Carnival Pride delayed return to Baltimore due to Storm (11/17/2019)

[atricks]

Just a heads up, the Pride isn't making it back into Baltimore until at least tomorrow (It was scheduled to return this morning) due to the really bad nor'easter of the North Carolina coast.

Last night was a really rough night reported from friends on there, and the winds are around 70mph right now (They are offshore from near Myrtle Beach, SC right now)

 

They sent this message:

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2019 by atricks

[Host Carolyn]

It's awful along the coast here. I was wondering how any of the ships would make it back through that.  

[jimbo5544]

All reports are pretty treacherous, sure it is not a fun ride. 

[shof515]

I would love to have an extra day onboard the ship.

[jimbo5544]

9 minutes ago, shof515 said:

I would love to have an extra day onboard the ship.

Maybe all the bouncing a round would squash that for me. 

[lottiegreen56]

I’d swore off cruise critic until today, couldn’t resist seeing if there were any crazy rumors on here that I could confirm or deny. It’s a shame you all are on your best behavior :(

 

The staff has been doing a great job. I have experienced worse seas than this, very impressed with the Captain’s skills avoiding the worst of it.

[atricks]

The pride is now not expected back before 1pm tomorrow at the earliest.   Currently they are just offshore of the North Carolina outer banks, around Hatteras/Rodanthe.

 

[PhillyFan33579]

10 hours ago, shof515 said:

I would love to have an extra day onboard the ship.

We got 3 extra days on Liberty a few months ago and had a great time on the extra days. 

[pacruise804]

On 11/17/2019 at 9:25 AM, shof515 said:

I would love to have an extra day onboard the ship.

 

On 11/17/2019 at 9:36 AM, jimbo5544 said:

Maybe all the bouncing a round would squash that for me. 

I've been on an extended Pride cruise before (arrived 4 or 5pm Sunday vs. normal Sunday time) due to rough seas.  If you do get delayed she is a good ship to be delayed on - handles the seas quite well.  I wish Sunrise handled rough seas as well when we sailed her.

[sabres431]

Looks like she arrived at 11:51am this morning.

[drmom459]

Just got off this cruise.  It was nice having an extra day added, but the seas were very rough until we got into the Chesapeake Bay around 3:00am this morning and it finally calmed down.  We had to make a grab for our waiter last night when a big wave hit.  They had to close the most posterior part of the dining room due to the extreme ship movement.  The waiters did a fantastic job serving dinner to the guests under the circumstances, and the officers did keep it as safe as possible for us to move around.

[young_k92]

On 11/17/2019 at 9:25 AM, shof515 said:

I would love to have an extra day onboard the ship.

We just got off this sailing. I'm done with Carnival. And I'll NEVER cruise from any port north of Florida again. It's not an extended vacation, people. And I'm not so in love with Carnival that I'll tow the company line and say it was anything but a cluster all the way around. Believe me, if I could in some way make sure you people making light of what went on on that ship the last three days would have to experience the "extra sea days," I would. You all deserve that for some of these ridiculous comments. Admins--proceed to delete the truth, as I'm sure you will.

[shipgeeks]

Tell us more.

[ShakyBeef]

2 minutes ago, young_k92 said:

We just got off this sailing. I'm done with Carnival. And I'll NEVER cruise from any port north of Florida again. It's not an extended vacation, people. And I'm not so in love with Carnival that I'll tow the company line and say it was anything but a cluster all the way around. Believe me, if I could in some way make sure you people making light of what went on on that ship the last three days would have to experience the "extra sea days," I would. You all deserve that for some of these ridiculous comments. Admins--proceed to delete the truth, as I'm sure you will.

 

Care to elaborate?

[young_k92]

We had untill 5:30 to return to the ship last Friday on Grand Turk for a 6pm departure. My husband and myself and few others were watching the sunset on the pier in those Serenity deck chairs they set up. We noticed they ushered us out before the 5:30 timeline. Looking back, I realize it's because they were "trying to get ahead of the storm." So we hauled tail north, rocking all Thursday night and Friday. By Friday evening, it's been determined (as if they didn't already know this, as this exact scenario has happened before--Google and YouTube it for yourself) we couldn't get ahead of it, so we bob like a cork off the coast of Florida/Georgia for half a day before it's decided we'll "follow" it. Well, I guess the lost revenue of the next sailing was just too much to bear, so we found ourselves seasick and anxious all day Sunday trying to get around what I think is called Cape Henry into the Chesapeake. So much for "following it." Relief didn't come until around 3am this morning. By then, our 8am arrival time was pushed back to 1pm. We were forced out of our rooms to sit on floors with our luggage (I'm not diamond or platinum, after all, so no lounge or MDR for me). We were still waiting to get off the ship at 3pm. Some were still there at 5pm. I called Carnival. No recourse except future cruise credit which I told them they could stick where the sun don't shine. I hope this gives you some idea of what really happened on the Pride.

[ShakyBeef]

2 minutes ago, young_k92 said:

We had untill 5:30 to return to the ship last Friday on Grand Turk for a 6pm departure. My husband and myself and few others were watching the sunset on the pier in those Serenity deck chairs they set up. We noticed they ushered us out before the 5:30 timeline. Looking back, I realize it's because they were "trying to get ahead of the storm." So we hauled tail north, rocking all Thursday night and Friday. By Friday evening, it's been determined (as if they didn't already know this, as this exact scenario has happened before--Google and YouTube it for yourself) we couldn't get ahead of it, so we bob like a cork off the coast of Florida/Georgia for half a day before it's decided we'll "follow" it. Well, I guess the lost revenue of the next sailing was just too much to bear, so we found ourselves seasick and anxious all day Sunday trying to get around what I think is called Cape Henry into the Chesapeake. So much for "following it." Relief didn't come until around 3am this morning. By then, our 8am arrival time was pushed back to 1pm. We were forced out of our rooms to sit on floors with our luggage (I'm not diamond or platinum, after all, so no lounge or MDR for me). We were still waiting to get off the ship at 3pm. Some were still there at 5pm. I called Carnival. No recourse except future cruise credit which I told them they could stick where the sun don't shine. I hope this gives you some idea of what really happened on the Pride.

 

Thank you for the details.  I understand that this experience was upsetting for you.  You say you were "forced out" of your rooms.  What time was that?  Was it in the middle of the night?  Or very early in the morning?  While you were still underway?  Or after you were docked?

[bstel]

1 hour ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

Care to elaborate?

maybe drmom459 can provide some details/viewpoint as to how it all went down at the end.

[bstel]

46 minutes ago, young_k92 said:

We had untill 5:30 to return to the ship last Friday on Grand Turk for a 6pm departure. My husband and myself and few others were watching the sunset on the pier in those Serenity deck chairs they set up. We noticed they ushered us out before the 5:30 timeline. Looking back, I realize it's because they were "trying to get ahead of the storm." So we hauled tail north, rocking all Thursday night and Friday. By Friday evening, it's been determined (as if they didn't already know this, as this exact scenario has happened before--Google and YouTube it for yourself) we couldn't get ahead of it, so we bob like a cork off the coast of Florida/Georgia for half a day before it's decided we'll "follow" it. Well, I guess the lost revenue of the next sailing was just too much to bear, so we found ourselves seasick and anxious all day Sunday trying to get around what I think is called Cape Henry into the Chesapeake. So much for "following it." Relief didn't come until around 3am this morning. By then, our 8am arrival time was pushed back to 1pm. We were forced out of our rooms to sit on floors with our luggage (I'm not diamond or platinum, after all, so no lounge or MDR for me). We were still waiting to get off the ship at 3pm. Some were still there at 5pm. I called Carnival. No recourse except future cruise credit which I told them they could stick where the sun don't shine. I hope this gives you some idea of what really happened on the Pride.

not sure how a 5:30 return time and them folding up chairs before 5:30 says they are rushing to get ahead of it.  Im sure they want to pier packed up at/before 5:30 so they can start the undocking process (gang way, door, lines, etc) to meet the 6pm pushoff. 

 

Did the captain or anyone come over the speaker and tell you they were trying to "get ahead of it" or is that your interpretation.

[javajunkie59]

I was on this cruise but have a more positive opinion. With over 2000 passengers, you will get 2000 different opinions.  Being retired Navy on this cruise, the storm was no problem for me.  But considering the majority of the passengers were more senior, some with walkers, canes or scooters, the storm was an annoyance at best.  We had to be out of our cabins at 11am, with a planned arrival time of 1pm in Baltimore.  This was my first cruise as platinum, so I waited in the Normandie Restaurant.  No more waiting on deck 3 or above until your higher luggage tag number is called to depart the ship. I had luggage tag number 4.  You do have a better "waiting" area in the Normandie Restaurant, but it still seemed long but not as long as it would have been since making platinum. I got off the ship 245pm.  After leaving Grand Turk, Friday was a warm sunny day with people sunning themselves before the planned cold weather for Saturday.  There was no announcement by the captain of "getting ahead of the storm."  Having sailed through storms while in the Navy, weather was rough Saturday morning. It made sense to slow the ships speed due to the waves and swells.  The ship was going into the waves vice going with it.  My cabin was on deck 5 forward, I could hear and feel the crashing of the waves into the bow of the ship. Did LOVE the extra sea day due to the delay, paid for a 14 day cruise and got 15 days instead.

Edited November 19, 2019 by javajunkie59

[pe4all]

As the old saying goes "better safe than sorry."  Sorry this may have been uncomfortable sailing conditions for the passengers, but glad the captain used his judgement to keep them safe.  

[pacruise804]

11 hours ago, young_k92 said:

We just got off this sailing. I'm done with Carnival. And I'll NEVER cruise from any port north of Florida again. It's not an extended vacation, people. And I'm not so in love with Carnival that I'll tow the company line and say it was anything but a cluster all the way around. Believe me, if I could in some way make sure you people making light of what went on on that ship the last three days would have to experience the "extra sea days," I would. You all deserve that for some of these ridiculous comments. Admins--proceed to delete the truth, as I'm sure you will.

 

I did not intend to make light of your situation.  I have sailed rough seas before and my Pride experience was much better than yours.

 

Hopefully in time you can look back on the good memories of this cruise and will be able to enjoy future cruises from Florida and points south.

[Honolulu Blue]

13 hours ago, young_k92 said:

We just got off this sailing. I'm done with Carnival. And I'll NEVER cruise from any port north of Florida again. 

 

Thank you for sharing your experience.  And I'm sorry you had such a bumpy, disappointing cruise.  Royal and NCL have had weather-related troubles with some of their cruise ships in the past, so I'm not sure they would have handled things any differently in a similar situation.

[Host Carolyn]

Especially late fall through spring the true noreasters or just low pressure weather systems that form or trail along the coast of the Carolinas are going to bring rough seas for ships homeporting in Baltimore and New York that must sail through or around these systems to get to warm weather......just a fact of cruising unfortunately

Edited November 19, 2019 by Host Carolyn

[Garth2]

15 hours ago, young_k92 said:

We just got off this sailing. I'm done with Carnival. And I'll NEVER cruise from any port north of Florida again. It's not an extended vacation, people. And I'm not so in love with Carnival that I'll tow the company line and say it was anything but a cluster all the way around. Believe me, if I could in some way make sure you people making light of what went on on that ship the last three days would have to experience the "extra sea days," I would. You all deserve that for some of these ridiculous comments. Admins--proceed to delete the truth, as I'm sure you will.

 

Here's a news flash for you.  There are storms and hurricanes that regularly affect ships that sail from Florida, too.

[soccersharon]

On 11/17/2019 at 9:36 AM, jimbo5544 said:

Maybe all the bouncing a round would squash that for me. 

We had a great time, regardless.  Captain kept us all safe, and at least for my friends and I, we thoroughly enjoyed an extra day onboard.  Loved the Pride too!