Dozens of cruise ships and itineraries were impacted in October 2012 by Hurricane Sandy, which barreled through the Caribbean before hammering the Northeast United States. While lines are sheltered in legalese when it comes to weather-related itinerary impact -- contracts dictate that passengers are owed nothing for missed ports -- many offered some compensation. Without including every itinerary change, this chart is designed to provide a broad overview of what lines doled out to passengers on "modified" cruises. See something you think belongs? Have a bone to pick with one of the lines? Comment below or e-mail dan@cruisecritic.com. Two acronyms to know: FCC is future cruise credit and OBC is onboard credit.
Related:
Ship
Sail Date & Embark
Sandy's Itinerary Impact
Compensation
Oct. 27, Port Canaveral
Dream's departure was delayed by one day. The ship left Port Canaveral October 28 on a shortened six-night itinerary. Roatan was cut from the itinerary, leaving the originally scheduled ports of Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya.
One-day pro-rated refund in the form on onboard credit (OBC)
Refund of Roatan's government fees and taxes in OBC
Gratuities adjusted to reflect shortened voyage
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 27, Port Canaveral
Ecstasy's five-night Bahamas and Florida cruise from Port Canaveral left on October 28, and was shortened to a four-nighter. The cruise, originally scheduled to visit three ports -- Nassau, Freeport and Key West -- did not call in Key West.
One day pro-rated cruise fare refund in the form of OBC
Refund of government taxes & fees for Key West in OBC
Refund of Key West excursions booked through Carnival
Adjusted gratuities
Carnival Fascination
Oct. 27, Jacksonville
The ship, on five-night Bahamas cruise, swapped Half Moon Cay for Freeport. The originally scheduled and modified cruises called on two ports.
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 22, Norfolk
Glory's original cruise, a six-night voyage calling on three ports, ended up being a five-nighter that visited Nassau.
20 percent off a future two- to six-night cruise
Refund of port fees
One day credit of gratuities in the form of OBC
One-day pro-rated refund in original form of payment
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 28, Norfolk
Glory's cruise was cancelled. The Norfolk cruise terminal is positioned behind a major flood gate, which will was closed on October 28. Because this happened, there was no access to the cruise terminal, necessitating the cancellation of the cruise.
Cruise fare refund, processed to the original form of payment
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 27, Miami
The ship, on a week-long Eastern Caribbean cruise, visited Nassau instead of Half Moon Cay on Oct. 28, and switched the order of its visits to San Juan and St. Thomas (Oct. 30 and 31). The originally scheduled and modified cruises called on four ports.
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 21, New York (Manhattan)
Miracle's eight-night Eastern Caribbean cruise became a seven-nighter that called at only one (San Juan) of its originally scheduled three ports. To outrace the storm, the ship returned to New York a day early, arriving on Oct. 28.
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Refund of port fees
One-day refund on gratuities
50 percent FCC
Oct. 29, New York (Manhattan)
Miracle's eight-night Eastern Caribbean cruise departed a day early, on Oct. 28, and so was lengthened by a day. San Juan and St. Thomas, both on the original itinerary, were swapped with Nassau and Port Canaveral.
Gratuities were not collected for the extra day
Refunded parking expenses for additional day
Offered to reimburse up to $200 in airline change fees
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 21, Baltimore
Pride visited one of the three originally scheduled ports on its week-long Caribbean/Bahamas cruise. The eliminated ports were replaced with sea days -- the ship was racing back to Baltimore to outrun Sandy. It arrived a day early, Oct. 27, and passengers were able to debark at that time or use the ship as a floating hotel until the next morning.
Refund of port fees
50 percent off a future two- to seven-night cruise
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 28, Baltimore
Due to the impending arrival and predicted trajectory of Sandy, Pride's week-long Bahamas and Florida sailing was cancelled.
Refunds, processed to the original form of payment
Helped passengers find area hotels
Refunded parking expenses
$30 per person dinner voucher for Oct. 28
25 percent future cruise credit (FCC)
Refund of excursions booked through Carnival
Oct. 20, Montreal
Due to the closure of the port Manhattan Oct. 30 and 31, Crystal Symphony was unable to to call there as scheduled. Manhattan was to be the final port on a 10-night Montreal-to-NYC voyage ending Oct. 30. Instead, the ship sheltered and disembarked passengers in Boston from Oct. 28 - Oct 30. Symphony then sailed directly to the next scheduled port call on the next cruise, Charleston, where it arrived Nov. 1, a day earlier than originally planned.
Rebooked flights for those who booked air through Crystal
Free Web for cruise-only passengers who needed to contact travel agents, airlines
Oct. 30, New York (Manhattan)
Due to the closure of the port Manhattan Oct. 30 and 31, Crystal Symphony was unable to to call there as scheduled. Manhattan was to be the final port on a Montreal-to-NYC voyage ending Oct. 30, and the embarkation port on a 19-night Panama Canal cruise starting the same day. Instead, the ship sailed directly to its next scheduled port, Charleston, where it arrived Nov. 1, a day earlier than originally planned. Thus, the cruise became a 17-night Panama Canal cruise departing Nov. 2.
Two-day, pro-rated refund in the form of a cash, OBC or FCC
Rebooked flights for those who purchased air through Crystal
Arranged buses from NYC to Boston as required (early arriving passengers)
Arranged hotels in Charleston as required
Oct. 20, Port Canaveral
The ship, on a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, swapped a call in Castaway Cay with a sea day. While there were no other itinerary impacts, passengers reported an extremely rough ride, punctuated by shattered glass doors, smashed crockery and ruined merchandise. Read more.
Choice of a 25 percent FCC
or
25 percent discount at a Disney resort
Oct. 20, New York (Manhattan)
Gem's original nine-night Eastern Caribbean was "extended" by four days. The ship skipped a scheduled port call to Samana, Dominican Republic, then docked overnight in Boston Oct. 31 to escape Sandy and take on fuel and provisions. Passengers were able to debark in Boston or wait for the ship to return to New York.
Refund of port taxes for missed call to Samana
Free phone and Internet service for passengers
Helped passengers who bought flights through NCL with rebooking air
Oct. 29, New York (Manhattan)
Gem's originally scheduled nine-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from New York City was delayed for four days, and so shortened to a five-night cruise with two calls in Bermuda.
Pro-rated refund for the four days lost
Then two options:
For those who canceled, pro-rated FCC for the remaining five days based on fare paid
or
For those who cruised, 25 percent FCC (valid for one year)
Oct. 27, New York (Brooklyn)
A four-night sampler cruise became a six-night cruise when Caribbean Princess was forced to seek shelter from the storm in Boston for a few days then hover around New York waiting for the port to re-open. The original debark date of October 31 was thereby delayed until November 2, and the cruise ended in Manhattan instead of Brooklyn. Passengers who wished to debark in Boston were allowed to do so.
Complimentary transfers to Logan airport or NYC for those who debarked in Boston
FCC equal to 50 percent of the cruise fare paid
Oct. 31, New York (Brooklyn)
The original 10-night Caribbean voyage departing Brooklyn October 31 was shortened to an eight-nighter from Manhattan, departing Nov. 2. The revised itinerary features five sea days interspersed by calls in Grand Turk (Nov. 5) and Aruba (Nov. 7). The sailing will conclude Nov. 10 in Fort Lauderdale.
Those who sailed:
A two-day, pro-rated refund in the form of OBC
An FCC equal to 50 percent of the fare paid
Those who cancelled:
An FCC equal to 25 percent of the cruise fare paid
Oct. 24, Montreal
Seven Seas Navigator's 15-night cruise from Montreal to Miami skipped scheduled calls in Bar Harbor and New York City (an overnight). The cut ports were swapped with an overnight in Halifax and a visit to Norfolk.
Refund of excursions booked through Regent
Oct. 21, Fort Lauderdale
A scheduled called in Falmouth, Jamaica, was replaced with a sea day on Allure's week-long Western Caribbean cruise.
Refund of excursions booked through Royal Caribbean
Otherwise, Royal Caribbean did not compensate passengers for weather-related itinerary modifications.
Oct. 26, Baltimore
Instead of a six-night Bermuda cruise with three days in King's Wharf, Enchantment sailed a six-night cruise to nowhere.
Passengers were given two options:
Cancel and get an FCC for the amount paid
or
Sail and receive onboard credit, which varied by cabin category
Oct. 28, Boston
Jewel's departure was delayed two days until Oct. 30. Due to the late start, the ship scrapped its scheduled calls on St. Kitts and Barbados.
Refund of excursions booked through Royal Caribbean
Otherwise, Royal Caribbean did not compensate passengers for weather-related itinerary modifications.
Monarch of the Seas
Oct. 26, Port Canaveral
The sailing departed late in the day on October 27 and headed out to sea, making no port calls. The originally scheduled three-night cruise included one call in Nassau.
Passengers were given two options:
Cancel and get an FCC for the amount paid
or
Sail