Key Aspects:
- Heavy fog has closed Port Tampa Bay on Monday morning, November 24, causing delays for two cruise ships.
- Carnival Paradise and Margaritaville Islander have both reached out to guests to alert them to the delay.
- No opening time for the port has been confirmed yet and the delay is expected to be at least six hours.
‘Tis the season for fog at Port Tampa Bay, as warm water collides with cold northern air and creates dense fog that makes navigation up Tampa Bay very challenging. This has caused the port to be closed on Monday morning, November 24, causing delays for two cruise ships.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Paradise and Margaritaville at Sea’s Margaritaville Islander have both been delayed for several hours. This will now have a knock-on effect for the embarkation of new guests.
Both Carnival Cruise Line and Margaritaville at Sea reached out to incoming guests as soon as possible to alert them to the delay in order to minimize confusion at the cruise terminal.
“As of right now, we are expecting a delay of more than 4 hours,” Margaritaville at Sea posted in the early morning hours. “We thank you for your patience and understanding as we adjust for weather-related conditions and prioritize the safety of all guests and crew.”
As of the US Coast Guard’s assessment at 10 a.m., the fog was beginning to lift and the 85,619-gross-ton ship’s plans were confirmed with a slightly longer delay than originally anticipated.
“Arrival time to Port Tampa Bay has been delayed by 6 hours,” the cruise line confirmed. “For example, if your arrival window was scheduled for 10:30 a.m., please arrive at 4:30 p.m.”
The cruise line does note that further changes may occur as the situation continues to be assessed throughout the day and guests should stay alert for further updates or changes.
Similarly, Carnival Cruise Line sent alerts to guests who will be impacted by the delay.
“Port of Tampa is currently closed due to fog, which will impact embarkation,” the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, confirmed.
As of 10 a.m., there is not yet any arrival time confirmed for the 71,925-gross-ton Carnival Paradise.
“Port of Tampa remains closed due to fog. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide another update by 12:00 PM (ET),” the update explained. “Please do not proceed to the cruise terminal until you have received our final update.”
Carnival guests were asked to sign up for text alerts so they could get updated information as soon as possible.
Carnival Paradise is returning from a 4-night sailing that visited Cozumel, while Margaritaville Islander is returning from a 6-night cruise that visited Key West, Progreso, and Cozumel.
How Will the Next Sailings Be Impacted?
This significant delay may have an impact on both ships’ next itineraries.
Carnival Paradise is scheduled to begin a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise with calls to Grand Cayman on Wednesday, November 26 and Cozumel on Thursday, November 27.
Because the itinerary also includes a full day at sea at the beginning and end, however, it is likely that Carnival Paradise may still be able to enjoy both port visits without change.
Margaritaville Islander will be starting a 4-night “Cozumel Express” sailing, only visiting that Mexican port on Wednesday, November 26. Like Carnival Paradise, there are days at sea on both ends of the cruise, so it will be easy to make up some time.
If any itinerary changes are necessary, each cruise line will make the adjustments needed and alert guests as soon as such changes are confirmed.
Why Is a Port Closure Necessary?
It is essential that Tampa Bay be closed when dense fog causes visibility concerns.
Because all vessels approaching the port must pass underneath the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, it is critical that navigation be very precise to avoid any potentially disastrous scenarios.
It is not uncommon for Port Tampa Bay to be closed on winter mornings. Similar situations can also impact other ports, including Galveston, Mobile, and even Jacksonville.
Exactly when different ports are able to reopen depends on the exact weather conditions, as well as how difficult their navigational concerns may be, and what other port traffic must be considered.
The safety of the ships, guests, and port facilities is always the first consideration, and ports will be reopened as soon as it is safe to do so.
