9/25 Magic can not dock at Port Canaveral

[Dave_from_Marietta]

...at least not according to an evacuation order issued by Port Canaveral. All vessels need to be out of port by 10am Saturday morning (www.portcanaveral.org/evacuationorder.doc).

There's nothing on the DCL site yet about changes to this cruise... only changes to the current and next Wonder cruises.

 

[CM_Mom]

Whoops, that's a new twist. I guess we'll find out tomorrow what the Magic will do. Do you think the port might change the order if Jeanne slows down? I wonder if that's what JanDave was talking about when they posted (live from the 9/18 Magic thread) that Captain Tom had announced that they would be in port late Friday night or early Saturday?

DCL has already postponed the Wonder docking till Monday.

Unfortunately that Evacuation Order sounds like Port Everglades and the other Eastern Florida ports won't be available either if the Coast Guard has decided that they're not safe.

Sounds like the Magic may be in for another Magical Mystery Tour.

 

[allears]

I called DCL many hours ago, after reading the port announcement. The agent I spoke to was not aware of the order or any changes as yet. And the web site doesn't have anything on it. I'm not sure what tha all means, but I know we'll need to stay in touch and see where they take the ship. We get to Orlando tomorrow evening, so we should be good that way. Then we'll just have to see what Saturday brings. I expect they will dock the Magic somwhere in the state and get those folks off and to where they need to go and bus us to wherever we can board. We'll have to see what the new day brings and what decisions get made as the storm gets closer, or not.

 

[sandersiii]

Just talked w/ Disney. They didn't want to admit the Port was closing. I guess they'll be paying the fine as they still say it's a go Saturday. I did call the Port line and the 8:00 advisory stated the Port would completely shut down at 18:00 Saturday evening. This was of course subject to change. Sounds like we'll have a rough initial 24 hours on board being so close to the storm. Please post if you hear anything!

 

[allears]

Just got a call from my TA, as of this 9 am this morning (9/24) DCL is planning business as usual for tomorrow. They said the port acutally has to be cleared by first thing Sunday morning. They did say they are going to try an off load and re-load passengers as quickly as possible and may pull out of port early. They did say if the storm track looks like it is goning to change (right now it's looking toward PC) they may move to Port Evergaldes.

It is probably way cheaper for DCL to pay the fines, than pay another port's charges and then the expense of moving their operation and whole transportation system.

 

[beachbumfamily]

for all of us sailing on the 25th (hopefully) ,what we must do is all keep calm the people at disney that we speak to are not the ones who make the decisions for what ever reason ( financial i guess ) the puppet masters at dcl keep everything close to there chest ,as irritating as it maybe we just have to get on with it and we will find out when there ready to let us know i am sure eventually we will have a wonderful cruise and leave our stress behind with hurricane jeanne

 

[kskirk]

I can't wait to get on the ship tomorrow , I have the dramamine ready, just in case!!! There has been some talk about possibly changing the departure port to the Everglades. I don't know where this port is located. Is is very far from port canaveral? I am assuming the bus that picks us up at the Orlando airport would bring us to the new port, if that is what happens. Does anyone know how long of a ride it is from the airport to the Everglades port?

Can't wait for the Magic to begin, no matter what happens!!!

 

[jel0511]

Originally posted by kskirk
I can't wait to get on the ship tomorrow , I have the dramamine ready, just in case!!! There has been some talk about possibly changing the departure port to the Everglades. I don't know where this port is located. Is is very far from port canaveral? I am assuming the bus that picks us up at the Orlando airport would bring us to the new port, if that is what happens. Does anyone know how long of a ride it is from the airport to the Everglades port?

Can't wait for the Magic to begin, no matter what happens!!!

Port Everglades is located in Fort Lauderdale, about a 4 hour drive from the Orlando airport or Port Canaveral. Good luck everyone sailing tomorrow!

 

[allears]

for what ever reason ( financial i guess ) the puppet masters at dcl keep everything close to there chest

I believe the reason for this is the highly volitile and unpredictable nature of hurricanes. If they make a decision based on the 8 am advisories, by 11 they've changed. DCL is trying to do the best they can and minimize inconvienece as much is as possible. And they do have money to worry about too. If this were a clear cut situation, I'm sure decisions would be made and communicated quickly. But it's not, it swings in the wind with the stupid storm.

But you're so right, we have to just stay in touch and roll with the waves, which I plan on doing tomorrow on the Magic with a tall, tall drink!

 

[mrsltg]

Hi kskirk - Port Everglades is about 3.5-4 hours by bus. It's in the Fort Lauderdale area, about one mile from Fort Lauderdale airport. The plan two weeks ago for the 9/11 Magic was free transportation to PE. I'd imagine they'd do the same thing for these cruises.

Erin

 

[kskirk]

Lori & Erin,

Thank you both for your replies. I was assuming that the bus at Orlando airport would probably just bring us to Port Everglades, if necessary. It should make for a very interesting 4 hour ride with a 2 year old...but if that is the worst that happens with everything going on, I can handle it.

I just want to get there safe and let the cruise begin!!!

 

[beachbumfamily]

stick your name on your chest allears and i'll join you for a long tall drink

 

[mrsltg]

It should make for a very interesting 4 hour ride with a 2 year old

Another choice is renting a car one-way between the airports. It's not that expensive (this was the option we had on the back-burner a couple of weeks ago), and then you could go at your leisure.

Erin

 

[cjsmith]

Originally posted by beachbumfamily
the puppet masters at dcl keep everything close to there chest ,as irritating as it maybe we just have to get on with it and we will find out when there ready to let us know i [/UOTE]

It's not that the puppet masters at dcl is keeping secrets, it's just that the reports are changing constantly. Yesterday's 5 am report showed it missing Florida completely and hitting the North Carolina area. By mid afternoon, they completely changed the report and now Florida was once again targeted, mainly from West Palm Beach to Cape Canaveral. This am, it has shifted again and the eye may come through alittle further north.
This hurricane season has been so unusual. Charley changed, Francis too forever, Ivan changed dramatically, then a piece of him came back around and hit us again, went through the Gulf and hit Texas. The Emergency management teams down here don't know which end is up and are dealing with yet a 4th hurricane hitting within 6 weeks. Bear in mind that Mother Nature is a fickle thing and we've all been taught that lesson this hurricane season. We've been very lucky these last 5 years down here and the cruise industry has been very lucky as well. This season has been dramatically different and has shown us all that plans and our lives are subject to be completely changed. Planning any travel to the southern states and the Caribbean as well as cruising is going to have to be taken more on a day-to-day basis and we're all going to have to learn to roll with the punches. We've all had to learn to adjust our lives, work schedules, travel schedules, and social schedules down here for the last 6 weeks. There are days when we don't know which end is up! I have a cruise planned leaving from San Juan on 10/24 and still have no idea which ports we're going to. They had to change Venezula due to political unrest and now who knows what they'll do with our Grenada stop. I guess just like I've been doing on a daily basis these last few weeks, I'll have to learn that I can't control everything and have everything planned to a "T" as curves are going to be thrown my way!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Originally posted by beachbumfamily
stick your name on your chest allears and i'll join you for a long tall drink

I was thinking the same thing -- I'll buy. Allears, are you a mediator by trade?

 

[CRSNDSNY]

OH, I cannot believe this is happening again. Poor cruisers and poor Floridians...I feel terribly for all of you!!! Will it ever end???

 

[beachbumfamily]

macylynn beachbum says lets make it a party

 

[nancygop]

I was on the ill-fated 9/04 Magic cruise that finally sailed on 9/07. DCL had to bus us from Port Orleans (about 300 of us) to Port Everglades................it is about a 4 hour ride. I did it with my 4 1/2 year old son who (thank God!) slept all but the first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes of the ride.

It is a boring ride, but they had TV's on that had cartoons and there is a bathroom (barely!) in case the little ones can't hold it. Or the big ones - LOL!

As far as a one way rental - I would just take the DCL transportation that they offer you since it will put you right in front on the terminal at Port Everglades. If you rented a car then you would have to drop it off and get a ride to the terminal with all your luggage and your children..............not the route I would take.

Anyway, good luck - I have been there - done that! Hopefully your group will get much more better communication than we had - we basically had none with DCL. All of our info. came from the DIS boards!

Good Luck!!!

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

I just called DCL. The CM said:

They are docking at 8 tonight and are not sure when they are going to get passengers off the ship;

Our cruise MAY involve a cruise itinerary change or a shortened itinerary;

She is not sure if we will be getting on the ship tomorrow or if they will be boarding us at Canaveral;

They do not currently have an earlier boarding time than scheduled; and

They may not make the decision until tomorrow morning.

As we've all discussed here in the pat few days, and as allears has propounded, make sure you keep in touch with DCL. The CM said that given the volume of calls they would have to make, they cannot guarantee that they can call everyone.

 

[dis4me]

Good Luck everyone on this cruise. I hope Florida escapes this one. This has been such a volatile saon. I hope the prediction is wrong and Jeanne sets back out to sea or disipates.

It is so nice the read all your positive words towards what is happening. Keep up the great attitudes and have a great vacation MYSTERY and all.