Major Hurricane Ian forecast to hit Florida next week, may be Florida's biggest in years, state of emergency declared by Florida Governor

[lanejudy]

I get many of those things by using my Visa debit card through my bank, and I also get the bonus of people who know me by name when I walk into the local branch

If you booked using your Visa Debit Card as a Visa card (without the pin), it may have some travel insurance benefit. Worth checking that out.

FYI...I suspect your local branch folks know you by name because you go in person, not necessarily because you use the debit card. My local branch people know me by name as well, but I rarely use my Visa debit card. I never charge on a credit card unless I can pay it off, which I do in full every month.

 

[jgregson00]

I use credit cards for everything and I do mean everything. Because I do this I haven't paid for a hotel outside of Disney resorts in years. I'm going to Disneyland for three nights hotel and tickets all paid for with CC points. I flew to Europe this Summer first class with miles, used points for my hotels, and cash back paid for my cruise excursions. Credit cards have great benefits if used correctly.

Agreed. As long as you pay off your balance each month, there's really no reason to use cash/debit instead of a CC.

 

[happycamper47]

Agreed. As long as you pay off your balance each month, there's really no reason to use cash/debit instead of a CC.

Cash, what's that?.....

 

[Kwami]

Cash, what's that?.....

It's that icky paper stuff that you have to give the pushy luggage porters so that they don't lose your things.

I actually make a point of going to the bank before every cruise to take out some 1s, 5s, and 10s for tips and spending money. I don't like using my credit card in some of the ports that DCL visits.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

So I was working all day, got emails that all of the flights on 2 different airlines have been cancelled. Got refunded 3 of the tix, on hold about the other 2. Then I need to see if w can somehow drive down there, but I am concerned about the reports of gas shortages and my brother is not too keen on driving THROUGH a tropical storm/potential hurricane. I can drive from here (NC) but getting them here from Ohio is proving difficult.

I actually did buy insurance on the flight for ONE of us - I don't know why - and cruise insurance.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

So, I can do a complicated mix of flights and driving and get down to PC on the date I planned. But I have to drive for 20 hours, 10 hours of which I would be alone. My concern is if I commit to this plan, I am buying new airline tix that would not be refundable (they would depart in less than 24 hours) and if DCL cancels now that is a very expensive trip for a rainy beach weekend. I don't think they will cancel. Anyone else have any thoughts?? Just wondering if I should pull the trigger on this new plan.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

So, I can do a complicated mix of flights and driving and get down to PC on the date I planned. But I have to drive for 20 hours, 10 hours of which I would be alone. My concern is if I commit to this plan, I am buying new airline tix that would not be refundable (they would depart in less than 24 hours) and if DCL cancels now that is a very expensive trip for a rainy beach weekend. I don't think they will cancel. Anyone else have any thoughts?? Just wondering if I should pull the trigger on this new plan.

What sailing are you on? Someone just posted on FB that Captain Andy announced that the Wish likely won’t return to PC until Saturday or Sunday. Can’t confirm, though.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

What sailing are you on? Someone just posted on FB that Captain Andy announced that the Wish likely won’t return to PC until Saturday or Sunday. Can’t confirm, though.

CRAP!! I just booked flights for tomorrow. I am on the Wish on 9/30. I guess I need to call DCL before it is too late.

 

[gilsan]

CRAP!! I just booked flights for tomorrow. I am on the Wish on 9/30. I guess I need to call DCL before it is too late.

It sounds like that cruise is going to be cancelled

 

[Husker Mike]

I just watched the latest forecast from WESH 2 in Orlando, and the current forecast indicates that the worst weather won't be clearing the Orlando area until late afternoon Friday. So the reports that Disney's cruises won't return to port until Saturday or Sunday are very real possibilities.

https://www.wesh.com/article/how-will-hurricane-ian-move-through-florida/41415890

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Someone on FB is saying that someone got a call that cruise was cancelled. That is like triple hearsay, I know but still...

 

[Disneygirlxo91]

On DCLs site

Weather Updates & Information​

​

• Tropical Weather Update​

  As of September 27, at 9:30 PM
  We have been closely monitoring Hurricane Ian with the safety and well-being of our Guests and Crew Members always top of mind. Due to the weather conditions most recently forecasted for Port Canaveral and Central Florida and the impact that it might have on port operations, the September 30, 2022, sailing of the Disney Wish has been cancelled.

 

[greensombrero]

I wonder what will happen with the Dream and Fantasy sailings on Saturday. The Dream may be in better shape down in Miami but I wonder how the Fantasy will be on Saturday especially if the airport doesn’t reopen on time or even Friday am is a bit late. I’m sure DCL won’t want to cancel it but I guess they could delay depending on how things turn out the next 24-48 hours.

 

[DCLMP]

On DCLs site

Weather Updates & Information​

​

• Tropical Weather Update​

  As of September 27, at 9:30 PM
  We have been closely monitoring Hurricane Ian with the safety and well-being of our Guests and Crew Members always top of mind. Due to the weather conditions most recently forecasted for Port Canaveral and Central Florida and the impact that it might have on port operations, the September 30, 2022, sailing of the Disney Wish has been cancelled.

So people that cancelled before DCL cancelled do they still get a refund?

 

[GatorMomInNC]

I think I paid with gift cards. Got to try and round them all up

 

[mzspaz]

I wonder what will happen with the Dream and Fantasy sailings on Saturday. The Dream may be in better shape down in Miami but I wonder how the Fantasy will be on Saturday especially if the airport doesn’t reopen on time or even Friday am is a bit late. I’m sure DCL won’t want to cancel it but I guess they could delay depending on how things turn out the next 24-48 hours.

We are supposed to be on the Fantasy on Saturday. I had just moved our flights to Friday night about a 1/2 an hour before they announced MCO was closing. Now SW shows that there is nothing available on Friday or Saturday.

This may be my absolute undoing. I feel horrible for the people in the path of this storm and realize my only inconvenience is a disrupted vacation. I feel extreme guilt for saying/thinking this, but I am just broken over this.

We initially started planning this cruise 2 years ago. I was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia in April of 2020. We started planning this cruise as a distraction for me while going through the worst of adjusting to my targeted chemo (which I will have to take for the rest of my life). This cruise was the goal in my head with the target being on January 2022 for when we originally scheduled. Every time I took a stupid chemo pill, had a needle stick, or pushed myself to get up and move....the thought of relaxing on this cruise was on my mind.

Then the night before we were supposed to leave for the January 2022 sailing, my DH tested positive for Covid. We had to reschedule the whole thing. So we picked October and decided that we would celebrate 2 years of my disease being stable. And now here we are again.....days before we are supposed to leave and everything is up in the air.

I've held it together for the past 2 years through cancer and covid, but this may finally push me over my breaking point.

 

[MomOTwins]

We are supposed to be on the Fantasy on Saturday. I had just moved our flights to Friday night about a 1/2 an hour before they announced MCO was closing. Now SW shows that there is nothing available on Friday or Saturday.

This may be my absolute undoing. I feel horrible for the people in the path of this storm and realize my only inconvenience is a disrupted vacation. I feel extreme guilt for saying/thinking this, but I am just broken over this.

We initially started planning this cruise 2 years ago. I was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia in April of 2020. We started planning this cruise as a distraction for me while going through the worst of adjusting to my targeted chemo (which I will have to take for the rest of my life). This cruise was the goal in my head with the target being on January 2022 for when we originally scheduled. Every time I took a stupid chemo pill, had a needle stick, or pushed myself to get up and move....the thought of relaxing on this cruise was on my mind.

Then the night before we were supposed to leave for the January 2022 sailing, my DH tested positive for Covid. We had to reschedule the whole thing. So we picked October and decided that we would celebrate 2 years of my disease being stable. And now here we are again.....days before we are supposed to leave and everything is up in the air.

I've held it together for the past 2 years through cancer and covid, but this may finally push me over my breaking point.

I was feeling a but like you a couple days ago about our Friday cruise. Not the same scale as your difficulties, but I’ve been dealing with Covid-related health problems—I have had it 6 times since 2020 with varying long term effects and after the last infection we booked this cruise and it was the light at the end of the tunnel that I dreamed about all day every day. Do you have any way to reschedule for a month or two from now? For our cruise, DCL was making exceptions on a case by case basis to people who called in, especially for people impacted by the airport closure. Once I had a new cruise booked in October and knew I’d be getting on the ship if I could just wait a few weeks longer, I felt much better than dealing with all the stress and uncertainty of whether the travel issues would make us miss the ship.

 

[TFM1980]

On the Dream right now, itinerary already changed--changing Nassau from today to Friday, sending the ship way out into the Eastern Bahamas between Cat Island and San Salvador Island. My guess is Castaway Cay tomorrow is off the interary because it is under tropical storm warning tomorrow due to Hurricane Ian. I'm hoping they just skip Castaway Cay and Nassau and send us to a new Eastern Bahamian stop or stay as far away from the hurricane as possible at sea (so we actually get some sun).

 

[TFM1980]

Isn't spending money you don't have irresponsible? Both cards have benefits and drawbacks. I tend to prefer not dealing with debt spending if I don't have to. Besides, we use a debit card that's separated from our main bank account. So if the number is compromised, they can only access what we've moved to that partitioned account.

You do you, but using and obtaining credit (and keeping low revolving balances) is essential to buifing credit and getting low interest rates on homes and cars.

 

[peabody58]

Here now sipping coffee from our 1 BR villa at BWV. Strange seeing the skyliner with no cars on it. Pretty calm right now, but we know the worst is yet to come. We helped clean out the corner store of ice cream last night! All the CM's have been great. This is our first hurricane in 30 visits. Have plans to extend our trip one extra night by staying at my brothers house in Polk City. That way we could visit Epcot one move time on Friday and salvage what has been a great trip so far. So far the rum supply is safe, but it's 5 o'clock somewhere.