Carnival Miracle - passenger trouble over diversions due to storms

**Ally** · 09-03-2008

It appears that we have a possible confrontational problem aboard Carnival Miracle.

Due to the storms in the Caribbean, the ship has had her itinerary changed 4 times. The latest change will be a call to Newport Rhode Island on Friday this week.

There are a few very vocal passengers who have apparently almost taken the reception area by siege demanding full refunds etc for ruined cruises.

this behaviour has not gone down well with other passengers or the crew.

The most vocal of the passengers have allegedly reduced their auto-gratuities to zero.

Time will tell if this turns into another QM2 type mutiny.

JosieT · 09-08-2008

I was a passenger on the Carnival Miracle 8/29.
And yes I was VERY disappointed to say the least. Not so much the fact that the itinerary was changed but the way it was handled.
Having cruised numerous times I am well aware of the technology aboard these ships, it was obvious the captain was well aware of the storms that we were heading towards BUT what Carnival did was hand out a memo on the way onto the ship stating that there was a possibility of an itinerary change, he told us about an hour after leaving port that we were headed to Port Canavaral, had we known we would not have boarded the ship. THEN once we LEFT Port Canavaral the Captain AGAIN announced a change in that we were headed to Nassau, not too long after that we were notified that Freeport Bahamas would be the next port we would go to. We tried to make the best of it BUT IT WAS POURING RAIN, they cancelled all the excursions because of the weather, now really tell me they didn't know this. We left the Bahamas and once again the Captain announced yet another itinerary change... heading to Newport RI. Not exactly a tropical location... South Carolina would have sufficed at least there is a beach!!
The Captain's worst mistake was how he addressed the passengers.
"You paid for 3 ports, I took you to 3 ports & ladies you still don't have to cook & clean & make beds for 8 days" " I could have told you to mind your business"! Now I am a business woman & I am also italian as is the Capitain of this ship & that day I was ashamed of being the same nationality as this barbaric fool. Knowing that you have disgruntled passengers on the ship at the very least address them with some level of respect, he showed absolutly NO CLASS & as a Captain he should have known better. I for one will address that issue with corporate directly. As for the crew, they were wonderful with the exception of 3 in the casino that have no business being in an industry that interacts with the public. Understanding that we booked this cruise during hurricane season ( mind you every cruise I have been on has been during hurricane season) I was well aware of the possibilty of changes but we were brought to places that were just the opposite of what we had planned, all the other cruise lines changed their itineraries but were still brought to tropical ports. We took a launch from the ship to Newport RI.... why could we not do this from Bermuda?? So many questions went un answered by the officers on this ship & although I do not agree in people taking it out on the crew that worked so hard trying to keep everyone as happy and comfortable as possible my gripe is with the Captain for the discriminating comments & arrogance & Carnivals Mgmt and their lack of being able to handle this properly.

**Ally** · 09-08-2008

Welcome to the family Josie

I quite understand the upset caused by the port changes, but when faced with significant problems with hurricanes and tropical storms, there really wasn't much else the company could do but to take you elsewhere.

Maybe the captain could have handled it better but there is every chance he was ticked off at receiving port changes as much as you were, but at the end of the day your safety was far more important than everything else.

You would have been complaining alot more had the cruise done the original itinerary and the ship ended up in distress.

It's what you need to keep in mind when booking a Caribbean cruise at this time of year, it's also why they are usually cheaper too.

JosieT · 09-08-2008

With all due respect...
As I stated in my previous post, my issue was not so much with the itinerary change ( although I was disappointed) but with the arrogance and discriminating comments of the Captain.
I have been on many cruises during hurricane season and although itineraries were changed never once was it ever handle in such a horrible way.
A word of apology never crossed this persons lips.
Had everyone on the ship been spoken to with some level of respect none of this would have happened or at least not been so drastic.

**Ally** · 09-08-2008

Tbh Josie, you should think yourself really lucky to have cruised anywhere.

We are following the antics of a cruise line at the moment. Their ship has had an engine out for 6 months but they don't tell a soul til they have paid final balance. The itineraries have been ruined, cruises cancelled at short notice and to cap it all, the company has earned in the region of over a million dollars on surcharges alone in the last 6 months. They refuse to assure their booked passengers as to the fitness of the ship...which is due to go to Antarctica in November.

Thank your lucky stars that Carnival had the presence of mind to change course away from the storms and keep you safe and well.

If you do not wish to be diverted due to Mother Nature, then don't sail in the hurricane season. It is absolutely impossible to change the course of a hurricane, but a ship its easy.

**Ally** · 09-08-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosieT

With all due respect...
As I stated in my previous post, my issue was not so much with the itinerary change ( although I was disappointed) but with the arrogance and discriminating comments of the Captain.
I have been on many cruises during hurricane season and although itineraries were changed never once was it ever handle in such a horrible way.
A word of apology never crossed this persons lips.
Had everyone on the ship been spoken to with some level of respect none of this would have happened or at least not been so drastic.

In regards to attitude of the captain. Put yourself in his shoes for a moment.

He is told to change destination several times, he is probably getting it in the neck from passengers left, right and center cos of the changes. Wouldn't you be pi$$ed off...I know I would be. He was damned which ever way he went really. He probably wished he had stayed in New York and not gone anywhere.

John · 09-08-2008

I am with you on this one Josie. Yes the bad weather changes the itinerary and that is to be expected. Ultimately our safety is the most important thing. However it is the rude attitude which makes the situation worse. We can all be angry about what's going on but the least you can do is treat people (the customers) with some respect.

JosieT · 09-08-2008

I am assuming here because of your comments that you have an allegiance of some sort to Carnival...
IMO As a decorated officer of a ship he should know how to address his passengers with respect rather than pretty much tell them too bad.
The comments were uncalled for and not appreciated.
Carnival knew of the storms and of the problems the ship had with the propulsion instead of using reason he used arrogance and snide remarks... this is my opinion and I am certainly not asking for any approval, like I said earlier, this is now a much larger issue because of this persons arrogance and discriminating comments

**Ally** · 09-08-2008

I have not sailed with Carnival cos I don't like all singing/all dancing ships. Going on Costa Fortuna for the price, certainly not the ship as its equivalent to a Victory class and I am a small ship person, not a lover of floating Las Vegas housebricks.

I just find it grossly unfair for passengers to heckle and be thuggish over things that are not avoidable. On QM2 when her pod went in Fort Lauderdale, the captain was treated abysmally by passengers and its just not right that a cruise company does what it thinks is best and is met with nasty refund begging guests.

Like I said if faced with people like that, you bet I would be terse with them as they give the impression that they would rather take their chances with a hurricane and endanger everyone aboard.

JosieT · 09-08-2008

Just for the record, the Captain made these remarks days before all of the chaos erupted. He went on stage on the second night of the cruise, he wasn't addressing angry passengers.
The problems came about after we left Port Canavaral.