Guests aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Paradise are getting a slightly longer cruise vacation than they anticipated, as the vessel is now delayed in returning to Port Tampa Bay due to heavy fog.
The weather conditions have made it impossible for the vessel to enter Tampa Bay on schedule, and instead, Carnival Paradise is holding position outside the bay as she waits for the fog to clear.
“Due to heavy fog, the arrival of the Carnival Paradise has been delayed. The decision to delay the arrival was made in an abundance of caution by the U.S. Coast Guard, due to low visibility in the area,” a statement from Port Tampa Bay reads.
The ship is returning from a 5-night Western Caribbean sailing that departed Florida on December 14, with visits to Roatan and Cozumel.
Typically, when a cruise ship returns to a homeport, the vessel would dock in the early morning hours around 5-6 a.m. This permits ample time for the ship to be secured and cleared through customs and immigration, and for debarkation to begin from 7-8 a.m.
At this time, there is no confirmed time for Carnival Paradise to arrive back at the cruise terminal. Once the ship is able to enter Tampa Bay, it takes approximately three hours to navigate to the terminal and dock successfully.
Guests scheduled to board Carnival Paradise today to begin the next sailing – a 4-night itinerary to Cozumel, Mexico – have been alerted to the delay and advised to sign up for text alerts for updates as the situation changes.
Furthermore, incoming guests will need to delay their arrival to the cruise terminal in order to ensure a smooth debarkation. Time will also be needed for debarking guests to exit the cruise terminal and adjacent parking structures before arriving travelers can easily be accommodated.
Any onboard credit or other compensation for the delay will be determined once the situation has resolved, depending on when the vessel is able to dock and welcome her next guests.
Cruise travelers should never expect compensation for events outside the cruise line’s control, such as weather-related delays, but most cruise lines do try to offer some goodwill gestures whenever possible.
Carnival Paradise is the only ship scheduled to return to Port Tampa Bay on Thursday, though fog can impact the port on any day. The winter months are especially prone to heavy fog and such delays are not uncommon.
The 71,925-gross-ton, Fantasy class Carnival Paradise can welcome 2,124 travelers at double occupancy or up to 2,697 guests when fully booked. During the holiday season, the ship is undoubtedly sailing close to full capacity.
What Happens Onboard During Delays
While incoming cruise travelers may now be deciding what to do in Tampa as they await Carnival Paradise‘s arrival for their voyage to begin, the experience onboard the ship is somewhat different.
Despite the delay, all onboard operations remain fully functional and the Fun Squad and cruise director will be arranging some additional activities to entertain guests. Meals will also continue as scheduled.
Depending on the length of the delay, free internet access may be offered to all guests to facilitate changing travel plans, airline reservations, or contacting family members and friends about the situation.
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Passengers will be asked to vacate their staterooms once the ship’s arrival time to the cruise terminal is better known, and waiting areas in various lounges and public spaces will be available. This will give the housekeeping teams time to clean and refresh staterooms in anticipation of embarking guests.
While it can be frustrating to experience such a delay, the ship’s crew makes every effort to ensure everyone aboard still enjoys their (extra) time aboard, however long it may be.
