Key Aspects:
- Carnival Venezia will not be visiting Grand Turk as planned on her next two Eastern Caribbean sailings.
- The port has been dropped from the April 26 and May 3 departures, but Amber Cove has been added instead.
- Guests are receiving $50 per stateroom as compensation for the unexpected change.
Guests setting sail on Carnival Venezia on her next two Port Canaveral departures, April 26 and May 3, will not be visiting Grand Turk as originally scheduled.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to booked guests with an update on the itinerary, as well as compensation for the last-minute change.
“We have made an adjustment to your itinerary – replaced Grand Turk with a visit to Amber Cove and modified port times for San Juan,” the email explained.
Grand Turk was to have been the first port visit on both 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailings, following a first full day at sea. Amber Cove is roughly 110 miles south-southeast of Grand Turk but offers a variety of great activities, including a pool with a swim-up bar, panoramic views from the Sky Bar, shopping, and a variety of water excursions and other shore tours.
Tours that had already been booked through Carnival Cruise Line for Grand Turk will be automatically cancelled and refunded. Due to the last-minute nature of the change for the April 26 sailing, that refund will be in onboard credit for guests to enjoy during their cruise.
Carnival also explains that tour refunds for the May 3 voyage, however, will be refunded back to the original form of payment. Processing times may vary for different financial institutions.
The cruise line is also giving each stateroom onboard Carnival Venezia a $50 onboard credit as compensation for the unexpected and last-minute change.
Exact port time changes for each sailing’s visit to San Juan, Puerto Rico, have not been clarified, but guests will get updated itinerary schedules in the Carnival Hub app.
The last port call for each cruise, a visit to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, has not been changed. Similarly, there are no adjustments for the ship’s departure from Port Canaveral, nor the return to the Sunshine State at the end of the cruise.
At this time, there are no announcements for changes to other upcoming Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Carnival Venezia offers both Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings, though her last Eastern Caribbean itinerary from Port Canaveral for the season is May 10, 2026. For the moment, that last sailing still includes a visit to Grand Turk.
On May 17, the Vista-class ship will depart for an 11-night, one-way trip to New York. She will spend the summer offering a mix of Canada, Bermuda, Bahamas, and Eastern Caribbean sailings from 4-9 nights before returning to Port Canaveral in October.
Why Is Grand Turk Cancelled?
No reason is given for dropping Grand Turk from the two consecutive itineraries. The port can be difficult to dock at in poor weather, which could be a factor for the itinerary change.
Cruise lines do adjust port schedules for a variety of reasons, including port operations, dock maintenance and repairs, and berth availability.
When Carnival Venezia was to have been visiting Grand Turk on April 28, Carnival Celebration is also scheduled to be in port. Likewise, on May 5, both Carnival Venezia and her Excel-class sister are also scheduled.
On the ship’s last visit to Grand Turk for the season on May 12, however, Carnival Venezia is sailing solo as the only ship scheduled.
Carnival Venezia can welcome 4,208 guests at double occupancy or up to 5,260 travelers when fully booked with all berths filled. In comparison, Carnival Celebration can host 5,374 guests at double occupancy or as many as 6,500 guests when fully booked.
Together, the two ships could bring more than 11,000 travelers to Grand Turk on a single day. The entire population of Cockburn Town, where the cruise terminal is located, is just under 4,000 residents.
Adjusting so just one ship is visiting at a time ensures a more pleasant and exclusive experience for guests, without sold-out tours and uncomfortable crowds.
