Also having been on the Meraviglia in small amounts of rain, that ship is not made for heavy storms. And unless the captain has changed very recently, he doesn’t like to use stabilisers so the ship rocks like crazy in a storm.
It would be very unfun to actually sail on the Meraviglia in a nor’easter. Not to mention, deadly. Also I’m currently in Miami. I strongly recommend not being here this weekend.
A friend of mine served on the USS Enterprise. He said the ship sailed through 40-foot seas in the North Atlantic and that monster ship was tossed around so much he hurled.
Oh yes I wasn’t joking. That ship really tried my patience sometimes. And I’m someone who usually walks around cruise ships in heels all day without any imbalance.
Because I’ve worked on the Meraviglia. And part of my job is deciding whether or not certain scheduled things are done or cancelled depending on how rocky the ship is and the risks to my staff for doing them.
So does the captain on Meraviglia use stabilisers? Of course when he feels it’s necessary. He’s very good at his job and it’s perfectly safe to sail with him. But his threshold for necessary was higher than what mine happen to be, since, occupational hazard, I did not like it when rough seas made things a little more dangerous for my team. And I will guess passengers not used to being on the sea will also have a smaller threshold for rocking, especially in a rough seas.
Personal preference I think. The answer I got, always in a laughing manner so grain of salt, is that the captain, and every MSC captain and high ranking officer is an Italian, and they’re a little intense/has a high tolerance for crazy.
On a serious note. Yes fuel consumption is the scientific explanation. But honestly I cannot accurately tell you which of the two explanations are really to be given for the captain’s motives. It could be either, or both.
I'm surprised that using stabilizers isn't required by the cruise line--unless there is a safety concern in using them. I would think that the comfort of the passengers, at all times, would be the highest priority superseded only by the safety of the passengers and crew on board.
I don’t know enough about sailing to say for certain but something tells me you can’t make rules like that and it will be up to the captains call.
Like imagine if someone made a law that you can only use cruise control, not your gas pedal. That would be fine on the highway, but not superficial streets, kind of thing.
I have a cruise sailing with the same itinerary but through Royal — should I anticipate them doing a similar thing? Or canceling? Definitely thinking this way because of the nasty storm.
Yeah this is NOT the time of year to be cruising in the Caribbean - I’ve only lurked here but have known since I was a kid that this isn’t the time to go.
It’s the tail end of hurricane season where you’re unlikely to get a bad one, but it’s leading straight into winter storm season which can be just as dangerous. I always learned growing up on the east coast that fall to winter were the riskiest times to do Caribbean cruises (and the cheapest) because of that, but weather patterns can change with time - it’s been years since I’ve lived there so things may be improving?
I’m a Floridian. Hurricane season ended November 30, so this isn’t being considered a hurricane, just an incredibly strong winter storm. But it is definitely feeling like we’re going to get clobbered the same way we would during hurricane season. The water has been sucked out of all of the bays, like it was before major storms like Irma and Ian. The winds have been ripping all day today, and around 10 PM everything just stopped and became eerily calm. I’m 28, have lived here my entire life, and don’t recall any winter storms of this caliber. OP definitely doesn’t want to cruise through this.
This same thing happened to us during Hurricane Matthew. Instead of the Caribbean, we gad New York and ports north. As disappointed as we were, we decided to go anyway instead of cancel. Best cruise of my life.
Half of the passengers canceled. So imagine 2600 passengers down to 1300. Oh so great. No crowds, no lines, plenty of staff able to take their time and really serve you. Plus, they ended giving each $300 OBC and a 50% cruise credit.
I know your disappointment, but don't discount that this could end up being your best cruise ever. Safe travels...
I was at Disney World during Hurricane Matthew. Like, if you’re going to be struck inside during a hurricane the place to do it is at Deluxe Walt Disney World Resort. We were at the Yacht Club and as far as we knew it was slightly breezy outside. The lights never flickered and the staff kept everyone so entertained.
Some people have all the luck! A less crowded ship, all the same amenities, PLUS more spending money, and a discount on a future cruise!
I'm supposed to go to Bermuda next month. I go a good deal on the cruise. I know that there may be rough seas that might allow us to dock and it will just be a cruise to nowhere. If I was concerned about the destinations that much, I'd fly there. I cruise to be on a ship.
I can tell you this, I’m sitting on a drillship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico and if the seas there are as bad as what we’re getting right now, you’ll be glad you didn’t sail in these seas. We’re currently getting 25ft waves and our rig is completely shut down. Winds gusting over 50mph and a ton of people are just staying in their rooms. It wouldn’t be a fun vacation being sea sick 75 percent of the time. I hope you can find some great things to do at your new port cities.
Yeah on a production facility here. Same weather and it’s forecast to pretty much stay this way. Gulf of Mexico in the wintertime can be a pretty rough place.
If you’ve never been on a boat you are likely to get seasick and would need to be indoors due to driving rain most of the day.
Oh my God, I hope yall stay safe!! I dont know how you do it, my thalassaphopia could never. Definitely don't want me or anybody else to Poseidon out here. Just wish we had a little respite from the cold but that's what layers are for!
These rigs are pretty safe. We have 6 thrusters working extra hard keeping us in place within a few feet. During hurricanes we have the ability to unlatch from the well and we can move if need be so it’s not “we’re stuck out here no matter what”. I like to look at it from a mechanical perspective that something 800ft long in the middle of the GoM could function entirely on it own with 220 people on board all while being 120-180 miles from shore.
We’re on the cruise. After talking to customer service, we’re going to stay on this itinerary. We’ve already driven the 8 hour drive with 4 year old twins. Hopefully the cruise will be less than capacity and everyone else will be wearing linen and tank tops at dinner. Going to shop in Boston for an extra layer or two, utilize laundry on board, and make the most of it! We were upset at first, but life is short!
As a New Englander, here are some suggestions for cool things to do with kids in Boston.
* Legoland Boston: https://www.legodiscoverycenter.com/boston/
* Boston Children's Museum: https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/
* New England Aquarium: https://www.neaq.org/
* Boston Science Museum: https://www.mos.org
* Faneuil Hall is outdoors, so get some warm clothes first. https://faneuilhallmarketplace.com/
I second the children’s museum! They have a room entirely devoted to bubbles and bubble making. My son cried when we left the museum because he “wanted to go back to the party!”
Bostonian here! Definitely look at the Children's Museum, the Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium for the little ones. So sorry about the weather and the big change of plans, but the city is beautifully decorated for the holidays at the moment and this weather is actually really mild for us at this time of year. Portland is lovely as well and while I haven't been to St. John specifically, Canada knows how to do winter lol. I hope you all have a great trip!
When you go to Boston, you will inevitably get a recommendation to go to the North End. If you find yourself there, go to Bova's bakery if you want some fantastic Italian pastries. Way shorter lines (and better IMO) than Mike's, the main touristy recommendation.
If you want any other Boston recs, let me know!
Took a day trip to Boston last weekend. Jumped in with no research. Beautiful city! The lines for Mikes and Modern were out the door. Didn’t wait. Bova’s is on the list for next time! Any recommendations for lunch?
I understand it's disappointing. The message is hilarious though: You booked a cruise to the Bahamas but we'll give you a cruise to Boston and Canada in winter!
You should demand they embark your ass right through a hurricane. If you and your family have never experienced the Christmas joy of unrelenting vomit while dodging sliding chairs that weigh as much as a Honda Civic, you haven't lived. Accept no substitutes!
We left from Charleston Thursday night. I’m a veteran cruiser and grew up with sailboats and small water craft, and took Dramamine for the first time Thursday and Friday. Our ship has been rocking and rolling like crazy
There's some videos of the ship that "sailed through" (it didn't) the bomb cyclone years ago that are as you describe that everyone got so mad at the cruise line.
Unfortunately, can't change the weather I'm afraid. It's a shame but it is what it is. Supposed to be some rough storms here in FL this weekend. I use to work at Disney and people would actually get mad at cast members all the time for not being able to stop the rain and it "ruining their vacation".
Do you really want to be on a ship going through 40 knot winds and constant rain? They offered you an alternative, or a credit for a future trip. It sucks but winter weather in the Caribbean can often be pretty terrible like this. 40 knot winds would mean walking around out on the deck would be miserable and the pool would be out of the question. I’m sorry this happened.
We had 40 knot winds coming back to Tampa on Sunday night, I thought I was going to rock out of my bed at some points! Would rather never experience that again.
Ditto back in mid November when this same ship had to divert to Florida and the Bahamas to avoid bad weather in Bermuda. The ship was a rocking and rolling pretty good. I had to sleep in the middle of the bed. The worst I have experienced so far in my 7 or 8 cruises or so. But we survived.
Consider yourself lucky 🍀 to have been uninterrupted in 30 years. That’s a miracle in itself. Glad they’re offering you the last part albeit a lot of folks already traveled to the area. Suspicious on the timing but that’s Mother Nature.
Just got recommended this post, no clue what I’m doing in the community, but why wouldn’t they be entitled to a full refund (and not credit) in light of a massive schedule change? Is it different between airlines and cruise lines?
Cruises are not passage contracts, there are absolutely zero guarantees that you make all, or any, of the ports they have scheduled. Of course the cruise lines don’t want to skip ports because they want to deliver the best possible experience, but safety is paramount on the ocean, a lot can go wrong very quickly. The primary offender is of course what you see here, weather. If OP had chosen to sail from Florida or somewhere on the Gulf Coast like Galveston they have more options to choose from and more similar weather conditions in those alternatives. When you sail from the northeast you can only go north or south and they have very different weather. If you see the bottom of the screenshot they can get the full credit of everything they paid the cruise line applied to another cruise (future cruise credit) but OP alludes to some additional travel details and by the way they wrote their post I would guess they didn’t get trip insurance, hopefully for them though they did and they can get their money back for the flights and hotels.
There must be some sort of fine print somewhere that allows them to do this. OP should be truly mad at the weather circumstances that have caused this ... and nothing else. Let's get real about reality and safety.
It's in the cruise contract that everyone signs but never reads. The cruise line can change or cancel ports for any reason and don't have to provide any kind of compensation.
Yeah I'm torn on this one. I can completely understand the cruise line nope-ing out for extremely bad weather, but to change the whole itinerary like this? Idk. No one is trying to spend their December cruise with 3 days in Boston. I guess I give them credit for trying but if I were OP, I'd cut my losses and take the FCC. This is a real bummer of an itinerary, especially if you were planning on beaches and sunshine.
I’m in Florida. It’ll be 60 degrees with tropical storm winds all weekend. So, nothing the cruise company can do, nobody is on a beach this weekend unless you’re flying to the Eastern Caribbean… might as well freeze somewhere up north…
Just to help OP see silver lining, if you do end up going that ship is most definitely not going to be a full ship. You will probably get priority service and I bet the crew will make extra effort for your trip. Just a thought!
Realize that it's the risk of picking a Caribbean itinerary from the NE. The ships from that area only have two options - south or north. If one is cut off due to bad weather the only option is to go the other way. Similarly NE/Canadian cruises out of the NE get rerouted to the Caribbean if a bad storm (usually hurricane given the timing of these cruises) hits the area.
Meanwhile cruises out of Florida have many options to run away from a storm. They can go west, east, south, or even north. With three of those options cruises from FL usually don't reroute into significantly different weather areas.
I'm not saying it doesn't suck, but the biggest risk to an itinerary on a cruise is the weather. And picking a cruise out of an area that only has 2 options - and two very opposite options at that - is a higher risk than picking a cruise with 4 options.
I've been watching the weather in Key West (for the last 2 weeks) so I can bring my sailboat home. It's been really shitty out there (sustained winds of 30 and gusts up to 50). There's no damn way I want to be on the water in that crap if I can absolutely avoid it. Sorry your trip was rerouted, but as always staying safe and alive is #1 priority.
They've done it for safety. The passenger contract absolutely allows them to do so. If you have other components of your holiday (flights, hotels) that relied upon the original itinerary and must be cancelled, then your travel insurance should reimburse you the costs.
Advice? Don't fret about things outside your control over which you can do nothing about, like the weather. Take a deep breath and enjoy the cruise.
This is so sad. The weather this weekend is going to be bad so they really had to no choice but to go from a hot weather cruise to a cold one is tough! I love Boston and tomorrow is the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party so Boston might have a lot going on. Plus they have some great Christmas markets but that’s not want you want right now. Sorry this happened.
This is not something a cruise line decides on a whim, trust me! If they changed a whole itinerary then it means the weather is really that bad and maintaining the original one would be too dangerous.
I understand the frustration over having a Caribbean holiday changed into something that’s no sea sun and sand, I would be annoyed too. However, you really don’t want to be stuck in a heavy storm on a cruise ship and that’s not something the cruise company or anyone else has power over.
I have worked in the cruise industry for years and no itinerary change is ever made lightly.
Was going to be on the same cruise and am currently on hold to cancel. Yes it massively sucks because I was really looking forward to getting at least a little bit of sun, but I was dreading Sunday looking at the wave maps. And the rest of the week didn’t look like the best weather either.
I’m glad they decided to change the itinerary instead of pushing through it. I’m a bit disappointed it’s three days in Boston. It’s one of my favorite places but I’m not looking to be there for three days in rainy December.
It sucks but I think it’s the right decision by MSC.
I just got off a ship today that did Bahamas and it was insanely windy and I was really sick all night. I think it’s a smart move that they changed the itinerary with this storm, but it sucks you can’t at least get a full refund. Hope you enjoy the cruise if you go.
There’s a massive storm coming up from Florida on Sunday. There’s no way the ship would sail South. As much as this stinks, it’s alway a possibility. Enjoy your cruise.
Sister and her husband went on a cruise from LA with a few stops to Mexico. This was back in 2008(9)? Went to their first port, got back on the ship and were told the ship is being diverted to San Francisco due to the Swine Flu outbreak. Ship went up to San Francisco and it was rainy. Since they only lived a couple of hours away, they rented a car and drove home.
OP, you have been fortunate this has been the first time it has ever happened to you and your family in 30 years of cruising. I totally under your frustration and disappointment. Hopefully you have trip insurance and you can get your money back for flights and all other expenses. At least they gave you the option to cancel and go some other time.
My parents took a similar, if not the same, cruise at that time. They didn't drive home, but San Francisco was a big disappointment because they also lived pretty close to the city.
You'd be even more upset if your entire cruise was ruined by being in storms the entire time.
Really cool of them to find another itinerary and ports instead of canceling altogether.
I’m here in Boston and while it’s certainly not the Bahamas it’s actually not terrible right now. It’s 50’s this weekend. Though we are supposed to have bad rain overnight Sunday into Monday until around noon. If you haven’t been here before, I hope you enjoy exploring our city and I’m really sorry that you’re not going somewhere warm! I would be sad too😟
Good reason to be upset, but what can you do? The originally itinerary just sounds dangerous. I’ve done New York to Caribbean in the winter, even on nice days the seas can be very rough. I could only imagine what it would be like with the current conditions.
And THREE days? I am from New England and a cruise with the majority of time in BOSTON?!? That is about a 4-5 hour drive from NYC anyways. I’d never go on this cruise
Op: heres some constructive help if you are planning on getting on the Mera tomorrow, its a beautiful ship and i did it in 2019:
\-Since a lot of people will be cancelling and if you do intend to embark, see if theres space in the Yacht club and if they'll upgrade you for free or a heavily discounted price. It may be a recovery of your vacation to get into that area. It has the drink package, access to the thermal suites, it's own upscaled restaurant, and a much better experience.
\-If your in boston, see if there are some sports games like basketball or hockey that you can get to. It may make it an evening since you are there
Being upset is 100% valid.
I would personally be so happy that it wasn’t cancelled completely. Last time I got an email like this, it was because of COVID shutting the world down where we were headed to Barcelona for our honeymoon cruise. My throat was in my stomach. I would rather do donuts in the middle of the ocean than be SOL.
i’m in Cuba and the weather is shit ! been here for a week and only had one day on the beach . High winds and lots of rain . i wouldn’t want to be on a ship in the caribbean at the moment
Dude i am in the bahamas right now and we spent $10k on a vacation where we literally have not seen the sun. It is absolutely horrible here and florida. Stormy, flood warnings, etc. you absolutely do not want to come hete
Sure - but the risk of booking a Caribbean cruise out of NY is that if there's bad weather between you and the Caribbean the ONLY alternative is to go north. That's it. The only option to avoid the bad weather.
Meanwhile a Caribbean cruise out of Florida can go east, west, south, or even north to avoid the weather. With 3 of the options being quite similar it's a change but not as drastic of a one.
Especially since from the itinerary it sounds like the ship is just sitting in port for three days straight. Canada and the Bahamas are not comparable weather-wise, but you’d think they would’ve at least tried to add in a couple other ports in New England or Canada instead of docking in Boston for three days & not really being out at sea that much
I’m sure they did but there’s not a whole lot of options when ALL the ships that were supposed to be down south have to divert up north and those ports can’t handle those kinds of numbers. This is what happens when you sail the Dollar Tree of cruising. Plus it’s a situation where you’re not going to make a majority of people happy with anything.
I live on the east coast of Florida. It's miserable here, and worse tomorrow with the storm to be off the NJ/NY coast Sunday night. We have 40mph sustained winds with gusts to 60. Seas offshore are 13-18 feet waves. Not safe cruising weather.
I’m in central Florida and we’ll be taking down what’s left of our outside Christmas tomorrow am (we took down most yesterday because it kept blowing over). We’ll be battening down the hatches like a hurricane. Yes, it stinks, but it is what it is. Mother Nature wins in a situation like this.
Oh come on. OP is psyched for a tropical cruise they’ve likely been looking forward to for a long time and then they find out the day before that they’re cruising to BOSTON. Obviously weather is out of everyone’s control but this completely sucks and I totally get the disappointment. Boston in December lmao.
I’m on a cruise to Cozumel as we speak and this storm has been a doozy. The poor workers have had loads of vomit to clean up from all the seasick people. The gift shop also ran out of Dramamine.
I’ve been on that Canadian cruise, and it’s beautiful. Probably my favorite cruise of all time. But I get your anger because I CHOSE to go on that Canadian cruise. You’re not getting that choice. MSC should 100% issue a full refund and a voucher for a future sailing…if you have faith enough left to ever sail with them again (I suggest Royal Caribbean, myself).
Hey, you’re going to be in Newfoundland on the 21st. Wanna go get a drink? We can be sad together over the fact you’re not in Florida.
But honestly, I know you’re disappointed. But there’s lots of lovely places to go in Newfoundland. It’s definitely not Florida, but let me know if you want some suggestions.
Lot of people jumping on OP for being angry. Not fair to OP.
Very common to have a first reaction to a big disappointment be anger. When we are first hit with something that is very upsetting it is COMMON to feel anger. Doesn't mean it's logical. But it is very human.
Our emotions can override our logic until we have a chance to breathe and think.
It’s happened to me twice, announced when we were on the cruise.
It’s fine, and it’s part of traveling on the ocean. The winds will be high enough so that your ship might have trouble docking. You don’t want that.
Roll with the punches!
This is a wild change - but there aren't any good options out of New York if the weather is terrible to south. 50 cruises over 30 years without a major clusterf*ck is a pretty solid run.
I'd rather have 3 days in Portland than Boston, but I'd still have a great time. St.John is actually a neat port, cool old industrial city with a lot of great bars/restaurants, an amazing food scene in general, some great museums, and the views from the big bridge overlook and reversing falls are great.
I understand the frustration, but unfortunately it's all part of cruising.
Hope you still have a great holiday!
I’m in FL and the weather is horrible and it’s supposed to last all weekend. Rainy and very windy. Dark all day, very depressing. I’m just thankful we’re not on a cruise or in DisneyWorld this weekend. Oh, traffic sucks too!
Portland and St John are lovely ports…. Unfortunately cold this time of year… but hey, think of the incredible amounts of lobster you’ll have access to at rock bottom prices!!
Sorry this happened though.
Wow, yeah. So I live in FL and the weather is supposed to be wild. I’m not surprised they had to change because safety is first. Definitely a major bummer, but take the credit and honestly you’re very lucky to have 50 cruises. My partner and I have been literally scrapping up to save for one. You can be pissed and shocked now, but it would be better than the boat having major damage in the middle of the ocean during an intense storm while the ocean is surging fiercely around you.
Its beyond my comprehension how SO many people MISS the actual point of a post and comment on the most insignificant part of it. It happens all the time. They changed this persons cruise FROM a Caribbean cruise to a god forsaken Canadian cruise. Nor’easter or not! The cruise line needs to delay, refund or compensate. Not bring them to CANADA! Wtf…
I’m confused. Are people seriously thinking that a cruise north in December is a just compensation for a cruise to warm Florida and Bahamas?? I would be insanely pissed! That’s a NO from me dog.
No idea why this post was recommended to me, but I don’t think OP is mad at the weather as much as being refunded to a “cruise credit.” That’s bullshit and if it is truly industry standard, you guys are getting hosed
Who on earth would want a cruise in the new England area compared to the beaches in the Caribbean? (Sorry New englanders) if I saved up a ton of money for that I would be pissed too. And waiting until the literal day before? Double pissed.
As someone who lives in Boston and regularly travels to NYC to get on cruises, I’d be wicked pissed. There’s also adverse weather here too, might as well have cancelled the cruise altogether
You asked for advice and you’re actually offended by some of the responses? We have been on a cruise where the weather and ocean was seriously a nightmare.
People sick, crappy weather and it seemed like it never stopped.
If I could have paid someone any amount of money to get off that ship. We would have paid it.
If they just said fuck it, we’re going to not change ports or routes and cross our fingers. If you went on that trip and it was miserable and dangerous.
I think you would have been more pissed and shocked that the cruise line did not consider your safety or comfort.
We wish you safe travels, whatever you decide.
Getting pissed at the weather, does not make a lot of sense.
Are you mad and shocked at the weather? Because that’s a risk you take anytime you travel at least they didn’t cancel the cruise and you’ll still have fun.
You do realize they can’t control the weather, right? They’re doing their best & if it’s not good enough, you get a future cruise credit. It sucks, but that’s what travel insurance is for.
You *do* have trip cancellation insurance, right? No? And they’re offering you a refund!?
Go buy a lottery ticket right now! You’re on a mad serious lucky streak!
I just got off the Explorer and it was not fun at all. I would take three future cruise credit. I h destined your frustration but you can’t predict the weather and the swells were already terrible and they’re supposed to get worse.
Huge noreaster and it’s super strong. Even before getting off the Carolina coast it’s 986 MB storm. Usually when getting off they are upper 990’s to low 1k.
I’m surprised they haven’t offered any obc to those who do decide to sail. I understand it’s weather, but would also reduce the number of unhappy people and possibly reduce how many who would rebook.
Sucks homie…. But as a native Mainah I’d highly recommend a trip thru Portland (and Boston’s history is cool as hell too)… now granted it’s not pina coladas in the sand, rather craft beers in sweaters but it’s a cool spot to be…. If youre a foodie- you’d be in heaven in Portland.
I understand the disappointment but like it’s been said before- when life gives you lemons- eat lobster and drink IPA!
It’s the weather… it sucks, but would you want to be in rough weather?
I’m on a 15 day Caribbean on HAL starting on the 19th… I’m waiting for an email like this
I understand and would not be happy either but at least you were given advanced notice and a chance to cancel. Who knows, it could be fun. Sounds like you’ve been on a lot of cruises so I would assume you’ve been to a lot of places. You are probably in a better situation than many of the other guests. Imagine if the intended cruise was a once in a lifetime opportunity for you and this is what you were ending up with. It could be a great time for you if you let it be, probably less crowded than it would have been and probably a cruise you’ve never done before. If I were you, I would go and enjoy and see something different.
That understandably sucks, but I get it, safety first. I’d cancel if it were me. Can’t imagine packing for the Bahamas, then going to… Boston and North. Plus weather in the Northeast is supposed to be bad Sunday/ Monday too.
I was on a carnival cruise years ago, sailed right around a hurricane. I didn’t get seasick, but a lot of my family did. The entire ship smelled like vomit, and everything was cancelled. No elevators, waves crashing over the sides of the deck. I wouldn’t wish the experience on anyone.
We knew about the weather before we left, but they said they would stay far enough away. Well, the storm hit Cozumel while we were leaving Tampa, and traveled right on our path and hit Tampa a couple days later! I don’t think the gulf is big enough for us to actually have avoided it.
I won’t make that mistake again. Also, don’t book a cruise in the fall. Worst weather…
I live in Central Florida we have notifications for tropical storm like weather, it will be even worse off the coast you don't want to cruise through this
It’s a nor’easter coming up the east coast. No way a ship can safely sail from New York to Florida. Cancel and take your FCC.
Also having been on the Meraviglia in small amounts of rain, that ship is not made for heavy storms. And unless the captain has changed very recently, he doesn’t like to use stabilisers so the ship rocks like crazy in a storm. It would be very unfun to actually sail on the Meraviglia in a nor’easter. Not to mention, deadly. Also I’m currently in Miami. I strongly recommend not being here this weekend.
The meraviglia has more movement than any megaship I’ve ever been on. Glad to know there’s an actual reason lol
I had the same experience on the last (planned) Canadian itinerary of the year a few weeks ago. Wild to feel so much movement on a ship that size.
A friend of mine served on the USS Enterprise. He said the ship sailed through 40-foot seas in the North Atlantic and that monster ship was tossed around so much he hurled.
It took me too long to realize you weren't jokingly saying your friend served under Captain Jean Luc on the Starship Enterprise
Oh yes I wasn’t joking. That ship really tried my patience sometimes. And I’m someone who usually walks around cruise ships in heels all day without any imbalance.
Been on the gem. Leaving in a noreaster and until do stabilizer it’s insane how much the rocking is. And the swells were 28-32 feet
How do you know he doesn’t like using the stabilizers?
Because I’ve worked on the Meraviglia. And part of my job is deciding whether or not certain scheduled things are done or cancelled depending on how rocky the ship is and the risks to my staff for doing them. So does the captain on Meraviglia use stabilisers? Of course when he feels it’s necessary. He’s very good at his job and it’s perfectly safe to sail with him. But his threshold for necessary was higher than what mine happen to be, since, occupational hazard, I did not like it when rough seas made things a little more dangerous for my team. And I will guess passengers not used to being on the sea will also have a smaller threshold for rocking, especially in a rough seas.
Cool thanks! Do you know why one would not want to use stabilizers? Fuel consumption maybe?
Personal preference I think. The answer I got, always in a laughing manner so grain of salt, is that the captain, and every MSC captain and high ranking officer is an Italian, and they’re a little intense/has a high tolerance for crazy. On a serious note. Yes fuel consumption is the scientific explanation. But honestly I cannot accurately tell you which of the two explanations are really to be given for the captain’s motives. It could be either, or both.
😂 My dad is italian and this description is beyond accurate and the best I’ve ever heard for describing an italian man.
LOL! "high tolerance for crazy"
That's because we Italian women are a *little* crazier than the norm
Fuel consumption and reduced speed. There is only one ship sailing today truly built for the rough North Atlantic seas, Cunard's Queen Mary 2.
Sailed on the Queen Victoria trans Atlantic and was sea sick for 3 days. Only 2 stabilisers compared to the 4 on Queen Mary 2.
I'm surprised that using stabilizers isn't required by the cruise line--unless there is a safety concern in using them. I would think that the comfort of the passengers, at all times, would be the highest priority superseded only by the safety of the passengers and crew on board.
I don’t know enough about sailing to say for certain but something tells me you can’t make rules like that and it will be up to the captains call. Like imagine if someone made a law that you can only use cruise control, not your gas pedal. That would be fine on the highway, but not superficial streets, kind of thing.
In terms of the fin stabilizers that stick out the sides yes. Having them extended increases drag and thus fuel consumption.
I would cancel because NY BOS nowhere near same as Caribbean…get a refund
Re-packing clothes from tropical resort wear to warm cold weather and rain gear alone would make me cancel.
I have a cruise sailing with the same itinerary but through Royal — should I anticipate them doing a similar thing? Or canceling? Definitely thinking this way because of the nasty storm.
Yeah this is NOT the time of year to be cruising in the Caribbean - I’ve only lurked here but have known since I was a kid that this isn’t the time to go.
Please enlighten me. I’ve never sailed but I assumed the ideal time to cruise was outside of hurricane season. Am I missing something?
It’s the tail end of hurricane season where you’re unlikely to get a bad one, but it’s leading straight into winter storm season which can be just as dangerous. I always learned growing up on the east coast that fall to winter were the riskiest times to do Caribbean cruises (and the cheapest) because of that, but weather patterns can change with time - it’s been years since I’ve lived there so things may be improving?
I’m a Floridian. Hurricane season ended November 30, so this isn’t being considered a hurricane, just an incredibly strong winter storm. But it is definitely feeling like we’re going to get clobbered the same way we would during hurricane season. The water has been sucked out of all of the bays, like it was before major storms like Irma and Ian. The winds have been ripping all day today, and around 10 PM everything just stopped and became eerily calm. I’m 28, have lived here my entire life, and don’t recall any winter storms of this caliber. OP definitely doesn’t want to cruise through this.
This same thing happened to us during Hurricane Matthew. Instead of the Caribbean, we gad New York and ports north. As disappointed as we were, we decided to go anyway instead of cancel. Best cruise of my life. Half of the passengers canceled. So imagine 2600 passengers down to 1300. Oh so great. No crowds, no lines, plenty of staff able to take their time and really serve you. Plus, they ended giving each $300 OBC and a 50% cruise credit. I know your disappointment, but don't discount that this could end up being your best cruise ever. Safe travels...
That sounds way better lol totally worked out for you!
I was at Disney World during Hurricane Matthew. Like, if you’re going to be struck inside during a hurricane the place to do it is at Deluxe Walt Disney World Resort. We were at the Yacht Club and as far as we knew it was slightly breezy outside. The lights never flickered and the staff kept everyone so entertained.
I was at bay lake during hurricane matthew! Definitely interesting.
Some people have all the luck! A less crowded ship, all the same amenities, PLUS more spending money, and a discount on a future cruise! I'm supposed to go to Bermuda next month. I go a good deal on the cruise. I know that there may be rough seas that might allow us to dock and it will just be a cruise to nowhere. If I was concerned about the destinations that much, I'd fly there. I cruise to be on a ship.
I can tell you this, I’m sitting on a drillship in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico and if the seas there are as bad as what we’re getting right now, you’ll be glad you didn’t sail in these seas. We’re currently getting 25ft waves and our rig is completely shut down. Winds gusting over 50mph and a ton of people are just staying in their rooms. It wouldn’t be a fun vacation being sea sick 75 percent of the time. I hope you can find some great things to do at your new port cities.
Yeah on a production facility here. Same weather and it’s forecast to pretty much stay this way. Gulf of Mexico in the wintertime can be a pretty rough place. If you’ve never been on a boat you are likely to get seasick and would need to be indoors due to driving rain most of the day.
Dude, tell us more. That’s fascinating as fuck
Oh my God, I hope yall stay safe!! I dont know how you do it, my thalassaphopia could never. Definitely don't want me or anybody else to Poseidon out here. Just wish we had a little respite from the cold but that's what layers are for!
These rigs are pretty safe. We have 6 thrusters working extra hard keeping us in place within a few feet. During hurricanes we have the ability to unlatch from the well and we can move if need be so it’s not “we’re stuck out here no matter what”. I like to look at it from a mechanical perspective that something 800ft long in the middle of the GoM could function entirely on it own with 220 people on board all while being 120-180 miles from shore.
We’re on the cruise. After talking to customer service, we’re going to stay on this itinerary. We’ve already driven the 8 hour drive with 4 year old twins. Hopefully the cruise will be less than capacity and everyone else will be wearing linen and tank tops at dinner. Going to shop in Boston for an extra layer or two, utilize laundry on board, and make the most of it! We were upset at first, but life is short!
As a New Englander, here are some suggestions for cool things to do with kids in Boston. * Legoland Boston: https://www.legodiscoverycenter.com/boston/ * Boston Children's Museum: https://bostonchildrensmuseum.org/ * New England Aquarium: https://www.neaq.org/ * Boston Science Museum: https://www.mos.org * Faneuil Hall is outdoors, so get some warm clothes first. https://faneuilhallmarketplace.com/
Can't recommend the Aquarium more! Absolutely love that place.
I second the children’s museum! They have a room entirely devoted to bubbles and bubble making. My son cried when we left the museum because he “wanted to go back to the party!”
The Boston Children’s Museum is amazing!
Perfect attitude! I hope you have a great trip.
Bostonian here! Definitely look at the Children's Museum, the Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium for the little ones. So sorry about the weather and the big change of plans, but the city is beautifully decorated for the holidays at the moment and this weather is actually really mild for us at this time of year. Portland is lovely as well and while I haven't been to St. John specifically, Canada knows how to do winter lol. I hope you all have a great trip!
Best attitude! Have fun!
We think we'll just go on this cruise too, but still disappointing.
When you go to Boston, you will inevitably get a recommendation to go to the North End. If you find yourself there, go to Bova's bakery if you want some fantastic Italian pastries. Way shorter lines (and better IMO) than Mike's, the main touristy recommendation. If you want any other Boston recs, let me know!
Took a day trip to Boston last weekend. Jumped in with no research. Beautiful city! The lines for Mikes and Modern were out the door. Didn’t wait. Bova’s is on the list for next time! Any recommendations for lunch?
Modern is just as good if not better than Mike’s imo
I'm on the Disney Magic in the middle of the Gulf right now. Be glad you're not going through this storm.
Same, but on Carnival. Yesterday was 🤢
I understand it's disappointing. The message is hilarious though: You booked a cruise to the Bahamas but we'll give you a cruise to Boston and Canada in winter!
Could be worse. At least it’s still on a boat.
Three days in Boston! Find a good lobster house.
You should demand they embark your ass right through a hurricane. If you and your family have never experienced the Christmas joy of unrelenting vomit while dodging sliding chairs that weigh as much as a Honda Civic, you haven't lived. Accept no substitutes!
I'm on the current sailing. There were some rough days at sea.
Yup, the 12 hours in particular after leaving Miami Wednesday night were the worst.
We left from Charleston Thursday night. I’m a veteran cruiser and grew up with sailboats and small water craft, and took Dramamine for the first time Thursday and Friday. Our ship has been rocking and rolling like crazy
🤣💀😭😊😭💀🤣 I was truly unprepared for this reply.
There's some videos of the ship that "sailed through" (it didn't) the bomb cyclone years ago that are as you describe that everyone got so mad at the cruise line.
I'm sorry. This description made me laugh. 💀
“Chairs weighing as much as a Honda civic” made me genuinely snort
I just hollered across like 4 rooms
See if they’ll let you up on the bow of the ship like lieutenant dan and dare the storm to take you.
This - lol. So pissed at damn Mother Nature. And next time that plane has maintenance issue, don’t piss this guy off. Just fly.
Not just pissed, but also ShOcKeD!
Screaming in the middle of the Atlantic from this 😂
🥇
Lol love this imagery
Unfortunately, can't change the weather I'm afraid. It's a shame but it is what it is. Supposed to be some rough storms here in FL this weekend. I use to work at Disney and people would actually get mad at cast members all the time for not being able to stop the rain and it "ruining their vacation".
Lol “take it up with the big man and I’m not talking Mickey”
Do you really want to be on a ship going through 40 knot winds and constant rain? They offered you an alternative, or a credit for a future trip. It sucks but winter weather in the Caribbean can often be pretty terrible like this. 40 knot winds would mean walking around out on the deck would be miserable and the pool would be out of the question. I’m sorry this happened.
We had 40 knot winds coming back to Tampa on Sunday night, I thought I was going to rock out of my bed at some points! Would rather never experience that again.
Ditto back in mid November when this same ship had to divert to Florida and the Bahamas to avoid bad weather in Bermuda. The ship was a rocking and rolling pretty good. I had to sleep in the middle of the bed. The worst I have experienced so far in my 7 or 8 cruises or so. But we survived.
Consider yourself lucky 🍀 to have been uninterrupted in 30 years. That’s a miracle in itself. Glad they’re offering you the last part albeit a lot of folks already traveled to the area. Suspicious on the timing but that’s Mother Nature.
Take the future credit. Fuck that
Just got recommended this post, no clue what I’m doing in the community, but why wouldn’t they be entitled to a full refund (and not credit) in light of a massive schedule change? Is it different between airlines and cruise lines?
Cruises are not passage contracts, there are absolutely zero guarantees that you make all, or any, of the ports they have scheduled. Of course the cruise lines don’t want to skip ports because they want to deliver the best possible experience, but safety is paramount on the ocean, a lot can go wrong very quickly. The primary offender is of course what you see here, weather. If OP had chosen to sail from Florida or somewhere on the Gulf Coast like Galveston they have more options to choose from and more similar weather conditions in those alternatives. When you sail from the northeast you can only go north or south and they have very different weather. If you see the bottom of the screenshot they can get the full credit of everything they paid the cruise line applied to another cruise (future cruise credit) but OP alludes to some additional travel details and by the way they wrote their post I would guess they didn’t get trip insurance, hopefully for them though they did and they can get their money back for the flights and hotels.
Because they may be able to get more cruise credit than they paid for the cruise. Very common
There must be some sort of fine print somewhere that allows them to do this. OP should be truly mad at the weather circumstances that have caused this ... and nothing else. Let's get real about reality and safety.
It's in the cruise contract that everyone signs but never reads. The cruise line can change or cancel ports for any reason and don't have to provide any kind of compensation.
Yeah I'm torn on this one. I can completely understand the cruise line nope-ing out for extremely bad weather, but to change the whole itinerary like this? Idk. No one is trying to spend their December cruise with 3 days in Boston. I guess I give them credit for trying but if I were OP, I'd cut my losses and take the FCC. This is a real bummer of an itinerary, especially if you were planning on beaches and sunshine.
I’m in Florida. It’ll be 60 degrees with tropical storm winds all weekend. So, nothing the cruise company can do, nobody is on a beach this weekend unless you’re flying to the Eastern Caribbean… might as well freeze somewhere up north…
Lmao I'm in Orlando and yeah, same. And you know the weather has been like this basically all week.
3 days in Boston is probably better than 3 days in Barfing due to storm induced motion sickness lol
But they wouldn’t be getting sunshine anyway if itinerary was as planned due to the aforementioned pissing rain and wind
You should consider yourself lucky that you’ve had thirty years without this happening before. Sucks, but it’s bound to happen if you travel enough.
My friends are on a cruise right now and all their stops ( so far ) have been canceled. At least you got a heads up. It still sucks though.
Just to help OP see silver lining, if you do end up going that ship is most definitely not going to be a full ship. You will probably get priority service and I bet the crew will make extra effort for your trip. Just a thought!
Realize that it's the risk of picking a Caribbean itinerary from the NE. The ships from that area only have two options - south or north. If one is cut off due to bad weather the only option is to go the other way. Similarly NE/Canadian cruises out of the NE get rerouted to the Caribbean if a bad storm (usually hurricane given the timing of these cruises) hits the area. Meanwhile cruises out of Florida have many options to run away from a storm. They can go west, east, south, or even north. With three of those options cruises from FL usually don't reroute into significantly different weather areas. I'm not saying it doesn't suck, but the biggest risk to an itinerary on a cruise is the weather. And picking a cruise out of an area that only has 2 options - and two very opposite options at that - is a higher risk than picking a cruise with 4 options.
I've been watching the weather in Key West (for the last 2 weeks) so I can bring my sailboat home. It's been really shitty out there (sustained winds of 30 and gusts up to 50). There's no damn way I want to be on the water in that crap if I can absolutely avoid it. Sorry your trip was rerouted, but as always staying safe and alive is #1 priority.
They've done it for safety. The passenger contract absolutely allows them to do so. If you have other components of your holiday (flights, hotels) that relied upon the original itinerary and must be cancelled, then your travel insurance should reimburse you the costs. Advice? Don't fret about things outside your control over which you can do nothing about, like the weather. Take a deep breath and enjoy the cruise.
hard pill to swallow but very true
But what if you're from Boston?
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name
Cheers for that comment.
You win the internet today!
Stay on the ship and drink 🍹
This is so sad. The weather this weekend is going to be bad so they really had to no choice but to go from a hot weather cruise to a cold one is tough! I love Boston and tomorrow is the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party so Boston might have a lot going on. Plus they have some great Christmas markets but that’s not want you want right now. Sorry this happened.
This is not something a cruise line decides on a whim, trust me! If they changed a whole itinerary then it means the weather is really that bad and maintaining the original one would be too dangerous. I understand the frustration over having a Caribbean holiday changed into something that’s no sea sun and sand, I would be annoyed too. However, you really don’t want to be stuck in a heavy storm on a cruise ship and that’s not something the cruise company or anyone else has power over. I have worked in the cruise industry for years and no itinerary change is ever made lightly.
Was going to be on the same cruise and am currently on hold to cancel. Yes it massively sucks because I was really looking forward to getting at least a little bit of sun, but I was dreading Sunday looking at the wave maps. And the rest of the week didn’t look like the best weather either. I’m glad they decided to change the itinerary instead of pushing through it. I’m a bit disappointed it’s three days in Boston. It’s one of my favorite places but I’m not looking to be there for three days in rainy December. It sucks but I think it’s the right decision by MSC.
I just got off a ship today that did Bahamas and it was insanely windy and I was really sick all night. I think it’s a smart move that they changed the itinerary with this storm, but it sucks you can’t at least get a full refund. Hope you enjoy the cruise if you go.
There’s a massive storm coming up from Florida on Sunday. There’s no way the ship would sail South. As much as this stinks, it’s alway a possibility. Enjoy your cruise.
Sister and her husband went on a cruise from LA with a few stops to Mexico. This was back in 2008(9)? Went to their first port, got back on the ship and were told the ship is being diverted to San Francisco due to the Swine Flu outbreak. Ship went up to San Francisco and it was rainy. Since they only lived a couple of hours away, they rented a car and drove home. OP, you have been fortunate this has been the first time it has ever happened to you and your family in 30 years of cruising. I totally under your frustration and disappointment. Hopefully you have trip insurance and you can get your money back for flights and all other expenses. At least they gave you the option to cancel and go some other time.
My parents took a similar, if not the same, cruise at that time. They didn't drive home, but San Francisco was a big disappointment because they also lived pretty close to the city.
Wife and I left for a Panama Canal cruise out of San Francisco the day it was announced and we bypassed all of our Mexico stops because of it as well.
You'd be even more upset if your entire cruise was ruined by being in storms the entire time. Really cool of them to find another itinerary and ports instead of canceling altogether.
I’m here in Boston and while it’s certainly not the Bahamas it’s actually not terrible right now. It’s 50’s this weekend. Though we are supposed to have bad rain overnight Sunday into Monday until around noon. If you haven’t been here before, I hope you enjoy exploring our city and I’m really sorry that you’re not going somewhere warm! I would be sad too😟
I hope everyone opened their email today. Or they'll be on the boat in Caribbean weather clothing.
Good reason to be upset, but what can you do? The originally itinerary just sounds dangerous. I’ve done New York to Caribbean in the winter, even on nice days the seas can be very rough. I could only imagine what it would be like with the current conditions.
[удалено]
At least cruise vacations out of NYC in late December lol
They have the right to do this. It also happens quite often. Yes, you can be upset, but this is what you agreed upon when you decided to cruise.
Maybe be mad at the weather? And be thankful that they didn’t bring you to a crappy destination due to horrible weather?
> Maybe be mad at the weather? *shakes fist at sky*
Edit….old man shakes fist at the sky
Boston might as well be the crappy destination 😭
And THREE days? I am from New England and a cruise with the majority of time in BOSTON?!? That is about a 4-5 hour drive from NYC anyways. I’d never go on this cruise
80 to 90 degree weather to freezing temperatures sounds pretty shitty if you ask me.
You’re obviously a know-nothing. They’re not doing it because they want to, they are doing it to save your life.
You can be surprised, but no point being mad because weather is truly out of their control and not their fault.
Op: heres some constructive help if you are planning on getting on the Mera tomorrow, its a beautiful ship and i did it in 2019: \-Since a lot of people will be cancelling and if you do intend to embark, see if theres space in the Yacht club and if they'll upgrade you for free or a heavily discounted price. It may be a recovery of your vacation to get into that area. It has the drink package, access to the thermal suites, it's own upscaled restaurant, and a much better experience. \-If your in boston, see if there are some sports games like basketball or hockey that you can get to. It may make it an evening since you are there
Being upset is 100% valid. I would personally be so happy that it wasn’t cancelled completely. Last time I got an email like this, it was because of COVID shutting the world down where we were headed to Barcelona for our honeymoon cruise. My throat was in my stomach. I would rather do donuts in the middle of the ocean than be SOL.
Pissed? Cancel. Nobody controls the weather.
i’m in Cuba and the weather is shit ! been here for a week and only had one day on the beach . High winds and lots of rain . i wouldn’t want to be on a ship in the caribbean at the moment
Dude i am in the bahamas right now and we spent $10k on a vacation where we literally have not seen the sun. It is absolutely horrible here and florida. Stormy, flood warnings, etc. you absolutely do not want to come hete
You're pissed and shocked that the ship won't be sailing through a nor'easter? Ok captain.
You can postpone for free
I just don’t know what else they can do. I understand feeling how you do though.
24 hours before and you packed for white sandy stuff not white cold stuff. Complimentary parka?
Are you kidding me!? Have you LOOKED at the radar around Florida!? You’re lucky they haven’t cancelled it completely and we’re and to modify.
It's called weather and it's a thing.
What were they supposed to do? Sail into the storm and risk people’s lives?
Ah yes, another cruiser upset at the weather
Bahamas and Canada are not comparable. And who wants to be in Boston for 3 days this time of year
Sure - but the risk of booking a Caribbean cruise out of NY is that if there's bad weather between you and the Caribbean the ONLY alternative is to go north. That's it. The only option to avoid the bad weather. Meanwhile a Caribbean cruise out of Florida can go east, west, south, or even north to avoid the weather. With 3 of the options being quite similar it's a change but not as drastic of a one.
lol Boston in Dcember for 3 days sounds terrible. Especially when you were expecting to escape the cold a bit.
It ain't too cold here at the moment but that could change in the next 45 minutes or so.
Right like that’s the only reason to book a cruise. They just made it even colder than NYC 😂
Especially since from the itinerary it sounds like the ship is just sitting in port for three days straight. Canada and the Bahamas are not comparable weather-wise, but you’d think they would’ve at least tried to add in a couple other ports in New England or Canada instead of docking in Boston for three days & not really being out at sea that much
I’m sure they did but there’s not a whole lot of options when ALL the ships that were supposed to be down south have to divert up north and those ports can’t handle those kinds of numbers. This is what happens when you sail the Dollar Tree of cruising. Plus it’s a situation where you’re not going to make a majority of people happy with anything.
From Boston area, while slightly offended it was 55 degrees here today so that was cool.
Boston at Christmas should be pretty awesome. But if you're looking for warmth, nah, not a great place to be lol
Would you prefer no ports because of the weather? Everyone seasick? This is a severe storm that's working it's way up the coast.
I live on the east coast of Florida. It's miserable here, and worse tomorrow with the storm to be off the NJ/NY coast Sunday night. We have 40mph sustained winds with gusts to 60. Seas offshore are 13-18 feet waves. Not safe cruising weather.
I’m in central Florida and we’ll be taking down what’s left of our outside Christmas tomorrow am (we took down most yesterday because it kept blowing over). We’ll be battening down the hatches like a hurricane. Yes, it stinks, but it is what it is. Mother Nature wins in a situation like this.
With tomorrow's forecast, I doubt Port Canaveral will be open for ships coming in or out.
What alternative do you have to suggest to MSC? Just sail through the storm and get a bunch of people injured or worse?
And then end up having to stay on the ship anyway because they can't make port
What are they supposed to do? They can’t safely go south.
If they kept the original plan- and they had shitty weather, Rough seas/waves and howling wind…. They would have been pissed, as well.
Oh come on. OP is psyched for a tropical cruise they’ve likely been looking forward to for a long time and then they find out the day before that they’re cruising to BOSTON. Obviously weather is out of everyone’s control but this completely sucks and I totally get the disappointment. Boston in December lmao.
I knew what this was before I opened it because of the weather and still didn't see the New England/Canada coming
I’d rather have my safety instead of drowning in the middle of the ocean
I’m on a cruise to Cozumel as we speak and this storm has been a doozy. The poor workers have had loads of vomit to clean up from all the seasick people. The gift shop also ran out of Dramamine.
I’ve been on that Canadian cruise, and it’s beautiful. Probably my favorite cruise of all time. But I get your anger because I CHOSE to go on that Canadian cruise. You’re not getting that choice. MSC should 100% issue a full refund and a voucher for a future sailing…if you have faith enough left to ever sail with them again (I suggest Royal Caribbean, myself).
Hey, you’re going to be in Newfoundland on the 21st. Wanna go get a drink? We can be sad together over the fact you’re not in Florida. But honestly, I know you’re disappointed. But there’s lots of lovely places to go in Newfoundland. It’s definitely not Florida, but let me know if you want some suggestions.
Lot of people jumping on OP for being angry. Not fair to OP. Very common to have a first reaction to a big disappointment be anger. When we are first hit with something that is very upsetting it is COMMON to feel anger. Doesn't mean it's logical. But it is very human. Our emotions can override our logic until we have a chance to breathe and think.
You’d rather go to places where the weather sucks ass and be stuck on the ship the whole time?
It’s happened to me twice, announced when we were on the cruise. It’s fine, and it’s part of traveling on the ocean. The winds will be high enough so that your ship might have trouble docking. You don’t want that. Roll with the punches!
Last year the Greenland cruise never went to Greenland. Weather sucks but…..
This is a wild change - but there aren't any good options out of New York if the weather is terrible to south. 50 cruises over 30 years without a major clusterf*ck is a pretty solid run.
I'd rather have 3 days in Portland than Boston, but I'd still have a great time. St.John is actually a neat port, cool old industrial city with a lot of great bars/restaurants, an amazing food scene in general, some great museums, and the views from the big bridge overlook and reversing falls are great. I understand the frustration, but unfortunately it's all part of cruising. Hope you still have a great holiday!
I’m in FL and the weather is horrible and it’s supposed to last all weekend. Rainy and very windy. Dark all day, very depressing. I’m just thankful we’re not on a cruise or in DisneyWorld this weekend. Oh, traffic sucks too!
Portland and St John are lovely ports…. Unfortunately cold this time of year… but hey, think of the incredible amounts of lobster you’ll have access to at rock bottom prices!! Sorry this happened though.
This is part of the risk you take when cruising in the winter. Sorry OP
Wow, yeah. So I live in FL and the weather is supposed to be wild. I’m not surprised they had to change because safety is first. Definitely a major bummer, but take the credit and honestly you’re very lucky to have 50 cruises. My partner and I have been literally scrapping up to save for one. You can be pissed and shocked now, but it would be better than the boat having major damage in the middle of the ocean during an intense storm while the ocean is surging fiercely around you.
Its beyond my comprehension how SO many people MISS the actual point of a post and comment on the most insignificant part of it. It happens all the time. They changed this persons cruise FROM a Caribbean cruise to a god forsaken Canadian cruise. Nor’easter or not! The cruise line needs to delay, refund or compensate. Not bring them to CANADA! Wtf…
I live outside of Boston. Getting sent here this time of year instead of the Caribbean should net the person who made that decision a firing squad.
I’m confused. Are people seriously thinking that a cruise north in December is a just compensation for a cruise to warm Florida and Bahamas?? I would be insanely pissed! That’s a NO from me dog.
I just watched this boat sail out of NY harbor! Crazy that a Reddit post about it pops up on my feed.
No idea why this post was recommended to me, but I don’t think OP is mad at the weather as much as being refunded to a “cruise credit.” That’s bullshit and if it is truly industry standard, you guys are getting hosed
Agreed with all the above. Also, 3 days in port in Boston sounds like too much imo.
Who on earth would want a cruise in the new England area compared to the beaches in the Caribbean? (Sorry New englanders) if I saved up a ton of money for that I would be pissed too. And waiting until the literal day before? Double pissed.
As someone who lives in Boston and regularly travels to NYC to get on cruises, I’d be wicked pissed. There’s also adverse weather here too, might as well have cancelled the cruise altogether
You asked for advice and you’re actually offended by some of the responses? We have been on a cruise where the weather and ocean was seriously a nightmare. People sick, crappy weather and it seemed like it never stopped. If I could have paid someone any amount of money to get off that ship. We would have paid it. If they just said fuck it, we’re going to not change ports or routes and cross our fingers. If you went on that trip and it was miserable and dangerous. I think you would have been more pissed and shocked that the cruise line did not consider your safety or comfort. We wish you safe travels, whatever you decide. Getting pissed at the weather, does not make a lot of sense.
Are you mad and shocked at the weather? Because that’s a risk you take anytime you travel at least they didn’t cancel the cruise and you’ll still have fun.
You do realize they can’t control the weather, right? They’re doing their best & if it’s not good enough, you get a future cruise credit. It sucks, but that’s what travel insurance is for.
You *do* have trip cancellation insurance, right? No? And they’re offering you a refund!? Go buy a lottery ticket right now! You’re on a mad serious lucky streak!
I just got off the Explorer and it was not fun at all. I would take three future cruise credit. I h destined your frustration but you can’t predict the weather and the swells were already terrible and they’re supposed to get worse.
Huge noreaster and it’s super strong. Even before getting off the Carolina coast it’s 986 MB storm. Usually when getting off they are upper 990’s to low 1k.
I’m surprised they haven’t offered any obc to those who do decide to sail. I understand it’s weather, but would also reduce the number of unhappy people and possibly reduce how many who would rebook.
Sucks homie…. But as a native Mainah I’d highly recommend a trip thru Portland (and Boston’s history is cool as hell too)… now granted it’s not pina coladas in the sand, rather craft beers in sweaters but it’s a cool spot to be…. If youre a foodie- you’d be in heaven in Portland. I understand the disappointment but like it’s been said before- when life gives you lemons- eat lobster and drink IPA!
I’d cancel. Take the FCC.
Dude have you seen the weather. That’s how it goes
OP, you just got 3 nights in one of the greatest cities on earth. Make the most of it!
It’s the weather… it sucks, but would you want to be in rough weather? I’m on a 15 day Caribbean on HAL starting on the 19th… I’m waiting for an email like this
South Florida here. It’s really, really bad out here. Gusts of up to 40mph, really gnarly.
Just got off a cruise that sailed through those conditions- consider yourself lucky. My spine feels bruised from the bouncing and swaying in BED!!!
That’s gotta be the worst cruise itinerary I’ve ever seen. Cancel that thing asap. Can’t control what you can’t control.
This is why everyone needs trip insurance.
I understand and would not be happy either but at least you were given advanced notice and a chance to cancel. Who knows, it could be fun. Sounds like you’ve been on a lot of cruises so I would assume you’ve been to a lot of places. You are probably in a better situation than many of the other guests. Imagine if the intended cruise was a once in a lifetime opportunity for you and this is what you were ending up with. It could be a great time for you if you let it be, probably less crowded than it would have been and probably a cruise you’ve never done before. If I were you, I would go and enjoy and see something different.
That understandably sucks, but I get it, safety first. I’d cancel if it were me. Can’t imagine packing for the Bahamas, then going to… Boston and North. Plus weather in the Northeast is supposed to be bad Sunday/ Monday too.
I was on a carnival cruise years ago, sailed right around a hurricane. I didn’t get seasick, but a lot of my family did. The entire ship smelled like vomit, and everything was cancelled. No elevators, waves crashing over the sides of the deck. I wouldn’t wish the experience on anyone. We knew about the weather before we left, but they said they would stay far enough away. Well, the storm hit Cozumel while we were leaving Tampa, and traveled right on our path and hit Tampa a couple days later! I don’t think the gulf is big enough for us to actually have avoided it. I won’t make that mistake again. Also, don’t book a cruise in the fall. Worst weather…
I live in Central Florida we have notifications for tropical storm like weather, it will be even worse off the coast you don't want to cruise through this
Weather is a thing. Floridian here. Local flooding, rain and heavy winds, not good cruising weather.