Hurricane Lee has necessitated multiple itinerary changes for four different Royal Caribbean International ships, each sailing from a different US homeport.
Impacted are this weekend’s departures of Adventure of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, and Wonder of the Seas.
Hurricane Lee Causing Itinerary Changes
Hurricane Lee, currently a major Category 3 storm located approximately 575 miles east-northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is causing concern among all major cruise lines as it threatens potentially significant impact in the Eastern Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda.
Though the storm is still well away from travel routes at this time, its projected path and intensity have cruise lines already making itinerary changes to ensure safe, comfortable cruising. Royal Caribbean International has now reached out to guests aboard four different ships with notices of itinerary alterations to steer clear of the storm.
Adventure of the Seas Itinerary Change
The 138,200-gross ton, Voyager class Adventure of the Seas is departing from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday, September 9. The ship will not be sailing the originally planned Eastern Caribbean itinerary to the Virgin Islands and CocoCay, however.
Instead, Adventure of the Seas will now visit Western Caribbean ports of call on its 7-night itinerary, including both Roatan, Honduras as well as Cozumel, Mexico.
The ship will still visit Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, on Friday, September 15 as originally scheduled.
Harmony of the Seas Itinerary Change
The Oasis-class Harmony of the Seas will depart Miami, Florida as planned on Saturday, but is unable to sail the originally planned Eastern Caribbean itinerary to the US Virgin Islands and St. Kitts.
The 227,000-gross ton vessel will now still visit CocoCay as originally scheduled on Sunday, September 10, but then will shift course for a Western Caribbean itinerary to call on Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico before returning to PortMiami on Saturday, September 16.
Vision of the Seas Itinerary Change
Vision of the Seas is homeported from Baltimore, Maryland and will set sail as scheduled on Saturday, September 9. Instead of a 5-night cruise to Bermuda with an overnight call in Kings Wharf, however, the ship will be visiting the Bahamas.
Two ports of call are on the revised itinerary for the 78,700-gross ton ship – Perfect Day at CocoCay for an afternoon and early evening call from 2-7:30 p.m. on Monday, September 11, followed by Nassau on Tuesday morning from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The ship’s return to Baltimore on Thursday, September 14 will also be three hours later than originally scheduled, now 10 a.m. rather than 7 a.m.
Wonder of the Seas Itinerary Change
Currently the world’s largest cruise ship, the 236,857-gross ton Oasis-class Wonder of the Seas will not be able to sail the planned Eastern Caribbean voyage departing Port Canaveral on Sunday, September 10. The dates of the 7-night cruise remain the same, but the route will now be a Western Caribbean voyage.
Wonder of the Seas will visit Cozumel, Mexico on Wednesday, September 13, and Roatan, Honduras on Thursday, September 14. The ship’s first port of call – Perfect Day at CocoCay – remains the same on Monday, September 11, but the ship will spend an extra hour at the private island destination, now leaving at 5 p.m. instead of 4 p.m. as originally scheduled.
Other Ships Impacted
Royal Caribbean ships are not the only cruises already impacted by Hurricane Lee.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Venezia, currently homeported from New York, has changed from an Eastern Caribbean itinerary to a Bahamas cruise for the ship’s current sailing, which departed the Big Apple on Friday, September 8.
Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Fantasy has likewise shifted itineraries for the ship’s September 9 sailing from Port Canaveral, which was to have been a cruise to Bermuda. Instead, like the Royal Caribbean itinerary changes, the ship will now be sailing a Western Caribbean cruise.
Additional ships from various cruise lines are likely to be affected by Hurricane Lee in the coming days. Travelers with upcoming sailings should stay closely connected with their travel agent or cruise line for updates on any necessary adjustments.
Hurricane Lee Update
As of 11 a.m. Saturday morning, September 9, Hurricane Lee remains a major Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour (185 kilometers per hour).
While wind shear has caused this decrease from earlier reported windspeeds and strength, Lee is still a dangerous storm that can cause significant disruption to maritime traffic and damage to any land it encounters.
The storm is moving west-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph), and is forecast to begin a stronger northward turn on Wednesday.
Depending on the exact location of that turn, as well as how much the storm then turns to the east back into the Atlantic, Bermuda may face a substantial threat from the storm. Less of a turn would bring the storm to eastern Canada, potentially impacting any Canada and New England sailings in the next 7-10 days.
