Carnival, Royal Caribbean Issue More Irma Cruise Updates

Cruise lines are continuing to modify their itineraries as a result of the severe damage several Caribbean islands suffered during Hurricane Irma.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald reports that the cruise line is modifying the following itineraries:

  • Carnival Conquest – September 16: Departing Fort Lauderdale for an eight-day cruise to Amber Cove, La Romana, Curacao and Aruba
  • Carnival Glory – September 16: Updated - Departing Miami for a seven-day cruise to Half Moon Cay, San Juan, and Amber Cove
  • Carnival Magic – September 16: Updated - Departing Port Canaveral for an eight-day cruise to Amber Cove, San Juan, Antigua and St. Kitts
  • Carnival Paradise – September 16: Departing Tampa for a five-day cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel
  • Carnival Sensation – September 16: Departing Miami for a five-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport
  • Carnival Breeze – September 17: Departing Galveston for a seven-day cruise to Freeport and Nassau
  • Carnival Fascination – September 17: Departing San Juan for a seven-day cruise to Dominica, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Saint Kitts
  • Carnival Victory – September 18: Departing Miami for a four-day cruise to Cozumel

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean has cancelled Majesty of the Seas September 15 Bahamas cruise in order to utilize the ship for humanitarian efforts in the Caribbean. Guests on this sailing will receive a full refund of the cruise fare and fees, as well as a 25 percent future cruise credit on bookings within the next 30 days.

Enchantment of the Seas September 15 Bahamas cruise will commence boarding at 4 p.m. and sail at 8 p.m., a slight change to the previous embarkation time. There is no itinerary impact due to this change.

In order to finalize the cruise lines humanitarian efforts in St. Maarten and St. Thomas this week, Royal Caribbean is pushing the departure date for Majesty of the Seas September 18 Bahamas cruise to Tuesday, September 19. The ship will still call at both Nassau and Cococay, Bahamas, except on a three-night itinerary. Guests who choose to sail will receive a 25 percent refund of the cruise fare in the form of a refundable onboard credit, as well as a 25 percent future cruise credit on bookings within the next year.

For Empress of the Seas September 23 and 27 Cuba cruise, Royal Caribbean will be placing the planned port call at Key West with a sea day due to the storms severe impact on the island. The line is working with local authorities to schedule a humanitarian stop on the way to Havana, Cuba. Guests who choose not to sail on this itinerary will receive a 100 percent future cruise credit on bookings made within the next year.

The line said it has communicated all changes on sailings through the end of September. Looking ahead, Royal Caribbean said it will continue to communicate any port changes approximately four weeks prior to departure.

Norwegian Cruise Line

As we reported yesterday, Norwegian Cruise Line reports that it has received confirmation that the port facilities in Havana, Cuba, were not impacted by Hurricane Irma, and that tour operators there are ready to receive the cruise lines guests.

The cruise line reports that its Miami-based ships, the Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Escape, will resume their normal operations this weekend. Norwegian Sky will depart as scheduled on Friday, September 15 for a three-day cruise to the Bahamas, as the ships ports-of-call, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, were unaffected by the storm. Norwegian Skys four-day cruise to Cuba departing on Monday, September 18 will sail as scheduled.

Norwegian Escape will depart as scheduled for a seven-day western Caribbean cruise on Saturday, September 16.

Norwegian said it is working to assess impacts to the ports it visits in the eastern Caribbean. Currently, the cruise line has changed all of its eastern Caribbean itineraries to western‎ Caribbean cruises for the next two months. It also plans to alter future itineraries if needed.

MSC Cruises has not communicated any further modifications since yesterdays report. The MSC Divina will sail a modified itinerary departing September 16, and the MSC Opera will resume regular service out of Havana starting September 16.

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