Hurricane Irene is coming closer and closer to the Bahamas, after already hitting the Turks and Caicos hard. Weather conditions are extreme to say the least and have forced many cruises to alter their plans and head to different ports.
Winds are blowing at a whopping 100mph currently and it is expected that tonight or tomorrow, it will develop into a full blown (excuse the pun) hurricane. This is obviously something that cruise ships want to avoid – strong winds and boats don’t really tend to mix well.
Irene has been building up since Saturday when she formed, tracing a path right through the Caribbean. Many people in Puerto Rico were left without electricity when it passed through, with flooding, felling trees, and swelling rivers causing chaos. President Obama has declared a state of emergency with response efforts taking place already.
So far, ships which have altered their itineraries include:
- Norwegian Jewel
- Norwegian Sky
- Monarch of the Seas
- Majesty of the Seas
- Oasis of the Seas
- Freedom of the Seas
- Allure of the Seas
- Serenade of the Seas
- Carnival Pride
- Carnival Triumph
- Carnival Destiny
- Carnival Conquest
- Carnival Victory
- Carnival Liberty
- Carnival Miracle
As you can see, Royal Caribbean, NCL and Carnival Cruises have all been hit hard by the latest hurricane in the Caribbean so if you are due to embark on a Caribbean cruise within the next few days, it is well worth contacting your travel agent to check the status of the cruise and whether your itinerary has changed.
