Weather can affect Disney Dream Castaway

[bobbiwoz]

We were on RCCL once, it was too windy to tender into their Private Island, they took us to Nassau. That was our first time in Nassau, the cruise had been to eastern Caribbean. This was probably in the 1990's our very first cruise and it was the only time a private island was switched for another port. On 2 other cruises, both Princess, when we did not get to the Private island, it was a day at sea. In 2013 the Fantady cruise we were on did not go to st Martaan as planned, we went to San Juan Puerto Rico to avoid rough seas or maybe a hurricane.

We were on Jan 4th, 2015 Wonder cruise, Captain Fabian tried very hard and did get us into CC, I think it was close to 10:30 or 11 that people were able to get off. I think the Captain has the best interest of the passengers at heart, otherwise, we would not cruise.

 

[phinz]

That night during dinner we started seeing lights outside the portholes in the dining room. We opened the shutters to find that we were at a port. Turned out it was the port of Miami. Medical Emergency. We all went back to our rooms and pulled out our cellphones and made calls home since we were able to pick up our cell carriers. Bonus!

I remember watching her come in to port on the port cam, not even bothering to turn around until after the emergency had been unloaded. It was wild. People in Miami were actually calling each other to come to the port and see her, since she's not commonly seen there.

 

[hanscarlet]

OP just chiming in to say I would be upset too! I actually am grateful to this community because from here I learned that this indeed can happen and the contract explains it so no refund. If I wouldn't have known this to be the case and I was blindsided on the cruise and not at CC I would be very upset. Now I am going with a different mindset on this topic when we sail in April. I'll be disappointed if we don't get to go but at least now I know it can happen. I would be uncomfortable to watch cruisers yell at CMs (it's not their fault geez can't believe people do that)

 

[Julylady]

OP - you might want to change the title of this thread to "Warning - weather conditions might result in ship not docking at Castaway Cay. "I have been on 12 Disney cruises and we have not been able to dock at Castaway Cay twice. Both times, we had fun "at sea days." However, after the second time we missed we booked a double dip at Castaway Cay to increase our chances of spending at least one day on the Island.

I will say that I have never seen grown people act as awful as the way I have on those ships after not docking at CC. Screaming at cast members that their trip was ruined, accusing the Captain of poor sailing to his face, demanding a refund or a free cruise. All the while their poor kids crying with them rather than having a fun time on the ship.

This thread may serve a real purpose if more novice cruisers understood that NO island or excursion is guaranteed. Don't book a cruise unless you truly accept that possibility. And if it happens to you, make the best of it and have fun with your family! P.S. After our cruise last December we stayed three extra days at WDW. It was freezing cold and rainy each day -just miserable to be outside. You just need to be resilient and make the best of it!

 

[perditax]

OP - you might want to change the title of this thread to "Warning - weather conditions might result in ship not docking at Castaway Cay. "I have been on 12 Disney cruises and we have not been able to dock at Castaway Cay twice. Both times, we had fun "at sea days." However, after the second time we missed we booked a double dip at Castaway Cay to increase our chances of spending at least one day on the Island.

I will say that I have never seen grown people act as awful as the way I have on those ships after not docking at CC. Screaming at cast members that their trip was ruined, accusing the Captain of poor sailing to his face, demanding a refund or a free cruise. All the while their poor kids crying with them rather than having a fun time on the ship.

This thread may serve a real purpose if more novice cruisers understood that NO island or excursion is guaranteed. Don't book a cruise unless you truly accept that possibility. And if it happens to you, make the best of it and have fun with your family! P.S. After our cruise last December we stayed three extra days at WDW. It was freezing cold and rainy each day -just miserable to be outside. You just need to be resilient and make the best of it!

After reading some things like this, I have absolutely no idea how people manage to work in the service industry for this particular demographic of customers. I guess they must have a thick skin and/or develop a sense of humor about being screamed at by an entitled middle-class family with no sense of perspective.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Disney Cruise line goes through the Panama Canal twice each year with inches to spare on each side of the boat. These captains are rockstars at what they do.

Do you know why Disney is never in the news for boats crashing/sinking/running ashore? Because the Captain makes a call when he/she feels the conditions are just not safe enough to dock somewhere. Do you REALLY think that the Captain wants to make the announcement that he was not able to dock there? Captains take pride in sailing these ships. To them, not being able to get the ship docked is a personal failure. So while you, the OP are thinking all about me, me, me. Try thinking about the Captain and the fact that he was thinking about you, you, you. Your safety is his number one concern. If you are more concerned about getting in to a port. Give Costa/Carnival a try. You might run aground getting there, but you might actually make it...even if you have to swim to shore!

Yes the captains are rock stars, but FWIW the Canal has its own pilots to guide the ships through the Canal. The ships are hooked up to several small locomotives on rails to keep the ship on the straight and narrow. The ship's captain is not in charge -- just observes.

 

[cgattis]

Ok, I know I'm not crazy (ok, maybe that's not true...), but I know I read a post on this thread saying per the contract, the ship never really has to leave Port Canaveral. We've only cruised once (but hope to again!) and I honestly can't swear I read every word of the contract. Does it really say that?? I understand about missed ports, but I guess before we go again, I really need to understand what is guaranteed and what could be covered by trip insurance. Whoever posted that, can you help? Thanks!

 

[cashe]

it just says that they may or may not make any or all ports, i don't think theres even a guarantee that they HAVE to leave PC. They just have to provide a ship and feed you. Would they likely NOT leave an embarkation port? no. it's just an over exaggeration of what COULD happen. (my lovely crisis mgt training from college sometime tends to make people crazy, esp my husband LOL)

I wouldn't worry about it. I'm betting if they couldn't leave PC there would be concessions made. I don't think disney is out to just take advantage of you.

 

[Scoobypop]

Click to expand...
After reading some things like this, I have absolutely no idea how people manage to work in the service industry for this particular demographic of customers. I guess they must have a thick skin and/or develop a sense of humor about being screamed at by an entitled middle-class family with no sense of perspective.

I like this one. I work in a beautiful high end spa at a great resort on the Las Vegas strip. You'd be amazed at how many people just don't seem to be happy or know how to enjoy being on vacation. Then again, just reading this thread, look how many times the words "upset", "disappointed", and "complaint" have been used to describe some people's days on a Disney cruise. Numerous times on each page, with only a few scattered comments from others who have said they make the most of it, and it didn't affect their enjoyment of their cruise, their day, or their vacations at all.

 

[SillyInventor]

LOL @ war and peace novel
wow. so she's saying she couldn't find PBJ and pancakes?! lol ridiculous. i think she's just one of those people who finds negative in everything. i have had my fair share of craptastic vacations and my dh would beg to differ that i couldn't be that negative too LOL but even I don't think i could sit down and write a negative review that long finding THAT many things to complain about. i'd suggest she never vacation again or go somewhere where they only serve PBJ and pancakes. ha!

Well to quote the writer:

I am not the type of person to complain, and I always try to find the positive in a situation, and have never written a company before to complain, but

The thing I'm wondering, give the party she (I assume she) traveled with:

In our party was myself and my two year old son, my mother, and my three younger brothers and sister (age 11, 7, and 6), and my grandmother.

How old she really is.
The two year old son who sails a DCL Ship and the ONLY thing he ate for three days was Fruit loops and drinking Apple juice because room service didn't provide any PB&J sandwiches nor pancakes is hilarious as that was the single thing he was prepared to eat on the whole Ship.
I had to read the story in three parts to take it in

 

[lbgraves]

.... I read online that sometimes the ship will try once and then take the guests to some other island to enjoy a beach. This ship and crew decided to try four times and then spend the rest of the time at sea. ....

First of all, this has NEVER happened! They can't just show up at another port and dock there. It takes more planning than that. What has happened on some 4-night cruises is that if the ship cannot dock at CC the captain might be able to try again on the planned sea day. Of course, now that there are four ships docking at CC up to 5 times each week total, this may not always be possible due to the schedule.

With all the reading you have done, it doesn't sound like you have read the contract you signed with DCL for the cruise. It includes the fact that you aren't guaranteed to dock in any of the ports or even cruise on a DCL ship. http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/booking-conditions-gb/

Why should DCL compensate you because they weren't able to dock at CC, yet they haven't done more than offering one free drink to guests in the same situation in the past? Do you really think that the captain wants to not dock at CC knowing that many guests are going to complain and even yell at CMs because of it? We know several CMs from over the years and they all say not to feel sorry for their hours because they agree to the job and can go home if they wish.

 

[SailingSeas]

nothing to add

 

[mama2mickeyfans]

Let them complain... and hopefully never sail again! That's one less entitled grouch to potentially be on the same ship as me...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ok, I know I'm not crazy (ok, maybe that's not true...), but I know I read a post on this thread saying per the contract, the ship never really has to leave Port Canaveral. We've only cruised once (but hope to again!) and I honestly can't swear I read every word of the contract. Does it really say that?? I understand about missed ports, but I guess before we go again, I really need to understand what is guaranteed and what could be covered by trip insurance. Whoever posted that, can you help? Thanks!

From the DCL Terms & Conditions contract (that all cruisers agree to when making a reservation):

RIGHT TO CHANGE ITINERARY/DETENTION
Disney Cruise Line may in its sole discretion and without prior notice change, substitute, postpone, cancel or deviate from any scheduled sailing, itinerary or call at any port, and may substitute another vessel for the ship, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage incurred by a Guest as a result of any such change, substitution, postponement, cancellation or deviation. The Guest shall pay any and all expenses incurred if a Guest is detained on board ship or elsewhere at any stage of a voyage because of quarantine, port regulations, prevailing applicable law, illness or other cause.
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/terms-and-conditions/?country=us

 

[cgolf]

OP just chiming in to say I would be upset too! I actually am grateful to this community because from here I learned that this indeed can happen and the contract explains it so no refund. If I wouldn't have known this to be the case and I was blindsided on the cruise and not at CC I would be very upset. Now I am going with a different mindset on this topic when we sail in April. I'll be disappointed if we don't get to go but at least now I know it can happen. I would be uncomfortable to watch cruisers yell at CMs (it's not their fault geez can't believe people do that)

A little off topic to this thread (spot on to your comment), but when we returned our flight got canceled due to the weather, and my wife dealt with rebooking us and getting us a good deal on spending the night. She was very nice to the people at the counter and they got us a 240 dollar a night room for 60 something at a nice hotel (they thanked her for being nice too). The people that were mistreating them, yelling and being rude didn't get as good of a flight, and did not get the discounted room. Sometimes life throws us curves, and it is our job to make the best of them

 

[fun4us7]

I will plan a "sea day" just in case we have to skip CC. It happened to me one time only, but the captain rerouted to the another port 2 days.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

When situations like this happen does DCL ever try to come back on scheduled sea days if no other ships are there?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When situations like this happen does DCL ever try to come back on scheduled sea days if no other ships are there?

Yes, if the cruise has a sea day following the missed day at Castaway Cay, and there are no other DCL ships already scheduled for CC, then the captain usually tries again the next day.

 

[turtle27]

OMG, the link with the "war and peace" novel. LOL to that. It is an amazing piece of writing. As in, I am amazed this lady can function! Maybe she really did have a horrible experience, I have just never read such circular rationalization. And how running out of diapers turned into Disney's fault, I mean, how is a lack of planning on her part an error by Disney. You are traveling, tummy and digestive issues happen, EVEN when eating more than fruit loops and apple juice. I am still laughing at this. It almost sounds like they were calling the parks (where you are not allowed to bring in outside food) and not the cruise line. Just a thought? And depending on how it was phrased, you are supposed to bring homemade items on board. That is not Disney, that is a customs rule. Maybe, just maybe she did not ask her questions well or only heard what she wanted. And the horror of waiting in line for a character meet and greet. Has she been to WDW or DL lately? A whole hour. And character meets during dinner, OMG... That just made my day. So thank you again for posting, it had not started out well. I have never seen an individual get a private character meet on the ships, it may be possible? And I don't know if I have ever seen balloons that Disney has provided. I just can't anymore. Just no.

Sorry for that, it made my day, so thanks for posting and giving me a good laugh. Life is too short!

To the OP - I responded on the other site, so won't here. Sorry if I was a bit rough... That whole expectations thing can get you every time. Just try to make the most out of it if it happens again! Missing a port is never great, but Disney generally tries to make up for it with added activities. Also, just think of all the people on last year's October Panama sailing, from what our servers told us, they missed some of their port days and they are few and far between on that sailing, but everyone still seemed to have a good time. Not sure if anyone posted about all the missed ports. That was when Mexico was getting hit with hurricanes.

 

[onlyholly]

I have a naturally cynical mind and I had one of those "is this for money?" reflex thoughts the first time I read about a failed CC day, but as the posters said, it doesn't make financial sense. I assume all those docking attempts eat fuel like crazy, meanwhile you have a boat full of unhappy passengers eating free food and watching free movies instead of buying drinks on the beach and renting equipment and buying very expensive shore excursions.

The food is not free, and the movies are not free either. We pay high prices for the pleasure ;-)