Thread: Hurricane Dean reports - Martinique

From an Associated Press Report:

Authorities in the eastern Caribbean were assessing the damage after Dean hit on Friday as a Category 2 storm with winds near 100 mph.

In the island of Martinique, an overseas department of France, authorities on Saturday confirmed two deaths, including a woman who apparently fell and drowned in her home.

Officials there estimated that $200 million to $270 million is needed to repair infrastructure. Agriculture Minister Louis Daniel Berthome said all banana crops were destroyed.

How sad for Martinique! How do you expect this to impact the scheduled cruise ship visits in the the next few months?

I'm not really sure which ships are scheduled to go there in the next couple of months, other than the Maasdam in Early November... So far, don't see an adjustment in that ship's schedule.

Maybe someone else will have better information.

We'll be there in early December on the Maasdam. So far HAL hasn't canceled that port.

I noticed this evening that the MSC Lirica is scheduled to go there a couple of times in October.

Seems like things will be business as usual before long.

HAL hasn't posted any shore excursions for Martinique for our December cruise. I e-mailed them and they replied that they're still looking into it; I phoned them and they said there's not enough time in port. Since we'll be there for 7 hrs. from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. that doesn't seem a likely reason so apparently we'll have to tour on our own. I haven't had any luck finding a private tour company on-line. Any suggestions?

I was in Martinique during the hurricane. It is something you may want to experience at least once in your lifetime (While staying safe of course). It was exciting during the hurricane, the aftermath was not.

I don't wish a hurricane - or the 'experience' of going through it on anyone

It was phenomenal. Although the place I was at was very safe, otherwise I would have panicked.