Even though Hurricane Ian has already crossed Florida and now impacting South Carolina, there are still Carnival cruise ship itinerary changes, including expected embarkation delays due to port closures.
Several ships are impacted as they await the all-clear to head back to port, but they are also making sure that guests and crew remain safely away from Ian.
Carnival Cruise Line Itinerary Changes
Carnival Cruise Line released a further update on impacted itineraries as Hurricane Ian continues to impact operations despite already crossing the state of Florida.
We already know that some vessels have already canceled their following sailings, including Carnival Paradise out of Tampa, Carnival Elation out of Jacksonville and Carnival Liberty out of Port Canaveral.
Read Also: Updates on Cruise Itineraries Due to Hurricane Ian
There are now further delays expected for some of the other ships due to port closures and making sure they safely remain away from any storm impact.
Charleston Cruises
With Hurricane Ian currently hitting Charleston in South Carolina, it does mean that the port is closed and is under condition ZULU, set by the U.S. Coast Guard. Even when Ian has passed, the port will need time to assess any potential damage and make sure it’s safe for vessels to enter.
Carnival Sunshine is based out of Charleston and is sailing a five-night voyage from the port. The vessel is currently heading back towards Charleston at a safe distance from the storm. The ship was originally scheduled to arrive back on Saturday, October 1, but now is set to arrive a day later, on Sunday, October 2.
It now results in the following October 1 five-night voyage being delayed a day later, with departure now scheduled for Saturday, October 2. Carnival Sunshine will instead operate a four-day itinerary with just one call in Nassau, Bahamas.
Guests who decide not to go ahead with their Carnival Sunshine cruise can request a full refund. For those that still want to go ahead, they will receive a one-day pro-rated refund along with a $50 onboard credit.
Florida Cruises
At the moment, there are still some port closures in Florida as inspections are being made, to make sure there is no damage. Carnival Paradise, based out of the Port of Tampa, is already heading back towards the port and will dock when possible, which the cruise line is expecting to be Saturday, October 1. The originally scheduled September 29 sailing for the Carnival Paradise has already been canceled.
When it comes to Jacksonville, there is just the Carnival Elation, which is already on its way back to port. Once the port reopens, the Fantasy-class ship will dock, which is expected to be on Saturday, October 1. The September 29 voyage has already been canceled.
Port Canaveral still remains closed at this time as officials are assessing any potential damage. Carnival Liberty is already on its way back to the port and will dock as soon as the port is back open, which is set to be on Saturday. The ship’s September 20 cruise has already been canceled.
The Mardi Gras cruise ship, which is also based out of Port Canaveral, is expected to operate as normal. The ship’s seven-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary is still scheduled to depart on October 1. Carnival Freedom’s October 1 five-night sailing out of Port Canaveral is also still scheduled as normal.
Baltimore Cruises
Carnival Cruise Line has provided an update on the Carnival Legend, based out of Baltimore, Maryland. With adverse weather set to impact the region, it may affect the ability of the Spirit-class vessel to dock safely on schedule. Carnival is asking guests not to proceed to the terminal until embarkation times have been confirmed.
Norfolk Cruises
There may also be adverse weather for the Carnival Magic, based out of Norfolk in Virginia on the U.S. east coast. The cruise line is asking guests not to proceed to the terminal until embarkation has been confirmed for the ship’s October 1 five-night sailing.
Hurricane Ian Status
Hurricane Ian, which is expected to soon become a Tropical Storm once again, has caused widespread destruction across many parts of Florida.
The storm is now hitting South Carolina. According to the National Hurricane Center’s (NOAA) September 30, 2:00 PM advisory, Ian has maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH and is moving north at 15 MPH.
