Upcoming port/itinerary changes HERE

[disneymagicgirl]

I received an email with this same stock paragraph, and it's crap. It was sent AFTER the latest chaos hit PR but clearly written BEFORE that. Or they are delusional and think an island without electricity and with failing dams is ready to host cruise ships. None of us are going to PR anytime in the next few months, unless it's with a humanitarian volunteer organization. Just like no one is stopping on St Thomas or Tortola. Even hinting that these ports will be back in action in "a few more weeks" is ridiculous.

So, going into my booking window, which opens next weekend, I have ZERO useful information. I do not know where my cruise will go, or when the sea days will be. I don't particularly care - I'll be happy if we float around the ocean for 7 days. But it cannot be said that either Disney or the travel agency who sent the above email is actually providing any useful information at this point. So I'll probably throw a dart and book Remy for what might or might not be a sea day, register my kiddo for the club and call it a day. First world problems.

I agree. On our cruise page we were saying how it was so ridiculous they were sticking with our itinerary hadn't changed even though everyone knew it would. People would appreciate them just saying "we are working on itinerary changes for your sailing and we will update you as soon as it is confirmed" instead of pretending it was going on as planned.

 

[ITGirl50]

I agree. On our cruise page we were saying how it was so ridiculous they were sticking with our itinerary hadn't changed even though everyone knew it would. People would appreciate them just saying "we are working on itinerary changes for your sailing and we will update you as soon as it is confirmed" instead of pretending it was going on as planned.

Yea and we are selling the Eastern in less than 30 days on Oct 21. I'm wondering if they are having trouble getting port adventure vendors lined up on the western? We are all trying to decide what we want to do on the western based on their current offerings, but what if there are very few options available when they finally tell us?

 

[PlutoPony]

First cruise ship post Irma docked in Key West today. It was RC's Emerald of the Seas with 880 passengers.
So maybe KW now becomes a possibility to fill some open slots in itineraries.....

 

[Dug720]

First cruise ship post Irma docked in Key West today. It was RC's Emerald of the Seas with 880 passengers.
So maybe KW now becomes a possibility to fill some open slots in itineraries.....

I'm not sure that Key West can take the Dream Class ships.

I know the Classics call on her sometimes - so that might be an option for the Wonder and/or Magic...BUT there are also two docks only, one on a Naval base where you have to be shuttled off of it and one at Mallory Square, so timing might be an issue.

And Empress is a smaller ship - possibly the smallest in RCCL's fleet.

 

[phinz]

Just like no one is stopping on St Thomas or Tortola. Even hinting that these ports will be back in action in "a few more weeks" is ridiculous.

FWIW, the governor of the USVI has said they will be ready to take cruise ships (and other tourists) by January. I don't see it happening, but that's what he has been saying.

 

[phinz]

I'm not sure that Key West can take the Dream Class ships.

I know the Classics call on her sometimes - so that might be an option for the Wonder and/or Magic...BUT there are also two docks only, one on a Naval base where you have to be shuttled off of it and one at Mallory Square, so timing might be an issue.

And Empress is a smaller ship - possibly the smallest in RCCL's fleet.

There are actually three docks. Mallory Square, Westin and Outer Mole. The Outer Mole could easily hold a Dream class ship. The biggest issue, to my understanding, is the channel. It's narrow and would require tugs under certain conditions.

 

[Dug720]

There are actually three docks. Mallory Square, Westin and Outer Mole. The Outer Mole could easily hold a Dream class ship. The biggest issue, to my understanding, is the channel. It's narrow and would require tugs under certain conditions.

Ah, gotcha. I only knew of two.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

FWIW, the governor of the USVI has said they will be ready to take cruise ships (and other tourists) by January. I don't see it happening, but that's what he has been saying.

The governor of the USVI also said there was never any looting on St. John or St. Thomas, either, though, and I'm pretty sure no one believed that one either.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Still nothing for the 10/21 sailing? Anyone on that one?

 

[ITGirl50]

Still nothing for the 10/21 sailing? Anyone on that one?

We are in that one and no news. Someone on our FB group said DCL told them they would tell us two weeks before our sail date. I hope they were wrong.

 

[Miller9568]

Still nothing for the 10/21 sailing? Anyone on that one?

We are on 10/21. I have not received even 1 email from DCL. Since DCL has alternate ports reserved, it seems they should let people know so people know what the status is?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We are in that one and no news. Someone on our FB group said DCL told them they would tell us two weeks before our sail date. I hope they were wrong.

Yikes! I think they must be concerned with a lot of people postponing with too much notice. Technically they don't have to allow it though.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It may be that they have ports reserved but do not have the shore excursions to a point of being bookable.

While I know many would prefer to know the new ports even if excursions aren't bookable, I'm pretty sure another (loud) contingent would have a cow about the change not being bookable.

 

[Linda67]

We are booked on to an Eastern at the end of November and to be honest, we don't really mind where we go, as long as we are on the ship. However, I do think that DCL should be sending out some kind of communication by now, especially for those on the 10/21 sailing
Even if they don't have everything lined up in terms of excursions and such, I think people would prefer to at least know if their itinerary is going to change (I know I do)

 

[christianweecare]

We were scheduled for the 9/07 Fantasy that was cancelled. We have been able to rebook and now we are supposed to be sailing on the 10/21 Fantasy. DH & I don't know where we are going. Assuming it will be a western. We are really not planning any excursions. We'll wait and see what happens..

 

[SJerseyMommy]

We're on the 11/4 sailing of the Fantasy. I'm getting frustrated with the lack of communication! Is crazy to think that we're going on vacation is less than 2 months and we don't know where we're going. lol That said, we plan to make the best of it and it will still be 100x better than being at work!

What concerns me most though is the crowding at the ports if we do go Western. When I look at the port schedules it seems like the ports are anticipating double to triple the amount of people they normally get.

 

[ITGirl50]

We are on 10/21. I have not received even 1 email from DCL. Since DCL has alternate ports reserved, it seems they should let people know so people know what the status is?

I guess I'm in a bad mood this morning about all this. I stayed on hold with DCL for 38 minutes to try to change our brunch from the second sea day to the last sea day. We understand Grand Cayman is the port they are offering brunch on to make up for the missing second sea day and that's the only port we like. Brunch is available for tables of 4 or 6 on the last sea day, but not for parties of 2, so they won't change it for us. We are Gold and paid in full 105 days out to get what we wanted. Disney is doing a terrible job with this change. I think too many people are giving them a pass on how they are handling this. The ship is on the port schedule for Grand Cayman and Jamaica! This is so rediculous.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I guess I'm in a bad mood this morning about all this. I stayed on hold with DCL for 38 minutes to try to change our brunch from the second sea day to the last sea day. We understand Grand Cayman is the port they are offering brunch on to make up for the missing second sea day and that's the only port we like. Brunch is available for tables of 4 or 6 on the last sea day, but not for parties of 2, so they won't change it for us. We are Gold and paid in full 105 days out to get what we wanted. Disney is doing a terrible job with this change. I think too many people are giving them a pass on how they are handling this. The ship is on the port schedule for Grand Cayman and Jamaica! This is so rediculous.

If you're on a cruise meet, maybe check if someone is willing to go with you to make a table of 4 or 6? Inconvenient, though. Also, keep checking. They may decide to change a few of those larger tables to smaller tables.

I agree that something should be said to cruisers. I also think it's ridiculous to expect people on Easterns (that probably will become Westerns) to just keep booking excursions. There may be a lack of people to make decisions about all this, but it seems that's where the priority should be. I think 2019 will be delayed because of this and should be until more is finalized.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I guess I'm in a bad mood this morning about all this. I stayed on hold with DCL for 38 minutes to try to change our brunch from the second sea day to the last sea day. We understand Grand Cayman is the port they are offering brunch on to make up for the missing second sea day and that's the only port we like. Brunch is available for tables of 4 or 6 on the last sea day, but not for parties of 2, so they won't change it for us. We are Gold and paid in full 105 days out to get what we wanted. Disney is doing a terrible job with this change. I think too many people are giving them a pass on how they are handling this. The ship is on the port schedule for Grand Cayman and Jamaica! This is so rediculous.

Are character breakfast ended up on Grand Cayman morning. Like you, that is the only port we are even remotely interested in repeating. I have tried to change it and there's no other availability at all.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We are supposed to leave for our 11 night trip in about nine days. It's crazy, but I am not excited at all. I'm really on the fence about what to do here.