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Video shows carnival cruise ship in disarray after ‘horrific’ south carolina storm.

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Terrified passengers on a Carnival cruise were left vomiting after a torrential storm pounded the ship in South Carolina — flooding the vessel and ripping doors off their hinges.

The Carnival Sunshine was returning to Charleston following a week-long trip in the Bahamas when it got caught in wild weather and rough seas over the Memorial Day weekend.

Videos shared online by vacationers show flooded hallways littered with glass and other debris, doors ripped off their hinges and downed pipes laying soaked on the floor.

The ship’s crew members were forced to evacuate their flooded quarters, according to a video shared on Twitter that shows the area in disarray.

Throughout the storm, several passengers also complained they were starting to feel sick due to the boat’s rough movements.

One traveler described being able to “smell people being sick walking down the halls,” the Daily Mail Reported .

Cruise-goer RJ Whited, who was celebrating his engagement to fiancé Tracy on the Carnival Sunshine, told WCIV that the ship was shaking “so violently.”

Passengers also complained that they didn’t hear from the ship’s captain or any crew members for hours during the chaos.

“They left us blind,” passenger Daniel Taylor told the outlet. “Not reassuring us about what was going on, where we were headed to, what the plan was. They could have updated us and let us know something.”

Another passenger, Christa Seifert-Alicea, said they didn’t receive word from the captain or crew for more than 12 hours.

“What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget,” Seifer-Alicea said.

Water damage and broken glass were left in the hallways and rooms following the storm.

A Carnival spokesperson said only a “small number” of passengers and crew members required “minor assistance.”

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance,” the cruise liner said in a statement to WCIV.

“The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.”

The spokesperson added that the Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on a five-day Bahamas cruise and will return to Charleston on Thursday.

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At least 5 cruise ships stuck at sea as Hurricane Ian closes Florida ports

Thousands of passengers on cruise ships this week are getting something they probably didn't expect when their cruises began a few days ago: extra days at sea.

The closure of three major Florida cruise ports Tuesday and Wednesday due to the approach of Hurricane Ian — Port Tampa Bay, Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPort) and Port Canaveral — means that at least five Florida-based cruise vessels won't be able to return to their home ports on Thursday as scheduled to disembark the passengers.

Instead, the ships are spending extra time at sea and at cruise destinations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.

The voyages that are being extended include this week's four-night sailings of Carnival Cruise Line 's 2,052-passenger Carnival Paradise and 2,052-passenger Carnival Elation out of Port Tampa Bay and JAXPort, respectively. Both of the sailings, which began on Sunday and had been scheduled to end Thursday morning, are now morphing into cruises that will last at least five nights.

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

Also being extended are sailings out of Port Canaveral operated by Royal Caribbean 's 3,344-passenger Mariner of the Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line 's 3,967-passenger Norwegian Getaway and MSC Cruises ' 3,502-passenger MSC Divina.

All three of the ships had been due back at Port Canaveral on Thursday morning but will now stay at sea until Friday morning if not longer.

Also likely to remain at sea longer than expected is Disney Cruise Line 's 2,508-passenger, Port Canaveral-based Disney Wish. The line told passengers on the current sailing that the vessel might not return to Port Canaveral early Friday as scheduled and could remain at sea into the weekend.

The delayed returns mean that nearly 20,000 cruisers this week are getting an extension of their vacations — whether they want one or not.

If Port Canaveral doesn't reopen to cruise traffic by Friday, two other ships that are based at the port — Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas and Carnival's Carnival Liberty — could also find themselves stuck at sea for an extra day.

Port Tampa Bay closed to marine traffic, including cruise ships, at 8 a.m. on Tuesday as Hurricane Ian bore down the west coast of Florida, and Port Canaveral closed to marine traffic at 12 a.m. on Wednesday. JAXPort is scheduled to shut down at 12 p.m. on Wednesday.

Related: Cruise lines cancel, delay Florida sailings as Hurricane Ian approaches

All three of the ports are expected to remain closed through at least Friday morning.

In a statement sent to TPG, Carnival said the Tampa-based Carnival Paradise had extended its Tuesday visit to Cozumel, Mexico, into Wednesday — giving passengers an extra day at the port. The timing of the ship's return to Tampa has yet to be set.

Carnival Paradise "is now scheduled to depart from Cozumel on Wednesday," Carnival said in the statement. "The ship will then begin heading back to Tampa, but remaining a safe distance from the storm as the company determines when Carnival Paradise can return to the Port of Tampa after the U.S. Coast Guard assesses conditions."

A new return date for Carnival Elation to Jacksonville also has not yet been set. The ship replaced a scheduled visit to Princess Cay in the Bahamas on Tuesday with a day at sea and will be visiting Freeport in the Bahamas on Wednesday instead of a scheduled sea day.

"It is likely the sailing will be extended until the port [of Jacksonville] reopens after the storm has passed," the line said.

In a statement posted online, Royal Caribbean said it expected Mariner of the Seas to be back in Port Canaveral on Friday, a day later than scheduled.

Related: Don't cruise during hurricane season without reading this

Norwegian and MSC Cruises have not yet said when Norwegian Getaway and MSC Divina might return to Port Canaveral.

As is customary when cruises need to be extended due to inclement weather, none of the passengers on board the vessels will be charged for the extra days they spend on the ships.

Such voyage extensions due to hurricanes and other weather events are relatively rare in the cruise world, though they do happen from time to time.

What's particularly notable about this week's cruise extensions is that they are taking place for ships operating out of multiple Florida ports on both sides of the state — a result of Hurricane Ian's large size and Florida-crossing track.

The extensions have mostly been met with good humor by passengers on the ships, at least judging from their posts on social media. "Oh noooo hurricane Ian is forcing us to stay on our cruise an extra day," one cruiser on a Royal Caribbean ship wrote early Wednesday on Twitter, adding a laughing emoji that suggested she wasn't upset at all.

Passengers on Disney Wish posted video on Twitter of cheers erupting through the ship when they were told they might be getting an extra day or two at sea.

The extended sailings are just the latest in a string of disruptions to cruises this week caused by Hurricane Ian. More than a dozen cruise ships operating in the Caribbean and the Bahamas have had to switch course in recent days to steer clear of the storm as it barreled toward Florida. In many cases, the ships dropped or switched ports as they moved to calmer waters.

Related: See which cruise ships have been affected by Ian

The disruptions come as one of the busier cruise ports in the region that often serves as an alternate stop for cruise ships avoiding hurricanes, Grand Turk, remains closed for now due to damage from Hurricane Fiona .

As of 8 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Ian was about 55 miles west of Naples, Florida, and moving north-northeast at 10 miles per hour. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour.

According to current projections, Ian could be a very powerful Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour as it hits the west coast of Florida Wednesday.

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Carnival passengers recount ‘nightmare’ cruise as storm floods ship

Videos showed the carnival sunshine cabins and hallways flooding and ceilings leaking.

Matthew Branham and his fiancée, Madison Davis, were lying by a Carnival Sunshine pool on Friday aboard a cruise returning to Charleston, S.C., from the Bahamas when an announcement came over the loudspeaker. The captain was expecting rougher weather that evening, but there was nothing to worry about. So Branham and Davis didn’t worry.

As the day went on, “We noticed it started getting cooler in the afternoon — much, much cooler,” said Branham, 25, of Castlewood, Va. “And then it was like a switch was flipped, and it literally turned into a nightmare.”

En route back to Charleston Friday night into Saturday, the Carnival Sunshine navigated into a strong storm system that battered the southeast over the holiday weekend. Videos emerged on social media showing cabins and hallways flooding, shop floors littered with destroyed merchandise and leaking ceilings . Passenger Brad Morrell snapped a photo of an automated instrument map reporting a 69 knot, or 79 mph, wind.

#CarnivalSunshine : Due to return to Charleston, South Carolina this Saturday, May 27, 2023, has been delayed due to severe weather. The ship is currently off the South Carolina coast and holding position, unable to return to the port because of high winds & rough seas. #cruise 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2B6HlAn2yD — ∼Marietta (@MariettaDaviz) May 28, 2023

Carnival said in a statement that the weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecast, but that its fleet operations center team, which relies on outside meteorology resources for itinerary planning, “coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location.”

“Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous,” the statement continued. “The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear.”

Strong Southeast storm slams Carolinas

Carnival 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.” Additionally, “some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made, but guests and crew were safe.”

The ship’s medical staff did help a “small number” of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance following the storm. Despite the significant damage and a delay in schedule, Carnival Sunshine embarked on its next five-day Bahama sailing on Saturday.

From their sea-view room, Branham and Davis watched as waves surged over their window and braced themselves as the 892-foot-long ship lurched in the storm.

“Waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor,” Branham said.

They were told to stay in their cabins. Meanwhile, Branham said, TVs were falling off walls, and glassware was sliding off shelves and shattering on the floor. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed.”

They packed up their belongings when their floor started to flood and took shelter in a main lobby area.

“All of the employees were sprinting downstairs with life vests,” Branham said. “There were little kids besides us screaming and crying and throwing fits.”

Throughout the storm, Branham wondered why there weren’t more announcements from Carnival staff. Besides the warning of rougher seas earlier Friday and one Saturday morning after they’d weathered the storm, Branham said they weren’t given any official updates on their situation. When he asked workers what was going on, they told him not to worry.

⁦⁦ @CarnivalCruise ⁩ #carnivalsunshine still 75mph winds at 9:25am. Sitting and spinning in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/NITCO2l9Ss — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

“But you see rooms flooded, and you can pick up a handful of sand and you’re kind of like, ‘What in the world? Why is nobody telling us anything?’” Branham said.

Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer and cruise industry legal expert, says his firm has been contacted by some Carnival Sunshine passengers who were injured during the storm, including a man who says he was struck by a door and broke his foot. Others have asked him about the potential for a class-action lawsuit.

While Walker said passengers should make their complaints known to Carnival, he doesn’t believe filing a lawsuit would be an efficient next step. Instead, impacted passengers can ask Carnival for a refund or a credit for another cruise, although there’s no guarantee the cruise line will grant such requests.

Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises , which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm.

“Cruise lines monitor the weather all the time. They’re not going to put their passengers in harm’s way,” said Peterson, who has been a cruise adviser for more than 20 years and has sailed on nearly 60 cruises. “Obviously, some cruise lines are better at doing this than others.”

In 2016, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas returned to port after cruising into a “bomb cyclone,” which damaged the ship amid winds gusting to 100 mph. The ship sailed into the remnants of Hurricane Hermine seven months later, causing additional problems.

To ensure the safety and comfort of its passengers, a cruise ship can alter its course and circumvent the rough weather system. In stormy conditions, the crew can deploy the stabilizers, which will prevent the ship from rolling and bucking.

“You don’t experience the up and down,” Peterson said. “It’s not as rough a ride.”

Both approaches can add to a cruise line’s expenditures, Peterson said. Stabilizers slow the vessel, thereby consuming more fuel. Sailing around the storm can take longer than the original route and disrupt the company’s cruise schedule, leading to delays or cancellations. The cruise line may have to reimburse passengers or provide them with future credits because of the inconvenience.

“When they do something like that, it’s going to cost them money,” Peterson said.

Craig Setzer , a meteorologist and hurricane preparedness specialist, said that even with the hurricane-like conditions and flooding, “I would never be in doubt of the vessel’s integrity,” he said. “Cruise ships are structurally very, very sound and can survive a lot. They’re really rugged.”

Matthew Cappucci contributed to this report.

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Hurricane Dorian threatens the US

By Fernando Alfonso III, Mike Hayes, Meg Wagner and Rob Picheta, CNN

Dorian impacts numerous Carnival Cruise Line trips

Carnival Cruise Line has adjusted the itineraries for numerous ships leaving out of Jacksonville, Charleston and Port Canaveral in preparation for Hurricane Dorian.

Check out the full list of trips impacted by the storm, according to a news release from Carnival:

CHARLESTON    

Carnival Sunshine, Sept. 2, 2019:   The boat will depart today at 6 p.m. to accommodate arriving guests impacted by traffic diversions and closures.  The call to Half Moon Cay has been canceled.  

Given the circumstances, guests can disregard arrival appointments. Everyone must be on board by 5 p.m.

JACKSONVILLE

Carnival Ecstasy, Sept. 5, 2019:  Still evaluating. Sign up for text alerts by texting CCL12 to CRUISE (278473). There is a possibility Carnival Ecstasy will not be able to return to Jacksonville on Thursday. If the port is closed, the ship will be in position to dock as soon as the authorities have reopened the port.

PORT CANAVERAL

Port Canaveral is closed to inbound traffic. Carnival is optimistic the port will reopen by Thursday. 

Carnival Liberty, Sept. 2, 2019:   This cruise is canceled . Guests will receive a full refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased items. 

Carnival Elation, Sept. 2, 2019:   Will now operate as a two day sailing departing Thursday and returning Saturday. Port of call: To be determined.  Guests who sail will receive a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages. Guests who wish to cancel will receive a 100% future cruise credit.

Carnival Horizon, Sept. 1, 2019: Port Miami is closed and expected to reopen no earlier than Wednesday.    

The company plans to operate a three-day cruise, departing on Wednesday and returning Saturday. The cruise will visit Nassau on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Guests who sail will receive a 50% prorated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages, and a full refund of any pre-purchased shore excursions. Additionally, guests will receive a 50% future cruise credit.

Carnival Victory, Sept. 2, 2019: Will now operate as a two-day sailing departing Wednesday and returning Friday. Port of call: Key West, Sept. 5.  Guests who sail will receive a pro-rated refund of their cruise fare and any pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages. Guests who wish to cancel will receive a 100% future cruise credit.  

Coast Guard crews are heading for the Bahamas

US Coast Guard crews are heading to the Bahamas in preparation for a rapid Dorian response, the USCG said in a press release.

The USCG members are traveling from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater in Florida by MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and staging on Andros Island.

Here's photos of the deployment happening today:

Delta is canceling all flights to Nassau today

Delta Airlines is canceling all flights to and from the Bahamas today due to increased crosswind speeds, according to Delta spokeswoman Lisa Hellerstedt. 

The airline canceled flights after one of their planes was unable to land in Nassau on Monday, Hellerstedt said. 

Here's the airline statement:

"Delta flight 337 returned to Atlanta out of abundance of caution when cross winds prevented the plane from landing in Nassau, Bahamas. All customers will be rebooked on flights tomorrow and Delta apologizes for the inconvenience."

Trump is golfing as Hurricane Dorian heads for US

From CNN's Allie Malloy

President Trump spent today visiting his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, and tweeting political grievances as a massive hurricane prepares to barrel up the East Coast.

Trump's visit to Trump National marks the 289th day he has spent at a Trump property and the 227th day he has spent at one of his golf clubs as President. 

He spoke to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis today. DeSantis, a Republican, said in a news conference that the President is "fully engaged" with federal, state and local officials. 

Price gouging allegations grow in Florida and Georgia

From CNN's Rosa Flores

The number of alleged price gouging "contacts" due to Hurricane Dorian has grown to 2,100 in Florida and Georgia, according to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

Moody provided this information in a video . She calls these people and businesses "bad actors."

Price gouging “contacts" include phone calls or tips made to the agency’s app or online systems. The illegal practice of price gouging involves increasing the prices of necessary items like food, water and hotel rooms during any natural disaster. 

Inside a flooded home in Grand Bahama

Michael Pintard, minister for agriculture in the Bahamas, shared a video showing the rising waters outside his home and damage done inside during Hurricane Dorian.

In the video, Pintard estimates that sea levels have risen at least 15 feet to reach a level above the windows of his home.

"This is what I’m facing at the moment, and I have neighbors that are in a far worse position than me and my family," he said.

Watch the video:

More than 1,000 flights canceled around the US as Dorian approaches

From CNN's Greg Wallace

While Hurricane Dorian has yet to make landfall in the US, that hasn't stopped the Category 4 storm from forcing major airlines to cancel or delay hundreds of flights today.

So far, 744 flights within, into or out of the US have been delayed while 1,138 flights have been canceled, according to data from the aviation tracking website FlightAware. It is unclear how many of these delays and cancellations were directly related to Dorian.

Here's a breakdown of the delays and cancellations by some of the largest US airlines:

• American  has canceled 113 flights. 
• Southwest  has canceled 148 flights. 
• Delta  has canceled 52. 
• United  has canceled 33. 

How Dorian is affecting other airlines:

• Spirit Airlines , which has a large number of flights into and out of Fort Lauderdale, has canceled 37% of its schedule. The 268 flights canceled by Spirit are more flights than any other airline has canceled today.   
• JetBlue , with two of its six “focus cities” in Florida — serving the U.S. and Caribbean destinations — has canceled 201 flights, or 18% of its schedule. 
• Frontier , which says it offers direct flights out of Orlando to more cities than any other carrier, has canceled 94 flights, or 21% of its schedule. 
• Allegiant , which has a heavy schedule out of Orlando, has canceled 88 flights, 24% of its schedule. 

Read more about how Hurricane Dorian is impacting travel around the US here .  

Dorian expected to get "dangerously" close to Florida tonight

While Hurricane Dorian creeps along at 1 mph, the storm is expected to get "dangerously" close to the US tonight, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The Category 4 storm is moving in a westward to west-northwestward motion, which should be followed by a gradual turn toward the northwest and north, the center said in its 11 a.m. ET advisory .

On this track, the core of extremely dangerous Hurricane Dorian will continue to pound Grand Bahama Island through much of today and tonight. The hurricane will then move dangerously close to the Florida east coast late tonight through Wednesday evening and then move dangerously close to the Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Wednesday night and Thursday.

This is what it looks like inside the eye of Dorian

The US Air Force Hurricane Hunters have captured footage from inside the eye of the storm using a reconnaissance plane.

The plane flew through Dorian to gather data to determine the storm’s intensity and path.

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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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• Cruise Ship

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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Carnival Cruise ship sailed into Gulf of Mexico as Hurricane Ida barreled down. Why?

Sunbathing in the middle of the ocean during a hurricane? Probably not what passengers expected when booking their Carnival Cruise trip.

A Carnival Breeze cruise ship set sail Thursday from Galveston, Texas, headed across the Gulf of Mexico for Cozumel, Mexico, even as forecasters warned that Hurricane Ida could make landfall as a powerful storm.

“At the time Carnival Breeze departed Galveston, it was determined that it was safe to do so,” Chris Chiames, Carnival’s chief communications officer, said Saturday in an email.

“We safely operate ships every year during hurricane season,” Chiames wrote. “Our Fleet Operations Center works with National Hurricane Center data to monitor storm activity and operate our itineraries.”

Cruise ships can easily maneuver to avoid a storm, Chiames said.

“Given our commitment to the health and safety of our guests and crew, we will continue to closely follow the path of the storm and take any necessary actions to keep the ship out of harm’s way.”

Ida made landfall south of New Orleans as a Category 4 storm Sunday.

The ship is scheduled to return to Galveston on Monday, when Ida is expected to be moving up the coast in Louisiana and Mississippi.

One passenger told the SunHerald that the trip to Cozumel was pleasant, but that wind and rain picked up at one point on the ship’s route back to Texas.

Chiames said in a follow-up email Sunday that “as of this morning Carnival Breeze has safely navigated past Ida’s path.”

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How Cruises Navigate the Rough Seas of Hurricane Season

After devastating hurricanes struck the caribbean and florida this fall, travelers may wonder what to expect in terms of sailing conditions and itinerary changes when cruise lines encounter serious storms..

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When it comes to monitoring weather and hurricane season, this is not the cruise industry’s first rodeo.

Photo by Shutterstock

As hurricanes Fiona and Ian devastated the Caribbean and Florida last month, heading as far up the eastern Atlantic coast as Newfoundland, Canada, and leaving a trail of destruction behind, cruise ships were left unscathed. How did they avoid calamity?

Today’s modern cruise ships are built to withstand storms, avoid them, and even outrun them. Cruise companies follow the weather very carefully, changing itineraries, canceling sailings, and working hard to keep passengers and crew out of harm’s way.

Millions of cruisers are in the Caribbean on dozens of ships during the hurricane season, which roughly runs from the start of June until the end of November. In addition to the Caribbean, storms can impact the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada and along the Mexican Riviera on cruises out of California that sail to such ports as Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

The largest storms tend to hit the eastern Caribbean in August through October and the western Caribbean from September through November. These late summer and fall periods are also when you are likely to find some of the best cruise deals of the year.

For those temped by the savings, it’s worth noting that most cruises are not physically impacted by hurricanes. But if you book a cruise that takes place during hurricane season, be prepared for possible last-minute itinerary changes and cancellations should there be storms. If you have your heart set on your cruise visiting a particular island, you may be better off avoiding hurricane season sailings—no matter how good the deals are.

How cruise ships monitor for hurricanes and severe weather

Major cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean , Celebrity Cruises , Carnival Cruise Line , and Princess Cruises , continuously monitor weather patterns around the world.

The captain and officers on each ship have access to weather maps and satellite images and storm models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And they get updates from teams on the ground monitoring storms.

Royal Caribbean Group , which includes Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and luxury line Silversea , hired its own meteorologist, James Van Fleet , in 2017; during hurricane season, he is based in Miami in a storm monitoring center with a 25-foot wall of weather screens. The rest of the year he trains cruise ship crew on how to deal with weather conditions.

He provides public reports on forecasts and conditions on his Instagram account . It’s fascinating reading for weather enthusiasts and includes very practical information for those who have a cruise coming up.

Carnival similarly monitors weather conditions from its fleet operations center, which opened in 2018 at the company’s Miami headquarters and runs 24/7. The center keeps in touch with ship captains as weather systems develop.

Thankfully, when storms and hurricanes do develop, cruise lines often have time to plan. Most storms appear on weather radars 7 to 10 days before they hit. And when it comes to cruise ships and storms, cruise lines leave nothing to chance.

How cruise lines handle rerouting ships during a hurricane

Hurricanes may cause ships to miss ports as they seek calmer seas, and in some cases, itineraries are changed more drastically. You may find your eastern Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten is changed to a western Caribbean cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, or the opposite.

Hurricanes can have an impact on a wide range of itineraries across numerous destinations. During Hurricane Fiona in September, for instance, some ships were rerouted away from Puerto Rico, others away from Bermuda, and still others away from Canada.

Passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway out of New York thought they were heading to Bermuda, but ended up instead visiting Newport, Rhode Island; Portland, Maine; and St. John in New Brunswick, Canada, due to Hurricane Fiona.

That ship was hardly alone. Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian resulted in hundreds of itinerary changes, and some cancellations as well.

Leading up to Hurricane Ian, the Florida ports of Key West, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Port Canaveral were shut down, leaving some ships at sea.

Passengers on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship Disney Wish had their four-night sailing out of Port Canaveral extended by a day when the ship could not return to port and instead found calmer seas to hang out in. A video was posted on Twitter of passengers cheering when they learned they would have more time on the ship. Passengers on the next sailing weren’t as lucky. Their cruise was canceled due to the late arrival of the incoming sailing.

Staying at sea is often a safer bet for ships during a hurricane, as they are not in danger of hitting any structures or rocks as they might be in port.

How rough do cruise ship sailings get during hurricanes?

While your ship can avoid the brunt of a storm, you shouldn’t assume you won’t feel some rocking and rolling. If you are cruising in hurricane season, it’s best to be prepared with a seasickness remedy .

You’ll know rough seas are expected not only based on the captain’s daily briefings but also by actions by the crew—such as dampening tablecloths so that dishes don’t fall off. If the ship’s pools and water park close, time to take some seasickness medication if you’re prone.

Should you set sail during a hurricane?

Whether or not to sail on a cruise during hurricane season is a very personal decision. But note that having your cruise impacted by a hurricane is rare, even at the height of the season. You may actually find little to no impact on your cruise vacation.

Whatever you decide, you are certainly not going to find yourself sailing right into a major storm, so deciding whether to cruise or not is a matter of comfort and convenience—not safety. At worst, you may experience some rough seas. And you should be prepared to be flexible in terms of any possible itinerary changes.

It’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance that covers trip disruption for weather-related changes, so that you are covered for any flight changes or hotel stays should your cruise be changed or delayed.

If ports are missed, the cruise line may compensate passengers with onboard spending credit to use for drinks and Wi-Fi and other purchases, but that’s totally at its discretion. If the cruise is canceled due to a hurricane you can expect a full refund, and some lines will also provide a discount on a future sailing in addition to the refund, the cruise line’s effort to sweeten the pot so you will rebook.

If you are cruising in hurricane season, it makes sense to keep track of the weather prior to your cruise so you aren’t blindsided should changes occur. Check with your cruise line if you have concerns and to stay up to date on any announcements made by the company.

Terrifying video shows a storm flooding decks and hallways of a Carnival Sunshine cruise ship leaving passengers seasick

• Terrifying videos show a coastal storm flooded the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship over the weekend. 
• Passengers told WCIV about "horrific" conditions and not hearing updates from crew for over 12 hours.
• Carnival Cruise Line said the storm delayed the ship's arrival to Charleston. 

It's a cruise ship passenger's worst nightmare: Rough coastal storms hit the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship over the weekend, flooding some decks of the vessel and delaying its return to port. 

According to Fox Weather , a powerful storm off the southeastern coast of the US hit the Sunshine as it returned from a Memorial Day weekend trip to the Bahamas. The large waves, heavy rain, and strong winds rocked the ship, leaving some passengers sick and terrified.

Related stories

One video shared online showed heavy damage along some of the decks of the ship. Hallways were flooded and debris was strewn about everywhere. 

—Crew Center (@CrewCenter) May 28, 2023

One passenger posted a video of the interior of a cabin as the storm pounded the ship, adding that guests had been evacuated from one of the bars after over 30 liquor bottles fell off the bar and broke. 

—FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

Some Carnival Sunshine guests reported feeling sick during the storm, according to WCIV-TV . Others, including passengers Christa Seifert-alicea and Daniel Taylor, told WCIV-TV that they didn't receive communication or updates on the storm from the Sunshine's crew for over 12 hours. 

"What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child, and the elderly is something I will never forget," Seifert-alicea told WCIV-TV.

One video posted on Twitter showed the aftermath of the storm on Sunday morning.

Carnival Cruise Line told Insider in a statement that the ship's "return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday."

"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 statement read. 

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• Cruise News

Carnival Gives Behind The Scenes Look At Hurricane Operations

Doug Parker

• July 12, 2019

Carnival Cruise Line is showing guests exactly what goes on behind the scenes both shoreside and on the ship when a hurricane is expected to have an impact on a port of call.

In 2018, Carnival debuted their multimillion-dollar Fleet Operations Center at their Doral, Florida headquarters. Along with an internal staff of maritime experts, they also take advice from government agencies such as the National Hurricane Center and the United States Coast Guard.

After everyone has presented the projections, impacts, and alternate port solutions, shoreside make decisions in conjunction with the ship’s captain. The two teams are in constant communication and working in tandem to ensure guest safety.

READ MORE: Carnival Cruise Ship Impacted By Gulf Storm

Carnival’s brand ambassador John Heald detailed the steps taken both shoreside and onboard during a hurricane. Via his Facebook page, Heald explained, “Although itinerary modifications happen from time to time, any decision to change an itinerary is always done with the interest of guest and crew safety. Hurricanes are as reliable as a blind yak and can suddenly change their tracks and so we wait, gather advice and see what we need to do, often within a day or so notice.”

Inside Carnival’s Fleet Operations

So what happens once the new plan of action has been put into place? Heald outlined the process as follows:

• The shore excursions team has to call the tour operators in the new ports of call to book as many spaces on the excursions as possible.

• Crew members who may have been joining the ship in the original port of call have to be advised and rescheduled if necessary.

• Ticketing for flights of joining crew and entertainers need to be changed.

• And, finally, a letter has to be prepared for guests to let them know what is going to happen and why.

“We also email or text guests and travel agents and post the new itinerary on our social media channels,” his post continued. “And when that new itinerary is given to guests, 99 percent will accept the decision — they may be disappointed but they understand.”

What Happens On The Impacted Cruise Ships

Obviously, people who find themselves on a ship impacted by a weather-related itinerary change are at least slightly inconvenienced. But what they might not stop to think about is everything that is going on behind the scenes to accommodate the change.

For example, the Fun Times that had already been planned has to be completely revised by the entertainment director so as to accurately reflect what will be happening around the ship. And on a larger scale, the various managers around the vessel have to rejigger schedules and make new plans for all of the departments impacted.

“Above all,” said Heald, “we want to deliver the itinerary the guest booked which is why we want to wait and see what happens with the storm before officially announcing any changes.”

Once it’s been decided that the ship can’t proceed on its regularly scheduled path, the Carnival team must figure out a new itinerary. And while it might seem like a simple matter of pointing the ship in a different direction, there’s much more involved. Ships can’t simply show up at a port on a whim, arrangements must be made.

READ MORE: Carnival Reveals ‘New Command’ Center

“Let’s say that Hurricane Henry is heading through the eastern Caribbean and the scheduled calls are in St. Thomas, San Juan and St. Maarten,” explained Heald. “So we look to the western Caribbean for an alternative itinerary. That is when the beards call the port authorities in Cozumel, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and other ports to ask for a berth on a specific day.”

Safety Is Carnival’s No. 1 Priority

Most cruisers — especially those with a little experience under their belts — take these unexpected by necessary itinerary changes in stride. “But,” adds Heald “I also have to say that, on every ship that is affected by Mother Nature, there are people who do not and will not understand that the cruise lines make these changes for their own safety.

To the few who are angry and not understanding, I ask that you please don’t take your frustration out on a 20-year-old guest services associate, an entertainment staff member or anyone in a uniform as they have absolutely nothing to do with this decision.”

READ MORE: Carnival Releases Hurricane Safety Video

In closing, he asked that this hurricane season, everyone keep the following two things in mind: “From the Fleet Operations Center to the Captain, we will always, always keep you safe. [And] even when there are changes to cruise itineraries, the crew will always, always provide you with brilliant service and a massive dollop of Carnival style fun.”

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Carnival Legend docks in Norfolk after Baltimore bridge collapse forces reroute

NORFOLK, Va. - More than 2,000 cruise passengers disembarked in Norfolk on Sunday, but the Mermaid City was not the original destination.

The Carnival Legend arrived at Nauticus' Half Moone Cruise Terminal early Sunday morning.

The ship was originally supposed to port in Baltimore, but Tuesday's collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which killed six people, blocked the city's port.

Cruise liners and other ships have since been forced to reroute.

Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean announced ships scheduled to return to Baltimore would dock in Norfolk instead.

"This is a community effort. Customs and Border Protection, our stevedore services locally, the entire maritime industry has come together to pull this off. On Easter Sunday, no less," said Stephen Kirkland, Executive Director of Nauticus, on Wednesday . "So we're going to do what we can as a community to support our friends at Carnival and we're thinking about our friends in Baltimore."

Currently, the Half Moone Cruise Terminal in Norfolk is closed until 2025. However, Kirkland said the timing for this ship couldn't have been better.

"We just happened to have a pause in our service to do some construction inside. Fortunately, that hadn't started quite yet so when Carnival and Royal Caribbean called me on Tuesday we said we would help you if we could," explained Kirkland.

Once off the boat, more than 2,000 passengers boarded 70 buses back to Baltimore.

Passengers for the next cruise aboard the Legend were driven to Norfolk to depart here.

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• Cruise and Hotels
• Carnival Cruise
• Carnival Cruise Weather Policy: Ensuring Safety and Peace of Mind During Hurricanes

When it comes to planning a cruise vacation, one of the concerns that often arises is the impact of weather conditions, particularly during hurricane season. Carnival Cruise Line, a leading provider of cruise vacations, understands the importance of ensuring the safety and peace of mind of its guests in the face of inclement weather. With a well-defined weather policy in place, Carnival Cruise Line goes above and beyond to protect its passengers and maintain the highest standards of safety.

Key Points of Carnival Cruise Weather Policy

It is crucial for cruise passengers to familiarize themselves with the weather policies of their chosen cruise line. Carnival Cruise Line’s commitment to safety and peace of mind during hurricanes ensures that guests can confidently embark on their cruise vacation, knowing that their well-being is the top priority.

• Carnival Cruise Line – Weather Policy
• CDC – Cruise Ships and Hurricanes

What does Carnival cruise do if there is a hurricane?

Carnival Cruise Line prioritizes the safety and peace of mind of its passengers during hurricanes. In the event of a hurricane, Carnival closely monitors weather conditions and collaborates with expert meteorologists and government agencies to make informed decisions. The cruise line may modify itineraries, change port calls, or even reroute the ship to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. Carnival’s comprehensive weather policy aims to keep guests informed and provide them with alternative options to maximize their vacation experience while maintaining their safety. For more detailed information, please visit Carnival’s Weather Policy page: https://www.carnival.com/travel-advisory/weather-advisories.aspx.

Is it safe to be on a cruise ship during a hurricane?

When it comes to the safety of passengers during hurricanes, Carnival Cruise Lines prioritizes the well-being and peace of mind of every traveler. With a comprehensive weather policy in place, Carnival Cruise ensures that ships are rerouted or delayed to avoid any potential danger zones. The company closely monitors weather conditions and works in collaboration with meteorologists to make informed decisions about the ship’s itinerary. In the rare case that a ship is unable to avoid a hurricane, Carnival Cruise has extensive measures in place, including reinforced hulls and advanced navigation systems, to ensure the safety of everyone on board. Passengers can rest assured knowing that their safety is paramount to Carnival Cruise, and they can trust in the company’s commitment to providing a secure and enjoyable cruising experience. For more information on Carnival Cruise’s weather policy, please visit their official website: https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/safety/weather-policy.

What do cruise ships do when a hurricane is coming?

When a hurricane is approaching, cruise ships like Carnival Cruise Line prioritize the safety and well-being of their guests and crew. They closely monitor the weather conditions and work in collaboration with meteorologists and other experts to make informed decisions. If a hurricane is predicted to impact the ship’s planned itinerary, Carnival Cruise Line may alter the route to avoid the storm, or in extreme cases, cancel or postpone the cruise altogether. Passengers are kept informed through regular updates and provided with alternative options. The company has robust policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety and peace of mind of everyone onboard during such weather events. For more information on Carnival Cruise Line’s weather policy, please visit their official website: https://www.carnival.com/travel-alerts.

What happens if my Carnival cruise is Cancelled due to weather?

If your Carnival cruise is cancelled due to weather, rest assured that Carnival prioritizes the safety and peace of mind of its passengers. In such cases, Carnival offers guests options to ensure a hassle-free experience. You may receive a full refund or receive a future cruise credit, depending on the circumstances and the length of the cancellation. Carnival’s policy aims to provide flexibility and accommodate guests in the face of unforeseen weather conditions. For more information on Carnival’s weather policy and how it ensures safety during hurricanes, please visit their official website: www.carnival.com/about-carnival/legal-notice/weather-policy.

Carnival cruise hurricane policy

Carnival Cruise Line prioritizes the safety and peace of mind of its passengers during hurricanes. With a comprehensive weather policy in place, Carnival ensures that all necessary precautions are taken to protect travelers and provide a seamless experience. The policy includes closely monitoring weather conditions, rerouting or modifying itineraries when necessary, and keeping passengers informed throughout the process. The company also offers flexible options for guests affected by hurricanes, including rebooking or refunding their cruise. Carnival’s commitment to safety and customer satisfaction sets it apart as a trusted choice for cruise vacations. For more information on Carnival’s weather policy, please visit their official website: https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/weather-advisory.

In the face of unpredictable weather conditions, Carnival Cruise Line has implemented a robust and comprehensive weather policy to ensure the safety and peace of mind of its guests during hurricanes. With a commitment to providing an exceptional cruising experience, Carnival Cruise Line goes above and beyond to prioritize the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew members.

One of the key elements of Carnival Cruise Line’s weather policy is its proactive approach to monitoring and assessing weather conditions. The cruise line maintains a dedicated team of meteorologists who closely monitor weather patterns and provide real-time updates to the ship’s captains and onboard crew. By utilizing advanced weather tracking technology and collaborating with reputable meteorological organizations, Carnival Cruise Line can make informed decisions to navigate away from potentially hazardous weather conditions.

Should a hurricane be forecasted, Carnival Cruise Line takes prompt action to modify itineraries and ensure the safety of its passengers. The cruise line understands the importance of providing timely information to its guests and strives to keep them informed throughout the process. Guests are notified of any itinerary changes or delays via various communication channels, including email, text messages, and announcements onboard. This transparent and proactive approach allows guests to adjust their plans accordingly and maintain peace of mind.

Carnival Cruise Line also emphasizes the flexibility of its weather policy, allowing guests to make necessary changes to their travel plans without incurring penalties. In the event of a hurricane-related itinerary change, guests are offered the option to reschedule their cruise to a future date or receive a refund. This flexibility provides guests with the assurance that their investment is protected and allows them to make decisions based on their individual circumstances.

To further ensure the safety of its passengers and crew, Carnival Cruise Line maintains close communication and collaboration with relevant authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard and local port officials. This collaborative effort allows for a comprehensive assessment of the situation and facilitates the implementation of appropriate safety measures.

It is important to note that while Carnival Cruise Line takes significant precautions to avoid hurricane-affected areas, weather conditions can be unpredictable. Therefore, it is recommended that guests stay informed and follow the guidance provided by the cruise line during their voyage. Additionally, guests are encouraged to obtain travel insurance that covers unforeseen weather-related events, ensuring further peace of mind.

For those interested in learning more about Carnival Cruise Line’s weather policy and its commitment to safety during hurricanes, there are several trusted sources that provide valuable information. The official Carnival Cruise Line website (www.carnival.com) offers comprehensive details on the cruise line’s weather policy, including frequently asked questions and updates on current weather conditions. Additionally, the National Hurricane Center (www.nhc.noaa.gov) provides real-time updates and forecasts on hurricanes, enabling guests to stay informed about potential weather disturbances.

In conclusion, Carnival Cruise Line’s weather policy is a testament to its unwavering commitment to the safety and peace of mind of its guests. Through proactive monitoring, timely communication, flexibility, and collaboration with relevant authorities, Carnival Cruise Line ensures that passengers can enjoy their cruise experience without undue concerns about hurricanes. By staying informed and adhering to the guidance provided by the cruise line, guests can embark on their journey with confidence, knowing that their well-being is the top priority for Carnival Cruise Line.

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Carnival cruise ship catches fire after possible lightning strike

(CNN) – A Carnival cruise ship caught fire Saturday near the Bahamas.

Passengers say the Carnival Freedom was likely struck by lightning during a violent storm.

That, however, has not been confirmed, and the cause is still being investigated.

The ship sustained major damage to its exhaust funnel. Carnival says the fire caused the funnel to fall onto the deck.

The captain turned the ship toward an area with heavy rain to help put out the flames. It took about two hours to put out the fire.

There were no reports of injuries, but two firefighters were treated for minor smoke inhalation.

Passengers were able to attend dinner as planned on Saturday night, but the damaged deck area remained closed.

The ship returned to Florida on Monday.

Cruises on the ship that were originally scheduled to depart on Monday and Friday have been canceled as the ship undergoes repairs.

Carnival says passengers will get a full refund and a credit for a future cruise.

Copyright 2024 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.

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• Carnival Cruise Lines

How does Carnival handle hurricanes?

By tess2cruz , March 31, 2006 in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Those of you that sailed last hurricane season, how did Carnival ships handle it? Did anyone end up with 7 days at sea, or just maybe 1 port? We are sailing the Elation 9/03, Eastern Carib., 4 ports. YES, we understand that the chances are high we may get diverted, and are prepared to just lay by the pool with drinks for the whole cruise, :rolleyes: , but will survive LOL Just wanted to hear what others experienced last year, and what we could expect. Thanks

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No, actually your chances are high that you will have a normal cruise. But, that being said, no one knows today what will happen with any given hurricane some 5 months away.

Generally, they may change the schedule from east to west. Or, you may go to Bermuda and sit. Or you may go south.

If the hurricane is threatening the home port, you may sail in circles or go to another port to end the cruise.

If you are leaving, they may pull out early (watch the news and talk to the cruise line regularly if that becomes a possibility).

Generally speaking, if the hurricane is there, the ship won't be.

We were on the Conquest last September when Hurricane Rita managed to put herself between us and Galveston. There wasn't another close port to come back to, so Carnival left us two extra days in sunny Cozumel and Costa Maya. They couldn't have been more accomodating. Not only did they feed and house us for two extra days for free, they brought in new entertainment so we wouldn't have to repeat a show. They even added the port of Costa Maya so we wouldn't be bored. We were informed and safe every step of the way. Their expert handling of a difficult situation has made me a loyal customer for life.

Two free days? I'm jealous!! It really sounds like they handled that situation well. I think their first priority is safety. A passenger that doesn't have a good time will not likely cruise again.

24butterfly

We're sailing in July--the 29th to the w'm Carib--Costa Maya, Belize leaving out of Port Canaveral....Do you think there will be problems?? Thanks!!

salty dingo

BTW, that Triumph picture is a well-known fake.

Hurricanes are big, but the good news is: it is quite remote (maybe 1% chance) that one will be in the path of your ship at the time you are cruising. I based my chance on looking at a map of hurricane paths over the last 100 years. The chances of a hurricane hitting a particular spot on a particular date is slim indeed.

Also, they do not sneak up on you. There is ample time to prepare and adjust. If Carnival saw one coming during embarkation, they would divert to another nearby port and/or delay arrival. If there was one on the return, they would do the same. No big deal if you have travel insurance that covers weather.

Even without insurance if you have a non-refundable airline ticket, you can usually make changes for a reasonable fee.

Worst case, if you drive to the port, as the passengers from NOLA found out during Katrina, you may lose access to your car for some time. But again, that is what insurance is for. And it is so remote of a chance it is not worth losing any sleep over.

Wow, maybe we are paying rock bottom price for a chance at an extended cruise? :D That would be just too bad, LOL. I know there are no gaurentees either way, but that is why we have the great price and I will take what I can get just to get to cruise at all. But a couple of extra days wouldn't hurt my feelings.

does anyone know if any of the Eastern Carib ports were effected by the storms last year. I know Cozumal was and Grand Cayman the year before, (was there right after and saw it)

cruise_pirate

http://members.dsli.com/schooner/triumph/

That is one of the coolest pictures I have seen with a cruise ship:eek:

Were you on that!!!

That is one of the coolest pictures I have seen with a cruise ship:eek:   Were you on that!!!

It not real LOL...I just love posting the link on hurricane threads :D

Dont think you should worry too much, I have sailed both EC and WC in summer, no problem.

Oh I was going to say that would be a heck of a ride!!!!!!!:)

I can tell you how ours was handled. (June 2005) We left out of NOLA and Carnival had cancelled our first port. They gave a $50 pp credit on our sail and sign card. We were told that we would go to Cozumel. This was with the hurricane heading there as well. 2 1/2 days later we were told that we couldn't port due to the Hurricane, Duh... We were again given $50 pp credit on our sail and sign cards. We were also given the opportunity to take a future 3, 4, or 5 day cruise at 50% off ; have to take it before Dec 2006. We never ported anywhere and it sucked, big time. There is only so much you can do on the ship. The bars and casino, I'm sure made huge profits. You can drink $50 up in one afternoon before dinner out in the sun.... Off course, Hurricane Katrina came in August and we haven't been able to rebook. I'm not sure that we will.

I even wrote a letter to Carnival expressing my dissatisfaction with the

way they handled it; they always maintained that we would go to port

at Cozumel. Why didn't we go somewhere else? Only Carnival knows....

I can tell you how ours was handled. (June 2005) We left out of NOLA and Carnival had cancelled our first port. They gave a $50 pp credit on our sail and sign card. We were told that we would go to Cozumel. This was with the hurricane heading there as well. 2 1/2 days later we were told that we couldn't port due to the Hurricane, Duh... We were again given $50 pp credit on our sail and sign cards. We were also given the opportunity to take a future 3, 4, or 5 day cruise at 50% off ; have to take it before Dec 2006. We never ported anywhere and it sucked, big time. There is only so much you can do on the ship. The bars and casino, I'm sure made huge profits. You can drink $50 up in one afternoon before dinner out in the sun.... Off course, Hurricane Katrina came in August and we haven't been able to rebook. I'm not sure that we will.   I even wrote a letter to Carnival expressing my dissatisfaction with the way they handled it; they always maintained that we would go to port at Cozumel. Why didn't we go somewhere else? Only Carnival knows....

I think maybe you need to consider how many cruise ships are out there at any given time, and the itineraries are well planned. the ports are already pretty full, and there were probably none at that time that could accomdate your ship. My experience on the West Carib have been several differant ships at each port. The Eastern Carib we have more islands where we are the only ship, and probably have a better chance of being deverted to another port. How long was your cruise?

IMHO The western routes and ports are becoming cruise ship traffic jams. I'm done with the West. Eastern and Southern are far more interesting and less congested.

In Carnival's defense, that's probably true. There was no where they could have gone. But what left the bad feelings on our part, Carnival stated that we were offered the opportunity for a full refund prior to the ship leaving NOLA. That wasn't the case. We asked and were told no.

We were also told prior to leaving that the ship would port somewhere. Again that wasn't the case.

The other post was correct, if the hurricane is there, the ship most likely won't be.

In 2003 Hurricane Claudette was in the Gulf of Mexico when we left Galveston on the Jubilee. We sailed around her (east to Alabama and then cut south). This delayed our arrival in Calica by a few hours. No missed ports.

Last year, I sailed on the Miracle. Hurricane Emily was cruising through the Western Caribbean at the time. Originally we were to sail to Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Belize and Cozumel. Instead we sailed around the eastern side of Cuba and stopped in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. We were disappointed that we missed Belize, but we still had a wonderful time.

Speaking of sailing during hurricane season.... We were on the Miracle during Hurricane Katrina. We passed through the southern perimeter of the storm when we were returning to Tampa and got diverted to Ft. Lauderdale. That last sea day was really rocky but it could have been worse since the winds were from the west and created a tailwind that pushed us along fairly quickly.

Carnival did a great job re-booking flights for their fly away guests and bussing passengers who booked their own flights/drove - back to Tampa.

We always travel during hurricane season because of the prices. We've had some port changes, but only on 3 out of 5 cruises. We've been on during some rocky weather, but never felt port-deprived or afraid. We got 4 hurricanes at home last year here in the Keys, so at least being able to move around them is better than being on land!

In Carnival's defense, that's probably true. There was no where they could have gone. But what left the bad feelings on our part, Carnival stated that we were offered the opportunity for a full refund prior to the ship leaving NOLA. That wasn't the case. We asked and were told no. We were also told prior to leaving that the ship would port somewhere. Again that wasn't the case.   The other post was correct, if the hurricane is there, the ship most likely won't be.

Though I think you would burn through your credit pretty quick on the ship, a 50% off your next cruise is a pretty big deal.

The problem with the past hurricane season was that the path of the storms changed frequently and made it tough for vacation planners as well as Carnival. They have many ships and attempt to move them around the storms and still give their passengers a great time.

To the OP's question, we were cruising during Hurricane Wilma out of Miami. We were supposed to go to Key West and Cozumel. Our iten. changed to Freeport and Nassau at the last minute but we got out of port and still made the cruise. It was a 4 day cruise. Due to the hurricane we could not get back into Miami and spent an extra 2 days at sea. Once back in port we found there was not transportation or hotels available (airports closed). We went back on the ship for another 3 days for a $100. What an awesome deal. This was great since our only option seemed to be to sleep in the airport until flights resumed 2 days later. On our additional 3 days we went back to the Bahamas.

We love to cruise and had a fantastic 9 day cruise on the Imagination. We did not get to the ports we wanted but Carnival did a great job keeping us aware of what was going on and safe.

You can read a full review of the Imagination Hurricane Wilma cruise in the link below in my signature!

Did they just charge you $100 for the 3 days or $100 each day? Also, did you have travel ins and if so did they reimburse you for it>

crazycruzer68

We were due for Cozumel that same time Wilma was in Oct., they told us upon boarding that we may not do that port, before 8:00 on the first night we had already changed to do Nassau. We got no credit for a changed port, not that we should have Nassau was wonderful! If you are worried and feel like they are not giving you information you can always watch the news from your cabin. After leaving Key West we had a day at sea, I don't think it takes that long to do Key West to nassau because it seemed like we just circled for a while. We saw several other ships doing the same thing, I love to see another cruise ship at night all lite up.

We were on Conquest during Hurricane Dennis last year. We skipped Grand Cayman, docked early in Cozumel, and arrived back in New Orleans a day late. We were well informed about the path of the storm and the fact that we might be late in returning; people with scheduling problems were urged to consider disembarking at Cozumel and arranging alternate transportation home. The captain and crew did a great job at keeping us updated and (much more importantly) keeping us away from the storm. The morning we sailed off the Texas coast playing "keep away" from Dennis was rough - no hope for it. The CD and his staff also were very good at juggling entertainment schedules, and we didn't lack for activities. In all, it was handled well; we'll be out there again this summer.

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Action News Jax Now

Carnival Cruise Lines to operate in Jacksonville through 2026

Carnival extends service from Jacksonville Carnival's Elation will continue to cruise out of Jacksonville at least through 2026. (Credit: JAXPORT)

Jacksonville, Fla. — Carnival Cruise Lines will continue to make trips to and from Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) announced Monday that it and Carnival reached an agreement to continue cruise service from Jacksonville into 2026, with options to extend through 2030.

Carnival’s Elation cruises out of JAXPORT’s North Jacksonville Cruise terminal, offering year-round trips to The Bahamas.

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The ship carries 2,697 passengers.

“The continued growth of our cruise program is another way we create jobs and economic impact for our region and state,” JAXPORT CEO Eric Green said in a news release. “JAXPORT has a longstanding partnership with Carnival, and we are grateful for their commitment to serving Jacksonville and providing even more reasons for tourists to visit our great city.”

Carnival has been cruising out of Jacksonville for 20 years, carrying more than 3 million passengers.

JAXPORT said the cruise industry in Jacksonville supports nearly 800 jobs and has an economic impact of more than $187 million for Northeast Florida.

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Video shows flames, heavy black smoke after Carnival Freedom exhaust funnel catches fire near Bahamas

By nbc6 • published march 25, 2024 • updated on march 25, 2024 at 7:38 am.

Shocking video filmed by a passenger onboard the Carnival Freedom captured the moment after the ship's port-side exhaust funnel caught fire off the coast of the Bahamas on Saturday.

According to a statement from Carnival, the fire broke out at around 3:15 p.m. Saturday and the damage was more than they initially thought. The ship required immediate repair for the stabilization of the funnel.

The ship’s fire response team was also 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, the statement said.

At approximately 3:15 pm EDT today, Carnival Freedom reported a fire on the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel. The ship was 20 miles off Eleuthera Island, Bahamas, heading to Freeport after a cancelled call to Princess Cay due to weather. — Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) March 23, 2024

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Carnival Cruises also acknowledged there were swirling rumors that a lightning strike from severe weather was potentially responsible for the fire, but said that had not been confirmed.

On Monday, the ship was set to go to the shipyard in Freeport, Bahamas to undergo the required repairs.

Due to the fire, the cruise line canceled two sailings for the Carnival Freedom out of Port Canaveral -- one on March 25th and the other on March 29th.

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The company assured passengers, however, that anyone scheduled to board those cruised would receive full refunds and a credit for a future cruise.

The cruise line said two crew members were treated for minor smoke inhalation, but there were no reports of injured guests at this time.

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'I just felt so helpless': Carnival Sunrise cruise ship faces flooding

A Carnival Cruise Line ship faced flooding on its way back to Miami over the weekend.

Carnival Sunrise was returning from a five-day Caribbean cruise at the time. Passenger Rachel Cox woke up to pounding on her cabin door around 2 a.m. on Saturday.

As she and her family got out of bed, they stepped into what she estimated was 2 to 4 inches of water. “We opened the door and people are yelling and screaming ‘Hey, we're taking on water. We're flooding,’ ” she told USA TODAY.

Cox, 38, was staying in an inside cabin on Deck 10 with her partner and son, and her mother and daughter stayed in the adjacent room.

After a man wearing what looked like a security uniform told them to go to their muster station, they gathered their belongings and scrambled down the stairs – in part because water was pooling around the elevator bank.

“We're literally running down the stairwells, and as we are, (on) every single floor water's just coming out of the ceilings, it’s coming up through the floor, we see water on the sides of the walls,” said the Arkansas-based nonprofit executive director.

The captain came to speak with Cox and other guests holed up in the ship’s Liquid Lounge. He informed them that the vessel had taken on water and that bad weather had changed their route, though Cox said the captain did not get specific. Cox and her family did not hear any other official updates from the line, but the crew distributed bottled water and a small number of blankets to passengers.

They stayed there until they got off the ship shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday (though Cox and her partner did go back upstairs briefly to retrieve their life jackets).

Story continues below.

“Carnival Sunrise encountered heavy rain while the ship was returning to Miami overnight Friday into Saturday,” Carnival spokesperson Matt Lupoli said in an emailed statement. “Some staterooms were taken out of service for Saturday's departure as our team completed clean up and replaced carpet. Those guests who were not able to sail were provided full refunds, a future cruise credit and received overnight accommodations if they needed them.”

Cox said the cruise line did not initially offer her a refund or other compensation, despite her belongings getting wet, including large suitcases the crew had stored ahead of disembarkation. She contacted Carnival when she got home and said she didn’t hear back until Wednesday morning, when a guest services representative asked to set up a call.

A couple of hours later, the cruise line also sent her a note signed by Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy, offering a 25% future cruise credit and inviting guests to submit documentation for review of damage to personal belongings.

“On behalf of the entire Carnival family, I am writing to express our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience you experienced as a result of the water intrusion incident that occurred the final night of the voyage,” Duffy said in the email, which Cox shared with USA TODAY. “We understand that being moved from your stateroom during those late hours must have been frustrating, and we deeply regret the disruption to your plans and comfort.”

Lupoli said in a separate statement that passengers "affected by the flooding incident on Carnival Sunrise were directed to the main lounge, not their muster stations, where our team worked to make them as comfortable as possible."

"The captain apologized for what occurred on board, a burst pipe due to a large amount of rainwater, and our Guest Care team has followed up as well, sending a letter and issuing a credit for those inconvenienced," he said. "We appreciate their understanding and support."

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Cox, who has been on over a dozen Carnival cruises, said the experience soured her on taking another – at least for now. “I had several pleasant experiences before this one, but at this moment in time, I can't imagine ever getting on another ship because I just felt so helpless.”

The news comes after Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas, which is now operating the nine-month Ultimate World Cruise, also experienced flooding after rough weather off the coast of South America in January.

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

Travel | Carnival Freedom cruise ship suffers another…

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Travel | florida supreme court oks abortion amendment for ballot; 6-week ban goes into effect in 30 days, things to do, subscriber only, travel | carnival freedom cruise ship suffers another funnel fire.

The Port Canaveral-based Carnival Freedom just received its new funnel less than six months ago, but it has suffered more damage because of another fire on board this past weekend as it was sailing in the Bahamas.

Carnival reported the port side of the ship’s exhaust funnel was damaged in a fire at 3:15 p.m. Saturday as it was about 20 miles off the coast of Eleuthera Island, Bahamas as it was heading to Freeport. The ship had skipped over a port of call at Princess Cay because of bad weather.

Carnival Freedom cruise ship having some minor issues pic.twitter.com/PDdZ89K6KE — Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) March 25, 2024

“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,” according to an update on X by the cruise line. “Eyewitnesses reported the possibility of a lightning strike and that is being investigated.”

This is the same ship that had its funnel burn away in 2022 to the point the ship had to sail without the iconic “whale tail” shape until it went in for a replacement last October during a dry dock in Spain.

Carnival Freedom Returns to Port Canaveral Following a stack fire March 23rd pic.twitter.com/ecVVjvvoHx — Jerry Pike (@JerryPikePhoto) March 25, 2024

“The captain has made multiple announcements to guests and crew and advised all but essential safety personnel to stay away from all open decks. There are no injuries. The port side portion of the funnel has fallen onto Deck 10 and the fire response is putting out the flames,” the line said Saturday.

At the time, the line also stated its sailings from Port Canaveral this week would not be affected, but both a Monday and Friday sailing have been canceled. Its next departure is not slated until at least April 4.

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