Hurricanes Franklin, Idalia spur port preparations, cruise itinerary changes (updated)
Cruise lines adjusted several itineraries for Hurricane Franklin in the Atlantic and Idalia, off the western coast of Cuba.
August 28, 2023
Franklin intensified into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it heads northeast toward Bermuda. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami expect Franklin to pass 'well west' of Bermuda on Wednesday. Bermuda is currently under a tropical storm watch.
Bermuda cruises switch to the Bahamas
Carnival Cruise Line switched the six-day Bermuda cruises of Carnival Magic, which departed Sunday from Norfolk, Virginia, and Carnival Legend, which sailed Sunday from Baltimore, into Bahamas itineraries.
Carnival Magic will visit Half Moon Cay, Nassau and Freeport in the Bahamas, while Carnival Legend will call Nassau and Freeport.
Royal Caribbean International's Baltimore-based Vision of the Seas is also missing Bermuda. The five-day cruise will call Nassau instead.
Idalia
Cuba's western tip and portions of Florida's Gulf Coast are under hurricane warnings for Tropical Storm Idalia, expected to become a 'dangerous major hurricane' over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico by early Wednesday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Idalia is projected to pass near or over western Cuba Monday night before turning northward and reaching Florida on Wednesday.
Port Tampa Bay closed
Port Tampa Bay is closed to inbound vessel traffic, with Port Condition Yankee set on Monday morning, meaning gale force winds are possible within 24 hours.
Port Canaveral and JAXPORT prepare
With Idalia forecast to cut across the Florida peninsula, the Coast Guard captains of the port on Sunday night set Port Condition Whiskey for Jacksonville and Port Canaveral. This means sustained gale force winds are possible within 72 hours. Canaveral remains open with normal operations.
Port Canaveral-based Disney Fantasy's weeklong cruise that departed Saturday was switched from a western to eastern Caribbean itinerary. No other Disney ships are currently impacted.
Royal Caribbean's Tampa-based Grandeur of the Seas will skip Costa Maya and visit Cozumel on Aug. 31 instead of Aug. 28.
Celebrity Equinox replaced its Grand Cayman call with Falmouth, Jamaica.
Monday evening update: Carnival Conquest's four-day cruise that sailed from PortMiami Monday will visit Bimini on Tuesday instead of Key West, spend Wednesday at sea instead of calling Cozumel and stop at Nassau Thursday instead of a sea day.
New Orleans-based Carnival Valor's scheduled stop at Costa Maya was canceled Monday. The ship will visit Cozumel Tuesday. Valor's five-day cruise embarked Saturday.
No NCL ships impacted
Norwegian Cruise Line has no ships in the impacted areas.
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Port CanaveralCubaFloridaDisney Cruise LineCelebrity CruisesRoyal Caribbean InternationalBermudaNorwegian Cruise LineAbout the Author
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