Our wild ride on the Disney Fantasy with Hurricane Sandy (with Video)

[CarolinaBlue]

This was just on our local news tonight:

http://www.wcnc.com/news/consumer/Di...176640841.html

[TDC Nala]

The article notes that Disney did refund prepaid excursions.

Disney doesn't prepay excursions. You pay onboard when you take the excursion. So there's nothing unusual about them "refunding" the excursions. The excursion gets cancelled, you don't pay.

I understand that some who were on the ship during this storm want a refund, not a percentage off a future cruise. That's up to them to bring up with DCL. I will not be emailbombing anybody.

[linco711]

Originally Posted by CarolinaBlue

This was just on our local news tonight:

http://www.wcnc.com/news/consumer/Di...176640841.html

I am glad to see DCL is getting some bad press about this. It is well deserved.
The 25% off a future cruise is a joke. They offered the Fantasy guests the same. I'm not sure I will want to sail with them again. They need to give some compensation for the cruise we just took. Just my opinion and I know its not worth much, but thanks for listening

[dzy76]

I don't want to give the impression that I am looking for money about this. Because I don't think that changes anything. It makes me sad to think that is all people want out of the experience. Isn't it better to look at making the situation better for someone else, if it were to happen again? I for one, think all I really needed was information. If I had been updated more I think I wouldn't have been so scared. I am almost certain the crew felt more certain than I did. After all, they know the ship and the sea much better than I do! Thank God!! I am a nurse, and I can tell you, I see scary stuff happen to people all the time. But people are less scared when they are informed. And reassured by those who know the situation better. That's all I wanted that night. To know more, to hear we were ok, or not, from those who knew. I am not of the mind that money fixes everything. I don't agree with the "sue" everyone attitude. Things happen. Sometimes it isn't someones "fault". Sometimes it is. Hurricanes are no ones fault. I don't think everything they did that night, or the next morning went as it should have. But paying $$$$$$$ to me won't change what it was. I would rather see a change in their policy on how to handle such things in the future. Updates by the crew, either on the Bridge report channel, or by announcement. I also think that there could have been a better plan on how to disembark the ship that morning. For instance, let those with flights off first. Etc. I don't mind being compensated for missed flights, or for things that were promised or paid for and not recieved. But why should we get large sums of money for inconvience or mother nature? I mean, in the scheme of things, I think we have much to be thankful for even though we were scared or inconvienced by hurricane Sandy. I bet those in New Jersey and New York would think we ended up pretty lucky, right? Maybe if Disney wants to do something for us, they can give large sums of money to the Red Cross towards helping those who were really hit by that storm. In fact, knowing Disney, they probably already have stepped up to help. So I remain a Disney girl, and a thankful girl, and really a pretty lucky girl.

[Juney]

Originally Posted by dzy76

I don't want to give the impression that I am looking for money about this. Because I don't think that changes anything. It makes me sad to think that is all people want out of the experience. Isn't it better to look at making the situation better for someone else, if it were to happen again? I for one, think all I really needed was information. If I had been updated more I think I wouldn't have been so scared. I am almost certain the crew felt more certain than I did. After all, they know the ship and the sea much better than I do! Thank God!! I am a nurse, and I can tell you, I see scary stuff happen to people all the time. But people are less scared when they are informed. And reassured by those who know the situation better. That's all I wanted that night. To know more, to hear we were ok, or not, from those who knew. I am not of the mind that money fixes everything. I don't agree with the "sue" everyone attitude. Things happen. Sometimes it isn't someones "fault". Sometimes it is. Hurricanes are no ones fault. I don't think everything they did that night, or the next morning went as it should have. But paying $$$$$$$ to me won't change what it was. I would rather see a change in their policy on how to handle such things in the future. Updates by the crew, either on the Bridge report channel, or by announcement. I also think that there could have been a better plan on how to disembark the ship that morning. For instance, let those with flights off first. Etc. I don't mind being compensated for missed flights, or for things that were promised or paid for and not recieved. But why should we get large sums of money for inconvience or mother nature? I mean, in the scheme of things, I think we have much to be thankful for even though we were scared or inconvienced by hurricane Sandy. I bet those in New Jersey and New York would think we ended up pretty lucky, right? Maybe if Disney wants to do something for us, they can give large sums of money to the Red Cross towards helping those who were really hit by that storm. In fact, knowing Disney, they probably already have stepped up to help. So I remain a Disney girl, and a thankful girl, and really a pretty lucky girl.

They are giving $2M in relief efforts.

[N365PA]

I have to start this post by saying I was not onboard the ship. Like Embraer (King Air/MU2 here ) I am in the aviation industry. When I ask my passengers to sit down, it is because I think it is going to get bit bumpy and I would like them in their seats. I would never take my airplane (let alone my passengers!) anywhere where I dont think it is safe. I see alot of unqualified people on here second guessing a crew of very experienced seaman. I have only met Captain Tom once but I can say he is a very competent individual. He has many years experience in all sorts of seas. If he felt it was safe, then I would agree with him that it was safe. His crew is top notch and I would trust their judgement.

I understand it was rough. I have been through some things in an airplane that have scared the living bejeesus out of my passengers but I knew it to be safe. I have a feeling the bridge crew felt the same way. I understand some people missed their flights and I hope they had an easy time with reconnections and made it home safe and with miminal delay. I understand some people only do this thing once in their life. This being said, I think Disney did the right thing with 25% off a future booking. Would it be a better marketing tool to give a refund? I think so. If you have a complaint, voice it to Disney. Whining on here does nothing but cause frustration and yields nothing in return. It doesnt hurt to write Disney an email and see what they do. In the meantime, you're getting something that could be worth thousands of dollars depending on how you use it!

Long story short; looks like people (for the most part) had a great cruise. It got rough at the end and some people were inconvienienced by a late arrival into Pt. Canaveral. Im glad to the OP for the video. I will learn from this event and when its pretty rough, I will stay indoors and enjoy a coffee while watching from a nice, comfortable location.

Clint

[realityland]

I think the 25% offer was a fair gesture. But Disney kind of hamstrung it by forcing it on a 3-night cruise (with no exceptions.) At least give folks the chance to rebook for the same length of cruise that they originally had. 4-night Dream gets 25% off up to a 4-night, and 7-night Fantasy gets 25% up to a 7-night. A 3-night cruise might be great for locals, but fairly impractical for many coming from out of state.

Capping the 25% to a 3-night cruise probably saved Disney a couple of bucks here and there, but may have caused more ill will than good. And also, those that had DCL insurance and were unaware that they had an option to cancel to a credit should be handled in a different way.

[Silverfox97]

Originally Posted by realityland

I think the 25% offer was a fair gesture. But Disney kind of hamstrung it by forcing it on a 3-night cruise (with no exceptions.) At least give folks the chance to rebook for the same length of cruise that they originally had. 4-night Dream gets 25% off up to a 4-night, and 7-night Fantasy gets 25% up to a 7-night. A 3-night cruise might be great for locals, but fairly impractical for many coming from out of state.

Capping the 25% to a 3-night cruise probably saved Disney a couple of bucks here and there, but may have caused more ill will than good. And also, those that had DCL insurance and were unaware that they had an option to cancel to a credit should be handled in a different way.

The cruisers on the Fantasy were offered 25% off a 7-night cruise OR up to a 7-night WDW stay. Only the 3-night Dream cruisers were offered 25% off another 3-night cruise.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

[realityland]

Originally Posted by Silverfox97

The cruisers on the Fantasy were offered 25% off a 7-night cruise OR up to a 7-night WDW stay. Only the 3-night Dream cruisers were offered 25% off another 3-night cruise.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I stand corrected. A fair offer, IMO.

[ZoeBell]

Originally Posted by N365PA

I have to start this post by saying I was not onboard the ship. Like Embraer (King Air/MU2 here ) I am in the aviation industry. When I ask my passengers to sit down, it is because I think it is going to get bit bumpy and I would like them in their seats. I would never take my airplane (let alone my passengers!) anywhere where I dont think it is safe. I see alot of unqualified people on here second guessing a crew of very experienced seaman. I have only met Captain Tom once but I can say he is a very competent individual. He has many years experience in all sorts of seas. If he felt it was safe, then I would agree with him that it was safe. His crew is top notch and I would trust their judgement.

I understand it was rough. I have been through some things in an airplane that have scared the living bejeesus out of my passengers but I knew it to be safe. I have a feeling the bridge crew felt the same way. I understand some people missed their flights and I hope they had an easy time with reconnections and made it home safe and with miminal delay. I understand some people only do this thing once in their life. This being said, I think Disney did the right thing with 25% off a future booking. Would it be a better marketing tool to give a refund? I think so. If you have a complaint, voice it to Disney. Whining on here does nothing but cause frustration and yields nothing in return. It doesnt hurt to write Disney an email and see what they do. In the meantime, you're getting something that could be worth thousands of dollars depending on how you use it!

Long story short; looks like people (for the most part) had a great cruise. It got rough at the end and some people were inconvienienced by a late arrival into Pt. Canaveral. Im glad to the OP for the video. I will learn from this event and when its pretty rough, I will stay indoors and enjoy a coffee while watching from a nice, comfortable location.

Clint

The question remains WHY take the ships into the storm? Why not wait it out? What was the reason they needed to forge ahead into the storm when they weren't to begin with? The ships obviously can handle a lot, and thank goodness for that. But imo that isn't the point.

[realityland]

Originally Posted by ZoeBell

The question remains WHY take the ships into the storm? Why not wait it out? What was the reason they needed to forge ahead into the storm when they weren't to begin with? The ships obviously can handle a lot, and thank goodness for that. But imo that isn't the point.

Just a massive storm - there was really no place to run and hide. I was standing out on a jetty on the Gulf Coast of Florida (the opposite coast from the storm) on Saturday the 27th and was just getting absolutely pounded by 30-40 knot winds. A humongous wind field of 500+ miles. Unfortunately, there was no escaping Sandy's fury.

[Bear3412]

The seas were indeed rougher than the forecast or the captain predicted. If the captain knew the true sea state, there is no way he would have sailed north at that time. I'm confident in the future they will make such decisions more cautiously.

[mhconley]

Originally Posted by realityland

Just a massive storm - there was really no place to run and hide. I was standing out on a jetty on the Gulf Coast of Florida (the opposite coast from the storm) on Saturday the 27th and was just getting absolutely pounded by 30-40 knot winds. A humongous wind field of 500+ miles. Unfortunately, there was no escaping Sandy's fury.

Flying into Fort Myers late Friday was very bumpy, too...

Martin

[MPS516]

I really don't want to enter the fray about how bad the experience was, I was not there and only know form my own personal experiences responding to these instances over a 35 year period. A forecast was given and decisions made based on the best information and least adverse impact to the passengers, there were 9 ships in the same or worse situation. The Fantasy did not report as severe an encounter as some others did nor did they call the Coast Guard to advise of dire situation. Here is another cruise who wished they were on the Fantasy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqBX1...eature=related

From all the reports, video and pictures of the Fantasy, it was bad, I just don't know that if given the same information and forecast it would not happen again.