Will Western Magic stop at Grand Cayman next month?

[cindy21494]

I'm not sure how accurate this is or not, but I just got an e-mail from Island Marketing LTD. about a shore excursion I had booked with them on GC for our 10/9 cruise. They state that because of the destruction, no ships will be going there for awhile, and that our ship (Disney Magic) will be going to Costa Maya. They were offering me different excursions for Costa Maya.

Now, I know several people have contacted Disney Cruise Line about if we were going to GC and Disney said there has been no change in our itinerary.

My question is, who do I believe? The people that contacted DCL said that we wouldn't know until we board the ship where we are going.

I would love to book a new shore excursion with Island Marketing LTD, because they are not so strict with their age limitations (we have a 4 year old).

Hopefully Disney will announce what port they are replacing GC with until it is back up and running, instead of waiting until the start of each cruise.

Cindy

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I think that the folks at DCL honestly do not know when the Disney Magic will again be able to call on Grand Cayman. And, I doubt that the authorities in the Cayman Islands government have more than a vague idea at this point, as the immediate priority is to restore basic services, such as power, water, sewage, shelter, and food supply.

I'm sure that the Cayman Islands government will see to it that Georgetown can accept cruise ships as soon as possible, because cruise passengers spend significant money in port. If I had to guess, I would say mid-November (but I could be completely wrong). Even then, there may still be sections of the island without power, and lots of evidence of the destruction that Ivan caused.

Undountedly, DCL is making arrangement for an interim Western Caribbean itinerary. I think there's a strong possibility that Costa Maya will be the substitute port, but other possibilities might include Belize City, Isla Roatan, or Playa del Carmen.

I doubt DCL will announce anything until the changes a firm (subject, as always, to emergency modifications if there are storms). DCL doesn't want to announce one thing, and then have to retract that. The changes may be announced on a cruise-by-cruise basis, until there is a firm reopening of Georgetown, Grand Cayman, to cruise passengers.

 

[allears]

doubt DCL will announce anything until the changes a firm (subject, as always, to emergency modifications if there are storms). DCL doesn't want to announce one thing, and then have to retract that. The changes may be announced on a cruise-by-cruise basis, until there is a firm reopening of Georgetown, Grand Cayman, to cruise passengers

I think you're so right. These kind of logistical moves are not as simple as we would like to think. We just have to be flexible and be prepared to go with the flow.

would love to book a new shore excursion with Island Marketing LTD, because they are not so strict with their age limitations (we have a 4 year old).

Cindy, what is their refund policy? Could you book an excrusion under the assumption that Costa Maya will be the subsitiuted port and if not get a full refund? That way your booked, but won't loose if you can't get there.

 

[cindy21494]

allears, I could book and if the ship does not go there they refund your money. My concern is I am waiting for a refund from the excursion for GC. I'm not sure when I will get it since their office was at GC, and according to them looked like a bomb went off inside. I'm actually surprised they e-mailed me already. Anyway, I really don't have enough information to book anything, such as when we arrive, and when we depart. I suppose I could go online once we are on the ship and book something from there. I never tried that before, so I don't know how that would work.

If anyone gets any concrete information, please let us know.

Thanks

Cindy

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The first newspaper since Hurricane Ivan has been published on Grand Cayman: http://caymannetnews.com/#739 (Click on the button at that site for image files of the actual newspaper.)

To read the main article as a web page: http://caymannetnews.com/2004/09/739/survives.shtml

MarkRG: Thank you for posting information about the awful damage that Ivan brought to the delightful island that so many of us have enjoyed. It's very sad. The bright spot is that, except for one heart attack attributed to Ivan, there are no confirmed deaths.

 

[MarkRG]

Yep, the first step toward normality has begun. It is an incredibly sad situation, but that's the first sign that they will surmount it.

 

[CM_Mom]

Cindy, will Island Marketing "transfer" your reservation to and excursion on Costa Maya without additional funds? Since they have notified you, then I would ask that they transfer your ressie to a comparable excursion on Costa Maya.

On the link I posted earlier, I believe that Mr. Uggeri said that they wouldn't send out refunds until AFTER the ship fails to call at the port so transferring would be the best bet.

Best wishes for a MAGICal cruise. We're all praying that whatever "disturbances" that come up in the future stay out in the ATLANTIC far far away from land.

 

[vossjemi]

Originally posted by vossjemi
This was posted on another message board by www.grandcaymancruiseexcursions.com. Sounds like there will be no cruise ships there for a while, but possibly other ports will be scheduled to replace GC.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=80469

Check out this link again. GCCE.com has posted an update about GC, his company, and other companies.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

By the looks of the Cayman map, Stingray City is on the north side (by the map) while 7 mile beach is on the west. Has anyone heard anything about Stingray City or the folks at Capt. Marvins? The website is up without any "due to the storm...." notices or anything. I also haven't seen any photos of the Hard Rock. I don't recognize most of the places in the photos I've seen.
Robin M.

 

[CM_Mom]

Rock'n Robin, check out both of Matteo's posts on the thread on cruise critic referenced by vossjemi. He has information about several of the operators and states which ones he doesn't know about.

 

[invaderzim]

Has anyone heard anything about Stingray City or the folks at Capt. Marvins? The website is up without any "due to the storm...." notices or anything. I also haven't seen any photos of the Hard Rock. I don't recognize most of the places in the photos I've seen.

Also, has anyone heard anything about The Turtle Farm?

 

[vossjemi]

Here is a link to a dive shop across the street from the Turtle Farm. Read their Ivan info. Says turtle farm is ok.

http://www.divetech.com/

 

[MarkRG]

Excellent!! That's the first good news I've heard from there.

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

Thanks again for the continued updates. Still looking for information on Captain Marvins. We did his three hour tour on our honeymoon and are suppose to do it again with our children in December.

 

[MarkRG]

Well I can't tell you about Captain Marvin's, but I think the Atlantis excursion will be out of service for quite a while, as their boat is really beached.

New pictueres have been posted: http://blueoceanart.com/ivan/

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/leroywall/my_photos

I'm still reading reports, There's a very nice one about Princess up right now at: http://www.stormcarib.com/reports/2004/cayman.shtml

It seems they offered the Carribbean Princess as a delivery for relief supplies. Very nice.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

That photo of Atlantis Adventures looks like their glass-bottomed boat. I wonder if their subs did okay.

 

[MarkRG]

I have now seen pics of both of the glass bottomed boats up on land. No pics/word of the subs. If it was up to me, I would have fueled them up and taken them out to sea someplace away and deep to ride it out.

Now, on Capt Marvin's, cut and pasted from elsewhere:

> To all of you who have written with questions about how we are doing after
> Hurricane Ivan, here is a brief update. Thank you for your prayers and
> concern; they have meant a lot to us during the past several days.
>
> The island has been ravaged by the hurricane. Most people have sustained
> damage to their homes and businesses. The trees are mostly gone; what are
> left standing have few or no leaves/fronds left on them. There are
> literally tons and tons of debris that need to be cleared, but this
> massive task is underway and there is a great improvement already.
>
> Capt. Marvin's Watersports lost two of our three locations, but the one in
> town at the Waterfront Centre is intact and although we have sustained
> some water damage, everything else seems to be fine here. We lost one of
> our boats but hope to bring that back up and get it going again. All of
> our crew, staff and owners and their families are well, which is the
> biggest blessing of all. We are thankful for life.
>
> Grand Cayman has never in recorded history been hit directly by a
> hurricane, much less a category 5 hurricane such as Ivan was, with
> sustained winds of over 165 mph, and gusts up to 208 mph recorded at the
> airport.
>
> Flights with returning residents and emergency/humanitarian supplies are
> arriving daily. One cruise ship arrived today with no tourists, but with
> humanitarian supplies, for which we are very grateful. We plan to be up
> and going whenever the first tourist arrives here, by land or by sea. We
> are actually capable of running at almost full capacity already, so we
> will be ready as soon as the first tourists arrive again.
>
>By the way, the Turtle Farm survived the storm in great shape!

> Thank you again for all of your prayers and concern. I apologize for the
> global email, but just don't have time to write to everyone individually
> right now. There were almost 500 emails waiting for me when I booted up
> the computer for the first time today!
>
> Gratefully yours,
> Ruth and the staff and crew from Capt. Marvin's

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

Does anyone have any more updated news?

I also got the e-mail from Captain Marvins.

I still cannot believe all of the damage.

 

[MarkRG]

This is still one of the best sources of news: http://www.stormcarib.com/reports/2004/cayman.shtml

I've also stumbled across this: http://www.alarnold.ca/cayman.htm

 

[MarkRG]

Just a post to bring this back to the front...