Winter Storm Fern is continuing to cause significant disruption to cruise operations across large parts of the continental United States, with multiple cruise lines adjusting itineraries, arrival times and embarkation schedules in response to hazardous winter weather conditions.
As the powerful storm moves through the central, midwestern and eastern US, bringing snow, ice, freezing rain and dangerously low temperatures, both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line have confirmed changes affecting several ships and homeports.
Harmony Of The Seas Returns Early To Galveston
Royal Caribbean has taken proactive action by bringing Harmony of the Seas back to Galveston one day earlier than scheduled, cutting short her current 7-night Western Caribbean sailing.
The Oasis-class ship, which departed on 18th January, will now arrive in Galveston at approximately 11 am on Saturday, 24th January, instead of Sunday, 25th January.
Guests onboard were notified of the change via letter, which explained the decision was made to reduce the risk of disruption to onward travel due to winter weather.
“In order to give you the best chance at a safe and uninterrupted journey home by avoiding the winter weather impacts to local infrastructure and transportation, we have decided to arrive in Galveston one (1) day earlier than originally scheduled,” the letter stated.
According to the National Weather Service, the Galveston area faces rain, thunderstorms and the possibility of freezing rain, while much of Texas is under threat of mixed precipitation, extreme cold and wind chills below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Of particular concern is the risk of ice forming on bridges linking Port of Galveston to the mainland, which could strand travellers if conditions worsen.
As a result of the early return, Harmony of the Seas has cancelled her final planned port call to Cozumel, Mexico, which was scheduled for Friday, 23rd January. The ship sailed back to Texas at top speed to stay ahead of the storm.
Guests are permitted to disembark on Saturday once the ship is cleared by authorities, but those unable or unwilling to travel can remain onboard until the original Sunday debarkation. Guests choosing to stay must notify their stateroom attendant or Guest Services by noon on Friday.
While staying onboard, guests will need to briefly debark with their travel documents on Saturday before reboarding, similar to a back-to-back sailing process. Retail shops and the casino will remain closed while the ship is docked.
Royal Caribbean is offering compensation to all guests in the form of a one-day pro-rated refund of the cruise fare, issued as onboard credit and refunded to the card on file if unused. All shore excursions booked through the cruise line for Cozumel are being automatically refunded. Importantly, guests will still receive full loyalty points for the original 7-night sailing, regardless of when they disembark.
Local parking operators near the port, including EZ Cruise Parking and Lighthouse Cruise Parking, have confirmed they are prepared for the ship’s early arrival and will operate shuttle services accordingly. Because guests can remain onboard until Sunday, Harmony of the Seas’ next sailing is not expected to be impacted.
Carnival Pride Delayed As Baltimore Faces Severe Conditions
While Royal Caribbean has moved ships ahead of the storm, Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed delays at other homeports, most notably in Baltimore.
Carnival Pride will be unable to return to Baltimore as scheduled on Sunday, 25th January, and is now expected to dock around midday on Monday, 26th January. As a result, the ship’s next sailing has been shortened by one day.
“The Port of Baltimore has advised that we should not expect to dock Sunday (January 25), which will impact the itinerary for your upcoming cruise,” Carnival informed guests. “We are now making plans to dock around noon time, Monday, January 26, forcing a shortening of your cruise by one day.”
The National Weather Service has placed Baltimore under a winter storm warning from 10 am on Saturday, 24th January through 4 am on Monday, 26th January. Forecasts include 7 to 14 inches of snow and sleet, ice accumulation, power outages and travel conditions described as potentially “nearly impossible”.
Because of the shortened sailing, Carnival Pride will no longer be able to visit Bimini on her upcoming Bahamas itinerary. Calls at Celebration Key and Princess Cays are still expected to go ahead, though port times may be adjusted depending on how quickly the ship can dock, debark returning guests and begin embarkation.
Embarkation is currently anticipated to begin around 4 pm on Monday, 26th January, but Carnival has advised guests not to proceed to the terminal until final confirmation is provided. Further updates were promised no later than 3 pm on Sunday, 25th January.
Guests on the affected sailing will receive a one-day pro-rated refund of their cruise fare to the original form of payment. Carnival is also refunding pre-paid packages, including drinks packages, wi-fi and gratuities, with those refunds issued as onboard credit. At this stage, the cruise line has not confirmed whether additional assistance will be offered for altered travel arrangements or hotel stays.
Other Ships Monitoring Storm But Still Sailing
Carnival Cruise Line has also issued precautionary updates to guests booked on Carnival Jubilee from Galveston and Carnival Sunshine from Norfolk. Both sailings remain scheduled to depart as planned on Saturday, 24th January, despite the storm.
Guests were told that while weather is not currently expected to impact operations, forecasts can change and the situation continues to be monitored closely. Passengers are being urged to take extra care when travelling to the ports and to sign up for text alerts. Carnival has confirmed that departures will not be delayed to accommodate guests impacted by cancelled flights or hazardous road conditions.
Carnival Jubilee is due to sail on a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise to Roatan, Costa Maya and Cozumel, returning on 31st January. Carnival Sunshine is scheduled for an 8-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary visiting Celebration Key, Princess Cays and Grand Turk, returning to Norfolk on 1st February.
With Winter Storm Fern expected to continue impacting large areas of the US into early next week, cruise lines have stressed that further changes remain possible. Guests sailing from any homeport in the storm’s path are advised to stay in close contact with their cruise line and monitor official updates as conditions evolve.
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