Ike delays Carnival cruise ships’ arrivals and departures
Hurricane Ike, which was bearing down on the Texas coast late Friday, has created changes in the sailing schedule of two Carnival cruise ships, which sail from Galveston.
Most of Galveston, about 50 miles from Houston, had been evacuated late Friday as surges of water began filling the island town.
Carnival’s website showed that two ships would be affected by the storm. The 2,974-passenger Conquest was to remain in Cozumel, Mexico, until Saturday and return to Galveston on Monday. The ship is scheduled to leave again Monday but the cruise will be shortened to six days. If the port is closed Monday, the cruise will leave Tuesday. Guests will be given refunds and credits. The Conquest sails on Sundays to various ports, including Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy was to have left on Monday as well. If it is unable to leave on Monday, the cruise will be shortened to four days. It sails generally on four- and five-day trips that dock at Cozumel and, on the longer cruise, Progresso on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Carnival promised on its website that it would try to contact all passengers before their departures. For information, call (888) CARNIVAL (227-6482) or visit its website.
— Catharine Hamm, Los Angeles Times Travel editor
[Photo: The Ecstasy, docked in New Orleans, is one of three Carnival ships that was leased to the government after Hurricane Katrina; by Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times]
20 Comments on “Ike delays Carnival cruise ships’ arrivals and departures”
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September 12th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
nicola and gary sullins left galveston on thrusday. i am concerned about their saftey and how they will be able to disembark. also what is happening to their viehicle.
September 13th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I am concerned about the passengers that departed Thurs 9/11/08. They were to return Monday 9/15/08. Any word on disembarking or conditions of vehicles left at the port?
September 13th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
is everyone okay?
because my parents are in the boat
sylvia m cedillo
isidro cedillo
i would like to know if there okay?
September 13th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I have friends on that cruise as well. I’ve heard that they are fine, but that they’re not sure where they will get off or how they will get home bc their cars (or what is left) are in galveston.
September 14th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I have serval family members on the Conquest. Please send me an update as to where and when the ship will dock. We are trying to make plans to retrieve them. Will galveston allow any entry or will they bring them closer in to houston for transport home? What should be done concerning the trucks they let @ the port of galveston in lot b? my phone number is 832-xxx-xxxx. thank you
September 14th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Looks like Galveston got hit hard.
Conquest scheduled to depart Galveston 29 Sept 08 - when & will
another port of call be selected
by Carnival so we will know the creuise is on or off ?!
September 14th, 2008 at 10:26 am
i am concerned about my parents on the conquest and thier return and how do i pick them up i am sure there car is ruined
September 14th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
my daughter and son in law are on the Conquest as I type. Unable to get cell phone service I called Carnival for the status of the ship. Since they where to dock back in galveston this AM, and as we know the port is distroyed by the storm….I was told that New Orlanes is the destination of the ship, monday. No time was known.
About getting to Galv. or Houston…the cruise line is making arranmements for the passenger, BUT and I mean But, catcher is the passengers pay the additional expenses. Asked if Carnival plans to reinburse these passengers, and I was told they are to save receipts and call customer service….well we all know that means.
September 14th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Why would Carnival re-imburse passengers for expenses to get home when they chose to cruise during Hurricane season?
September 14th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
I have several friends aboard this ship. According to the Carnival site. This ship will be going to New Orleans on Tuesday arriving at 2 PM. Guests will be able to disembark or remain with the ship until it returns to Galveston later this week (exact date unknown). Also, Carnival says there are issues with communicating with the port in Galveston due to the storm so there is no information available as to the status of the vehicles left at the port.. If ANYONE hears anything else PLEASE email me at Msclassi_tys@yahoo.com.. Thank you and God Bless..
September 15th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I was on the Carnival Conquest! Everyone is fine and was told to stay on the ship til they get to Galveston or find your own way home! Carnival did not help us at all! I will never use Carnival again!
September 16th, 2008 at 11:55 am
My son and his girlfriend left on thurs. 9/11/08 on your ship i’ve heard nothing from them.they drove from dallas leaveing their jeep there.please someone give me a responce. lettin me know if their alright or not
September 17th, 2008 at 4:54 am
My son and daughter-in-law left on the Ecstasy Thursday before Ike. When they called Carnival each day, and twice on Thursday while driving from Dallas, they were told “we do this all the time, it’s no big deal.” They paid extra for elevated parking, which turned out to be 3 feet higher than the other parking. Carnival has now docked a day late in New Orleans and since the Ecstasy landed 2nd, all the rental cars were gone. It’s taken 2 extra days to get home, which is now by last minute airline. This is ridiculous. Carnival used these passengers to pay their fuel bill to dock at an alternate (no doubt pre-arranged) place to ride out the storm. They consistently refused to either reschedule or refund their money.
September 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Carnival, what ever happened to business ethics? What about putting the safety of your customers first? Time to face the music: you presented your customers with a “cruise or lose” alternative from a departure point directly in the path of an incoming hurricane. You misled your guests and when questioned about it, you’ve responded with a shrug of the shoulders and a “your problem, not ours” attitude. Your decision has cost thousands of people their automobiles, their time and wages from missed work, and their loyalty to your business. And still no word of a refund, a voucher, even a “We’re sorry. Let us make this right” for those impacted. Time to warm up your legal team….
September 17th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
I was on conquest and i can’t believe the way this organization treated us. They did not give us enough time to make plans to get home. Tell passengers at 5pm they will be in another state at 5am and find your own way home is crazy. The letter i received stated you can stay on the boat on monday but debark on tues. Nothing stated come back on the boat on Wend etc.
FYI: the ship smell really bad
In addition i’m upset that i paid them in cash and they still charged by debt card. Every day they inform me i’m getting my money back.
I’m suprised that Carnival does not have a disater recovery plan. I have one for my job and i’m in IT which doesn’t affect anyone lives. This situation was not a crazy scenario. anything could happen to the port. earthquake, brush fire, ship could have crashed into the port etc.it’s sad that Carnival only have plans for if the boat sinks. The communication on this trip was very bad.
September 20th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
After reading these comments I am outraged at the thinking of these people. Yes, the cruise ships will go out during a hurricane if there is a safe way to avoid the actual storm. All of you people are aware that this is hurricane season and knew the storm was coming in that general direction. It was up to YOU to go ahead with the cruise. I have been on the Ecstasy and the crew goes out of its way to make each guest comfortable and enjoy their trip. Those of you complaining about your cars…..There are signs all over, that the cruise line is not responsible for your automobile. That is only reasonable. For those complaining about
docking in New Orleans get off your high horse. It is the responsibility of the cruise line to go to safety and they did. They could not go to Galveston or Houston at the time. It is only logical to make the decision that was made. For those of you complaining about flying out of New Orleans….well, guess again, the airports even in Houston were closed! You are all looking for a hand-out that is not deseerved.
September 21st, 2008 at 2:56 pm
We too were on the Carnival Ecstacy. We were told also, the boat is going,don’t cancel, the cruise line has to be the one to cancel. Why not take our money with them since the coast guard said the ship had to leave port by 7:00p.m. We were handed a flyer after our luggage was being loaded and we were in line to board saying our destination was changed to Vera Cruz. Why weren’t we given the option to reschedule at that point? You know what’s in Vera Cruz? NOTHING! We were dropped off at the dock. We caught a cab to the black filthy beach. Twenty minutes later caught another cab to take us back to the boat. The cab gets stopped by the police and the policeman asked us”How much for protection?” We then sail back to New Orleans a day late and the 4 of us have to pay $50.00 for the shuttle to the airport and $910.00 to fly home. And yes the car we took to the manditory evacuation city was a total loss. Yes,Linda above, we know it’s hurricane season,rough water, destination changes…but to not offer to reschedule when they knew in advance? That’s not ethical by anyones standards…but Lindas and Carnival.
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 am
We went on the Carnival Ectasy leaving Galveston on Sept. 11. We wanted to be able to reschedule because we did not want to risk losing our vehicle. The only way to reschedule without penalty is if the cruise line changes the itinerary. Well, they did not let us know of a change in the itinerary until after we were on board and our luggage was gone. They had to have known well in advance that they would not be visiting Cozumel. Veracruz was a terrible place to be… dirty and ugly with nothing to see or do. It seems as though Carnival is the only one who did not lose any money. The insurance companies paying for all of the vehicle losses and customers who only had liability insurance on their cars are truly the losers here.
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:02 am
I agree with Patti Vaughn your right on the money or should I say Carnivals money. You now they will file with FEMA for fuel lose and food.
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:26 am
Trip insurance is very inexpensive and would cover you in this instance of the ship being diverted to another port. Did you take it out?