The peak of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season may have been a month ago, but storms continue to develop and impact ships, itineraries, and cruise ports.
At the moment, Hurricane Oscar is spinning near the Bahamas, with multiple cruise ships needing to adjust port visits even far from the storm’s center due to windy conditions and rough waters.
Nassau was strongly impacted by these conditions, and several ships from different cruise lines were forced to cancel port visits on Saturday, October 19 because of docking difficulties and safety concerns.
Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, Utopia of the Seas, along with Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Glory and Carnival Sunshine as well as Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish all altered their itineraries due to excess wind, and instead offered sea days for guests to enjoy.
During the morning hours, when the ships were to have docked, recorded winds were at 15-20 miles per hour (mph) with gusts as high as 30-35 mph. This would make it exceptionally difficult for ships to maneuver safely alongside the piers, and could also make guest gangways unstable as ships would be rocking even while docked.
Utopia of the Seas is on a 3-night weekend getaway, having departed Port Canaveral on Friday, October 18. Disney Wish is on a similar weekend sailing from Port Canaveral. Both ships also have visits planned to private islands – CocoCay and Castaway Cay, respectively.
Carnival Glory is also on a 3-night sailing from Port Canaveral that left on Friday, while Carnival Sunshine is on a 4-night voyage from Charleston, South Carolina that departed on Thursday, October 17. For both ships, Saturday’s visit to Nassau was to have been the only port of call.
In addition to Nassau, other Bahamian ports may be likewise impacted by the effects of the storm, particularly private islands that may not have sheltered harbors or sufficient piers to operate in windy weather.
Because the storm is located in the eastern Bahamas and forecast to stay in that region for the next several days, ports such as Grand Turk, Puerto Plata, and Amber Cove are also likely to have some impact with cancelled visits or adjusted itineraries.
By Wednesday, October 23, the storm will have moved out of the Bahamas, but may be en route to Bermuda if it maintains enough strength to stay fully developed.
Cruise travelers from any cruise line with itineraries in the Bahamas or nearby destinations over the next few days should be flexible with their vacation plans and expectations, as weather-related adjustments may be necessary.
Cruise lines will contact booked guests with details and options, if available, as any changes are confirmed.
Hurricane Oscar Update
Hurricane Oscar formed quickly in the eastern Bahamas on Saturday morning, October 19, and has continued to generate concern throughout the day.
As of Saturday evening, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) positioned the center of the storm at 35 miles west-southwest of Grand Turk with maximum sustained wind speeds of 85 miles per hour, making it a Category 1 storm.
While some strengthening is possible over the next 12-24 hours, most forecast models do not call for the storm to get significantly stronger.
“A little more strengthening is possible tonight, but gradual weakening is expected to begin by Sunday night and Monday,” said Forecaster Reinhart of the NHC.
The eye is moving west at 10 mph, but is expected to turn west-southwest into Sunday, followed by a sharp hook to the northeast by late Monday.
The storm is very small, with hurricane-force winds only felt 5 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds up to 45 miles from the center. Nevertheless, the impact on the ocean’s surface as well as slower but still significant winds can be felt much further away.
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As with any hurricane, rainfall and storm surge are always concerns for coastal communities, including popular ports of call.
Such factors can easily disrupt planned port visits, but cruise lines always keep safety as the first priority and will make any changes necessary for guests and crew members to be as safe and comfortable as possible.
