cruise hurricane news

Hurricane Beryl Impacts More Cruise Itineraries in the Caribbean

• July 3, 2024

After passing through Jamaica on Wednesday, Hurricane Beryl continues to affect the itineraries of cruise ships in the Caribbean.

According to AccuWeather , the tropical storm is currently crossing the region with wind speeds up to 165 mph.

One of the ships recently impacted by Beryl is the Margaritaville at Sea Islander. Originally scheduled to offer a cruise to the Western Caribbean, the 2,100-guest vessel is now sailing to the Bahamas after departing from Tampa Bay on July 2.

“Our Captain, engineering team, and crew have been actively monitoring the progress of Hurricane Beryl across the Southern Caribbean and potential impacts to our currently scheduled itinerary,” Margaritaville at Sea said in a statement shared with passengers onboard.

“Due to the storm’s currently projected path, and for the safety and comfort of all our passengers and crew, the destination port for our sailing has changed,” the company added.

Instead of visiting Progreso in Mexico, the Islander is now scheduled to visit Nassau in the Bahamas. A scheduled visit to Key West was also confirmed by the company.

Other ships that recently made changes to their itineraries include Royal Caribbean International’s Grandeur of the Seas.

Sailing from Tampa to Cozumel and Costa Maya, the vessel switched the order of the ports of call in its itinerary.

The Enchanted Princess was also impacted by Beryl, dropping a planned visit to Belize. In addition to a new stop in Nassau, the Princess ship’s itinerary is now set to visit Cozumel one day earlier.

After confirming changes to the itineraries of the Carnival Horizon and the Carnival Liberty , Carnival Cruise Line informed guests that no additional changes to cruises or homeports have been made at this time.

In a statement shared on July 3, the company said its Fleet Operations Center in Miami and onboard teams at sea continue to track Hurricane Beryl for possible impacts to sailing routes.

“The safety of our guests and crew is paramount, and we are continuing to monitor forecasts and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities,” Carnival said.

“Our thoughts are with those who are being impacted by the storm,” the company added, noting that guests will be notified if any additional changes to itineraries are made.

In Jamaica, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has convened several urgent strategy meetings to discuss the impact of the hurricane.

In addition to discussing preparation plans with local authorities and establishments, Bartlett also said he is maintaining contact with cruise lines and airlines.

“I urge all tourism stakeholders to remain vigilant and to follow all safety guidelines to ensure the protection of life and property,” he added.

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Cruise lines changing itineraries as Hurricane Beryl charges through Caribbean

With ports on both sides of the state, Florida is a popular destination for those planning a cruise.

Those plans are being disrupted this week after Hurricane Beryl made landfall on Carriacou Island Monday as a powerful Category 4 storm with 150-mph winds.

➤  Track Hurricane Beryl

The hurricane has grown since then, and is now at Category 5 hurricane with 165-mph winds as it moves west across the Caribbean Sea . Life-threatening winds and storm surge are expected to impact Jamaica by Wednesday.

Here's what you should know if you're scheduled to take a cruise.

Cruisemapper shows few cruise ships in Caribbean as Hurricane Beryl continues westward path

There were a few cruise ships in the Caribbean Sea early Tuesday, with most only going as far south as Jamaica and most concentrated along the Mexican coast, according to cruisemapper.com.

➤ Interactive map : See the latest on cruise ship locations

A few ships were shown in Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands.

Most ships were concentrated around the Bahamas and off the east coast of Florida.

Beryl is expected to bring life-threatening winds and storm surge to Jamaica Wednesday as it moves quickly west across the Caribbean.

How strong is Hurricane Beryl and where is it going?

Spaghetti models: where will hurricane beryl go next.

Special note about spaghetti models:  Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. 

Royal Caribbean Blog announces changes to itineraries because of Hurricane Beryl

▶  Royal Caribbean had three ships in the southeastern Caribbean as of July 1 and announced it was changing cruise ship itineraries because of Hurricane Beryl, according to Royal Caribbean Blog.

Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas have all changed itineraries due to the hurricane, according to the website.

Royal Caribbean's newest and largest ship — Icon of the Seas — departed from Miami, June 29, days before Beryl hit the eastern Caribbean. The ship was scheduled to visit St. Maarten and St. Thomas, among other locations in the eastern Caribbean. Instead it will visit Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico. Cruisemapper.com showed the ship off Cozumel Tuesday morning.

Royal Caribbean notified passengers via email of the itinerary change intended to avoid strong winds and high waves on the sea.

Wonder of the Seas, which left Port Canaveral June 30, will skip two ports and call on Nassau, Bahamas, the blog announced. Tuesday morning, cruisemapper showed the ship between Key West and Cuba.

“We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather, your safety is our top priority," the letter read.

"Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because we are faster and can move out of the way of any inclement weather."

Norwegian Cruise Line changes stops to avoid eastern Caribbean

▶  Norwegian Cruise Line  altered nearly the entire itinerary for a week-long sailing on its Norwegian Breakaway ship that departed from Miami on Sunday. The line canceled stops in Honduras, Harvest Caye in Belize, and Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, according to a letter sent to guests the line shared with USA TODAY. The ship will instead visit Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas instead.

“While we share your disappointment, these modifications were made with great consideration as your safety, and that of our crew, is always our number one priority,” the letter said.

The line similarly changed a week-long sailing aboard Norwegian Jade that left Port Canaveral on Saturday, replacing planned calls in Falmouth, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel with San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tortola and Puerto Plata.

Was your cruise itinerary changed? Here's what to do next

Carnival Cruise Line bumps up stops to Mexico

▶  Carnival Cruise Line’s  Carnival Liberty ship moved a planned Friday stop in Cozumel up to Tuesday. The vessel departed on a week-long cruise from New Orleans, Louisiana, on Sunday,  according to CruiseMapper .

Carnival Horizon, which is sailing a  six-day itinerary  that left Miami on Sunday, will skip a visit to Grand Cayman on Wednesday.

“The safety of our guests and crew is paramount, and we are continuing to monitor forecasts and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard, and the local port authorities to provide timely updates to our guests as more information becomes available,” spokesperson Matt Lupoli said via email.

Disney Cruise Line replaces Falmouth visit with sea day

▶  Disney Cruise Line’s  Disney Fantasy ship — which set sail on a  week-long cruise  from Port Canaveral on Saturday — will not visit Falmouth as planned on Wednesday. The stop will be replaced with a  sea day .

Cruisemapper showed the ship west of the Cayman Islands Tuesday morning.

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TRAVEL & ITINERARY UPDATES

Travel update - labadee, haiti, last updated may 14, 2024 - 3:00pm edt.

All Labadee sailings through September 2024

We have suspended all visits to Labadee fleetwide through September 2024, and we continue to monitor the situation with our Global Security & Intelligence team. Please know that the safety and comfort of our guests are always our highest priority. We are committed to keeping you informed, and itinerary modifications are being communicated directly to guests ahead of their sailings. Please check back for any potential changes. Thank you for your understanding.

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Hurricane Beryl makes landfall on Texas coast; life-threatening storm surge expected

Hurricane Beryl struck the Texas coast early Monday after it regained strength over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico overnight, with forecasters warning that dangerous storm surges and flash flooding were expected.

The eye of the storm reached the coast at Matagorda Bay, which is about halfway between Corpus Christi and Galveston, the National Hurricane Center confirmed in an update at 5 a.m. ET.

Beryl's renewed force included sustained winds of 80 mph and an expected storm surge that forecasters warned would threaten human life, the NHC said. A hurricane warning was in effect across the Matagorda Bay, from Mesquite Bay to Port Bolivar.

“This is a life-threatening situation. Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions,” the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm is forecast to weaken quickly and become a tropical storm as it moves north through eastern Texas over the next 12 hours.

Storm surges of up to 7 feet moving to normally dry areas were possible along the coast from the Corpus Christi area to the Louisiana line, it added.

The storm was also expected to bring a deluge along much of Texas’ Gulf Coast, with as much as 10 inches of rain expected in some locations, the center said.

Texas state troopers prepared for the storm by filling sandbags in south Texas amid boarded-up homes. A growing number of counties in Texas — 121 as of late Sunday — were the subjects of state disaster declarations in anticipation of serious damage, the office of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement. Patrick is acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is out of the country on an official visit.

On Sunday, the Houston Independent School District announced that all of its campuses would be closed Monday and Tuesday.

A few tornadoes were possible along the coast, forecasters said, with the risk spreading Monday to east Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Surf forecaster Surfline said waves in Galveston were reaching 8 to 10 feet Sunday night, with dangerous conditions. The hurricane center called for "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" for the next few days along the Gulf Coast.

Beryl's journey took it northwest across the Caribbean, at times as a Category 5 hurricane, before it entered the Gulf of Mexico, struck the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, lost steam, then aimed north for Texas while tapping the gulf's warmth for strength. 

At 11 p.m. CT Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said data from National Weather Service Doppler radar and reports from an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter confirmed the storm's maximum sustained winds reached nearly 75 mph, upgrading Beryl from a tropical storm to a hurricane.

As it neared landfall, the sustained winds grew to 80 mph, the hurricane center said.

The storm was blamed for at least nine deaths reported last Monday to Thursday in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, Venezuela and Jamaica.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

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Multiple cruises rerouted, cancelled due to Hurricane Beryl

Ryan Mackey , Digital Journalist

MIAMI – A number of cruise lines have changed itineraries to avoid Hurricane Beryl.

After striking the small island of Carriacou at the entrance of the eastern Caribbean as a 150 mph Category 4 hurricane on Monday, Beryl continued to intensify through the overnight hours, becoming a 165 mph Category 5 hurricane by early Tuesday , according to Local 10 Hurricane Specialist and Storm Surge Expert Michael Lowry.

Multiple cruise companies announced Tuesday that they are making significant adjustments to their Caribbean sailings as Hurricane Beryl approaches, prioritizing the safety of guests and crew.

Royal Caribbean said its Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas ships have all changed itineraries due to the hurricane, according to their website. Read the full list of changes by clicking here.

A spokesperson for the cruise line released a statement to Local 10 News Tuesday, which you can read here:

“The safety of our guests, crew and communities we visit is our top priority. Along with our Chief Meteorologist, we are closely monitoring the progression of Hurricane Beryl, and are making adjustments to some of our Caribbean sailings for the comfort and safety of our guests and crew. Guests and travel advisors will be notified directly of any necessary changes.”

Norwegian Cruise Line also reported amendments to the routes for its Jade and Takeaway ships due to the hurricane.

The cruise line has significantly altered the itinerary for its week-long Norwegian Breakaway voyage that departed from Miami on Sunday.

According to a letter sent to guests, the cruise will no longer stop in Honduras, Harvest Caye in Belize, Costa Maya, and Cozumel in Mexico. Instead, the ship will visit Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.

Norwegian released the following statement which was obtained by Local 10 News on Tuesday.

“The safety and security of our guests, crew and communities we visit is always a top priority. We are monitoring the projected path of Hurricane Beryl and have amended the itineraries for Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Breakaway’s current voyages. Please see the letters attached, which were provided to all guests on board, for full details,” a Norwegian spokesperson stated.

The Carnival Horizon has canceled its scheduled stop in the Cayman Islands, while the Carnival Liberty will visit Cozumel on Tuesday instead of on July 5.

Additionally, “Disney Fantasy, which is currently sailing a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary, will no longer call on Falmouth, Jamaica on Wednesday. The ship will instead spend the day at sea,” according to a Disney spokesperson.

These changes come as part of the cruise lines’ efforts to navigate safely through the impending storm.

FOR THE LATEST UPDATES , visit the complete coverage of hurricanes page , visit the weather page for the hourly local forecast , sign up for the free e-mail Talking Tropics newsletter , and download the free tracker mobile app on the Apple Store or Google Play .

Local 10 viewers can find the itinerary changes for Norwegian’s Jade and Breakaway cruise ships in the documents provided below.

More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter

Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Ryan mackey.

Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born in Long Island, New York, and has lived in Sunrise, Florida since 1994.

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Hurricane Roars Through the Caribbean

A look at the destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl as it lashes its way across the region.

In photos and video

A car driving past a collapsed power line as Hurricane Beryl hits Kingston, Jamaica, on Wednesday. Credit... Marco Bello/Reuters

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By The New York Times

• Published July 2, 2024 Updated July 4, 2024

Hurricane Beryl battered Jamaica on Wednesday and was moving across the Cayman Islands on Thursday after leaving a trail of destruction through the Caribbean, resulting in at least seven deaths, houses destroyed and trees snapped in half.

The storm first hit Carriacou, a small island that is part of Grenada, on Monday morning where it flattened the island in just half an hour, while also causing extreme damage to neighboring Petite Martinique.

Carriacou is known for its coral reefs and diving spots, while people on Petite Martinique are mostly involved in fishing and boat building. The two islands have a combined population of at least 9,000 people.

The storm was an anomaly in what has already been an unusually busy storm season, which extends until the end of November. When it developed into a Category 4 storm on Sunday, it was the third major hurricane ever in the Atlantic Ocean in June — and the first time a Category 4 materialized this early there in the season.

The storm continued to set records, becoming the first ever Atlantic storm to grow into a Category 5 this early in the season, according to Philip Klotzbach , a Colorado State University meteorologist who specializes in tropical cyclones.

The storm’s rapid strengthening was a direct result of above-average sea surface temperatures, as well as a harbinger of what might be coming this hurricane season. A hurricane that intensifies faster can be more dangerous because it gives people in areas projected to be affected less time to prepare and evacuate.

People clean up after Hurricane Beryl in Old Harbor, Jamaica.

An aerial view of a home damaged by Hurricane Beryl in Kingston.

Storm surge rushes over a pier in East End, Cayman Islands.

A man fixes a power cord at his house in Kingston.

Residents clean up after Hurricane Beryl hit the island, in Hellshire Beach, Jamaica.

A worker uses heavy machinery to clean up sand and debris in Kingston.

Properties are boarded up as a precaution ahead of Hurricane Beryl’s arrival in Tulum, Mexico.

Members of the Mexican National Guard remove broken glass ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Beryl, in Tulum, Mexico.

Tourists wait to depart at Cancún International Airport ahead of Hurricane Beryl, in Cancún, Mexico.

Strong winds batter palm trees in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Flooded streets in Kingston.

A destroyed dock at a marina in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic.

Residents of Union Island evacuated to Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Boats are piled on top of one another in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Workers install wood boards on a building’s windows ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Beryl, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

City officials in Cancún, Mexico, removed sea-turtle eggs from Playa Delfines in preparation for Hurricane Beryl.

A beach covered in garbage after the passage of Hurricane Beryl, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

People purchasing supplies at a grocery store ahead of Hurricane Beryl’s landfall.

A resident places cinderblocks along a roof before Hurricane Beryl arrives in Kingston.

Boats moved from the water for safety, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Beryl, in Punta Allen, Mexico.

Destruction in Petite Martinique, Grenada.

A damaged house missing its roof in Sauteurs, Grenada.

A resident removing mud after floods swept through Cumanacoa, Venezuela.

Waves crashing on the coast of Santo Domingo.

Workers chopping an uprooted tree in St. James, Barbados.

Residents walking amid the debris of damaged buildings in Union Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

A satellite image shows Hurricane Beryl hurtling toward Jamaica.

The coast line in Oistins, Barbados, after Hurricane Beryl passed over.

Waves strand a boat on the shores of St. Vincent.

Damage in Soufrière, St. Lucia.

People positioning a trailer to move a boat from the street near St. James.

Damaged outdoor furniture in Christ Church, Barbados.

Streets within Bay Garden, a popular attraction in Oistins were covered in debris.

Damaged fishing vessels clog a harbor after Hurricane Beryl passed through the Bridgetown Fisheries in Barbados.

Long lines at a grocery store in Kingston.

Braving a walk down a pier in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The airport in Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago, where a flight board showed several cancellations, and a leak in the roof closed off a portion of the floor.

Strong winds and waves crashing onto Dover Beach in Christ Church.

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Hurricane Beryl forces cruise lines to modify itineraries. Here are the changes

Cruise lines are actively monitoring forecasts of the hurricane's path., by nbc6 • published july 2, 2024 • updated on july 2, 2024 at 8:37 pm.

Record-breaking Hurricane Beryl ripped through the Caribbean as it headed west, also impacting travel.

Grenada was especially hard hit on the island of Carriacou, where Beryl made landfall as a Category 4 storm.

📺 24/7 South Florida news stream: Watch NBC6 free wherever you are

Jamaica is currently under a hurricane watch as they are next in Beryl’s projected path.

Cruise lines are actively monitoring forecasts of the hurricane's path. As of now, they’ve adjusted the following itineraries:

The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.

Carnival Cruise Line

• Carnival Horizon  will cancel a visit to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands on Wednesday, July 3.
• Carnival Liberty  will visit Cozumel, Mexico on Tuesday, July 2 instead of Friday, July 5, which will now be a day at sea.

Royal Caribbean

• Celebrity Beyond’s  6/29 sailing will swap Kralendijk, Bonaire with Oranjestad, Aruba on July 2 and move Kralendijk, Bonaire to July 4.
• Icon of the Seas’  6/29 sailing will now visit Cozumel, Mexico, and Costa Maya, Mexico, instead of Philipsburg, St. Maarten, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.
• Grandeur of the Seas’  7/1 sailing will now visit Yucatan (Progresso), Mexico on Day 4 and Cozumel, Mexico, on Day 3.
• Wonder of the Seas’  6/30 sailing will now have a Sea Day on Day 5 instead of visiting Roatan, Honduras and will enjoy a visit to Nassau, Bahamas on Day 6, instead of visiting Costa Maya, Mexico.
• Harmony of the Seas’  6/30 sailing will now visit Cozumel, Mexico on Day 3 and Costa Maya, Mexico on Day 4, instead of Roatan, Honduras.

Norwegian Cruise Line

• Norwegian Breakaway 6/30 sailing - The visit to Roatan Bay Islands, Honduras, has been replaced with a visit to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Visits to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; Tortola, British Virgin Islands; and Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, have been added.
• Norwegian Jade 6/29 sailing - The visit to Falmouth, Jamaica, has been canceled and replaced with a visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The visit to George Town, Grand Cayman, has been replaced with Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and Cozumel, Mexico, has been replaced with a visit to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

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Hurricane Beryl Slams Port of Galveston, Causing Cruise Delays

Hurricane Beryl, which has wreaked havoc from the Lesser Antilles to Mexico — and caused numerous adjustments to cruise schedules — made its final landfall this morning. The storm, which set a record for the earliest category 5 Atlantic hurricane ever, lost much of its initial strength but still hit Texas as a strong category 1 system with wind gusts approaching 100 miles per hour.

Just as the storm caused issues for cruises throughout July as it moved through the Caribbean and Yucatan, Hurricane Beryl caused one final delay for cruises on the Texas coast.

The storm was originally projected to make landfall somewhere along the Texas/Mexico border. However, over the past couple of days the track continually moved up the Texas coast. Landfall was finally made near Matagorda, roughly 80 miles southwest of downtown Houston and 85 miles from the Port of Galveston.

This put Galveston on the storm’s “dirty” side where the biggest impacts of wind and rain usually occur. The island has seen reported wind gusts of upwards of 90 miles per hour and several inches of rain. Millions in the region are without power. Webcams show the Strand area as heavily flooded. This area sits next to the cruise terminals in Galveston.

If there is good news, it’s that the storm is moving a relatively quick 12 miles per hour to the north. That means within a few hours the rain and wind should lessen. Still, any hurricane has a major impact, no matter how well prepared an area may be. This includes impacts on cruises to and from the popular port.

The Port of Galveston is the busiest cruise port outside of Florida. That means when storms hit, it can affect potentially tens of thousands of passengers. With the storm bearing down, two scheduled cruise ships on Sunday — Harmony of the Seas and Carnival Dream — were able to depart before Hurricane Beryl’s arrival.

Now the Port of Galveston is officially closed. Mariner of the Seas was the only cruise ship scheduled to be in port today and is now delayed . That ship was set to return from a 4-day sailing to Cozumel. Instead of arriving Monday, Mariner of the Seas will now reach Galveston on Tuesday morning .

The next cruise was scheduled to be a 5-day trip with stops in Costa Maya and Cozumel. It will now be shortened to a 4-day cruise. Costa Maya will be skipped and the ship will now stop only in Cozumel:

Thankfully, this seems to be the final impact that Beryl will have on cruise schedules as the storm is set to quickly race off across the United States.

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Carnival Cruise Hurricane Update Issued by Fleet Operations Center

Doug Parker

• August 30, 2023

A Carnival cruise hurricane update has been issued by the company’s Fleet Operations Center in Miami, Florida. With Hurricane Idalia impacting the region and ports where many ships are sailing, Carnival updates guests with upcoming sailings.

The hurricane update on brand ambassador John Heald’s Facebook page includes details on itinerary adjustments, homeport operations, and when the guests can expect to hear about their upcoming cruises.

Carnival Cruise Hurricane Update by Homeport

Hurricane Idalia has caused disruptions to multiple cruises and is impacting four of Carnival Cruise Line’s homeports: Port Tampa Bay, Port Canaveral, Jaxport, and Port of Charleston. PortMiami is operating normally and is not impacted by the latest update.

The cruise operator is closely monitoring the situation and will continue providing updates as necessary through text messages, social media, and their website.

RELATED: Cruising During Hurricane Season — What You Need to Know

Sailings From Port Tampa Bay

Port Tampa Bay remains closed to all marine traffic due to Hurricane Idalia’s large wind field, which continues to affect weather conditions in the area.

However, the Carnival Paradise is sailing a five-night Bahamas itinerary and is at sea on Wednesday, August 30, returning to Tampa as planned and a safe distance from the storm.

An updated text from Carnival said the port is still closed and, “We hope to be able to dock Thursday, although there is a possibility it may be Friday morning. We will be in touch by 10:00 AM tomorrow. We know this impacts your plans and thank you for your patience and understanding.”

As for the next sailing, a four-night Western Caribbean cruise to Cozumel, guests are advised not to go to the terminal until the schedule is confirmed, which should happen shortly after the port reopens.

Sailings From Port Canaveral

Port Canaveral is closed , with Port Condition Zulu in effect, impacting three Carnival ships: Carnival Liberty, Carnival Freedom, and Mardi Gras.

Carnival Liberty is on a four-night Bahamas cruise, while Carnival Freedom is on a five-night Eastern Caribbean cruise.

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.

Sailings From Jacksonville

JAXPORT is closed , with port condition Zulu. However, it is expected to reopen on Thursday, August 31, pending safety inspections and reopening authorization.

Only one Carnival ship, the Carnival Elation, is sailing from Jacksonville on a five-night cruise to the Bahamas.

A text from Carnival was sent at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, “The Port of Jacksonville is closed to marine traffic, and officials will conduct a post-storm assessment tomorrow morning.”

It said, “We will not have a projected arrival time until after the assessment is completed. We hope to be able to dock Thursday, although there is a possibility it may be Friday morning. We will be in touch by 10:00 AM tomorrow. We know this impacts your plans and thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Guests booked on the next sailing are advised to wait for confirmation from Carnival Cruise Line before proceeding to the cruise terminal on Thursday in case of unexpected delays.

Sailings From Charleston

Port of Charleston is closed due to Port Condition Zulu.

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. It is expected to return to Charleston on Saturday, September 2.

There are no plans to change the September 2, 2023, departure for Carnival Sunshine, another five-night Bahamas cruise visiting Nassau and Half Moon Cay.

Carnival’s brand ambassador will post any cruise-related hurricane updates on his Facebook page.

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Cruise lines cancel voyages as Hurricane Ian hits Florida

By Kate Gibson

Edited By Irina Ivanova

Updated on: September 28, 2022 / 3:36 PM EDT / MoneyWatch

Cruise operators canceled trips and rerouted ships as Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, where those in the storm's path readied on Wednesday for storm surges and potentially deadly winds . 

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. 

Hurricane Ian's "extremely dangerous" eyewall was moving onshore in southwest Florida late Wednesday morning, just hours after it grew into a  Category 4  storm. It was packing sustained winds of 155 mph — making it just shy of a Category 5 hurricane, which is the most powerful storm possible.

• Live Updates: Hurricane Ian's "extremely dangerous" eyewall moves onshore in southwest Florida

Carnival Elation, which departed the now-shuttered Jacksonville port on Saturday, is changing its itinerary around the Bahamas to avoid Hurricane Ian and will stay at sea until Jacksonville's JaxPort reopens. Carnival Paradise, which left the Port of Tampa Bay on Saturday and was in Cozumel on Wednesday, said it will extend its current trip until the storm has passed and the port in Tampa reopens, possibly on Saturday. 

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.

🚩Sept 30 Sailing of the Disney Wish is CANCELED. Guests of that sailing will automatically receive a full refund back to your original form of payment.  DCL is also providing each guest with a 20% future cruise discount. #disneycruiseline #HurricaneIan #Ian pic.twitter.com/JazFEwcNTH — MickeyBlog.com (@MickeyBlog_) September 28, 2022

Disney Cruise Line late Tuesday canceled its Friday sailing of the Disney Wish due to forecasted weather conditions for Port Canaveral and Central Florida. It said customers would be fully reimbursed and offered a 20% discount on future cruises. 

Royal Caribbean postponed Thursday's Mariner of the Seas departure from Port Canaveral until Friday, but that plan is subject to change. 

Norwegian Cruise Line rerouted its Norwegian Sky to Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands from a planned itinerary that had included Grand Cayman, Honduras, Belize and Mexico. The line also canceled a 10-day Caribbean sailing on Norwegian Getaway that was to depart Thursday from Orlando, it stated on its site.

The high seas and winds also prompted the Big M Casino to cancel all of its cruises Thursday, Friday and Saturday, tweeted the company, which operates gambling vessels from Little River, South Carolina. 

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. Myers region at risk of a possible direct hit. 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. Life-threatening impacts are expected and power outages are occurring.

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Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York, where she covers business and consumer finance.

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Hurricane Ian disrupts major cruise line itineraries. Here are the major changes so far.

Major cruise lines have adjusted plans due to Hurricane Ian , in some cases changing nearly entire itineraries or canceling sailings altogether.

Norwegian Cruise Line rerouted a Sept. 25 round-trip cruise from Miami with scheduled stops in George Town, Grand Cayman, Roatán, Honduras, and Harvest Caye, Belize, and Cozumel, Mexico, a spokesperson told USA TODAY in an email. The Norwegian Sky will instead visit San Juan, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and Nassau in the Bahamas.

"The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our number one priority," the spokesperson said, adding that passengers with shore excursions booked through Norwegian at impacted ports would be refunded via their onboard accounts.

The cruise line also canceled a 10-day Caribbean sailing on Norwegian Getaway scheduled to leave on Thursday from Orlando, Florida, according to a statement on its website .

MSC Cruises also made major changes to MSC Seashore's Sept. 24 sailing from Miami, swapping its Western Caribbean itinerary for Eastern Caribbean stops, including the line's private island, Ocean Cay, Nassau in the Bahamas and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

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"Guests received a full refund of any shore excursion booked for destinations the ship will no longer be calling at, and shore excursions booked for Ocean Cay were automatically rescheduled for the new call date there," MSC spokesperson Field Sutton said in an email.

MSC Divina also skipped a stop at Ocean Cay Tuesday, making its way to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, instead, and "tentatively plans" to head back to Florida's Port Canaveral on Friday, a day later than planned, Sutton said. A three-night sailing on the ship scheduled for Thursday has been canceled as well.

The changes come after Hurricane Fiona disrupted cruise schedules, forcing Norwegian to reroute a cruise bound for Bermuda to Canada  last week.

Other major lines such as Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International have similarly altered itineraries as a result of Hurricane Ian.

What other cruise lines have made changes?

►   Carnival canceled three sailings due to port closures in Jacksonville, Tampa, and   Port Canaveral in Florida. The cruise line called off four-day sailings on Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise from Jacksonville and Tampa, respectively, and a three-day trip on Carnival Liberty from Port Canaveral, spokesperson Matt Lupoli said in an email. Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise were scheduled to leave Thursday, with Carnival Liberty departing on Friday, and all passengers will get full refunds and 25% future cruise credits.

The line delayed a Saturday sailing on Carnival Sunshine as well. The ship will now leave on Sunday, due to a port closure in Charleston, South Carolina, that has delayed its return. Passengers will "receive a one-day pro-rated refund of our cruise fare and a $50 onboard credit," and those who decide not to sail will get a full refund, according to Lupoli.

Carnival Elation also swapped its scheduled visit to Princess Cays for a day at sea Tuesday and visited Freeport in the Bahamas Wednesday in place of a planned sea day, during a sailing from Jacksonville. The ship, which had been scheduled to come back on Thursday, is set to dock in Jacksonville when the port reopens, which Lupoli said is expected to take place Saturday. 

Carnival Liberty did not stop at Princess Cays Wednesday during a sailing from Port Canaveral, and Carnival Horizon did not stop at Grand Cayman on its sailing from Miami, opting for a sea day instead. The ship is expected to get back to Port Canaveral Saturday, one day later than scheduled.

Carnival Paradise, which is on a sailing from Tampa, extended its Tuesday stop in Cozumel through Wednesday. The vessel is set to dock in Tampa when the port reopens. That is expected to take place Saturday, though the ship had been scheduled to return Thursday.

Carnival Sunrise also skipped a stop in Bimini in the Bahamas Wednesday during a sailing from Miami, spending a day at sea instead.

Lupoli said Carnival Ecstasy, which left from Mobile, Alabama, Monday, would reorder its visits to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico, stopping in Progreso first. Another ship, Carnival Glory, departed New Orleans on Sept. 25 and was set to stop in Mahogany Bay and Roatán, Honduras, as well as Belize and Cozumel, rather than its previously planned stops, which included Key West, Florida, and Nassau.

► Royal Caribbean International has adjusted plans and its ships have skipped several ports as a result of the storm. Mariner of the Seas' Thursday sailing from Port Canaveral – which is currently closed – will now depart on Saturday, the cruise line said on its website . The ship will not visit Nassau, but will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay on Sunday.

Independence of the Seas' Friday voyage will now leave on Saturday, as well, and will not visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, but will stop in Nassau on Sunday as scheduled.

Those who sail will be compensated in on board credits, while passengers who decide to cancel can get a full refund.

Mariner of the Seas also skipped a visit to Labadee, Haiti, Monday on a sailing from Florida's Port Canaveral, a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said in an email. The spokesperson said   Allure of the Seas would skip its scheduled visit to Roatán Tuesday during its sailing from Fort Lauderdale, and Liberty of the Seas would not stop in Cozumel as planned Tuesday.

► Celebrity Cruises replaced stops in Belize and Cozumel on a Celebrity Infinity sailing from Fort Lauderdale Sept. 24 with visits to Nassau and Labadee, the Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said.

► Disney Cruise Line canceled a Friday sailing on its Disney Wish ship, according to its website . Passengers booked on the cruise, which was scheduled to leave from Port Canaveral, "will automatically receive a full refund back to their original form of payment," a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson said in an email. "Additionally, we’re providing each guest with a 20% future cruise discount."

Hurricane Fiona hurtles through Bermuda; Atlantic Canada braces for 'historic storm'

Where is Hurricane Ian headed?

The coasts of North and South Carolina could see "life-threatening storm-surge" Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center .

The center also said hurricane-force winds "are expected along the coasts of South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina within the Hurricane Warning area soon," among other impacts.