Upcoming port/itinerary changes HERE

[ITGirl50]

We are on a January out of San Juan as well...... Not sure what to do..... Thinking we should wait for Disney to call it off so we don;t lose our deposit.... Plus if Disney calls it off we may get those nice discounts they offered when Irma hit...

Only concierge would lose the deposit. All others are fully refundable 90+ days out. Disney hasn't even told us our itinerary changes and we are on the 10/21 Eastern. I think they are delaying announcements as long as possible so they don't have mass cancellations. We are stuck and they know it. Air fare and rooms are booked. Many are non-refundable. They aren't going to give us a refund if they change to an itinerary we don't like, but allow us to use 100% of those funds on a future cruise that will cost more and is over 6 months away. That's not that great of an offer. We are really irritated with DCL right now.

Those great discounts were for cancelled cruises, not port or itinerary changes. I wouldn't expect anything that generous for your cruise.

 

[FigmentSpark]

You'd think they'd be making announcements as soon as possible, so people could start booking excursions. A boat full of people with no excursions in a port are going to cost them more... in food and entertainment.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You'd think they'd be making announcements as soon as possible, so people could start booking excursions. A boat full of people with no excursions in a port are going to cost them more... in food and entertainment.

My guess is that not only do they have to arrange alternate ports, they have to arrange capacity for those port excursions to be offered.

Tuesdays in GC appear to be bananas, for instance.

 

[FigmentSpark]

My guess is that not only do they have to arrange alternate ports, they have to arrange capacity for those port excursions to be offered.

Tuesdays in GC appear to be bananas, for instance.

Agreed, but if I'm going to be on a changed itinerary, I'd rather not sign up for things I won't get to do, just because they haven't finalized things. At least say that an itinerary is changing and details will follow. Are people just checking in for Nov/Dec Eastern sailings being asked if they want to sign up for excursions on Tortola, for example?

 

[Jen B.]

We are cruising in 70 days out of Puerto Rico (maybe). It would definitely be nice to know whats going on as far as our itinerary and embarkation point.

 

[RedStars]

I couldn't deal with the uncertainty of the November 4th Eastern sailing so I called a week ago and got moved to the November 25th Merrytime Western. They refunded the difference in cost and the airlines even let me switch without paying any change fees. So if you're looking to change, it is possible.

 

[Jen B.]

I'm looking at the Merrytime sailing prior to our planned cruise. We could amtrak to NYC, stay overnight and then use our remaining balance with southwest to book the flight home.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Agreed, but if I'm going to be on a changed itinerary, I'd rather not sign up for things I won't get to do, just because they haven't finalized things. At least say that an itinerary is changing and details will follow. Are people just checking in for Nov/Dec Eastern sailings being asked if they want to sign up for excursions on Tortola, for example?

For the stuff 75+ days out, and not in San Juan, I do not disagree here.

I think the uncertainty around the upcoming San Juan sailings is pretty natural. They either have to make a snap decision, or need to get some data on the actual situation. Most of the early stuff was dire, but it may not be quite so dire. Right after the hit, everything is overwhelming, and a true assessment hasn't happened. This is especially true of the electric issues.

 

[go oilers go]

This is very helpful. Which ports sustained damage and are closed and which are still open throughout the caribbean.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...port-by-port-look-after-irma-maria/685467001/

We sail on 11/4. We are planning on a western itinerary at this point but have not heard anything from DCL yet. The one thing I am really curious about is we are on Grand Cayman's schedule for Wednesday that week, not the traditional Tuesday. Since Grand Cayman is in between Cozumel and Jamaica, I don't know that we could do a traditional western itinerary and still do GC on a Wednesday. They would have to go from Cozumel to Falmouth and then back to GC to make it work. I have a feeling we'll end up with something different. Aside from our sailing though, it looks like Fantasy is in GC every Tuesday from now through December and those sailings will likely be the standard western route.

My family and I are on this cruise, and noticed GC in port on Wednesday as well...very confused and would love some communication from Disney right about now .

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Thanks. That's the one I use and I couldn't understand where the OP was getting 4-5 ships on most days.

That is what I was looking at. There are 4, 5, 6...nov and dec mostly.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

From what Ive read there are only 2 ships in Poert on our Grand Cayman stop. We are on the 10/7 Fantasy cruise. HopeI read that right.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If they have to keep going west, given that a typical Eastern was two stops+ CC, I'd be okay skipping one of the Western stops to NOT be in GC the same day as everyone else (although I'd like to have one of the two stops kept be GC, truth be told - I'd rather do GC and Falmouth than Cozumel).

 

[disneymagicgirl]

From what Ive read there are only 2 ships in Poert on our Grand Cayman stop. We are on the 10/7 Fantasy cruise. HopeI read that right.

Yes you read it right. I was making a generalized statement that the western ports are very crowded the rest of the year. I am on the 10/7 as well.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

If they have to keep going west, given that a typical Eastern was two stops+ CC, I'd be okay skipping one of the Western stops to NOT be in GC the same day as everyone else (although I'd like to have one of the two stops kept be GC, truth be told - I'd rather do GC and Falmouth than Cozumel).

Agree. Or GC and a double dip cc...wishful thinking.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Ar

Yes you read it right. I was making a generalized statement that the western ports are very crowded the rest of the year. I am on the 10/7 as well.

Are you going to keep this cruise or cancel and rebook?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Currentl

Ar

Are you going to keep this cruise or cancel and rebook?

Currently keeping but waffling on it. Prob is moving it means about $1500 more since booking so last minute for a new sailing.

 

[Miller9568]

We are on the 10/21. We will go and have a great time. We are disappointed by the situation and extremely compassionate and disheartened for Mexico City and those impacted by these devastating hurricanes (like everyone here). That being said The communication from DCL has been poor. I have no expectation that they have things sorted or have perfect alternatives given the challenges in play. However it's fair to expect them to let their customers know what they know and what they are working on, I would meet them with compassion and understanding as most of us would.

 

[Miller9568]

From our travel agent- Disney Cruise Line had to cancel and modify a few cruises, but all clients have been contacted on this matter. If you have any questions please let me know. If you have not been contacted directly by myself or Beth ( who was covering for me) then your cruise is proceeding as planned. A lot of the Caribbean ports will be opening soon including Key West and San Juan. The Eastern Caribbean which was the hardest hit, may take a few more weeks. I am optimistic that they will do what it takes to get back to business as these islands depend on the tourist trade to stabilize their economic base.

From our charter in Tortola-
Dear friends of Aristocat Charters,

As many of you know, Hurricane Irma ripped through our beloved British Virgin Islands as a Category 5 hurricane on September 6th, 2017. To say she was catastrophic would be an understatement. She showed no mercy to our beautiful paradise and her wrath was felt island-wide. Homes were demolished and businesses destroyed.

Our Story...

We at Aristocat Charters were not spared. While we are very happy to report that every single one of our wonderful employees are safe and accounted for, our boats took a serious beating. Despite being properly secured in a 'hurricane hole', both of our Privilege 48 catamarans, Aristocat and Lionheart, while still visible and semi-floating in photos, were severely crippled by the storm. We have included some pictures below. As you can see, they fared much better than many others. Catapult, our World Cat 32, which was hauled out of the water and stored on a trailer, has suffered the least damage, and appears to be fully functional which is wonderful news. We the owners, Brittany & Scott Meyers, happened to be off-island with our family on our annual visit stateside when the storm hit and have yet been able to get back down island to further assess the damage, but it is significant.

What Does This Mean?

That said... while Irma was strong, we are stronger. The people of the BVI have rallied together and the message is loud and clear: We will rebuild! We at Aristocat Charters have joined in that battle call and have no intention to back away or close our doors. We have every intention and hope to be up and running and fully functional as soon as it is possible.

Our employees are also committed to this cause and we hope to be able to give them the work they need and love. There is a long road ahead, but we are not alone - and together with our community, the British Virgin Islands will be back, bigger and stronger than before. While the aftermath looks awful in pictures, progress is being made every single day. While we are not quite sure on an exact timeline yet as to when we can be back up and running, we will keep you posted. We hope to have at least one boat running in the next few months while we, along with our employees, help to rebuild our treasured island community.

How Can You Help?

The good news is, there are several ways to help us...

Our personal fundraiser
Scott and I have set up a relief fund for the British Virgin Islands and every penny is going toward relief and rebuilding. We have already purchased medical supplies and scrubs for the hospital, $30K worth of tarps, 50 chainsaws, and we are working with others to send down supplies to rebuild and we are currently sourcing a supplier to send down a bulk supply of portable generators and construction materials. We would love to keep a steady stream of these priority items shipping to the BVI, so if you could find it in your heart to donate, feel free to do so at the following link... https://www.youcaring.com/bviimmediaterelief-943806. And if you have already donated, we thank you very much and ask that you keep spreading the word via Facebook, email, etc.

Current bookings, cancellations, and deposit refunds
Several of you have already written that you would like us to keep your deposits as a 'donation' and we greatly appreciate it. Thank you kindly to those who have already offered this and if you feel moved to help in this way, we would be so very grateful.

If you would like a refund, we absolutely plan to reimburse all deposits for bookings that we will not be able to honor. If your visit to the BVI is a little ways out and still "up in the air"... or you're not sure if your cruise will be cancelled or redirected... we ask that you consider holding off on canceling your booking until you're absolutely sure you need to cancel.

Moving Forward:
Tourism is the linchpin of our economy and every single one of us in the BVI have a vested interest to give you all a beautiful place to come and visit. We will keep you posted on our progress, as well as the rest of the island, and we thank you for your care and concern. We will have a link on our websites homepage and will try to send regular email blasts as well. It has truly been an honor providing "the best day of your BVI vacation" and we cannot wait to get back to doing it again and welcoming you on board for a day sail in the always beautiful British Virgin Islands.

With heart and strength,

Brittany & Scott Meyers
Aristocat Charters Owners

 

[kkayluvsdis]

From our travel agent- Disney Cruise Line had to cancel and modify a few cruises, but all clients have been contacted on this matter. If you have any questions please let me know. If you have not been contacted directly by myself or Beth ( who was covering for me) then your cruise is proceeding as planned. A lot of the Caribbean ports will be opening soon including Key West and San Juan. The Eastern Caribbean which was the hardest hit, may take a few more weeks. I am optimistic that they will do what it takes to get back to business as these islands depend on the tourist trade to stabilize their economic base.

From our charter in Tortola-
Dear friends of Aristocat Charters,

As many of you know, Hurricane Irma ripped through our beloved British Virgin Islands as a Category 5 hurricane on September 6th, 2017. To say she was catastrophic would be an understatement. She showed no mercy to our beautiful paradise and her wrath was felt island-wide. Homes were demolished and businesses destroyed.

Our Story...

s

I have been following the updates from Aristocat Charters as well. We are currently scheduled for an Eastern Cruise in Feb of 2018 and have an outing booked with Aristocat. It's amazing to me, the positive attitude people can have even after being faced with such hardships. If we don't get to sail with them in February I certainly hope we can in the future....

 

[lorenni]

From our travel agent- Disney Cruise Line had to cancel and modify a few cruises, but all clients have been contacted on this matter. If you have any questions please let me know. If you have not been contacted directly by myself or Beth ( who was covering for me) then your cruise is proceeding as planned. A lot of the Caribbean ports will be opening soon including Key West and San Juan. The Eastern Caribbean which was the hardest hit, may take a few more weeks. I am optimistic that they will do what it takes to get back to business as these islands depend on the tourist trade to stabilize their economic base.

I received an email with this same stock paragraph, and it's crap. It was sent AFTER the latest chaos hit PR but clearly written BEFORE that. Or they are delusional and think an island without electricity and with failing dams is ready to host cruise ships. None of us are going to PR anytime in the next few months, unless it's with a humanitarian volunteer organization. Just like no one is stopping on St Thomas or Tortola. Even hinting that these ports will be back in action in "a few more weeks" is ridiculous.

So, going into my booking window, which opens next weekend, I have ZERO useful information. I do not know where my cruise will go, or when the sea days will be. I don't particularly care - I'll be happy if we float around the ocean for 7 days. But it cannot be said that either Disney or the travel agency who sent the above email is actually providing any useful information at this point. So I'll probably throw a dart and book Remy for what might or might not be a sea day, register my kiddo for the club and call it a day. First world problems.