Yes they are BIG on safety. They have changed ports or missed ports many times due to safety issues. We have missed Grand Caymen just because the waves were a bit rough for the tender boats. They said they could make it in ok but by afternoon when people would be coming back it might be too dangerous. So they cancelled.
What I dont like when this happens is always a
few people who are right up in the faces of the people at guest services griping and complaining. Demanding money back because they missed a port. Its in your contract that at the Captains desgession he can change ports at any time.
Instead of being grateful they can feel safe, knowing they are about safety on the ship.
Of course if they did go and someone slide across the room and fell down the same few would be the first to complain that Disney put them in danger and want to sue them for a sprained ankle.
Kathy
I agree that Disney is all about safety first, and that is one thing that is so appealing to us about this cruiseline (among many other things!).
I'm one of those (probably out of the ordinary) people who gets a little excited when things don't go the way I had planned or hoped... I guess it means that I'm up for a little unexpected/unkown adventure and so there is some excitement in that for me.
But, my DH and I have talked about this... why there are some people who do get really upset when Disney chooses to skip a port for weather/safety reasons, or just something happens out of everyone's control, and this is just my guess, but I think there are some people (probably a lot of people, actually) who can only afford to go on a vacation like this once in several years, or maybe they have a job where they don't have the ability to take time off, except once in several years, so for some, the cruise truly is a trip of a life-time (not that it ISN'T a trip of a lifetime for those who do cruise often or vacation often), but I'd imagine for those who can only travel due to finances or life circumstances once every several or many years, it IS truly a trip of a life-time. So, then, I would imagine if something goes wrong on that trip that in those people's minds was supposed to be "perfect" because they won't get this opportunity for another several years, I am guessing those might be some of the people who are complaining... but I could be totaly wrong!!! It's just a guess on my part. And, though I don't think complaining gets you anywhere and doesn't solve any problems or change any situation, if some of the people who compain are those in the category I mentioned above, I can see a bit why they'd feel let down or jipped.
But, I'm sure there are also a handful of people who vacation all the time and cruise all the time, and still find things to complain about on every single trip, and are the ones who are first to be at guest services breathing down their throat how this is not the vacation they signed up for!! Yes, there are always those people, and those people I do not understand, really. But, oh well.. every man/woman to his/her own, I guess.
For me (and our family), I do of course hope the whole trip goes off without a hitch and all goes perfectly, but just being on the Disney Ship for me is good enough to put me in totally great spirits the entire trip regardless of bad weather, or missing a port.... or for me... getting injured!!!

Again, I think it goes to the "cup is half-full" vs "cup is half-empty" mentality, and there are both mentalities cruising on each and every cruise.
-Kathy