Closed port of calls in the Caribbean

[Kike2020]

According to this article: https://www.cruisehive.com/grand-cayman-bans-cruise-ships-until-2021/41128, the Grand Cayman will remains closed until 2021.

How the cruise ships, that return to operate on Nov.1,  and plan to stop in a closed port, will deal with this issue? Are they planning to stop in another ports instead? Another days in the sea? Do they will change the cancellation policy for those who are not interested to change the itinerary?

Thanks

[madamerkf]

It’s anyone’s guess right now how the cruise lines will deal with the closed ports. Iternary changes are a cruising fact of life; sometimes it works in your favor; sometimes it doesn’t. 
 

 

[coevan]

On 9/7/2020 at 7:17 AM, Kike2020 said:

and plan to stop in a closed port

 

 

Absolutely not, just like missing a port due to weather, but this is a way different storm

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, coevan said:

 

 

Absolutely not, just like missing a port due to weather, but this is a way different storm

I like the weather/storm analogy. This makes me think of the 2017 hurricane season when back to back hurricanes decimated several ports in the Eastern Caribbean (St. Thomas, San Juan, Tortola, St. Maarten) which had to remain closed for months, forcing cruise lines to scramble, reroute ships, and find new itineraries on short notice. I was scheduled to sail on the Disney Fantasy to the Eastern Caribbean in November of that year and our itinerary was altered to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Castaway Cay. Far from where I wanted to go, but those ports were what was open and available at the last minute. 
 

I believe that something similar will happen to current itineraries once cruising resumes. People will most likely learn closer to departure about changes to their itineraries based on what’s open and what’s closed. With Mexico being one of the few destinations that have shown interest in receiving cruise ships right away, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Mexico heavy itineraries (like a 7 night itinerary that goes from Grand Cayman, Belize and Roatan, to Costa Maya, Progreso and Cozumel). Purely speculation, but I believe that anybody choosing to go on a cruise as soon as it’s allowed again will need to be open minded and accept the inevitable itinerary changes. 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Tapi

[Tapi]

On 9/7/2020 at 9:17 AM, Kike2020 said:

Do they will change the cancellation policy for those who are not interested to change the itinerary?

We are living extraordinary times so anything is possible, but cruise lines in the most part reserve the right to make changes to an itinerary without offering compensation or the ability to cancel specially if it’s a change due to forces out of their control. The only time in recent memory when I saw cruise lines offer a refund was when Cuba cruises were banned with little notice. Obviously people had booked those cruises specifically to visit Cuba, but this situation is a completely different beast. 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Tapi

[Joe817]

I totally agree with you Tapi. This IS a totally different beast, dammit. The cruise line has the absolute right & authority to change itineraries at the last moment, and that's totally agreeable with me.  

[Kike2020]

10 hours ago, Tapi said:

I like the weather/storm analogy. This makes me think of the 2017 hurricane season when back to back hurricanes decimated several ports in the Eastern Caribbean (St. Thomas, San Juan, Tortola, St. Maarten) which had to remain closed for months, forcing cruise lines to scramble, reroute ships, and find new itineraries on short notice. I was scheduled to sail on the Disney Fantasy to the Eastern Caribbean in November of that year and our itinerary was altered to Cozumel, Costa Maya and Castaway Cay. Far from where I wanted to go, but those ports were what was open and available at the last minute. 
 

I believe that something similar will happen to current itineraries once cruising resumes. People will most likely learn closer to departure about changes to their itineraries based on what’s open and what’s closed. With Mexico being one of the few destinations that have shown interest in receiving cruise ships right away, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Mexico heavy itineraries (like a 7 night itinerary that goes from Grand Cayman, Belize and Roatan, to Costa Maya, Progreso and Cozumel). Purely speculation, but I believe that anybody choosing to go on a cruise as soon as it’s allowed again will need to be open minded and accept the inevitable itinerary changes. 

About the itinerary changes due to weather, did the cruise line, gave you the option to cancel free of charge your reservation, due to changes or not, that's what it is.....

[sanger727]

The cruise lines know they will not be stopping in Grand Cayman. However, I think they aren't going to create an alternate itinerary until they are certain they will be able to sail. I don't think November cruises will be sailing so no need to create an alternative.

 

Remember, this is much bigger than grand cayman being closed. All islands/countries that are re-opening to tourists are creating policies around covid. Usually involving a combination or pre-trip testing, testing upon arrival, and quarantines. Step 1 is for CDC to not extend no sail order. Step 2 is for the governors/mayors of the port cities/states to allow the "mass gathering" or embarkation. Step 3 is to negotiate arrival terms with the ports. There's still alot of steps to go.

Edited September 10, 2020 by sanger727

[Tapi]

3 hours ago, Kike2020 said:

About the itinerary changes due to weather, did the cruise line, gave you the option to cancel free of charge your reservation, due to changes or not, that's what it is.....

In that case, we were not given the option to cancel free of charge. We were just given a notice of itinerary change and an adjustment to port charges credited to our onboard account (something like $17pp if I recall correctly). 

 

This was the first time for me when an itinerary was completely changed. But I've had other instances where one port of call was either canceled or substituted. Sometimes I've learned about the change in advance. One time letters were handed out at the port during embarkation. Another time we found out once we got onboard and a letter was waiting for us in our stateroom. And other times I've just learned about them on the actual day of intended arrival when an announcement was made over the PA system. On none of those instances was I given any type of compensation, right to cancel, beyond a port tax refund. 

[jetsfan58]

3 hours ago, sanger727 said:

The cruise lines know they will not be stopping in Grand Cayman. However, I think they aren't going to create an alternate itinerary until they are certain they will be able to sail. I don't think November cruises will be sailing so no need to create an alternative.

 

Remember, this is much bigger than grand cayman being closed. All islands/countries that are re-opening to tourists are creating policies around covid. Usually involving a combination or pre-trip testing, testing upon arrival, and quarantines. Step 1 is for CDC to not extend no sail order. Step 2 is for the governors/mayors of the port cities/states to allow the "mass gathering" or embarkation. Step 3 is to negotiate arrival terms with the ports. There's still alot of steps to go.

Step #4 - Remain in the ships "bubble" for the cruise entirety?   

[coevan]

6 hours ago, sanger727 said:

The cruise lines know they will not be stopping in Grand Cayman. However, I think they aren't going to create an alternate itinerary until they are certain they will be able to sail. I don't think November cruises will be sailing so no need to create an alternative.

 

Remember, this is much bigger than grand cayman being closed. All islands/countries that are re-opening to tourists are creating policies around covid. Usually involving a combination or pre-trip testing, testing upon arrival, and quarantines. Step 1 is for CDC to not extend no sail order. Step 2 is for the governors/mayors of the port cities/states to allow the "mass gathering" or embarkation. Step 3 is to negotiate arrival terms with the ports. There's still alot of steps to go.

 

 

As an example for entering Jamaica, we have a land trip in December. Everyone has to have a recent negative Covid test 10 days prior to arrival. This option would never work for a cruise ship.

[firefly333]

6 hours ago, Kike2020 said:

About the itinerary changes due to weather, did the cruise line, gave you the option to cancel free of charge your reservation, due to changes or not, that's what it is.....

I was on conquest when hurricane ike was heading our way, though when we left wasnt supposed to hit Galveston. They were hard core we couldn't cancel and reschedule. .... never saw my car again. Ike took a dog leg last 24 hours and hit Galveston about 11 years ago.

 

Been on many cruises that skipped 1 and even 2 out of 3 ports. They refunded port charges you paid for 1 person to your sign and sail onboard acct. They dont let you cancel for changes like missing  port in the past. 

 

The only time I've been able to cancel is if the ship itself was cancelled, or changed to another ship. 

[joepeka]

There are travel insurance policies that have missed port coverage. I believe Nationwide is one of the insurers offering that option.

[chocolate melting cake]

In 2009 we were on the Fantasy - out of New Orleans supposed to head to Mexico. Because of a Swine Flu "outbreak in Mexico" the government advised no travel to Mexico. We were diverted to Key West instead. I only heard one complaint on the ship, a passenger who lived in Key West had driven to New Orleans for a Mexican cruise----instead the ship docked 2 miles from his house!

[ProgRockCruiser]

I think someone else stated something similar in a different thread, but oh well:

 

This topic got me thinking about whether this is now a good opportunity for Carnival to re-work its itineraries.  Start negotiations with the various islands to see how they can shake things up.

 

For example:

 

There is exactly one sailing to St Lucia planned in the current listing of itineraries, a 14-day out of Baltimore.

 

While St Lucia is a bit of a stretch compared to the 8-day jaunts to St Kitts & St Maarten from my home port of Canaveral, I gotta wonder whether it would be possible - take one of the existing 8-day cruises, drop Grand Turk (or San Juan), keep steaming ahead, and swap St Lucia for St Kitts or St Maarten, or maybe also swap in Antigua (exactly two sailings, both 10-days from Charleston, a year apart).

 

I'd do that.  San Juan (or Grand Turk), St Lucia, Antigua, and four sea days.

 

I guess I find the current selections to be "same old, same old", and I'm not even that seasoned a cruiser!

 

Eh, maybe I should shaddup.  I'd take another 8-day to St Kitts and St Maarten in a heartbeat right now.

 

[SOCACRUISEGUY]

19 hours ago, joepeka said:

There are travel insurance policies that have missed port coverage. I believe Nationwide is one of the insurers offering that option.

We have used insurance for missed port coverage. Surprisingly, hey even covered our change of glacier viewing last year. I submitted it on lark, and a few weeks later, received a $100.00pp check.