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Bermuda and Saint John, New Brunswick, actually have a lot in common, when you really think about it.
They both kiss the Atlantic Ocean, albeit at slightly different latitudes. They’re both known for their beaches, even if one boasts pinks sands and turquoise water and the other is named after discarded tin cans.
And yes, you might not get much use out of a bikini in Saint John in April, but you can probably get away with a light rain jacket. So really, if you’d planned to board a cruise to tropical Bermuda and instead found yourself on a gangway in the Bay of Fundy, how would you feel?
“Not great,” laughed India Jade McCue, 29, a photographer from Columbus, Ohio, who just returned from a cruise destined for Bermuda that was rerouted to Saint John because of bad weather.
“We’ve had this trip planned for months now and were counting down the days until we had toes in the sand,” she said.
McCue and her husband, video producer Ian McCue, posted a TikTok video Sunday about their experience of finding out with three days notice that their Virgin Voyages trip to Bermuda was instead heading to “Northern Canada.”
Virgin Voyages’ Valiant Lady departed New York April 6, but because of bad weather expected in Bermuda, it was diverted before it left. It arrived in Saint John last Wednesday and was back in New York by Saturday. The McCues are now home and posting about the experience.
Their video, which features the couple taking turns screaming in disbelief while reading aloud from the Virgin email that begins with “Ahoy,” had been viewed 1.9 million times by Tuesday.
“This change will ensure we avoid rough conditions and takes you somewhere a little unexpected,” India says in the TikTok video, reading aloud from the email from Virgin Voyages.
“Saint John will feel a little bit different from Bermuda, with crisp coastal air and a completely new backdrop to explore. You may want to bring a few extra layers,” she adds, screaming the final word.
In a statement to CBC News, a Virgin Voyages spokesperson confirmed that after monitoring forecast conditions along the planned route, the company notified passengers of the change in an email sent April 3.
“It became clear that continuing to Bermuda would have presented genuinely unsafe conditions for our Sailors and Crew,” the spokesperson wrote.
“That’s a line we won’t cross, even when we know the change disappoints our Sailors who booked with a tropical destination in mind.”
‘Like the stages of grief’
The company’s terms and services state that it has the right to “cancel, advance, postpone or substitute any scheduled sailing or itinerary without prior notice” in the event of weather conditions.
Those who chose not to continue were offered a credit for the full value of their booking to be used toward a future voyage, the spokesperson explained. And those who sailed received $100 in onboard credit and an enhanced offer for future trips.
India told CBC News that rebooking just wasn’t an option for them with three days notice, flights and hotels in New York already booked, and their schedules. They were travelling with Ian’s parents, who were celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary and had already driven from Columbus to New York when Virgin notified them of the change.
At first, they thought it was a joke.
“It’s like the stages of grief,” India said. “At first, you’re, like, denying it. Then you’re accepting it. And then you’re pretty mad about it. And then we were all like, all right … let’s make the most of this.”
Bermuda was on his parents’ bucket list, Ian, 33, told CBC News, and his mother had been counting down the days on a calendar.
“We were looking forward to it, and it wasn’t something we could reschedule,” Ian said. “So we adapted the best we could and flew to New York, and, sadly, got on the boat to head north.”
Saint John got its first cruise ship of the season a little earlier than expected as the Valiant Lady was diverted from Bermuda because of bad weather.
Nice people, cold weather
The McCues, along with about 2,000 other passengers, arrived in Saint John last Wednesday. The cruise season there typically starts in late June, so the local port had to scramble to get welcome crew out.
It was cold and windy, India said, and there was some snow on the ground, but the people were very welcoming and kind. Still, she said apologetically, Saint John in April, “wasn’t the most stunning.”
They went to the City Market, but a lot of the vendors weren’t fully stocked or set up for tourists yet, India said. The same was true for some of the shops and and restaurants.
“Saint John in the summer would make a fun destination for sure,” she said. “But not in April.”
Both India and Ian said they don’t fault Saint John for doing its best to welcome cruise ship passengers during the off-season. Which is more than they can say for the cruise company, Ian said.
“Thank you New Brunswick for compensating for what Virgin Voyages won’t,” he said.
But Saint John, well, it just isn’t Bermuda.
“Saint John is a beautiful place, and we’re proud to have brought Valiant Lady into the Bay of Fundy for the first time,” the Virgin Voyages spokesperson said.
“But we also understand that when our Sailors are dreaming of a warm-weather escape, Canada isn’t the first place that comes to mind, and we own that.”
