Sunday, March 31, 2024

Video shows Carnival cruise ship in disarray after 'horrific' storm

carnival cruise in hurricane

Carnival Cruise Line canceled a planned Thursday cruise on its Carnival Paradise ship leaving from Tampa, where the port is currently closed to maritime traffic, along with a sailing the same day from Jacksonville. Passengers will receive a full refund and a 25% credit for future cruises, Miami-based Carnival said in a post on its website. Should a hurricane be forecasted, Carnival Cruise Line takes prompt action to modify itineraries and ensure the safety of its passengers. The cruise line understands the importance of providing timely information to its guests and strives to keep them informed throughout the process.

Other Cruise Lines (Disney, Virgin, Norwegian)

Instead, the ships are spending extra time at sea and at cruise destinations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Sometimes hurricane-related problems don't have anything to do with the ship and everything to do with conditions at the port of embarkation. Reid Overcash said the crew did not communicate with passengers as the ship was stopped in the ocean during the storm.

Carnival passenger documents 24-hour nightmare as storm pounded cruise ship off Southeast coast - Fox Weather

Carnival passenger documents 24-hour nightmare as storm pounded cruise ship off Southeast coast.

Posted: Tue, 30 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Carnival Paradise

Port Canaveral, the world’s largest cruise port, has also issued warnings over expected gale force winds as Idalia approaches. The move comes as agencies issue multiple advisories and warnings for the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida coast. Idalia is expected to strengthen over the next couple of days, possibly into a category three or even category four hurricane. Carnival’s brand ambassador will post any cruise-related hurricane updates on his Facebook page.

Key Tips for Hurricane Season Cruises

Carnival Sunshine is on a five-night Bahamas sailing that left Charleston on Monday, August 28. The ship follows its planned itinerary, which is well out of the storm’s path. The ship is sailing its planned itinerary well out of the storm’s path, and should return as planned on Saturday, September 2. Similarly, Mardi Gras is sailing a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise that departed Port Canaveral on Saturday, August 26. After visits to San Juan, Amber Cove, and Grand Turk, the ship is scheduled to return as planned on Saturday. Carnival Paradise is currently sailing a 5-night Bahamas itinerary and is at sea on Wednesday, August 30, returning to Tampa as planned and a safe distance from the storm.

CRUISE HIVE NEWSLETTER

The scheduled five-day October 1st sailing is now planned to be a four-day cruise departing October 2nd. Guests will receive a one day pro-rated cruise fare refund and $50 per person in onboard credit (up to $100 per cabin). A ship whose Eastern Caribbean itinerary appears to be in flux will be moved to the Western Caribbean (and vice versa). And if new port calls can't be assured, the schedule may end up including a couple of extra sea days in calmer waters.

Hurricane Season Cruising: What You Need to Know Before You Go

They had been found aboard a small wooden boat with a makeshift sail about 20 miles from the westernmost point of Cuba, according to CruiseHive. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. Another passenger, Christa Seifert-Alicea, said they didn’t receive word from the captain or crew for more than 12 hours. One traveler described being able to “smell people being sick walking down the halls,” the Daily Mail Reported. Throughout the storm, several passengers also complained they were starting to feel sick due to the boat’s rough movements. It is also unusual for a storm of this strength to be moving north along the Pacific Coast, as eastern Pacific storms more frequently move west into open waters, with less impact on land.

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Hurricane Lee is impacting cruise itineraries (updated).

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Is it safe to be on a cruise ship during a hurricane?

Cruise lines follow the weather and changes in the weather very closely to track danger. Today cruise ships are built with state-of-the-art technology that helps cruise lines avoid, outrun and prevent disaster. This adjustment is not only a significant change for guests onboard but also raises concerns about the potential impact on several other cruise ports in the storm’s path, including Tampa, Jacksonville, and Port Canaveral.

Port closures force cruise lines to cancel voyages

With their long history in the Caribbean, all lines have effective hurricane and tropical storm emergency response plans in place. These plans are well-rehearsed by crew and cruise line personnel, not that you’d ever know as you’re tucking into a prime steak or sipping on a cocktail. It’s important to be prepared for the worst, especially if you know you’re booking a cruise during the Caribbean hurricane season. Although the exact paths and initial development of individual hurricanes are hard to predict, the season is generally busiest between mid-August and mid-September. In the Western Caribbean (including the Riviera Maya in Mexico), storms are more frequent from mid-September into early November. While the itinerary change may be disappointing for guests, the decision by Carnival Cruise Line is likely to be met with understanding, given the safety concerns posed by Tropical Storm Idalia.

As the tropics heat up following what’s been a record-hot summer for much of North America, the impact on cruises ramps up as well. “We are of course monitoring all the other home ports and will share any further news with you,” Heald said. One video posted on Twitter showed the aftermath of the storm on Sunday morning.

While Port Tampa Bay is closed at the moment, the ship is not scheduled to arrive until Thursday, August 31. With so many ships sailing in regions impacted by the far-reaching Hurricane Idalia, Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests to provide an update for voyages in the next few days. Some Carnival Sunshine guests reported feeling sick during the storm, according to WCIV-TV.

For onboard operations, this can mean adjusting sailing speeds or routes to keep vessels in the calmest waters possible. If weather does worsen, open decks are closed and outdoor activities moved to indoor venues or rescheduled. At this time, there are no plans to change the September 2, 2023 departure for Carnival Sunshine – another 5-night Bahamas cruise visiting Nassau and Half Moon Cay – but the cruise line will provide updates if necessary.

The ship is headed back towards Tampa but will remain at sea until Port Tampa Bay reopens. Booked guests will receive a full refund plus a 25 percent future cruise credit. A planned cruise by the Carnival Liberty leaving from Port Canaveral was also canceled, with the port closed and not expected to reopen until Friday. Carnival cruises that left from Mobile, Alabama; Miami; and New Orleans are rerouting their ports of call.

carnival cruise in hurricane

Our thoughts are with our guests and local residents who are affected by the storm. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Build a day or two into your vacation and aim to arrive in port a couple of days early in case difficulties arise. Prepare for the possibility -- and it happens -- that you might actually arrive home a day or two late. The spokesperson said Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on its next cruise.

Norwegian Cruise Lines has canceled its 10-day voyage of the Norwegian Getaway which was scheduled to depart Thursday from Port Canaveral. Carnival also had to reroute or change ports on other ships due to Hurricane Ian. Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg were among the cities bracing for the worst of the storm, but the latest forecasts suggested Ian would make landfall slightly further south, with the Ft. Given the size and strength of the hurricane and the storm surge it's expected to drive into coastal areas, officials were clear that much of Florida remained at risk.

Carnival Paradise "is now scheduled to depart from Cozumel on Wednesday," Carnival said in the statement. "The ship will then begin heading back to Tampa, but remaining a safe distance from the storm as the company determines when Carnival Paradise can return to the Port of Tampa after the U.S. Coast Guard assesses conditions." More often, departure is delayed by a day or so, and passengers are generally compensated accordingly. If the weather prevents you from getting to your cruise, there are multiple strategies that can help you resolve the issue. In theory, a hurricane could capsize a cruise ship, but a quick change in the itinerary or outrunning a hurricane is the solution to avoiding trouble while cruising.

Initially, the cruise onboard the 110,000 gross tons Carnival Conquest was set to sail from Miami to Key West, Florida, on August 29, and then onto Cozumel, Mexico, on August 30, before returning to Miami. The modified itinerary now has the ship rerouted to Bimini on August 29 and Nassau on August 30. Both ships are scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on Friday, September 1, and Saturday, September 2, respectively, with no schedule changes. Mardi Gras is also expected to arrive in Port Canaveral on Saturday morning.

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