CARNIVAL PRINCESS and MSC CRUISE LINES MAKES ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO DEVATATION OF MORE POPULAR PORTS IN THE CARIBBEAN Date: 2nd October, 2017CARNIVAL PRINCESS and MSC CRUISE LINES MAKES ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO DEVATATION OF MORE POPULAR PORTS IN THE CARIBBEAN Date: 2nd October, 2017
Basseterre, ST KITTS (KYSS) – With the closure of cruise ports in St. Thomas and St. Croix, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, Dominica and St. Maarten, due to the devastation caused by the recent hurricanes, not many ships seem to be coming to St. Kitts’ Port Zante or Nevis’ Port in Charlestown. This is according to the new itineraries posted by Princess Cruises, Carnival and MSC Cruises.
Princess Cruises has announced cancellation of Caribbean Princess’ October 10th call at San Juan in the latest cruise change, as Puerto Rico attempts to regain footing after being devastated by Hurricane Maria.
The call, which was scheduled to take place on the October 7th Caribbean cruise out of Fort Lauderdale, will be replaced with a day at sea, the cruise line said. As a result of the change, the ship will now depart Princess Cays at 6 p.m. October 8th, instead of 5 p.m., and the ship will arrive in St. Kitts at 8 a.m. Wednesday, instead of 9 a.m.
On Crown Princess’ November 8th cruise, the line will replace the planned call at Grand Turk on November 10th with a call at Princess Cays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 9th. The ship will be at anchor for this call and a ship-to-shore tender service will be available to go ashore, though wheelchair access may be limited.
The line has also modified a number of sailings on the Regal Princess. For the November 5th and 30th departures, the line will replace a call to Dominica with a call to Martinique from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the same date. As a result, the ship will now arrive in St. Thomas at 9 a.m. rather than 8 a.m. as previously scheduled. On the ship’s November 19th and 26th, as well as its December 3rd and 10th, departures, the line will replace a call at St. Maarten with a call at Antigua from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the same date.
On Royal Princess’ December 10th and December 30th departures, the line will replace a call at Dominica with a call to Martinique from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the same date. As a result, the ship will now arrive in St. Thomas at 5 p.m. rather than 7 p.m.
Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled Carnival Fascination’s San Juan departures on October 1st and 8th and its Barbados departures on October 4th and 11th.
Royal Caribbean has cancelled Adventure of the Seas’ September 30th cruise out of San Juan in order to use the ship for evacuation and humanitarian efforts. The ship arrived in San Juan on September 27th and will operate humanitarian calls in San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Croix to aid in the evacuation and donate critical supplies to each destination. The ship will bring evacuees to Fort Lauderdale before returning to San Juan October 6th to prepare for the October 7th cruise.
Royal Caribbean is also continuing to modify some itineraries to incorporate alternative ports to St. Maarten, St. Thomas and San Juan.
On its 20th October cruise, Serenade of the Seas will visit St. Kitts and Antigua instead of St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
Starting with the itinerary departing from Miami on November 11th, on seven-night eastern Caribbean itineraries, MSC Divina will now call at St. John’s (Antigua and Barbuda), instead of Philipsburg (St. Maarten).
MSC Divina long cruises departing from Miami in January and February 2018 will depart January 3rd, 2018 and will call at Oranjestad (Aruba) and Willemstad (Curaçao) instead of at Road Town, Tortola (British Virgin Islands) and Basseterre, (St. Kitts & Nevis).
For the MSC Fantasia from November 25th, 2017 to March 31th, 2018, the seven-night itineraries from Forte de France (Martinique) and Pointe-a-Pitre (Guadeloupe) will now call at La Romana (Dominican Republic), instead of at Road Town/Tortola (British Virgin Islands), and at Basseterre (St. Kitts & Nevis), instead of at Roseau (Dominica), while spending an additional day at sea instead of calling at Philipsburg (St Maarten).
