We're roughly halfway through the Atlantic hurricane season, and, so far, we've seen four named storms, two of which strengthened into hurricanes. As such, cruise ships have had itineraries altered to keep passengers and crew safe.
The latest, Hurricane Debby, made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on August 5 with sustained winds of 80 mph. As of 2:00pm, however, the National Hurricane Center reported Debby had weakened as the storm moved inland with 65mph sustained winds.
Though not as strong as Hurricane Beryl, Debby has brought significant rainfall and strong winds to affected areas. Tornado watches, for instance, were put into place for much of Florida due to the storm's outer bands. Plus, flights from Tampa and Orlando were disrupted. At its peak, the storm caused 150 flight cancelations and 216 delays, reported Fox 13.
Impacts aren't limited to Florida, either. "A few tornadoes are possible over central and northern Florida and southeastern Georgia today," said the National Hurricane Center, "The threat will spread northeastward into parts of South Carolina later today and tonight."
Two cruise ships are stuck at sea
It's not uncommon to hear of cruise ships change their courses due to hurricanes. When a storm begins developing, lines closely monitor the weather conditions and relevant forecasts. If the storm's trajectory or intensity poses a threat, the ship will be rerouted to keep passengers and crew safe.
Thankfully, it's rare for cruise lines to outright cancel sailings. If, for instance, a storm is headed to the Eastern Caribbean, a cruise line may deem it necessary to swap a visit to St. Maarten for a port like Cozumel or Belize.
At the time of writing, four cruise ships have had changes made to their original itinerary due to Debby. Two—Margaritaville at Sea's Islander and Carnival Paradise—are unable to return to the Port of Tampa.
"As always, the Port’s priorities are safety of life, protection of the environment, and maritime commence resiliency. On Aug. 3, 2024 at 9 p.m., U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) closed the shipping lanes and navigable channels leading into our port. The waterways remain closed," they shared.
Margaritaville at Sea's Islander was slated to return to Tampa on August 3 after a 5-night cruise to Key West and Cozumel. Now, the ship will return on Tuesday. Similarly, Carnival Paradise's August 5 cruise was delayed, as the ship cannot return to Tampa due to the port's closure.
Carnival Paradise was supposed to embark on a 6-night cruise to Roatán, Belize, and Cozumel. Now, the cruise will be shortened. Though disappointing, the revised schedule ensures passengers can enjoy a fulfilling vacation while prioritizing safety.
Symphony of the Seas will skip its scheduled stop in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Florida
After departing from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, passengers onboard Symphony of the Seas' August 2 sailing were notified that they'd be skipping their stop in Florida.
"Due to expected adverse weather coming into Florida early next week, and after exploring all options, we will skip our visit to Orlando (Port Canaveral) on Day 3 and have a Sea Day instead. To help make up for this change, we've added some time to our visit in Nassau, Bahamas, and will not arrive at 8:00 am," the letter reads
Moreover, Carnival Elation's August 1 and August 5 cruises were impacted, as the ship returned to Jacksonville one day early. "Latest weather update... @CarnivalCruise #CarnivalElation will return/ depart Jacksonville on Sunday Aug 4 instead of Monday to avoid #TropicalStormDebby. #Cruise passengers that can arrive a day early will get a free additional day added to their sailing," @CruiseGuy shared on X.
Craig Setzer, Chief Meteorologist Royal Caribbean Group, took to LinkedIn to share how he supports cruise ship captains
"Busy weekend keeping ships safe and away from Debby. Even when a voyage deviation is not required, sometimes port calls in squally weather can be quite challenging. Most port arrivals are very early but the ships need support nonetheless," he explains.
"Thankfully the weather cooperated for our arrivals but was happy to provide the predawn support, across our fleets. Appreciate Celebrity Beyond Captain Kate’s kind feedback. Makes my job that much more enjoyable."
Earlier this year, he shared what his team was doing to prepare for a "very active" hurricane season. The conducted simulation was with a storm that rapidly intensified as it approached South Florida under the assumption that the system developed within three days of reaching Miami.
Rather than having days to prepare, the exercise helped ensure the team was well-prepared to handle the widespread response required in such a scenario.
The storm serves as a reminder to purchase travel insurance, especially if you're traveling during hurricane season
From canceled flights to unexpected illnesses, travel insurance provides essential protection and peace of mind on your hard-earned vacation. It can help cover the out-of-pocket costs associated with trip cancelations, lost luggage, medical emergencies, and more.
When it comes to altered itineraries, cruise lines don't have to provide reimbursement. So long as the cruise has set sail, changes due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances typically fall under the terms and conditions of the cruise contract.
However, with the right insurance policy, you can claim compensation for disruptions that affect your planes, like canceled flights and additional expenses incurred.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
