Swine flu updates from Cruise Critic

[TheKings]

Looks to me like RCCL has cancelled Mariner of the Seas through June 14. Carnival has only cancelled the May 3rd sailing of Splendor. Perhaps Carnival is doing on a week to week basis hoping they can get back to Mexico sooner? Guess it is a personal preference as to which you would prefer - knowing where you are going, even though it is not where you want to go, or not knowing until 4 days out but perhaps going where you want to go. We found out Tuesday we wouldn't be going to Mexico. Found out last night where we would be going. Not perfect, but everything in life isn't perfect.

 

Carnival is giving the option to cancel with no penalties. Not a cash refund, but rebook another cruise. I understand the airlines are being very good at rescheduling air travel without penalty.

 

I wish I could get American Airlines to work with me. Last I spoke with someone they were not willing to waive the fee. I am ok with that and understand the price difference as well. I just wish I could make changes sooner rather than later.

[tulsacubfan]

Not going to argue with you over this. I am not upset with Carnival about the original situation... I am upset they expect people up to a month out to just "wait". I have about 5 good reasons that is difficult for me. I am done defending why I would be upset about getting what I paid for.

 

Maybe I am wrong, but I have read that another cruise has cancelled all Mexican ports until mid June.

 

All I am asking is to reschedule or book another cruise so I KNOW what is going on with my airfare. If they did that then decided to go on the original itenerary I would not be asking to go on my original crusie. I understand that isn't workable. You act as though I am being unreasonable, but I don't feel that I am.

 

Carnival should be working with my time. I booked a cruise based on alot of reasons. They have been fair in my opinion thus far with compensations. My complaint is that a week in advance isn't long enough for people... especially those who just found out late last night where/if they would be going in 2 days. To me it is a rather simple thing to do to keep customers satisfied.

 

First, I am one of those who found out late last night where/if we would be going Sunday. What was Carnival to do? Have a crystal ball and see a month or two ago that this was going to happen and let me know then? They did the best with what they were dealt, just as we have to.

 

Second, have you asked them if you can reschedule or book on a different cruise?

[tulsacubfan]

I wish I could get American Airlines to work with me. Last I spoke with someone they were not willing to waive the fee. I am ok with that and understand the price difference as well. I just wish I could make changes sooner rather than later.

 

Really?!?!?!? They were the airline I had heard was working with people! That really disappoints me. They will let you change with no penalty if you are flying to/from Mexico but not because a cruise to Mexico was cancelled/changed? That just makes no sense!

[LemurCat]

Not going to argue with you over this. I am not upset with Carnival about the original situation... I am upset they expect people up to a month out to just "wait". I have about 5 good reasons that is difficult for me. I am done defending why I would be upset about getting what I paid for.

 

And we can agree to disagree on this one. And admittedly, I don't have the financial or emotional stake in this that you do. I honestly believe -- and I might be naive in this -- that they are doing this on a week-by-week basis in an attempt to give people the cruise experience they paid for, including visiting the ports they paid for.

 

Maybe I am wrong, but I have read that another cruise has cancelled all Mexican ports until mid June.

 

I've read nothing to that effect on RCCL's site. Mid-June sounds capricious and arbitrary to me. Here's the link: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/itineraryUpdates.do

 

All I am asking is to reschedule or book another cruise so I KNOW what is going on with my airfare. If they did that then decided to go on the original itenerary I would not be asking to go on my original crusie. I understand that isn't workable. You act as though I am being unreasonable, but I don't feel that I am.

 

Of course you don't feel you're being unreasonable, you won't be posting if you did. ;) But to be honest with you, considering the highly fluid nature of the situation, asking for what's going to happen a month from now (literally) is like asking what's going to happen a year from now.

 

Carnival should be working with my time. I booked a cruise based on alot of reasons. They have been fair in my opinion thus far with compensations. My complaint is that a week in advance isn't long enough for people... especially those who just found out late last night where/if they would be going in 2 days. To me it is a rather simple thing to do to keep customers satisfied.

 

One, this isn't your private yacht. It's a cruiseliner with 3K other people on it. Two, I'm not sure how much more notice you can have, considering again, this is a PANDEMIC and HIGHLY FLUID SITUATION. As of Sunday, no one outside of Mexico was sick. It's not Thursday and this thing is spreading to all of North American, Caribbean states, and threatening Europe. What happens if they have to close Nassua? Grand Cayman? Victoria? San Francisco? We could wake up tomorrow and find out you can't port anywhere in the Caribbean. And like I said previous, I get it. The waiting is always the hardest part. But trying to make decisions now for May 31 is rather difficult.

[Mikel1733]

We are scheduled for May 31st Splendor and it was a celebration vacation for my wife's graduation from nursing school too. I still have hope but worry they will wait to the last minute to give us options.

 

Well.....the good news is she will have plenty of customers and can go to work right away. :p

[tulsacubfan]

Really?!?!?!? They were the airline I had heard was working with people! That really disappoints me. They will let you change with no penalty if you are flying to/from Mexico but not because a cruise to Mexico was cancelled/changed? That just makes no sense!

 

I stand corrected. I looked at AA website and the policy has changed since I last looked. No change fee if you change to a later date in the same destination. If changing destination, "contact our Reservations personnel for any difference in fare and additional details by May 16, 2009." Guess the "additional details" are change fees.... Don't think that is the best policy myself.

[LemurCat]

And that is why Carnival isn't the only cruise line option.

 

And if you want to go to another cruiseline because of this, more power to you.

[BrownBearBread]

Don't know if anybody has posted this yet, but it looks like Carnival is planning on keeping the temporary itineraries in place at least through May. Look at Key West's calendar showing what ships are in port and when - it has been updated to show Holiday, Valor, etc. stopping throughout the month of May:

 

http://www.keywestcity.com/egov/docs/1241104260_179565.htm

good catch, thank you for posting.

I saw that the Fantasy is do to be in the keys on every monday in may. This supports the fantasy doing a 7 day all month. I am not about to start changing my plans until its offical but this does speak volumes. Thanks again.

[pricewc]

Really?!?!?!? They were the airline I had heard was working with people! That really disappoints me. They will let you change with no penalty if you are flying to/from Mexico but not because a cruise to Mexico was cancelled/changed? That just makes no sense!

 

USAIr will not work with anyone also.

[pricewc]

good catch, thank you for posting.

I saw that the Fantasy is do to be in the keys on every monday in may. This supports the fantasy doing a 7 day all month. I am not about to start changing my plans until its offical but this does speak volumes. Thanks again.

 

Does anyone know of a nassau schedule that is updated daily? cruisett.com does not do it daily.

[rlj1010]

I've read nothing to that effect on RCCL's site. Mid-June sounds capricious and arbitrary to me. Here's the link: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/itineraryUpdates.do

 

 

From your very link:

"At the current time, our revised itineraries for Mariner of the Seas are scheduled to take place up to and including the ship's June 14 sailing."

[LemurCat]

From your very link:

 

"At the current time, our revised itineraries for Mariner of the Seas are scheduled to take place up to and including the ship's June 14 sailing."

 

Doh. :D

 

Still, that's just one ship. And as I said before, what happens if there is an outbreak of The Swu in the Vancouver area and they have to close the Western Canadian ports? I guess that would render that statement untrue. The point is, there are too many "whatifs" to be making blanket statements.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

We are in the UK and only 2 miles down the road a young girl has the swine flu, she was on the flight back from Mexico with the Scottish couple who also got it.

 

An update today says she is already feeling better, she has not been to hospital at all, she is at home recovering. They are saying its just like normal flu.

I think this has been blown out of all proportion by the media and has everyone in a panic. Yes flu isnt nice but swine flu doesnt seem a lot different once you take the medicine they are giving out. A lot of Meicans have died because they cant afford any medicine.

[gtalum]

All this for (so far) 250 confimred cases and 8 confirmed deaths.

[rlj1010]

I think more people are going to die from increased poverty, via the economic fallout that this hysteria is creating, than the actual virus itself.

[BrownBearBread]

check this out, it looks like ccl is setting up to do 7 days on the fantasy for the month of may. the port of new orleans has the fantasy coming in & out every sat in may.

http://63.243.21.112:8082/cruisemain.htm

(you have to use the drop menuin the upper left & select may to see may's schedules.)

 

Remember everyone this not offical word from CCL & things can change. but this is the 2nd port to support they are making arrangement to do so.

 

 

does anyone know where to get nassau or freeports port schedule?

[BigRed93]

Just got our fist confirmed case in Georgia. A kentucky woman who traveled down here to visit. Article also states she was in Cancun a few weeks prior.

 

This kind of stuff makes me mad. If she got sick from being in Cancun she would have been sick prior to a few weeks later. More likely to have picked it up elsewhere. Did she fly from Ky to GA?

 

I'm more concerned about being on an airplane than anywhere else. Unfortunately to make it to Miami by Saturday morning driving I would have to leave now. That's not happening.

 

Last year I picked something up on the flight home from my western carib. cruise. Two days later I was sick as a dog. You dont wait a few weeks to just have it crop up then.

[TheKings]

First, I am one of those who found out late last night where/if we would be going Sunday. What was Carnival to do? Have a crystal ball and see a month or two ago that this was going to happen and let me know then? They did the best with what they were dealt, just as we have to.

 

Second, have you asked them if you can reschedule or book on a different cruise?

 

Most certainly not. If I were in your position I would be understanding.

 

The overall point I am trying to make here is that I believe Carnival can avoid what happened to you and many others by getting some plans made for a few weeks in advance.

 

And not directed at you Tulsa... Why is it difficult to understand that not everyone who is unhappy with the delay Carnival seems to be displaying isn't convenient to everyone? Some are ok with it... most are not.

 

Yes I tried to change my cruise with no luck. I was told to wait a few more weeks. Unfourtunately if I can't make a cruise around the time I had it booked in the first place I won't be able to go on one for a long time for alot of reasons. Not blaming Carnival for that, just asking for some help in letting me get a vacation I will enjoy. Some here seem to think I am asking for a cruise ship to take me where I want to go when I want to go. Totally not the case.

[cruisegal101]

Updated itineraries:

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/itinerary_updates.aspx

[jmac1727]

This kind of stuff makes me mad. If she got sick from being in Cancun she would have been sick prior to a few weeks later. More likely to have picked it up elsewhere. Did she fly from Ky to GA?

 

.

 

 

don't know but I would have drove it's like a 5-6 hour trip

[rlj1010]

Updated itineraries:

 

http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/cruise_control/itinerary_updates.aspx

 

 

 

Day late. Dollar short.

[MTcruiser]

We are in the UK and only 2 miles down the road a young girl has the swine flu, she was on the flight back from Mexico with the Scottish couple who also got it.

 

An update today says she is already feeling better, she has not been to hospital at all, she is at home recovering. They are saying its just like normal flu.

I think this has been blown out of all proportion by the media and has everyone in a panic. Yes flu isnt nice but swine flu doesnt seem a lot different once you take the medicine they are giving out. A lot of Meicans have died because they cant afford any medicine.

 

I couldn't agree more.

[floridacruzin]

Ya know, I am not cruising this week and I can only assume I would be stressed out! You plan for this for a long time, it is exciting..cruising is addicting and no one wants to see their planning go down the tubes. Your airfare, hotels, excursions..everything down the tubes.

 

But Carnival and the Consumer (that's us) got BLINDSIDED, who would have seen this coming from a mile away. If I saw it 62 days ago, I surely would not have made final payment on my cruise, but I didnt see it and I did make final payment, and while I have more time than others, I am still concerned about being on a ship with 3,000 people. YES, it appears Tamiflu gets rid of the swine flu, but I do not want to have Flu symptoms on my cruise. Who knows my luck I may have ended up sick anyway, who would compensate me for that? Certainly not Carnival.

 

I truly think Carnival given the circumstances is doing the best they can. These cruises are planned years in advance by Carnival and they are flipping everything they can to the best of their ability. Think of all the SOPs someone at Carnival is reading through to figure out how to fix this mess. There is no way that they would be able to please everyone. I guess it all depends on the outlook we all have in life.

 

So we wait on hold for longer than normal (a lot Longer). Can you even imagine the sheer amount of people that are calling Carnival. I bet there are people from December calling to find out the effect this has had on their cruise. I bet once you got a rep, it would be best to be as nice as possible, you get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.

 

And, one PVP says something and you call again and the next PVP has no clue what they are talking about. Is this different from any other day?

 

I guess if you are throughly disgusted you could take the route of filing a dispute with your credit card company. But why not use the moeny you already had set aside for your crusie toward a future cruise? You have until the end of 2010 to go.

 

Good Luck Fellow Cruisers in wherever the next ship takes you!

 

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. "

[halos]

Comparing Royal Carribbean vs Carnival's handling on the situation, I have decided I am not going to sail with Carnival anytime for the foreseeable future.

 

Royal Caribbean, allowing full cancellations without penalty, is pure class.

 

Carnival should be ashamed by their laughable options.

 

Doesn't Royal have a lot less ships to juggle??

I'm just asking (because I don't keep count of cruise lines ships) but I think CCL has a larger fleet, no???

Wouldn't that make a difference in how quickly they get things organized??

 

 

That's a great idea, especially because these global pandemics happen *ALL* the time. :rolleyes:

 

*nods head in agreement*

I'm so glad 'other' people would know how to deal with this in a timely fashion. :rolleyes:

[hommebronze]

WE LIVE in san diego and have enjoyed many many cruises to mexico and hawaii...we go to sf and seattle by train-we don't fly so these new itineraries are not for us....so what is left for us.... now mexico is out of the picture for the forseeable future...how can you convince me that this bug won't rear up again in the fall or next year=you can't...or protect me from fellow passengers coming from places that have the flu bug=you can't...

 

what the cruise line can do is treat us like adults and give us our money back and let us decide if we want to cruise again...

 

rccl has done this

 

carnival group has NOT...THIS IS VERY TELLING TO ME!

 

and for those that think this is overblown...look at this map...

http://healthmap.org/swineflu

 

we will cruise when we IN OUR 60'S feel safe and we pray to god it will happen sooner than later....