As Hurricane Helene strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico, several cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean, are experiencing disruptions.
Both companies have had to delay ships returning to Florida ports as the storm approaches, and several embarkation and itinerary changes are now in effect.
Carnival Ships Remain at Sea
Carnival Cruise Line’s two smallest ships, Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise, have both had their return delayed due to the closure of their homeports. Carnival Elation, homeported in Jacksonville, and Carnival Paradise, based in Tampa, are safely staying at sea to avoid the storm.
Guests booked on the following sailings of each ship, originally scheduled to depart on Thursday, September 26, have been informed that their cruises will not operate as planned.
We expect updates on when these ships can return and new sailing dates by 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 26.
The cruise line is closely monitoring the storm and awaiting post-storm port inspections to determine when operations can resume. Once the situation becomes clearer, compensation details will also be shared.
Royal Caribbean Ships Also Delayed
Royal Caribbean is also dealing with several disruptions. Serenade of the Seas, currently homeported in Tampa, is extending its voyage by two days due to the closure of Port Tampa Bay.
Read More: Serenade of the Seas Completes World Cruise
The ship will return on Sunday, September 29, and guests are compensated with complimentary Wi-Fi, drink package discounts, loyalty points, and reimbursement for altered flight plans. This delay has a cascading effect on the next cruise, which will now embark later but still conclude as initially scheduled on October 6.
Sailing from Port Canaveral, Utopia of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas are experiencing delays. Utopia of the Seas will return later than planned, with embarkation for its next sailing adjusted to start at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, September 27.
Adventure of the Seas will also be delayed due to the port’s closure but expects no changes to its itinerary.
MSC Seashore, based in Port Canaveral, will return a day late and arrive Friday when the port reopens.
Port Closures and Hurricane Path
Jacksonville Port Authority and Port Tampa Bay closed to cruise traffic on the evening of September 25, as the U.S. Coast Guard set Port Condition Zulu, indicating gale-force winds were expected within 12 hours.
Port Canaveral is also closed, and delays are expected through the weekend. The hurricane’s extensive wind field means many areas will experience impacts even if the storm doesn’t make direct landfall.
Hurricane Helene is forecast to strengthen as it approaches the Florida coast, possibly reaching Category 3 or 4 intensity by landfall.
