Cruises

The Latest Caribbean Cruise Changes From Hurricanes Maria, Irma

By Adam Leposa Sep 21, 2017 11:50am

With Hurricane Maria causing historic damage to Puerto Rico, and destinations like St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Key West still recovering from Hurricane Irma, we’ve rounded up the latest Caribbean cruise changes as a result of the storms.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line reports that it has chartered the Carnival Fascination to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As a result, the ship’s cruises for the duration of the charter will be canceled.

The four-month charter period will extend from October 15, 2017, through February 3, 2018. During the charter period, the Carnival Fascination will be docked in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands to provide housing and meals for relief workers.

As a result of the charter, Carnival has canceled cruises that were scheduled to operate on Carnival Fascination, which is normally homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Guests on these cancelled voyages will receive a full refund, along with a future cruise discount. The refunds will be automatically process to the original form of payment within three weeks, Carnival said, and the cruise line is also reaching out to its airline partners in order to request that they waive change fees. Carnival said it will also be working with guests on non-refundable airline change fees.

Carnival said the Carnival Fascination will return to its normal cruise service, sailing year-round from San Juan to the southern Caribbean, starting February 18, 2018, following a drydock in the Grand Bahama shipyard that will add a number of new features, including Guy’s Burger Joint and the Blue Iguana Cantina.

The following departures have been modified through the end of the year, with additional updates to be posted soon:

Carnival Magic – November 4: Departing Port Canaveral on a 7 day cruise to Amber Cove, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau.
Carnival Vista – November 4: Departing Miami on an 8 day cruise to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
Carnival Conquest – November 5: Departing Port Everglades on a 6 day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Amber Cove.
Carnival Ecstasy – November 5: Departing Charleston on a 10 day cruise to Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk and Princess Cays.
Carnival Splendor – November 5: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Ocho Rios, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.
Carnival Conquest – November 11: Departing Port Everglades on an 8 day cruise to Princess Cays, La Romana, Curacao and Aruba.
Carnival Glory – November 11: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Half Moon Cay, Nassau, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.
Carnival Magic – November 18: Departing Port Canaveral on a 7 day cruise Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay, Belize and Cozumel.
Carnival Splendor – November 19: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Nassau, Amber Cove, Grand Turk and Princess Cays.
Carnival Conquest – November 25: Departing Port Everglades on an 8 day cruise to Antigua, St. Kitts and Grand Turk.
Carnival Glory – November 25: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Half Moon Cay, Nassau, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.
Carnival Sensation – November 25: Departing Miami on a 5 day cruise to Princess Cays and Amber Cove.
Carnival Sunshine – December 1: Departing Port Canaveral on an 8 day cruise to Grand Turk, St. Kitts and Amber Cove.
Carnival Magic – December 2: Departing Port Canaveral on a 7 day cruise to Amber Cove, Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau.
Carnival Splendor – December 3: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Nassau, Amber Cove, Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay.
Carnival Conquest – December 9: Departing Port Everglades on an 8 day cruise to Amber Cove, La Romana, Curacao and Aruba.
Carnival Glory – December 9: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Half Moon Cay, Nassau, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.
Carnival Sunshine – December 9: Departing Port Canaveral on an 8 day cruise to Grand Turk, St. Kitts and Amber Cove.
Carnival Magic – December 16: Departing Port Canaveral on a 7 day cruise to Amber Cove, Grand Turk, Nassau and Freeport.
Carnival Glory – December 23: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Grand Turk, Amber Cove and San Juan.
Carnival Sunshine – December 23: Departing Port Canaveral on an 8 day cruise to Grand Turk, St. Kitts and Amber Cove.
Carnival Magic – December 30: Departing Port Canaveral on a 7 day cruise to Grand Turk, Amber Cove and San Juan.
Carnival Vista – December 30: Departing Miami on an 8 day cruise to Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Kitts and Grand Turk.
Carnival Splendor – December 31: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Princess Cays, Grand Turk, San Juan and Amber Cove.

The cruise line has also modified the following sailings through October:

Carnival Conquest – October 14: Departing Port Everglades on an eight-day cruise to Amber Cove, D.R., La Romana, D.R., Curacao and Aruba.
Carnival Glory – October 14: Departing Miami on a seven-day cruise to Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize and Cozumel.
Carnival Sensation – October 14: Departing Miami on a five-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
Carnival Splendor – October 14: Departing Port Everglades on an eight-day cruise to Princess Cays, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Carnival Magic – October 21: Departing Port Canaveral on a seven-day cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Costa Maya.
Carnival Vista – October 21: Departing Miami on an eight-day cruise to Amber Cove, D.R., La Romana, D.R., Aruba and Curacao.
Carnival Conquest – October 22: Departing Port Everglades on a six-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Amber Cove, D.R.
Carnival Pride – October 22: Departing Baltimore on a seven-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
Carnival Splendor – October 22: Departing Miami on a seven-day cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, and Grand Cayman.
Carnival Conquest – October 28: Departing Port Everglades on an eight-day cruise to Princess Cays, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Carnival Sensation – October 28: Departing Miami on a five-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
Carnival Glory – October 28: Departing Miami on a seven-day cruise to Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize and Cozumel.
Carnival Pride – October 29: Departing Baltimore on a seven-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.

Guests on canceled cruises will automatically receive a full refund, including Fly2Fun reservations, pre-purchased shore excursions, Fun Shop purchases and beverage packages. Carnival is also working with its airline partners to assist guests with independent air travel on waiving change fees.

Pre-purchased shore excursions, as well as any taxes, fees and port expenses, for canceled ports will be refunded to guests’ onboard Sail & Sign accounts.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is continuing to modify some itineraries to incorporate alternative ports to St. Maarten, St. Thomas and San Juan:

Adventure of the Seas:

10/7 – St. Croix to Martinique
10/14 – St. Croix to Antigua
10/21 & 11/11 – St. Maarten to St. Kitts
10/28 11/14 – St. Maarten to Martinique

Allure of the Seas:

10/15 – St. Maarten & San Juan to Cozumel & Costa Maya
10/29 -- St. Thomas & San Juan to Cozumel & Costa Maya

Enchantment of the Seas:

10/9 – Freeport back to Key West

Grandeur of the Seas

10/28 – St. Thomas & St. Maarten to Barbados & Martinique

Harmony of the Seas:

10/7 – St. Maarten, San Juan & Labadee to Nassau, Cozumel & Costa Maya
10/21 – St. Thomas, San Juan & Labadee to Nassau, Cozumel & Costa Maya
11/4 – St. Maarten & San Juan to Nassau & Falmouth

Independence of the Seas:

10/29 – St. Maarten, St. Thomas & San Juan to Antigua, Barbados & Martinique

Serenade of the Seas:

10/20 – St. Thomas & St. Maarten to St. Kitts & Antigua

Oasis of the Seas:

10/8 & 11/15 – St. Maarten, San Juan & Labadee to Nassau, Cozumel & Costa Maya
10/22 – St. Maarten & San Juan to Nassau & Falmouth

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line has updated a number of sailings on the Disney Fantasy to a more westerly route:

Disney Fantasy - October 7 and October 21: The new port line-up includes Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Castaway Cay, the Bahamas.
Disney Fantasy - November 4: This revised sailing will now visit Cozumel, Mexico; Costa Maya, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Castaway Cay.

MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises said that it will continue to operate four ships in the Caribbean over the next few months – including MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia and MSC Opera – with the introduction of a fifth, the new MSC Seaside, in December. The cruise line is working closely with officials in affected areas to continue destination assessments, but in the meantime, it is making the following itinerary updates:

MSC Divina

On the eastern Caribbean itineraries departing from Miami on October 14 and October 28 and that formerly included Philipsburg (St Maarten) and San Juan (Puerto Rico), MSC Divina will now cruise the following western itinerary:

Miami/Florida (USA)
At sea
Montego Bay (Jamaica)
George Town (Cayman Islands)
Costa Maya (Mexico)
At sea
Nassau (Bahamas)
Miami/Florida (USA)

On seven-night eastern Caribbean itineraries departing Miami November 11 and 25, as well as December 9, MSC Divina will now call at St John (Antigua and Barbuda), instead of at Philipsburg (St Maarten), and Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) instead of San Juan (Puerto Rico).

MSC Fantasia: November 25 – March 31, 2018

On the seven-night itineraries from Forte de France (Martinique) and Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), MSC Fantasia will now call at La Romana (Dominican Republic), instead of at Road Town/Tortola (British Virgin Islands), and at Basseterre (St. Kitts & Nevis), instead of at Roseau (Dominica), while spending an additional day at sea instead of calling at Philipsburg (St. Maarten).

MSC Seaside: December 23 – March 17, 2018

For the seven-night Eastern Caribbean MSC Seaside sailing departing from Miami on December 23, the ship will now call at St. John’s (Antigua and Barbuda), instead of at Philipsburg (St. Maarten) and Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) instead of San Juan (Puerto Rico). (Please note that the website itinerary will be updated momentarily.)

Previously, MSC Cruises had reported that the MSC Opera was able to resume operating regular cruise service out of Havana, Cuba, starting September 16, after the passage of Hurricane Irma.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering travel agents a $50 bonus commission on the below Norwegian Dawn sailings from San Juan for all new bookings made after October 5, 2017, a representative of the cruise line tells Travel Agent. Norwegian is also offering guests up to $1,000 in onboard spending on 2017 Caribbean cruises, an offer that is combinable with the line’s Free at Sea promotion.

Starting November 12, 2017, Norwegian Dawn will sail a revised seven-day itinerary from San Juan to take into account the impact of Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Irma on several Caribbean ports. The revised itinerary will call at Bridgetown, Barbados; Fort-de-France, Martinique; Basseterre, St. Kitts; St. John’s, Antigua; and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Other sailing dates in 2017 will be November 19 and 26, and December 10.

Norwegian will also offer the following cruises from San Juan from December 3 through next year:

Due to the damage sustained by Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Maarten, Norwegian has altered all of Norwegian Escape’s eastern Caribbean itineraries through the end of the year. The new ports of call are Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Harvest Caye, Belize.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships have otherwise resumed normal operations.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises reports that 90 percent of ports in the Caribbean are fully functional. As a result, the cruise line has released a new summary of all of its Caribbean itinerary changes for 2017:

All calls to St Maarten and Marigot for voyages departing in 2017
All calls to Dominica for voyages departing in 2017
All calls to Grand Turk through December 3, with the first call now on December 15
All calls to St. Thomas through November, with the first call now December 13
The call to Virgin Gorda on Pacific Princess

The following will remain the same, until further notice:

The San Juan call on Dec 20 on Regal Princess
All calls to St Maarten and Dominica on voyages that depart in 2018

We'll continue updating this page with the latest itinerary changes as they become available. Stay tuned for further details.