11/05/05 Western - Who's with Us?

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

I don't think we'll be going to Cozumel-it looks like it took quite a beating. It doesn't look like Grand Cayman had too much damage, though. We'll have to wait and see about Key West. I think that if there is no damage to Key West and if there is nothing brewing in the Western Caribbean when we sail, we'll probably go to Key West, Grand Cayman and possibly a day at sea instead of Cozumel. I think if Key West is also damaged, we'll probably sail Eastern. Even though I'm not thrilled about the Eastern itinerary (did it before) at least I'll be on DCL in the warm Caribbean having fun! Or, it would be nice if they diverted us to CC for a 2nd day! I'm just a little worried about TS Alpha. It looks like it's headed for the lower portion of the Bahamas. All we can do is ask for a little "faith, trust, and pixie dust" and watch the Weather Channel for the next 2 weeks .

 

[Suzanne]

My DS and I really wanted to do our excursion at Cozumel,
swimming with the dolphins.
I don't want to play the game : "where do you think we'll
be going on our cruise"

I don't want to play either! I was really looking forward to the Tulum Ruins. I mean I was expecting ruins anyway so it's not like I'd be disappointed.

Oh just in case the mean flamer guy from the main board is looking. My comments are meant somewhat tongue in cheek. I have many friends in Fla including one who lost everything last year (their house was leveled). And my own husband is currently sitting in the Gulf of Mexico. So yes, I do have respect for those in the storm's path. But darn it (insert whiney voice here) I wanted to go to Tulum!!!

 

[Suzanne]

Well I just went through my Birnbaum's guide and now I'm nervous. There weren't really any excursions that I would be interested in. I won't even get off the boat in Nassau, and St. Maarten/St. Thomas seem to just be beach or shopping. I don't really do either. My son is mildly allergic to sea water so we always plan excursions around land based activities. I know I should be happy to just be going and, if it's just Cozumel that's changed, I'll be ok but if it's all Eastern I will definitely feel like someone on their first DW trip who has just been told all Disney parks are closed but 'hey it's half price at Sea World!'. Yes you're still on vacation but it's just not the same.

 

[love2travel]

I was just on stormcarib.com and it said that the ports are heavily damaged, so I don't think they will have them repaired in less than two weeks.

Thinking of all the people in the storms path.

 

[annb65]

I have been watching another board. thought I should share this:


On a message board for Cozumel, the board moderator has quoted from a source (the spelling is not mine(!):
"News from Coz.....Got it off a message board:

"Word from Cozumel @8:15pm"

I just got off the phone with a very close Cozumeleno friend of ours who owns sereval businesses on the island. He lives on 2 about two blocks from the waterfront. He and his family are okay as is everyone else they know. (Thank God) His house he said was ok but "a little messed up" with some minor damages. Despite his positive sounding voice after that, everything he said broke my heart. He runs the 1st dive palapa in Chanaknaab and went out to see how it faired ... "Chankanaab is destroyed" he said. He said nothing is there but jungle. The clear lagoon, it is full of sand and debris. He said the buildings in the park did not survive either. I kept asking about certain things in the park and he kept having to tell me over and over again ... "It is all gone". The only pier they have now that is functional is the one to Playa del Carmen. Puerta Maya (Carnival's pier) is also destroyed. He said all of the shops that were there are gone. Poncho's Backyard at Puerta Maya is "just gone" along with all of the other shops there. He told me that the hotel we always stay at (Casa Mexicana) was "mostly okay", but the rug store below it, along with all of the other ocean front stores were completely gutted. He said that the sea came two blocks into San Miguel. He has taken and will continue taking pictures to email to us. I will post them as soon as he is able to send them. I cannot tell you how painful it is know that all of the places I love so dearly are gone. Thoughts of moving to cozumel are what keeps me going when I have a bad day at work. I think about it all the time. We have pictures all over our house of our favorite places on the island. It really is a part of us, and this is just so hard to grasp. Worse than the loss of our favorite place to drink margaritas, or our beloved drives to the wild side of the island, is how badly the locals will be hurt from this. No piers = No cruise ships = No money. So many locals will be struggling for money to rebuild there homes, but they cant go to work until the places they worked are rebuilt. Our hearts and our prayers go out to the people of Cozumel. Carmelita!"
The moderator has been asked the source.

 

[Dizma]

My heart goes out to all those affected by that nasty girl "Wilma".

This is just devastating! The mayor of Key West just said that they are under 2-3 feet of water. I would venture to say that we will not be doing any of the western itinerary. My money is on an eastern. I'm also wondering if the Radison and the Ron Jon will be accomadating us the night before. What a shame that the trip we have been planning and looking forward to will be completely different then what we thought. Who would have thought?

 

[3swimmers]

I called my travel agent again this weekend since my documents still have not arrived, and was told there is a delay in documents coming from Disney, and there could be several errors, so check carefullly. They told me if I do not have documents by this weekend, to call back. I will be driving out on Thursday, Nov 3rd, so I am getting a bit anxious. I hope all goes well. Our newspaper today said there is looting going on in Cancun, and there is no food in Cozumel. We have a friend that is flying out to Cancun on Wednesday, and her motel (Marriot) will not let her cancel her trip. I hope all goes well for all of us. Claire

 

[Suzanne]

I am very sad to say but if DCL goes ALL Eastern for our cruise & I have the option to cancel I will be doing so. I just keep going over & over the information on the boards, in my Birnbaum's & my passporter but there is just nothing of interest to me. It's nothing but beaches as far as I can tell. The idea of spending an entire day sitting on a beach (no matter how beautiful) is like watching paint dry to me. I don't like to tan (my father died with skin cancer) and I usually find the ocean far to cold to swim in. I hate to sound negitive, but my heart is just broken right now.

 

[my3m]

Ok, Am i the only one who did not get the docs. Western or Eastern, we are there. I know it's not going to be the same but heck, we waited for over a year and we are celebrating our 15th Anniversary so we will make it fun.

 

[3swimmers]

Suzanne,

I know how you feel. This is the first time we have ever spent this much money on a vacation, and probably will not have an opportunity to ever do this again. I really wanted to go on the Western route, and so did my family. I don't know if canceling will be an option, or if we will just go with the flow. I am trying to convince myself that just being on the boat will be a blast, and if I want Mexican crafts, I will have to wait about 10-20 more years. Claire

 

[Merylj]

This hurricane has been terrible for the people of Mexico, my sister was evacuated from there in July and then they said it was rare for them to get a hit, so to get Wilma as well is truly bad luck.
I feel bad about still looking forward to my cruise, whatever the itinery is.

Our doc`s arrived today However it took half an hour for me to get me hands on them! DD would not let go and she`s staying at home this trip.

 

[Turtlegirl]

Hi everyone! We have not gotten our docs yet-I'm hoping they'll be waiting for us when we get home from work today. While we were looking forward to Western itinerary, we just planned to walk around Key West and go to 7 mile Beach in GC and Nachi Cocum in Cozumel as we have a toddler and did not want to plan excursions, so now we'll have to see about beaches elsewhere-I wonder when we'll know. I wish the islands a speedy recovery and am hoping for good weather for our cruise...

 

[my3m]

Talked to Donna, she was wonderful. She gave me the details where my docs are and she told me it is in transit and that we should have it today.

If you booked your cruise thru DU, call this number 1-888-374-0494 and provide your confirmation #.

Went shopping last weekend and almost there completing everything. Sooo excited, kinda bummed about not possibly going to KW, GC or Coz but oh well, my DD and DS are out of school (they are in Year round) so I told them to research for things they like to do in Eastern itinerary.

Was looking forward to shopping in Key West, those sandals by Kino's and Paradise Beach in Cozumel but..........

Praying for those who was hit hard by Wilma....

 

[Nala11]

At this point I just want to know where we're going. I would rather they change to an Eastern than deal with possibly not docking at Western ports, but I can understand those who are disappointed. I am too, but still looking forward to the cruise. I'm a planner though - had excursions and Palo days scheduled out months ago - so it's driving me crazy having it up in the air like this!

This is not to be insensitive about those who live in the affected areas - I absolutely feel bad for them. At least it seems there hasn't been much loss of life from this one.

 

[poohssmum]

We still don't have our docs yet either I'm sorry for all of you so upset by the potential change in itinerary that you'd cancel your vacation We were on the first DCL cruise that stopped at Grand Cayman last year and it was horrible. IMHO they were not yet ready for tourists to return. The island was still devastated. A lot of stores/restaurants were closed, and those that were open had limited inventory or supplies. We stopped at one establishment that had no coasters for drinks and were running low on napkins because there was no room on the cargo ships for those things.

I think I'd rather do an alternate itinerary than visit another port trying to "recover" from a hurricane. I, too will be very disappointed in missing out on Cozumel ... it's my favorite part of the cruse. But I will be on the ship with my family and our friends and we will have a great time together no matter where we end up. Many prayers for the people of Cozumel that they can rebuild and recover soon.

 

[michlynb]

Hi,

Not trying to change anyone's mind, but I want to say that I have been to St Marteen and St Thomas on a cruise, and I absolutely loved both places. St. Marteen has the beach with the most beautiful water I have ever swimmed in (and I am a beach person and have been to alot of them). The shopping and food are awesome on the French side as well.

St. thomas has great shopping, and also stunning beaches. I did not go to St Johns last time, but I think I would this time as I hear it is a little paradise.

They are also fascinating places culturally in their own right, I think much more so than Grand Cayman. So I for one will not despair at all if we go Eastern, even though I had never gone Western and was looking forward to it. I have always wanted to revisit both those Eastern ports.

 

[3swimmers]

Ok here's a question. How does Disney handle an itinerary change? I have an excursion for "shipwreck snorkeling" in Grand Cayman. Will they just change my booking for a comperable trip on the Eastern, or will I be scrambling trying to book something on board? Claire

 

[EMMOM]

I finally got my DOCS I booked with DU. I am very disappointed about not being able to do the western cruise, but I do agree with everyone we have waited so long and kids are so excited to be going with all their friends it will be fun anyway. We went on the eastern 2 years ago, and there is one reason I am happy if we do it again. There is an extra day at sea which I loved having to enjoy the ship. It is very sad about what happened and I feel horrible for all those people, I am still so excited about going on this cruise.

 

[3swimmers]

I called Disney Cruise line, and was told there has not been an official change to our itinerary yet. Have you heard differently? Will they post it on the website, or how do they relay the info? Claire

 

[Lauri]

Our DU docs just came. I feel like I should be so excited, but I'm so sad after reading about the devestation in Cozumel. I know we will have a good time where ever we go, but as a long-term planner, I just wish they'd let us know where we are going to go, so we can begin planning again. I'm trying to find a bright side...Maybe we'll book again for a Western next year.