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After rapidly strengthening, Hurricane Idalia made landfall on the gulf coast of Florida this morning. The National Hurricane Center on Friday warned of a non-tropical area of low pressure off Florida that was set to move northward and inland over the Carolinas during the weekend. Forecasters said there would be gusty winds, dangerous surf and rip current conditions along portions of the U.S.'s southeastern coast through Sunday. Cruise lines closely monitor the storm’s progress and work in coordination with meteorological agencies to assess its projected path and intensity.
Port of Charleston (Port Condition ZULU)
As a result, Carnival Liberty’s following September 30 departure from Port Canaveral is canceled as the port will be closed. Guests will receive a full refund and an addition of a 25% future cruise credit. For the current September 26 sailing out of Port Canaveral, the vessel was unable to make a scheduled call at Princess Cays on September 28 due to the weather.
Hurricane Season Cruising: How Safe Are Cruise Ships During Hurricanes?
The Carnival Legend, which sailed Sunday out of Baltimore will call at Nassau and Freeport instead of Bermuda during its six-day sailing. In a statement posted online, Royal Caribbean said it expected Mariner of the Seas to be back in Port Canaveral on Friday, a day later than scheduled. All three of the ships had been due back at Port Canaveral on Thursday morning but will now stay at sea until Friday morning if not longer.
State of the Sea
Watch: Massive rogue wave batters cruise ship in North Sea - Fox Weather
Watch: Massive rogue wave batters cruise ship in North Sea.
Posted: Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Once the storm passes and it is deemed safe, the cruise line will reassess the situation and make decisions regarding the continuation of the voyage, potential itinerary changes, or a delayed departure. Weather conditions can change rapidly, making it vital for cruise lines to stay in constant communication with meteorological agencies and utilize advanced weather forecasting technology. These tools help in predicting the path and intensity of hurricanes, providing valuable data that allows cruise lines to make informed decisions for the safety of their passengers and crew.
In another post, he accused the cruise ship's management of putting passengers' lives in danger and said some crew members had been injured. "Our cruise ship last night was literally sideways and slung everything in our room breaking, people in the hallways throwing up and sleeping on the stairs," Whited wrote in the post. Even before the extension of this sailing was formally announced, Disney Cruise Line canceled the upcoming Disney Wish sailing that was set to depart Port Canaveral on Friday, Sept. 30, as a safety precaution.
Mariner of the Seas
Norwegian cruise ship loses navigation ability in North Sea during storm - Reuters
Norwegian cruise ship loses navigation ability in North Sea during storm.
Posted: Thu, 21 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
This allows them to make informed decisions and take necessary actions in a timely manner. Also note that to make any claim under a travel insurance policy related to a cruise marred by a hurricane or tropical storm, you have to have bought the policy before the storm formed and was officially named. One problem that cruisers encounter in these (relatively rare) situations where a cruise line cancels a sailing due to a storm is that the cancellation usually comes at the last minute.
These ports should be located at a safe distance from the hurricane’s projected path to minimize the risk of heavy winds, storm surges, and other potential dangers. Just as airline pilots maneuver to avoid turbulence, cruise ship captains and their headquarters-based overseers are keenly aware of passenger safety and comfort. If you're particularly prone to seasickness, hurricane season might not be the best time for you to cruise.
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Passengers on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship Disney Wish had their four-night sailing out of Port Canaveral extended by a day when the ship could not return to port and instead found calmer seas to hang out in. A video was posted on Twitter of passengers cheering when they learned they would have more time on the ship. Millions of cruisers are in the Caribbean on dozens of ships during the hurricane season, which roughly runs from the start of June until the end of November. The extended sailings are just the latest in a string of disruptions to cruises this week caused by Hurricane Ian. More than a dozen cruise ships operating in the Caribbean and the Bahamas have had to switch course in recent days to steer clear of the storm as it barreled toward Florida. In many cases, the ships dropped or switched ports as they moved to calmer waters.
My Advice for Cruising in Hurricane Season
If your cruise is extended or shortened, expect extra onboard credit and any unlimited packages purchased to be honored for the extra days. As anyone that deals with hurricanes a lot will tell you, the forecasts for tropical storms are quite variable and prone to changes that greatly benefit or penalize your situation. One day it might look like your ship will be clear of any issues, and the next, it looks like you're stuck. For cruises that are shortened, passengers are refunded pro-rata for the days which they miss. In most cases, if a cruise is set to sail near a hurricane, it will simply be diverted to visit different ports of call, or you may skip a port altogether and have an extra sea day. The average speed of a cruise ship is 23 mph, with maximum speeds reaching 34 mph.
Some passengers and crew members needed "minor assistance" from medical staff, a Carnival cruise spokesman told CBS News. Passengers may be allowed to disembark in the port for a period of time, depending on the circumstances and local regulations. However, this is at the discretion of the cruise line and port authorities, as ensuring the safety of individuals remains a top priority.
The hurricane-force winds of a typical small hurricane, by contrast, extend just 25 miles out from its center. The hurricane-force winds from a large hurricane might extend as far as 150 miles from its center. Reid Overcash said the crew did not communicate with passengers as the ship was stopped in the ocean during the storm. Other passengers on the ship shared details of their ordeal on social media, with some complaining about a lack of communication from the ship's crew. In the early hours of Saturday, Taylor said staff changed the television screens to tell passengers to stand by for an announcement. "We were no longer able to see where we were going, how fast we were going, what the wind speed was, or anything. We were blind to what was going on," he said.
By implementing thorough training, clear protocols, and effective communication, cruise lines strive to ensure the well-being and safety of everyone on board, even in the most challenging situations. It's always a good idea to book flights and cruises with a card that provides travel protections — and this is especially important during hurricane season. When a line cancels a departure outright, it's sometimes the case that it will offer passengers both a refund for the trip and a future cruise credit they can apply to their next sailing. This sort of response was on display in 2017 as Irma's approach prompted some lines to cancel itineraries altogether. When cruises are shortened or extended due to weather, cruise lines will often aid passengers who need to change post-cruise travel plans. They might offer free phone calls from the ship or free internet access to make it easier for passengers to contact airlines and hotels to make changes.
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