WBPC out of New Orleans - Cancelling or Going?

[DisneYE]

This is spot-on. As a NOLA local, I can say first-hand that the crush of people during Mardi Gras is no worse than the crush of people at a park. Especially given what the crowd levels at the parks have looked like lately.

I don't know what the stats are on how many people sailing out of PC stop at a Disney park beforehand, but if the percentage is more than nominal, you should be no more or less worried about boarding a DCL ship in New Orleans than you would a DCL ship in PC.

That said, if you have the same level of concern sailing out of PC as you do for NOLA, then maybe you should hold off until you can sail without being in a perpetual state of heightened anxiety.

Hey since you're a local, can I ask:
You say that crowds during MD aren't worse than the parks in FL but...
- How are the crowds at the WWII museum during Mardi Gras? shoulder to shoulder or is it tolerable? - we're debating going due do the risk of a getting a + result at the port if we mix a lot with the crowds a couple of days before.
- Can you recommend a good swamp tour? We went to one in 2020 but it was meh. One of those you find in top 1-3 results when you google.

 

[squirk]

Hey since you're a local, can I ask:
You say that crowds during MD aren't worse than the parks in FL but...
- How are the crowds at the WWII museum during Mardi Gras? shoulder to shoulder or is it tolerable? - we're debating going due do the risk of a getting a + result at the port if we mix a lot with the crowds a couple of days before.
- Can you recommend a good swamp tour? We went to one in 2020 but it was meh. One of those you find in top 1-3 results when you google.

I've never been to the WWII museum during Mardi Gras. We can go whenever we want, so we have no need or desire to drive downtown in the middle of Mardi Gras season when the traffic is a nightmare.

That said, NOLA is maintaining stricter health protocols than the rest of the state, so masking is required in the museum, and you must show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test to eat at the food locations there.

And I have never been on an official swamp tour. Not something that locals really do. But we live near Honey Island Swamp north of the city and we enjoy visiting it - you see a wide variety of different animals and plants, not just alligators and cypress trees (though you get plenty of those, too).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

This is spot-on. As a NOLA local, I can say first-hand that the crush of people during Mardi Gras is no worse than the crush of people at a park. Especially given what the crowd levels at the parks have looked like lately.

I don't know what the stats are on how many people sailing out of PC stop at a Disney park beforehand, but if the percentage is more than nominal, you should be no more or less worried about boarding a DCL ship in New Orleans than you would a DCL ship in PC.

That said, if you have the same level of concern sailing out of PC as you do for NOLA, then maybe you should hold off until you can sail without being in a perpetual state of heightened anxiety.

I’m not worried about someone bringing covid onto the ship after they visit WDW or Mardi Gras. I’m worried about being in ANY crowd pre cruise and then not being able to sail because one of us tests positive at the port.
We’ve sailed twice since the restart and felt very safe.
Given the fact that we can’t merely reschedule this cruise for another sail date a month or 2 later, I think it would be foolish to risk our ability to board so that we can see things that can be seen anytime as a land-only trip.

 

[twopackages]

We are still going! I am worried about testing at the port. We are in sort of lockdown with ourselves right now and limiting contact with others so that we are good to go.

Does anyone know what the port is like. We will be arriving by taxi. Do we just get dropped off and that is it? Is there a long line of cars? Trying to time it so we arrive at the right time, but I don't know about lines.

 

[DisneYE]

We are still going! I am worried about testing at the port. We are in sort of lockdown with ourselves right now and limiting contact with others so that we are good to go.

Does anyone know what the port is like. We will be arriving by taxi. Do we just get dropped off and that is it? Is there a long line of cars? Trying to time it so we arrive at the right time, but I don't know about lines.

Not in a lockdown ourselves but we will all do PCR tests 3 days before our flight. If any of us 4 tests positive, we will cancel.. obviously would rather cancel when at home than at the port.

 

[DisneYE]

urrgggghhh.... I just got an email from DCL
They just cancelled Grand Cayman and replaced it with.... a Sea Day.
14 days and only 4 stops... I'm mad but whatever.

 

[iannovich]

They knew this was very likely. I’m disappointed they didn’t have a backup plan to swap in another port. I just keep saying “at least it’s going…”

 

[mab2012]

urrgggghhh.... I just got an email from DCL
They just cancelled Grand Cayman and replaced it with.... a Sea Day.
14 days and only 4 stops... I'm mad but whatever.

If it makes you feel any better, we got two stops on the 2020 WBPC. Cozumel and Cayman. And of course that wasn't planned, so the entertainment staff had to scramble to schedule activities AND they were hamstrung since there was no swap of the entertainment staff in Colombia as planned. At least this time they can plan ahead.

The cancelled ports were disappointing, but we still had a good time. Have a great cruise!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

urrgggghhh.... I just got an email from DCL
They just cancelled Grand Cayman and replaced it with.... a Sea Day.
14 days and only 4 stops... I'm mad but whatever.

Still is better than being at work!

 

[TestingH2O]

If it makes you feel any better, we got two stops on the 2020 WBPC. Cozumel and Cayman. And of course that wasn't planned, so the entertainment staff had to scramble to schedule activities AND they were hamstrung since there was no swap of the entertainment staff in Colombia as planned. At least this time they can plan ahead.

The cancelled ports were disappointing, but we still had a good time. Have a great cruise!

I was going to say the same thing. We ended up with 11 sea days in a row! The entertainment staff was so creative making sure we had a great time. I’m sure they will again especially since they know ahead that you’ll have the extra day.

 

[DisneYE]

If it makes you feel any better, we got two stops on the 2020 WBPC. Cozumel and Cayman. And of course that wasn't planned, so the entertainment staff had to scramble to schedule activities AND they were hamstrung since there was no swap of the entertainment staff in Colombia as planned. At least this time they can plan ahead.

The cancelled ports were disappointing, but we still had a good time. Have a great cruise!

Thank you.
Yeah I know. We were there.
I just hope things in Europe don't escalate & the situation calms down a bit
Remember on that cruise how C-19 was in the back of everyone's minds?

 

[JM_97]

If anyone wants to cancel, I'll take your spot!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We're not doing any ship-sponsored excursions until after we get through the canal. I don't want to be contacted on day 4 that John Doe was with us on the ______excursion so therefore we must quarantine, then miss the PC crossing! Not that I want to quarantine at all but it would suck even worse to not even see us go through the Panama Canal because of it. So we'll be on our own in Cozumel and Columbia. We are still undecided on what to do exactly. I have a huge imagination and my thoughts regarding drug cartels make me want to just stay on the ship.

 

[mab2012]

Thank you.
Yeah I know. We were there.
I just hope things in Europe don't escalate & the situation calms down a bit
Remember on that cruise how C-19 was in the back of everyone's minds?

Ugh, I'm sure it must be disappointing to have the "do-over" cruise impacted too. At least it was a port you actually got to do the last time? I think I would prefer that to missing one of the same ports again. Cayman is a nice one though.

We opted to use our discount on the July Med cruise. Holding out hope that things will be closer to normal by then!

 

[o&smom]

If it makes you feel any better, we got two stops on the 2020 WBPC. Cozumel and Cayman. And of course that wasn't planned, so the entertainment staff had to scramble to schedule activities AND they were hamstrung since there was no swap of the entertainment staff in Colombia as planned. At least this time they can plan ahead.

The cancelled ports were disappointing, but we still had a good time. Have a great cruise!

Wasn’t it so much fun?!? Kids had a great time. A little stressful for me.

 

[Intr3pid]

If anyone wants to cancel, I'll take your spot!

I can sell you a bed in our teenagers cabin. Going rate + 60% room tax!

 

[DisneYE]

We're not doing any ship-sponsored excursions until after we get through the canal. I don't want to be contacted on day 4 that John Doe was with us on the ______excursion so therefore we must quarantine, then miss the PC crossing! Not that I want to quarantine at all but it would suck even worse to not even see us go through the Panama Canal because of it. So we'll be on our own in Cozumel and Columbia. We are still undecided on what to do exactly. I have a huge imagination and my thoughts regarding drug cartels make me want to just stay on the ship.

That's an interesting observation. I didn't think about it.
You *might* catch it if you're in the same bus with dozens of ppl... I can't believe ppl still take the DCL bus these days... We stopped taking it years ago after we got severely sick with the flu several times with kids & adults coughing non stop close to us (back when there were no masks)... I'd never take a bus full of kids anymore, masks or not.

Cozumel is very safe, no cartels afaik (my wife is Mexican and is very aware of the security situation in MX)
We've been there several times and didn't feel remotely unsafe.. We're doing our own thing, will get off the ship late in the morning, walk for a bit,, go for lunch at a restaurant we love close to the port ("Palmeras", very recommended), and then we'll head over to Mega (huge Mexican grocery store close to the port) to grab some snacks and then back to the ship.

What you said has me thinking about whether to cancel our Cartagena port adventure. We will if it involves taking a bus, can't remember if it does...I wouldn't want to risk missing the Panama Canal crossing...it's on the top10 of my bucket list.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

That's an interesting observation. I didn't think about it.
You *might* catch it if you're in the same bus with dozens of ppl... I can't believe ppl still take the DCL bus these days... We stopped taking it years ago after we got severely sick with the flu several times with kids & adults coughing non stop close to us (back when there were no masks)... I'd never take a bus full of kids anymore, masks or not.

Cozumel is very safe, no cartels akaiik (my wife is Mexican and is very aware of the security situation in MX)
We've been there several times and didn't feel remotely unsafe.. We're doing our own thing, will get off the ship late in the morning, walk for a bit,, go for lunch at a restaurant we love close to the port ("Palmeras", very recommended), and then we'll head over to Mega (huge Mexican grocery store close to the port) to grab some snacks and then back to the ship.

What you said has me thinking about whether to cancel our Cartagena port adventure. We will if it involves taking a bus, can't remember if it does...I wouldn't want to risk missing the Panama Canal crossing...it's on the top10 of my bucket list.

I'm sure Cartagena is a lovely town but I'm not taking this cruise to specifically see it. If another port was substituted in its place, I wouldn't be disappointed. IMHO, whether it uses a bus or not, is beside the point. If DCL sees that you shared an excursion with someone else who tests positive, you get quarantined. If I end up being quarantined due to shared excursions, I'd rather it be closer to the end of the cruise, after our canal day.

I have been to Cozumel several times too and never felt unsafe there. Then again, I was shocked to hear about shootings in Cancun, where I also visited many times and felt very safe. I was also very young then (early 20s) and as I get older (mid 50s) we are much more risk averse. I'm sure the odds are slim but like I said, I have a big imagination. Maybe I worry too much but our young adult kids will be home (and at work) and will be expecting us to come home safe & sound. My only goals on this cruise are seeing the Panama Canal and having some time to relax. Everything else is icing on the cake, and much less important to me.
Drug gang shootings plague tourist area (cnn.com)
Is Cancun safe for travel? What to consider after recent shootings in Mexico. - The Washington Post
Is it safe for Americans to vacation to Cancun? (nypost.com)

 

[DisneYE]

I'm sure Cartagena is a lovely town but I'm not taking this cruise to specifically see it. If another port was substituted in its place, I wouldn't be disappointed. IMHO, whether it uses a bus or not, is beside the point. If DCL sees that you shared an excursion with someone else who tests positive, you get quarantined. If I end up being quarantined due to shared excursions, I'd rather it be closer to the end of the cruise, after our canal day.

I have been to Cozumel several times too and never felt unsafe there. Then again, I was shocked to hear about shootings in Cancun, where I also visited many times and felt very safe. I was also very young then (early 20s) and as I get older (mid 50s) we are much more risk averse. I'm sure the odds are slim but like I said, I have a big imagination. Maybe I worry too much but our young adult kids will be home (and at work) and will be expecting us to come home safe & sound. My only goals on this cruise are seeing the Panama Canal and having some time to relax. Everything else is icing on the cake, and much less important to me.
Drug gang shootings plague tourist area (cnn.com)
Is Cancun safe for travel? What to consider after recent shootings in Mexico. - The Washington Post
Is it safe for Americans to vacation to Cancun? (nypost.com)

Gosh. You're right! again. I didn't think about that either.
That if a fellow cruiser on the port adventure tests positive, they'll likely send everyone on that excursion to the penalty box.... Yeah. I'm cancelling our Cartagena port adventure - thanks for the heads up!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Gosh. You're right! again. I didn't think about that either.
That if a fellow cruiser on the port adventure tests positive, they'll likely send everyone on that excursion to the penalty box.... Yeah. I'm cancelling our Cartagena port adventure - thanks for the heads up!

Exactly. Organized activities link us to others, and sometimes that can drag us down. (To deck 2, that is)
I only thought of this after a someone posted to the Disboards how her daughter had to be tested after another little girl who was in the kids' club at the same time tested positive. The poster's daughter tested negative, possibly even twice IIRC, but still they had to quarantine. In their case, it was very close to the end of their cruise, maybe the last night, but this scenario could happen anytime.
Seriously, I'm not letting anything raise my odds of missing this cruise or watching us go through the PC. We have been wanting to do this since 2007. I keep my eye on the prize and don't get distracted by trinkets and sparkly things.