Are you like us seriously re-considering due to recent events?

[carpenta]

...does not bother me a bit.......and yes we rode out a hurricane on a ship..

 

[ps17]

I have read through many threads related to this. I have a long post coming addresssing these issues, but to address the OP, we say the following: We also have an upcoming cruise (Christmas) and we are slightly apprehensive but will forge ahead with our plans. The following points summarize our take:

1. Disney and all cruise lines are pressured to maintain schedules.
2. We presume and have faith that the Captain, crew, and the system have the highest of saftey standards.
3. In every case, a judgement has to be made to balance 1 against 2 above.
4. The storm changed personality and Disney did not anticipate the "slowing" nor resulting roughness of the seas.
5. As a result of this, I am sure that the Captain had some lessons learned and as a result, will move the needle even further to the side of caution when balancing 1 and 2 above in the future.

\ We won't be sailing during hurricane season but we should benefit from knowing that the ship is stout enough to withstand hurricane force conditions and also should, another "perfect storm" arise, they will be more cautious.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Nope. I wouldn't reconsider any of the cruises I have planned thru the end of next year. I'll be adding more for 2014 and beyond, I'm sure. If bookings are down for next fall because of the bad experiences that passengers on all cruise lines that had rough rides (there were multiple) then hopefully that will result in deeper discounts to fill the ships for those happy to go. I know I'd be taking advantage...

 

[Ikaikalani]

I went back to edit my post that the stalling of the storm was not predicted. Tropical cyclones can be predicted to some degree, but with all weather, it's subject to change. Ask any true meteorologist how far in advance weather & temps can be predicted with ACCURACY. A good one will tell you 3 days; even 4 is stretching it. My hubby and I laugh at 10 day forecasts. Give me a break. Computer models help, but in the end, Mother Nature rules.

I respectfully disagree with you, though. I don't think the other cruise lines predicted the storm stalling & growing. What they did was be conservative & change their plans to accommodate the "what ifs."

I frankly do not want to engage in the discussion with regards to my opinion. I'm purely passing on meteorological knowledge. I'm not here to defend or chastise the decisions made by Captains Tom, Henry & their crews, or shoreside DCL.

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OK Silverfox97, I'm calling you out: 1 hour to WDW from your driveway??? Can I please come and live with you!!!

 

[Favorite Auntie]

...does not bother me a bit.......and yes we rode out a hurricane on a ship..

I rode out a hurricane on The Magic, and I can tell you it was NOTHING like this. Perhaps people that were actually on last weeks sailing will have a slightly different attitude than people simply reading the accounts....

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I rode out a hurricane on The Magic, and I can tell you it was NOTHING like this. Perhaps people that were actually on last weeks sailing will have a slightly different attitude than people simply reading the accounts....

2 of my friends were on the sailing everyone loves to debate. 1 said she was more bothered by the long drive home...the other is happily anticipating the next several cruises she has planned...

 

[Favorite Auntie]

2 of my friends were on the sailing everyone loves to debate. 1 said she was more bothered by the long drive home...the other is happily anticipating the next several cruises she has planned...

Awesome for them. I would have rather spent the entire week in a car than last Friday night on The Fantasy. To each his own....

 

[JD&LYD]

Not even thinking of cancelling any of my cruises. Ot of six dcl cruises, Cpty. Tom has been in charge of 4. He got us safely all around the Carribbean many times.
What would be others solution? I can Hear it now...."This is Cpt Tom. We are experiencing some high seas, 13-20 ft. Will 1 member of ea stateromm meet in the Walt Disney Theater to discuss our options on how to proceed."

If you cancell it makes more room for the rest of us.

One mistake does not ruin the Cruise Business, especially when no loss of life is invovled. JMHO

 

[tojam]

Like everything else in this world, people respond to stimulus differently. A terifying ride at Disney to some is a love for others. Risk vs. reward is an individual decision. The assumption that cruise ships are always safe is a neive one. But, statistically speaking...it is accurate. Weather is a powerful force and I am positive that no one in command intentionally put schedule or money over safety. The long term marketing and PR costs would be way to high. That said, it clearly was more than anticipated and I feel for those affected.

 

[allears]

I am not remotely reconsidering my upcoming cruise or any future cruises any more than I reconsidered flying after 9/11. The vast majorities of sailings go off with out a hitch, I would not allow the recent events to affect my decision, UNLESS I had been on one of those cruises. Still not saying that would change my mind, just that I would have a different set of experiences than I do now.

 

[over50visits]

Our current bookings are not in hurricane season. I have to honestly admit that now I would think twice before booking during September or October, because I am concerned that DCL might take more risks than others.

In the past they have steered around hurricanes (as have all cruise lines), which is the right thing to do. This may have been a one time choice, but it was a huge, huge deal. I must say that if I were about to embark and there was a hurricane in our way, I'd have to weigh the probability that Disney would just avoid it, as usual, or the chance that they would repeat last week's mistake. Today, I'd probably cancel. Next year, this will probably be essentially forgotten.

 

[EDH Family]

No, we are booked on 4 DCL cruises over the next 13 months and will not cancel because of the events that transpired last weekend. If anyone wants to give me their 25% discount, I'll take it..... Opps, they are non-tranferable. CRAP.

 

[aan1701]

I will never reconsider any trip based on something I can't ever control, the weather. It is what it is. I do feel for those scared by the few hours of rocking and rolling of the Fantasy, but I was on the Wonder for 15 night out and back to Hawaii. All 9 days at sea where very rough. Average seas over tge 9 days were 10-12 feet according to the officer i spoke to when i was lucky enough to be given a bridge tour on the invite of The Captain. On a few days the pools were closed, a few days it was rough but they opened the pools and they were wave pools. I know before I boarded that this may happen as the pacific is a rough ocean. I could have cared less. I was going to Hawaii. I am already hoping that DCL does more Hawaii cruises in 2014 as i will book one without hesitation. Also when it comes to the weather being unpredictable. I was on the 10/8/11 sailing of the Magic. Spent a great 9 days before at WDW. Well the weather showed rain all week, including that morning, that day of sailing but only till about 2 PM. Well at some point that day the storm stalled right over PC. Turned into a tropical depression according to my weather channel app that I use. It was a very rough ride that night. I guess I am just a go with the flow type of guy. I say it is what it is. Mother Nature. I accept that ultimately she is in charge. That's my opinion. I respect all on here that differ my my opinion. That's your view and you are entitled to it 100%.

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[allears]

I am not remotely reconsidering my upcoming cruise or any future cruises any more than I reconsidered flying after 9/11. The vast majorities of sailings go off with out a hitch, I would not allow the recent events to affect my decision, UNLESS I had been on one of those cruises. Still not saying that would change my mind, just that I would have a different set of experiences than I do now.

I want to add that I do avoid, as much as possible, booking during hurricane season. Not because I'm afraid of being on the ship, I'm more afraid of not being on the ship and all of the potential aggravations that can come with the changes brought about by a storm.

 

[carpenta]

Nope. I wouldn't reconsider any of the cruises I have planned thru the end of next year. I'll be adding more for 2014 and beyond, I'm sure. If bookings are down for next fall because of the bad experiences that passengers on all cruise lines that had rough rides (there were multiple) then hopefully that will result in deeper discounts to fill the ships for those happy to go. I know I'd be taking advantage...

I love the way you think Sweetpee.....

 

[Silverfox97]

OK Silverfox97, I'm calling you out: 1 hour to WDW from your driveway??? Can I please come and live with you!!!

I've got an extra room

It's 72 miles. We get to WDW in 1 hr & Port Canaveral in 2 hours.

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[Silverfox97]

Nope. I wouldn't reconsider any of the cruises I have planned thru the end of next year. I'll be adding more for 2014 and beyond, I'm sure. If bookings are down for next fall because of the bad experiences that passengers on all cruise lines that had rough rides (there were multiple) then hopefully that will result in deeper discounts to fill the ships for those happy to go. I know I'd be taking advantage...

My sentiments exactly. Lets bring down prices

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[over50visits]

Mother Nature. I accept that ultimately she is in charge. That's my opinion. I respect all on here that differ my my opinion. That's your view and you are entitled to it 100%.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using DISBoards

I agree completely! Weather happens. Sandy caused much more human suffering than a scary ride on a cruise ship, as it turned out.

I would just gently add that the captain is ultimately in charge of whether to take the ship into a hurricane or not. I believe that is the issue here.

 

[sunshine1259]

I want to add that I do avoid, as much as possible, booking during hurricane season. Not because I'm afraid of being on the ship, I'm more afraid of not being on the ship and all of the potential aggravations that can come with the changes brought about by a storm.

I love it!!!

 

[*Bambi-Bell*]

I was on the 10/20 Fantasy and we did rebook and also plan to use the 25% discount DCL provided for another cruise.

My husband and I may be in the minority but we were not all that bothered by the storm ... yes, I was frightened for a few moments when the ship pitched left and then right, but I certainly never thought we were in danger of capsizing and had full confidence that we would be fine. We are also both fortuante that we don't suffer from motion sickness, so being ill was not an issue for us. I feel for those guests who were adversely impacted by events but their experience is not our experience.

Our opinion is that the captain and crew did they best they could in very difficult and unpredictable circumstances. We were already committed to a certain course and my understanding is that it's extremely dangerous to try to turn a ship in those types of conditions ... you pretty much have to go through them at that point. The scope of the storm was huge, and with tropical force winds extending out more than 450 miles, I think it would have been difficult to avoid being impacted regardless of our location.

There was a full breakfast in Cabanas the next morning and breakfast was being offered in both Royal Court and Enchanted Garden. We were able to get our usual lattes from Cove Cafe as well. I have been told by fellow cruisers that Flo's and other quick service venues opened for lunch as well due to the length of time it took for the ship to be cleared by Customs and for guests to disembark. Cast members were also handing out free bottled water in the atrium.

Disembarkation was poorly handled ... but so many people were packed into the atrium waiting to leave before we were ever cleared to do so that it would have been next to impossible for crew members to fix that problem. I do think they washed their hands at that point and let people congregate as they would.

Could things overall have been handled better? I'm sure they could have in hindsight but I'm not privy to the decision making process nor the information at hand at the time those decisions were made. Cruising carries a risk of bad weather, even during non-hurricane seasons; we accept that risk because we really enjoy cruising. People on the boards who know me well know that I am not the kind of person who walks around farting pixie dust - I don't believe Walt Disney walked on water and I don't think the Disney Company is perfect, but I have no hard feelings towards DCL in this instance.

Just my two cents ... not even worth one cent.

I completely agree with this account, our thoughts exactly.