cruise news bad weather

'I really thought I wasn't going to make it back': Carnival cruise ship rocked by weather

A Carnival Cruise Line ship was rocked by rough weather on its way back to the U.S. over the weekend. Carnival Sunshine had been sailing on a round-trip Bahamas cruise from Charleston, South Carolina, when it got delayed ahead of its return Saturday.

“It felt like it was tilting all the way to one side at one point,” said Kathleen Meenan, a passenger who went on the cruise with her husband for their wedding anniversary. “I really thought I wasn't going to make it back to shore.”

Meenan, a 26-year-old social media strategist based in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been on several other cruises and said she is used to rocking in the waves but likened the sounds to the ship “being attacked.”

“It was shaking us so violently,” RJ Whited, another guest, told Charleston’s WCIV .

“The weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecasted,” a Carnival spokesperson said in an email. “Given the circumstances as they were, the ship’s officers and our Fleet Operations Center team coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location. Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous.”

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The spokesperson said the ship went on to the port as soon as the weather started to clear. The ship’s arrival in Charleston was delayed, as was embarkation for the vessel’s following sailing. “We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests,” they said. The ship is currently on a five-day Bahamas sailing and will return to Charleston on Thursday.

Meenan said the crew announced that they were heading into some rough weather on Friday afternoon, advising them to hold onto handrails and warning of a potential delay, but did not communicate further until the following morning. “It felt like just being trapped,” she said.

The cruise line’s spokesperson said the captain “made several announcements about the weather and the delay it caused in returning to Charleston, asking guests to use extra precaution while walking around the ship.”

“Some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made, but guests and crew were safe,” the spokesperson added. “The ship’s officers worked through the night to minimize discomfort as much as possible from the added movement caused by the rough ocean.”

Meenan also noted that the crew worked hard to make the remainder of the sailing pleasant for passengers. “Even the next day, they all had smiles on their faces and tried their best to make it a nice day for us,” she said. 

While she said she will cruise again, it may take some time. “I think that it’s going to be a while,” Meenan said.

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

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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.”

Watch CBS News

Carnival cruise ship battered by waves in storm off Charleston

By Aliza Chasan

Updated on: May 29, 2023 / 4:16 PM EDT / CBS News

A storm off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, battered a Carnival cruise ship for hours late Friday night before it docked, leaving passengers terrified.

Passengers aboard the Carnival Sunshine described shattered glass, water pouring into rooms and hallways, the ship pitching about and a lack of communication from cruise staff. Some passengers and crew members needed "minor assistance" from medical staff, a Carnival cruise spokesman told CBS News. "Guests on board the ship were safe," the spokesman added. 

Carnival Sunshine, which was headed from the Bahamas to South Carolina, arrived in Charleston behind schedule, according to the spokesman. Some crew cabins needed to be temporarily taken out of service because of water damage. The ship's next voyage, on which it has since embarked, was also delayed.

The National Hurricane Center on Friday warned of a non-tropical area of low pressure off Florida that was set to move northward and inland over the Carolinas during the weekend. Forecasters said there would be gusty winds, dangerous surf and rip current conditions along portions of the U.S.'s southeastern coast through Sunday.

Passenger Sharon Tutrone, a professor at Coastal Carolina University, tweeted Friday that the ship was rocking. She said that the only time passengers heard from the captain was in the afternoon, when he told them he had an experienced crew and would do everything he could to minimize discomfort as the ship encountered the storm. 

"They said it will get worse as we get closer to the storm," she tweeted. "@CarnivalCruise  is doing an EXCELLENT job!"

She tweeted again on Saturday afternoon, describing " 14 hours of high winds, rain and massive waves ." 

"We were surrounded by lightning and the ship took a huge hit by a wave and sounded like it split in two," Tutrone tweeted.

Several passengers, including Brenda Goodwin Sherbert, posted on social media about broken glass on the ship . They also wrote about water coming in through balcony doors.

"We had a 40 foot wave hit our side of the ship,.. we almost fell out the bed.. things were crashing all around us and the carpet on my side of the bed was soaked bc water came in thru our balcony door," Goodwin Sherbert wrote.

Passenger Reid Overcash, who was on the cruise with his wife, said televisions on the ship displayed a message during the storm: "Public address announcement please standby." 

He said it was when winds had reached between 70-90 mph and the ship was tilting left that he truly feared for his life.

"Myself being in emergency services and retired, I knew nobody was going to come and rescue us with winds over 40 knots," Overcash said.

The trip marked Overcash's seventh cruise. He said he's not going to let the frightening experience stop him from going on more cruises in the future. 

"It's just one of them unlucky experiences that occurs once in a while," he said.

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Aliza Chasan is a digital producer at 60 Minutes and CBSNews.com. She has previously written for outlets including PIX11 News, The New York Daily News, Inside Edition and DNAinfo. Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics.

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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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Travel | orange deputies arrest ‘potential serial killer’ in slayings of two women, things to do, 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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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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Footage shows moment Royal Caribbean cruise ship was flooded during storm in the Gulf of Mexico

Water flowed into rooms and sunbeds were strewn across the deck as the vessel was battered by the fierce weather conditions.

Friday 2 February 2024 12:39, UK

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Footage has emerged of a cruise ship being flooded during a storm in the Gulf of Mexico - causing water to flow into people's cabins.

Travis Hair, a passenger on the Royal Caribbean vessel, filmed as the balcony of his room on the Voyager Of The Seas was swamped.

Mr Hair said he captured the video while the vessel was "sailing through a thunderstorm" on 26 January.

He added there were "high winds on the deck… platters of food crashing to the floor in the buffet, liquor and other glass breaking, water coming in through the balconies and flooding."

The footage also shows sunbeds piled up on the deck after being tossed around in the powerful storm.

The vessel was on its way back to Galveston, Texas, as part of a five-night trip to Cozumel, Mexico, according to USA Today.

Passenger Chelsea Ireland told the newspaper she felt the vessel tilt as it was battered by heavy winds.

She said: "When we tried to walk across our room, it felt like we were walking up a very steep hill."

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Fellow passenger Elaina Escobedo, 21, went to her grandparent's cabin to check on them during the storm. "There were just things flying all over the place," she said.

Ms Escobedo added that her grandmother was safe on the sofa, but her wheelchair had rolled across the room and cups of lemonade had been knocked over.

The footage emerged after another Royal Caribbean ship, Serenade of the Seas, reportedly flooded last month.

Sky News has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.

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Carnival Cruise Line shares details on its 'naughty room'

Cruise-ship passengers have a lot of lingo that's unique to ships. 

Some of it explains itself. If you get invited to a "sailaway party," you can intuitively figure out what that means, but other terms are a little harder to understand.

Regular Royal Caribbean passengers, for example, might suggest you meet at "Schooner," while Celebrity Cruises passengers might opt for a drink at "Sunset." In both cases, the references are to bars that are staples for each cruise line. 

Related: Royal Caribbean's Captain Kate shares harrowing bad weather story

Every cruise line has touchpoints like those, where regulars know names, places and venues that can be used as shorthand. Regular passengers know that Royal Caribbean's buffet is the Windjammer, while Carnival's buffet is technically the Lido Marketplace, although most people simply call it the Lido.

Cruise ships also have unofficial lingo like Royal Caribbean's "washy washy" people. That's a reference to the people who stand in front of the WIndjammer buffet asking (or sometimes singing) people to wash their hands.

It's part of the cruising experience, but it can sometimes be hard to know when the wider cruise community has embraced a particular term. Carnival's brand ambassador, John Heald, recently used a cruise-lingo term and offered passengers clarity as to what it means.

Carnival explains its 'naughty room'

It's hard to know when cruise ship lingo has crossed from insider knowledge to the mainstream. Having Heald, who speaks to hundreds of thousands of Carnival Cruise Line ( CCL ) passengers, use a term, however, essentially makes it mainstream.

Heald recently discussed a note sent to him by an angry passenger.

"Mom and me were on the Valor back in March. We were called to the naughty room because we had a Kuppet portable washing machine in our big bag. We were treated like criminals and degraded. I hope Carnival will be more sympathetic to people and do away with this humiliating experience," the person, identified as "L," wrote.

Heald, first responded by trying to deescalate the situation and using a little of his trademark humor.

"Thank you and I am so sorry 'L' that this happened to you but, the team were doing their jobs and I promise the intention was not to 'humiliate you.' And who knew you could get portable washing machines? Not me," he wrote.

The brand ambassador then acknowledged what the "naughty room" refers to,

"I do have to say I always smile when I hear the place on deck 0 where these inspections are carried out referred to as 'the naughty room.' Where did this ever start? Was it my late Mum who came up with this?" he added.

Here's what's not allowed on Carnival ships

Carnival has a long list of banned items. Some, like weapons and firearms, are obvious, but others are less intuitive because you could use them at a land-based hotel. Heald made clear that the banned list evolves.

"Portable washing machines will be added to the prohibited list," he wrote.

Carnival outlined some details about its policies on its website, which includes many items that passengers may not expect.

"Electrical and household appliances containing any kind of heating element, such as irons, clothes steamers, immersion heaters, heating blankets, water heaters, coffee machines, hot plates, toasters, heating pads, humidifier, etc.," are banned by the cruise line.

Carnival also bans any power strips or plugs that include surge protector. Candles, or any open flame are also prohibited.

Some banned products, including dive knifes, are allowed as long as they are declared. Donna Contenta shared a post on Heald's page where she detailed getting sent to the naughty room.

"I went for a dive knife. It wasn’t that bad. We just had to follow the rules. we were able to take it when we got off the ship to go for a dive and turn it back in when we got back. It really wasn’t that big a deal," she wrote.

Many of the 1,500-plus comments shared positive stories about being sent to the naughty room.

ALSO READ: Royal Caribbean's Captain Kate shares harrowing bad weather story

"Yes, one time I had to go to the naughty room. It was due to having a small sewing kit that included a small pair of scissors in my suitcase. They couldn’t tell the size of the scissors and wanted to see them. I was able to leave with my bag intact," posted Susan Hartley.

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Popular cruise line cancels trip with guests already on board: What happens next?

• Updated: Apr. 29, 2024, 6:57 a.m. |
• Published: Apr. 29, 2024, 6:38 a.m.

FILE - In this June 20, 2016 file photo, the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Empress of the Seas heads out of PortMiami, in Miami Beach, Fla. Royal Caribbean International notified guests aboard Radiance of the Sea the ship will not continue on an already-abbreviated Alaska sailing. Instead, the voyage was canceled and guests must leave the ship and will be sent home. AP

• Leada Gore | [email protected]

Guests onboard a popular cruise line were told their trip was canceled and they were being sent home despite already being on board the vessel.

Royal Caribbean International notified guests aboard Radiance of the Sea the ship will not continue on an already-abbreviated Alaska sailing. Instead, the voyage was canceled and guests had to leave the ship and be sent home, CruiseHive.com reported.

The ship was set to depart Vancouver, British Columbia on Friday and guests were permitted on board. It was announced the ship would spend two days in port undergoing repair with a revised departure date of Sunday, April 28 before returning May 3 as planned.

Later, however, an announcement was made the trip was being canceled due to repairs for a technical issue impacting its propulsion, the website reported, and guests had to leave the ship Sunday by 4 p.m. local time.

“As you are aware, our teams have been vigorously working to have Radiance of the Seas prepared to set sail on our shortened April 26th sailing,” a letter given to passengers in their staterooms read, according to reports by unofficial cruise site RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com reported. “Despite our best efforts, circumstances beyond our control have delayed our sailing further. As a result, we’ll regrettably have to cancel our April 26th, 2024 cruise.”

READ MORE: U.S. travel alert: Cruise line cancels more visits to popular Caribbean destination

What happens to the guests?

Guests will receive a 100% refund on their fare and a 100% future cruise credit for a later sailing. The cruise line opened internet service free of charge to allow for easier travel planning and offered a free open bar until debarkation, reports indicated.

Cruisers who booked flights through Royal Caribbean had their flights automatically rescheduled. The cruise line is also reimbursing any travel change fees up to $250 for domestic travel and $400 for international travel and up to $250 for hotel costs, per statement, per night, for two nights.

READ MORE: U.S. travel alert: Do not travel to this Caribbean nation, popular spot for cruise ship stops

The ship first developed propulsion difficulties last week during a repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, causing several stops to be scrapped to accommodate the slower speed.

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Are you planning a cruise for summer or fall? Brace yourself for a shock

Are you looking to take a cruise between now and the end of the year? We have some bad news: You might have a tough time finding a cabin — at least if you want a specific type of room on a specific ship.

Bookings for cruises have been on fire for months , pacing at record levels. As a result, nearly nine of every 10 cabins available for 2024 sailings are already booked, the top executive of one of the world's biggest cruise companies revealed Thursday.

"We only have about 12% load factors left to build for the year," Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group CEO, noted in a conference call with Wall Street analysts, using a term that refers to the percentage of cabin space that is available on ships.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Liberty said bookings for cruises accelerated in April beyond an already blistering pace set in the first three months of the year. The surge occurred despite a rapidly dwindling amount of open cabin space for 2024 sailings.

"Bookings have consistently outpaced last year throughout the entire first quarter and through April, even though we have significantly fewer staterooms left to sell," Liberty said.

Royal Caribbean Group is the parent company of Royal Caribbean , the world's biggest cruise line, as well as Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises . It also owns a partial interest in Germany-based cruise brands TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Liberty was only referring to Royal Caribbean Group brands when making the comments about bookings. But other cruise companies, including Carnival Corporation and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, have reported similar strength in bookings in recent months.

As one of the biggest cruise brands in the world, Royal Caribbean Group also serves as a bellwether of sorts for the industry when it comes to booking strength.

The result: soaring cruise fares

With demand for cruises at record levels and cabin supply quickly disappearing, cruise lines have been able to raise prices significantly in recent months on top of sharp price increases throughout 2023.

During Thursday's conference call with Wall Street analysts, Liberty said the bookings that customers at its brands made during the first three months of the year were "at much higher prices than 2023" fares.

Liberty also noted that yields at Royal Caribbean Group brands for cruises that customers took during the first three months of the year were up 19.3% as compared to the same months in 2023. That was nearly four percentage points higher than the company was predicting just a few months ago.

Related: 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise

Yield is a measure of how much money cruise lines make per passenger.

"The first quarter was tremendous, sending us well on our path to a year that is significantly better than we expected just a few months back," Liberty said.

Liberty attributed the strong growth in bookings and pricing in part to the line's rollout of the record-size Icon of the Seas in January, which has been a huge hit . He also noted strong bookings and pricing across the entire fleets of its brands for all key itineraries.

Both new ships and older ships are in hot demand, Liberty suggested, with demand particularly strong from North American travelers. Roughly 80% of all Royal Caribbean Group bookings this year have come from North Americans — an unusually large percentage.

The company is also seeing a surge in first-time cruisers, a category known in the industry as the "new to cruise" market.

"Our addressable market is expanding, and 'new to cruise' continues to grow, increasing 16% year over year," Liberty said. "These guests are discovering our differentiated vacation experiences and are increasingly returning to us as we see repeat rates over 30% higher compared to 2019."

Liberty also noted the company was drawing more younger customers, including a growing number of millennials.

"Millennials and younger generations have gained 11 percentage points share compared to 2019, and today almost one in two guests are millennials or younger," he said.

Cruise bookings are surging in part because vacationers are seeing the value in cruising as compared to other types of vacations that involve land travel, Liberty suggested. Liberty and other cruise executives believe cruises are priced significantly below the level of land resorts on a like-for-like basis, even after the sharp increases in cruise fares over the past year.

"Despite our ability to narrow the gap [in pricing] to land-based vacations in the last 12 months, cruising still remains an exceptional value proposition," Liberty said.

Also driving cruise bookings is the fact that a strong economy has consumers feeling flush and willing to spend on vacations, Liberty suggested. He noted that consumer sentiment is high, "bolstered by resilient labor markets, wage growth, stabilizing inflation and record-high household net worth."

In addition, "consumer preferences continue to shift toward spend on experiences, particularly priority for travel," he said.

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Cruise line canceled while guests were already onboard

• Published: Apr. 29, 2024, 4:53 p.m.

Royal Caribbean Cruise canceled while guests were already onboard. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File) AP

• EmilyAnn Jackman | [email protected]

So much for thinking they had crossed their final hurdle.

Guests onboard the Royal Caribbean cruise line were told their trip was canceled and were being sent home despite already being aboard the ship.

Royal Caribbean International notified guests onboard Radiance of the Seas that the ship would not continue on an already-abbreviated Alaskan cruise. The trip was canceled, and guests had to disembark, CruiseHive.com reported.

The ship was set to leave from Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 26, but an earlier adjustment due to technical difficulties allowed guests to board on embarkation day while the ship was to spend two days in port undergoing repairs.

The revised plan features a Sunday departure and an adjusted route, with calls to Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan and scenic cruising in the famed Inside Passage before returning on May 3, which was the original completion date.

But it was later announced that the trip was being canceled due to repairs for a technical issue. Guests had to leave the ship by 4 p.m. Sunday.

“As you are aware, our teams have been vigorously working to have Radiance of the Seas prepared to set sail on our shortened April 26th sailing,” the letter given to passengers in their staterooms read, the unofficial cruise site RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com reported.

“Despite our best efforts, circumstances beyond our control have delayed our sailing further. As a result, we’ll regrettably have to cancel our April 26th, 2024, cruise,” the letter concluded.

Guests will receive a 100% refund of their cruise fare and a 100% future cruise credit that may be applied to any future Royal Caribbean sailing. Internet service aboard the ship was also open free of charge to allow for easier travel planning and offered a free open bar until debarkation.

The ship began to develop propulsion difficulties last week during a repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver, causing multiple stops to be scrapped due to a slower speed.

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Carnival cruise ship out of Tampa saves nearly 30 people stranded at sea

by: Kaycee Sloan

Posted: Apr 23, 2024 / 02:14 PM EDT

Updated: Apr 24, 2024 / 11:38 AM EDT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Carnival cruise ship rescued nearly 30 people who were stranded at sea after departing from Tampa over the weekend.

The crew on Carnival Paradise saved 28 Cuban nationals after they were spotted signaling for help on an adrift vessel around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“The bridge team onboard spotted the vessel and turned the ship around to rescue them,” Carnival said in a news release . “All were taken aboard, given food and were seen by the medical team.” Carnival Paradise notified the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and Roatan officials.

The ship was set to visit Roatan, Honduras, on Monday after departing from Tampa on Saturday for a five-day Caribbean voyage, according to CruiseMapper .

WFLA reached out to Carnival for comment. At this time, it’s unclear if the rescued individuals will return to Tampa on the cruise.

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At least 5 people, including infant, dead after night of tornadoes, storms in the Midwest

Dawn broke over scenes of devastation in several counties across Oklahoma on Sunday, with reports of severe structural damage, closed highways, blackouts, injuries and at least five deaths. There have been 35 reports of tornadoes overnight so far.

Twenty-seven million people remained at risk of severe weather into Sunday, including wind gusts, hail, flood risk and potentially more tornadoes.

Saturday's severe weather came less than 36 hours after more than 100 tornadoes leveled homes and buildings in six states Friday, with Nebraska and Iowa being hit hardest, officials said.

The National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma, confirmed late Saturday that multiple tornadoes were in its area, including one near Davenport and more than one in the area of Sulphur, a small town of about 5,000 people 80 miles south of Oklahoma City, which appeared to have taken the biggest hit.

On Sunday, the weather service's Norman office said that, based on preliminary damage survey results, tornadoes with ratings of at least EF3 tore through Sulphur and Marietta in Oklahoma. The service said more investigation would be necessary to determine whether the rating will go higher.

The Murray County Emergency Management reported “significant damage” in Sulphur. In Love County, patients had to shelter during storms that damaged Marietta Hospital, though no injuries were reported, the county emergency management office said.

Also in Marietta, four semitrucks overturned, killing one person, after a tornado ripped through Interstate 35 on Saturday night, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said.

Oklahoma’s Office of Emergency Management confirmed three deaths, one near Marietta on I-35 and two others in Holdenville. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt arrived Sunday afternoon in Sulphur, where he said a fourth person died in the downtown area.

One of the Holdenville victims was 4 months old, Stitt's press secretary said, citing Holdenville officials.

More than 170 storms were reported Saturday after days of severe weather. Storms were still expected through southern Missouri to southeast Texas on Sunday.

Flash flooding is also a concern for 18 million people from Kansas City to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Some flood warnings will continue into Monday.Video emerging on social media early Sunday showed heavy damage across Sulphur, including toppled trees and scattered bricks and wooden beams. Buildings in the downtown area sustained significant structural damage, including blown-out windows and missing walls. Others appeared to have been leveled and reduced to rubble.

The Oklahoma Health Department reported 100 injuries at area hospitals, according to the state Emergency Management Department. Of the injured, 25 were cut or had been pierced, 30 fell, 16 were hit by or struck against objects, 17 sustained transportation-related injuries, and 12 others were hurt by other means, the emergency services department said. The extent of each of the injuries was unclear.

Red Cross Oklahoma said early Sunday that it was opening a shelter in Sulphur and was in contact with officials in more than a dozen counties to help with the immediate needs of affected residents.

Stitt signed an executive order Sunday declaring a disaster emergency.

In neighboring Hughes County, officials reported four people injured, as well as several structures either damaged or destroyed, after a tornado ripped through its western part late Saturday.

On Sunday, Hughes County Emergency Management reported 14 homes were damaged or destroyed in Holdenville. In addition, officials said four properties were damaged in Okfuskee County, and Pottawatomie County Emergency Management reported seven damaged structures in Dale and unincorporated areas of Shawnee.

There were also "numerous injuries" and damaged structures in Wagoner County, officials said.

Homes and other structures were also damaged in communities in Garfield, Grant, Kay, Payne and several other counties in Oklahoma, officials said.

The National Weather Service in Norman said that as of 1:25 a.m. local time Sunday, some tornado warnings had passed but that flash flooding remained a threat.

Bruce Thoren, meteorologist for the agency's Norman branch, said teams will go out to the Marietta and Sulphur areas while others may be sent elsewhere through the week.

"We are aware of other places that received damage, but based on travel time and other factors they will be looked at in days to come, probably not today," Thoren said. "The area that we cover is pretty large compared to other forecast offices, so to travel down and back could be up to four hours. So we’ll for sure get there, and we know there’s damage — just trying to figure out where we go today."Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. said early Sunday about 28,000 customers were without service as a result of the storms, primarily in southern Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Transportation Department warned early Sunday that I-35 was closed in both directions in Love County because of storm damage cleanup.

More than 30 million people in Oklahoma City; Dallas; Wichita, Kansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Milwaukee; and Madison, Wisconsin, were in the path of severe weather Saturday.

This round of severe weather arrived even as parts of Nebraska and Iowa were still reeling from the damage caused by two tornadoes that struck the region.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said Saturday that no deaths had been reported and that there were relatively few minor injuries.

Despite heavy damage to some residents' homes, including those belonging to three Omaha firefighters and two police commanders, officials Saturday were grateful it wasn't worse.Speaking at an afternoon news conference, Stothert said she planned to sign an emergency declaration, which would allow residents to tap state and federal recovery aid.

She credited the National Weather Service and local news media for warning the public about the tornadoes.

"I do want to thank our local forecasters for the clear and accurate warnings that they gave," she said. "I absolutely feel that this early warning, because of all of you, you prevented a lot of injury and probably death."

Lindsay Huse, health director for Douglas County, where Omaha is located, said by email that fewer than two dozen people suffered minor injuries. They were treated at medical facilities and have been released, she said.

"That's just miraculous," Huse said earlier at the news conference.

The National Weather Service assessed two tornadoes that struck the Omaha area Friday afternoon. One started in the area of Lincoln and ended up in western Douglas County, NWS meteorologist Chris Franks said at the news conference.It was preliminarily assessed at a "solid" EF3 on the 0-5 scale used by federal forecasters, he said. An EF3 tornado can produce sustained winds of 136-165 mph and shift homes off their foundations while peeling away exterior walls.

At Omaha Eppley Airfield, a tornado preliminarily assessed at EF2 struck Friday afternoon, Franks said. An EF2 tornado can produce sustained winds of 111-135 mph that can partly peel away rooftops and breach window glass.

Tornado activity was also reported in neighboring Iowa. Franks estimated that 80 tornadoes were reported in Douglas County and adjacent communities in Nebraska and Iowa on Friday.

In Lancaster County, Nebraska, a tornado was blamed for a train derailment and a semitruck rollover, according to National Weather Service notes on Friday's vortexes.

Omaha Police Lt. Neal Bonacci said hundreds of homes were damaged, most of them in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city.

“You definitely see the path of the tornado,” Bonacci said.

Police and firefighters went door to door to help residents and search areas where people could be trapped, Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said.

"We’ll be looking throughout properties in debris piles, we’ll be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance," Bossman said.

Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn, told The Associated Press that he and his wife took shelter but could hear the tornado "coming through."

"When we came up, our fence was gone, and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhood’s gone," he said.

His wife, Kim Woods, said the neighborhood to the north of them was "pretty flattened."

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declared a disaster emergency for Pottawattamie County after video on social media showed parts of Minden, about 30 miles northeast of Omaha, completely flattened.Jeff Theulen, the chief deputy of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, said at a news conference Friday evening that 40 or 50 homes were "completely destroyed." There have been two reports of injuries, one "fairly severe but not life-threatening," he told reporters.

By Sunday, officials estimated that the storms had damaged 300 homes and businesses in the county, Pottawattamie County said in a release. In the city of Minden, 48 homes were "completely destroyed."

Pottawattamie County added in the release that four people sustained storm-related injuries. Three were treated and released Friday evening. The fourth, who was previously listed as stable in critical condition, died overnight Saturday.

"It's very dangerous right now. We've shut off entrance to the city except for the people that live here," he said, noting that "50% of the town is damaged badly and then there’s light damage everywhere else."

In nearby Shelby County, about 40 homes were damaged, county emergency coordinator Alex Londo said. Officials were assessing the destruction, he said, noting there have been no reports of deaths.

National Weather Service offices surveyed damage ahead of more severe weather expected Saturday.

The service reported 106 tornadoes Friday in Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Kansas and Missouri. Another tornado was reported Friday morning in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma.Oklahoma was also affected by the unstable air and thunderstorms that marched eastward Friday, but the weather service listed no confirmed tornadoes in the state.

Among Friday's tornadoes getting a preliminary assessment by the weather service were two near Waco, Texas — one believed to be at EF2 strength — and the other assessed at EF1 (86-110 mph).

Minyvonne Burke is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News.

Kathryn Prociv is a senior meteorologist and producer for NBC News. 

Christine Rapp is a meteorologist for NBC News.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

Rebecca Cohen is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

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The April 27-28, 2024 Tornado Outbreak and Flash Flooding Event

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Tornado Table

A slow-moving, but potent late April storm system produced an outbreak of at least 25 tornadoes and other severe weather from the late morning through the evening hours of April 27, 2024, and the early morning hours of April 28, 2024. Excessive rainfall of 4 to 8.75 inches produced severe flash flooding and river flooding across parts of Oklahoma and western north Texas. Hail up to 3 inches in diameter and severe wind gusts up to 60 mph were observed during this event. As of the afternoon of April 29th, the NWS Norman staff has confirmed that at least 25 tornadoes occurred during the April 27-28, 2024 tornado outbreak.

Teams from NWS Norman conducted damage path surveys in Oklahoma on April 28, 2024, and are conducting more surveys on April 29th. More surveys may occur later in the NWS Norman forecast area. More information will added to this web page as it becomes available. A link to a GIS file that contains tornado damage paths and damage survey areas is available below.

• KMZ file containing GIS data for the 4/27/2024 tornado damage paths and damage survey areas (black lines) Updated: 3:00 pm CDT, 4/29/2024

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Local Storm Reports and Warning Polygons

• As of 3 PM CDT on April 29th, 25 tornadoes had been documented for the April 27, 2024 tornado outbreak and flash flooding event. Survey teams had documented tornado damage across Oklahoma on April 28-29, 2024, and had made preliminary EF Scale ratings for 17 tornadoes.
• The tornado that hit the Marietta, OK area was rated EF-4. This is the first violent tornado to occur in the NWS Norman forecast area since the May 9, 2016 "Katie" EF-4 tornado. Two other tornadoes that produced damage in the Sulphur, OK area and near Holdenville, OK were rated EF-3. The Marietta tornado killed 1 person, and the Sulphur tornado also killed 1 person. The Holdenville tornado killed two people.
• A Public Information Statement was issued at 2:04 pm CDT on April 29, 2024 and contains more information on the storm surveys and ratings.
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Most Tornadoes to Occur on Any April 27th in Oklahoma (1950-Present)

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