Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line have adjusted the routes of several ships, including Carnival Horizon, Carnival Liberty, Norwegian Jade, and Norwegian Breakaway, to steer clear of Hurricane Beryl’s path in the Caribbean. The storm’s impact on the region, reaching Category 5 status and causing fatalities and damage in several areas, has prompted these changes amidst an active hurricane season forecasted to continue with above-average activity.
Hurricane Beryl is causing significant disruptions for cruise lines operating in the Caribbean. Carnival Cruise Line has adjusted the itineraries of two of their ships—Carnival Horizon and Carnival Liberty—to avoid the storm’s path. The Carnival Horizon canceled its scheduled stops at Grand Cayman on July 3 and Cozumel, Mexico, on July 4, replacing them with a visit to Nassau, Bahamas, on July 5. Carnival Liberty moved its Cozumel visit from July 5 to earlier in the week.
Norwegian Cruise Line also made changes, rerouting Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Breakaway by canceling their visits to various destinations including Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Belize, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Hurricane Beryl, which has reached Category 5 status, made an earlier landfall on Carriacou, part of Grenada, and hit St Vincent and the Grenadines, resulting in several fatalities and widespread damage. The storm’s maximum winds reached 155 mph, and it is expected to impact Jamaica and potentially the Cayman Islands soon. The National Hurricane Center forecasts that Beryl will weaken to a Category 4 storm, although it might regain strength.
This hurricane season has been notably active, with NOAA predicting an 85% chance of above-average activity, spurred by factors such as record-breaking ocean temperatures and the La Niña weather phenomenon. These conditions contribute to the increased formation and intensity of tropical storms.
