Cruise passengers speak out after Bahamas voyage reroutes to Boston

Table Of Content

• Live updates: Search resumes for final 4 jurors in Karen Read murder trial
• From the Bahamas to Boston: Passengers say they felt 'punked' after holiday beach cruise was rerouted over weather
• Seattle woman charged with murder after shooting, killing 20-year-old mother in downtown alley
• One Day, Three Ways At Perfect Day At Cococay
• ABC News Live

BI viewed the email Brad said MSC sent to guests, which was also posted widely to social media, including Reddit. Allen has documented their decidedly un-tropical activities. However, according to ABC News, the alternative was only presented 24 hours before they were scheduled to set sail, leaving many vacationers who'd traveled to the departure city with a difficult decision. The two friends, like many passengers on board, are now trying to make the best of a bad situation and create new unexpected holiday memories.

Live updates: Search resumes for final 4 jurors in Karen Read murder trial

Once on board, Allen shared a TikTok video showing kids swimming in an outdoor deck pool on the ship in chilly New York weather. Discover Chill Island insider tips to all the relaxing things to do from renting overwater cabanas with VIP services, snorkeling with the friendly manta rays to finding the best places to unwind and soak up the island vibes. A cruise to the Bahamas is filled with exciting destinations, each with its own style and vibe. Discover the Bahamas onboard the Best Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships.

From the Bahamas to Boston: Passengers say they felt 'punked' after holiday beach cruise was rerouted over weather

"It’s not heated. It is not a heated pool. We are in Boston right now. Not heated." "When they first sent out that message, I wish they would have given us options right in that message and we could at least have a choice," Montgomery told ABC. We immediately ran to Walmart because all our bags are already packed, to repack all of the winter stuff,” Lakeya Allen said in an interview with "TODAY." But it’s just like Bahamas, Boston … it’s a huge difference,” passenger Val Montgomery told NBC’s “TODAY” show. However, according to the Globe, MSC Cruises sent out an email the night before outlining the itinerary changes.

Seattle woman charged with murder after shooting, killing 20-year-old mother in downtown alley

MSC Cruises said securing last-minute berths is complicated, therefore leaving Canada and New England as the only viable options.

Save Big With These Bahamas Cruise Deals

If you’re craving crystal-clear waters, vibrant coral reefs and island vibes turned way, way up, these getaways check all the boxes. Each week-long sailing onboard Adventure of the Seas includes two thrill- and chill-filled days at our top-rated private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay — plus stops in Grand Bahama Island and Cozumel. Many passengers decided to stay onboard rather than schlep around the city trying to make the best of things. But others headed out, wearing either the light clothes they’d packed in happier times, or winter coats they had just bought (how fun to spend your vacation shopping for puffers to wear on a trip you didn’t want to take!). MSC decided to change the itinerary instead of making the tougher choice of canceling the cruise for thousands of passengers.

A respite for sun and sand seekers, the Bahamas is home to light blue beaches, translucent underwater caves, a rich royal heritage and exclusive private isles. These can all be found throughout a beautifully scattered string of 700 islands (most of which are uninhabited). Cruise to the Bahamas to take a dive and witness a majestic coral garden at Orange Bowl reef, hang out at ultra-luxurious resorts like Atlantis, and shop resort fashion in Paradise Island or Nassau.

Passengers Frosty as Bahamas Cruise Reroutes to Boston, Canada - Entrepreneur

Passengers Frosty as Bahamas Cruise Reroutes to Boston, Canada.

Posted: Wed, 20 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

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The ship can accommodate over 5,000 passengers and 1,600 crew members. The best Oasis Lagoon at Perfect Day at CocoCay insider Tips to discovering all the amazing things to do, family-friendly attractions and thrills you don't want to miss. Hopeful travelers sign up for a “standby list” and are charged in full for the cruise —  $49 per person per day based on double occupancy.

Instead of a tropical December vacation, passengers aboard the MSC Meraviglia will be traveling from New York City to Boston, Portland, and St. John, Canada, before returning to the US, according to the email. Passengers of a cruise who were expecting a sunny getaway in the Bahamas this week were instead sailed to a much colder climate due to severe weather. She told ABC, she and her group — including her best friend Val Montgomery and both of their children — was "devastated" by the change to their Christmas plans. "So this is some of my kids' Christmas gifts . . . We're from Chicago, so we wanted to change the weather. I never fathomed that we will be back in cold weather," she said.

See mysterious shipwrecks like Theo's Wreck and Sea Star Wreck in Grand Bahama. And take part in some thrilling wall diving — where you can explore deep reef edges — in New Providence. Soak up island views and aquatic adventures with a cruise to the Bahamas. Before the ship even left New York, news of its bad luck was already going viral on Reddit. Passengers who spoke with the Globe outside the ship, on Black Falcon Avenue, as they waited for Ubers, had traveled to New York from India, Atlanta, Aruba, and, perhaps most cruelly, Canada, where the ship is poised to land on Thursday. The Keswanis learned about the switcheroo as they were boarding, but the notification from MSC Cruises was sent the night before, and it’s a master class in chutzpah.

Those changes meant staying on board for some passengers instead of docking at a port and disembarking. Others rerouted from the Bahamas to Mexico, per the outlet. "Heavy rain is expected across most of the destinations that we planned to visit, as well as wind gusts surpassing 40 knots which would render our maneuvers to enter destination ports unsafe," the email reads. Brad, a passenger who spoke to Business Insider and asked to go by his first name, said he and his family received the email at 8 p.m.

The Bahamas has an island for every taste and style, and it's easy to enjoy its subtropical charm during an overnight stint or a week-long cruise. Between two and seven days before the cruise, the company reaches out to standby hopefuls to fill empty spots left by cancellations. If standby travelers are not selected, the cruise line refunds the charge within four to six weeks. However, those who are chosen but decline the opportunity are not refunded. Travelers cannot choose their stateroom category and cannot upgrade their accommodations, the company noted. Industry publication Cruise Hive reported on Sunday that the storm affected the itineraries of several other cruise ships, including ships from Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian.

Planning on maximizing your experience at Perfect Day at CocoCay discover everything you need to know from record-breaking slides and rides, free kid-friendly attractions to delicious restaurants, and chilled out activities. The best free activities and free things to do at Perfect Day at CocoCay®, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas. Shake off the sand and delve deep into towns like Nassau and Freeport and the remote island of CocoCay. Take a nature walk or a Jeep adventure through the pine forests, or stretch your legs at the Rand Nature Center, which offers bird-watching and installations by local artists. Saunter the lively streets of Nassau, chill by a freshwater pool in Perfect Day at CocoCay, or get a history lesson at the Heritage Museum during your cruise to the Bahamas. Dive and drift through warm waters to reach colorful coral reefs in Bimini like Rainbow Reef.

Standby guests can add a third and fourth guest for free but must pay taxes, fees and port expenses. The program, designed to maximize ship occupancy, was initially launched for the company’s Alaska itineraries in August and has since expanded to include eight boarding ports. The initiative is unique to Holland America Line, according to The New York Times, though other cruise lines do offer last-minute deals. “To ensure the safety and well-being of everyone onboard, we will sail to New England and Canada instead, where we expect to encounter fairer weather conditions that will allow us to offer you the pleasant cruise experience that you expect,” it read. The email said the company "significantly altered the itinerary" due to "adverse weather conditions expected across Florida and the Bahamas." The Weather Channel predicted heavy rain and wind from Florida to New England on Sunday.

Some experienced cruise ship passengers said they've never experienced this degree of a last-minute change before. But just like planes, trains and other modes of transportation, experts told TODAY that cruises are subject to the whims of weather and many typically have clauses that allow for itinerary changes. Enjoy your family summer vacation on a cruise to Perfect Day CocoCay and discover the private islands beautiful beaches, kid-friendly attractions, great restaurants and record-breaking water rides and activities for all ages.