World’s Largest Cruise Ship Alters Course to Avoid Hurricane Milton

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No cruise ship wants to be sailing through a Category 5 Hurricane – and Royal Caribbeanโ€™s Icon of the Seas is no exception. 

As Hurricane Milton has continued to intensify, many cruise lines have already altered course to avoid the storm – or warned that possible itinerary changes may be coming. 

But now, the worldโ€™s largest cruise ship has become the latest to change its itinerary to stay where the water is smooth and skies are blue. 

The family-friendly cruise line notified passengers onboard the 5,610-guest shipโ€™s current 7-night sailing to the Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day at CocoCay – which embarked from Miami, Florida, on October 5, 2024 – that the call on CocoCay would no longer be possible.ย 

For those who arenโ€™t familiar, CocoCay is the cruise lineโ€™s private island destination in the Bahamas – and is a bucket-list port of call for many. 

In this case, it was supposed to be the final stop of the voyage on October 11 – but the day will be spent at sea instead. 

โ€œAs previously announced by our Captain, along with Chief Meteorologist, Craig Stezer, weโ€™ve been monitoring inclement weather along our path due to Hurricane Milton. In order to steer clear of any adverse weather, weโ€™ll need to skip our visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas, and enjoy a Sea Day instead,โ€ Royal Caribbean wrote in a letter. 

In order to make up for the inconvenience, the cruise ship will spend an extra hour in Basseterre, St. Kitts, on October 8, and an extra three hours in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, on October 9. 

Additionally, all shore excursions booked directly through the cruise line will automatically be refunded as a credit to use onboard during the sailing. 

If any credit remains after disembarkation, the leftover amount will be refunded to the card on file within 14 business days. 

Hurricane Milton Grows Stronger 

As of the evening of October 7, 2024, Hurricane Milton has officially been classified as a Category 5 Hurricane – meaning this storm is now more dangerous than Hurricane Helene

The most recent update from the National Hurricane Center (NOAA) confirmed the stormโ€™s Category 5 status and stated it was โ€œextremely dangerousโ€ with sustained winds of 180 mph. 

As recently as yesterday (October 6), the storm was at a Category 3 with sustained winds of 80 mph – which speaks to the speed at which it’s strengthening.

Hurricane Milton, October 7 Advisory 11A
Hurricane Milton, October 7 Advisory 11A

The storm is expected to hit Floridaโ€™s West Coast on Wednesday and evacuation orders are in effect for residents – especially as much of the area has not fully recovered from the impact of Hurricane Helene.

Read Also: Rough Seas on a Cruise Ship โ€“ How They Handle it

As storm conditions have grown more dangerous in the past days, many cruise ships have deviated to avoid the worst of the weather – including from Royal Caribbeanโ€™s fleet. 

Prior to Iconโ€™s itinerary change, Symphony of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Utopia of the Seas, and Grandeur of the Seas already announced revised sailings

But the most drastic of these changes was likely to Grandeur of the Seasโ€™ 5-night Western Caribbean sailing that embarked from Tampa Bay, Florida, earlier today, October 7, 2024. 

In an effort to prioritize the safety and comfort of all guests and crew onboard the Vision-class ship, the original itinerary has been entirely replaced. 

Instead of calling on Costa Maya, Mexico, and Cozumel, Mexico, as planned, the ship will only make one port call and it will be on Nassau, Bahamas.

GigSky Cruise SIM

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Catie Kovelman
Catie Kovelman
Catie is an award-winning journalist and researcher. By day, she helps market new movies and TV shows as a senior research manager. But by night, she loves writing cruise news. In addition to Cruise Hive, Catie has contributed to a variety of newspapers, magazines, and other online publications, such as The Plaid Horse, Unwritten, YourTango, Fangirl Nation Magazine, Chapman Magazine, the Orange County Register, and Voice of OC.

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