For the past week, Hurricane Beryl has tormented much of the Caribbean, causingmultiple cruise lines to alter course for the safety and comfort of their passengers and crew members.
Now as the dangerous tropical storm makes its way to Texas, Royal Caribbean has had to make alternate arrangements for Mariner of the Seas, which is currently homeporting in Galveston, Texas, to avoid the inclement weather.
The Voyager-class ship was due to disembark a 4-night Western Caribbean cruise on Monday, July 8, 2024 – the same day Beryl is expected to make landfall and re-strengthen from a tropical storm to a hurricane.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
To account for the dangerous weather conditions, the 4,000-passenger ship is actually sailing away from Texas, delaying her return until July 9, 2024. As a result, the following itinerary—a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise—will also embark a day late.
“Due to Tropical Storm Beryl, our previous sailing’s return to Galveston has been delayed. As a result, we’ve had to shift our boarding day to Tuesday, July 9,”read a letter from the cruise line to impacted guests.
The domino effect of the delayed embarkation has resulted in a revised itinerary. The cruise will no longer call on Costa Maya, Mexico, on July 10, because there simply isn’t enough time.
However, the call on Cozumel, Mexico, will still go ahead as planned on July 11 – which is lucky considering Cozumel was closed to maritime trafficbecause of the hurricane as recently as July 5.
“Unfortunately, this means that our itinerary has been revised and we will no longer be able to visit Costa Maya. We’re terribly sorry for this last-minute change. We’re continuing to monitor the weather and look forward to welcoming you onboard,” continued the letter.
The cruise line concluded the letter by informing guests that they would be contacted directly regarding compensation for the last-minute inconvenience.
And as of now, the 139,863-gross ton vessel’s future cruises also remain unaffected. The next sailing, which is another 5-night Western Caribbean cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel, is still scheduled to embark as planned on July 13.
Tropical Storm Beryl Closes In On Texas
The first Hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic Season is quickly closing in on Texas. According to the latest data from the National Hurricane Center (NOAA), the storm is gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, and will hit Texas late Sunday, July 7, 2024, or early Monday, July 8.
The storm, which will arrive somewhere between Corpus Christi and Galveston as a Category 1 Hurricane, is expected to bring potentially life-threatening rainfall, surges, and flooding, with some parts of Texas expecting up to 15 inches of rain in one day.
In response, the Port of Galveston and the U.S. Coast Guard have jointly decided to close the busy port to maritime traffic early on Sunday evening and all day Monday until the storm passes.
Tropical Storm Beryl
The Port of Galveston posted an update to Facebook at 10 a.m. Central Time Sunday morning: “The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended vessel operations and is expected to close the port to vessel traffic at 4 p.m. today in advance of tropical storm conditions. Port Operations – Be prepared to cease all operations later today and vacate the port premises.”
“What can Galveston Harbor expect? Tide surge levels of 4-6 feet above normal along the coast beginning overnight. Heavy rain is expected to arrive later this afternoon,” continued the post. “Expect flooding in and around the port complex late today through Monday.”
While Hurricane Beryl won’t necessarily reach the strength it had while it terrorized the Caribbean and caused 9 deaths, the storm will most likely be back to hurricane status by the time it reaches Texas.
According to the NOAA, the storm began as a tropical depression on June 28, 2024, but rapidly intensified into a Category 1 hurricane within 24 hours, reaching wind speeds of 75 mph.
By July 2, 2024, Beryl was classified as the first Category 5 hurricane of the year, reaching winds of 165 mph and killing at least 9 as the storm ravaged the caribbean.
Beryl was later downgraded to a tropical storm, but has regained some traction in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to be reclassified as a Category 1 Hurricane before it reaches Texas, meaning winds will likely reach a minimum sustained speed of 75 mph or stronger.
The iconic SS United States is in dire straits, having lost challenges and now facing eviction from her home at Pier 82 in Philadelphia, where she has rested since 1996. The ongoing legal battle over rent and dockage fees, which were dramatically increased in 2021, has been lost, and the ship now has 90 days to relocate.
While the SS United States Conservancy is not to be held liable for the back rent owed, according to the recent court ruling deciding the case, it will not be an inexpensive project to relocate the vessel. The not-for-profit has now launched a campaign to raise $500,000 to cover projected costs and save “America’s Flagship.”
“An irreplaceable piece of American history and symbol of the nation could soon be homeless and face destruction,”the plea for donations reads.“She bears the name of our nation. She needs our help now.”
In addition to public appeals, the SS United States Conservancy has also reached out to state and local leaders, including governors, President Biden, regional port authorities, and the US Navy for help and raising awareness.
Donations to the preservation campaign will first be used to secure a new berth and safely relocate the ship. Costs include dockage fees, shipboard surveys to ensure safe relocation, insurance for the procedure, tugboats and crew pay, improvements to a new pier to support the ship, and preservation of artifacts and collections on the vessel.
All contributions are tax deductible as permitted by law, and donations can be made in any amount as one-time contributions or monthly donations. Each donation can also be dedicated as a gift if desired. Both credit card and bank account donations can be processed.
It should be noted that a new pier location has not yet been confirmed, but the conservancy is investigating options in Philadelphia, New York, Miami, and other major port cities in various states. If a new pier is not found by the court-imposed deadline, it is not clear what may happen to any donations.
If the ship cannot be successfully moved, it may need to be reefed or scrapped. Reefing involves sinking the ship to turn it into a marine habitat, while scrapping would demolish the ship completely.
“We’re in a race against time to move the SS United States to a new location,”the conservancy’s website states.“This is a moment for us to unite to save this symbol of our nation. Without a new location and more resources, America’s Flagship will be lost.”
Can the Ship Be Saved?
The conservancy likens the aging vessel to the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, and the Washington Monument – all very familiar symbols of the United States and popular tourist attractions.
Unfortunately, the SS United States is not quite comparable with such visible and popular monuments. While there are innovative plans to repurpose the ship as a mixed-use development and the conservancy has done great work to raise awareness of the vessel, the ship remains vacant and unused today, unable to host guests.
SS United States Docked in Philadelphia (Credit: SS United States Conservancy)
Meanwhile, the Statue of Liberty received 3.74 million visitors in 2023, and the Washington Monument sees fewer than one million visitors per year (though millions do view the obelisk, if not go up in it). Liberty Bell Center – just 3 miles from Pier 82, where the SS United States is docked – welcomes millions of visitors each year to see the iconically cracked bell.
While the SS United States is a unique piece of American history with a variety of amazing records to her name, it is hard to tell if revitalization and restoration plans may be successful. A great deal will be decided in the next few weeks if suitable donations can be raised and if a new home for the ship can be secured.
A pre-paid gift card is a popular and easy gift choice for birthdays, weddings, graduations, and more. Fast and convenient, gift cards let you enjoy a guilt-free spending spree at your favorite retailer or restaurant. But what if you’ve received a card to the world’s most popular cruise line?
Carnival Cruise gift cards can also be useful and flexible gifts for holidays, special occasions, thanks, or recognition – but how can those cards be put to the best use?
Unless someone has generously given you a gift card to cover the cost of an entire cruise (I’ve never been that lucky!), you will need to know how to redeem Carnival Cruise Line gift cards to make use of the gift the next time you set sail on any of the Fun Ships.
No matter where in the world you wish to sail or which incredible ports you visit—Alaska, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Europe, Canada, New England, Hawaii, even the Mexican Riviera or the Panama Canal—Carnival gift cards can be useful (with one exception we’ll discuss later!).
Gift cards of all types are widely available at major retailers. Carnival Cruise Line cards can be found at more than 9,000 retail locations, including both regional and nationwide chains. Lowes, Office Max, Publix, Meijer, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Winn Dixie, and Safeway are just a few popular places to buy these popular gift cards.
Cards and ecards are also available through retailers like newegg as well as AARP and other organizations. Rewards programs from Allstate and other services also have member-only discount or occasional exclusive offers on gift cards for qualified cruisers.
Travelers interested in buying Carnival gift cards should note that there is no phone number to purchase the cards (not even 1-800-CARNIVAL, the general customer service and booking line).
These cards are only available online, through various retailers, or onboard Carnival Cruise Line’s ships in the Cherry on Top gift shop. Cards are also sold online at through authorized retailers or via Carnival’s website.
Who Can Buy Carnival Gift Cards?
Any family members or friends who know your passion for cruising could purchase a gift card – you can even buy one (or two, or three, or four) for yourself as a way to save up for your next cruise.
Gift cards can include a customizable name (though not printed directly on the card) or personal message and physical cards can be mailed with a gift tin for an extra special touch. Cards are mailed with free shipping via regular US mail, or shipping may be expedited for an additional fee.
Cruise line gift cards are also often given away as promotional items or prizes by car dealerships, home builders, real estate agents, raffles, or radio stations. Some travel agencies will also offer the cards to help their clients have the best vacation experience possible to the world’s most desirable destinations, or to add an extra bonus to bookings.
Purchasing a Carnival Cruise Gift Card (Photo Credit: melissamn)
Whether you are given the card as a gift or promotion, or if you win one through a raffle or other event, it can be a great way to pay for extra fun on your Fun Ship cruise. Some cruise fans even add these cards to a gift registry for a wedding or honeymoon voyage.
Travelers should note that gift cards purchased through resale or other third-party sites are not necessarily guaranteed by Carnival Cruise Line. These gift cards should be treated with caution to ensure their authenticity and full value, as the purchaser or e-card recipient will bear all risk of loss in case the card is fraudulent.
About Carnival Gift Cards
Carnival Cruise Line first began issuing gift cards on December 5, 2012, replacing earlier gift certificate programs, including the Fun Ship Dollars and Scrip Dollars. While those programs are no longer in service, any remaining balances are honored.
Carnival Cruise gift cards have proven popular and are frequently used by first-time cruisers as well as loyal members of Carnival’s VIFP program. The cards are available with values from $100 to $1,000 (e-card value is the same). Furthermore, there are no dormancy charges or service fees if the card is not used within a specific time frame.
Photo By: Melissa Mayntz
It is important to note, however, that promotional cards – those given as prizes or offered as incentives by other companies – may have expiration dates. These would typically be printed on the front of the card. Cards purchased by the public do not usually expire, but terms and conditions are subject to change.
Like most gift cards from major retailers, the cards are not redeemable for cash and are not refundable or replaceable if they are lost, stolen, or damaged. CCL Gifts or any affiliated LLC, subsidiary, or other retailer is not obligated to replace or refund any cards for any reason. Guard them carefully, folks!
How to Use Your Gift Card on a Carnival Cruise
With no shortage of fun things to do onboard every Carnival cruise ship, there are several ways you can use a gift card on your oceangoing vacation.
Before purchasing either a physical or a digital gift card, however, prospective travelers should be familiar with the redemption instructions. Purchasing the card represents acceptance of these terms and conditions and refunds are not possible.
Buying a Cruise
Obviously, the easiest way to use gift cards is to buy the cruise itself. Carnival gift cards can be applied to the fare price for the purchase of a Carnival cruise, but cannot be used to pay port fees or taxes on the fare.
Carnival cruise ships in port (Photo Credit: pablopicasso)
If you have already booked your cruise but haven’t yet paid the fare in full, you can still apply cards to the remaining balance. Up to 9 gift cards can be applied to your cruise in a single transaction session; if you have more than 9 cards to redeem, you will need to do so in multiple transactions to use them all. Multiple cards cannot be consolidated into a single replacement card, but can be used for a single cruise.
Pre-Cruise Purchases
If you have already fully paid for your next Carnival cruise, it isn’t too late to use gift cards. If you opt to make online pre-purchases of shore excursions or spa experiences, gift cards can be applied to those costs, either in full or for partial payments.
If your cards don’t have enough value for the full payment, you will have to use another method of payment to complete the purchase and secure your reservation.
Carnival Cruise Line Bottled Water Price Increase
A Carnival cruise e-gift card or physical gift cards can also be used for pre-cruise purchases of bottled water, specialty dining, and other expenses.
Onboard activities with an extra charge, such as cupcake decorating classes and other fun ideas, can also be paid for with gift cards, or you can buy fun shop gifts as souvenirs or mementos. Again, full payment will be required to complete each purchase if your gift card can’t cover it.
Onboard Accounts
You can also use a gift card to set up your onboard spending account to cover purchases you make during your sailing – photos, additional souvenirs, arcade games, or incidental expenses. This can only be done once you are on board your ship.
Carnival Fun Shops
Simply visit the Guest Services desk with your gift cards in hand to make the arrangements, or use one of the convenient onboard kiosks to add your gift cards to your Sail and Sign account.
The gift cards will help cover any charges you add up during your cruise vacation, from buying drinks and pictures to a huge variety of shore excursions, gift shop items, jewelry, t-shirts, or even gratuities.
Where You Can’t Use These Gift Cards
Carnival Cruise Line gift cards are valid only on Carnival cruises, not on other lines owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. This means that Carnival gift cards are not usable for Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises, or any other line, even if it is a unit of Carnival Corporation.
Princess Cruises Ship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Photo Credit: Sail Away Media)
Needless to say, other cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean International or Norwegian Cruise Line, will not honor Carnival gift cards.
It must be noted that Carnival Cruise Line gift cards are not valid on sailings that use non-United States currency (USD) onboard. Cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand for regional sailings to the Pacific Islands, then, cannot use gift cards. If you aren’t sure about the currency used on your cruise, you can contact your travel agent or Carnival Cruise Line to ask.
What If You Don’t Use Up a Gift Card?
After your cruise, if you have extra funds available from the gift card or cards you applied to your onboard account, you will be mailed a new gift card with the remaining balance.
No cash or check refund will be sent, but the new card can be redeemed on a future cruise. You cannot reload or recharge gift cards, but it is always possible to buy new ones.
If you aren’t sure how much is remaining on different cards, you can check the balance on Carnival.com or call the cruise line for details.
Carnival Cruise Line gift cards can let you enjoy the little extras of your vacation without feeling guilty about any extra charges. Before you use them, be sure to check with the cruise line as the complete terms and conditions of the cards are subject to change, but then, bon voyage!
A 14-year-old American boy, Aydin Brown, has been reported missing in the cruise port of Rostock-Warnemünde in northern Germany, after debarking Caribbean Princess on Thursday morning, July 4, 2024.
Brown is traveling with his grandmother aboard the Princess Cruises ship, but it is not clear whether he debarked with her or on his own when the ship docked for a day in port.
Brown was last reported at roughly 7-7:30 a.m., wearing a “dark jacket, dark pants, and retro shoes” according to the Rostock police report. He is 5′ 7″ tall with long dark hair, and is reported as autistic.
Aydin Brown
Authorities have recovered a photo from a surveillance camera at the Warnemünde train station showing Brown and an unknown witness, who is urgently asked to come forward to help locate the young man. The witness is described as 20-25 years old, slim, with very long hair that was braided into a ponytail.
“It cannot be ruled out that the missing person made contact with the gaming scene in Germany and that the previously unknown witness is also active in the scene,”the police report stated.“Initial investigations have shown that Aydin Brown was in personal contact with this previously unknown person shortly after leaving the ship.”
The Warnemünde train station is just one-quarter mile from the cruise port, and easy walk of just a few minutes.
To be clear, the unknown witness is not considered a suspect at this time, but is simply asked to come forward with any possible information about Brown’s whereabouts.
Any member of the public who may have additional information is also asked to contact local authorities. To date, there is no report of suspected foul play, but authorities are being diligent and thorough in their investigation.
Caribbean Princess is currently sailing a 12-night sailing roundtrip from Southampton, UK. The ship departed on Sunday, June 30, and has already called at two ports in Denmark.
While Caribbean Princess departed Warnemünde on schedule, Brown’s grandmother reportedly remained behind in the city to stay in touch with authorities. It is unclear whether other family members are also traveling on the cruise.
The 112,894-gross-ton, Grand-class ship can welcome 3,142 passengers on each sailing and is also home to approximately 1,200 international crew members. Caribbean Princess is now continuing on to ports in Sweden, Lithuania, and Norway before she is scheduled to return to Southampton on July 12.
No other cruise ships were docked in Warnemünde on Thursday, July 4.
Other Passengers Missing From Cruise Ships
A cruise port can be a very confusing and crowded place, particularly when guests are enjoying a day in port and there are hundreds, even thousands of people moving back and forth in just a few hours. Unfortunately, this can lead to families or groups becoming separated and missing persons reports are sometimes necessary.
In December 2023, a 15-year-old girl was missing from Norwegian Spirit when the ship was visiting Dunedin, New Zealand. Local authorities used social media to spread the word about the missing teen, and she was quickly located and reunited with her parents.
More recently, in early June an 18-year-old young man was separated from his parents at a port of call (the young man did not identify either the cruise ship or the port) when they failed to return to the ship on time, and he remained onboard as the ship sailed away. His parents did rejoin the ship – at their own expense – at the next port of call.
While both of these incidents were resolved with the families reuniting, unfortunately not all such situations end so happily. In April, a 66-year-old man with dementia became separated from his family in Cozumel, and despite exhaustive search efforts, he has not been located.
Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with the family and friends of Aydin Brown with positive thoughts and hope that he is safely located very soon.
While Disney Cruise Line has been quick to share details about all the new offerings and amenities that will come when Disney Treasure debuts at the end of 2024, it’s been more than a month since the family friendly cruise linehas released a construction update on the new build.
But on July 5, 2024, Disney released first-look photos of decks 11 and 12, which will eventually be home to endless water-filled fun.
Once completed, the second Wish-class ship will boast six different pools, of which the foundations have now been laid.
Disney Treasure at Meyer Werft Shipyard
The installation of Funnel Vision and the Funnel Vision stage—a hallmark of all Disney ships—is also in progress.
As on the older DCL ships, the jumbo LED screen will be placed on one of the ship’s funnels for events and movie screenings, located just above the Funnel Vision Stage that is used for performances, such as the Sail Away Celebration, and other onboard activities.
Perhaps most exciting is that the new construction photos unveil a first look at the AquaMouse attraction, which is a 760-foot long waterslide and roller coaster in one.
The ride first debuted on Disney Wish, where it made waves for doubling as a waterslide and becoming the first ever Disney theme park-esque attraction at sea—complete with an in-ride show.
The AquaMouse onboard Disney Treasure will take guests on a whole new tubular adventure, which has been titled “The Curse of the Golden Egg,”transporting guests from their two-person rafts to a mysterious temple while at sea.
With the 4,000-passenger vessel’s maiden voyage scheduled for December 21, 2024, which is now just under 6 months away, the new cruise ship will likely be meeting many more construction milestones quite rapidly.
What’s Next For Disney Treasure?
The next cruise ship to join Disney’s growing fleet has been under construction in Germany at the Meyer Werft Shipyard since January of 2023 – and a lot of progress has been made in a relatively short period of time.
In the past year, construction crews have assembled the 144,000 gross-ton ship using large, steel blocks, which are cut into segments – as most modern cruise ships are built these days.
The steel-cutting ceremony occurred on January 19, 2023, followed by the keel laying on March 30, 2023.
The bridge block, which is the onboard hub for navigation and control, was added on June 26. And at the end of the year, on December 5, 2023, the cruise ship received the iconic funnelsthat help identify Disney’s fleet.
Disney Treasure Cruise Ship
As of December 18, 2023, the cruise line indicated that the structural construction of the new vessel was complete – allowing crews to progress into building out the amenities onboard and perfecting the design elements.
While Disney’s second LNG-powered ship will still be spending some time in dry dock as the final phase of construction is completed, she will likely start moving toward some key milestones in the coming weeks to months.
One of the major upcoming events will be the float out. While Disney Treasure has already floated within the Meyer Werft Shipyard to make room for her younger sister, Disney Destiny, this wasn’t a traditional float out ceremony.
The real float out occurs with a special ceremony when the ship leaves dry dock and officially touches the ocean for the first time.
At this particular shipyard, this will also include a river conveyance where the vessel has to travel about 20 miles down the narrow Ems River, usually backwards, in order to reach the ocean. Meyer Werft is located further inland than what may be the norm in order to avoid the brunt of storms from the North Sea, necessitating this process.
Once the float out is complete, Disney’s newest ship will undergo her sea trials to make sure she is fit to carry passengers, officially be handed over to the cruise line, and will be joined by approximately 1,555 crew members closer to when she enters service.
She will embark on her maiden voyage – a 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing from Port Canaveral, Florida – on December 21, 2024.
Award-winning singer/songwriter Meghan Trainor will serve as godmother to Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas during a 3-day christening extravaganza held onboard the ship and on land at the line’s Perfect Day at CocoCay private destination.
Royal Caribbean announced the big event on July 5, 2024 — the same day when cruisers can start entering a contest to attend the festivities. Rules about the giveaway are on the cruise line’s Instagram channel, and the contest closes to entries on July 7, 2024.
Just 52 lucky cruisers will win the prize, and the number of winners was chosen to represent the weekends of each year, since Utopia of the Seas will primarily offer short, getaway sailings of 3 and 4 nights. The christening gala will be held during the three days prior to the ship’s inaugural sailing from Port Canaveral on July 19, 2024.
Utopia of the Seas Godmother Meghan Trainor
“Utopia of the Seas is where making the most of the weekend and every moment are more than a state of mind, they’re a reality any day of the week. This is the short getaway that’s all about celebrations, celebrating friends, family and the memories you make together,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.
“Meghan embodies that in every way, from who she is to how she shares her music with the world, making her the perfect godmother to match Utopia’s big weekend energy. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the family and host a party of epic proportions fit for the ultimate short getaway,” added Bayley.
The 3-night party will feature the christening of the ship, a performance by Trainor at Perfect Day at CocoCay, and Trainor’s headliner show, which will be held in the ship’s outdoor AquaTheater.
“It’s an incredible honor to join the Royal Caribbean family as godmother of Utopia of the Seas and set the tone for the parties to come. The best part is that we get to bring that weekend energy to the stage with my family and fans,” said Meghan Trainor.
Trainor has gained superstar status since releasing her first major hit, “All About That Bass,” in 2014. She won a GRAMMY award for Best New Artist, and has eight multi-platinum singles and two multi-platinum albums. She recently released her sixth studio album, “Timeless.”
With Port Canaveral as her homeport, the 5,600-guest Utopia of the Seas is the sixth and final ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class. With 16 decks and weighing in at 236,860 gross tons, the ship is among the world’s largest. (The biggest cruise ship currently sailing is Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, at 248,663 gross tons.)
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas
After finishing touches were completed, Utopia of the Seas left the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and sailed her maiden transatlantic crossing. The ship is headed toward Ponce, Puerto Rico, where she will make a technical stop before continuing to Port Canaveral.
Following the christening events, Utopia of the Seas will begin sailing 3- and 4-night cruises from Port Canaveral, calling at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas.
Mega-Ship to Feature 40 Food And Drink Venues
Onboard Utopia of the Seas, which is the first in the Oasis class to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), guests will find no less than 40 dining and lounge options. Guest favorites will be available, such as Chops Grille, Hooked Seafood, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar, 150 Central Park, Johnny Rockets, Solarium Bistro, and The Mason Jar, while many new eateries and lounges will debut.
New options include Royal Railway—Utopia Station, a venue inspired by the rail journeys of the early 20th century. Two 24-seat dining cars will feature authentic elements from real railway carriages. While the cars don’t move, the dining experience features LED screens that serve as windows, creating a virtual journey during meal service.
Guests looking for a Caribbean vibe can check out the new Pesky Parrot bar, which will offer fruit-based beverages crafted with rum, tequila, and gin, alongside an array of frozen drinks. The Spare Tire, to be located on the pool deck, introduces Royal Caribbean’s first food truck-style eatery.
In Sitka, Alaska, a recent attempt to control the influx of cruise ship visitors has hit a roadblock. On July 2, the municipal clerk denied a petition for a ballot initiative that aimed to cap the number of cruise passengers visiting the city.
Small Town SOUL, a nonprofit advocacy organization supporting the citizens of Sitka requesting the partial ban, requested Sitka place a proposed ordinance that will place visitation caps on cruise ships and shorten the summer cruise season onto the City & Borough’s October election ballot.
With cruise passengers descending on the town of 8,300 people swelling to nearly 600,000 annually, Sitka resident and Small Town SOUL secretary Larry Edwards has been leading a call to limit passengers to 4,500 per day and set a cap that reduces annual visitors by half.
Sitka, Alaska (Photo Credit: Jeff Whyte)
However, ahead of the Independence Day holiday, the ballot request was denied for having “misleading, confusing, and incomplete terms.” The city also said the request violates the Tonnage Clause that “prohibits states from levying taxes or duties on ships based on their tonnage without the consent of Congress.”
The U.S. Constitution clause, found in Article 1, was drafted in 1787 and ratified in 1788.
Despite the setback, the group behind the initiative remains determined. “We aren’t giving up, and aim to get caps on the volume of cruise passengers in Sitka to a vote of the people,”said Edwards.
Sitka’s struggle with cruise ship regulations is part of a broader conversation and growing concerns over the environmental and social impacts of the increasing cruise traffic in Alaskan communities.
“Juneau and Sitka are not the only communities to formally question the cost benefit analysis that underlies the cruise ship economy,” Edwards continued, referring to Juneau’s recent decision to limit daily passengers in 2026 to 16,000, and 12,000 on Saturdays.
“In 2021, the Skagway mayor floated the idea of a cap on cruise ship passengers – the town of fewer than 1,000 residents welcomes as many as 12,000 passengers a day – but the idea never made it to a municipal ballot,” he said.
Persistent Push for Cruise Control in Sitka
The resistance against the escalating cruise ship presence in Sitka has been growing since 2022, when Edwards first approached city officials with a proposal to implement a cap of 240,000 passengers per year, along with a weekly maximum of 13,350 visitors.
The city rejected the initial proposal in September 2023 also based on the grounds that it was “confusing, misleading, and incomplete.”
Undeterred by the early setback, Edwards collaborated with Small Town SOUL to draft a more comprehensible plan in time for the upcoming elections. The current initiative, if it finds its way to the ballot, will allow Sitka residents to vote on whether or not to cap cruise passengers disembarking to 4,500 per day with an annual cap of 300,000.
The initiative also proposed a mandatory no-ship day each week, exempting only smaller ships, to give residents a respite from the continuous flow of visitors.
Additionally, the cruise season in Sitka, which currently begins in April and runs through October, would be cut back and limited to May 1 to September 30.
The initiative also proposes penalties for cruise lines that exceed their scheduled “persons ashore” limits and calls for accurate passenger and crew counts, demanding independent verification to improve data accuracy.
With all major cruise lines making stops in Alaska, and Sitka being a pivotal port, the proposed reduction of visitor numbers could significantly impact the cruise industry.
Such a drastic cut would face strong opposition from the Cruise Lines International Association, which already contends with the logistical hurdles presented by Alaska’s limited port availability.
Small Town SOUL is reviewing legal materials following the denial and plans to submit another request.
The Port Authority of Jamaica has confirmed that all three cruise ports on the tropical island nation – Montego Bay, Falmouth, and Ocho Rios – have successfully reopened following Hurricane Beryl brushing the southern coast of the island on Wednesday, July 3. All ports and channels were thoroughly inspected, and reopened for operations at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 4.
“The opening of the harbors will allow ships to enter from this evening [July 4] and to proceed to berth at the designated terminals in preparation of commencement of port operations at 7 a.m. tomorrow,”the notification clarified.
This means that cruise ship visits to Jamaica scheduled for Friday, July 5 and beyond should go ahead as planned, with guests able to enjoy the vibrancy and colorful culture of the island.
At this time, however, no ship visits are scheduled for the immediate future for any Jamaican ports of call. The first vessel to return to Montego Bay will be Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Liberty on Wednesday, July 24.
MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape will be the first ship to return to Falmouth with her planned visit on Monday, July 15. Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Horizon will be the first post-hurricane ship to visit Ocho Rios on Tuesday, July 16.
While Jamaica is a popular destination for many cruise travelers, the summer heat and the risks of hurricane season mean that the mid-summer months are not the busiest for the island. The winter months – November through March—are much more popular, with a greater number of ship calls from a variety of different cruise lines.
Other ports on the island – Kingston Harbour, Port Antonio, and Portland Bight – have also reopened, though they do not service cruise ships.
Hurricane Beryl and Jamaica
Hurricane Beryl impacted Jamaica as a major Category 4 storm through the day on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. At the time the storm brushed the island’s southern coast, maximum sustained winds were recorded at 140 miles per hour.
Widespread power outages, property destruction, and flooding were present in Jamaica during the storm, and at least two people lost their lives due to the hurricane’s impact, despite the storm not making official landfall on the island.
Hurricane Beryl Track (Credit: NOAA)
Hurricane Beryl has now made landfall on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula near the southern end of the island of Cozumel, which remains closed to all port traffic.
Beryl has weakened to a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. While moving over land, the storm is expected to continue to weaken and will likely emerge over the Gulf of Mexico after being downgraded to a tropical storm rather than a hurricane.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) morning update, the storm may strengthen again in the Gulf of Mexico as it turns north, likely bringing significant impact to coastal Texas late this weekend and early next week.
Multiple cruise ships have already changed itineraries to avoid Cozumel, though predicting any impact on visits after the storm has passed is tricky. For example, Carnival Valor departed New Orleans on Thursday, July 4 and is still scheduled to visit Cozumel on Saturday, July 6.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald has confirmed that as of Friday morning, Carnival Valor remains en route to Cozumel and guests will be updated onboard if itinerary changes are necessary. Announcements have also been made onboard the ship to keep passengers updated about the situation as they enjoy a fun day at sea today.
“Hurricane Beryl continues its westerly path across the Caribbean and is set to impact the Yucatan Peninsula in the next few days, passing south of Cozumel, Friday afternoon,”the announcement onboard said.“The weather looks promising for Saturday, but local authorities must conduct an assessment after the storm passes Cozumel. They will keep us updated about port conditions.”
All cruise travelers should always remain flexible with their travel plans during hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30. A storm could cause changes to cruise itineraries and port visits at any time during the season—or even outside the official hurricane season. Cruise lines always prioritize safety when faced with such changes.
Royal Caribbean International has reached out to guests booked onboard Symphony of the Seas for the ship’s July 5, 2024 departure to alert them to the need for an earlier departure from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey than originally planned.
This means embarkation must finish earlier than planned as well, with all guests onboard ready for departure at a new time.
“Due to an inbound container vessel that will be entering the channel, Symphony of the Seas will need to depart earlier than originally planned,”the notification email explained.“We will now set sail at 3:15 p.m.”
Symphony of the Seas (Photo Credit: EWY Media)
While the check-in process for the ship’s 7-night sailing will still begin at 10 a.m. as scheduled, all guests must be checked-in and onboard the vessel no later than 2:45 p.m. prior to the now-sooner-than-planned departure. Symphony of the Seas was originally scheduled for departure from Bayonne at 4 p.m.
This change will most dramatically impact those who have a late check-in appointment scheduled. The latest arrival appointment for a 4 p.m. departure would usually be 2:30-3 p.m., but the cruise line is now asking those travelers to arrive 30 minutes early to facilitate the new departure time.
While large ports can easily accommodate the movement of multiple vessels, container ships are bulky and less maneuverable than some other types of ships. Furthermore, Symphony of the Seas is an Oasis-class cruise ship and one of the largest cruise ships in the world at 228,081 gross tons.
Depending on expected weather conditions, tidal currents, and water levels, it is prudent to give these two large ships plenty of clearance around one another so there will be no mishaps or navigational difficulties. Symphony of the Seas is the only cruise ship departing from Cape Liberty on Friday.
It should be noted that this earlier homeport departure time in no way impacts Symphony of the Seas‘ overall itinerary for the 7-night cruise.
The ship will still be visiting Port Canaveral on Sunday, July 7, followed by Nassau on Monday, July 8 and Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay on Tuesday, July 9. After two days at sea, the ship will return to Cape Liberty on Friday, July 12.
Symphony of the Seas can welcome 5,518 guests at double occupancy or as many as 6,680 travelers when fully booked with all berths filled. Also onboard are approximately 2,200 international crew members.
The ship will remain homeported from Cape Liberty through the end of October, at which time she will move to Miami to offer Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. She will return to New Jersey in April 2025 for another summer season of Bahamas sailings.
Why Do Early Departures Happen?
While moving up the departure time for a cruise ship isn’t a common occurrence, it can happen for a variety of reasons.
In addition to accommodating other port traffic, issues such as incoming poor weather or security operations could require an earlier-than-expected departure. Travelers are given as much notice as possible for these changes, but occasionally the decision is not made until the last minute.
Early departures can also happen at ports of call, though this is typically due to bad weather that makes it unsafe for a cruise ship to remain docked or continue tendering operations.
Two Royal Caribbean ships—Freedom of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas—experienced this earlier this year when high winds at CocoCay caused guests to be recalled and the island to be shut down in the early afternoon.
Guests should always remain in touch with their cruise line through text messaging or emergency contact information in case such unusual circumstances occur.
