Hurricane Joaquin bearing down on the Bahamas, what does DCL do?

[over50visits]

Disney did not make a mistake…….


AKK

Nice, well written post. I'll disagree with your initial statement, though. If they could see the future would they have chosen to sail into that storm? I hope not! So, even though they didn't mean to (I supppose), they did make a mistake. I suspect a more risk averse Captain would have chosen to remain in calm(er) waters.

Don't want to rehash an old topic, though. That memory affects us all differently, and we choose to avoid DCL during hurricane season, at least until they have a chance to demonstrate they learned a lesson from that one.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Nice, well written post. I'll disagree with your initial statement, though. If they could see the future would they have chosen to sail into that storm? I hope not! So, even though they didn't mean to (I supppose), they did make a mistake. I suspect a more risk averse Captain would have chosen to remain in calm(er) waters.

Don't want to rehash an old topic, though. That memory affects us all differently, and we choose to avoid DCL during hurricane season, at least until they have a chance to demonstrate they learned a lesson from that one.

I agree If they could have seen the future, they would not have sailed into the storm. As I pointed out there were many conditions going on and Sandy was unpredictable! I think maybe were getting in to a semantics debate.

I also agree, no reason to rehash this old topic. The important part in the end was no one was seriously hurt.

Our next DCL cruise is on the Fantasy in April and RCCL to Bermuda in Oct 2016. My wife has asked about maybe changing the Oct trip after all this Joaquin stuff!


AKK

 

[gEar up]

There most definitely is a difference, between unsafe, and uncomfortable. Rough seas are uncomfortable, but hardly unsafe. Eventually they make the ship smell bad, from within

 

[tecdavidt]

Castaway Cay should be in the path of this storm, especially after looking at models this morning on the National Hurricane web site. I remember an earlier 2000's hurricane that did a lot of damage to the newer Disney cruise island. In 2004 it was Frances and Jeanne that took aim at the island, and twice again it got hit. I have pictures of the sign on the island, parden our mess, we were visited by Frances and Jeanne. That was also the year Charlie shut down WDW.

I believe the first hurricane that hit the island, (I can not remember that storms name), that storm took out where the shipped docked. Disney had to redesign their docking area. It was out of commission for several weeks. Of course many cruisers posted on this board about not being able to dock, when will the ship be able to dock.

I am sure Disney is concerned about rebuilding that area again. The cast members who live on the island: I remember a thread that the Wonder stopped and picked them up before the storm hit. You have to go way back in the archives of Threads on this board but they should be there.

Kathy and Dave cruised '99. - '12 now taking a break, platinum CC

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Most of the CM's are removed from the island by boat before a heavy storm hits. A small crew usually stays and live in a storm shelter. I would image that if the storm is that bad, they all would also be boated off the island.

What worries me is Joaquin stayed 3 days and just beat up the Bahamas'. I expect CC to have a lot of damage this time.

AKK

 

[steves100]

We were on a 3 night that left PC as them Hurricane Irene made its way up the coast of a Florida in 2011. It was a very rocky first night. Day one we pulled into Nassau but could not get off the ship because the island was cleaning up from the Hurricane. We could not go to ️CC the next day, it was very disappointing so instead they went back to Nassau. You could get off the ship this time but we did not.

The hurricane definitely put a damper in our cruise. But in 2014 we did the same cruise at basically the same time in August as 2011 and the weather was perfect.

All the best to to everyone on the 3 nighter.

Where you offered a discount on your next cruise, i know it's an act of God. Just wondering.

 

[steves100]

Nice, well written post. I'll disagree with your initial statement, though. If they could see the future would they have chosen to sail into that storm? I hope not! So, even though they didn't mean to (I supppose), they did make a mistake. I suspect a more risk averse Captain would have chosen to remain in calm(er) waters.

Don't want to rehash an old topic, though. That memory affects us all differently, and we choose to avoid DCL during hurricane season, at least until they have a chance to demonstrate they learned a lesson from that one.

Would have rather been on the ship than being here in NJ

 

[wajones2]

I am thankful we have never sailed and been faced with a TS or Hurricane, but working in the utility industry along the US Gulf Coast I can tell you from years of experience no matter how many satellites and meteorologist agree on what is going to happen (Tropical or otherwise) the weather can surprise them all. It is a difficult decision to be face with where to sail a ship or where to stage crews for utility restoration. In hindsight, it is always easy to spot the mistakes...but before the storm hits it is always a gamble.

I am just thankful Disney has skilled captains should we ever be in that situation in the future because I know how unpredictable the weather can be, regardless of all the predictions being in agreement.

 

[Greatfalls]

We were the first to be at CC after Irene in 2011 (which was 5 days after it passed - we were pushed out a day and us doing was in question until late the day prior). They can clean-up quick but there will be evidence of the salt damage to vegetation for a while after along with piles of debris hidden behind the scenes.

I was on that 4-day Dream cruise after Irene, too. I remember watching radar in my office before we flew down and the storm was pretty much a direct hit on CC, with the eye passing just east. Irene was a Cat 3, so similar to Joaquin. My family assumed that we would have to miss CC, but the captain announced on day 3 that we would be able to make it on day 4. The only visible impact was that the vegetation was browned by salt water, but the rest of the facilities were undamaged and up and running, and we had a perfectly enjoyable day. I remember hearing that a skeleton crew stays on the island to ride out storms. Bottom line is that they get things back and running ASAP.

 

[bethy]

We are on a Bahamian cruise at the end of this month. I just booked the Blue Lagoon on our Nassau day to increase the chances of quality beach time during our trip. Especially if the CC dock is damaged, heaven forbid!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are on a Bahamian cruise at the end of this month. I just booked the Blue Lagoon on our Nassau day to increase the chances of quality beach time during our trip. Especially if the CC dock is damaged, heaven forbid!

Seems to me, if there's damage at CC, there'd be damage in Nassau.

 

[bethy]

Seems to me, if there's damage at CC, there'd be damage in Nassau.

Yes I know. But CC's dock at least appears to be more vulnerable to me? Never been to either so who knows - I'm must hedging my bets.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Sure you did. You said the ship wasn't safe. No big deal. You were wrong and I corrected you. I make mistakes sometimes as well.

MUN

Ahhh MUN...you misunderstood. I was referring to the decision to sail through a hurricane was not safe. Not that the ship wasn't safe. No biggie as you stated. I'm a seasoned cruiser. The Sandy decision was not a wise one and that was pretty much agreed upon by many sources and the captain took criticism for that. It was unnecessary to put cruisers through that experience whatever your definition of "unsafe" is. It could have been avoided but the ship's captain was trying his best to get back to port in FL vs adding a day or so on to the cruise to steer much more clear of Sandy than he did. I had people I knew on this cruise as well. Some TV's flew off the brackets in the staterooms.....glasses broke......

Do I think the Fantasy was gonna sink?? No. But did I feel some "unsafe" or "unwise" or "not-the-best" choices were made? During Sandy, the main objective was for the ship to stay on schedule and that is what I feel was "unsafe".
Respectfully MUN, we can just agree to disagree.
http://www.ibtimes.com/disney-ship-hammered-hurricane-sandy-raises-questions-855808

http://www.wsmv.com/story/19969435/sandy-gives-cruise-passengers-a-rough-ride

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/2012/10/sandy-is-gone-and-the-dream-returns/

 

[schoen]

There is no doubt whatsoever that the Fantasy was unsafe during Sandy. Were our lives in immediate danger? Probably not. That isn't really the same thing as unsafe.

It certainly felt unsafe when a glass in my stateroom went flying through the air, narrowly missing my husband's head. I am guessing our friends who were cut from the broken glass in their stateroom felt it was a bit unsafe. Perhaps the couple we shared a cab with whose luggage was somehow destroyed during the storm.

I saw the staff at Remy rattled when there was a huge crash when all of their glassware fell.

The most chilling moment of my life came the morning after Sandy when I leaned on the railing of my floor five aft balcony. When I pulled away I noticed a white residue all over my arms. It was dried salt water from waves coming up that high.

My thoughts are with the folks on the Fantasy right now. It can be a scary experience going through a hurricane.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

The Captain took no criticism except some posters on the dis and self serving bloggers. without any nautical training or understanding. and the he didn't decide to sail though the hurricane, Sandy slowed down and the Fantasy caught up to the storm. Due to the Florida straits, the wins, sea and the gulf stream and swells, the vessel could not safely turn around and could only slow down so far before losing steerage way.

There was no issue with making schedule......it was simply sea and weather conditions.

Blogs and non nautical business blogs are no anything more then opinion and in this case uniformed opinion.

The vessel was being operated in a very safe and seaman ship manner, taking into account the weather , sea conditions and area being sailed.

Just for the record, wind driven sea spray would have been on over the vessel, well above deck 5 and likely to the stacks.

AKK

 

[mlayton14]

Miasrn couldn't agree more.

The captain's priority was clearly getting his cargo to port on time over the safety and comfort of his passengers. It was about the bottom line.

And yes having tv's fly off of walls IS A safety issue, not to mention the anxiety the whole experience caused

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2015/10/01/hurricane-joaquin-cruise-ships/73135334/

Joaquin also is affecting several ships from Disney Cruise Line. The 1,754-passenger Disney Magic has been re-routed to the Western Caribbean instead of the Bahamas. The ship will visit Key West, Fla. and Cozumel, Mexico on Thursday and Friday, respectively, instead of Castaway Cay, Disney's private island in the Bahamas, and Nassau. The 2,500-passenger Disney Dream will skip a call in Nassau scheduled for Friday, while the 2,500-passenger Disney Fantasy will drop a call at Castaway Cay

 

[tecdavidt]

I was talking with my husband, it was Hurricane Floyd that tore up CC and dock. It was about one month after our first cruise early Aug. '99 so it hit Sept 1999. It was a bad one. Floyd was between a 4 and a 5.

The storm surge was bad. By our 2nd cruise August 2000 CC back up to normal but looked different. That cruise was the Magic's first 7 day cruise ever--fond memories of that cruise.

Kathy & Dave

 

[MiaSRN62]

The Captain took no criticism except some posters on the dis and self serving bloggers. without any nautical training or understanding. and the he didn't decide to sail though the hurricane, Sandy slowed down and the Fantasy caught up to the storm. Due to the Florida straits, the wins, sea and the gulf stream and swells, the vessel could not safely turn around and could only slow down so far before losing steerage way.

There was no issue with making schedule......it was simply sea and weather conditions.

Blogs and non nautical business blogs are no anything more then opinion and in this case uniformed opinion.

The vessel was being operated in a very safe and seaman ship manner, taking into account the weather , sea conditions and area being sailed.

Just for the record, wind driven sea spray would have been on over the vessel, well above deck 5 and likely to the stacks.

AKK

I have to disagree Tonka's Skipper...there were many reputable news reports (CNN, USA TODAY etc) in print and on TV at the time that discussed his "decision" to remain on course and how there was "the option" to go further out to sea" but that would delay the return to port Canaveral and put schedules off. Sorry. I disagree with you on the point that it was just DIS'ers. It was ALL OVER TV, internet and in print.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I have to disagree Tonka's Skipper...there were many reputable news reports (CNN, USA TODAY etc) in print and on TV at the time that discussed his "decision" to remain on course and how there was "the option" to go further out to sea" but that would delay the return to port Canaveral and put schedules off. Sorry. I disagree with you on the point that it was just DIS'ers. It was ALL OVER TV, internet and in print.

Well Maria we will have to politely agree to disagree......I read the Captains report and other qualified reviews. I really don't put any weight in the US new media and especially the internet. They are looking to create a story and never let any facts get in the way of a good tall tale. If you look at the Florida straits its a narrow channel and there is no way to turn out to sea. I also explained in my post why the Master could not turn the vessel around.



I was also on the Fantasy the 2nd cruise after Sandy, so I had a good chance to examine the vessel and talk to the ships crew and some officers.

Again we can agree to disagree, I respect your feelings and opinion but I believe I am correct.

AKK