B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Weather
Following holding; divert planning; and actually making the turn to the divert airport; we were told they could get us into DCA. (We had plenty of fuel as we started divert early based on estimated holding time). We were cleared direct to RANJR and immediately saw we needed to deviate north of course for weather after RANJR. We were cleared to deviate left as necessary and turned about 15 left. As were trying to brief the arrival; get the ATIS; set up the FMC; and get the flight attendants seated; we remained on heading. We were told to expedite to FL210 and given a frequency change. Then EXPAT Sector asked where we were going and said we were headed toward everybody else.  Another controller came on (Supervisor?) and gave is an immediate 90-degree (approximately) turn. Remainder of flight was uneventful. Not sure. We were task saturated and so was ATC. We worked as a team and did everything we could.
B737 Captain reports being cleared direct RANJR after initially holding for landing DCA. A weather deviation is requested and approved (15 left) then a frequency change. The next sector asks where they are going and issues a 90 degree heading change.