Caribbean port clousures/ alternatives

[janroatan]

Noticing US is advising not traveling to certain Countries(Curacao  for example)

Once cruising ,what happens if cruise ports are closed?

[ColeThornton]

If a scheduled port closes while you are cruising the cruise line will try to find an alternative port nearby or you will have an extra sea day(s).  

 

 

[bostonphil]

My first cruise was on The Epic. I sailed The Eastern Caribbean.  This was several years ago and some of my memory is rusty.

 

On Friday, we were supposed to port in Nassau, The Bahamas.  About 9 a.m. the captain came on the loudspeaker and announced that Nassau had been cancelled, that we were unable to port and that we were going to have another beautiful day at sea.  I thought that the captain was joking but he was not as I would find out.

 

We were told that there would be free rum drinks on the top deck for the next couple of hours. I did not bother to participate in this activity. 

 

It was not another beautiful day at sea. it was a very boring day at sea. Many passengers were really angry about this.  One passenger, in particular, had booked this very cruse for the port that had just been cancelled.

 

Later we were told that Nassau had forgotten to book The Epic for space or something like that. How could Nassau forget.? The Epic had been doing this very route for about 6 months of every year for several years.

 

One very seasoned cruiser said that it was a disgrace  He felt someone very important had paid X amount of money to port and that we got cancelled because of this.

 

Our contract says that ports can get cancelled and while an alternative may be found, it is not guaranteed.  It also says that you will not get any compensation if a port is cancelled. I was aware of this but I did not expect for it to happen. 

 

I had booked a shore excursion through NCL and my money was instantly refunded. Other cruisers had booked shore excursions through private companies and I do not know what happened with refunds.

 

I have read Northern Europe reviews about 2 or 3 ports out of  5  being cancelled because of weather. I remember reading about one terrible disaster of a cruise because of weather.   Passengers were extremely unhappy to say the least and it was posted all over the internet.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 2021 by bostonphil
typo

[All-ready2cruise]

8 minutes ago, bostonphil said:

On Friday, we were supposed to port in Nassau, The Bahamas.  About 9 a.m. the captain came on the loudspeaker and announced that Nassau had been cancelled, that we were unable to port and that we were going to have another beautiful day at sea.

This sounds like the 1st cruise on a mega ship for my late DH and I, Feb. 16, 2013.  Unfortunately, there was a couple on board who'd planned their beach wedding at Atlanta resort Nassau.  I felt so bad for them.  

We had a fun day, plenty of time to meet up with some of our new friends.  

 

I've yet to visit Nassau on a cruise, LOL. 

[complawyer]

back between dec 2016 and jan 2017 we were on the initial sailing of the star from hong kong to sinagpore.  we spent 3 days prior to sailing in hong kong and planned an additional 3 days at the end in singapore. air travel was scheduled accordingly. once on board we were advised that due to some mechanical problems, we would not be able to dock in taipei, hanoi, or a port in cambodia. i was really pissed as being a veit-nam vet, i wanted to see hanoi.

 

in any event this was their alternative offer (1)  dont take the cruise and get a full refund ( a no brainer since we were already in hong kong and not scheduled to leave from singapore for 2 1/2 weeks,

 

(2) take a 50% reduction on this cruise fare and another 50% off of any other cruise.  although i was disappointed in missing taipei and hanoi, the 50% off eased the pain tremendously, and the following year we applied the other50% to a 2 bedroom haven suite on the epic from barcelona, and we took our grandson and one of his friends

 

so sometimes, ncl giveth and sometimes ncl taketh away.. luck of the draw.

 

as for nassau, the last time we sailed and it was a port, my wife and i didnt even bother to get off the ship (our choice)

[bostonphil]

30 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

This sounds like the 1st cruise on a mega ship for my late DH and I, Feb. 16, 2013.  Unfortunately, there was a couple on board who'd planned their beach wedding at Atlanta resort Nassau.  I felt so bad for them.  

We had a fun day, plenty of time to meet up with some of our new friends.  

 

I've yet to visit Nassau on a cruise, LOL. 

My shore excursion was a half day at one of the very exclusive and famous resorts. 

 

What did the couple do who had planned to have a wedding on the beach. I think the captain could have married them on the ship. 

 

I have also not yet made it to Nassau.

Edited August 8, 2021 by bostonphil
forgot some info

[complawyer]

im not missing nassau at all, same for great stirrup caye. i'd rather stay on the ship

[All-ready2cruise]

6 hours ago, bostonphil said:

My shore excursion was a half day at one of the very exclusive and famous resorts. 

 

What did the couple do who had planned to have a wedding on the beach. I think the captain could have married them on the ship. 

 

I have also not yet made it to Nassau.

Hey, we decided to stay on board and  explore the ship,  being it was our first mega ship there was a lot we wanted to see.   I think, but can not remember exactly, that the Captain did offer to do the marriage ceremony.  

 

Funny that neither of us has made it to Nassau. 

 

Cheers 😉

Edited August 9, 2021 by All-ready2cruise

[sverigecruiser]

14 hours ago, bostonphil said:

 

It was not another beautiful day at sea. it was a very boring day at sea. Many passengers were really angry about this.  One passenger, in particular, had booked this very cruse for the port that had just been cancelled.

 

 

 

 

For us that had been a good thing. We prefer to stay on the ship in Nassau but one extra day at sea is better. Nassau is probably the port where most people stay on the ship so some passengers were probably happy for that extra day at sea. 

[dexddd]

Missing Nassau would be a bonus.

[complawyer]

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

For us that had been a good thing. We prefer to stay on the ship in Nassau but one extra day at sea is better. Nassau is probably the port where most people stay on the ship so some passengers were probably happy for that extra day at sea. 

 

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

For us that had been a good thing. We prefer to stay on the ship in Nassau but one extra day at sea is better. Nassau is probably the port where most people stay on the ship so some passengers were probably happy for that extra day at sea. 

they really had no reason to be angry, disappointed maybe, but a missed port is a foreseeable, sometimes unavoidable  consequence of taking a cruise. i dont think missing nassau was that big of a thing (although im certain many will disagree) i posted before on a southeast asia cruise we missed taiwan and hanoi. that's something to be angry about.

[prov2727]

Due to choppy water, St. Kitts ( I think?) and St. Maarten were removed from my Epic itinerary but they were able to add Dominique and Martinique. I loved both and got to do a glass bottom boat excursion where we saw sea turtles feeding and it was so great I did not miss the other ports although I had really been looking forward to St. Maarten.

[GonzoWCS]

These things do happen even in the pre-covid cruise years...

[MsTabbyKats]

19 hours ago, complawyer said:

im not missing nassau at all, same for great stirrup caye. i'd rather stay on the ship

March cruise...Port Canaveral (wouldn't get off the ship if you paid me), Nassau (we like it there...but could live without it) and GSC (again....generally get off and go back to the ship after an hour...just too crowded).....so I'm prepared for a "Cruise To Nowhere".

 

If ports are closed...they revise the daily activities...maybe give you a token OBC...and you stay on the ship.

 

You should never cruise for a specific port because there's no guarantee that it will happen.

[nolatravelgirl]

21 hours ago, bostonphil said:

It was not another beautiful day at sea. it was a very boring day at sea. Many passengers were really angry about this.  One passenger, in particular, had booked this very cruse for the port that had just been cancelled.

I get the wedding ceremony example but I have never heard of folks who book a cruise solely for Nassau. Practically every cruise from Florida ports in Nassau and is one of the most touristy "blah" ports out there. The only reason I may be "upset" about not porting in Nassau is because I needed to use some high speed wi-fi on land. 😄

[CruisinMaterial]

The real question is what is NCL going to do with itineraries that include Grand Cayman. The government already said they're not going to allow ships in until the end of January 2022 at the earliest. However, NCL still has itineraries calling there prior to that date and the itineraries have not been updated.

[janroatan]

Also a concern is the port of Curacao, it is on the US do not travel list, its is on the itinerary for our upcoming South Caribbean cruise in March.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Yesimapirate]

3 hours ago, janroatan said:

Also a concern is the port of Curacao, it is on the US do not travel list, its is on the itinerary for our upcoming South Caribbean cruise in March.

 

 

 

It's August.   The World was a different place 7 months ago and could be 7minths from now.   Relax, enjoy your summer.   It's far too soon to worry about that.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[odie1024]

3 hours ago, janroatan said:

Also a concern is the port of Curacao, it is on the US do not travel list, its is on the itinerary for our upcoming South Caribbean cruise in March.

Way too soon to worry, we are sailing Southern Caribbean In January and have no cause to be concerned. 

[snorklinbarb]

5 hours ago, janroatan said:

Also a concern is the port of Curacao, it is on the US do not travel list, its is on the itinerary for our upcoming South Caribbean cruise in March.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curacao is on our Nov. Breakaway as is Grand Cayman (reportedly closed until Jan. 2022) and Bonaire is closed so appears not on itinerary anymore.  Aruba is currently closed with a suggested opening mid Sept.  

 

For those of us who have final payment coming up in a few weeks, it's actually not to soon to wonder what ports will actually be open or where suitable alternatives might be.

 

With interruptions already likely, not sure we will be going especially since we've been to all the ports but one and will hit the same ports next year on the new Prima.

[CruiseMH]

16 hours ago, snorklinbarb said:

 

For those of us who have final payment coming up in a few weeks, it's actually not to soon to wonder what ports will actually be open or where suitable alternatives might be.

 

With interruptions already likely, not sure we will be going especially

Well,you have the incredible possibility to take part in a surprise cruise. 😉

YOu will board the ship and then you will get informed every day about the next port and after 2 weeks you will see what ports you were finally in. 😄

SOme people would pay  a lot of money for that.

 

I am sure that all cruise lines are already rotating regarding alternative ports and routes but as long as it is not finally safe and confirmed they will not publish it of course.

But internally they do have for sure already somer alternative plans in mind.

[davidnkim]

Does anyone know about Costa Maya and Cozumel?  The NCL Gem went out this week, so hoping someone reports information about their cruise!

[trivimp]

35 minutes ago, davidnkim said:

Does anyone know about Costa Maya and Cozumel?  The NCL Gem went out this week, so hoping someone reports information about their cruise!

Give it a couple days, they'll be there on Thursday & Friday, respectively.  

[deliver42]

They always have a plan B.

[Travelicious]

At this point, I'd be happy with 7 sea days.