San Juan Cruises

[MPS516]

We have insurance so if there is changes or cancelations our investment is protected. Hoping that things in San Juan proper are better than reports thus far, our hotel says they are not accepting new guests until after September 30th. They do have current guests and evacuees so are uncertain at this time just what they can handle down the road. Hopefully they can get the airport ready to receive the supplies and relief needed to begin the clean up and re-build. If they open the port and hotel our plans are to continue with our trip regardless of how little there may be to enjoy while we are there, they can count on our visit if they allow.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

There is no way a ship can leave there Wednesday. At least not one full of tourists.

 

[Luvmypetz]

My 0.02. I'm skeptical DCL will need to cancel Jan 18 cruises, mine being one of them. My dilemma is do I have my apartment vacation rental I secured months back? Was it damaged, is it repairable? My PIF date 10/15 so I have some time plus my flight is booked thru SW with points.
The thing I was also about to do is use my Chase Visa at Walmart or my Discover at Target and play the cash back game with GCs to pay balance. Sure I'll be refunded if I either A. get insurance and use it or B. DCL has to reroute but gives options for refund based on change in schedule.
I have other plans for my life after this cruise. Disney GCs with $$ won't pay my bills. Plus I've been using my Disney Visa for the dream dollars.
My gut is telling me to forget the cash back/GC idea and just use a regular Visa for the balance. Then I get real money.
Good luck everyone! Prayers for PR

 

[emilymad]

I read that the San Juan airport is opening on Friday even without power. Some airlines are resuming flights as early as Saturday. I guess it will depend what conditions are like on the ground.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

My 0.02. I'm skeptical DCL will need to cancel Jan 18 cruises, mine being one of them. My dilemma is do I have my apartment vacation rental I secured months back? Was it damaged, is it repairable? My PIF date 10/15 so I have some time plus my flight is booked thru SW with points.
The thing I was also about to do is use my Chase Visa at Walmart or my Discover at Target and play the cash back game with GCs to pay balance. Sure I'll be refunded if I either A. get insurance and use it or B. DCL has to reroute but gives options for refund based on change in schedule.
I have other plans for my life after this cruise. Disney GCs with $$ won't pay my bills. Plus I've been using my Disney Visa for the dream dollars.
My gut is telling me to forget the cash back/GC idea and just use a regular Visa for the balance. Then I get real money.
Good luck everyone! Prayers for PR

They won't refund you for a change in schedule. Our eastern turned western is allowing rescheduling only, no refunds. Once you hit PIF you are at their mercy so hopefully things will be more clear by mid October on what you can expect.

 

[cruiser21]

They won't cancel a cruise, they will change a cruise itinerary.

Just wondering how you change an embarkation port if everyone's bought airline tickets.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just wondering how you change an embarkation port if everyone's bought airline tickets.

That's what travel insurance is for. For those "just in case" situations.

You book another flight to the new embarkation port, and your insurance pays for the unexpected cost.

 

[jessicaknarr]

Just wondering how you change an embarkation port if everyone's bought airline tickets.

We booked Southwest .... we could change. But if they change to a Florida port I don't know what I'll do with my flight ..... As I live in Florida !

 

[tlprice]

My question is if I buy travel insurance now, will it cover my flights (that I have already purchased) for January if my cruise gets changed or cancelled?

 

[Luvmypetz]

They won't refund you for a change in schedule. Our eastern turned western is allowing rescheduling only, no refunds. Once you hit PIF you are at their mercy so hopefully things will be more clear by mid October on what you can expect.

I understand that, being that it leaves from SJ and cruises to other destinations than originally planned. But if PR remains "devastated" as all reports are stating, do cruisers have any recourse when said cruise has to embark at a completely diff location? I ask this as a legitimate question, not to be argumentative.
I think the PR cruises on the other lines in the next few weeks will have to deal with this exact issue. Only time will tell.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I am pretty sure that changing the embark point is a material change well beyond "you need insurance for that."

 

[cruiser21]

That's what travel insurance is for. For those "just in case" situations.

You book another flight to the new embarkation port, and your insurance pays for the unexpected cost.

If you say so, but I doubt its that simple.

I am pretty sure that changing the embark point is a material change well beyond "you need insurance for that."

Agreed.

 

[cruiser21]

I understand that, being that it leaves from SJ and cruises to other destinations than originally planned. But if PR remains "devastated" as all reports are stating, do cruisers have any recourse when said cruise has to embark at a completely diff location? I ask this as a legitimate question, not to be argumentative.
I think the PR cruises on the other lines in the next few weeks will have to deal with this exact issue. Only time will tell.

I would follow cruise critic and see how the other cruiselines handle it. I'm guessing there are ships that were supposed to embark out of there this weekend.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Section 32 of the contract seems to apply. Allows for canceling if a port cannot be used for embarkation, or to drop people elsewhere if they cannot return to the intended port.

 

[AquaDame]

Just wondering how you change an embarkation port if everyone's bought airline tickets.

When we had our cruise cancelled before DCL allowed us to reschedule with 25% off and they also covered our change fees for our airline tickets even though we were pretty far out. Looking through my emails I got word that it would be cancelled the morning of September 13th, 2013 and we were to have embarked January 19th, 2014. I had to submit it "for consideration" but those I spoke with who were also booked on that sailing were being accommodated. That said, there is nothing that says they HAVE to do this, and no guarantee they would do it this time.

I understand that, being that it leaves from SJ and cruises to other destinations than originally planned. But if PR remains "devastated" as all reports are stating, do cruisers have any recourse when said cruise has to embark at a completely diff location? I ask this as a legitimate question, not to be argumentative.
I think the PR cruises on the other lines in the next few weeks will have to deal with this exact issue. Only time will tell.

The only thing one can do is read the contract... the problem with that is DCL (and other cruise lines) are often more benevolent than the contract might lead one to believe, so it's hard to offer advice on it.

From the website:

Disney Cruise Line may in its sole discretion and without prior notice change, substitute, postpone, cancel or deviate from any scheduled sailing, itinerary or call at any port, and may substitute another vessel for the ship, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage incurred by a Guest as a result of any such change, substitution, postponement, cancellation or deviation. The Guest shall pay any and all expenses incurred if a Guest is detained on board ship or elsewhere at any stage of a voyage because of quarantine, port regulations, prevailing applicable law, illness or other cause.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

My question is if I buy travel insurance now, will it cover my flights (that I have already purchased) for January if my cruise gets changed or cancelled?

When you purchase travel insurance (third party) you can cover whatever you want.

If you're asking about DCL insurance, it will only cover whatever was purchased through DCL. Not privately arranged air flights.

 

[Cmbar]

My question is if I buy travel insurance now, will it cover my flights (that I have already purchased) for January if my cruise gets changed or cancelled?

Did you already reach your paid in full date? Did you pay in full yet? If you didn't then you can buy insurance from many different insurance companies up to PIF date and you would want to include your airfare and pre or post cruise hotel fees as part of your full coverage for the insurance. If you are concerned then call the company you are considering and ask them that direct question. Personally we are on the Dec 1 out of San Juan and I am VERY glad I bought insurance. I'm hopeful the trip will go on as planned but if not my bigger concern is that DCL won't give us enough notice to cancel. That will be very disappointing. AND of course we hope we don't have any more storms before them. For the sake of San Juan and all the islands and their residents. Still two whole months of hurricane season.

 

[mom4fun]

Walk me through this. We have travel guard gold insurance. If Disney decides a few weeks before my cruise in January, that they can't go to Puerto Rico, changes it to a Western Caribbean out of Miami, would I be able to cancel everything? Or would insurance only cover a flight change since the cruise isn't being cancelled, just changed?

 

[jessicaknarr]

I would follow cruise critic and see how the other cruiselines handle it. I'm guessing there are ships that were supposed to embark out of there this weekend.

Good idea!!!

 

[eskimoinparadise]

RCCL has a cruise scheduled to sail this Saturday that they only pushed back to Wednesday.
Due to the uncertainty of the timing of the port re-opening in San Juan, we anticipate our new departure date will be Wednesday, September 27, sailing a 3-night itinerary to Antigua and St. Kitts.

We know these changes are disappointing, and we are truly sorry for the storm’s impact on your vacation. Should you choose to sail with us we will provide you with a refund of 60% of your cruise fare paid in the form of a refundable onboard credit, and an additional 50% future cruise credit, for a cruise booked within the next year.

If you are unable to travel and need to cancel your cruise, we will provide you with a 100% future cruise credit, for a cruise booked within the next year. Pre-booked shore excursions will be refunded to your original form of payment, and you will have the ability to book excursions in our new ports of call once onboard.
Maybe they are overly optimistic, maybe they are just hoping most people will cancel for future cruise credit instead of a cash refund, but their actions seem to say they think the port will be open within a week.

The latest update from a passenger who is on the Adventure this week is that they are sailing to Ft. Lauderdale to disembark passengers; putting them up in hotels overnight so they can get flights out; loading the ship with relief supplies; and then sailing back to San Juan to deliver the supplies and offload their Puerto Rican passengers before doing the shortened sailing next week.