Thursday, July 28, 2005

JUST MADE HALIFAX YESTERDAY (GOD DAMN THEM ALL)

HALIFAX – The world’s second-largest cruise ship was in town yesterday, filled with passengers wishing they were elsewhere. The 4,700 passenger Voyager of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean, docked in Halifax Harbour after fears over tropical storm Franklin prevented it from going to its Bermuda destination. Passengers were not pleased.
Daily News (Halifax)
I understand that paying for Bermuda and getting Halifax could be disappointing, but travellers should have at least considered the possibility when booking a Caribbean cruise in the middle of hurricane season. I imagine that such a cruise in July is cheaper than in January, and that the decreased demand for the former is not only temperature related.

Given the ticket agreement specifically says the company can't be held responsible for acts of nature, I say no refunds.

UPDATE, later in the day:
Via comments from Dad comes this link to an animation of last year's Atlantic hurricane season. It's pretty cool.

[original story via Neale News]

Posted by Matthew @ 3:27 p.m.

Read or Post a Comment

Well, I am not sure that "middle of hurricane season" is fair, since typically, the FIRST storm is just brewing about now.

In 2004, Alex started forming on July 30, and did not reach hurricane status until August 3rd or 4th, and hardly touched land, and certainly nowhere near Bermuda.

Intersting to note that storms have been trending earlier lately. Can you spell G-L-O-B-A-L- - W-A-R-M-I-N-G?

Here's an interesting link (even if it is CNN) showing animations of the 2004 season.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/hurricanes/interactive/hurricane.paths/index.html

Posted by Anonymous Anonymous @ July 28, 2005 6:00 p.m. #
 

I should add though, that I loved the Stan Rogers reference!!

Posted by Anonymous Anonymous @ July 28, 2005 6:02 p.m. #
 

Regarding the "middle of hurricane season" reference. Your imperical data from last year is telling, however, technically the Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June until 30 November, so late July is may not be 'middle' but it's certainly well enough along.

The animation of last year's season is cool.

Posted by Blogger Matthew @ July 28, 2005 6:24 p.m. #
 

Someone at work showed me this. Check out the map from last year's hurricane season and catch the reference to the elections. It's called Bush v. God.
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blpic-godvsbush.htm

Posted by Anonymous Anonymous @ July 28, 2005 6:48 p.m. #
 

Charles,

True enough I suppose. However, I wonder if the ticket guranteed something along the lines of: "a stop for a certain number of days at a port of some kind." I have no idea what the actual terminology would be.

In that case, even though adrift at sea might be preferable for some, it may have created further and more serious difficulties for the cruise line. Who knows.

Mostly I blogged this for the post title, as you may have guessed.

Posted by Blogger Matthew @ July 29, 2005 7:41 p.m. #
 

Curse you Matt Fletcher! If I want to spend my hard earned sheckles on a hurricane-season trip to Bermuda to exploit some locals I'll be DAMNED if I'll let some commie-hugging, over-unionized sea-captain dock me in friggin' Halifax for 'safety concerns'. This is exactly why I publicly stone any employee of mine who dares to fraternize with his smelly ilk in my atom-smashing factory.

Posted by Blogger Freeman @ July 31, 2005 10:28 p.m. #
 
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