Any bets on how upcoming sailings (post-Dorian/ 9/7 onward) will be changed?

[TFM1980]

If Port Canaveral is seriously damaged in the next few days will DCL instead leave from Tampa or Miami? I'm guessing Castaway Cay and other Bahamian ports are off the schedule for awhile. Will Disney still land at other impacted destinations (e.g., Eastern Carribean destinations) or switch cruise routes?

 

[Lisa F]

By all reports castaway cay only received tropical storm force winds, we'll see what the storm surge does. Nassau was well south of the hurricane and while they did receive wind and rain, it did not receive the pounding that the northern islands did.

These are Disney's two ports in the Bahamas but they are probably not devastated.

The storm is supposed to stay off shore near Florida too so while it's not nothing, it's not likely to completely destroy a modern port.

 

[lanejudy]

If Port Canaveral remains closed for an extended time, I suppose DCL would make arrangements for an alternative port. But there is a lot more than DCL using Port Canaveral so I expect disruption will be as minimal as possible because the port authority will get it back in shape to open as soon as possible. If there is significant damage to DCL’s terminal building, that could take a little longer but they would likely make arrangements to temporarily use another terminal at Port Canaveral.

As to excursion ports, some may need to be canceled. Some excursions may be canceled even if ships dock. The most likely scenario for a canceled port stop is an extra day at sea; occasionally they might change up the schedule but I wouldn’t expect that.

I think there are too many “ifs” for more detailed speculation at this point.

 

[TFM1980]

By all reports castaway cay only received tropical storm force winds, we'll see what the storm surge does. Nassau was well south of the hurricane and while they did receive wind and rain, it did not receive the pounding that the northern islands did.

These are Disney's two ports in the Bahamas but they are probably not devastated.

The storm is supposed to stay off shore near Florida too so while it's not nothing, it's not likely to completely destroy a modern port.

It will be interesting to see if Disney was right in their claims about Tropical Storm force winds. They have been getting shellacked on social media following some major publications picking up the story about Castaway Cay (Miami Herald, UK tabloids, Fox News, most Florida local outlets). Several experts have claimed that Disney's assessment has to be wrong on the windspeed because of the relative proximity to the eye and impact in other places. The storm surge is the bigger unknown--probably the more destructive force and based on what we are seeing out of even Coastal Florida right now, probably will shut the island down for awhile.

7-day itineraries may add another stop (e.g., Cayman Islands for Southern and Western cruises, San Juan for Eastern) to compensate and skip the Bahamas entirely.

 

[TFM1980]

If Port Canaveral remains closed for an extended time, I suppose DCL would make arrangements for an alternative port. But there is a lot more than DCL using Port Canaveral so I expect disruption will be as minimal as possible because the port authority will get it back in shape to open as soon as possible. If there is significant damage to DCL’s terminal building, that could take a little longer but they would likely make arrangements to temporarily use another terminal at Port Canaveral.

As to excursion ports, some may need to be canceled. Some excursions may be canceled even if ships dock. The most likely scenario for a canceled port stop is an extra day at sea; occasionally they might change up the schedule but I wouldn’t expect that.

I think there are too many “ifs” for more detailed speculation at this point.

This sounds most likely. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney adds another stop to their Carribean cruises in leiu of Castaway Cay (e.g., Grand Cayman or Cozumel for Southern and Western Carribean routes, another eastern island like St. Kitts, Martinique, or San Juan to ther Eastern Caribbean itineraries).

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

DCL is too tall for the Tampa Port because of the Skyway Bridge. It can’t go under it.

 

[kathi]

I agree that it seems likely that near-term cruises will have to skip CC while they check the dock and channel for safety/clearance. Clearly we will just need to wait for damage reports and schedule changes to really know. Are there any double dips coming up? They cost significantly more money for 2 stops at CC. If there are no stops, I can see a bunch of people being super unhappy about the price. (We are on a double dip in December, but I am hopeful that things will be repaired by then.)

 

[lklgoodman]

This sounds most likely. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney adds another stop to their Carribean cruises in leiu of Castaway Cay (e.g., Grand Cayman or Cozumel for Southern and Western Carribean routes, another eastern island like St. Kitts, Martinique, or San Juan to ther Eastern Caribbean itineraries).

Grand Cayman and Cozumel are already part of the Western. The Southern doesn't go to CC.

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

I agree that it seems likely that near-term cruises will have to skip CC while they check the dock and channel for safety/clearance. Clearly we will just need to wait for damage reports and schedule changes to really know. Are there any double dips coming up? They cost significantly more money for 2 stops at CC. If there are no stops, I can see a bunch of people being super unhappy about the price. (We are on a double dip in December, but I am hopeful that things will be repaired by then.)

There’s one over Christmas that’s on FLR already. Edit: nevermind. That’s probably the one you’re on.

 

[braysmommy]

DCL has an update on their website and they state crew only spent a few hours in storm shelter and are back in normal housing. Hopefully that is good news for staff and Castaway.

 

[sukhakuli]

Our cruise leaves Sept 28. Whenever you visit Florida or cruise the Caribbean during hurricane season you are rolling the dice. We are prepared to just go with the flow no matter what the hurricane season brings.

That said, this would be our first visit to CC and I really wanted to go. We booked a 7 night cruise and I hope it doesn't get shortened. I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens next. Unless there's another major hurricane, I am betting that by the end of the month the cruise stops will be back to normal. Unfortunately for the citizens of the Bahamas, recovery will take much longer. They are fervently in my prayers.

 

[TFM1980]

Grand Cayman and Cozumel are already part of the Western. The Southern doesn't go to CC.

I thought some of the Southern itineraries go to CC. They may just double up then. I was on a Mexican cruise where there was a mass cartel execution right near rhe tourist ares in Mazlatan and DCL just decided to eliminate the port and go to Cabo twice.

 

[lahobbs4]

We have the 7 night Eastern Caribbean leaving Saturday. If the port is clear, I can only assume we will take the Western route. I do wish there were a way to know earlier but I'm not even planning on packing until Thursday night. We are flying into MCO Friday morning.

 

[Lisa F]

It will be interesting to see if Disney was right in their claims about Tropical Storm force winds. They have been getting shellacked on social media following some major publications picking up the story about Castaway Cay (Miami Herald, UK tabloids, Fox News, most Florida local outlets). Several experts have claimed that Disney's assessment has to be wrong on the windspeed because of the relative proximity to the eye and impact in other places. The storm surge is the bigger unknown--probably the more destructive force and based on what we are seeing out of even Coastal Florida right now, probably will shut the island down for awhile.

7-day itineraries may add another stop (e.g., Cayman Islands for Southern and Western cruises, San Juan for Eastern) to compensate and skip the Bahamas entirely.

Internet experts or real ones? I was watching the weather Channel as it passed over and castaway cay was clearly in the zone of tropical storm force winds on the graphic superimposed on the map as it was happening.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Following Hurricane Sandy, the Cayman Islands took longer to rehab than Castaway Cay. If the Castaway Cay employees are already out of their bunker and back to their usual living quarters, it sounds like the island wasn't as devastated as others. The dedicated(!) crew will have Castaway Cay up and running much faster than the poverty-stricken towns (or what's left of them) elsewhere in the Bahamas.

 

[Lisa F]

Following Hurricane Sandy, the Cayman Islands took longer to rehab than Castaway Cay. If the Castaway Cay employees are already out of their bunker and back to their usual living quarters, it sounds like the island wasn't as devastated as others. The dedicated(!) crew will have Castaway Cay up and running much faster than the poverty-stricken towns (or what's left of them) elsewhere in the Bahamas.

Also there is just not as much there to damage. Assuming the larger, more permanent structures are built to withstand hurricanes its probably more cleanup than anything. But it's still not the widespread devastation of thousands of people who have lost their homes. It's just cabanas and vacation structures and a much higher resource in structure ratio.

 

[TFM1980]

Internet experts or real ones? I was watching the weather Channel as it passed over and castaway cay was clearly in the zone of tropical storm force winds on the graphic superimposed on the map as it was happening.

Maybe. The NOAA data is available on the winds: https://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/mtcswa.html?storm=al052019&id=DORIAN&timeDiff=18. You can see that CC was within Hurricane Category 1-2 winds (the scale is knots here) for much of the day yesterday, but it also did dip into tropical storm-force winds. The bigger issue is the storm surge, which should not have deviated much for Castaway Cay (so still in the 20+ range) according to the NHC reports.

So, odds still are that Castaway Cay will be off the itineraries for awhile.

 

[lklgoodman]

We have the 7 night Eastern Caribbean leaving Saturday. If the port is clear, I can only assume we will take the Western route. I do wish there were a way to know earlier but I'm not even planning on packing until Thursday night. We are flying into MCO Friday morning.

Since Tortola and St. Thomas didn't get hit, there's no need to switch the Eastern to Western, CC could be missed for both Eastern and Western though. Prayers for those still in it's path.

 

[lahobbs4]

Since Tortola and St. Thomas didn't get hit, there's no need to switch the Eastern to Western, CC could be missed for both Eastern and Western though. Prayers for those still in it's path.

True. I know it turned into Cat something over St Thomas but I haven't heard anything about damage. (I can't remember specifics at this point anymore!)

 

[lklgoodman]

True. I know it turned into Cat something over St Thomas but I haven't heard anything about damage. (I can't remember specifics at this point anymore!)

I didn't know it had gotten close to St. Thomas. When we did our Eastern earlier this year, there was still damage on Tortola from last year's hurricane.