Key Aspects:
- Thanks to Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda, several cruise ships have steered toward Canada and New England instead of sailing to Bermuda or the Bahamas as planned.
- Those who were diverted to Portland, Maine, were met with a funny sign welcoming them to “Northern Bermuda.”
- So far, ships like Carnival Pride and Norwegian Escape have been diverted to the New England destination.
Some of the cruise guests visiting Portland, Maine, this week aren’t there because they wanted to be, but because they had no other choice.
Several cruise ships have had to alter course to avoid Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda, many of which steered toward the US East Coast and Canada.
Hurricane Humberto has now fizzled out, but Hurricane Imelda has strengthened into a Category 2 storm.
But regardless of the reason, the cruise port is happy to host them, as seen through their funny welcome sign.
As Imelda barrels down on Bermuda, Portland put out a sign welcoming diverted cruisers that reads “Welcome to Northern Bermuda.”
Portland, of course, is quite far north of Bermuda with a distance of approximately 750 miles between the destinations.
“I thought it was very thoughtful for them to greet those who were diverted…Sign is strategically placed just prior to the security check before reboarding the ship,” one recent visitor shared, although it’s not clear when exactly they were in the port.
Most cruise guests got a good chuckle out of the comedic sign.
“Born and raised within 30 minutes of Portland. That’s 100% Maine Humor, right there,” one person said.
“Love the humor,” another agreed.
Past guests also noted that the New England destination has pulled similar cheeky stunts in the past when they received unexpected visitors due to stormy weather.
Which Cruise Ships Pivoted to Portland?
In addition to the humor, many also enjoyed the fall foliage that New England is famous for and the cool but sunny weather conditions.
It’s likely much more pleasant than Bermuda right now, which will experience the worst of the weather on October 1 and October 2.
But which cruise ships have actually altered course to sail to Portland because of the weather?
Carnival Pride, which was initially supposed to sail to the Bahamas, transitioned to a New England and Canada itinerary because of the hurricanes.
The Spirit-class ship joined TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 1 and American Cruise Lines’ ACL American Song in the port on Wednesday, October 1.
Notably, Portland can accommodate two large cruise ships at once at the Ocean Gateway Terminal, and an additional smaller vessel at the Portland Ocean Terminal (Maine State Pier).
Cruise Hive Discussion Boards: New England / Canada Cruise
On October 2, Norwegian Escape will also make a last-minute appearance in Portland. She will join Azamara Cruises’ Azamara Quest, which was already on the port schedule.
The NCL ship is in the middle of a 12-night voyage that was supposed to sail to the Caribbean, but as with Carnival Pride, she had to adjust due to the hurricanes.
There is also a possibility that Carnival Venezia might stop in Portland in the coming days as part of a 5-night Bermuda voyage that may be redirected to Canada.
More From Cruise Hive
The Italian-themed ship is supposed to visit Bermuda for an overnight call on October 3 and October 4, but the cruise line has warned that this could change due to dangerous maritime conditions and potential damage to the cruise port.
