Guests aboard Carnival Pride en route to Bermuda have been notified that their itinerary has been shifted ahead of likely poor weather from Tropical Storm Ernesto.
While the ship will still be enjoying her Bermuda visit, the times in port will be a day earlier than originally planned just to stay safely ahead of the storm.
Carnival Pride departed Baltimore, Maryland on Sunday, August 11, 2024 for a 7-night roundtrip Bermuda sailing. The original itinerary had the ship enjoying two full days at sea before arriving at Kings Wharf, Bermuda at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, August 14, for a lengthy stay until noon on Friday, August 16.
Letters delivered to guests’ staterooms have informed everyone of a change in that schedule, however.
“In partnership with our Fleet Operations Center in Miami, we are actively monitoring a tropical depression which is moving in a north-westerly direction towards the Caribbean. Later this week, it is set to turn and travel upwards in the Atlantic, possibly impacting weather in Bermuda,” the letter explained. “To stay ahead of the storm, we have revised our plans for visiting the island.”
Carnival Pride will now arrive in Bermuda at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13, and depart at 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 15. While this shortens the ship’s time in port by four hours, it does still provide passengers with a substantial visit to explore the unique destination.
Any shore excursions booked through Carnival Cruise Line for the ship’s time in Bermuda will be automatically revised to fit the new schedule, and guests will be notified of those adjustments.
At the new time of Carnival Pride‘s visit to Bermuda, Tropical Storm Ernesto should still be well away from the island, as it is not forecast to reach Bermuda until Saturday.
Because the wind fields of such storms can often extend well away from the center, however, it is wise for Carnival Cruise Line to accelerate the ship’s itinerary to stay well outside any potential rough weather.
“In the event we encounter any added movement to the ship, our highly trained and experienced officers and I will do everything possible to minimize any discomfort,” the letter, signed by the ship’s master Captain Renato Bendinelli, continued.
Guests are urged to take extra precautions when moving around the ship, including using handrails. If the weather worsens, crew members will also secure outside deck furniture and the outer deck areas will be closed. Nevertheless, all onboard activities and entertainment remain fully operational.
Read Also: What to Do Onboard a Cruise Ship in Bad Weather
At this time, there is no delay anticipated for Carnival Pride to return to Baltimore as planned on Sunday, August 18. Likewise, there is no deviation for the ship’s next sailing, a 14-night Greenland sailing, though that itinerary may be impacted if the tropical storm continues north once it passes Bermuda.
The 86,071-gross-ton, Spirit-class Carnival Pride can host 2,680 travelers at double occupancy, and is also home to just over 900 international crew members.
Tropical Storm Update
The tropical depression officially strengthened into Tropical Storm Ernesto on Monday afternoon, according to the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.
The center of the storm is located approximately 530 miles east-southeast of Puerto Rico and moving west at 28 miles per hour.
Tropical storm warnings are already in effect throughout the eastern Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. The storm is expected to gradually turn to the north over the next few days, well east of the Bahamas, but eastern Caribbean cruise itineraries are already being impacted.
As the storm shifts north, it will most likely strengthen into a hurricane, though the maximum strength is yet unpredictable. The storm is expected to gradually turn back to the east late in the week, and may come very close to or even directly impact Bermuda over the coming weekend, depending on the exact track and speed.
Any cruise traveler with a Bermuda itinerary over the next few days should stay in close contact with their cruise line about updates and remain flexible with their expectations as weather-related changes are never within the cruise line’s control.
Every cruise line does, however, keep safety as the top priority and work to ensure travelers remain as comfortable as possible.
