As Hurricane Milton continues to strengthen and make a beeline for the Florida peninsula, Royal Caribbean has added another ship to the record of modified itineraries.
Now, Grandeur of the Seas can be crusing a vastly completely different itinerary on her Monday, October 7, 2024 departure than friends initially deliberate to get pleasure from. The ship will now go to Nassau as the one port somewhat than two locations in Mexico.
The cruise line notified booked friends of the change the day earlier than embarkation, shortly earlier than then-tropical-storm Milton was formally upgraded to a hurricane.
Initially, the cruise itinerary was to depart Port Tampa Bay on Monday, October 7 and luxuriate in a day at sea earlier than visiting Costa Maya on Wednesday, October 9 and Cozumel on Thursday, October 10. One other day at sea would convey the vessel again to her Sunshine State homeport.
“Together with our Chief Meteorologist, Craig Setzer, we’re intently monitoring Tropical Storm Milton, anticipated to turn out to be a strong hurricane because it crosses the Gulf of Mexico, reaching the west coast of Florida on Wednesday,” the e-mail notification learn.
“With the intention to safely keep away from the storm, and its widespread impacts, together with the Captain, we’ve determined to skip our visits to Puerto Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico and we’ll now get pleasure from a go to to Nassau, Bahamas on Day 4 [October 10] and a Sea Day on Day 3 [October 9].”
Sadly, no different different ports of name can be found, and the opposite days of the crusing may even be spent at sea. Whereas it will give friends loads of time to get pleasure from all of the facilities the ship has to supply, vacationers will understandably be disenchanted on the dramatic change.
The 73,817-gross-ton, Imaginative and prescient class ship is the oldest within the Royal Caribbean fleet. She will be able to welcome 1,992 vacationers at double occupancy, or as much as 2,440 passengers when totally booked with all berths stuffed. Grandeur of the Seas can be residence to 760 worldwide crew members.
The ship is homeported from Port Tampa Bay by way of October, however in November will reposition to Fort Lauderdale to supply Japanese Caribbean and Southern Caribbean itineraries for the winter. In late April 2025, Grandeur of the Seas will return to Tampa not less than by way of mid-April 2026.
This itinerary change is now the fifth Royal Caribbean ship to have confirmed itinerary modifications as a result of storm. Concord of the Seas, Surprise of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, and Utopia of the Seas all have changes as effectively.
Additional ships could but have itinerary modifications because the storm’s observe and depth proceed to be refined over the subsequent few days. Any traveler with a cruise booked within the subsequent week in both the Caribbean, Bahamas, and even Bermuda ought to keep alert for doable changes.
Hurricane Milton Replace
As of the newest replace from the Nationwide Hurricane Middle (NHC), Hurricane Milton is at present situated 805 miles west-southwest of Tampa, transferring east or very barely north-northeast at 7 miles per hour (mph).
Most sustained winds have been recorded at 85 mph, placing Milton firmly as a Class 1 hurricane (wind speeds of 74-95 mph). Greater gusts are being famous, and additional strengthening is anticipated.
“Milton is forecast to quickly intensify throughout the subsequent couple of days and turn out to be a serious hurricane on Monday,” Forecaster Blake famous in the newest public advisory.
A lot of Florida has already been put below a state of emergency, with sandbag assortment factors opening and many faculties saying closures throughout the week.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, the US Coast Guard put Port Tampa Bay below Situation X-Ray in anticipation of gale power winds inside 48 hours. Whereas the port stays totally open presently, it will change because the storm will get nearer.
Learn Additionally: Florida Cruise Ports – Your Full Overview and Information
On Florida’s Atlantic coast, Port Canaveral can be already at Situation X-Ray, as is Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The Port of Jacksonville can be raised to Situation X-Ray at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
PortMiami stays at regular operations presently, however is monitoring the storm intently. PortMiami is the southernmost of Florida’s cruise homeports and isn’t at present inside the cone of chance for Hurricane Milton, although that would change as forecasts are additional up to date.
Keep tuned to Cruise Hive for extra storm updates as cruise ship itinerary modifications and homeport updates are confirmed.
