Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to travelers departing on both Carnival Dream and Carnival Jubilee this weekend about an unusual, uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous homeport problem. Due to repairs necessary following the impact of Hurricane Beryl, the Port of Galveston has only limited air conditioning in some of its terminals.
Between the two Carnival cruise ships, this may impact as many as 20,000 or more passengers when both embarking and debarking guests are considered.
Guests are urged to strictly adhere to their arrival appointment windows, otherwise they may be turned away from embarkation and asked to return at the appropriate time.
Carnival Cruise Line has contacted booked guests with updates on the cruise terminal’s condition so they can be prepared during their embarkation.
“The ship will depart tomorrow as scheduled from Terminal 28. Areas of the terminal remain without air conditioning and the temperature may be less than ideal during check-in,” the email sent to Carnival Dream guests read. “To ensure a smooth embarkation, please adhere to your pre-selected terminal arrival appointment. Guests who arrive earlier will be asked to return later.”
The 128,250-gross-ton Carnival Dream will be departing on an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise, visiting Key West as well as Freeport, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau in the Bahamas.
Similar messages have also been sent to guests booked on the 183,521-gross-ton, Excel-class Carnival Jubilee, which will be departing from Terminal 25 for a 7-night Western Caribbean itinerary visiting Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.
During the typical check-in and embarkation time frame from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., temperatures in Galveston are expected to be in the mid- to upper-80s or even the low 90s.
This can feel even hotter inside an enclosed terminal with limited air flow, especially for guests coming from northern areas who may be unused to the Texas summer heat and humidity.
While the Port of Galveston has fully reopened for cruise operations, the port administrative offices remain closed at this time “due to storm damage.” While that damage has not been disclosed, the disruption to air conditioning could very likely be the cause of the administrative closure. Meanwhile, repairs are being made as quickly as possible.
“Port staff is working with CenterPoint Energy to restore power today at cruise terminals 25 and 28 to be ready for arrivals of four cruise ships this weekend,” Port of Galveston posted in a social media update.
Other than Carnival Dream and Carnival Jubilee on Saturday, July 13, the other two ships are scheduled for Port of Galveston this weekend. Royal Caribbean International’s Mariner of the Seas also departs on Saturday – though later in the day due to an unrelated delay – and Harmony of the Seas departs on Sunday, July 14.
Both Royal Caribbean ships will depart from Terminal 10, which has been fully operational since Tuesday, July 9. That terminal is not impacted by the air conditioning issues at this time.
Beating the Texas Heat
Most of southeast Texas, including the Houston and Galveston area, has been under frequent heat advisories in recent days with heat index values making the temperature feel significantly higher than recorded highs.
Read Also: Galveston Cruise Terminal – Things You Need to Know
To counteract the heat, cruise travelers should be sure to adhere to their arrival appointment windows for both Carnival Dream and Carnival Jubilee. This will ensure the smallest possible crowds in the cruise terminal, minimizing the time guests may be in hotter-than-desirable conditions.
Wearing light clothing and staying hydrated will also be important for all guests. Furthermore, utilizing porter services can help so guests don’t have to tote their own heavy bags through the terminal. Families should be especially cautious with very young or very senior cruisers who may be more susceptible to overheating.
