Just spent e terrifying night on The Fantasy

[FabFivePA]

we have started a facebook page for nightmare cruise survivors from both ships
http://www.facebook.com/groups/104089969753549/

Not to downplay the legitimate fear that people felt or this whole ordeal, but 'survivors'?
Sometimes when things are taken to the extreme you lose your credibility.

 

[tajz90]

For those that think it's only Disney, here is a couple of posts from Carnivals site


I just came back from basically the worst cruise experience in my life, I can not believe that a company like you , sending messages concerned about peoples safety, did not care about us the ones on the ship that just arrived from the Bahamas.. Taking us out at sea in hurricane Sandy was a big irresponsibility of your part. Everyone was sick, and was not happy at all, with sailing in the middle of a hurricane. you call customer service and they say, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO!!! We'll you wont see me sailing with you ever again....... then again, there are companies that would rather put people at risk then lose some money or even compensate their guest!!!

I am right there with you on this!!!!! I feel the same exact way. Carnival cared nothing for our safety!!!! All they want is our money, not bringing us home because they do not want to give us a refund, REALLY?!?!?!? I will never recommend Carnival to anyone!! The Carnival customer service was HORRIBLE, she was extremely rude and just said there was nothing she would do for me, and she would not let me speak to anyone about the problem. All these people commenting would feel the same way if they had to endure what we wnt thru. You can not enjoy yourself when the ship is rocking so bad that you can not see straight. Then to beat all Carnival took out $400 dollars over the amount I spent on board, the customer service rep was just like "oh Well, it should be refunded within 72 hours if not to call back" NO you morons should not of taken out more than you were suppose too. I will never sail with this horrible money hunger company again!!!!!

 

[NancyIL]

For those that think it's only Disney, here is a couple of posts from Carnivals site....

Were these on Cruise Critic? Please provide a link to your source.

 

[sunshine1259]

Just a heads up on the 25% off a future cruise that the passengers on this cruise received.

We received a 25% discount off a future cruise in the past that was given due to a hurricane situation. I was glad to have a travel agent helping me on that cruise because the window to use the discount was very small. I just assumed we would be able to use it when we wanted to cruise next but that was not the case. It had to be used within the next six months.

I have no idea what the specifics are on the discount given for this cruise, but if you are thinking of using it, I would find out if there are restrictions, expiration dates, etc.

I do think passengers on this cruise deserve a refund of 10% of the price paid. It was a bad decision and to just offer a discount on a future cruise is self-serving(these people still will have to pay thousands of dollars to Disney for the privilege of cruising again) and not an actual benefit to those cruisers.

For those of us on the Fantasy, the expiration date is December 1, 2014.

 

[tajz90]

Were these on Cruise Critic? Please provide a link to your source.

Carnivals Facebook. How do I provide a link?

 

[gaporee]

Just a heads up on the 25% off a future cruise that the passengers on this cruise received.

We received a 25% discount off a future cruise in the past that was given due to a hurricane situation. I was glad to have a travel agent helping me on that cruise because the window to use the discount was very small. I just assumed we would be able to use it when we wanted to cruise next but that was not the case. It had to be used within the next six months.

I have no idea what the specifics are on the discount given for this cruise, but if you are thinking of using it, I would find out if there are restrictions, expiration dates, etc.

I do think passengers on this cruise deserve a refund of 10% of the price paid. It was a bad decision and to just offer a discount on a future cruise is self-serving(these people still will have to pay thousands of dollars to Disney for the privilege of cruising again) and not an actual benefit to those cruisers.

I was on the Oct 20th sailing. We have until December 2014 to use the 25%.

 

[joelnkelly]

it really irrates me when people think they deserve something in return due to a act of god/weather related instance. when the cruise was booked for anytime during hurricane season you have to anticipate that weather will happen, its the tropics. The captain of the ship decided it was okay to sail on the edge of the storm to get the ship safely back to the dock. While he could have possibly stayed out or docked for an extra day this would have caused mass issues back a port, meaning delaying the next cruise or current cruisers missing possible flights or travel plans back home.

The captain did what was thought best for all parties involved and wouldnt purposly put anyone in danger. To me it sounds like the only port missed was castaway cay which was probably a wreck anyways. Weather happens and you deal with it the best possible way you can. Disney doesnt owe anyone anything and its nice of them to offer a discount on the next cruise considering the one you just went on was discounted anyways because of the time of year it was taken.

My suggestion is to never sail during the months of August-October into the tropics. The weather is way to unpredictable during this time. You might hit the jackpot and have great weather or horrible weather due to a storm at sea. I know this first hand because we got stuck in a few storms during cruising during these months. I vowed never again after our trip last October when it did nothing but rain due to a tropical storm.

 

[EllieMaie]

Carnivals Facebook. How do I provide a link?

It makes me wonder if the look at the negative reactions / publicity as being part of the cost of doing business - choosing to sail to the Caribbean during hurricanes season. Hence the dismissive attitudes experienced by some.

There really isn't a whole lot of choices in cruise lines to pick from this time of year.

 

[tajz90]

It makes me wonder if the look at the negative reactions / publicity as being part of the cost of doing business - choosing to sail to the Caribbean during hurricanes season. Hence the dismissive attitudes experienced by some.

There really isn't a whole lot of choices in cruise lines to pick from this time of year.

People have different perceptions of the same event.

We met a family while evacuated for Ike a few years ago. They were all sad and upset. I asked if everything was ok and the mom replied that they would be without electricity for a couple of weeks and they wouldn't be able to go home. Our family was smiles, having just returned from a family dinner and I told her not to worry because our town was under 9ft of water. We both had a very diff view of same experience.

 

[NancyIL]

Carnivals Facebook. How do I provide a link?

Thank you. It's easy to find Carnival (or most other companies) on Facebook!

 

[dizzneebabe]

I feel for these passengers--I really do. I'm SURE it was frightening!

HOWEVER...

Why is the discussion focused on how much compensation DCL (or in some posts, Carnival) is due its passengers??? REALLY? There's nothing that I have come across that thanks the Captain and crew for navigating SAFELY through this monster of a storm. I'd be thanking my lucky stars for making it back to port in one piece. As always, things could be worse!!! Just watch the news on any given day.

I can not get over the amount of demands for full refunds on these cruises. The sense of entitlement is overwhelming.

We have missed ports of call due to storms (not in hurricane season) and did not expect anything in the form of compensation, nor did the cruise lines offer any.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Mom2TwinGirls01]

we have started a facebook page for nightmare cruise survivors from both ships
http://www.facebook.com/groups/104089969753549/

For there to be survivors doesn't there have to be people that didn't survive. And to call it a nightmare cruise is a bit much for one night of nasty.

I'm sure it was scary. I wouldn't want to experience it.

 

[kathie859]

I feel for these passengers--I really do. I'm SURE it was frightening!

HOWEVER...

Why is the discussion focused on how much compensation DCL (or in some posts, Carnival) is due its passengers??? REALLY? There's nothing that I have come across that thanks the Captain and crew for navigating SAFELY through this monster of a storm. I'd be thanking my lucky stars for making it back to port in one piece. As always, things could be worse!!! Just watch the news on any given day.

I can not get over the amount of demands for full refunds on these cruises. The sense of entitlement is overwhelming.

We have missed ports of call due to storms (not in hurricane season) and did not expect anything in the form of compensation, nor did the cruise lines offer any.

Just my 2 cents.

We must be following different threads I was on the Fantasy during this experience. What most posters seem to be complaining about is the lack of communication during the height of the storm. The worst lasted 5 hours and other than 2 announcements, one saying stay in your cabin and the other saying everything is safe (as we pitched back and forth, anything not in drawers flying across the room, doors opening and banging closed) there was not a word. When we reached port, again the communication for an orderly disembarkation was lacking.

I saw very few people who were actually on the cruise complain about missing Castaway Cay or demanding a refund--but there does seem to be a lot of opinions by folks not affected by the captain's decision to "follow" the storm into port and then the surprise when the storm stalled and we were stuck riding it out.

 

[carpenta]

Not to downplay the legitimate fear that people felt or this whole ordeal, but 'survivors'?
Sometimes when things are taken to the extreme you lose your credibility.

 

[carpenta]

......some of these "survivor" posts just shows how much a "GIMMEE GIMMEE society the country has turned into.....the Greatest Generation has turned into the Gimmee Generation.....and yes I have gone through a hurricane onboard a ship....it was fun IMHO.....

 

[shoppnmom]

Thank you. It's easy to find Carnival (or most other companies) on Facebook!

Apparently RCCL's guests are unhappy as well. Reading through the comments posted on their FB page, there are comments like this.. "I can't believe the cruise line takes peoples lives in their hands in this Superstorm. Shame on you." It's not just DCL.

Praying for those impacted (in whatever way) by Sandy's fury.

 

[dizzneebabe]

We must be following different threads I was on the Fantasy during this experience. What most posters seem to be complaining about is the lack of communication during the height of the storm. The worst lasted 5 hours and other than 2 announcements, one saying stay in your cabin and the other saying everything is safe (as we pitched back and forth, anything not in drawers flying across the room, doors opening and banging closed) there was not a word. When we reached port, again the communication for an orderly disembarkation was lacking.

I saw very few people who were actually on the cruise complain about missing Castaway Cay or demanding a refund--but there does seem to be a lot of opinions by folks not affected by the captain's decision to "follow" the storm into port and then the surprise when the storm stalled and we were stuck riding it out.

First and foremost--I'm glad you are all safe!!! I'm SURE I would have been very scared!!! I'm in no way trying to downplay the intensity of the storm or its effects.

I was referring to the amount of posts regarding the need for a full refund, including the Facebook group set up for "survivors" to band together and muscle DCL into giving more than 25% off a future cruise.

As far as the communication (or lack thereof) is concerned, what could they have done differently? I'm curious to know what you think should have been announced? I'm not trying to provoke an argument; I am legitimately asking.

 

[Wendy&Grumpy]

it really irrates me when people think they deserve something in return due to a act of god/weather related instance.

My family was on the 10/25 Dream cruise. The email sent by DCL prior t the cruise states "Unfortunately, the storm is expected to produce tropical storm and hurricane force winds near Nassau and our private island, Disney's Castaway Cay for most of the day on Friday and early on Saturday."

The Captain chose to then sail the Dream from calm, safe waters to the Southwest of Florida, INTO the Bahamas "near Nassau and our private island, Disney's Castaway Cay" from Friday morning through the day on Saturday.

No one thinks "they deserve something in return due to a act of god/weather related instance" - the compensation is being requested due to this conscious decision made by the Captain in spite of the knowledge that he was sailing us INTO the storm.

Why is the discussion focused on how much compensation DCL (or in some posts, Carnival) is due its passengers??? REALLY? There's nothing that I have come across that thanks the Captain and crew for navigating SAFELY through this monster of a storm. I'd be thanking my lucky stars for making it back to port in one piece. As always, things could be worse!!! Just watch the news on any given day.

I can not get over the amount of demands for full refunds on these cruises. The sense of entitlement is overwhelming.

We have missed ports of call due to storms (not in hurricane season) and did not expect anything in the form of compensation, nor did the cruise lines offer any.

Just my 2 cents.

We should thank the Captain for navigating safely through the storm that he could have kept us out of to begin with? (Re-read above.) Seriously??

As far as why the discussion is (currently) focused on compensation - someone asked what folks would consider fair and others have answered. That's the purpose of discussion boards.

 

[MrsScooby]

For there to be survivors doesn't there have to be people that didn't survive. And to call it a nightmare cruise is a bit much for one night of nasty.

I'm sure it was scary. I wouldn't want to experience it.

First and foremost--I'm glad you are all safe!!! I'm SURE I would have been very scared!!! I'm in no way trying to downplay the intensity of the storm or its effects.

I was referring to the amount of posts regarding the need for a full refund, including the Facebook group set up for "survivors" to band together and muscle DCL into giving more than 25% off a future cruise.

As far as the communication (or lack thereof) is concerned, what could they have done differently? I'm curious to know what you think should have been announced? I'm not trying to provoke an argument; I am legitimately asking.

 

[dvc deernut]

like i said when i posted way back, i feel sorry for the people who were caught in this situation. Im glad to see others posting on here with the same feelings as myself. The captain got you back to port safely. Your not riding a controlled disney ride, your dealing with mother nature. They know what the ship can handle and mostlikely had weather info confirming what they were heading into. Delaying the return at the time didnt seem neccesary. If they delayed i can imagine there would be as many people complaining they missed flights etc. The cruisers waiting to board on sat would be irrate also. A no win situation for everyone. Try dealing with carnival , etc if a problem arises. I ALSO AGREE SURVIVORS IS TOO STRONG A WORD.