Tag Archives: Carnival Conquest

Cruise lines alter itineraries due to Hurricane Gonzalo

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By Tom Stieghorst
Winds and rain from Hurricane Gonzalo have forced cruise ships in the Caribbean east of Puerto Rico to alter their itineraries.

Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International are among the cruise lines that have skipped ports of call because of the storm.

Royal Caribbean said Jewel of the Seas did not call at St. Maarten on Oct. 13. The ship spent Monday at sea before returning to the scheduled itinerary, calling at Antigua on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Explorer of the Seas departed San Juan at 9 p.m. on Oct. 13, instead of staying overnight.

Allure of the Seas is sailing a modified western Caribbean itinerary. The ship will now visit Falmouth, Jamaica on Oct. 15 and Cozumel on Oct. 17.

The storm led to Carnival Liberty staying at sea for a second day rather than calling at St. Thomas on Oct. 14. The cruise will go to Grand Cayman and Cozumel before returning to Port Canaveral. Carnival Breeze will stay at sea rather than call at La Romana, Dominican Republic, on Oct. 14.

Carnival Conquest’s original eastern Caribbean itinerary out of Miami was scrapped in favor of a western Caribbean route that will stop in Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany Bay (Honduras) and Costa Maya (Mexico).

The hurricane is expected to strengthen from its current Category 1 status and move toward Bermuda later this week.

Cruise ships come to aid of Cuban refugees

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Cruise ships come to aid of Cuban refugees

Two cruise ships have come to the aid of Cuban refugees stranded at sea.

On Friday, the Carnival Conquest spotted a raft with 13 people on board approximately 40 miles off the coast of Key West, Florida.

The refugees were rescued and taken on board where they were provided with food, water and medical treatment.

Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and chief executive, said: “We are happy to have come to the aid of these individuals and to support the long-established tradition among the global maritime community of providing assistance to mariners in distress.”

Shortly after, reports emerged that the Disney Wonder had picked up eight people stranded 45 miles from Key West.

Both of the ships coordinated with the US Coast Guard to undertake the rescues and also to determine their next steps.

If the Cuban refugees were seeking asylum in the US, they will now need to be interviewed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service to see if they are eligible.

Caribbean Princess headed to Florida next summer

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Caribbean Princess headed to Florida next summer

By Tom Stieghorst
Add Caribbean Princess to the growing number of ships being deployed next year to the Caribbean during the summer months.Princess Cruises said it will operate the ship from Fort Lauderdale in 2014, the first time in four years Princess has sailed in the Caribbean from May to September.

The 3,600 passenger ship will offer three-, four-, five- and seven-day eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. This summer it is sailing in the Mediterranean.

Other ships sailing the Caribbean from South Florida in the summer next year include Norwegian Getaway, MSC Divina and Carnival Conquest as well as the two Royal Caribbean Oasis-class ships, which also sail from Fort Lauderdale.