Hurricane Melissa has rapidly gained strength as she moves west across the Caribbean. Multiple cruise lines have adjusted their itineraries to stay away from the storm and keep their ships, guests, and crew members safe. Individual adjustments and port visits may vary based on ships’ operational needs and berth availability.
This list will be updated as additional itinerary adjustments are confirmed.
As of the 11 a.m., Monday update, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Hurricane Melissa is a powerful Category 5 storm with winds reaching 165 miles per hour. She is projected to make landfall in Jamaica early on Tuesday, October 28, and continue northeast across Cuba and the eastern Bahamas.
MSC World America
The largest ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, MSC World America has adjusted her October 25 itinerary to a Western Caribbean route instead of the Eastern Caribbean itinerary that was originally planned.
The ship will be visiting Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel during the weeklong cruise. The visit to MSC Ocean Cay is still planned for Friday, October 31 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Carnival Dream
Sailing from Galveston on a 14-night Eastern Caribbean route that departed on October 18, Carnival Dream is unable to make her last scheduled port visit, which was to have been Ocho Rios, Jamaica on Wednesday, October 29.
The ship will spend a day at sea instead and will follow a different route back to Texas on time while staying out of the storm’s path.
Rhapsody of the Seas
Rhapsody of the Seas left San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday, October 26 for a 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise. The ship has cancelled her visit to St. Croix and moved her visit to St. Thomas to Tuesday instead of Monday.
A visit to La Romana in the Dominican Republic has been added for Monday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but the remaining ports are unchanged.
Icon of the Seas
One of the largest cruise ships in the world, Icon of the Seas is sailing a Western Caribbean itinerary for her October 25 departure from Miami instead of the originally planned Eastern Caribbean cruise.
The ship will now be visiting Cozumel and Roatan, but the visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay at the end of the cruise is still a go for Friday, October 31.
Celebrity Beyond
The Edge-class Celebrity Beyond set sail on October 26 for what was to have been an Eastern Caribbean itinerary but will now be a Western Caribbean sailing instead.
The ship will be visiting Costa Maya, Belize, and Roatan before returning to Miami on schedule on Sunday, November 2.
Regal Princess
Regal Princess departed on her transatlantic cruise to move from Southampton to Galveston on September 28, and the end of her sailing is now impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
The ship’s final port visit was to have been Grand Cayman on Sunday, October 26, but that stop was cancelled and the ship instead enjoyed a day at sea. Her arrival in Galveston on Wednesday, October 29 is unchanged.
Disney Treasure
The newest member of the Disney Cruise Line fleet, Disney Treasure is also sailing to the Western Caribbean rather than her planned Eastern Caribbean cruise that left Port Canaveral on October 25.
The ship will only be visiting Cozumel on Tuesday, October 30, but will have two stops instead of one at Castaway Cay in the Bahamas to make up for the change.
Disney Wish
Disney Wish is also homeported from Port Canaveral but offers shorter itineraries than her new sister. The ship’s October 27 departure is a 4-night sailing to the Bahamas and both port visits are still on the itinerary, but now in the reverse order.
Disney Wish will visit Castaway Cay on Tuesday, October 28 and Nassau on Wednesday, October 29.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander
Margaritaville at Sea Islander was the first vessel to confirm storm-related itinerary changes. In fact, the ship shifted her October 19 schedule while Melissa was still a tropical storm.
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The planned visit to Cozumel remained unchanged, but the stops in Jamaica and Grand Cayman were swapped for Belize and Roatan. Margaritaville at Sea Islander returned to her Tampa homeport as planned on Sunday, October 26.
The ship’s next sailing is already planned to visit Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, and Costa Maya.
