Hurricane Cancellations or Altered Destinations?

[michellet1959]

Has anyone has their cruise cancelled or their destination ports alterered in July/August? If so, how long did it take for you to get reimbursed or what other ports did you go to? I.e. do they take you to Mexico instead of Bahamas?

[sjohnson529]

Yes, it happened to us. We had to miss a port but the captain kept us safe and in calm seas. He just detoured and instead of the port we had a day at sea. They gave everyone $100 OBC which I thought was very generous. I was happy to have the day at sea and be safe. People were still complaining, but then some people...

I would rather be kept safe then sail into a Hurricane!

[michellet1959]

thanks, that's good to know... did you have to cancel any previously booked excursions and was that put on as an onboard credit as well?

[adias.angel]

I'm confused. I thought hurricane season started in September for the Caribbean? Carla

[michellet1959]

well there are hurricanes that start in the caribean and hit the bahamas and/or florida from June through November.

[marvlgirl]

If they detour you and have to cancel a port that you have booked an excursion on they just give you a refund.

[mteague]

I do know the answer to the question about hurricane season....June 1st to November 30th for the Atlantic Basin, which includes the Carribean. I found the following information at the National Hurricane Center website.

Although tropical systems can form anywhere in the Atlantic basin during hurricane season, some areas are more prone to develop tropical storms and hurricanes at certain times of season. Early in the season (June through early July), tropical cyclones occur almost exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean Sea. By early July, the formation area gradually shifts eastward and continues eastward through late July. By late August, formation is over a broad area extending eastward to near the Cape Verde Islands (a few hundred miles west of the westernmost tip of north Africa). The formation area then moves westward in mid-September, returning to the western Caribbean Sea by early October.

Try www.wunderground.com and check out their tropical forecast page. There is a blog there that I follow the entire season. Sometimes they get a little carried away, but the info from the Doc is usually pretty good.

Hope this helps.

melody

[Luanne Russo]

Yes, They do refund your excursion price, if you are not able to go to the port. If you book and excursion that is not part of the Carnival ones, you need to make sure that the company you are dealing with has a refund policy.

As far as storms are concerned. Be sure to read your documents carefully. The cruise line is not required to get you to a certain amount of ports, nor do they have to refund you anything for missing the port. (not talking about excursions here)

Cruise lines will go out of there way to miss storms. Sometimes ships have been out for extra days, and sometimes your cruise is cut short due to storms. This is why your cruise fare is cheaper in the late summer, and fall.

Insurance is very important if you cruise during the stormy months, and should be purchased anytime.

[michellet1959]

Thanks Luanne,

I had my travel agent include Carnival's travel insurance when she booked the cruise.

I have free mileage round trip as I used accumulated frequent flyer miles so I would just have to find a new flight (probably at an ungodly hour) and wouldn't need to worry about Carnival reimbursing me.

[Luanne Russo]

Next time, try to get your own insurance. If there is a discrepensy, you will have someone other than Carnival to go to bat for you.

[michellet1959]

really? is there a travel insurance co. you can recommend?

[Luanne Russo]

insuremycruise.com This will give you the opportunity to choose from several different companies

[Cozumelholic]

CSA has a lot of good plans on the site above poster posted... I like CSA

[BobMiller]

We used AIG this trip, 25% cheaper than Carnivals with more than twice the coverage. They also had lower end plans that just covered the basics for less the 1/2 Carnivals price.

Third party insurance also protects against financial collapse of the cruise line itself.

Another consideration is do you want primary or secondary coverage. Secondary, like Carnivals requires you to submit loses to your home owners and medical insurance then their coverage applies to what ever lose is not covered.

With primary just submit the bills to them and they take care of it. The AIG premium package gave us a phone number where they would help fix any of the covered problems including directing us to credible medical facilities and emergency transportation.

[michellet1959]

wow, thanks for all the good advice everyone, I'll go with another travel insurer the next time around, which probalby won't be for 4 years, when I'm planning to take my son on Freedom for the 8-day eastern caribbean cruise for a highi school graduation gift!

[michellet1959]

hey, it's not too late to have my travel agent cancel my carnival trip insurance and go with another one, is it?

[mteague]

I think it's too late

[Cozumelholic]

Originally Posted by mstill

I think it's too late

Agree w/mstill... tried to cancel it on first cruise and Carnival stated once purchased it cannot be dropped

[michellet1959]

oh well, one of many important lessons learned from the experience of planning and booking my upcoming first cruise. I will really know what I'm doing the next time around! I am keeping track of things to make sure to do next time!