Op I'm sorry that you went through the disappointment you did with the inability to know in advance before you left home if your cruise would be canceled. Also, the additional stress you endured when the cruise was eventually canceled. I understand the frustration you must have been feeling being stuck in Florida with difficulty finding hotel rooms with a hurricane approaching. I hope you learned a valuable lesson and always have emergency funds available to you when you travel. (A tip for the future have cash because in hurricanes credit cards machines & ATM's don't work without power.) I understand why it would be frustrating that
Disney Cruise Line had not officially canceled the cruise before you left home. Yet, since you made the decision to proceed to Florida knowing there was a possibility that a hurricane was headed here and hence the very big chance that your scheduled cruise would be canceled I would suggest that in the future you make hotel reservations that an be canceled without penalty before you arrive to a possible hurricane zone. If you don't have the funds to do so then I would suggest cutting your losses before you leave home and not proceeding to Florida with an impending hurricane in the forecast.
Weather is one of those uncontrollable factors in life. I have been trapped in many a snow storm when traveling for work where airlines cancel flights. I have had to pay for many unexpected nights in hotel rooms and meals. We own our business so all added expenses are mine and my husbands. It's expensive and stinks but life is at times unpredictable.
I am a Florida resident and with all due respect I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for your situation right now. After enduring several days of boarding up ours and several of our elderly neighbors homes and spending an unplanned fortune on hurricane supplies for us and our neighbors. We watched on Friday afternoon as the hurricane path took a turn and we were projected to take a direct hit. Due to the possibility of storm surge we had no choice but to evacuate our family. Within a matter of less then an hour at around 1am on Saturday my husband and I grabbed our 3 children, dog, cat, insurance papers, vital records and about four changes of clothes each and piled in our truck. Our college age son was behind us in his car loaded with 4 of our elderly neighbors & their vital belongings. We had no time to plan before we were forced to leave. Other then heading north and praying we would be able to get out in time. It took 23 hours of straight driving to get from Sarasota, FL to Pigeon Forge Tennessee which was the first place we were able to book last minute that would accept pets. We stopped only for gas and bathroom breaks. It was an exhausting trip which no one had budgeted for. I'm dreading seeing what my credit card statement will be this month. Yet, we were safely out of harms way and felt blessed to be so. Then we had to wait to see IF we would have homes to return to. Thankfully we did.
After another 24 hours of driving in bumper to bumper traffic we returned home this morning. We were very lucky and only suffered minor roof damage, lost a fence, some trees, and our screen room is gone. None of this matters. It's all repairable and given a little time life will go back to normal.
I tell you all of this not to gain your sympathy. We are very happy and counting our blessings as many have lost so much more. Yet, please keep in mind that those
DCL cast members you spoke with were trying to do their job while probably trying to figure out their own messy hurricane situation. Honestly, a canceled cruise, why expensive and disappointing is nothing compared to what those cast members on the phone were probably facing. I'm sorry you had to figure out last minute lodging and how to get food with limited funds available to you. I'm happy for you that the Port Orleans manager stepped in to help you out. I would bet my bottom dollar that that same manager was more then likely worried about how they would feed their family without electricity for days, a possible storm damaged home, if he or she has children who will keep them for the next several days as our schools are all closed, and where they would have the funds to come up with to pay for all the added expenses placed on a family in a hurricane. Yet, the well trained Disney cast member kept a smile on their face and did all they could to help you out because that is how Disney treats their guest. True you didn't receive the same Disney treatment from DCL as you have come to expect. Yet, when DCL realized in an emergency situation that they could not provide guest with a safe situation on board they canceled and will be returning you your cruise fare. It's disappointing I know but trust me you had it pretty darn good compared to what most of Florida just endured this week. So please understand in my world at the moment your complaint is ridiculous given the situation in Florida. You had a beautiful resort to stay in, someone cooking your meals, and maid service why you suffered the loss of a cruise. Not a bad life considering you knew a hurricane was headed here a elected to come anyway. I hope you make it home safely and the cruise fare refund takes care of your addition days at Disney World.