Jamaica is in the crosshairs.
Days ago we told you about the brewing storm in the Caribbean, which was set to move slowly and potentially impact cruise schedules in Jamaica for days to come. At the time, the strength and path of that storm were far from certain. Some models even had storm staying below hurricane status.
Now, Hurricane Melissa is a massive Category 5 hurricane and it’s set to continuing pounding Jamaica for days.
The storm sits just about 100 miles south of Jamaica. Drifting west at just three miles per hour, Hurricane Melissa is barely moving. Its wind speed, however, currently sits at a staggering 165 miles per hour.
The storm is set to make a northern turn, going directly over the middle of Jamaica on Tuesday before heading northeast over Cuba, passing near The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos, and then Bermuda by Friday.
Given the slow-moving track and high winds, the destruction in Jamaica is likely to be extreme. If there is any good news, storm models consistently show a weakening of the hurricane as it moves over land and also to cooler waters. Still, it will be a powerful “major” hurricane (Category 3 or above) for the next 36-48 hours at least.
Multiple Cruise Ports Set to Be Impacted By the Massive Storm
With the pending life-threatening impacts on Jamaica, frankly, cruising is of little importance. However, there are thousands of people at sea wondering how this massive storm will make an impact on their trips in the coming days.
Cruise lines constantly monitor weather systems. One benefit of a cruise ship is that unlike a land-based resort, it can move to avoid bad weather. Often when there is a major storm like Hurricane Melissa, ports of call are cancelled or swapped with others to keep the ship out of harm’s way.
We told you days ago that due to a scheduling quirk, there were relatively few ships slated to dock at the major ports in Jamaica during the storm’s impact.
However, since then the storm has moved relatively little and also grown in strength. Now, it could be that Hurricane Melissa creates issues with port closures even after the storm has passed, simply due to the damage caused.
Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald said earlier today on Facebook that the storm has already “caused so many itinerary changes this week.”
For instance, Carnival Dream was scheduled to visit Ocho Rios on Wednesday. A notice posted by Carnival said that port of call has been cancelled and replaced with a day at sea.
Ports of Call Near the Path of the Storm and Their Schedules During That Time
If you are on a cruise in the area, then your cruise line will be in touch with any itinerary changes during your trip. Given that the storm isn’t going to hit any homeports, there is no danger of a cruise being cancelled altogether.
That said, the following cruise calls on ports are scheduled during a time when the port could be feeling the effects or damage from Melissa. It’s possible they could be cancelled or switched.
Keep in mind this is not an official list of changes, simply calls on ports that could be impacted.
- Ocho Rios
Carnival Dream (October 29) (Cancelled) - Montego Bay
Carnival Liberty (October 29) (Will visit Roatan instead)
Norwegian Joy (October 29) - Grand Cayman
Carnival Liberty (October 30) (Will visit Belize instead)
Celebrity Silhouette (October 30) - Grand Turk
MS Eurodam (October 28)
Carnival Celebration (October 28) (Will visit Cozumel instead)
Adventure of the Seas (October 29)
Brilliant Lady (October 29)
Carnival Sunrise (October 30) (Will visit Nassau instead) - Amber Cove
Carnival Celebration (October 29) (Will visit Cozumel instead)
Queen Elizabeth (October 30)
Carnival Vista (October 30) (Will visit Nassau instead) - Half Moon Cay
Carnival Sunrise (October 29)
Carnival Paradise (October 30) - Princess Cays
Caribbean Princess (October 29)
Carnival Pride (October 30) - Bermuda
Oceania Insignia (October 30/31)
Norwegian Aqua (October 30)
Of course, the track and strength of Melissa can change so if you have a cruise in these areas, over the next several days, it bears watching. Remember, your cruise line will be in touch with any changes to your schedule.
In the meantime, we hope for the impacts on Jamaica to be as minimal as possible.
