Diplomacy

Four Carnival cruise ships sailing from Florida had cruises affected by Hurricane Helene. Due to ports being closed, ships were unable to return to port and had to say at sea an extra day or two.

Here is the latest updates on these four ships as of Friday morning at 11:45 am.

Carnival Glory

Carnival Glory is returning to Port Canaveral today, several hours later than originally scheduled. The cruise line is asking guests embarking today to arrive three hours later than their scheduled check-in time. The latest update from Carnival can be read below.

“Carnival Glory: Thank you for your patience while you waited for updates about our operational plans for your cruise. Good news Carnival Glory will dock this afternoon. We must allow debarking guests to leave the terminal and parking areas before we can accommodate your arrival.

“Please delay your Terminal Arrival Appointment by three (3) hours. Guests who arrive earlier will be asked to return at their newly assigned time. In preparation for departure, all guests must be checked in by 5:00 PM (ET).”

Carnival Elation

The port in Jacksonville is currently closed. Carnival Elation was scheduled to arrive back yesterday but has remained at sea. Carnival will issue an update in a few hours about the four-night cruise that has been delayed. The latest update on the ship from Carnival can be read below.

“Carnival Elation: Overnight, Hurricane Helene made landfall in northern Florida and we hope you and your loved ones are safe. We remain in touch with local port officials, as we await word about port status, following the passage of the storm.

“We will continue to provide timely updates as more information becomes available and appreciate your patience and understanding. We will be in touch by 1:00 PM today, September 27, with more details about our plans and your options.”

Carnival Paradise

The cruise port in Tampa is also closed so Carnival Paradise has not yet been able to return. The ship has already spent an extra day at sea and yesterday’s four night cruise to Cozumel was postponed. The latest update on this cruise from the Carnival can be read below:

“Carnival Paradise: Overnight, Hurricane Helene made landfall in northern Florida and we hope you and your loved ones are safe. We remain in touch with local port officials, as we await word about port status, following the passage of the storm.

“We will continue to provide timely updates as more information becomes available and appreciate your patience and understanding. We will be in touch by 1:00 PM today, September 27, with more details about our plans and your options.”

Carnival Sunrise

While passengers were able to board Carnival Sunrise in Miami yesterday, the ship was unable to depart from port on time. However, the ship was able to leave this morning and the itinerary will remain the same.

Cruise Fever will continue to monitor these updates from Carnival Cruise Line and will update this article as more information about these delayed cruises becomes available.

Today, Royal Caribbean has released a statement to impacted guests informing passengers on Serenade of the Seas that they will be spending an extra two days at sea.

This effectively turns a 7-night cruise into a 5-night cruise.

Hurricane Helene, now a Category 3 storm, has already forced the Port of Tampa to close temporarily while the storm makes it impossible for ships to dock safely.

The storm, which is expected to become a Category 4 hurricane, is set to make landfall Thursday night.

Passengers on Serenade of the Seas are currently on a scheduled 5-night cruise that was supposed to arrive back in Tampa on September 27. 

As winds and rain batter the Port of Tampa, guests on board the ship will be able to extend their vacation in calmer waters.

Royal Caribbean is giving the storm a wide berth and is delaying the return to the ship’s homeport.

“Due to the planned closure of the Port of Tampa and to stay clear of the hurricane, we’ll have to delay our return to our homeport,” Royal Caribbean stated to guests on board the ship.

“We’ll now arrive in Tampa on Sunday, Sept. 29, and enjoy some extra sea days along the way. We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather – your safety is our top priority,” the cruise line added.

Cruise passengers who booked flights directly through the cruise line will automatically get their flights changed to the new dates.  In addition, Royal Caribbean is taking care of the extra costs of airfare changes for guests who booked their own flights.

The compensation for the flight adjustments will be in the form of $200 refunds per person for domestic flights and up to $400 per person for those flying internationally.

The cruise line reiterated one of the perks of cruising, stating that “being onboard is one of the safest places because our ship can quickly move out of the way of any inclement weather.”

While a cruise ship can move out of the way of an oncoming storm, land-based resorts must face the storm head-on.

Carnival Cruise Line has postponed at least three sailings that were scheduled out of Tampa, in addition to today’s sailing on Carnival Paradise. 

Port Canaveral was also recently closed due to the storm, and all cruise lines are monitoring the situation and will be updating impacted guests over the coming days.

Four Seasons Yachts has announced nine new cruises that will visit the Caribbean and The Bahamas in 2026-2027. The cruises will range from five- to 14-nights in length.

These nine new cruises from Miami on Four Seasons will sail between November 19, 2026 and January 31, 2027. Three of the sailings will be five-night cruises to The Bahamas with each one visiting Exuma Sound.

On marina days, the full prowess of Four Seasons I comes into play, offering guests direct access to the sea.

The ship will have access to areas that larger ships cannot visit.

Tim Littley, Vice President of Itinerary Planning at Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, Joint Owner/Operator, Four Seasons Yachts, said:

“All of these carefully crafted voyages combine yacht-only harbors and off-the-radar treasures with exclusive access to authentic local experiences. Whether enjoying festive season voyages amidst idyllic island backdrops or starting the new year in grand style travelling through stunning tropical landscapes beloved by the yachting set, our personalized journeys provide unique perspectives on the world.”

These newly announced cruises bring the total number of voyages in the ship’s inaugural year to 32.

Alejandro Reynal, President and CEO, Four Seasons, added:

“Building from the excitement and interest of our initial Mediterranean and Caribbean journeys, we are thrilled to unveil the final set of exceptional voyages for Four Seasons Yachts inaugural year.

“The festive season is an important and special time for leisure travelers and our loyal guests, and we look forward to introducing a new luxury experience to explore the best of the Caribbean and Bahamas while spending the holidays with Four Seasons.”

Four Seasons Yachts will debut in January 2026 with their first vessel, Four Seasons I.

The yacht will have 95 residential-style suites and is promising to redefine luxury cruises.

Carnival Cruise Line has postponed a few cruises that were scheduled to depart today from Florida due to Hurricane Helene.

Hurricane Helene currently has top wind speeds of 100 mph and is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane before making landfall in Florida this evening.

Several cruise ports in Florida are closed today. Carnival Cruise Line has postponed at least two sailings that were scheduled to depart from Tampa and Jacksonville. 

Since the ports are closed, cruise ships were unable to return this morning and are waiting out the storm at sea.

Carnival Elation was scheduled to sail a four-night cruise to The Bahamas from Jacksonville today. The cruise will not depart today and Carnival said that they are monitoring the situation and are hoping the ship can return on Friday. 

Officials will need to conduct a post-storm assessment before they give clearance for the ship to return to port.

Carnival is giving text alerts for the cruise, you can sign up by texting CCL1 to CRUISE (278473).

Have you ever wondered what happens when there is a hurricane or tropical storm during your cruise dates? You can read our comprehensive guide here.

Carnival has also postponed today’s sailing on Carnival Paradise out of Tampa. Carnival Paradise was originally going to sail a four-night cruise to the Western Caribbean with a port stop in Cozumel.

Just like in Jacksonville, Carnival will have to wait until the storm passes and officials can conduct a post-storm assessment.  

Once they are given the green light, the cruise ship can return to Tampa. Right now, the cruise line said that they are tentatively anticipating this to happen sometime on Friday.

Carnival also has text alerts set up for this sailing. You can sign up for them by texting CCL2 to CRUISE (278473).

Carnival Cruise Line is expected to give its next update on these sailings at 1:00 pm EST today.

These are the only two ports that are currently affecting Carnival cruises. New Orleans, Miami, and Galveston are all open.

Carnival Cruise Line is monitoring the storm from their Fleet Operations Center in Miami. They stated that the safety of guests and their crew members remains their priority and that they keep their ships sailing a safe distance from the storm.

Cruise Fever will continue to monitor these Carnival cruises and will update this article as more information from Carnival gets released.

To get the latest on Hurricane Helene, you head over to the National Hurricane Center’s website.

Two complete strangers planned the trip of a lifetime when they separately booked a 1,301-night perpetual cruise on Villa Vie Odyssey.

Now, they plan to get married on the ship.

A 4-month delay left Gian Perroni, 62, and Angela Harsanyi, 53, stuck in Belfast, waiting for the cruise ship to undergo maintenance and necessary inspections before it could sail.

While the wait left many passengers frustrated, this story was a pleasant and positive outcome.

The two passengers began to get to know each other as they faced the same plight during their stay in Northern Ireland.

Over time, the couple found they “completely meshed” and formed a relationship.

Harsanyi told Sky News, “”We found that we had so much in common and enjoyed being in each other’s company, so much that we really couldn’t picture a life without each other.”.

Two strangers stranded in Belfast for months waiting for their cruise to get under way have fallen in love and are set to marry when the ship sets sailhttps://t.co/szqfM0TNUS

— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 25, 2024

With engine trouble one of the main issues on the 1993-built vessel, passengers were still allowed to board and use some of the amenities during the day.

In the evening, shuttles were provided to bring passengers to hotels in Belfast, and it was during these trips that the couple got to know each other better, calling it a “deep friendship” that quickly “blossomed into a romance”.

The conversation turned to marriage, and the couple even picked out a ring together with the help of a local jeweler in the city.

“I was planning on asking her on the ship, but we were out one night walking along the River Lagan – during the supermoon last week – the time just seemed right. So I popped the question,” Perroni told the reporter.

Perroni has lived in Costa Rica the last 6 years, and that’s where their cruise ship will be sailing when the couple plans to make it official, in April of next year.

Villa Vie’s founder and CEO, Mikael Petterson, was excited to hear the story about the couple and told The Independent the following:

“We heard about their engagement last week and plan [on] having a celebration onboard for them.  It’s great to see the community building and relationships form. We still have a lot of singles onboard so I’d expect we’d lots more coupled form amongst residents who share a passion for travel.”

Villa Vie Odyssey is scheduled to stop at 425 cruise ports in almost 150 countries.   The ship is expected to undergo sea trials as early as this weekend if all goes as planned.

The cost for passengers on this perpetual cruise started at $99,000, which includes a 15-year lease on a selected cabin. 

The option to rent was also available for shorter segments of time which started around $2,136 for a month.

When MSC World America debuts in Miami in April 2025, it will have the only Eataly at Sea.

MSC World America will be MSC Cruises’ new flagship when the vessel enters service in the spring of 2025. It will be the cruise line’s largest ship based in the U.S. and offer cruises to the Caribbean from PortMiami.

MSC Cruises has announced that they have partnered with Eataly and they will offer an exclusive experience on MSC World America.

The Eataly restaurant will have freshly made pasta to go along with some of MSC’s most beloved dishes.

The cruise line said that Eataly on MSC World America will be a celebration of Italian culture and tradition, with a passion that extends beyond the menu.

It will be one of 19 dining venues on the ship. There will be four main dining rooms, two buffets and two venues for guests staying in the MSC Yacht Club.

Other dining venues include Paxos Greek Restaurant that will be located in the Promenade district. This seafood-forward menu will have a fresh fish counter display for guests to choose from. Lunch and dinner will be served here.

Five fast casual concepts will debut on MSC World America. They are:

• Paxos on the Go
• Promenade Bites
• The Harbour Bar & Bites
• La Boca Grill (pizza)
• Luna Park Pizza & Burger

Bernhard Stacher, Vice President of Global Hotel Operations, MSC Cruises, said:

“As an international cruise line with a strong European heritage, we are committed to taking our guests on a gastronomic journey of discovery with the onboard dining experience as we believe that the best memories are made when sharing good food together. MSC World America stays true to this philosophy, which is why we have partnered with Eataly – an emblem of Made in Italy and Italian culinary artistry.

“We share a passion for high-quality, authentic food made with fresh ingredients and together we are creating a unique experience that can only be enjoyed on board MSC World America.”

MSC World America will sail her maiden voyage on April 12, 2025. The cruise ship will sail week long cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

All of the ship’s cruises from Miami will stop at the cruise line’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.