As Hurricane Beryl continues to move into the Caribbean and impact popular ports of call, another Norwegian Cruise Line vessel is completely changing itineraries in order to ensure a safe and comfortable sailing.
The impacted vessel is Norwegian Breakaway, which departed PortMiami on Sunday, June 30, 2024 for what was to have been a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise.
Instead, however, guests were notified onboard that their cruise was being switched to an Eastern Caribbean itinerary to steer clear of the storm.
“To circumvent the path of hurricane Beryl and forecasted inclement weather, we have made the decision to take a safer, alternative route,” the notification letter read. “While we share your disappointment, these modifications were made with great consideration as your safety, and that of our crew, is always our number one priority.”
Norwegian Breakaway was scheduled for a full day at sea on Monday, June 1, followed by four popular ports of call – Roatan, Honduras; Harvest Caye, Belize; and Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico over the week. The last day of the cruise was to have been a day at sea on Saturday, July 6, before the ship returns to Miami on July 7.
Now, however, Norwegian Breakaway will still have a day at sea on Monday, but every port of call has been changed. The ship will visit Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.), St. Thomas on Wednesday (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), and Tortola on Thursday (6 a.m. to 2 p.m.).
Friday will be a day at sea, and the last port of call will be Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island destination in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
This still gives travelers four ports of call to enjoy, even though none of them are the same ports as planned on the original itinerary.
All shore tours booked through Norwegian Cruise Line for the now-cancelled Western Caribbean destinations will be automatically cancelled. A full refund for each one will be posted to guests’ onboard accounts.
New excursions for Puerto Plata, St. Thomas, Tortola, and Great Stirrup Cay are available to book onboard at the Shore Excursion Desk port side on Deck 6 in the ship’s atrium.
The 145,655-gross-ton Norwegian Breakaway can welcome 3,963 guests per sailing, and is also home to more than 1,600 international crew members.
This itinerary change is the second full cruise swap Norwegian Cruise Line has made due to Hurricane Beryl. Norwegian Jade has also completely changed itineraries from a western Caribbean to an eastern Caribbean schedule to steer clear of the storm.
Hurricane Beryl Threatening the Western Caribbean
While guests onboard Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Breakaway may be disappointed about the last-minute change, the safety of the ship and everyone aboard is the most important consideration.
Just when Norwegian Breakaway was to have been visiting Cozumel on Friday, July 5, the hurricane is forecast to be at its closest point to the Mexican island.
Hurricane Beryl is currently located in the Lesser Antilles, less than 100 miles east of Grenada and moving west-northwest at 20 miles per hour. The maximum sustained wind speed has been recorded at 130-140 miles per hour, just at the threshold between a Category 3 and Category 4 storm.
“Beryl has a chance today to re-strengthen now that the eyewall cycle is close to completion and the vertical wind shear remains low,” the latest discussion from Forecaster Blake reads. “It should be noted that while Beryl’s maximum winds have slightly decreased overnight, the area of stronger winds has grown, so the hazards of the hurricane are likely to affect a larger area.”
Read Also: How a Hurricane Could Affect Your Cruise
Popular ports of call in the Caribbean, including Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico, are still in the storm’s path and likely to see dramatic impacts over the next few days.
In addition to Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Breakaway, Celebrity Beyond and Icon of the Seas have likewise made dramatic itinerary changes this week to keep safely away from the storm.
Travelers with Western Caribbean cruises this week should stay in close contact with their cruise line and be flexible with their travel expectations, knowing that any itinerary changes or port cancellations are always made with safety as the first priority.
