Cyclone Impact

[Fieldofdreams]

6 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Which cruise line will you be sailing on? As you would know, many of the lines have had issues with not being able to enter NZ ports or areas (such as the Fiordland NP) due to the biohazard from hull contamination.

 

I shouldn't think Auckland as a port would be affected but then I don't know if there are supply issues or port damage. I know the island ferries are still running from the Port of Auckland. Wellington has just had an earthquake in the last couple of days but it sounds like there's not been much if any damage from it. The flooding is still continuing in some areas.

Thank you for additional information

[helkatred]

On 2/16/2023 at 8:09 AM, MamaFej said:

Thank you for this. 

 

We are supposed to be in Napier on 22 March. I think I'll go check the cancelation policy for the rafting tour company Hubby booked with. 

So are we, on the Noordam.  Blast!

[joejoe 59]

4 minutes ago, helkatred said:

So are we, on the Noordam.  Blast!

We are there on Quantum on the 20th of March. I can't see why they wouldn't go there still as I don't think the waterfront was destroyed.  Now if you have a tour booked that could be a problem. 

[helkatred]

3 minutes ago, joejoe 59 said:

We are there on Quantum on the 20th of March. I can't see why they wouldn't go there still as I don't think the waterfront was destroyed.  Now if you have a tour booked that could be a problem. 

But of course we do haha!  It is absolutely awful that the tourism industry is going to be so badly affected just as it was picking up again.  I have wanted to see Napier's art deco architecture for years, so very disappointed; we will just have to make another trip next year!  Wondering where we will go instead, though......... 

[joejoe 59]

34 minutes ago, helkatred said:

But of course we do haha!  It is absolutely awful that the tourism industry is going to be so badly affected just as it was picking up again.  I have wanted to see Napier's art deco architecture for years, so very disappointed; we will just have to make another trip next year!  Wondering where we will go instead, though......... 

Yes we could both be on another magical mystery tour. 4 of our 6 ports are all on the east coast of the north island. 

[MamaFej]

1 hour ago, helkatred said:

So are we, on the Noordam.  Blast!

We will be on the Eclipse. 

In addition to the mostly NZ cruise, we have a port stop in Auckland on the way home, sailing from Sydney to Honolulu. We also have 10 days of driving around both NZ islands on this trip, so we hope to still get an excellent taste ot the lovely country, even if we lose some sites. 

[kiwimum]

19 hours ago, lissie said:

They are using the Napier port as a temporary morgue among other things -I don't think they will be allowing cruise  ships in! 

And where did you see this info.

[MicCanberra]

It was reported on the ABC News here in Australia last night.

[LittleFish1976]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131256342/temporary-morgues-set-up-at-napier-port-hastings-hospital-amid-cyclones-devastation

[possum52]

1 hour ago, kiwimum said:

And where did you see this info.

As she lives in NZ, I would think Lissie saw it on NZ news or media. You  could have googled it exactly like LittleFish1976 and I did. 

 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cyclone-gabrielle-temporary-morgue-set-up-at-napier-port-amid-death-toll-fears/PQWGGXBU3BFGRC5DGTB6DP6DBA/

 

https://thespinoff.co.nz/live-updates/17-02-2023/cyclone-death-toll-now-reportedly-seven-temporary-morgue-set-up

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131256342/temporary-morgues-set-up-at-napier-port-hastings-hospital-amid-cyclones-devastation

[cruiser3775]

4 hours ago, joejoe 59 said:

I can't see why they wouldn't go there still as I don't think the waterfront was destroyed.

The port may be OK, but the whole area is deeply stressed. They say that power may not be restored to many properties for two weeks, there are more than 2000 people in the emergency accommodation in Napier, and roads are very damaged.  I don't think they need a few thousand cruisers descending on them at the moment.

[lissie]

3 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

The port may be OK, but the whole area is deeply stressed. They say that power may not be restored to many properties for two weeks, there are more than 2000 people in the emergency accommodation in Napier, and roads are very damaged.  I don't think they need a few thousand cruisers descending on them at the moment.

This weekend was supposed to be the first full-scale Art Deco weekend since 2020 - they've cancelled it obviously - and the restaurants who had extra supplies in for it  have been cooking food up and giving it away given they have no power / refrigeration etc.  It's a catastrophe for the local tourism industry. 

 

We were due to go to a vintage air show in Masterton next weekend. They've postponed - Masterton is not affected but the airforce is always heavily involved so are obviously no longer available. They haven't given a new date yet. 

 

The town is basically still isolated except for essential services. There is apparently an awful smell as sewerage and dead animals decompose.  The dust is  only going to get worse. 

 

My tax accountant is at Ahuriri - about 10 min drive from the cruise terminal - their offices are undamaged, but they can't work as they have no power - and of course staff are dealing with more important things. 

 

I rather think that the cruise season for Napier is finished for this year. Napier is only about 5 hours drive from here and we go up there for a long-weekend quite often - I doubt that we will be there before our next  overseas trip in July 

[onlyslightlymad]

Here's a good summary about the situation in Napier

 

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/napier-is-an-island

[onlyslightlymad]

On 2/17/2023 at 10:53 AM, lissie said:

We are always dismissive of warnings here. The Metservice has got history on over forecasting events - and the whole country has become really risk adverse - I was the same I'd have not hesitated on travelling those days if I'd been scheduled to.  

 

Frankly it wasn't that much rain - it's the stuff that Singapore gets regularly. The issue was our 3rd world infrastructure - the Napier-Gisborne road (and services like water, power, telecoms)  are basically 50 years old. That together with lots of forestry debris=destruction and deaths. 

 

Hopefully now we will actually have an infrastructure plan that involves more than cycleways. 

 

Cunard really needs to sort out their communications - they seem terrified of communicating anything -and don't realise that the less  news they provide the more damaging specuation results. 

 

I still don't understand why you weren't immediately offered the alternative cruise (or part thereof) -rather than just being cancelled 

I don't think the Met Service over-forecast, it's just that they deal in probabilities and people struggle with that.  They want to know whether it's going to rain or not.  They don't want to hear that there's an 80% probability of rain and a 20% probability of no rain.  When it comes to a storms and cyclones, they have a duty of care to warn people if there is a high probability of an extreme weather event, but it's not a certainty.

[MicCanberra]

A terrible situation, hope they can recover fully soon.

[lissie]

3 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I don't think the Met Service over-forecast, it's just that they deal in probabilities and people struggle with that.  They want to know whether it's going to rain or not.  They don't want to hear that there's an 80% probability of rain and a 20% probability of no rain.  When it comes to a storms and cyclones, they have a duty of care to warn people if there is a high probability of an extreme weather event, but it's not a certainty.

I understand probabilities fine - but when "windy  wellington" is getting warnings because the wind may hit 80km/hr - it's a joke. 100km/hr is not uncommon here - and only causes damage if there has been a few calmer months prior so more branches come down.  Nothing under 130km/hr deserves a warning in this town. 

[joejoe 59]

20 hours ago, cruiser3775 said:

The port may be OK, but the whole area is deeply stressed. They say that power may not be restored to many properties for two weeks, there are more than 2000 people in the emergency accommodation in Napier, and roads are very damaged.  I don't think they need a few thousand cruisers descending on them at the moment.

Yes I realise that now. It's why my next post refers to us doing a magical mystery tour.

[MMDown Under]

Sadly the number of dead following the Cyclone has now risen to 11, per NZ News.

[kiwimum]

On 2/17/2023 at 10:13 PM, LittleFish1976 said:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/131256342/temporary-morgues-set-up-at-napier-port-hastings-hospital-amid-cyclones-devastation

Thank you.  One of my children lives in Napier and was not aware.  They are safe.

[Aus Traveller]

The Coral Princess was due in Napier on Sunday 12th Feb. Captain Pears told the passengers that he had to decide that morning to cancel the port call into Napier. He said that with 'Gabby' chasing us, if we went in, we wouldn't be able to get out.

 

I will prepare a longer review of the cruise. We just got home today and I am trying to catch up with emails etc, then un-pack. Laundry might have to wait a day or two.

[helkatred]

23 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

The Coral Princess was due in Napier on Sunday 12th Feb. Captain Pears told the passengers that he had to decide that morning to cancel the port call into Napier. He said that with 'Gabby' chasing us, if we went in, we wouldn't be able to get out.

 

I will prepare a longer review of the cruise. We just got home today and I am trying to catch up with emails etc, then un-pack. Laundry might have to wait a day or two.

Did they take you to another port?

[Aus Traveller]

7 minutes ago, helkatred said:

Did they take you to another port?

No. When we missed Napier there wasn't a replacement port. We cruised slowly to Wellington because the seas were sizeable, but not too bad. When we left Lyttleton harbour without docking, we had another sea day. It wouldn't be easy to substitute another port with virtually no notice. It would have to have port facilities that would accommodate a large ship and without advance notice, there couldn't be any shore tours. We were refunded a small amount for the port fees (for Napier and Lyttleton) that we had paid as part of our fare.

[MMDown Under]

What is the current situation in NZ following the cyclone damage?  Are there people still unaccounted for?

Later - 7.30 Report on now saying people are unaccounted for.  The damage being shown is horrific.  I feel so sorry for the people affected by this cyclone.  

[onlyslightlymad]

9 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

What is the current situation in NZ following the cyclone damage?  Are there people still unaccounted for?

Later - 7.30 Report on now saying people are unaccounted for.  The damage being shown is horrific.  I feel so sorry for the people affected by this cyclone.  

At the moment, there are 11 dead and they are concerned about approximately 10 people who are unaccounted for.  Some communities are still cut off and isolated.  Many roads and bridges are badly damaged or destroyed.  It's a mess.

[melbach]

If you have booked an excursion with Holland, and cannot go due to port closure, how does Holland reimburse you?  

On 2/20/2023 at 12:46 AM, NancyDrew1953 said:

Just back on board from Picton and surrounding areas, including Marlbourgh wineries, the WW I historic aviation center (outstanding), and a chocolate shop. A fabulous day - sunny and hot.  Tomorrow is Wellington, the replacement port for Gisborne and Napier.  Then, the sea day. Tauranga is still on the agenda.

How is Holland reimbursing for their excursions if the posit is closed.