Hi, I’m Eva! As a cruise expert, I am always planning my next cruise. My 15-year-old son and I were looking forward to trying out a new-to-us cruise line over Winter Break. We scheduled a 7-night sailing to the Bahamas onboard the MSC Meraviglia from Brooklyn, New York. This is a drivable location for us.
Imagine our surprise when at 10:00 PM the night before departure, we were alerted the ship was being rerouted due to weather conditions along the route. We were no longer going to the Bahamas, we were going to Canada! In Mid-December! The cruise line gave us the option to depart as planned with the changed itinerary OR offered to give us a credit for the fare to use on a future cruise. As we were halfway to the port and looking forward to a vacation, we opted to go with the revised itinerary. Our cruise was featured on CNN, the Today Show, and other news outlets.
5 Things We Learned when our Cruise was in the News!
- The Ship Itself Matters– We had planned for 3 Sea Days…we ended up being on board for 5 full days. Having options for onboard activities matters!
- Expect the Unexpected– Delays and changes are always possible. Be adaptable and enjoy the journey.
- Layers, Layers, Layers– We had packed for the Bahamas and had limited cold-weather clothing. Luckily, we were able to layer and stay warm! We also took advantage of the laundry service onboard the ship.
- Beauty is Everywhere- We opted to do bus tour excursions in Portland, Maine, and St. John’s New Brunswick. The Head lighthouse was stunning. The people of St. John’s New Brunswick greeted us with a choir, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Free Hot Cocoa, and other delights.
- Time Together is Time Well Spent– We were both so glad we didn’t choose the future credit option. The time away together was such a great memory for both my son and I. We were able to reconnect in a way that just doesn’t happen at home.
Working with a professional travel advisor can help you find the right destination and experience for your travel goals.
