Hurricane Dorian’s Major Impact on Cruises (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, & More)

Note: This page is a continuation of our previous updates on Dorian. You can reference that page for more details and info since the storm started to affect cruise itineraries.

(9/2/2019, 9:00 p.m.) — Hurricane Dorian has now become stationary, sitting over the Bahamas. The only good news so far is that winds have decreased from 185 mph to a still powerful 140 mph.

Given the track, it now appears it won’t be clear of the Florida coast until Thursday. Meanwhile, ports in the Bahamas such as CocoCay (Royal Caribbean) and Castaway Cay have also been affected.

Here are major cruise line changes since our last update.

Royal Caribbean

  • CocoCay was originally hoped to reopen on September 4th. The cruise line now says it will reopen on Saturday, September 7th if the after-storm assessment gives the all clear.
  • Mariner of the Seas (8/30 sailing) will return to Port Canaveral on September 5th. The sailing originally scheduled for September 2nd has now been cancelled.

Norwegian

  • Norwegian Sky will return to Miami on September 5th, assuming the port is open.

Disney

  • Disney Dream will return to Port Canaveral on Thursday, September 5th. The next sailing (originally supposed to port on September 4th) has been cancelled.

(9/1/2019, 9:00 p.m.) — Here is a list of the most recent updates from cruise lines in response to Dorian. The changes listed below are new since the previous update only. Please see our prior updates below for other changes.

If you are booked on a cruise that could be impacted by the storm, be sure to follow the instructions received from the cruise line. They will have the most up-to-date information for your specific cruise.

Carnival

  • Carnival Horizon is now planned to sail as a 3-day cruise, departing on September 4th and returning on September 7th.
  • Carnival Liberty (8/30 sailing) will return on September 5th.
  • Carnival Liberty (9/2 sailing) is now cancelled.
  • Carnival Victory (8/30 sailing) will return on September 4th.
  • Carnival Pride is sailing on a modified itinerary. Calls to Half Moon Cay and Freeport are cancelled.

Disney

  • Disney Dream will return to Port Canaveral on September 5th, a day later than previously scheduled.
  • Disney Dream (9/2 sailing) was originally going to sail on September 4th due to the storm’s impact. It has now been cancelled.

Norwegian

  • Norwegian Breakaway (8/25 sailing) was already extended due to the storm, but will not be able to return to Miami for some time. Instead, it will dock in New Orleans on September 3rd to let passengers debark.
  • Norwegian Breakaway (9/1 sailing) has been cancelled.
  • Norwegian Sun (8/29 sailing) was scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on September 2nd. With the port closed, it will now sail to New Orleans for disembarkation on September 3rd.
  • Norwegian Sun (9/2 sailing) has been cancelled.

(9/1/2019, 2:15 p.m.) — Due to Hurricane Dorian, the Port of Miami is closed to traffic until further notice. This was largely expected and the good news is that models still show the hurricane skimming the coast of Florida instead of making a direct hit.

The bad news is that the track is slowing is it appears some island in the Bahamas may be in the path of one of the strongest hurricanes in history for the next 24-36 hours. The storm currently has sustained winds of 185 mph.

As for cruise line updates, the biggest news now is that Carnival Horizon is currently delayed. The ship was able to let passengers off at the Port of Miami yesterday, but had to leave the port as it closed. New passengers will be able to embark when the port reopens — which might not be until Wednesday.

One other thing to note is that Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay is not in the direct path of the storm, it is only about 55 miles from the eye of the hurricane. Disney’s Castaway Cay is even closer — about 25 miles. We would be surprised if both islands don’t have significant damage due to the storm.

Just to give an idea of how dangerous Hurricane Dorian is, here is video reportedly from the eye of the hurricane:

(8/31/2019, 1:30 p.m.) — Cruise passengers and all of Florida have gotten the best news given the circumstances. It now appears as though Hurricane Dorian could miss Florida.

While the storm now carries staggering 150 mph winds, the forecast now shows the hurricane turning north and either skimming the Florida coast or missing the state offshore. The Bahamas will still be heavily impacted. As well, those farther up the coast in the Carolinas could still be hit.

As of now, here are the newest updates by cruise line. Note that given the rash of changes already made, it seems as those most adjustments are now set. We don’t anticipate many more.

Royal Caribbean

No further changes from what’s listed in our earlier update below.

Carnival

Carnival Sunshine will sail as scheduled on 9/2 from Charleston.

Carnival Ecstasy (9/5 sailing) is still being evaluated.

Carnival Elation (9/2 sailing) will now operate as a 2 day sailing, departing September 5th and returning September 7th.

Carnival Horizon (9/1 sailing) will dock this evening to allow disembarkation. It will hopefully be able to embark passengers tomorrow.

Carnival Victory (9/2 sailing) will now operate as a two-day cruise departing Wednesday, September 4th

Norwegian

Norwegian Sky (8/31 sailing) will depart Miami as planned. Check-in will be from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a scheduled sail away at 3:30 p.m.

MSC

MSC Armonia (8/26 sailing) will extend its trip and arrive back in Miami on September 4th. Guests on the September 2nd sailing will now have a 5-day cruise that boards on September 4th.

Disney

No further changes from what’s listed in our earlier update below.

(8/30/2019, 11:00 a.m.) — As we have updated readers for days, Hurricane Dorian continues to cause disruption in cruises. While most routes have simply been altered with ports in different locations that avoid the storm, now we are seeing more cruises being cut short or possibly staying out to sea longer to avoid the storm and keep passengers safe. (Specific details below.)

The changes come has Hurricane Dorian — once thought to be a relatively minor storm — has increased in intensity, with forecasts also calling for the storm to slow down as it nears landfall. As a result, models are suggesting a Category 3/4 landfall (winds around 130 mph) sometime between Monday and Tuesday.

Unfortunately, the models also have the storm slowly making its way onto land and then turning north, affecting the entire state of Florida. With the storm projected to slow, it could be in the area for days.

Obviously this will impact not only the people of Florida but also the cruises that sail from its ports.

So far we’ve seen changes from all the major cruise lines. Royal Caribbean has closed its popular CocoCay in the Bahamas until September 4th. Carnival has rerouted ships, along with Norwegian and Disney.

Here are the latest updates we’ve heard from the cruise lines. If you are sailing on one of these routes, be sure to look for official statements about your specific trip from the cruise line. Given the unpredictability of storms like this, more changes could be forthcoming.

Royal Caribbean Itinerary Changes

  • CocoCay is closed until Wednesday, September 4th
  • Navigator of the Seas (8/30 sailing) has adjusted its route. It will now visit Costa Maya and Cozumel and the cruise has been extended from September 2nd until September 4th.
  • Navigator of the Seas (9/2 sailing) will be two days shorter, departing September 4th and returning September 6th.
  • Mariner of the Seas (8/30 sailing) has adjusted its route. It will now be extended to return September 4th instead of September 2nd.
  • Mariner of the Seas (9/2 sailing) will now depart Port Canaveral on September 4th and will be two days shorter, returning on September 6th.
  • Empress of the Seas (8/24 sailing) has been extended until September 4th.
  • Empress of the Seas (9/1 sailing) has been shortened by three days and will board on September 4th.
  • Harmony of the Seas (8/25 sailing) has been extended until September 4th, with extra sea days and additional time in Cozumel.
  • Harmony of the Seas (9/1 sailing) has been shortened by three days and will board on September 4th.
  • Allure of the Seas (8/25 sailing) has been extended until September 4th, with extra sea days and a stop in Costa Maya, Mexico.
  • Allure of the Seas (9/1 sailing) has been shortened by three days and will board on September 4th.
  • Majesty of the Seas (8/28 sailing) has been extended until September 4th, with an extra sea days and a stop in Nassau
  • Majesty of the Seas (9/2 sailing) has been shortened by two days and will board on September 4th.
  • Symphony of the Seas (8/31 sailing) has been is extended by a day, with a stop in Costa Maya and an extra sea day.
  • Symphony of the Seas (9/3 sailing) has been is shortened by a day, and will board on September 4th.

You can see all the details on Royal Caribbean’s itinerary updates page.

Carnival Horizon in port in Nassau

Carnival Itinerary Changes

Carnival has also made a number of changes to routes. Here is the latest from the cruise line, dated 8/29 at 8:00 p.m. eastern:

Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is actively monitoring Hurricane Dorian’s potential impact on the departures listed below. Given that storms can be so uncertain, this information reflects our plan for these sailings based on the current forecast and is subject to change.

As the safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority, we will continue to keep an eye on the storm, factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates as more information becomes available.

The following homeports and ships remain under watch:

CHARLESTON
Carnival Sunshine 09/02/19 – Still evaluating. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL3 to CRUISE (278473).

There is a possibility that Carnival Sunshine may not be able to return to Charleston on Monday. If the port is closed, the ship will be in position to dock as soon as the authorities have reopened the port.

FORT LAUDERDALE (PORT EVERGLADES)
Carnival Magic 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL9 to CRUISE (278473).

JACKSONVILLE
Carnival Ecstasy 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled.

PORT CANAVERAL
Carnival Elation 09/02/19 – Still evaluating. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL1 to CRUISE (278473).

Carnival Liberty 08/30/19 – We plan to depart as planned. Our visit to Nassau will be shortened to 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Saturday.

Carnival Liberty 09/02/19 – Still evaluating. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL2 to CRUISE (278473).

There is a possibility that Carnival Elation 08/29/19 and Carnival Liberty 08/30/19 cruises may not be able to return to Port Canaveral on Monday. If the port is closed, the ships will be in position to dock as soon as the authorities have reopened the port.

Carnival Breeze 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL10 to CRUISE (278473).

PORTMIAMI
Carnival Conquest – 08/31/19 – No change to itinerary; we plan to operate as scheduled. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL8 to CRUISE (278473).

Carnival Horizon – 09/01/19 – Still evaluating. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL5 to CRUISE (278473).

Carnival Sensation 08/31/19 – We will now visit Grand Turk on 9/2, Half Moon Cay on 9/3 and Nassau on 9/4. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL7 to CRUISE (278473).

Carnival Victory 08/30/19 – We have replaced our call to Nassau with a visit to Key West on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Carnival Victory 09/02/19 – Still evaluating. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL6 to CRUISE (278473).

There is a possibility that Carnival Victory may not be able to return to Miami on Monday. If the port is closed, the ship will be in position to dock as soon as the authorities have reopened the port.

TAMPA
Carnival Paradise 08/31/19 – Please disregard your arrival appointment and make plans to arrive at the cruise terminal between 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM. We will sail shortly after on our scheduled itinerary. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL11 to CRUISE (278473).

Carnival Miracle 09/01/19 – In anticipation of a potential port closure on Sunday, this sailing will now operate as an 8-day sailing, departing on Saturday evening. Please disregard your arrival appointments and make plans to arrive at the cruise terminal between 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM. We will sail shortly after on our scheduled itinerary. Guests who cannot travel on the extended duration, may cancel and receive a future cruise credit. Full details will be sent by email this evening. Please sign up for text alerts by texting CCL4 to CRUISE (278473).

Pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions for cancelled ports will be automatically refunded to your onboard Sail & Sign® account.

We thank our guests for their patience and understanding while we navigate through the uncertainty the storm is causing.

Norwegian ship logo

Norwegian Itinerary Changes

Norwegian Cruise Lines has also made changes and sent us the following statement:

The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority. Due to Hurricane Dorian in the Caribbean, we have modified the following itineraries for Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Sun.

Norwegian Breakaway – August 25, 2019 Sailing

As scheduled, Norwegian Breakaway will call to Cozumel, Mexico on Friday, August 30, 2019. At this time, we are uncertain if the ship will be able to return to Miami, Florida on Sunday, September 1, as planned. As such, the ship will extend its time and overnight in Cozumel until September 1, departing at 5 p.m. During this time, guests will have the option to conclude their cruise and arrange their return home or remain on board. Guests who choose to end their cruise in Cozumel will receive a 25% future cruise credit.

We welcome and encourage guests to remain on board and will provide an update on the anticipated return date to Miami by 8 p.m. or sooner on Friday, August 30.

Norwegian Breakaway – September 1, 2019 Sailing

We are closely monitoring the storm and will provide an update by 8 p.m. or sooner Friday, August 30, 2019.

Norwegian Sky – August 26, 2019 Sailing

Norwegian Sky will no longer call to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas and instead will return to Miami, Florida a day early on Friday, August 30, 2019. Guests will have the opportunity to remain on board until 7 a.m. on August 31. Due to the shortened cruise, all guests will receive a 20% refund from the original cruise fare paid.

Norwegian Sky – August 31, 2019 Sailing

We are closely monitoring the storm and will provide an update by 3 p.m. or sooner on Friday, August 30, 2019.

Norwegian Sun – August 29, 2019 Sailing

Norwegian Sun departed from Port Canaveral, Florida on Thursday, August 29, 2019 as scheduled. Her calls to Nassau, Great Stirrup Cay and Freeport, Bahamas have been cancelled. Instead, the ship will spend a day at sea on Friday, August 30 and will call to Cozumel, Mexico on August 31. She will remain at sea on September 1 and is scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on September 2.

Guests who booked shore excursions for any of the original ports of call through our shore excursion team, will receive a refund credited to their onboard account.

We are closely monitoring the storm and will communicate any additional itinerary modifications as needed.

MSC Itinerary Changes

MSC posted the following statement to their website regarding changes:

Hurricane Dorian Update:
As the safety and security of our guests and crew is MSC Cruises’ top priority, we are closely monitoring Hurricane Dorian. For cruise itinerary information on MSC Seaside and MSC Armonia, please see below:

MSC Seaside – cruise departing August 31
MSC Cruises is pleased to confirm that MSC Seaside’s scheduled departure from Miami tomorrow (Saturday, August 31) will go ahead as planned, following the latest information received from the relevant authorities about Hurricane Dorian. Embarking guests are asked to arrive for check-in between 9 AM and 1 PM (EST). This will allow to start a smooth embarkation as promptly as possible.

MSC Armonia – cruise departing September 2
We are working closely with the US Coast Guard and all other relevant entities to monitor the developing nature of the storm and how it might affect the ship’s departure. As of now, MSC Armonia remains scheduled to depart Miami on Monday, September 2. A decision about MSC Armonia’s cruise itinerary will be made tomorrow afternoon, Saturday, August 31, and will be communicated promptly.

Please note, as Hurricane Dorian approaches, the MSC Cruises USA office will have limited staff. We encourage you to please check this web site for all updates, rather than calling our contact center.

MSC Cruises’ next update will be posted by 9 AM on August 31, 2019.

Disney Ship

Disney Itinerary Changes

Disney has also had to make changes due to Hurricane Dorian. Here are the latest updates posted from the cruise line:

We continue to closely monitor the path and progress of Hurricane Dorian to ensure our guests enjoy safe and comfortable cruises, and to make certain our ships steer clear of the storm. The safety of our guests and crew is always our foremost concern.

Disney Dream – Friday, August 30 – UPDATED

Based on our most recent conversations with ports in Florida and to help our Guests better finalize their travel plans, we have decided to turn this cruise into a five-night sailing, departing as planned on Friday, August 30, with an expected return to Port Canaveral on Wednesday, September 4. Once the ship departs Port Canaveral tomorrow, it will keep a safe distance from the storm.

At this time, we anticipate Disney Dream will visit Cozumel, Mexico on Sunday, September 1. Current plans also include a stop on Tuesday, September 3 at Disney Castaway Cay, dependent on the storm’s path. We will continue to monitor weather forecasts throughout your sailing and adjust as needed.

Guests who do not want to sail on Friday, must call us at 866-325-3905 or 407-566-7032 by noon on Friday (tomorrow). Guests will then have until October 31, 2019 to choose a new sail date. They may change their reservation to a later date without incurring a change fee, though there may be a difference in price depending on the new sailing selected.

Disney Fantasy – Saturday, August 31

At this time, based on the current predicted storm timing and path, we do not anticipate any changes to the Disney Fantasy sailing on Saturday, Aug. 31.

Disney Dream – Monday, September 2 – NEW

Based on our most recent conversations with ports in Florida and to help our Guests better finalize their travel plans, we have decided to turn this cruise into a two-night sailing, with an expected departure from Port Canaveral on Wednesday, September 4, and an expected return to Port Canaveral on Friday, September 6.

At this time, we anticipate Disney Dream will visit Disney Castaway Cay on Thursday, September 5, dependent on whether it is impacted by Hurricane Dorian.

Guests that choose to continue with this sailing will receive a 50% refund of your voyage fare and a $250 onboard credit per stateroom.

Guests who do not want to sail on Wednesday must call us at 866-325-3905 or 407-566-7032 by noon on Sunday, September 1. Guests will then have until October 31, 2019 to choose a new sail date. They may change their reservation to a later date without incurring a change fee, though there may be a difference in price depending on the new sailing selected.

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