The Caribbean is getting back on track with approximately 90% of ports now open.
Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria devastated majority of small Caribbean nations with cruise ships cancelling or changing itineraries.
But even with so much devastation, most ports are now open and welcoming cruise passengers back. The Caribbean islands rely heavily on tourism, with cruise ships a primary source of income.
Princess has released a map of destinations that are now open and accepting cruise guests again.
Here is an update from major cruise lines.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises reports that 90 percent of ports in the Caribbean are now fully functional after the devastating hurricanes as per map above.
Caribbean itinerary changes include cancellations for remainder of 2017 to:
- All calls to St Maarten and Marigot
- All calls to Dominica
- All calls to Grand Turk through December 3, with the first call December 15
- All calls to St. Thomas through November, with the first call now December 13
- The call to Virgin Gorda on Pacific Princess
The following will remain the same, until further notice:
- The San Juan call on Dec 20 on Regal Princess
- All calls to St Maarten and Dominica on voyages that depart in 2018
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line has modified the following itineraries through the month of November, some of which will include the cruise line’s return to Grand Turk as follows:
- Carnival Vista – November 4: Departing Miami on an 8 day cruise to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.
- Carnival Conquest – November 5: Departing Port Everglades on a 6 day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Amber Cove.
- Carnival Ecstasy – November 5: Departing Charleston on a 10 day cruise to Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk and Princess Cays.
- Carnival Splendor – November 5: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Ocho Rios, Amber Cove, Grand Turk.
- Carnival Conquest – November 11: Departing Port Everglades on an 8 day cruise to Princess Cays, La Romana, Curacao and Aruba.
- Carnival Glory – November 11: Departing Miami on a 7 day cruise to Half Moon Cay, Nassau, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.
- Carnival Conquest – November 25: Departing Port Everglades on an 8 day cruise to Antigua, St. Kitts and Grand Turk.
- Carnival Sensation – November 25: Departing Miami on a 5 day cruise to Princess Cays and Amber Cove.
The cruise line has also modified the following sailings through October:
- Carnival Magic – October 7: Departing Port Canaveral on a seven-day cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Roatanand Costa Maya.
- Carnival Vista – October 7: Departing Miami on an eight-day 8 day cruise to Amber Cove and La Romana, D.R.; Aruba and Curacao.
- Carnival Pride – October 8: Departing Baltimore on a seven-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
- Carnival Splendor – October 8: Departing Port Everglades on a six-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Amber Cove, D.R.
- Carnival Conquest – October 14: Departing Port Everglades on an eight-day cruise to Amber Cove, D.R., La Romana, D.R., Curacao and Aruba.
- Carnival Glory – October 14: Departing Miami on a seven-day cruise to Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize and Cozumel.
- Carnival Sensation – October 14: Departing Miami on a five-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
- Carnival Splendor – October 14: Departing Port Everglades on an eight-day cruise to Princess Cays, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
- Carnival Magic – October 21: Departing Port Canaveral on a seven-day cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Costa Maya.
- Carnival Vista – October 21: Departing Miami on an eight-day cruise to Amber Cove, D.R., La Romana, D.R., Aruba and Curacao.
- Carnival Conquest – October 22: Departing Port Everglades on a six-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Amber Cove, D.R.
- Carnival Pride – October 22: Departing Baltimore on a seven-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
- Carnival Splendor – October 22: Departing Miami on a seven-day cruise to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, and Grand Cayman.
- Carnival Conquest – October 28: Departing Port Everglades on an eight-day cruise to Princess Cays, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
- Carnival Sensation – October 28: Departing Miami on a five-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
- Carnival Glory – October 28: Departing Miami on a seven-day cruise to Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize and Cozumel.
- Carnival Pride – October 29: Departing Baltimore on a seven-day cruise to Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Freeport.
Royal Caribbean
Empress of the Seas’ October 2, 7 and 11 cruises to Cuba are no longer modified. Havana welcomed a call from Empress of the Seas on September 20. The terminal, port and transportation were ready and all tours ran as scheduled according to Royal Caribbean.
Because both Havana and Key West are ready to welcome cruise guests, Royal Caribbean’s offer for guests to cancel and receive a future cruise credit closed September 24.
Royal Caribbean is also continuing to modify some itineraries to incorporate alternative ports to St. Maarten, St. Thomas and San Juan:
Adventure of the Seas:
7 October – St. Croix to Martinique
14 October – St. Croix to Antigua
21 October & 11 November – St. Maarten to St. Kitts
28 October 14 November – St. Maarten to Martinique
Allure of the Seas:
15 October – St. Maarten & San Juan to Cozumel & Costa Maya
29 October – St. Thomas & San Juan to Cozumel & Costa Maya
Enchantment of the Seas:
9 October – Freeport back to Key West
Grandeur of the Seas:
28 October – St. Thomas & St. Maarten to Barbados & Martinique
Harmony of the Seas:
7 October – St. Maarten, San Juan & Labadee to Nassau, Cozumel & Costa Maya
21 October – St. Thomas, San Juan & Labadee to Nassau, Cozumel & Costa Maya
4 October – St. Maarten & San Juan to Nassau & Falmouth
Independence of the Seas:
29 October – St. Maarten, St. Thomas & San Juan to Antigua, Barbados & Martinique
Serenade of the Seas:
20 October – St. Thomas & St. Maarten to St. Kitts & Antigua
Oasis of the Seas:
8 October & 15 November – St. Maarten, San Juan & Labadee to Nassau, Cozumel &
Costa Maya:
22 October – St. Maarten & San Juan to Nassau & Falmouth
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line has updated a number of sailings on the Disney Fantasy to a more westerly route:
- October 7 and October 21: The new port line-up includes Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; Falmouth, Jamaica; and Castaway Cay, the Bahamas.
- November 4: This revised sailing will now visit Cozumel, Mexico; Costa Maya, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Castaway Cay.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises said that it will continue to operate four ships in the Caribbean over the next few months – including MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia and MSC Opera – with the introduction of a fifth, the new MSC Seaside, in December.
The cruise line is working closely with officials in affected areas to continue destination assessments, but in the meantime, it is making the following itinerary updates:
MSC Divina
On the eastern Caribbean itineraries departing from Miami on October 14 and October 28 and that formerly included Philipsburg (St Maarten) and San Juan (Puerto Rico), MSC Divina will now cruise the following western itinerary:
- Miami/Florida (USA)
- At sea
- Montego Bay (Jamaica)
- George Town (Cayman Islands)
- Costa Maya (Mexico)
- At sea
- Nassau (Bahamas)
- Miami/Florida (USA)
On seven-night eastern Caribbean itineraries departing Miami November 11 and 25, as well as December 9, MSC Divina will now call at St John (Antigua and Barbuda), instead of at Philipsburg (St Maarten), and Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) instead of San Juan (Puerto Rico).
MSC Fantasia
November 25 – March 31, 2018 – On the seven-night itineraries from Forte de France (Martinique) and Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe), MSC Fantasia will now call at La Romana (Dominican Republic), instead of at Road Town/Tortola (British Virgin Islands), and at Basseterre (St. Kitts & Nevis), instead of at Roseau (Dominica), while spending an additional day at sea instead of calling at Philipsburg (St. Maarten).
MSC Seaside
December 23 – March 17, 2018 – For the seven-night Eastern Caribbean MSC Seaside sailing departing from Miami on December 23, the ship will now call at St. John’s (Antigua and Barbuda), instead of at Philipsburg (St. Maarten) and Charlotte Amalie (St. Thomas) instead of San Juan (Puerto Rico).
Norwegian Cruise Line
Due to the damage sustained by Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Maarten, Norwegian Cruises has altered all Norwegian Escape’s eastern Caribbean itineraries through the end of the year. The new ports of call are Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Harvest Caye, Belize.
The line is also working with local partners to assess any potential damages in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Norwegian Cruise Line’s ships have otherwise resumed normal operations.