We didn't make it to Castaway Cay

[stitch'sgirl]

I'm right with you Donaldrees, I think an extra OBC for a future cruise would be nice, like saying "we are sorry we couldn't get you to CC this time, but we really want you to experience it, so please choose to sail with DCL again."

I too was on Tikibirds' 2/4 cruise, and was really disappointed to be that close and not step foot on the island. Someone else mentioned not being mentally prepared for a day at sea, and I totally agree. I just felt discombobulated all day long, trying to figure out where to go, what to do - I was frantically writing the activities on my dry erase board as they were being called out on the PA, and I still didn't make it to many.

After talking to DCL execs about a different issue (unintentionally stolen luggage), I am not surprised that they don't offer anything for missing ports, even when it guarantees additional money for them in the long run (i.e., additional OBC for a future cruise). Disney on sea is much different than Disney on land. sigh....

 

[scuba]

My family of three was on this itenerary, missed CC. I actually felt that the crew really wasn't prepared to miss the island and I thought it was a fiasco. Really should'nt they already have navigators printed? activities already planned out and named PLAN B? It was more than frustrating, and yes I was more than &%#@ mad. Cannot do anything about it however. I had to watch our 4 year old cry for 15 mintues because she couldn't build a sandcastle. the night before she put out all her Disney pirincess figures out to take onto the island to use with said sandcastle. Please I don't need anyone to tell me if I can be mad or not. My wife and I are cruise verterans. I have read plenty of cruise contracts and are aware that missed ports can happen. Before the 2/4 Wonder sailing we had been on 11 cruises, this was out 1st Disney cruise. One other time we missed COCO CAY but we were without children that time and we made due. We've since recoved, after leaving the cabin to begin our day the elevator opened up onto the deck 4 to strolling princesses. I was most certainly mad however that we didn't see CC. Mad at the weather, the wind, the Thrusters, mad at the crews seemingly bewilderment that we missed the island.

I was also mad that I waited in a line 10 passesngers deep for popcorn and drinks, paid 20 some dollars to find that the theater housing the princess and the frog was filled to capacity. Oh there was a seat her and there. I cannot fathom why I hear it to ad nauseum at WDW about filling in all the available seats only to NOT see it on the cruise line. I was there 20 minutes in advance...that was a bummer as well. This was not the smoothest cruise i've been on.

lastly, picture this 3 miles out from the Cape, my wife and myself and about 150 other passesngers on deck 10 forward freezing our tails off at 0430 in the am. All eyes on the shuttle, nothing...scrubbed launch, again a bummer. The trip had little frustrating quirks, but hey the children are healthy and i have an attractive wife who love me...I'l take the quirks

 

[TinksDH]

Disney on sea is much different than Disney on land. sigh....

Not really. If the weather in EPCOT is bad and they have to shut down Test Track, do you get a free day in the parks? If it rains and they cancel Fantasmic even after you purchased the dinner with the special seating just to ensure a seat, do you get reimbursed for your meal? If Soarin' has mechanical problems do you get a golden fast pass for the next day? ALL of these things happen on land, just like not being able to get into Castaway Cay. It's the nature of the industry.

And don't think it doesn't happen on other cruise lines either. We cruised to Bermuda on Princess Cruise some years ago and had bad weather in port and all the way back. We were supposed to move from St. George to Hamilton after a night in St. George, but the weather was so bad they couldn't get through the narrows safely. So we sat in St. George an extra day, in the rain, and there is much less to do there than in Hamilton. Did we get anything extra? Nope, just spent more money at the cruise ship bar.

I'm wondering what "deluxe alternatives" would be acceptable, aside from just throwing some OBC's at people. You can't quite just decide to go to the Bahamas if you can't get into Castaway Cay on the spur of the moment! What DO other cruise lines do to make up for them not getting into a port? I understand that there are times when the tenders can't run in some of the Caribbean ports, and that obviously effects more lines than just DCL.

 

[dan and scott]

As I stated before we were on the Wonder 2/4 sailing.
As I recall Holland or Royal had TENDERED their passengers to their so called private island (or beach) a few years ago.---and thats not trying to back a $375 million dollar ship into a narrow channel full of passengers (with gail force winds at 38mph and 8-13ft.white cappped waves) with the cappability of 30mph thrusters on the ship--- anyways a storm came up and STRANDED the passengers on their little piece of paradise overnight without any services such as food,water,blankets, and LOCKED UP buildings where they could take any shelter. The passengers somehow broke into the buildings and found some water. The passengers were not able to get rescued to the ship until the next day.
So I really can understand Capt. Gus not wanting to smash the Wonder into the dock last Saturday. I really don't want to sink into the ocean just so i can get to CC even if it would have been my 1st DCL cruise.

DCL does not control the weather.

Missing CC 3 times out of 18 cruises to me is a good record as we usually sail during hurricane season on the Magic for the past 11yrs.


Scott

 

[scuba]

As I stated before we were on the Wonder 2/4 sailing.
As I recall Holland or Royal had TENDERED their passengers to their so called private island (or beach) a few years ago.---and thats not trying to back a $375 million dollar ship into a narrow channel full of passengers (with gail force winds at 38mph and 8-13ft.white cappped waves) with the cappability of 30mph thrusters on the ship--- anyways a storm came up and STRANDED the passengers on their little piece of paradise overnight without any services such as food,water,blankets, and LOCKED UP buildings where they could take any shelter. The passengers somehow broke into the buildings and found some water. The passengers were not able to get rescued to the ship until the next day.
So I really can understand Capt. Gus not wanting to smash the Wonder into the dock last Saturday. I really don't want to sink into the ocean just so i can get to CC even if it would have been my 1st DCL cruise.

DCL does not control the weather.

Missing CC 3 times out of 18 cruises to me is a good record as we usually sail during hurricane season on the Magic for the past 11yrs.


Scott

I think your missing the point, no one wants to get stranded, no one wants to sink the boat, as a cruise veteran I have missed 1 port before. I get that ships miss ports. I am also very happy that the Captain tried twice. It was far more then what other lines might have done in the same situation. What has irked me about the thread is it's ok to be mad, disappointed, and frustrated. Some have indicated that we should feel none of the above. There is such hype about CC, who knows when I might make it back? A missed opportunity, but that's life.

as a side note, DCL might not control the weather but WDW sure does, they must have made a fortune on ponchos last Tuesday the 9th. Man, selling like hotcakes....never in all of my life have I seen so much bad weather from a state that claims to be the sunshine state. I cannot remember a time that there wasn't record cold spells when we visited. One year we had sleet on main street. Seriously does the sun come out in Florida?

 

[donaldrees]

I think those are exagerrations a bit, no?

I don't think you can compare a future cruise onboard credit with a refund of a meal that you've already eaten, a free day in the parks because it rained or a golden fast-pass.

I work in the travel industry, future credits cost the company nothing and pretty much guarantee that you'll book with them again to use your credit and that will give them the opportunity to redeem themselves.

 

[stitch'sgirl]

Not really. If the weather in EPCOT is bad and they have to shut down Test Track, do you get a free day in the parks? If it rains and they cancel Fantasmic even after you purchased the dinner with the special seating just to ensure a seat, do you get reimbursed for your meal? If Soarin' has mechanical problems do you get a golden fast pass for the next day? ALL of these things happen on land, just like not being able to get into Castaway Cay. It's the nature of the industry.


QUOTE]

Wow- was talking about the missing luggage there... not the weather. No need to go off.

I have experienced many magical moments over the past 36 years with CMs going out of their way to knock your socks off, without asking (on land). Not so with this trip with disappearing luggage. DCL was rude and uncaring - HOWEVER, as usual, WDW CMs picked up the pieces and made it right and it wasn't even their problem.

Again, I stand by my statement that DCL is much different than WDW. I've never had a WDW CM say "well you should have purchased insurance..."
'nuff said.

 

[TinksDH]

Now this is ironic, isn't it?? The Magic got stuck in Castaway Cay due to weather. Now everybody who is on board will have issues getting out of FL, everyone scheduled to get on the Magic will need to find something to do for the day, and now it's possible that the Wonder may have its trip interrupted tomorrow if the Magic is still in port as they share the same dock.

You have to wonder if the captain made the conscious decision to dock at Castaway Cay even though the afternoon weather was looking iffy. After all, we know how upset people may get when they don't get their Castaway Cay stop. Starting tomorrow on the boards we'll see people who were on the cruise start to post, and I guarantee you there will be a thread from at least one passenger who would have rather skipped Castaway Cay as the weather looked bad versus docking there. Darned if you do, darned if you didn't. Hopefully the folks on this cruise purchased trip insurance, as so much more can go wrong on a cruise than on land - illness, weather, lost luggage due to the sheer amount of bags that in such a short time that must be collected, go through customs, put out for folks, etc.

 

[safetymom]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/2/13/disney_magic_stuck_in_bahamas.html

PORT CANAVERAL -- News 13 has learned high winds have left the Disney Magic cruise ship stuck in the Bahamas.
The ship was due back at Port Canaveral Saturday morning.

Port security officials confirmed to News 13 that 50 mph winds and high waves have kept the ship from undocking from Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island.

The port said it did not expect the ship to be back in Central Florida until at least 6 or 7 p.m. Saturday, though officials added it may be closer to 8 p.m. before the ship arrives.

The Disney Magic will have to cruise into the northwesterly wind on its journey back to the U.S. It is expected to take 13 hours to reach Port Canaveral.

The delay impacts thousands of people, including those already on the ship, and the thousands more who were set to head out Saturday afternoon on the Disney Magic’s next seven-day cruise.

The delay means the Disney Wonder, due at Port Canaveral Sunday, may have to dock at another location, or wait until the Magic unloads and then reloads passengers and supplies before heading out again.

 

[TinksDH]

Not really. If the weather in EPCOT is bad and they have to shut down Test Track, do you get a free day in the parks? If it rains and they cancel Fantasmic even after you purchased the dinner with the special seating just to ensure a seat, do you get reimbursed for your meal? If Soarin' has mechanical problems do you get a golden fast pass for the next day? ALL of these things happen on land, just like not being able to get into Castaway Cay. It's the nature of the industry.


QUOTE]

Wow- was talking about the missing luggage there... not the weather. No need to go off.

I have experienced many magical moments over the past 36 years with CMs going out of their way to knock your socks off, without asking (on land). Not so with this trip with disappearing luggage. DCL was rude and uncaring - HOWEVER, as usual, WDW CMs picked up the pieces and made it right and it wasn't even their problem.

Again, I stand by my statement that DCL is much different than WDW. I've never had a WDW CM say "well you should have purchased insurance..."
'nuff said.

So your one experience in this situation with DCL means that they are ALWAYS much different than WDW? We've had our share of non-magical moments at WDW, but I surely didn't think this was a systemic problem with all of WDW; rather, one or two specific CM's in that particular set of circumstances. But I guess if you think that all of DCL is like this, and all of WDW is perfect, that is your opinion and I can't refute that.

 

[HallsofVA]

Now this is ironic, isn't it?? The Magic got stuck in Castaway Cay due to weather. Now everybody who is on board will have issues getting out of FL, everyone scheduled to get on the Magic will need to find something to do for the day, and now it's possible that the Wonder may have its trip interrupted tomorrow if the Magic is still in port as they share the same dock.

Not to mention the obvious, but if the Magic can't get out of Castaway Cay today, I assume that means the Wonder won't be getting to Castaway Cay today thereby ending up with another cruise of some disappointed people.

But I'd still rather be on the boat wherever it is, than in the cold and snow elsewhere!

 

[Raven9 Studios]

People need to understand that it is okay for some of us to be bummed if we do not make it to CC. It doesn't mean we hate Disney or are mad at Disney it just means we spent thousands of dollars to go on a cruise and if you can't dock at CC we are bummed and upset. Is it Disney's fault, no, they don't control the weather but it is also okay for people to be upset. It's okay for people to feel this way. I certainly would if it was me. I don't understand why we can't feel bad for those who didn't make it. I would never blame Disney in any way but I would be upset because you so look forward to going to CC.

amen! I was thinking the same thing reading thru here. I might be wrong but I believe she was just expressing disappointment not looking for a handout. why people feel the need to act like lawyers and make sure the whole disney's not accountable is beyond me. I read the contract and get it when I signed it but not everyone is wanting a hand out. When everyone jumps on a thread ripping or missing the point it makes those who are new more hesitant to ask questions afraid of the responses. This is an opinion and everyone is free to express themselves but remember the point of this board is to get GREAT information from real live experiences from great people. Please remember that when ripping or making fun of people

 

[IndyDisneyFan]

The lesson to be learned from all of this is nothing is a given, disappointments can and will happen, and when you spend a large amount of money on a vacation it is worth the investment to purchase travel insurance "just in case". My DH and I are sailing on the Magic two weeks from today and for $135 I purchased insurance to protect my vacation investment. One missing bag or long delay and I have more than made my money back. It is so little money compared to what we spent for the cruise. Unless people are alright with possible loses spend a few bucks and buy insurance! It is so worth the piece of mind!

Laura

 

[Tarabra]

amen! I was thinking the same thing reading thru here. I might be wrong but I believe she was just expressing disappointment not looking for a handout. why people feel the need to act like lawyers and make sure the whole disney's not accountable is beyond me. I read the contract and get it when I signed it but not everyone is wanting a hand out. When everyone jumps on a thread ripping or missing the point it makes those who are new more hesitant to ask questions afraid of the responses. This is an opinion and everyone is free to express themselves but remember the point of this board is to get GREAT information from real live experiences from great people. Please remember that when ripping or making fun of people

I agree. People are just jumping on everyone. Especially the other thread where the poster said she went on another cruise line and missed Disney. OMG!!! You can't say you like DCL and you can't say you don't like DCL. Lighten up everyone. Now I'm remembering why I took a year off these boards.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

My family of three was on this itenerary, missed CC. I actually felt that the crew really wasn't prepared to miss the island and I thought it was a fiasco. Really should'nt they already have navigators printed? activities already planned out and named PLAN B? It was more than frustrating, and yes I was more than &%#@ mad. Cannot do anything about it however. I had to watch our 4 year old cry for 15 mintues because she couldn't build a sandcastle. the night before she put out all her Disney pirincess figures out to take onto the island to use with said sandcastle. Please I don't need anyone to tell me if I can be mad or not. My wife and I are cruise verterans. I have read plenty of cruise contracts and are aware that missed ports can happen. Before the 2/4 Wonder sailing we had been on 11 cruises, this was out 1st Disney cruise. One other time we missed COCO CAY but we were without children that time and we made due. We've since recoved, after leaving the cabin to begin our day the elevator opened up onto the deck 4 to strolling princesses. I was most certainly mad however that we didn't see CC. Mad at the weather, the wind, the Thrusters, mad at the crews seemingly bewilderment that we missed the island.

I was also mad that I waited in a line 10 passesngers deep for popcorn and drinks, paid 20 some dollars to find that the theater housing the princess and the frog was filled to capacity. Oh there was a seat her and there. I cannot fathom why I hear it to ad nauseum at WDW about filling in all the available seats only to NOT see it on the cruise line. I was there 20 minutes in advance...that was a bummer as well. This was not the smoothest cruise i've been on.

lastly, picture this 3 miles out from the Cape, my wife and myself and about 150 other passesngers on deck 10 forward freezing our tails off at 0430 in the am. All eyes on the shuttle, nothing...scrubbed launch, again a bummer. The trip had little frustrating quirks, but hey the children are healthy and i have an attractive wife who love me...I'l take the quirks

I like the last bit,
I amfed up, doing trip around shuttle launches, NEVER Again will I even try.

 

[QVCshopper]

We're HOME!!!!

Was able to get in on a direct Southwest flight just in time for the next storm that is about to hit. VERY thankful to be here - as much as I love the Mouse - I wanted to get home to be near the rest of my family.

As for my OP - I'm not at all mad at Disney - totally understood why they could not get in after watching the second attempt - I was just looking SO forward to that Conch Cooler at Serenity Bay! That said, I did have one next to the adult pool and we made the most of our day at sea. DCL did a good job of lining activities and communicating them to everyone.

We ended up at Pop Century for two nights after the cancelled flight - DH has an AP so I purchased a one day base ticket and we went to the MK (my favorite!) yesterday. Got a great rate on the room, extended the rental and used counter service, so the overall cost was way less than it could have been. That said - note to self - PURCHASE TRIP INSURANCE NEXT TIME!!!

Thanks for the well wishes - glad to be home!

Hi Sandy -- We were on your cruise (and fish extender!) and on the 4 day cruise after your 3 day. We did get on Castaway Cay on the 4 day, and then also got stranded in Disney like you. We stayed at Pop, too, and made it home a day late.

We had a great time on the cruises, despite missing the beach the first time.

 

[atinkerbellmom]

I think those are exagerrations a bit, no?
I work in the travel industry, future credits cost the company nothing and pretty much guarantee that you'll book with them again to use your credit and that will give them the opportunity to redeem themselves.

Donaldrees- I have never gotton to know you in a thread before, but I LIKE you... This has always been my thought as well. I have said that before as well. On one of our past cruises (already mentioned), I brought many families with me that were 1st time DCLers but a few were not 1st time cruisers. All of the Vetern cruisers had complained about the DCL prices compared to the price of the cruiseline where they have given so much money they are diamond and above diamond status members. They too said they felt too that DCL missed the boat on the missing POC's. They ALL have chosen not to sail DCL again. Yet when I said I thought the solution could be for a deposit to be made towards another cruise in the future within less say 12 months was a good solution, they ALL agreed. They could even black out the Holiday Cruises and DD's which fill anyway. I too feel this cost them nothing and yet gets people back to the ship. I feel if they offer a credit towards another cruise or a deposit toward another cruise, many people will try them again. You will also have the group who can not afford to try them again but I think these people would still feel as if they were offered something. It saves people from talking bad or leaving with salt in a wound. Your point that it cost them nothing is EXACTLY what I feel as well. You offer everyone a SBC towards a deposit and you have your population that feels "well I can not let that money go to waste. Let's go back." These people in turn book another cruise go back have a wonderful time and are hooked. (Future $ for DCL).... They you have the population that can not afford the air, the time off or the cost of another cruise but yet they walk away unable to complain because DCL offered them "So much" as a compensation. Yes you have your small population of people who were going to cruise again anyway and did save money, but those do not outweigh the others.

Kind of like the kids sail free offers. Many people booked the cruise because they felt as if they were getting sooooo much. Theses many times were trips that would not have been booked. This brought DCL more money in than it cost them. Kind of like those Kohls Bucks that they offer. They offer you $10 for every $50 you spend. Well guess what... This causes people to spend more money in the store (to reach each next $50 level) and causes them to come back and spend more money LATER.... I have had friends tell me "you did not go back to spend your Kohl's bucks???" My reply is "No because I did not want to spend the additional $75 that I would have spent if I had gone back to spend it. So my point is this is EXACTLY my solution. Offer money to them to come back to spend more $.
SBC is also a win for them, but makes the guest THINK they got something for free. Let's see...... We spent our $100 on more drinks and some cheap DCL toys.... Let's see.... Got to the gift shop and spent the $45 but spent an additional $200 that I would have not spent if I had not of gone to the gift shop with that SBC. (Believe it or not, we would have NOT gone to the gift shop. We have been on the ship so often, it is just not one of our highlites). So yes DCL got more $ from me. Yes we spent it on drinks too, but guess what, being stranded on the ship for 6 days I spent a lot more $ on drinks than that extra $55 that I would have not spent if my feet had hit the land. So again DCL made more money on us than they offered us.
SOOOO....... I agree with you totally. Great solution....

 

[Fellow Passholder]

Now this is ironic, isn't it?? The Magic got stuck in Castaway Cay due to weather. Now everybody who is on board will have issues getting out of FL, everyone scheduled to get on the Magic will need to find something to do for the day, and now it's possible that the Wonder may have its trip interrupted tomorrow if the Magic is still in port as they share the same dock.

You have to wonder if the captain made the conscious decision to dock at Castaway Cay even though the afternoon weather was looking iffy. After all, we know how upset people may get when they don't get their Castaway Cay stop. Starting tomorrow on the boards we'll see people who were on the cruise start to post, and I guarantee you there will be a thread from at least one passenger who would have rather skipped Castaway Cay as the weather looked bad versus docking there. Darned if you do, darned if you didn't. Hopefully the folks on this cruise purchased trip insurance, as so much more can go wrong on a cruise than on land - illness, weather, lost luggage due to the sheer amount of bags that in such a short time that must be collected, go through customs, put out for folks, etc.

I was aboard the 2/11 sailing of the Wonder (missed CC). Count me as one who is grateful we skipped CC, although I guess I didn't start a new thread so maybe this doesn't count. Although, I also agree that it's OK to be disappointed at the same time that things didn't go as planned. Disappointed to not make it to CC, but grateful to still be intact and have made the best of a wonderful vacation. I can't imagine that CC would have been enjoyable anyways with all the wind and cool weather.

 

[caribear]

I was on the 2/6 sailing of the Magic that got "stuck" at Castway Cay. It was really unreal....Castaway was gorgeous in the morning on Friday....We left around 3:45 pm from Serenity Bay...by the time we got back to the ship the wind had picked up significantly. Almost everyone was onboard early and ready to depart. I was on deck 4 watching our departure....and it seemed like we were stuck....we couldn't back up any further as the wind and current were too strong...the water below us was churning and the water was brown instead of blue and you could hear the thrusters as they strained to do their job. We were at a standstill....and then we started to back up...the lines were thrown back out...it was surreal. The ship was at an angle and the ropes from the aft could not reach the crew on the dock...a small boat had to eventually take the ropes and bring them to the crew on the dock....very hard to do when the water was so rough. I thought we had definitely left during the night as the ship rocked like crazy. The next morning when the captain announced we were still at Castaway Cay we all looked at one another...amazed that all that rocking was while we were docked! The staff/crew were really stressed....the lines at Guest Services were unreal...chairs were eventually put out to accomodate the 3 hour wait to use the phones.

Anyhow....we tried again around 2pm on Saturday to leave Castaway Cay, but after 3 attempts we had to redock. I think we left around 3:30pm....maybe a little earlier. According to our servers (who were wonderful!!) we arrived later than expected at the port. Clearing customs was a huge hold up as many families did not report for the clearing and held up the entire process. The debarkation process was a little crazy with people lines up everywhere....but what can you expect under these circumstances. I think the crew did a wonderful job.....everyone was stressed, but they still had smiles on their faces.

We all felt terrible for everyone who was supposed to board on Saturday...plus the cruisers on the Wonder..... who we could see out on the horizon.

My girlfriends and I still had a wonderful cruise.....and one we will always remember!!

 

[donaldrees]

It is a kinda funny that this thread started and then a similar - but also - complete opposite problem occured!