Cruise lines alter plans because of Hurricane Joaquin

Posted on 3 October, 2015 by Spacejunkie2

Hurricane Joaquin, a Category 3 storm packing winds of 120 mph, has forced several cruise lines to alter itineraries. The storm was battering the Out Islands of the Bahamas on Thursday morning.

The Carnival Valor is skipping a stop in Grand Turk on Thursday and will have a sea day. The Carnival Pride is bypassing Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas and will remain at sea.

Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess is bypassing a stop at private island Princess Cays. The Norwegian Getaway will stay at sea Thursday instead of calling in Nassau.

The Disney Magic will substitute a call in Key West, Fla., and bypass Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.

American relaxed its change-fee policy for customers on flights to Nassau or Freeport through Oct. 2.

Different forecast models predict Joaquin will either veer northwest and hammer the mid-Atlantic states this weekend or track northeast over the Atlantic.

Carnival to build port on Haiti’s Tortuga Island

Posted on 11 August, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

Carnival Corp. has signed a letter of intent to develop a $70 million port facility in Tortuga, an island off the northern coast of Haiti.

The cruise company said it envisions a “new and exciting destination for ship itineraries traveling in the Caribbean.”

“The development will create an exciting opportunity for our guests to enjoy a new, secluded and stunning destination in the island of Tortuga that the company expects will become a very popular place for guests to enjoy for years to come,” said David Candib, vice president of development and operations for Carnival Corp.’s global port and destination development group.

“At the same time, this commitment will initially stimulate significant development and construction activities, and then tourism business once the port is open, that will create a tremendous economic impact for the people of Haiti.”

Other Carnival-owned ports in the Caribbean are Mahogany Bay, Roatan; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; and Puerta Maya, Cozumel. Amber Cove is under development in Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic.

Carnival to sail 11-day cruises from Galveston

Posted on 8 April, 2014 by Spacejunkie2

By Tom Stieghorst

Carnival Cruise Lines said that it will offer the Texas market longer cruises for the first time, with four 10- and 11-day sailings between Galveston and San Juan.

A pair of 11-day cruises will also feature a first call for Carnival in Bonaire. Those sailings, scheduled for Oct. 24, 2015, and Jan. 16, 2016, will also stop in Grand Cayman, Aruba, Grenada, Martinique and St. Maarten before concluding in San Juan.

The 10-day departures from San Juan are scheduled for Nov. 4, 2015, and Jan. 27, 2016, and will stop at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Antigua, Grand Turk, and the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay.

Galveston cruises on Carnival currently depart on four- and five-day Mexican and seven-day Caribbean itineraries.

Carnival said a desire for longer, more varied itineraries was one of the themes that emerged from its series of Carnival Conversations meetings with travel agents.