Cruise lines adjust itineraries to avoid hurricanes

With Hurricane Idalia barreling through the eastern Gulf of Mexico toward Florida and Hurricane Franklin spinning past Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean, cruise lines have adjusted several of their itineraries. 

Idalia became a hurricane Tuesday morning and is expected to increase in intensity as it approaches Florida, with sustained winds projected to reach 120 mph, making it a Category 3. 

Category 4 Hurricane Franklin is expected to bring tropical storm conditions to Bermuda as soon as Wednesday morning as it makes its closest approach to the island, according to the National Hurricane Center. Maximum sustained winds have reached 130 mph, and the storm is expected to remain a hurricane through late this week, although the center expects the storm to steadily lose strength over the next few days.   

Due to the storms’ projected paths, some cruise lines have altered their ship itineraries. 

Carnival Cruise Line

Because of Hurricane Idalia, the Carnival Conquest, which departed Miami on Monday on a four-day sailing, will visit Bimini, Bahamas, on Tuesday instead of Key West. Instead of visiting Cozumel, Mexico, on Wednesday, the ship will spend the day at sea, and it will call at Nassau on Thursday, when it was supposed to be at sea. 

The Carnival Valor’s call in Costa Maya, Mexico, was canceled on Monday due to adverse weather conditions. The ship is visiting Cozumel on Tuesday. The ship is on a five-day sailing that left from New Orleans on Saturday. 

Due to Hurricane Franklin, two ships with itineraries to Bermuda have been rerouted. The Carnival Magic, which departed Sunday from Norfolk, Va., will instead call at Half Moon Cay, Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas, during its six-day cruise. 

The Carnival Legend, which sailed Sunday out of Baltimore will call at Nassau and Freeport instead of Bermuda during its six-day sailing.  

MSC Cruises

The MSC Meraviglia, which departed from New York on Sunday, will swap its calls at Nassau and Miami. The ship will visit Nassau instead of Miami on Wednesday, then call in Miami on Friday. 

The MSC Seaside, which departed from Port Canaveral on Sunday on a three-day sailing, skipped its Tuesday call to the line’s private island, Ocean Cay, to overnight in Nassau instead.  

This is a developing story.

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