It has been reported and mentioned by commenters that Disney Cruise Line had been offering a 25% discount on a future Disney Cruise for those sailing on the [Disney_Dream] and [Disney_Fantasy] during Hurricane Sandy.
Disney has sent the following email to registered guests of those two sailings.
Offer Extended to Disney Cruise Line Guests Impacted by Hurricane Sandy
Disney Cruise Line® appreciates your patience and understanding with the unexpected weather delays and inconvenience created by Hurricane Sandy.
As a gesture of sincere goodwill, Disney Cruise Line is extending an offer to Guests who debarked the Disney Dream on Oct. 28 and the Disney Fantasy on Oct. 27, 2012.
For Guests debarking the Disney Fantasy on Oct. 27 – A letter was provided to Guests offering a 25% discount for a future 3-, 4-, 5- or 7-night Disney Cruise Line reservation, or a future stay at the Walt Disney World Resort (up to 7-nights in length), commencing prior to Dec. 1, 2014.
For Guests debarking the Disney Dream on Oct. 28 – A letter was provided to Guests offering a 25% discount off of a future 3-night Disney Cruise Line vacation that commences prior to Dec. 1, 2014.In order to redeem this offer, please contact Disney Cruise Line Reservations at 1-866-858-7416. Simply reference your current reservation number to receive the discount on your next cruise.
For Guests who already confirmed a future reservation while onboard, the discount will automatically be applied to their new 3-, 4- or 7-night reservation.
Please note: This offer is non-transferable, valid for only those Guests who cruised on this voyage, and excludes holiday sailings.
For those who were on either cruise, will you be taking advantage of this offer?
We did not receive a letter…
Big deal. Three days of hell when it wasn’t necessary. Can’t believe that is the best Disney can offer for the horrible experience I had.
You took a cruise during hurricane season … storms can and do happen. The captains of both ships made the best decisions based on the information they were provided. This turned out to be one of the biggest storm’s of the century … Next time book a cruise outside of Hurricane season, or better yet, don’t get on a ship if their is a hurricane in the area.
Comments like this are very mean spirited. It is obvious that you were on neither cruise. The reality is that this is the only time of year that some can vacation. Yes, I got on the ship knowing a storm was kicking around. But only after repeated assurances from DCL that we were going no where near the storm and that we would be sailing in calm seas and nice weather. I do not believe for a moment, now, that I was being told the truth. No worries now, though. I will never set foot on another DCL ship – during hurricane season or not. They (DCL) have violated the trust agreement and there is not enough time in this world to fix that. And I will convey that message to anyone that will listen. To say that fear existed on that ship is a huge understatement. This cruise was completely void of ANY Disney magic. It is a cruise that never should have failed and did so only because Disney did not want to cancel due the money it would cost. There can be no other explanation.
Ron
Agreed, it’s insulting that DCL is standing by “you where never in danger”. Then why in the hell did he tell us to stay in our Staterooms? Isn’t that the same statement made just before the cruise ship in the Mediterranean sank?
I’ve been sending emails to DCL’s insurer Lloyd’s, (videos & stories of people believing they where going to die) in 2006 Lloyd’s of London fined Walt Disney $75,000 for not notify them of a pending lawsuit. DCL should be responsible for all damages, it was pure stupidity to drive into a Large Diameter Category 1 Hurricane.
All this could have been avoided, like all the other ships in the area that headed away from the storm or Ported and bussed guests to the original departure location.
Jason
You must work for Disney. People were told that the ship would not leave port and the guests could enjoy the ship while at dock. They were also told there would be no rescheduling or refunds.
When you have saved the money for this cruise and your kids are excited and Disney is saying all is fine and the ship will be staying in port why would you not believe them. To throw away over $2,000.00 while Disney is saying they have it under control what would you honestly do? The hurricane was never supposed to come into Florida at that point so why not get on and stay in port?
They OFFERED the cruise during hurricane season. The ultimate responsibility lies with them.
Suck it up buttercups!!! If you can’t afford to book during non-hurricane season, don’t book. You gambled & lost. Not Disney’s fault, not your fault. Get over it!
In all honesty, this offer is an insult. The way I read it, is: We just made some poor decisions but aren’t willing to actually give you anything. If you want to spend more money with our company (unlikely), we will only take 75% as much this time.
We got the letter but I consider it a slap in the face. Our entire cruise was one big roller coaster ride on the dream.
They handed out letters on the ship before we disembarked but I’ve not received an email.
The “offer” doesn’t even cover the port charges that Disney kept despite never entering a port. I found the offer to be completely inadequate and it seems Disney just does not care about its customers and passengers. Disney used to be at the top in customer service. Now they just don’t seem to care.
Have you called DCL regarding a refund on the paid port charges?
My daughter called for a refund of port charges and was told no. One passenger said she contacted her Visa company and is disputing the charge for the ports but after hearing the story Visa recommended disputing entire cost of the cruise. This is something everyone should do, that or like I said earlier a class action suit. Wasn’t there even one lawyer on this cruise?
Gerry
I agree but where do you begin? Before getting on the cruise I called 3 times asking about weather conditions. I told them I had purchased the insurance and was informed that I would need a medical reason not to go. Again I was assured that all would be fine, they were monitoring the weather and the only difference would be going to Castaway Cay first and Nassau second. I felt during the entire trip we were kept in the dark. Saturday morning at 8:00 am we were at Guest Services asking if and when we would dock @ Nassau and were told it was scheduled for 8:30 am. A few minutes later the captain made an announcement we would not be docking. I find it hard to believe he did not know before then that we would not be able to dock. I have been a Disney fan for over 35 years and am extremely disappointed in the treatment we received on this cruise. Even during the Captains Corner (if that was what it was called) it seemed they only wanted to hear what a great job they were doing keeping us safe.
Capitain’s decision put in risk our lifes. Very dissapointed in Disney’s interest to make MORE and MORE MONEY.
We had 4 cabins booked for this cruise (Family of 11 – 4 generations) – we notified Disney on Wednesday that we had elected to not board the ship as our family’s safety was the most important – what we were reading and seeing everywhere indicated the storm was growing in strength and size and that the entire cruise would be restricted to staying in the cabin and riding waves of up to 30 feet plus – Disney should have never allowed the ship to pull out and put so many innocent people in danger – not to mention the fear this will leave with young children for the rest of their life – Disney has done a horrible injustice to their ‘family’ reputation
This offer is an insult! Who in the hell wants to get back on again??? I would NEVER trust DCL with our lives again! This is crazy!!!
To those on the Fantasy:
I have no complaints about the cruise, up to the night of the 26th. Our ship sailed at 23 knots into Hurricane Sandy, when the seas picked up we slowed considerably. According to one of the officers who said he was on the bridge, he said the seas where 20 meters at 2 am. He said he didn’t know offhand what the conversion was in feet. (1 meter = 39 inches x 20 meters = 780 inches/12 inches per ft = 65 ft!!). Swells on Lake Michigan are predicted to reach 25 ft from this storm. Winds are considerably lower and the distance to “grow” the waves is minuscule compared to the Straits of Florida.
Conditions of the seas where ignored because they thought their big bad ship could handle 50 ft swells with easy….wrong!!!
The fear my wife and I felt that night, was like someone had a gun to our families head for 6 hrs and you didn’t known when or if the trigger would be pulled. These extreme feelings of fear can cause PTSD, make sure you don’t ignore the symptoms…you can google them. Don’t sign anything from Disney without consulting a lawyer first.
I will organize a class action law suit depending on damages people have over time from this event.
My 5 year old daughter has gone to bed in fear every night since returning. I have tried to be firm with her and insist she sleeps in her own room but the terror on her face at bedtime is heartbreaking
Did u ever file the lawsuit?
25% off of a future cruise (3-day only) is not nearly enough compensation for what we went through for three days. We might expect some bad weather, or missing a port, but not to sail into a hurricane. We tried to reschedule but were told we would find a calm spot away from the storm and tried to make the best of it. But with most of the outdoor areas closed for the ENTIRE trip, and being stuck on the ship for three days with no port stops, we did not get what we paid for and a refund and apology is what would be appropriate. No mention has been made yet of port charge refunds, since we didn’t get to stop anywhere.
A slap in the face. Disney used our fare’s to take their ship out of harms way. They began shutting the ship down on Thusday early evening with the closing of the Aqua Duck and continued to shut down decks. All lounge chairs were gone by Friday night because of wind. The mickey pool was shut down most of the time and yet we were charged full fare. It was extremely irresponsible of Disney to take us into harms way. I was sick beginning Thursday night and m
my children were also sick. A FULL REFUND should be made! An unbelievable poor decision by Disney. They need to make it right now!
Wow did you all realize you booked a cruise during hurricaine season? thats why you got it cheap! you pay for what you get it’s the luck of the draw! I have never heard so many ungrateful people in my life! You all knew before you got on the boat that there was a hurricane out in the water headed your way! Yes I agree the boat was rocking the waves were going to be bad but you still chose to get on! If you look at the marine locator online you stayed close to the shore! You were never in harms way! Why would they send you into a storm when there are so many greedy Americans to sue them???? You all are crazy! Be thankful they gave you 25% off they didn’t have to do that! Or sit on your soap box and have your pity party. We wonder why america is in the shape it’s in because everyone wants to blame someone else for stuff they willingly done! You signed the contract, you paid the money, you got on the boat! Quit blaming others and take responsibility for yourself! Have a great day!
Agreed! I am on the Fantasy sailing out this coming Saturday. I know FULL WELL that I am sailing during hurricane season and accept that the weather may be poor due to this. Any captain that Disney hires, I trust to not deliberately sail a shipload of children and families into harms way without a LOT of consideration. I’m pretty sure he isn’t a bad or stupid man. You take risks by sailing, or living in general. Just because you rarely see the negative aspects of certain situations doesn’t mean anyone owes you A DIME. You are adults who choose to take certain risks, accept the consequences!
I’m not sure you understand exactly what we went through. I’m not asking for a handout, but I think its fare that the terror that people experience that night allows the the “floor” to complain a bit and perhaps ask for some compensation. I know I won’t get any, so I won’t even try. 🙂 Still, I would like for Disney to acknowledge that it was a very scary and uncomfortable situation that they didn’t anticipate and wouldn’t put people through again. I’m sure I’ll go on another Disney cruise, but I would like to know that they have my very best interest in mind (and I’m not suggesting that means they should send me on a free cruise or add an extra day to my vacation! By best interest, I mean safe both in body AND mind).
If you went to the movies and the film stopped because a storm knocked out the power and the movie could not play would you ask for your money back? I mean you paid for something you did not get, right. Gosh it wasn’t the theaters fault the storm affected the power.
I don’t want my money back… but I am defending those people that do. You weren’t on the boat, so you don’t know.
I love Disney, their cruise product is one of the best in the country. But this was a little crazy, and from the outside seems a bit greedy. It’s not that I couldn’t go to the pool, or on the aquaduck, or wasn’t hungry from the waves. I was scared. Disney and terrified don’t go hand in hand, and my perception is that they made a mistake and they aren’t acknowledging that. It violates the perception of trust that I have with the brand to some degree and is a reminder to not be naive when you are dealing with a big corporation that has shareholders to please.
They acknowledged their mistake by offering 25% discount on future cruises. If they thought they did not make a mistake they would have offered you nothing.
Marissa — I trusted Disney too but during my cruise they sailed RIGHT INTO Hurricane Sandy. We were the ONLY cruise ship to disembark on that Saturday as ALL of the other 3 (non-Disney) cruise ships choose to keep a safe distance. They are a FRAUD and ONLY concerned about their pocketbooks. It’s probably difficult to understand the PURE TERROR that we went through which would not have happened if they had just stayed farther away. No, Disney can’t control the weather but they can control & should take full responsibility for the decisions they make in reacting to the weather situation.
You are an idiot. Yes it is hurricane season but quite frankly a person ought to be able to rely on the professional captains and crew to keep passengers out of the storm. The ship WAS HEADED TOWARDS KEY WEST, the captain made the decision to turn into the storm for some ridiculous reason that we may all never find out. The crew themselves were saying that they did not understand WHY. There were CHILDREN on these ships. My daughter was told on-board that they would not be leaving port. I was on the phone with her when she said “Mom the ship is moving”. She told me she was going to find out where they were going and I did not hear from her until they returned. I called Disney and they could not tell me where the ship was! The captain and crew have an OBLIGATION to keep their passengers safe. The “Bounty” was hugging the coast off NC and it went down with a loss of life. Disney should have never let those ships leave port. OTHER CRUISE LINES TOOK PRECAUTIONS. Oh by the way, I was tracking the ship online and at one point it was north of Nassau so that is most definitely NOT hugging the shoreline.
i AGREE
I was on the dream with my husband and 2 toddlers. And after the letter offering 25% I was disappointed with Disney. I thought more of them. After talking with guest communication, I think even less. 25% is as much as they are willing to offer, and actually feel it is generous for the industry. No way am I willing to pay anything , much less 75%, to give them another chance to delivery on the hoped for cruise.
This was the worst trip every, and I expected more from Disney. We should have never left port.
Well Larry you must work for disney. As everyone is wrong . we have sailed 8 times and a couple me meet on the Fantasy has sailed 53 times on Disney cruise and NEVER have been put threw this before. Your right the captainis is a human and mistakes happen as this cost Disney $$$$ all the discounts and Damage to the ship (FANTASY) i am a dvc member and still have faith in Disney and will sail again . I thought (understood hurricane season was over ) My mistake Maybe a 50% dicscount would be more in line
Hurricane Season begins June 1st and ends November 30th.
Ok Scott most of us live in Florida and KNOW when hurricane season is. People still travel, live and work during this time period. The world does not stop for a storm that may or may not materialize. Disney needed to give people either the chance to reschedule or take these passengers to a safe port. Deciding the fate of the cruise was in their hands. They were responsible for making intelligent decisions. Contract or not passengers have a right to expect that. Disney did not deliver.
You are correct Marta, Disney did not deliver, they acknowledged their mistake by offering you a 25% discount on future cruises.
Jim, if you’ll read my comment below, you’ll read that Disney very clearly did not acknowledge that they made a mistake related to heading into a hurricane, the discomfort caused by that, anything that was closed (which I don’t believe they have to apologize for). They apologize only for the delay to port. It’s not quite the same, though I am content with the 25% (though 30% I would have been like, “woah! They want to make this right!” Psychology of number, I guess. 🙂 ). I was a bit wide-eyed when I read the letter, thinking that the delay to port on Friday night was the LEAST of my worries. I just wanted to survive!
It does not matter when we booked our cruise or that it was booked during hurricane season. We never expected that Disney would set sail into a Hurricane. In their own words, we are still setting sail as scheduled. You need to trust Disney to provide a safe and enjoyable cruise. It they did not cancel, they did not have to refund any money and you could not file a claim on your trip insurance because the did set sail. It is not luck of the draw, it is the reasonable expectation that Disney would not set sail into a Hurricane. They did not refund port charges. Do you think they are entitled to that? If you don’t like us greedy American’s then why do you come to our country? GET OUT! Funny that Carnival cancelled their sailings out of VA on Sunday because a hurricane was company. Guess they made the smart decision and will probably have repeat customers. It is the right way to do business. Make sure you can provide the service or product you sell.
This is hilarious! For one I don’t work for disney! Just a DVM for 12 years! Secondly LISA what gives you the right to deport someone out of the country when as far back as I can see through my family tree we were all born and raised here! Usually when you are having to be hateful rude and bring out a race card then someone has hit a nerve that you are trying to defend something that you know is wrong! I’m not angry that you want someone who was born and raised here that is a working tax paying American deported because what they say you don’t agree with! If that’s the case than you should be the first to go your the one on here not agreeing with the system. Your the one complaining and wanting more! I’m just stating facts as I see it and like a few others see it! If they would have cancelled the cruise at the last minute you would have wanted them to cover your week off from work your hotel you would have booked in its place plus your airline or gas! Plus had a free cruise at another time! Greedy and always got your hand out is how I see it! Today it’s a gloomy day and rainy who can I complain to that I got wet outside today is it my bosses fault because I was scheduled to come in or mine! Nope I know it’s Gods fault he knows I hate the rain and cold and sent me to a job he blessed me with! Lol this is funny! Also I won’t be responding back to your ignorant comments! Have a great day and we love to sail with disney! Yippee
I just have some questions? If all of you that are whining that the ship should have never left port or should have stayed an extra day in the keys!!!! What would you have been asking for if they decided not to sail? Would getting a refund have been enough or would you have wanted more, maybe a free future cruise too!!! What if they would have left you in the keys an extra day in the sun having fun and then cruised north a day late? What about all those who had airfare on sunday. No call, NO show, Not getting a free flight home, so now you are paying even more to get home!!! You would have expected Disney to pay for your airfare since after all they left you on the boat passed when you were due home!!!!! Now say you owned Disney, What would you have done? Exactly what they did….. Your going to complain no matter what they did!!!!
I could not agree more … those who are throwing around the term class action lawsuit are the same people who would sue McDonalds for burning themselves over hot coffee. This is what is wrong with society today. You took the risk and took a cruise during hurricane season. The captain got you back to port alive and well and did a fantastic job navigating one of the biggest storms of this decade. Get over yourselves … @Jason Williams … class action??? Seriously??? … I would laugh you right out of the courtroom.
Rachel,
I believe people would just be happy in getting what they paid for – a 3 night cruise – with ports of call for each of the 2 days – I don’t believe anyone booked a 3 day ride into a hurricane – I feel sure those that made the decision to ‘set sail’ did not have family members on board – also all the airlines seem to have someone working in their ‘customer service’ department as flights are being cancelled and passengers rebooked ………… due to a HURRICANE – they have put the customers safety first and elected not to fly into such a major storm that has caused death and devestation throughout the US
Nicely put Rachael
My husband and I spent the night in the atrium on the 26th with some other folks, not wanting to be in our stateroom on deck 8. We were just too scared and felt we could get more information and have a better idea of our safety in a main area of the ship.
It really was a terrifying night. I was standing in the rotunda surrounded by the gift shops when the boat listed heavily from side to side the second time. Cast members had locked themselves into the shops (possibly fearing we would loot?? where would we go with our smashed loot??) and were starting to clean up smashed mugs and the merchandise that had rolled off the shelves. When we suddenly arched from side to side, presumably broadsided by waves, I watched in horror as the merchandise displays smashed from wall to wall with cast members jumping for safety and trying to escape being crushed by the racks. People were laying on the floor, screaming, running for the doors (which were locked!). Many cast members were in tears in their pajamas on the floor of the rotunda after the experience. I called for someone to get medical help after watching the chaos unfold. I assumed someone was injured or worse. Disney says no one was injured.
Watching this break in the stoicism of the staff shook me and I really felt that the roughness of the sea was not anticipated and that we could be in a situation that we were not capable of navigating. Some of you might this this naive, but I truly thought the ship was in trouble after witnessing that. I believe I went into shock for around a half-hour afterwards, grabbing my husband at every bump, fearing that we would be broadsided and “tip” again. Guests filtered into the atrium afterwards, holding blankets and pillows, some carrying their lifejackets, some in tears.
We stayed there all night, buoyed by the confidence of cast members and more seasoned cruisers who assured us that, while miserable, we would survive the night and would have a tale to tell. I hope that Disney would not intentionally put us in harms way just to get back to Port Canaveral and get the boat turned around to sail. From the moment we headed north, it seemed like we were going the wrong way. I am not, however, a captain of a ship and do not have much seafaring experience. It’s possible that the company’s motivations were in the wrong place, but it is also very possible that we ended up in a bad situation because the storm slowed. I would hope that the company would not put families, individuals with disabilities, small children and the elderly in a very uncomfortable and (say what you want of my naivete) terrifying experience just to get new people on the ship. Again, this could be way over my level of understanding, but could we not have avoided the whole ordeal by staying in Miami, the Keys or a day at sea on the SW side of Florida? Or perhaps remained in St. Thomas?
I must add that we had a really wonderful time right up to 10pm (sailing away party), and even had a very fun dinner at Palo the night of the 26th. The cast members were great, the ship is gorgeous and I would highly recommend it. Just avoid hurricane season.
I recounted my story for our local FOX news affiliate… http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=819241#.UJEBc_kiHH0
Just a comment on Larry’s post… this cruise price was never “cheap”! Bear in mind that hurricane season is 1/2 of the year, inclusive of summer which is considered a PEAK season- far from being “cheap.” We are not complaining about the weather- we are complaining of the lack of compensation for having very limited facilities (most activities were closed) . It is not what we paid for. Weather: understandable. 4 days of no Aquaduck or Deck#11 activities or port visits or extra movies to keep cruisers occupied and lack of any onboard credits to entertain the unfortunate cruisers: unacceptable.
I haven’t decided what I think about the cruise but let’s leave the McDonald’s coffee incident out of it unless you know the facts. The woman who burned herself on the coffee was admitted into the emergency room with 3rd degree burns on her legs. She required $20,000 worth of skin graft surgery of which McDonald’s offered to pay $500. She won her case because McDonald’s records showed that it was their policy to keep their coffee at 180 degrees which is hotter than the water in your car radiator. She was awarded punitive damages (which were eventually reduced) because court records revealed 700 previous cases of people being injured by McDonald’s coffee. You should also know the the so-called coffee lady, the butt of your joke, eventually died of her injuries.
First, Coffee is supposed to be served in the range of 185 degrees as it is brewed between 195 and 205 degrees. Second, Stella Liebeck, the infamous coffee lady, died in 2004 at the age of 91. The lawsuit occurred in 1993 … she didn’t die from her coffee injuries … get your facts straight Chuck.
Raya, I booked a cruise to alaska in the middle of summer. We could not use the pool or the rock climbing wall. It rained they entire time up there and back. It was freezing cold we wore gloves and sweats to try and stay warm. They offered those for us to use, but guess what we couldnt. I understood that they had no control over the weather and after all it was going from seattle to alaska. Sometimes we have to understand that we may not get to use the outside because of weather conditions. The ships offer way more inside activities than they offer for you to do outside. If you were so worried about swimming in a pool. Maybe you should have booked a weekend at your local hotel and saved you some money!!!!!!
Give me a break. I have been on 19 cruises. When you go to Alaska you expect NOT to use the pool. You know and plan for months to bring warm clothes and that it is going to be chilly and wet. A hurricane is life threatening. The cold in Alaska is not. The professionals on board have state of the art equipment and know how to avoid these storms not sail into them. I think most of the people here are trying to say that the called Disney several days before sailing was were told what my daughter was told, everything would be fine, the captain would avoid the storm, the islands would be cancelled and they would be routed somewhere safe. They lied! These people are not asking for a free cruise just a more reasonable settlement than 25%. They want their port charges back. Why should they have to pay for ports they did not visit? And the passengers were not just deprived of the pool and activities that the Disney ships are famous for, they were not allowed on deck. They had to stay in the interior of he ship. If Disney knew that these restrictions were going to be imposed why did they just leave the ship in port. Why take the ship into rough seas just to make passengers and crew sick?
Ok, so I wasn’t on these cruises, but did do one over the summer out of NYC, and one night it was very bad- didn’t ruin our trip.. My daughter was sick on her birthday, which is New Year’s Day, while we were at Magic Kingdom.. didn’t ruin our trip.. neither of these were Disney’s fault!
As everyone vents their frustrations on here, just remember~ 68+ people died in the Caribbean during Sandy, the number is still climbing here in the U.S. Hundreds of houses have been destroyed, millions are still without power, lives have been disrupted WAY beyond the night at sea for Fantasy or the 3 day Dream cruise. You are all LUCKY that the only thing you have to show for Sandy is a ruined vacation. Watch Fox News or The Weather Channel for a few, puts the cruise back into perspective.
Be thankful for what you have and pray for those who are not as lucky~ and maybe you can contribute to the Red Cross to help us all out..
~Deborah in Connecticut (and yes we got hit with the hurricane)
I have never been one to be motivated by guilt, but that certainly was a nice effort. I DO care about those that have been harmed in any way by this storm and have been continually praying for them. But ours is a different issue. It is not just about a ruined vacation. It is about stealing three days of our lives and being put in a position, because of deception on the part of DCL, of having legitimate fear for our lives. And DCL should not be let off of the hook for that. As you state, you were not there. And accordingly you cannot judge the hearts and thoughts of those that were. And yes, Deborah in Connecticut, I have been praying for you and yours also. But that is a different issue.
Our Disney Dream cruise was impacted by hurricane Sandy, however we do not blame Disney for the weather, but rather for the poor decision making that occurred (specifically) after the hurricane did not downgrade over Cuba, but increased in intensity. Up until then, Disney responded brilliantly with the ship hugging the coast and heading into the Gulf of Mexico. Disney made the best of an unfortunate situation. However, the decision to follow in the path of the storm in an attempt to get into Nassau was ill conceived. While many people wanted to have a port visit, it was not reasonable to expect that the ship could actually get into Nassau and that ill conceived attempt ruined the last half of the cruise for a great many people. A more prudent course would have been to stay in the Gulf of Mexico and then sail back to Port Canaveral, hugging the coast.
I freely admit that the ships’ Captain has far more experience than I do in sailing these waters. I am a Captain in the U.S. Navy, but do not have the 40 years of experience he does. Nevertheless, I never thought Nassau was a legitimate possibility. Therefore, I am perplexed on why he would think this was doable. I noted the repetitive refrain on the ship that “Captain Henry would keep us safe”. The impression given was that safety vice an enjoyable vacation was the focus. Maybe if I sailed on Costa Cruise Line I would be concerned on safety, but this is Disney and safety should be a given with them! I did not pay (just) to be kept safe, but for an enjoyable vacation. If my only focus was on safety I could have stayed home. Perhaps he felt that as long as he kept us “safe”, it was all right to follow a hurricane in an attempt to reach Nassau. I paid for an, obviously safe, enjoyable Disney vacation and for the first time, I did not get anywhere near my money’s worth. This was an uncharacteristically poor decision.
I am a big Disney fan, but the 25% discount on a future 3-day cruise was not adequate to compensate for this situation, especially since it is so limited in its utilization. A ship credit on a future cruise would be much better and would incentivize more people to give them a second chance. I am willing to give Disney a second chance, but they really need to reevaluate their thought process during this event and take action to preclude a repeat of this poor decision-making.
The Captain of the Dream I am sure made an informed decision to try to make Nassau, I am sure he relied on reports from other vessels in the area, weather charts and reports from the port. They just don’t make a blind decision to go in one direction. From the time the decision to “go” was made, the weather could have intensified. Who knows, but it is always easy being a Monday morning quarterback.
I’m no captain but I was able to go on line and find all ltypes of weather reports indicating that going toward the island was a huge mistake as was even departing at all as SANDY had the same path in mind – easy to go onto the weather.com website and pull up off shore wave activity as well as coastal and see that by heading into the storm you would be risking the safety and comfort of all on board – there is no excuse for what was done to all that had saved and planned for a family vacation to have to endure such a tramatic and terrifying experience
I feel bad for the passangers that had to go through that terrible night of very rough seas and winds.
I am a big fan of the Disney Cruises, cruised twice. But I think it was a very poor decision for Disney to get the Fantasy back to Port Canaveral so quickly after Sandy passing through the area. The Captain had to know how rough the ocean had to be, there are plenty of buoys off the coast of FL that report how high the waves are, the captain should had taken a better judgement not to go back to port so quickly, I bet if they would had waited at least 12 hrs the ocean would had been calmer. Now Disney has a good 4,000 passengers very upset and insulted at the crappy offer for compensation, I would be insulted as well. But I bet that after all it was probably not the Captain who made the call to sail through the rough seas, it had to be Disney Corporate, all in the name of “Profit.”
I just hope that Disney takes a good lesson out of this.
I hope so too.
One interesting fact from the discount letter was that they apologized not for the terrifying experience or for deciding to drive through the storm instead of staying back or finding a safe port, but they apologized and gave the discount because of the delay into port on Saturday morning. I thought that was an interesting choice of guilt considering families with small children had spent the entire night awake, uncomfortable and in many cases, scared or terrified. It seemed to me that there was purpose in choosing that instead of saying “sorry for the rough night.” I would have appreciated that more, but I suppose that could leave them exposed and liable.
My thoughts exactly, Kelsey. The delay was out of their control, and I certainly expected no compensation for that. In fact the goodwill they could have created by keeping us a safe distance away would have been huge. Airlines delay flights for weather all of the time. It’s understandable, and appreciated by the rational public. I only wish they would have placed “safety” above “profits” and decided to stay a safe distance away from the storm. The Disney PR rep released an announcement stating that we were, in fact, at sea a safe distance away from the storm enjoying a sunny day. What a fairy tale. This release shows that they knew the right course, but choose the wrong one. In all reality we were on a course back to port to avoid losing revenues from the next sailing. This focus on their time frame was further demonstrated by the lack of organization and direction upon disembarking the ship. It was like a cattle drive without any cowboys providing direction. Like a Black Friday rush at the Walmart, it’s a good thing no one fell down during the mass exodus. Disney didn’t direct or control the mob heading for the doors which was a dangerous situation in and of itself. Disney PR also commented that the ship and passengers arrived safely as though the ends justifies the means. Not every bad decision leads to a catastrophe, but the catastrophe usually starts with a bad decision. Although they won’t admit any lack of good judgment, I hope that their outwardly oblivious view of what happened is only for legal reasons and that they’ve learned a lesson for next time.
Well said, Chad. And I too “hope” and assume that their blahze statements are for legal reasons. Though perhaps naive, I too hope that this brand that I trust will take their passengers best interest in mind next time.
Couldn’t have said it better myself Rachel! I was on the Disney Dream this past weekend and based on the complaining within my group, you are correct. They would be looking for a full refund and a free cruise. There were people on our cruise that were complaining because The Aquaduck was closed and the top several decks were closed. Yes, they were mad things were closed on the ship for our safety! Can only imagine what would have been said had the cruise been cancelled completely.
I believe what would have been said – would have been a great big Thanks to Disney for putting our safety first – I have been on several cruises all over the world – have missed ports of call – caught in a NE Storm – rain……….. but never a Hurricane – and can’t imagine why anyone would make a decision to take so many people into such a dangerous situation – I usually choose who I do business with by other peoples experiences – not sure how much this will cost Disney in business as this continues but I can promise you that our family will look to other companies who do put the safety of their customers first to book out next cruise with – we even spent extra money and kept the family at Disney the extra 4 days – do not expect them to pay for that – would just like to receive what we paid for – not too much to ask in my opinion
I sailed on DCL in fall of 2003 or 2004 as Hurricane Jeanne was churning through the Caribbean. We were contacted the day prior to departure that we had a choice. Either cancel our cruise and get all of our $ back or continue on the cruise with shipboard credit and a discount on that cruise as well as a future cruise. We CHOSE to go. Still, I could not believe the people who were yelling and complaining to the castmembers about the situation and they all had a choice. They should have been embarassed in front of their children. I am sure if you would have contacted Disney prior to the cruise (or your travel insurance company…which is always recommended in hurricane season), you probably would have been given the option to reschedule or get your money back. How impressed was I with DCL on how they handled that cruise…enough to back 5 more times. Go to cruisecritic.com…I bet you will find many other cruises that were cancelled or impacted by Sandy…and I bet more often than not, the other cruise lines did nothing to compensate their passengers.
Jamie, that’s just it – we did request a cancellation and refund and were told no refund. Most insurances did not cover unless DCL cancelled the cruise. I understand – ultimately every person made their own decision. But as I have repeated stated, the beef is not about the weather – it is about the decision to leave perfectly good sailing weather to chase the storm. We have yet to get an explanation from DCL as to why that decision was made. Bottom line – DCL’s decision making failed.
We called three times, twice prior to flying down on Tuesday for a couple of days in the park, and again before we left the resort for the ship. We wanted to reschedule to another date, not cancel, and were even going to use the time instead at the parks. We were told that we would steer away from the storm and find a calm place to enjoy the ship. If we did not get on the ship and it sailed we would lose our cruise fare. Even one of our group that DID have travel insurance was told the same thing. Insurance generally covers for an insured party’s sickness/death in family, etc.
We were steered directly into the storm, and were unable to use most of the amenities of the ship for the entire time. If we had been made the same offer you were we would have been thrilled, and Disney would have made even more $$ off of us since we were in the park.
Christy – I agree with you – we were in the same ‘boat’ – we went to Disney Park on Monday – the plan was to spend 3 days in the park and board the ship on Thursday – We also called, emailed, and even talked with a represenative of the cruise at the hotel – we were told the same thing – either board or loose all your money – one represenative from Disney actually told us this “We will have many guest on board who are not from Florida and will have no idea what a hurricane is – so the ship will sail” – from that statement we knew that we were going to choose the safety of our family/group of 11 and elected to not board a ship heading into the direct path of a category Hurricane 1 which was growing – became a category 2 by the time the ship headed to the Bahamas – so we spent an additional 4 days at the Disney Park – had no idea that Disney would treat us this way and refuse to allow us to book on another cruise – we kept our promise to the kids and gave them a wonderful vacation – at our expense
Well I’m glad to see everyone has an option lol. I was on the dream for that wonderful cruise to no where. We were locked inside the ship for almost 4 days. There’s only so much to do but I’m sure DCL made lots of money off the sell off drinks and spa treatments. I have never been so happy to come off vacation. They took us to south Florida where it was warm and sunny just to tease us since within 2 hours we were back in 65 – 70 MPH winds for the rest of the trip. Now I’m not asking for a full refund but we were the first dcl not to make any ports. We were locked up and not allowed on deck,no ports of call although Disney said they were refunding the port charges for Nassau $18.00 per person over six.woo hoo! Look I don’t want the world but we only got half the trip so why not a 50% discount on our next trip? Oh and I just love the people who have had great trips berating us like it was our fault. I mean really if DCL had canceled they would have lost 11 million just on the dream. They choose the 25% discount because it’s not enough to get modest people to rebook when it costs so much. So for dcl it’s a win win most won’t rebook and those that do get a tiny % off and they make 3/4 of what they would have made anyway. Just saying
Oh and hey Tony we ate with you guys glad to see you made it home and are alright after two ruins with Sandy.
HI all dcl cruises that was on the fantasy and Dream (only please) I think we can all agree that we were in a bad state and we had no control and that being said 25 % is not enoff I think more like 50% would be more in line but even better a free cruise as Disney should have done this. from the get go. there is a huracane clause in most contracts but there no reason to drive into these storms as these ships have the best weather reports systems. This was total voildabe we could of been sent to west fla Tampa or even the keys i am not here to bad mouth Disney I am a dvc Member all I would ask is for Disney to do right as it cost most of us (out of country) $$$ airfare for four $3800.00 plus my cruise $5400.00 for a total $9200 plus plus . so for Disney to offer a better amount more in line as we saved up for this trip for 16 mounths. Please only person on these cruises respond as we all went threw the same. only we knew how bad this was any one else start your own blog Thanks to all and have a great day
Please only person on these cruises respond as we all went threw the same. only we knew how bad this was
any one else start your own blog
@Rick, Last I checked, this blog is titled “Disney Cruise Line” not “Complain about my Personal Cruise during a Hurricane” so if you want to continue your complaining, I suggest YOU start a new blog! Check out http://www.wordpress.com, it even walks you through the steps for setting it up. Happy Blogging
@Ro Don’t be ridiculous, please. We’re not trying to rain on your parade. Comment if you want, its a free country. But don’t say “start your own blog,” that is just absurd. Obviously this is a forum to talk about Disney Cruises, and these were probably two of the most memorable Disney Cruises that have ever set sail. It’s worth talking about!
Kelsey, you must not have read Ricks post that says everyone else should start their own blog, meaning if I wasn’t on those 2 cruises then I shouldn’t be reading this blog, let alone posting. My point is that if everyone on those 2 particular cruises want to start their own blog and unite to try a lawsuit, go for it and best of luck- But don’t tell everyone else they can’t say anything on a public blog. Go back and re-read Ricks post and you will get it.
Ro, I got it. Maybe Rick was trying to save you the agony of having to read his annoying post. 🙂
Seriously, though… this is a comments section on a post that comes up when you look at news about these two cruises. People who were on these cruises that didn’t just have a bad time because they couldn’t ride the watercoaster, but who had a terrifying time because they were in a hurricane, just want to find a place to talk. This is the first spot they come to, and I think its a fair venue for the conversation.
To be fair, you don’t have to read if you don’t want to. I understand a lot of people wanting to defend Disney (I do, too!), but I think this is an important discourse. Rick can’t make you not read or post, but I think its difficult for people who weren’t there to understand. I’m sure he didn’t mean to offend.
And I don’t want to sue… I just hope that we create enough of a stir that Disney won’t follow the same course of action again (whether they tell us or not!).
They OFFERED the cruise during hurricane season! We trusted them to use discernment regarding our safety and well being.
OK I was on the Fantasy during the storm. Thursday our group had fun going out in the wind, even watching Thursday night football on deck 11 on the big screen while the wind whistled around us. While I thought it was a bit rocky Friday night into Saturday, I honestly wasn’t scared though one of the people in our large group was petrified. It didn’t stop me from attending the evening entertainment (though sometimes walking in a straight line was difficult), and only woke me up once when I could hear my watch sliding across the desk. I got up to get it and at that time that’s when the ship rocked pretty far to port that everything slid off the desk. I was more annoyed with the debarkation debacle – but understand a good part of that was the delays in getting the luggage down to the hold to offload during the night. I was more than satisfied with the 25% off offer. I’ve seen several videos taken onboard and it’s almost like that happened on a different ship. I wonder if what deck you were on made it better or worse…?
The forward part of the ship definitely was the worst place to be on the ship. Not only did we need to worry about rolling side to side but also up and down…so ideally possible that people had different experiences at different locations. I too am appalled by the decisions made by Disney. Yes, natural disasters happen that is why i am fine with the rocking in the day of the 25 and not making Castaway Cay. The captain did find a calm location that evening and that should have been the last of it. It is insane that we were following so close to the storm up the east coast. I am sure that this was done to make port on Sat to pick up the new passengers. Putting my kids’ lives on the line for their pocketbook – not cool. Also am not happy with depature. There was no food after 10:30 (don’t know how anyone got up before then, as we all got no sleep that night) and no crowd control. Am shocked they didn’t depart by floors. An older woman fell on the gangplank from all the shoving. In no way do I think a future 25% discount is sufficient. Even a 25% refund is questionable. Yes, I do think an apology is in order – not that we will even see one!
I have been vocal about my disappointment, BUT Disney has stepped up some. I sent an email and did receive a credit for my port charges. $18 per person because we were only going to Nassau. I did find out that for the Dream passengers they have extended the 25% up to a 7 night cruise, where it was originally only good for a 3 night cruise. You can also use the 25% at the parks if you choose.
I still believe we should not have sailed, but if Disney is willing to work with us I am fine with it. My family has enjoyed everything Disney for the past 12 years. The reality of NY and NJ overshadows some rocking on a ship.
What about the poor people that were on the boat during the hurricane the october 25 – 28??? That was the worst expieriance of our lives. Captian Henry put all of our lives in danger. I will never go on another Disney cruise EVER again.
Anyone who would make a snarky comment about how the passangers should have known better is an idiot. I was on the Dream and I trusted Disney when the decision was made to sail. It was a horrible overall experience and I feel the 25% discount on the next cruise or Disney vacation is insulting.
Here is my interview about the Fantasy cruise in Hurricane Sandy on a This-American-Life-esque program on our local public radio station. Quite funny, though the overall experience was terrifying! I welcome you to listen and perhaps have a laugh. The vision at the end of Mickey getting on a lifeboat seems to have really captured people’s attention. 🙂
http://radiocoloradocollege.org/2012/11/tbs-story-time-disney-debacle-on-the-high-seas/
Thank you Disney. I appreciate the 35% discount (as I booked onboard and recieved the 10% on ship booking credit). Not only will we be sailing again in November 2013, I am already looking to book the Barbados/Grenanda cruise leaving from San Juan
I just booked my cruise for next November using my thirty five percent discent(10percent for booking on ship).After last years experience,I knew I didn’t want to go this year.It was such a horrible experience.
I have read a lot of these blogs and so many have opinions that do not even know what transpired on the ship.from the point of embarkation it was not up to Disney standards.We were told to stay at the airport as that was the first pickup and we would be able to board the ship earlier.Myhusband is a diabetic so to insure that he could get lunch we followed their directions.wWe were told that they had changed their plans and that was no longer correct.After arguing with two to three people we were allowed to board the ship.Upon arriving in our room,we discovered that after paying for the larger room on the tenth floor,that the room did not have the wall pull down as promised.The next few days ,I would describe as mediocre.Compared to our first cruise on the magic,the service and food could not hold a candle,very disappointing.Now for one of the worst nights of my life.The weather in the late afternoon seemed to be getting worse.We had to hold on for dear life to get to the dining room.Getting back was even worse.Our three daughter and their husbands and children were with my husband and IMy son in law had to run from the table he was so sick.When we returned to our cabin the captain asked us not to leave our rooms.My daughter was crying and our grandchildren were scared to death.If any of them fell asleep,they were awaken when then rolled from their beds.We were on the tenth floor and were rocking at a 45degree angle.My problem is not with loosing our visit to castaway key or not being allowed on the deck but with the decision Disney made to proceed and continue on path thru a hurricane.For a company that their business evolves aroun children,did they have no more concern for them than that.Should they have had to experience that kind of fear so you could pick up another 4000 passengers.Disney was the ONLY ship that drove through the hurricane.IRRESPONSIBLE!!!! if that was not enough,we were not told in time when breakfast was and then we were herded in a room like cattle for hours and hours.Not until people began taking pictures with their phones and posting then did Disney make any offers to the people.(by the way,none of my daughters.families or our own family received any kind of a letter.I have no idea what letter they were talking about.The only way we knew about the discount was that we heard them talking about it in the cattle room.They had no plan for disembarking the passengers in an orderly manner.It was horrible.My little6 yr old granddaughter ended up with a black eye from all the shoving and commotion.Some might say that is not Disney fault but this all is. if your going to run a cruise ship that large,then be prepared for emergencies and have alternate plans.I was never so shocked to see that Disney did not take better care of their passengers.We put our life and families lives in your hands and you failed big time!!Also another complaint.We had to beg and beg and beg to get Disney to call the airlines because we all missed our flights because they would not let us off the ship.The luggage was all mess up and laying everywhere.Exerything had to be gathered up,so why leave us in the lobby with people shoving and acting reculously.YES we do deserve more than 25 percent off….a lot more than that!!
Just tried to book another cruse with Disney using my 25 percent discount. It is the same trip I was supposed to have back in October but sailing in April. Guess what….I cannot get the discount because April 27th is considered holiday cruise so no discount for us. I am wondering if anyone has been able to get the promised discount?
Hey Laurel- yes, we’re actually using our discount on a 7 night western Caribbean in about a week and a half. I booked it about a year ago, though… And obviously not a holiday (if you dont count the Super Bowl)… Redeeming was very easy. My inlaws used theirs on a concierge level room.
We used our discount on a cruise last August stacked with the 10% discount. We went over Labor Day weekend (Thurs-Sun). and were able to use it.
Does anyone have the actual letter from the 20- 27 Oct cruise on the Fantasy? I misplaced my letter and Disney reservations says you have to call a special number that was on the letter. We are trying to book a WDW resort vacation.
Using the discount as a Disney Vacation Club member for cruise Nov 1 2014 No problem booking cruise. Did not need letter as they had record of my prior cruise. Reading through old posts I tend to agree Disney made a poor decision to try to get back to port on Saturday morning. With 4000 disembarking and 4000 embarking on next cruise any time problems create many other problems. Disney was offering free 2 night stay on property for those who missed flights. Disney also worked to re-book flights for a lot of travelers. I thought 25% discount was good. I did eat and drink and was entertained for 7 nights and days. Only bad time was Friday night. Wife actually enjoyed the rolling. No kids so rough weather was not an issue. Missing Castaway Cay was disappointing but overall enjoyed the trip.