Hurricane Irene is increasing in strength as it sweeps through the Caribbean, heading for the Bahamas. With winds now increased to 100 mph and gusting to 125 mph, the storm is expected to reach Turks and Caicos by tonight (Tuesday) and will be in the Bahamas tomorrow.
The itineraries for seven Carnival cruises and four Royal Caribbean ships have been torn up and re-arranged to avoid the worst of the weather.
Carnival Conquest, on a seven-night Bahamas and Florida cruise which left Galveston on Sunday, has turned to the western Caribean and now visits Costa Maya on Wednesday, Cozumel on Thursday and Progresso on Friday.
Carnival Destiny, sailing a five-night cruise from Miami has cancelled Visits to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau, and will call at Key West, Cozumel and Costa Maya instead.
Carnival Liberty was at Grand Turk yesterday instead of having a sea day, and Carnival Miracle, on an eight-night itinerary from New York, missed out San Juan and St Thomas, re-scheduled a visit to Grand Turk, and has been at Half Moon Cay today.
Carnival Pride sailed from Baltimore on Sunday and was in Port Canaveral today instead of tomorrow. The remainder of the cruise after Freeport tomorrow will depend on the weather.
Carnival Triumph, which left New Orleans On Saturday, cancelled visits to the Bahamas in favour of Coxumel and Progreso, and Carnival Victory, based in San Juan, cancelled a visit to St Thomas yesterday and headed for Barbados instead.
Royal Caribbean’s shuffled the order of ports for cruises on Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas. Freedom of the Seas is also sailing its itinerary in reverse, and Serenade of the Seas, cruising south of the hurricane, is in Aruba today, Curacao on Wednesday, St Kitts on Friday and St Thomas on Saturday.
Irene is forecast to hit the mainland USA near the Carolinas border on Saturday.
About the Author: John Honeywell
John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.
My daughter called me last night from the Carnival Pride. They were near Cape Fear, NC. They will be arriving a day early on Saturday instead of Sunday at Port Baltimore Maryland. Everyone is safe.