Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Valor is unable to return to her homeport of New Orleans as planned on Thursday, September 12, 2024 due to the lingering influence of what is now Tropical Depression Francine.
Guests were previously notified that the ship would be at least delayed several hours, but now that delay is extended to a full day or possibly longer.
Instead, the ship will not return to Port NOLA until Friday, September 13, once the port has been inspected and safely cleared to restart operations. Booked guests have been notified of the delay and will be further updated as the situation is clarified.
“If you are living in an area that is being affected by Hurricane Francine, we hope you are safe,” the notification email from Carnival Cruise Line began. “The storm made landfall in Louisiana earlier this evening, and the New Orleans Area is still being affected.”
Power outages, localized flooding, and minor damage is being reported in New Orleans as the storm moves further out of the area.
“It will take some time for port officials to fully conduct a post-storm assessment tomorrow, September 12, and it is now clear that the ship will not be able to return to New Orleans until sometime Friday, September 13, 2024,” the email explained.
The post-storm assessment will include inspection of the cruise terminal and docks to ensure the ship can be safely accommodated, as well as checking relevant channels and basins for debris that might impact the ship as she sails into port. Power must also be restored to the cruise terminal so the ship can be processed for debarkation and embarkation.
Such inspections are carried out as soon as safely possible once a storm moves out of the area and wind speeds drop appreciably.
Carnival Cruise Line has not yet confirmed exactly when Carnival Valor will be able to dock for disembarkation and embarkation for incoming guests, but will provide a further update as soon as more details are confirmed.
For now, the ship remains well south of New Orleans in smoother waters, waiting for clearance to return to the port. Guests onboard have reported rough seas, but otherwise, the ship is unaffected, and all onboard operations are as normal.
Safety is always the first priority for a cruise line, and when hurricanes threaten either ports of call or homeports, ships may be rerouted or delayed as needed to keep the ship, passengers, and crew safe.
The 110,438-gross-ton, Conquest class Carnival Valor is homeported year-round from New Orleans offering primarily 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean sailings.
The current cruise, now extended for an extra day, was originally a 5-night voyage that departed on Saturday, September 7 and called on Cozumel and Progreso.
Because of the delay, it is likely that the next itinerary – a 4-night trip to Cozumel – may also be adjusted.
Tropical Depression Francine Update
While Francine has been downgraded to a tropical depression and is now located over central Mississippi, she is still generating significant rainfall and showing sustained wind speeds of 35 miles per hour with higher gusts at times.
The storm made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane at approximately 5 p.m. local time in Terrebonne Parish, roughly 80 miles southwest of the Port of New Orleans.
As is typical once a hurricane makes landfall, the storm weakened quickly and slowed, but that also raises the risk for flooding and damage. Fortunately, while New Orleans is prone to flooding, the area does also drain quite rapidly once rainfall stops.
Travelers with any cruise booked during hurricane season – June 1 through November 30 – should always stay alert to weather forecasts and sign up for text and email alerts from their cruise line to be updated immediately in case of weather-related itinerary changes, delays, or other adjustments.
