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Carnival cancels cruises after ship catches fire in bad weather

Customers are facing cancellations after a Carnival Cruise Line ship caught fire during bad weather on Saturday.

The company said cruises scheduled for March 25 and March 29 from Port Canaveral will not embark. Carnival also issued the following statement.

“We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation. We are providing all guests on both canceled cruises a full refund and a 100% future cruise credit so they can come back and enjoy a future cruise with us. We also greatly appreciate the terrific guests who are currently sailing with us, for their outstanding cooperation and support."

The Carnival Freedom caught fire while sailing in the Bahamas. The company said there were multiple eyewitness reports of a lightning strike.

The ship was heading to Freeport after canceling a call to Princess Cay due to the bad weather. According to a release, the fire broke out on the port side of the ship's exhaust funnel, causing a portion to fall onto the deck.

Bay area residents Morgan Letchworth and Jacob Tures had just put their two young daughters down to a nap when they woke up to an emergency announcement on-board.

"It was pretty scary to be asleep and then get an announcement about a fire. It wasn't fun," Morgan said. "You can see people walking around in their life jackets. It was just kind of scary."

It's the second time in two years the Carnival Freedom's funnel caught fire, happening back in May of 2022.

Carnival Cruise Line now sending the ship back to Freeport for repairs, while fully refunding passengers on board the two cancelled trips this week.

"We are heartbroken," said Keen Red-Elk from West Lafayette, Indiana. "Luckily, we will go on another one we are positive about that."

Red-Elk said not only is the family getting fully-refunded for this trip, but a 100% credit for a future cruise and Carnival offered passengers up to $200 dollars a person for airfare he said.

"So in essence two [cruises] for the price of one," he said.

This while Morgan said she and her family were offered nothing for their troubles on ship.

"Obviously it's not their fault, but still our vacation was kind of ruined because we couldn't do stuff," she said. "The whole back was closed. There was a seafood restaurant, they had the track closed, the basketball courts closed, all of that."

A Carnival spokesperson told ABC Action News once the ship was cleaned of debris it was back to being "fully operational".

Though frustrated families who were on-board say it's not true and want to be compensated in some way.

"We made the best of what we could for our kids and us, but I don't think I should feel the way I do after getting off a vacation," Morgan said. "I shouldn't have anxiety."

Another viewer emailed ABC Action News with the same frustrations.

"Feel awful for my kid. She spent her (own) hard earned money to go and had a horrible experience," the email said.

No injuries to guests were reported, but two members of the firefighting crew were treated for minor smoke inhalation.

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Carnival Freedom cancels next 2 cruises following exhaust fire from ship’s tail

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Carnival Cruise Lines have announced the cancellation of the next two voyages on the Carnival Freedom after the ship’s exhaust funnel caught fire off the coast of the Bahamas on Saturday.

In a statement to WFLA.com, Carnival said that the damage was more than they initially thought, as it requires immediate repair for the stabilization of the funnel.

VIDEO: Carnival Freedom catches on fire

Consequently, they have canceled the next two voyages, departing March 25 and March 29, out of Port Canaveral.

All guests sailing on these dates will be issued a full refund and “a 100% future cruise credit so they can come back and enjoy a future cruise with us.”

Carnival said the funnel was stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark their guests.

“While we continue to investigate multiple eyewitness reports of a lightning strike, our technical team completed a thorough assessment during the ship’s visit to Freeport today,” the company added.

Toddler suffers 2nd, 3rd degree burns at Florida day care, family says

On Monday, the ship will go to the Freeport shipyard to undergo the required repairs.

Around 3:15 p.m. Saturday, the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel caught fire, with a portion of the tail falling onto Deck 10.

Rumors swirled that a lightning strike from severe weather caused the fire, but that has not been confirmed. Two crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation, and no guests were injured.

The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted and has activated their response team.

Carnival added that they appreciate all their guests currently sailing with them and for their cooperation and support.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.

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Videos capture terrifying moments of Royal Caribbean cruise caught in bad weather

A spokesperson for royal caribbean said the turbulence did not last long and there were no serious injuries., by monica galarza and kaitlyn schwanemann • published june 23, 2023 • updated on june 26, 2023 at 7:27 am.

A sudden storm hit a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, sending passengers running for cover as furniture flew around the deck.

Passengers had just boarded the Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas docked in Port Canaveral in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and were about to depart for the Bahamas when gusts of hurricane-like winds hit the ship.

Videos shared on social media show lounge chairs and tables flying across the deck.

One video captured the terrifying moment when a lounge chair narrowly misses a woman carrying a small child and hitting her stroller. Fortunately, the stroller was empty.

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Another video shows cruise guests running from the turbulent weather.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said the storm did not last long and there were no serious injuries reported.

The cruise was able depart for the Bahamas and arrived at CocoCay on time, the spokesperson said.

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@cornettahh Another angle from the 6/16/23 squall that hit #independenceofthesea while docked in #PortCanaveral around 4pm. It hit so fast and was gone in a matter of minutes! No ship announcements were made before or after so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning. 😳 #hurricaneseason #floridaweather #cruiseship #royalcaribbean #chaos #ocean #sea #squall ♬ original sound - Cora Cornett

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Carnival Cruise Passenger Captures Ship Fire on Video After Reports of Lightning Strike

The incident marks the second time in two years this particular ship has caught fire. It has caused the cancellation of two upcoming voyages

A Carnival cruise ship’s exhaust funnel caught fire on Saturday during a trip to the Bahamas, causing the company to cancel its next two voyages.

This is the second time in less than two years that the Carnival Freedom, based in Port Canaveral, Fla., has been impacted by a fire.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations, told Florida Today in a statement. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

PEOPLE has reached out to Carnival, but did not immediately hear back.

MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK (2)

While the cause of the fire is still being investigated, Carnival noted in a post on X Saturday that eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike.

One of the cruise’s passengers, Heath Barnes, posted footage of the incident on Facebook Saturday afternoon.

In a statement to TMX, Barnes said it had been storming on and off and he was on one of the ship’s upper decks when he experienced “the loudest thunder and lightening [sic] I have ever heard.”

After he returned to his cabin for about 15 minutes, his nephew and two friends came to tell him the ship was on fire.

“I thought they were giving me a hard time but I got up and went out on the balcony and sure enough the flames and smoke was pouring out of the tail,” he continued, adding that he took the videos from his balcony before travelers were asked to stay indoors.

MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY / USA TODAY NETWORK

Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald addressed the incident on Facebook, acknowledging that those impacted by the cancellations “will be feeling very disappointed.” 

“And I want to add my apologies and my assurances that when you rebook using your full refund and your 100% future cruise credit, that the crew will be standing by to give you all the Fun you deserve,” he added.

In May 2022, the Carnival Freedom caught fire during a five-day cruise to Turks and Caicos.

At the time, Carnival Cruise Line verified that a fire broke out in the funnel of the ship while it was in Grand Turk.

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The company said its "emergency response team quickly activated and extinguished" the flames.

"All guests and crew are safe, and the ship's guests were cleared by local authorities to go ashore," Carnival added.

The 948-foot Carnival Freedom, built in 2007, can hold just over 3,500 passengers, according to Cruise Mapper .

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Travel | videos show flooded decks as severe weather strikes carnival cruise ship.

The bad weather the formed in the Atlantic this weekend gave crew and passengers on board Carnival Sunshine a rough ride Saturday. Videos showed flooding on the lower decks and tumultuous seas rocking the ship before it was able to get into its home port of Charleston, S.C.

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday,” the cruise line said in an emailed statement Monday. “The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests. Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on its next cruise.”

The high seas were associated with a non-tropical low mixed with a storm front that had been sitting on Florida all week that the National Hurricane Center had been keeping tabs on, noting a small chance it could form into a tropical or subtropical depression.

As the system moved up toward the Carolina coast, gale and high seas warnings were issued from Florida up to Virginia, and Carnival Sunshine endured some of those effects as it waited to get into port. Weather reports showed winds in the area of up to 75 mph.

The aftermath aboard Carnival Sunshine after a severe storm. The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed. pic.twitter.com/MqsDJYvrSG — Crew Center (@CrewCenter) May 28, 2023

Videos on social media showed some of the damage. One post from the Twitter account @CrewCenter, associated with website Crew-Center.com, which is run by former ship crew, showed “the aftermath aboard Carnival Sunshine after a severe storm. The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed.”

The website report stated there were no injuries, but passenger space on Deck 2 also experienced flooded hallways and staterooms.

@CarnivalCruise #carnivalsunshine . This was on Deck 12 at 11:38pm. We were in the piano bar right before when 30+ bottles of liquor jumped off of the bar and broke. We were told to leave the piano bar as there was liquor running across the floor. pic.twitter.com/2t1OLwY4go — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

Passengers in public spaces reported bottles flying off shelves as the waves of more than 12 feet rocked the ship.

A Twitter post from @FlyersCaptain said “We were in the piano bar right before when 30+ bottles of liquor jumped off of the bar and broke. We were told to leave the piano bar as there was liquor running across the floor.”

After a major makeover, the cruise line renamed what was the Carnival Destiny to Carnival Sunshine in 2013. It has a passenger capacity of 3,002 based on double occupancy.

The ship sails year-round on a variety of itineraries from Charleston.

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Around 100 cruise passengers injured after ship gets caught in rough weather

Passengers on Saga Cruises’ Spirit of Adventure cruise ship were injured after getting caught in a storm over the weekend.

Around 100 of the roughly 1,000 guests on board got hurt after the ship’s propulsion safety system was activated while crossing the Bay of Biscay on Saturday, causing the ship to veer to the left and stop. The area, located off the coast of France and Spain, is notorious for its rough seas . 

“The ship remained safe at all times, but due to the impact of the storm some guests sustained injuries,” a Saga Cruises spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “All were treated immediately by onboard medical staff.”

The ship held its position to wait out the conditions. "It was quite frightening," passenger Jan Bendall told the BBC . "I'm not somebody who frightens easily ... it was quite dramatic."

Most of the injuries were minor, but five people were more badly hurt and required treatment in the vessel’s onboard medical facilities. The ship was wrapping up a two-week, round-trip cruise from Portsmouth, England, to the Canary Islands that departed on Oct. 24, according to CruiseMapper .

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“While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely back, having sailed home in calmer seas,” the spokesperson added. Saga Cruises will contact guests about compensation.

The incident comes after a Carnival Cruise Line ship was similarly rocked by rough weather on its way back to the U.S. during a Bahamas cruise in May.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Video shows Carnival Freedom on fire, again. Two upcoming cruises were canceled. Here's what to know

The Carnival Freedom 's next two sailings have been canceled after the cruise ship, based out of Florida, caught fire . Again.

Carnival initially said there were no expected changes in its schedule but on Sunday afternoon announced cancellations of the Monday and Friday cruises out of Port Canaveral, which come during a busy spring break period.

"Regrettably, the damage is more than we first thought, and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," according to a statement issued by Matt Lupoli, Carnival Cruise Line's senior manager of public relations. "The funnel has been stabilized for the ship’s return to Port Canaveral overnight to disembark guests, and then it will go to the Freeport shipyard on Monday afternoon to begin the required repairs."

This is the second time in less than two years this cruise ship's funnel has caught on fire and disrupted the schedule.

Carnival cruise fire: Carnival Freedom's next two cruises from Port Canaveral canceled after exhaust funnel fire

When did the Carnival Freedom catch on fire?

The fire broke out on the port side of the ship's exhaust funnel area at about 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Carnival said.

The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas. It was intended to call on the Carnival private island of Princess Cay but had rerouted toward Freeport due to adverse weather.

"The ship’s fire response team was quickly activated, and the ship’s captain also turned the vessel towards the heavy rain in the area to maximize the efforts to put out the flames," an earlier Carnival statement said. The fire was put out by 5:20 p.m., the cruise line said.

Why did the Carnival Freedom cruise ship catch fire?

From Stormy Lee: “Tail on fire on Carnival Freedom. We were headed toward Freeport but it has now turned around headed back toward Princess Cays Bahamas” The fire has been extinguished and the passengers are safe. pic.twitter.com/fe1yipiq5Z — James Spann (@spann) March 23, 2024

Unknown at this time.

"Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike, and that is being investigated," Carnival said, "but cannot yet be confirmed."

Was anyone hurt in the Carnival Freedom fire?

The cruise line said there were no reports of passenger injuries, although two firefighting crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation and part of the funnel fell onto Deck 10, according to Carnival.

There were about 3.700 passengers aboard.

Which Carnival Freedom cruises have been canceled?

While initially the cruise line said the schedule would not be affected, further investigation found more damage than suspected. Scheduled cruises for Monday, March 25 and Friday, March 29 have been canceled.

Can I get a refund for my canceled Carnival Freedom cruise?

"We sincerely regret the impact to our embarking guests, as we know they have been looking forward to their spring break vacation

Where is Port Canaveral?

Port Canaveral, Florida is located on a barrier island between the Banana River and the Atlantic Ocean just north of Cape Canaveral. The port is 54 miles from Orlando and 75 miles from Daytona Beach.

What is the funnel on a cruise ship?

A cruise ship exhaust funnel works as a smokestack to lift emissions away from the deck and from passengers and crew. They're often called stacks.

The Carnival Freedom debuted a new stylized winged funnel in October last year after a 16-day dry-dock refurbishment in Cadiz, Spain. Carnival cruise funnels are referred to as the whale tail.

Has the Carnival Freedom cruise ship caught on fire before?

A fire broke out in the funnel area in May 2022 while it was docked in Grand Turk. Three scheduled sailings were canceled while the ship was repaired at a shipyard in Grand Bahama.

The ship was carrying about 2,500 passengers at the time and a crew of about 1,100, according to the cruise line. There were no injuries reported.

Which cruise ship caught fire?

The  Carnival Freedom  caught on fire on Saturday, March 23.

The 110,000-ton vessel made its inaugural sail in 2007.  The Freedom, which has 13 decks, can hold up to 3,754 passengers and 1,150 crew members.

Has a Carnival cruise ship ever sank?

No. But one has been shipwrecked.

On Jan. 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia struck a reef and capsized off the Tuscan island of Giglio. The ship, which was owned by a Carnival Corporation subsidiary, when the captain steered the 952-foot, 13-deck ship close to the shore to "impress the passengers" and tore a 160-foot gash in the port hull.

Captain Francesco Schettino was found guilty of manslaughter in 2015 and sentenced to 16 years in prison for the deaths of 32 passengers and crewmembers.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Carnival Freedom catches fire, cancels Monday, Friday Florida cruises

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What You Need to Know About Cruises in Bad Weather, According to an Expert

From rough seas to hurricane season, here's how to handle cruising during a storm.

Weather can be unpredictable. And when you plan your cruise vacation months — and sometimes even more than a year — in advance, it’s impossible to anticipate.

Cruises are often planned well in advance of the actual trip and, unfortunately, sometimes even the best plans are thwarted. That’s what happened when a group of passengers on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship staged a protest in 2019 after bad weather forced them to miss several ports on their European voyage.

The cruise on Norwegian Spirit (with a capacity of just over 2,000 guests) left from Southampton, England, and planned to make stops in the Netherlands, Norway, and Iceland — none of which they reached. A spokeswoman for the cruise line told The New York Times that “severe weather conditions” caused the itinerary changes and that the cruise line offered passengers 25 percent off the cost of a future cruise. However, passengers complaining about other issues like clogged toilets staged a protest, demanding a refund.

While weather is as uncertain as playing the lottery, changing an itinerary is a calculated decision, Colleen McDaniel, the editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic , told Travel + Leisure.

“[For] cruise lines, their No. 1 priority is going to be guest safety,” McDaniel said. “It is not just the decision of the onboard crew… it’s a team who makes that decision based on the latest weather patterns, based on the options or other alternatives.”

And while it is no doubt very frustrating if you’re forced to miss several planned stops, McDaniel said that cruise lines are often under no obligation to offer a refund.

“When itineraries change, they’re pretty well protected by the contract that every person on board their ships signs,” she said, adding that any refund offered is “actually above and beyond what they’re legally required to do. For some passengers that doesn’t sound great, but they are covered by that contract.”

So what can you do if you’ve packed your bags, booked your flights, and updated your out-of-office message for your dream cruise and the weather decides to rain on your plans? Cruises in storms are never ideal, but here's how to plan ahead and make the most of your trip.

Be aware of what is going on at all times.

McDaniel said it’s important to listen to announcements and be very clear with the situation on board. It’s imperative that you get the most up-to-date information from the staff who know it best and don’t rely on rumors or hearsay.

Though your itinerary may change, cruises are rarely canceled due to storms. Ships are designed to handle rough seas and can be rerouted to avoid danger. Once you're on board, any port updates will be announced over the ship’s intercom or detailed in a notice delivered to your stateroom.

Use a travel agent.

McDaniel said that using a travel agent to book your trip could save you a headache in the end.

“This person becomes your travel advocate,” she said. “They're someone who has relationships with the cruise line — when something goes wrong, they can be your advocate.”

While cruise ships aren't obligated to offer refunds, you'll often get a small reimbursement for missed ports.

Stay organized.

If you are offered any kind of compensation, McDaniel recommends writing down all the information.

“Get people's names and write down what the compensation was,” she said, adding you also have to be patient: “Be aware that there are countless cruise ships out in port at any time and so it might take some time to hear back."

Prevent seasickness.

Cruising in bad weather can lead to seasickness, so you'll want to take immediate steps to ensure you won't be confined to your cabin with a stomach ache. Some options include taking an over-the-counter medication like Dramamine or Bonine, using an acupressure wristband, or applying a patch like Transderm Scop before you step on board.

Plan alternative activities.

Though some excursions like helicopter rides or kayaking tours might be scrapped, you may still be able to go shopping, visit a museum, or go on a bus tour. Your cruise line will likely refund you for any excursions you booked through them, while private tour operators usually issue refunds upon request.

Since outdoor activities on board, such as pools and rock climbing walls, might be unavailable, your best bet is to find something to do indoors. The ship will usually offer additional programming, so pay attention to announcements and do your best to get into the spa, evening entertainment, or specialty restaurants, since these will be more in demand.

Know that you can leave.

If you’re not enjoying the cruise or not doing what you hoped to, you can leave the ship early as a last resort.

“Ultimately, if you feel like you're not getting the cruise you want, you can leave,” McDaniel said, “but it’s going to be on you.”

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Port of Miami Cruises Delayed Due to Weather (Possibly 60,000 Passengers Impacted)

The Miami area has been hit by wild weather over this weekend with strong wind gusts and heavy rain. Official data counted about 1.2″ in the Miami area officially on Saturday, but wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour also hit the region. As well, tide levels reached moderate flood stage, causing havoc:

We’ve seen wind gusts as high as 56mph along parts of the South Florida coastline. The constant onshore wind is pushing us into moderate flood stage during times of high tide, about 2.2 feet higher than normal. #Miami #FLwx pic.twitter.com/oQZVVGjPTP — Brandon Orr (@BrandonOrrWPLG) December 17, 2023

As of Sunday morning, the port announced on its website and Twitter that due to the weather, “all PortMiami cruise ship boardings and departures will be delayed.”

The notice says cruise passengers should contact their cruise line for more details.

There will be a delay on Sunday, December 17th embarkation due to recent weather conditions. Please contact your cruise line for instructions and more information. pic.twitter.com/3POAPbDODc — PortMiami (@PortMiami) December 17, 2023

Given this delay is occurring on a weekend when more ships end their trips and begin new ones (known as “turnaround day), it has a significant impact on a large number of passengers. A check of ship-tracking site CruiseMapper.com shows Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas in port with MSC Divina, with Oceania Insignia and Norwegian Encore in the process of docking. Meanwhile, several other ships sit offshore, waiting their turn to come into port.

Typically ships arrive in port early in the morning, between 6-7 a.m. local time. As of 11 a.m. local time today, many ships had yet to dock.

All told, nine cruise ships are scheduled to be in port today before heading back out this evening:

• Scarlet Lady (carries 2,770 passengers at double occupancy)
• Oasis of the Seas (5,602 pax)
• Grandeur of the Seas (1,992 pax)
• Norwegian Encore (3,998 pax)
• MSC Divina (3,078 pax)
• Oceania Insignia (698 pax)
• Carnival Horizon (3,960 pax)
• Carnival Celebration (5,374 pax)
• Vision of the Seas (2,050 pax)

Combined, these ships have a passenger capacity of roughly 30,000 at double occupancy . Considering that the passengers both debarking and embarking are impacted by the delay, that could mean roughly 60,000 passengers in total will be affected if the ships are sailing full.

This no doubt includes a number of passengers with flights home scheduled for later today that will likely have to be rescheduled.

If you have a cruise arriving or departing Miami today, then your cruise line should be in touch with instructions . No matter what, it’s important to pack some patience as an already busy day in port is set to be even busier.

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Cruisers stuck at sea as rough weather closes cruise ports: 'I'm bummed'

Cruisers stuck at sea as weather shuts ports.

Rough seas are impacting cruise ships trying to sail away from danger.  Some cruisers are stuck at sea because it isn’t safe to dock at certain ports. 

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - Rough seas are impacting cruise ships trying to sail away from danger. Some cruisers are stuck at sea because it isn’t safe to dock at certain ports.  

Longtime cruisers didn't think there would be any weather disruptions in December, so they were surprised by the weather system. They are making the most of their vacation, but sailing around in circles isn't what they were hoping for. 

"Instead of walking around on islands and enjoying the nice weather, you’re kind of stuck on a cruise ship out in the water," said Daniel Ruiz who’s on board the Carnival Vista. 

He’s cruised before, and this trip hasn’t been smooth sailing. 

"I’m bummed that we didn’t get to go to Grand Turks," he said. 

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It wasn’t safe for the ship to dock, so Ruiz missed out on his pre-planned ATV excursion. Instead, he’s making the most of what he can on board the ship. 

"Eating – you know. Eating. You can never get away from the eating. There’s always food," Ruiz said chuckling. 

He isn’t alone in that choice. 

"Eat your weight in whatever the heck you can get a hold of. Get the drink package," said Larry and Kristen Cantor, who are first-time cruisers. 

The Cantor family is a little bummed because they had been planning this Christmas cruise for a while. They’re sailing on Allure of the Seas and didn’t make it to Coco Cay because of bad weather.  

"It is kind of a letdown, but that’s life. You got to learn to deal with it," Larry added.  

The howling wind they can hear from their balcony is a constant reminder of how rough conditions are. Some pool decks even had to close on Thursday to make sure passengers stayed on board.  

"When we were up on the top deck where the pools and things are, you could see people looking like they were going to get blown away," Larry concluded. 

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Severe Weather Delays Cruise Ship Back to Florida

Andrea Santillan

• December 15, 2023

Due to severe weather, Holland America Line has postponed the departure of Nieuw Amsterdam’s Caribbean cruise scheduled for this Saturday from Port Everglades.

Together with compensation, the cruise line offered booked passengers a new embarkation date and a shorter itinerary.

Holland America told passengers that it would instead visit Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas and Key West, Florida, before returning to Fort Lauderdale on December 23.

The original voyage should have been to Samana, Dominican Republic; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; and Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos. 

Cruise line compensation

The cruise company has offered future cruise credits that are equal to 100% of the guests’ cruise fare for the initial 7-day voyage as a way to make up for any inconvenience caused. Additionally, the passengers’ payment accounts will be credited with 25% of the fare amount for the first seven days.

Each guest will also get $150 in onboard credits. Any tours booked through Holland America that can no longer be accommodated due to the change of ports will be refunded. 

For guests needing additional nights in Fort Lauderdale or Miami, the cruise line offers $300 per stateroom per day in onboard credits to help passengers minimize their unexpected expenses. Holland America also recommended a few hotels where they might find vacancies.

Cruise lines have been known to adjust voyages from time to time because of weather or dry dock needs.

In the last few months, two sailings on Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas and six cruises on Carnival Panorama were canceled because the vessels needed repairs.

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Margaritaville at Sea Cancels Sailing Due to Bad Weather

• December 15, 2023

Margaritaville at Sea is cancelling its Dec. 15 sailing because of bad weather in South Florida, the company said in a statement.

“Due to the worsening conditions at the Port of Palm Beach, the Dec. 15-17 sailing onboard the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise has been cancelled,” the company said in the message, which was sent to booked guests.

“The safety and health of our guests and our crew is of highest priority, and unfortunately, the Palm Beach Inlet is temporarily closed to all vessels due to weather conditions, which has impacted our sailing,” the company added.

Continuing its year-round schedule of short cruises to the Bahamas, the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise was scheduled to offer a two-night cruise from the Port of Palm Beach to Freeport.

Affected passengers will be able to reschedule their sailings to a future date, Margaritaville at Sea continued.

If the sailing is not rescheduled by December 29, 2023, the purchase value of the cancelled sailing will be transformed into a Future Cruise Credit (FCC), the company added.

According to Margaritaville at Sea, the FCC can be applied towards any available sailing through December 29, 2024.

The company also advised that its call center hours may also be impacted by the weather conditions in Florida.

Currently the only ship in service for Margaritaville at Sea, the Margaritaville at Sea Paradise originally entered service in 1991.

Built for Costa Cruises, the vessel was acquired by Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line – which would later become Margaritaville at Sea – in 2018.

Expanding its operations to the Gulf Coast and the Western Caribbean, the company is poised to add a second ship to its fleet in June 2024.

Sailing from Tampa, the Margaritaville at Sea Islander will offer a series of four- and five-night cruises to Mexico and Key West .

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2 crew members die on cruise ship during ‘incident’ in the Bahamas

• Published: Mar. 25, 2024, 9:11 a.m.

FILE - A Holland America cruise ship is shown in Victoria, Canada on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died during an “incident” in the ship's engineering space, the cruise line said. The unidentified crew members died Friday, March 22, 2024, while the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America said in a statement.(Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP) AP

• The Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died during an “incident” in the ship’s engineering space, the cruise line said.

The unidentified crew members died Friday while the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America said in a statement.

Authorities were notified and the cause of the accident is being investigated, the cruise line said. Crew members were being offered counseling.

“All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers are with our team members’ families at this difficult time,” the statement said. “The safety, security and welfare of all guests and crew are the company’s absolute priority.”

The cruise line did not offer any further details about the crew members. It later said the Bahamas Maritime Authority was leading the investigation. The ship set sail out of Fort Lauderdale on March 16 for a seven-night trip.

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Carnival Cruise Line shares bad news about its onboard offerings

When you take a cruise, you leave the U.S. 

Your cabin might look like a hotel room, but it's actually part of a ship that travels to various ports worldwide. So unlike a stay at a U.S. hotel, you won't have a full array of television channels. Each cruise line makes licensing deals to offer a selection of entertainment, news and sports.

Related: Carnival Cruise Line warns its passengers about onboard behavior

In most cases, these are the international feeds of those channels, so if you're watching the Super Bowl on a ship, you won't get to see the commercials. Most major cruise line ships will have access to the biggest sporting events, but not all of them.

Back in 2019, for example, Royal Caribbean  ( RCL )  was using a couple of older ships for sailings to Cuba. When those sailings were canceled — then-President Donald Trump outlawed visits to the island — the cruise line kept Majesty of the Seas in the fleet even though it lacked many of the company's newer amenities.

Among the missing venues was a sports bar, and that meant passengers on a July 2019 sailing could not watch the U.S. Women's National Team face England in the World Cup semifinals. The ship was docked that day, but it left port before the game would have ended.

This outraged many passengers, who did not understand why the cruise line could not simply turn on the game (it did not have the right to do that and would have faced huge fines). 

The situation could have gotten ugly — except the manager at the Schooner Bar, the main entertainment venue on the ship passed out free drinks while irate passengers dropped their anger and gathered around a passenger's iPad to watch the game.

Now, Carnival Cruise Line passengers face a similar situation, and Brand Ambassador John Heald did his best to defuse any possible anger.

Cruise lines generally offer big sports events

Most Carnival Cruise Line ( CCL ) and Royal Caribbean ships have sports bars. They will generally show all the big games as well as a selection of others. In many cases, when it comes to regular-season games, the cruise lines show what they have as they're not making special carriage deals for single games.

In many cases, for big events they will also show games on screens by the pool, in their casinos, and in theaters that have screens. For the Super Bowl and other championship games, both Royal Caribbean and Carnival generally offer some special screenside food options and they ensure that plenty of bartenders are around.

Neither cruise line offers that kind of treatment, however, for any other sort of television programming. One Carnival passenger messaged Heald to explain what a grave mistake that was. The brand ambassador replied with his usual mix of humor and honesty.

Carnival passengers will be missing a popular show

'And now we move onto some serious bad news," Heald said during his weekly video address on Facebook. "I'm so sorry to have to tell you this, but I will preface it by reading this letter."

Heald's facial expression as he delivers this suggests that while the news will be bad, it's not quite as dire in his mind as it is for the passenger asking. He described the letter writer as "a young lady whose name begins with 'G.'"

"Nobody at Carnival can give me the answer for this. I have called, nobody knows. Someone on my roll call (an unofficial social media board for a cruise) said I should write to you," G wrote. "Me and my sister will be leaving on the Glory on March 24," Heald read before stopping.

The brand ambassador then feigned being upset at having to deliver bad news.

"The final 'The Bachelor' episode is March 25. I do not want to miss this episode. Will the ship get ABC, and can this go on the jumbo screen," she asked.

Joey's journey to find love, she wrote, has "captured America's hearts. Carnival is an American cruise line. I hope you know that by not showing 'The Bachelor,' it will mean so much disappointment and anger for the passengers."

With pretend tears, Heald delivered that bad news.

"I'm so sorry, we can't show it," he said, hiding his face behind his hands. "Joey, poor Joey, will he find love? Is Joey a man or a woman? I don't know, I don't know anything about Joey."

Heald, who lives in England, noted that "The Bachelor" does not air there.

"You'll have to tape it or buy the internet and stream it," he added.

Heald explained that three other passengers had also asked about whether the show would air, but "G" achieved a special status.

"You're the one who got the most angry," he said. 

"We don't get ABC. Most of the cruise lines don't have the networks (Royal Caribbean will also not be showing "The Bachelor" finale onboard)."

Royal Caribbean also does not offer ABC nor does Norwegian, MSC Cruises, or Virgin Voyages. Disney Cruises, however, does offer ABC (since Walt Disney owns it) and will be showing "The Bachelor" finale.

The Daily Weather Update from FOX Weather: Powerful storms continue to march across South

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After deadly tornadoes ravage Ohio, experts warn early, strong storms could become the norm

After a deadly late-winter tornado devastated parts of central Ohio, meteorologists warn that tornado season hasn’t even started and that these powerful early storms might become more common in coming years.

Ohioans experienced 18 tornadoes so far in 2024, the most on record this early in the year, according to the National Weather Service, eight of which touched down in central Ohio.

Read More: Map tracks deadly tornadoes through Ohio

Three people died in an EF-3 tornado in Logan County , and damage was reported in Auglaize, Mercer, Darke, Miami, Union, Delaware, Licking, Hancock, Crawford and Richland counties.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday that teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will conduct damage assessments in the 11 counties affected by the storms to determine the need for additional assistance

The National Weather Service recently surveyed damage via helicopter, but meteorologists do not expect additional tornadoes to be confirmed, National Weather Service meteorologist Logan Clark said in an interview Thursday.

Clark said the next 7-10 days should have little risk of tornado activity due to slightly cooler-than-average temperatures. But Ohio still hasn’t reached its peak severe weather season, which typically runs from April to early June .

“One thing to keep in mind is that we're still kind of entering what would be considered normal severe weather season,” Clark said. “So, yeah, that potential (for more tornadoes) always exists.”

Did global warming play a role in Ohio's deadly tornadoes?

It's tough to tie any single weather event to global warming, Clark said. However, scientists also note that changing climates and warming oceans  impact the jet stream . 

But Clark said during winter, the jet stream is most active. Jet streams are strong bands of wind that run west to east across the globe. That jet stream wind combined with unseasonably warm temperatures creates a favorable environment for storm supercells.

“Whenever you get supercells, those are your biggest severe weather makers,” Clark said. “Your most notorious tornado producers as well.”

According to the weather service, a supercell is the least common type of thunderstorm that can bring damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes. A supercell thunderstorm was responsible for the tornadoes across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

Are early, severe tornadoes the new normal?

The tornadoes were the second batch of tornadoes Ohio saw this year. On Feb 28, six tornadoes were confirmed across Franklin, Montgomery, Madison and Clark counties.

“Even last year, we did have some really early season tornadoes as well,” Clark said.

Five tornadoes were confirmed in central Ohio in February 2023 . Experts say February tornadoes are not unheard of as air temperatures warm toward the end of winter, but the storms still fall outside Ohio’s normal tornado season.

Global warming could shift tornado season early in the future, leading to strong storms in the future that draw from strong winter winds. The slow shift toward earlier springs and later falls could lead to more tornadoes or stronger storms in general.

“We can't really say that with certainty,” Clark said. “Whenever you do get that increased warming earlier in the season, then you do have that potential if everything kind of aligned together to produce a system that has very strong dynamics.”

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• Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

Celebrity's Journey to Moscow excursion

By psygist , March 7, 2012 in Northern Europe & Baltic Sea

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I will be in St. Petersburg in June on a Celebrity ship. Having been there previously, we would like to do the Journey to Moscow excursion. Celebrity lists it in the shore excursion brochure for my sail date, but it has not been available for booking on their website.

I have called Celebrity twice and both times was told that even though it is listed in the shore excursion brochure, it probably isn't being offered since it is not listed for pre-booking on the website. I have emailed Celebrity twice and received a different response. They responded that they were still working with the tour provider on the details and is not yet available for pre-booking.

Anyone have any experience with this that could offer some advice? It's frustrating that cruise line agents can be so misinformed and inconsistent in what they tell us.

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I will be in St. Petersburg in June on a Celebrity ship. Having been there previously, we would like to do the Journey to Moscow excursion. Celebrity lists it in the shore excursion brochure for my sail date, but it has not been available for booking on their website. I have called Celebrity twice and both times was told that even though it is listed in the shore excursion brochure, it probably isn't being offered since it is not listed for pre-booking on the website. I have emailed Celebrity twice and received a different response. They responded that they were still working with the tour provider on the details and is not yet available for pre-booking. Anyone have any experience with this that could offer some advice? It's frustrating that cruise line agents can be so misinformed and inconsistent in what they tell us.

Having done this one-day trip to Moscow and back on another cruise while in St. Petersburg, I might be able to share some insight. First, from dealing with some Celebrity folks about Europe options, certain of them are limited in their personal experiences and knowledge about this part of the world. Shouldn't be this way, but it is. They know more on the familiar Carib options as that is what is both closer and for which they get more of their calls/question. If they haven't done it, nor is is clear on their computer screen, they can't be of much help.

Second, that excursion to Moscow has been "evolving" during the past few years as they have switched from doing it by air flights to connection by high-speed rail. On trips like this one that is more costly and highly specialized, you will probably need to "press and push" to reach someone who is more likely to know this somewhat of a "needle in the haystack".

It's sad that you've gotten the "run-around", but sometimes the staff is not as informed and experienced as you would like, expect and need.

Do you need any background info for what you would see and do in Moscow , how it works, etc.???

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik . Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 68,189 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

What you said makes perfect sense. Thanks.

I also looked into doing this tour privately, but one tour provider informed me there were no available trains or planes to fit my ship's time in port. We will be there on a weekend so its possible that transportation does not run as frequent. I just wish Celebrity could get their act together and tell me definitively whether they will be offering the Moscow excursion.

Terry, What you said makes perfect sense. Thanks. I also looked into doing this tour privately, but one tour provider informed me there were no available trains or planes to fit my ship's time in port. We will be there on a weekend so its possible that transportation does not run as frequent. I just wish Celebrity could get their act together and tell me definitively whether they will be offering the Moscow excursion. Paul

If your cruise puts you into St. Petersburg on a weekend, that could be another complicating factor. Openings at certain places, rail schedules, etc., could be different for some days of the week. It is possible to do the Moscow trip by some private tour companies, but if there are any weather and/or scheduling complications, that could make things more difficult. Doing it through the cruise ship, makes it "their" problem, not yours!!

Doing the one-day trip to Moscow is very interesting and special. Lots of cruise lines do it now and have the practice down to a "science". BUT, that weekend timing could be delaying their finalization some on schedules.

• 3 weeks later...

I will be in St. Petersburg in June on a Celebrity ship. Having been there previously, we would like to do the Journey to Moscow excursion. Celebrity lists it in the shore excursion brochure for my sail date, but it has not been available for booking on their website.   I have called Celebrity twice and both times was told that even though it is listed in the shore excursion brochure, it probably isn't being offered since it is not listed for pre-booking on the website. I have emailed Celebrity twice and received a different response. They responded that they were still working with the tour provider on the details and is not yet available for pre-booking.   Anyone have any experience with this that could offer some advice? It's frustrating that cruise line agents can be so misinformed and inconsistent in what they tell us.

I was able to book this for a June cruise in the past few days. If you look carefully in the fine print for the excursion, I believe it is because you have to begin the online check-in process since they need your passport/ID information before you can book this excursion. Try to do as much of the online check-in as you can, and I think it should appear for purchase.

It would be nice to know what the actual schedule for the Moscow excursion is. I don't believe it is actually 18.5 hours, but that is just to make sure that you can't book anything else on that day.

I was finally able to book the tour online. They just made it available for online booking the other day. I sure hope they reach the minimum number of guests so it isn't cancelled.

Not sure why it leaves at 9:30. If it indeed is an 18.5 hour tour, we won't get back until 4 am.

I was able to book this for a June cruise in the past few days. If you look carefully in the fine print for the excursion, I believe it is because you have to begin the online check-in process since they need your passport/ID information before you can book this excursion. Try to do as much of the online check-in as you can, and I think it should appear for purchase.   It would be nice to know what the actual schedule for the Moscow excursion is. I don't believe it is actually 18.5 hours, but that is just to make sure that you can't book anything else on that day.

It looks like Celebrity edited the description to say that, for those excursions on a weekend, the actual tour will be shortened by about 2 hours due to less traffic on a weekend.

Terry (or anyone who has been on the Journey to Moscow excursion before):

Can you give me a little detail on the itinerary? The tour description says that we will have a walking tour of Red Square and the Kremlin, as well as visits to the Armoury and one of the Kremlin cathedrals. Was wondering what other Moscow sights we will get to see. Or will the rest be in the form of a panoramic bus tour? Any opportunity for souvenir shopping?

Thanks for any insights you can offer.

• 1 month later...

This was just cancelled for my cruise :( Didn't meet the minimum number of people interested in going.

There might be some options through private tour companies. We used Anastasia for our part in St. Petersburg, but she is doing these Moscow arrangements for friends, two couples, from here in Central Ohio, in late June. I would contact a couple of key, experiences firms such as Anastasia, see what she and others can offer to make this one-day train trip over and back.

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik . Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 82,951 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 70,872 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

Which sailing are you on that the Moscow excursion was cancelled? I booked it for my Eclipse cruise June 23 sailing and haven't heard anything

• 2 months later...

soakedbythesea

You have probably figured out now that not only excursions, but many other things aboard ship are misleading, if not downright fraudulent. The ship crew, staff and clerks are all going to do pretty much what they want to, but not only on the Royal Caribbean's Celebrity brand, but almost all cruise ships - the captain can almost get away with murder. Aren't you glad you don't have to work on one of these vessels? Also make sure you don't get involved in any type of dispute, as even some crime gets swept under the ship - well, not all, like the Costa that crashed & tipped over, but not sure even then much will happen, as all passengers signed all their rights away before they got on board.

Hope you have enjoyed your cruise by now and maybe look back here on the board. About the only way to get any knowledge about the ships, excursions, etc. is through sites like this.

As we are sailing a year from now on Celebrity Constellation - Aug 12, we were wondering too about shows aboard, excursions (both ship and private), if you ever got to Moscow, etc. Please write to us at:

john at shifferds dot com - thanks

• 5 months later...

Ywlke,   Which sailing are you on that the Moscow excursion was cancelled? I booked it for my Eclipse cruise June 23 sailing and haven't heard anything

We will be in St. Petersburg in July and want to take Celebrity's tour to Moscow. Please let us know if you liked it or not and how long it was. This is going to be our second time in St. Petersburg but will like to take a private tour on day #2. Did you do something the day after your Moscow tour? We are traveling with our teenagers and worry about them being too tired :rolleyes:

• 6 months later...

Kevin's girl

I thought I would bump this up. We will be on the Brilliance this time next year and are very interested in doing this our. Are there still people out there that have done it? I would love to hear what you thought of the tour, the travel part and what you were able to see while in Moscow. Was it worth the price?

I thought I would bump this up. We will be on the Brilliance this time next year and are very interested in doing this our. Are there still people out there that have done it? I would love to hear what you thought of the tour' date=' the travel part and what you were able to see while in Moscow. Was it worth the price?[/quote'] We just did this tour and really liked it, but this was our second time in St. Petersburg. If this is your first time there I don't know if it's the best choice. You spend most of the day in airports and buses. Our meeting time at the ship was 6:45 AM, followed by a 45 min. long drive to the airport. Then we had to wait for a 10:00 AM one hour flight to Moscow. As you can see we arrived after 11:00 AM followed by another 30 minutes ride to the city. We were taken to the Red Square, to take a subway ride, followed by a coffee and tea break, then to the Kremlin armory museum (where we spend most of our time), also visited the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and back to the Red Square. Were only given half hour for shopping, followed by a really long dinner at a local restaurant. Our flight back to St. Petersburg departed half hour late, arriving at 11:30 PM. It took a while for the bus to pick us up, another 45 min. drive to the port and we were at our rooms by 1:00 AM. This means that if you want to see St. Petersburg the next day, you are going to be really tired. BTW, I'm not complaining, this tour was so popular on our cruise that they had two groups for the first time. Most of my friends were on that group and they had the worst time. Their flight left earlier than ours and although they were taken to more places than us, they ended up on a later flight and arrived in St. Petersburg after 12:30 AM. The problem was that the tour company knew that they were not going to make it on time to the bridges that connect the city to the area where the ship docks. The elevated bridges go up at 1:30 AM in the morning and are taken back after 5:00 AM. Can you believe that our tour guide made fun of the fact that the other bus was not going to make it on time? It was really frustrating for them to watch the bridges go up in front of their eyes. They finally found online a bridge that goes down for periods of 15 min. and were able to go back to the ship after 3:00 AM. Some of them couldn't make it to their tours the next day. Remember, this is Russia, if you don't make it to your tour the next day, you won't be able to leave the ship. My friends tried to take a taxi and catch up with us, but their visa stated a 9:00AM pick up time and had to stay on the ship. We liked our tour, but it is up to you to decide if it's worth it. The time that you actually spend in Moscow is really limited. If by any chance you are given a late flight on your way back, start screaming and demand an earlier flight. The tour company hired by Celebrity is going to buy the cheapest flights to make more money. Just my two cents. I tried to research this tour before our cruise and didn't find too much information. Hope this helps. BTW, I was concern about the planes used for the flights, if you are too, don't be. The flight was great and were even given a sandwich with juice or water. I do have to say that we felt that we were on a PanAm 1970's flight. The attendants were all really young, skinny and beautiful, wore heavy make up and complicated hair styles. I was also not impressed by either St. Petersburg or Moscow's airports. No restrooms close to the gates, two flights leaving at the same time through the same gate, just a mess!! Before our tour I couldn't understand how Edward Snowden could hide for such a long time on an airport, after visiting Moscow's international airport it just made sense. Hope you enjoy your Baltic cruise.

Thanks for the details. I was quite curious about it. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like you got to see so much there. Fortunately as you say it was your second time in SPB, so you can compare and see the differences between the cities. They are very different.

On our Celebrity cruise, it was sold out, but I didn't come across anyone who took the tour to find out their experiences.

drarill, I had to laugh at the comment about how Snowden was able to hide in the airport ... I had wondered the same thing, but now we know!! LOL

We just did this tour and really liked it, but this was our second time in St. Petersburg. If this is your first time there I don't know if it's the best choice. You spend most of the day in airports and buses. Our meeting time at the ship was 6:45 AM, followed by a 45 min. long drive to the airport. Then we had to wait for a 10:00 AM one hour flight to Moscow. As you can see we arrived after 11:00 AM followed by another 30 minutes ride to the city. We were taken to the Red Square, to take a subway ride, followed by a coffee and tea break, then to the Kremlin armory museum (where we spend most of our time), also visited the Cathedral of the Annunciation, and back to the Red Square. Were only given half hour for shopping, followed by a really long dinner at a local restaurant. Our flight back to St. Petersburg departed half hour late, arriving at 11:30 PM. It took a while for the bus to pick us up, another 45 min. drive to the port and we were at our rooms by 1:00 AM. This means that if you want to see St. Petersburg the next day, you are going to be really tired. BTW, I'm not complaining, this tour was so popular on our cruise that they had two groups for the first time. Most of my friends were on that group and they had the worst time. Their flight left earlier than ours and although they were taken to more places than us, they ended up on a later flight and arrived in St. Petersburg after 12:30 AM. The problem was that the tour company knew that they were not going to make it on time to the bridges that connect the city to the area where the ship docks. The elevated bridges go up at 1:30 AM in the morning and are taken back after 5:00 AM. Can you believe that our tour guide made fun of the fact that the other bus was not going to make it on time? It was really frustrating for them to watch the bridges go up in front of their eyes. They finally found online a bridge that goes down for periods of 15 min. and were able to go back to the ship after 3:00 AM. Some of them couldn't make it to their tours the next day. Remember, this is Russia, if you don't make it to your tour the next day, you won't be able to leave the ship. My friends tried to take a taxi and catch up with us, but their visa stated a 9:00AM pick up time and had to stay on the ship. We liked our tour, but it is up to you to decide if it's worth it. The time that you actually spend in Moscow is really limited. If by any chance you are given a late flight on your way back, start screaming and demand an earlier flight. The tour company hired by Celebrity is going to buy the cheapest flights to make more money. Just my two cents. I tried to research this tour before our cruise and didn't find too much information. Hope this helps. BTW, I was concern about the planes used for the flights, if you are too, don't be. The flight was great and were even given a sandwich with juice or water. I do have to say that we felt that we were on a PanAm 1970's flight. The attendants were all really young, skinny and beautiful, wore heavy make up and complicated hair styles. I was also not impressed by either St. Petersburg or Moscow's airports. No restrooms close to the gates, two flights leaving at the same time through the same gate, just a mess!! Before our tour I couldn't understand how Edward Snowden could hide for such a long time on an airport, after visiting Moscow's international airport it just made sense. Hope you enjoy your Baltic cruise.

Thank you for posting your experience. You have given me a lot to think about. It just seemed like a good idea, now I need to think really hard about it. I would hate to have our second day messed up in SPB.

We did Celebrity's Journey to Moscow excursion in July 2012. We had been to St. Petersburg before so decided to do something different. Interestingly, this excursion had been cancelled on some of the previous cruises that summer as a result of not enough people signed up. There were about 20 people on our excursion.

In a nutshell, I recommend the excursion and would do it again, but there are some caveats:

1. I would probably not go to Moscow if this was my first time visiting St. Petersburg. SP is full of wonderful sites so I would spend my two port days there seeing all the city sites, including the Hermitage, as well as visiting one of the palaces outside the city.

2. If you go to Moscow and plan on taking a tour in SP the next day, be aware (as someone else posted) that the tour returns to the ship very late and you might have difficulty getting up early enough the next morning for your SP tour. Our flight didn't land back in SP until after midnight and we were unable to cross the bridges before they rose. We didn't return back to the ship until after 2am, but because we anticipated that this might happen, we booked an afternoon private car in SP. We actually ended up enjoying being out late in SP with the bridges up as our bus and guide drove us around the city late at night and it was a surreal experience, especially during the white nights of summer.

3. We thought the time in Moscow could have been better organized, allowing us more time to see Red Square and the Kremlin buildings, but we were prevented from doing so due to horrendous traffic around Moscow, a very long-winded local tour guide, and too much time spent stopping for a coffee break (which was entirely unnecessary IMO). We also had almost no time to shop and the time spent in Red Square was much too short. Again, I mostly blamed this on our guide who talked too much rather than allowing us free time to wander around. I ditched the guide and our group before we were actually dismissed for free time so that I could wander around Red Square and make a few purchases from a street artist (local art and crafts on the street are of high quality and inexpensive IMO).

4. The dinner, while served in a beautiful, elegant setting, was mediocre at best. Lots of alcohol, but I've had better beef stroganoff in a school cafeteria.

Having provided you with these caveats, I still would take the tour again. It was a fascinating and magical experience. From the very interesting airport and airplane experience, to having the opportunity to visit the Kremlin sites and Red Square, it was worth it for us. It was a whirlwind of a tour, lasting about 18 hours from the time we left the ship until we returned.

I hope this helps others make a decision about this tour.

• 3 years later...

I was finally able to book the tour online. They just made it available for online booking the other day. I sure hope they reach the minimum number of guests so it isn't cancelled.   Not sure why it leaves at 9:30. If it indeed is an 18.5 hour tour, we won't get back until 4 am.

We are on May 21, 2017 Eclipse and want to do the same tour.

There are several trains per day even on weekends and holidays. If it is the weekend I would say you are better off flying as traffic will be a little better than on a weekday especially in the morning. There are probably several flights an hour. The train is modern and comfortable but not especially scenic.

Since you need a visa anyway you could also consider arranging a Moscow tour guide to meet you at the airport and arrange your own transport to Moscow. An airport taxi should be easy to arrange in St Petersburg or use Uber. Aeroflot tickets are easy to buy online.

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