Backup Homeports Planned for Royal Caribbean Ship Due to Milton

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With Hurricane Miltonโ€™s imminent strike on Floridaโ€™s Gulf Coast hours away, Royal Caribbeanโ€™s Grandeur of the Seas is maintaining a fluid itinerary as the storm progresses.

A Category 4 hurricane as of the morning of October 9, Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall near Tampa Bay by 2 a.m. on October 10. As a result, Port Tampa Bay is under Coast Guard Destination Zulu and has closed the port, where Grandeur of the Seas is expected to arrive on October 12.

Based in Tampa, the 73,817-gross-ton vessel departed on a 5-night roundtrip voyage on October 7, 2024, completely altered due to Milton. Instead of sailing to Mexico for two calls, it sailed to the Bahamas, stopping only once. 

Now, with the Tampa Bay area expected to take a direct hit from Milton, the 2,440-passenger ship may be unable to return to its homeport, which could sustain storm surges up to 12 feet, flooding from up to 18 inches of rain, and damage from wind speeds of more than 130 miles per hour.

If the cruise ship cannot return to Tampa, it has instituted alternative plans to get passengers back to shore.

โ€œDue to the predicted impact of the hurricane to Port Tampa Bay, our Port Logistics team has secured a couple of backup plans for safety and to ensure that we are prepared,โ€ said Grandeur of the Seas.

โ€œShould Tampa not be available, we are currently evaluating Port Canaveral and Port Everglades as potential options for debarkation and transportation home,โ€ the statement continued.

Royal Caribbean has arranged ground transportation support for guests, should the debarkation point change, providing complimentary shuttle bus transportation from the new port back to Tampa.

Port Canaveral is 140 miles from Tampa (about 2.5 hours) while Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale is 270 miles (about 4.5 hours). Guests need to complete a survey letting the cruise ship know their onward travel plans by 9 p.m., October 9, to assist in preparations.

Hurricane Milton, October 9, Advisory 18
Hurricane Milton, October 9, Advisory 18

In addition, passengers will receive a complimentary one-hour internet voucher to maintain communication with loved ones during the storm and to update arrangements, should it become necessary.

โ€œA final decision will be made on the status of the ports post-storm,โ€ said Grandeur of the Seasโ€œWe are committed to keeping you posted every step of the way. Hopefully, everything remains the same.โ€

Backup Ports Not Immune

While Port Tampa is expected to take the brunt of Hurricane Milton, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades are not entirely off the hook. Milton is expected to travel across central Florida and will pass through the Orlando area and Port Canaveral. 

The port, also under Port Condition Zulu, closed on October 9.

โ€œPort operations will be re-opened after assessment of the roadways and waterway,โ€ the port posted on its website.

Read Also: Florida Cruise Ports โ€“ Your Full Overview and Guide

As of October 9, Fort Lauderdale remains outside of Miltonโ€™s path, but weather reports indicate tornado watches and warnings in effect.

Port Everglades is under Port Condition Yankee, which means it is open. However, vessels greater than 500 gross tons, such as Grandeur of the Seas, cannot enter.

Hurricane Milton is expected to be in the Atlantic Ocean on October 12 when the ship returns. The backup plan has been created in case of port damage that cannot be cleared by arrival.

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Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot
Lissa Poirot has been covering travel for more than a decade, including sites such as TripAdvisor, CruiseCritic, The Points Guy, Family Vacation Critic, and Family Traveller. Her love of travel has led Lissa to visit more than 43 countries and has her on a mission to see every state in the U.S. (only 4 states to go!). When she's not traveling, she's exploring new attractions and events on the weekends, be it in New York City or Philadelphia, as Lissa lives between both fabulous cities.

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