Hurricane Helene delays turnarounds at Tampa, Jacksonville, Canaveral

Helene is expected to reach Florida's Big Bend coast Thursday evening as a large, major hurricane with 'potentially catastrophic and deadly' storm surge and winds. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami warned 'storm surge, wind and rainfall impacts will extend well away from the center and outside the forecast cone, particularly on the east side.'

Carnival Paradise and Serenade of the Seas at Tampa

Serenade of the Seas' return to Port Tampa Bay will be delayed from Thursday to Sunday. The Royal Caribbean ship also replaced calls to Cozumel and Costa Maya with Freeport and and Nassau.

Carnival Paradise will not be able to return to Tampa on Thursday either. Carnival Cruise Line said its arrival is 'very tentatively' anticipated 'sometime Friday ... possibly later.' Passengers booked on the next cruise can sign up for alerts by texting CCL2 to CRUISE (278473).

Carnival Elation at Jacksonville

Carnival Elation will not be able to return to Jacksonville on Thursday and its arrival, also, is 'very tentatively' anticipated 'sometime Friday ... possibly later.'

Passengers booked on the next cruise can sign up for alerts by texting CCL2 to CRUISE (278473).

MSC Seashore, Utopia and Adventure of the Seas at Port Canaveral

Update: Port Canaveral was ordered closed effective after midnight Thursday by the US Coast Guard captain of the port.

Already earlier MSC Seashore's Thursday turnaround at Port Canaveral was put back to Friday.

Utopia of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas, both scheduled to turn around Friday, will have delayed arrivals. News on Disney Wish and Carnival Glory is awaited.

Port Canaveral advised all passengers booked to sail on Friday or Saturday to contact their cruise lines to confirm their embarkation and ship’s departure time.

Galveston, New Orleans, Miami, Everglades are open

The ports of Galveston and New Orleans, PortMiami and Port Everglades are currently open and not anticipated to close for Helene.

Galveston-based Carnival Breeze skipped Cozumel and was expected to call at Progreso instead, on Thursday.  

Miami-based Carnival Horizon missed Grand Cayman and in lieu of Cozumel on Thursday was expected to visit Amber Cove (Dominican Republic).