i re posted my thread starter below because it such a pain in the azz with the add space in post #1 window

such a pain in the butt with it all scrunched over to the left for the add space lol. Re posted to make it easier

fellas i have an emerging situation that i need a bit of advice on and maybe some local knowledge as i have never dealt with hurricanes and how coastal cities react. My step daughter (long time GF's daughter) is on a cruise that left Ft Lauderdale last Sunday, went down through the Bahamas/islands, and is due back in Friday morning. The cruise was lucky enough to make it down and off to the east further and totally miss Matthews northern track but they will be basically following it in Friday morning. My question is if they come in behind it how likely is it that they will be dropped into a big mess? It looks like the brunt of the storm will have a path that comes in North of Ft Lauderdale but i am sure they will still have a significant storm as it tracks by to say the least. The FLL airport has issued a closure starting tomorrow morning at ten a.m. with no info on re opening and she has a scheduled flight out Saturday night at eight with her group (she was traveling as a wedding photographer with family friends that got married on the cruise).

How quickly could one expect the airport to rebound providing hit in that area is best case scenario of tropical storm force (what were hoping for i guess) and not head on hurricane?
They have rooms for Friday night when they get back to port but if Matthew hits hard will rooms or extended stays or even reservations in hit areas be non existent or difficult?
if the hurricane is hitting Ft Lauderdale area Friday is it reasonable to assume cruise ship will be held off shore for a time to allow storm to pass through?
I am considering a pro active move of leaving here early Friday morning to go pick them up. in the wake of the best case scenario of tropical storm force how difficult is traffic and getting in and out in hit areas. I just figure if the storm is gonna leave them stranded hell i can get down there and back in three days or so. Just don't want her to be stuck without a place to stay or not knowing if/when flights will resume.

i know there are lots of variables, just trying to think a head some.

Thanks all, any input would be great or even some first hand updates on weather if possible. Stay safe down there guys and lets hope it tracks off in the ocean more. Thoughts and prayers to everyone in the area.

I'd be tempted to get within easy striking range, possibility exists that you may not be allowed to drive in depending on the hit as happened to Galveston during IKE, cruise port was damaged and ships re-routed. If its that bad they would head to another port. nearby and arrange other transport.


Good luck

btw, reservations are not worth much when a major storm hits, After Katrina, our standing reservations were canceled in order to house linemen. We ended up leasing a house for a year or so before hotel rooms started becoming available again

take all the fuel and food you may need for round trip, likewise medicine. and anything else you might normally buy on the road.

in Katrina's case, only text messaging worked in some areas. dont rely on cellular phone navigation (good idea even when there is no storm), use a stand alone gps.

we were able to get past barricades after Katrina using work trucks with magnetic signs and signs in windows saying disaster relief ( in order to get to the refinery were we were needed) uniforms help also.


Of course if there are barricades, then ship wont be coming to that port anyway (I think)

If she is in port somewhere today, maybe stay there and skip the rest of the cruise? Then she could find other avenues to get back. Just a thought.

Sent you a text

The infrastructure here is very well setup for this type of thing, within reason. If the current path holds the FLL airport will see little damage other than backed-up traffic.

If the storm slows down that will hold the ship from returning to FLL a bit. The only real concern I would have is if the hotel loses power. Make the best of a bad situation and still get out on Saturday because by 8om then it will be long gone.

Driving in isn't wise. The trip down would be quick but the storm could also hit the state and head inland right in the middle of your arrival. Then you have the fact everyone else will be headed back that left.

I'd sit tight. The cruise company will be cautious on their end. Maybe call the hotel she is booked at and see what contingency plan they have like generator or such.

Thanks, good info guys. Looking at the ships itinerary it looks like they wont be in till Saturday morning at nine and their flight is at eight PM so if all goes as well as could be thought they will have some airport delay. For some reason i thought they were due in friday morning

Greg that was one my thoughts as well and one of the biggest reason for this thread. I figured traffic everywhere along FLA could be nuts if this thing rakes up the coast or even worse pushes in land. We are gonna watch and wait and make a decision based on whats going on or how it makes land fall. I do have a part of me that thinks i could make a bad thing worse by placing myself head long into it when in reality Ft Lauderdale looks like it should just get a glancing blow and that would relate mostly to airport delays. Fingers crossed for all of east coast FLA, stay as safe as ya can . . .

that thought occurred to me as well, if she were still in Saint Thomas i would have her fly home from there but they are under way already with no stops to Port Everglades. At the moment they are off the coast of Puerto Rico