No Castaway Cay On 10/23/03 Cruise!!!!!!!!!!

[gassmandy]

Steph--that sucks that it turned out that way for you........and I wish you hadn't been looking forward to CC that much...then maybe you wouldn't have been disappointed. But after all my DCL cruises--I prefer the Eastern due to the fact we have more time ON the ship. Don't get me wrong--I love CC, but being from FL (as I believe you are too??) to me it's a beach (ok--so it has the Disney flare)!! Don't let that bother you ---maybe it's too late now. With all that said I still can't believe the trip was ruined due to not making it to CC. If I were you--shrug it off--and book another one. And realize you had 3 days of no work to enjoy your bf..........to me the setting of the ship alone would be romantic.......but being in the hospitality industry--I go w/ the flow and am VERY easy to please (cause it's my turn to be served and doted on!!) I hope you give it another shot and don't get too upset.

 

[RellingTwin]

After a year of planning, we were diverted due to a hurricaine. I was very dissapointed! We went to Purto Rico (I had NO idea of what there was to do there) and St. Thomas (we had been there the year before). A women on the ship was to get married in Key West (her whole wedding party was there waiting for them)!
How you deal with disapointments in life are a measure of your maturity. There will be MANY things(and people) in life you have no control over.Try to focus on the fact you were able to take a wonderful vacation.
I think the poster who said you might consider a week at the "beach" rather then the unpredicability of a cruise, is right. Cruising is not for everyone.
I am sorry you did not get the trip you were going to get. After all the planning, and antisipation it feels like you've been ripped off. Take a deep breath and try to focus on the good parts of the trip.

I'm not sure where the 50% thing came from. This board refects almost every cruise. We hear about it every time DCL dosn't dock at CC, and I don't remember there being a docking problem for quite some time. Out of 12 times a month DCL docks at CC, if they were only able to make it 6 times, I think it would be an issue. I think maybe this summer the Wonder was not able to dock. I've been reading "Magic" trip reports for about 2 years and can only remember about 2 or 3 times she couldn't dock due to high winds or high seas.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

 

[NCRedding]

Noseybuddy: DCL does have boats that can be used as tenders to get to and from Castaway Cay, but if the seas were that rough, you wouldn't want to be on them trying to dock to a gangway. I love that Castaway Cay has a dock instead of requiring tenders. Last year on cruisecritic, someone who cruised RCCL was telling of their adventure: They tendered onto the RCCL private island. A wicked storm blew up so they couldn't run anymore tenders, then when the storm blew over, it was too dark to use the tenders, so approximately 500 passengers had to spend the night on the island with very little shelter, towels for bed sheets, and just the left overs from lunch. The good news was they opened the bars until the booze ran out, and they gave the passengers a coupon off for their next trip.

Steph: I'm sorry you missed CC. It is beautiful. I've cruised 3x in October and was able to go to CC each time. Better luck next time.

 

[AnnMorin]

If I can give a bit of advice........ Stephanie.. I do feel for you, sometimes we build things up so much there is not any room left but for dissapointment. I am sorry you did not see CC,. it is a beautiful place, my dentist has been on two cruises and both times had to be diverted, he can't understand how I have made it each time.......however... and I think this is what you are missing, the DCL experience is not about CC, it is a beautiful island but the experience is so much more! Infact tonight at dinner we were discussing next years vacation and Jay suggessted doing another line to just see some different islands. Mike was so upset and was yelling and crying.. "you said we would always do Disney, I know the ship, I won't go...you can't go.." Yes he is a bit spoiled, but to our family our annual cruise is like comming home, we know what to expect (which is excellence) and where everything is...I am so sorry that you felt your trip was ruined. for me, I could care less if we stopped anywhere, just put me on that beautiful ship and I don't care where I go....

 

[cmitch9999]

Hi
My sympathies on missing Castaway Cay. I have been on 13 cruises and have only missed ports on 3 of them. (2 ports the last 2 cruises !!) Unfortunately when you spend months ahead of time dreaming and making plans for your cruise ..when Mother Nature turns that around it does take time to adjust to the disappointment. We plan to be on the Wonder in Feb..which can be a prime time for storms causing winds that could cancel our day on Castaway Cay. I will have to 'mourn' that hoped for day for a while if we can't dock on CC (usually takes me a couple hours) and then move ahead with the day at sea and changes... I do understand how upsetting that loss of a planned day in Paradise can be. Hope you can get over it and plan another getaway that will go more as you hoped.
Chris Mitchell

 

[Lisa F]

On our western cruise, the ONE thing we REALLY wanted to do was snorkel with the stingrays. Wouldn't you know, weather was bad at Grand Cayman and we couldn't tender in... the port was closed. We were a little disappointed, but the way we figured it we could either let it ruin our vacation, or not. On top of it, I got an awful cold and didn't want to snorkel in Cozumel because I didn't want to end up even more sick than I was. I spent most of my cruise drinking tons of juice and sleeping on our verandah.

The only reason I recall this is because of the subject. If you flat out ask me if we had a good time on the cruise, I would say yes without hesitation. The first things I remember are our fantastic servers, how nice it was to sit outside in the ocean breeze, how much I enjoyed the shows etc. All of these I was able to enjoy even with my nasty cold that made me want to sleep 16 hours a day.

I also remember the day that we were supposed to dock at Grand Cayman being seated at a table for 4 for lunch with two other women (and my husband). Those women proceeded to complain the entire time. They complained to the server, who did all kinds of things to try to cheer them up to no avail. They complained to us and when I shrugged and said that Disney couldn't control the weather, I almost got my head chopped off. We heard them complaining as they left the restaurant and we had some peace and quiet to enjoy our dessert. I have no doubt that they were miserable for the rest of the cruise. We were on the same cruise and we still had a great time. You can't control the weather or other acts of god but the one thing you CAN control is your attitude. I think that's what most people are trying to say.

Here's hoping that in retrospect you find that you have more good memories than bad.

Lisa

 

[stormi65]

Sorry to hear that your cruise didn't go that well. Don't let a few rude posters here bother you. Take it with a grain of salt.

 

[smchan]

Wow, I feel like I'm looking in a mirror here.

My first cruise was last March for my 8th anniversary. I had just finished a grueling project at work and was anxious to go on vacation and spend time with my wife.

I got sick the first night. And stayed that way, along with a lovely 48 hour quarantine, until the last day of the 4 day.

As I reflected on the trip, I felt pretty bad. I ruined it for my wife (and she did let me know) and felt like I had wasted a bunch of money and time for nothing.

In short, my cruise really sucked.

That said, I'm planning to go back; sometime between next month and next May. I'm determined to try again as I could see there was a lot to do from the few hours I spent outside my cabin.

In the spirits of improving my health and fighting of sickness, I've lost 50 lbs since that cruise. Only 25 more to go. That'll make the next one that much sweeter.

Chin up Stephanie. And think about going back.

Sam

 

[lsmac]

Steph,
I am really sorry to hear that your trip was less than perfect. It sounds like much more happened than you shared here and I am sure it wasn't just missing CC that got you upset! Being seasick can really ruin a good thing!

I keep trying to keep my guys on an even keel for our trip in November...even though we are supposed to dock at CC twice, I don't want them too disappointed if we don't. Reading your post reiterated that fact.

Wishing you a better trip next time!

Lisa

 

[dis4me]

AWWWW Steph so sorry to hear you didin't get to go to CC. I can imagine how disappointed you are. I know sometimes when one big thing doesn't go right you feel like everything was wrong.I am glad as the day goes on you are feeling better and finding some good. Unfortunately hearing a lot about everyone else's vacation really hypes it up and when you can't experience it you really feel bad.
***** Here is some pixie dust to make you feel better.

 

[skc2116]

Wow! I didn't realize that their was such a strong possibility of not being able to dock at Castaway Cay.

I guess we were really lucky. We just got home from the Magic and we were able to dock at Castaway Cay on the 24th. It was the best day of the trip, would have been very disappointed to have missed it.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

This past January, we tried to dock at CC and couldn't. Luckily, we had a day at sea planned for the next day that we exchanged to try again for CC. It worked. I think it's the chance you take with this time of year.

Steph -- I hope that you rebook. Don't let that ruin everything. Maybe try for a month that is noted for calmer seas? Possibly a 7-day where there would be more chances of docking?


Many of us are anxious to hear the fun things that happened to you from the cruise, though!!! Please share!!

 

[lbgraves]

Sorry you had a bad time but after reading your second post, I think that it is fair to say nothing that upset you on this trip was really Disney's fault. They can't influence your BF no matter how great the cruise is. Sounds like you have some difficult decisions to make.

 

[poopie]

that they miss docking at CC 50%.

I asked castmembers on my cruise how often they miss CC and they said not often at all. If it's a longer criuse 4 or 7 day they will try again the next day if possible.

I feel bad for anyone who misses it, but I wouldn't let it ruin my vacation.

I am 2/2 we will see what happends after my Dec and Jan trips.

 

[AnnMorin]

Iwent to the dentist today. And he said he has done DCL tow years in a row. I think one was a land sea and the other the western. Anyhow both times they could not dock. It was in January each time. HOWEVER and this is a BIG however, he said the cm's more than made up for it really trying to lift spirits, and as he said "heck how can you be upset you are in the caribbean away from the snow with peole trying their darnest to keep you happy!"
I love CC but if docking there ment risking the ship or any person I would rather the captain stear me to the middle of the sea where I could lie in the sun and drink konk coolers...

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by AnnMorin
Iwent to the dentist today. And he said he has done DCL tow years in a row. I think one was a land sea and the other the western. Anyhow both times they could not dock. It was in January each time. HOWEVER and this is a BIG however, he said the cm's more than made up for it really trying to lift spirits, and as he said "heck how can you be upset you are in the caribbean away from the snow with peole trying their darnest to keep you happy!"
I love CC but if docking there ment risking the ship or any person I would rather the captain stear me to the middle of the sea where I could lie in the sun and drink konk coolers...

Good notations, Ann!
Besides, I'd much rather another day at sea than one more day at Nassau or Freeport!!! Hmmmm....a DCL Cruise to Nowhere!

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

This is really sad, but I think it comes back to something that was posted a while ago.

Too often, people get so excited by things they read about that their hopes become expectations.

Let's just enjoy vacations with our loved ones, where ever they might be!

It's great to hope, but don't let those "expectations" ruin a wonderful vacation.

 

[wildabouttheworld]

Does Disney know a day or so ahead of Castaway Cay that the whether may not be suitable for docking? If they do, could they at least inform everyone that the potential is high that they may not be docking there so at least passengers can get prepared (mentally) and make arrangements for other activities? It seems only fair.

 

[luv2tvl]

I was on the 10/23 cruise with Step and indeed it was a "bummer" that we didn't dock at Castaway Cay on Saturday.

I didn't have a romantic day planned with my boyfriend on the island, but I was cruising with my husband and step daughter and we had one sad little 11 year old on our hands. She had SOOOO wanted to snorkle with Mickey! We spent a great day basically doing all the things we normally would have had time to do otherwise on a 3 night cruise. Went to the arcade, swam in the pool and watched a movie in the Buena Vista Theatre. All in all it ended up being a great "sea day".

I know it's VERY dissappointing and there really isn't anything to say that will make it less so, but you have to focus on the good things. I was happy to be on that beautiful ship with my family and not in COLD Nebraska.....

It's all about making lemonade out of lemons when handed them! We had a wonderful time anyway and will be going back again and again! Nothing will ever change that Castaway Cay or no Castaway Cay!

I didn't see your original post as it's gone now, but I hope you end up feeling like you had a great time anyway despite the dissappointment of no Castaway Cay!