 

Agree better safe than sorry and comms from Jamie and Capt good. Sorry to miss Halifax, St John and Bar Harbour. Perhaps another time, though not in Autumn!

[Joanandjoe]

3 hours ago, dvgarneau said:

We got off in Boston on Tuesday and flew home to Fl on Weds. We were dodging the storm.  We knew the next week would be tough for you all on Navigator, but Regent will always take care of her passengers first.  Jamie is creative and I am sure will entertain you all.  Good thing is that the storm as of this morning, Saturday, is passing very quickly and looks like fair weather behind it.  The good news is that you avoided the storm.  Enjoy the rest of your cruise.  

Just out of curiosity, if you were on the Navigator, how did you get off in Boston on Tuesday?  We were in Boston on Sunday, NYC on Tuesday.

[dvgarneau]

You are absolutely correct - an error.  We did fly home from NYC on Tuesday, not Boston!

[GOARMY]

Having experienced an adventure in the Atlantic when unsuccessfully trying to outrun the remnants of a hurricane--

 

Trust the Captain will err, real emphasis, on the side of caution rather than attempting to keep on schedule and meet every port stop.  Our experience was in the mid-90's aboard a Holland America ship for a Fall Foliage segment.  The itinerary was NYC, via Bermuda, then back north to New England.    

 

No advisement from the Bridge following mandatory Boat Drill exercise as to any anticipated weather situation while en route to Bermuda.  Pleasant view of Statue of Liberty in our wake later that afternoon.  Around dinner time, things changed, in a hurry.  Ship movement; plates clattering in dining room.  Then, rock and rolling began.  Plates crashing; passengers yelling; wait staff looking perplexed, and concerned.  Most left the dining room, including my wife.   I stuck it out until completing my entre'.   By that time, only one other customer, and the Head Waiter remained.  

 

Then, the Captain comes on the mike to announce everyone was to return to their quarters, immediately, and prepare for rough sea conditions for the next 10 hours.   He was altering course.  What followed was a very-uncomfortable night, and early morning.  Wife literally hung-onto the side of the bed to prevent falling on the floor; I repaired to the sofa, in a sitting position, and grasped the arm rest for support.  We secured everything we could think of by battening down stuff in our quarters.  Winds were howling; curtains were flapping.    

 

Violent movements continued until about 0500H.  Finally, some let-up which persisted until relatively calm seas prevailed by 0700H.  The Captain then announced we would be several hours late arriving in Bermuda due to change in course and the effects of going through the 'tail end of a hurricane.   The particular name of which I cannot remember.

 

What I do remember was the lame excuse he gave for deciding to leave NYC in the first place.  The prudent thing would have been to wait until the next morning.   So--we miss Bermuda the next day.   The ship would have had to tender anyway.  But, keeping the schedule trumped everything.  

 

Upon arrival at our tendering position in the early afternoon. we awaited boarding for a brief respite on terra firma.  There was a lady behind us in line for the tender.   There were two crew members with her--carrying her luggage.  She was yelling at a ship's officer that she was leaving, and flying home.  He was trying to explain that the rough weather was really over--and the cruise had just begun.  She would have none of it.   So--the last we saw of her was on shore with her luggage at a taxi station.  

 

The remainder of that particular cruise was mostly-pleasant, weather-wise; thought a shore excursion at Bar Harbor (tender) had to be cancelled due to rough water.  However, the effects of that rough night affected numerous passengers, us included, for several days.     

 

Stuff happens, any time of year.  Hopefully, advances in technology as to predicting the course of a hurricane, even its tail-end, have improved.  I would not believe a present-day ship's Captain, on any cruise line, would replicate that our Captain did the first night of our cruise.  Just remain in port.   

 

Now, on to an exceptional experience while aboard Explorer (en route on a sea day to Amsterdam) for a Sunday Brunch extravaganza.  

 

GOARMY!