Carnival Cruise Line is closely monitoring Hurricane Francine, which has disrupted marine operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Category 2 storm (sustained winds 96-110 mph) is bringing winds of 100 mph and is expected to impact the Port of New Orleans through early Thursday.
| The Carnival Valor, which embarked on a five-night Western Caribbean cruise on September 7, may face delays returning to its homeport. At the time of publication, the ship was sailing approximately 300 miles south of New Orleans. |
The ship had already visited the Western Caribbean ports of Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico, but due to the port closure on September 11, its scheduled return on September 12 is uncertain.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald noted on his Facebook page that, depending on storm conditions, the ship might not dock until Thursday afternoon.
Guests onboard the Carnival Valor were informed of potential itinerary changes before departing, and the cruise line emphasized safety as its top priority. “We are following guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard, and port authorities,” Heald said.
Carnival has encouraged passengers scheduled for the ship’s next four-night cruise to Cozumel, departing September 12, to stay updated through email and text alerts.
Carnival Liberty, another ship homeported in New Orleans, remains unaffected by Hurricane Francine and will not return until September 15.
Port operations in New Orleans are expected to resume at noon on September 12, pending damage assessment from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Hurricane Francine is expected to cause minor delays in port operations across the Gulf region. The neighboring port of Galveston has Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas due in on Thursday morning.
