Port Tampa Bay is now at Situation Yankee. With gale-force winds anticipated inside 24 hours, all cruise ship operations are suspended for Sunday, August 4.
Which means that Margaritaville at Sea Islander will likely be unable to conclude her present crusing on Sunday as initially scheduled, and as a substitute will stay at sea whereas the storm circumstances go.
Margaritaville at Sea reached out to booked friends to alert them to the change so that they have as a lot time as attainable to regulate their journey plans.
“Because of this momentary closure, your August 4, 2024 crusing aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Islander will now depart Port Tampa Bay on Monday, August 5, 2024,” the notification confirmed.
The unique itinerary was to have been a 5-night cruise leaving on Sunday, August 4 and returning on Friday, August 9, with visits to each Key West and Cozumel. Now, the ship will as a substitute go away on Monday, August 5, however will nonetheless return on the Friday. The go to to Key West has been cancelled, however the go to to Cozumel, Mexico stays on Wednesday, August 7 as initially deliberate.
The cruise line has already cancelled and refunded any pre-paid shore excursions for Key West, which will likely be posted as onboard credit score to friends’ accounts, together with any refunds for taxes, charges, or port bills.
Equally, any onboard add-ons for drinks, wi-fi, or gratuities which are priced by the day are being refunded for in the future’s worth because of the shortening of the cruise.
Company are additionally being given a $100 onboard credit score (per stateroom) as a courtesy for the shortened crusing. Any vacationers who would favor to not set sail on the shortened crusing might contact the cruise line to rebook with out change charges.
The quantity they paid for his or her August 4 cruise will likely be used as a future cruise credit score, although variations in whole cruise expenses will apply. If the brand new cruise is lower than the August 4 pricing, the distinction will develop into onboard credit score to get pleasure from throughout the brand new crusing.
Margaritaville at Sea Islander is the second ship for the boutique cruise line, having simply debuted in mid-June. The 85,619-gross-ton ship is homeported year-round from Port Tampa Bay, providing primarily 4- and 5-night itineraries to Key West, Cozumel, and Progreso, relying on the crusing date and cruise size.
Newest Tropical Storm Debby Replace
As of the 8 p.m. replace on Saturday, August 3, Tropical Storm Debby is positioned 100 miles west-southwest of Key West and 270 miles south-southwest of Port Tampa Bay. The storm is shifting northwest at 14 miles per hour, and exhibiting most sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.
Port Tampa Bay acknowledged, “In accordance with the present Port Situation, Port Tampa Bay has secured waterfront amenities and dock areas to take away particles and unsafe supplies. The Port Heavy Climate Advisory Group, made up of quite a few native maritime entities has made preparations for vessel site visitors, and created queuing for these vessels that had been required to depart port forward of the storm.“
The storm is predicted to proceed shifting northwest after which straight north west of the Florida peninsula by Monday morning, with a projected landfall within the Florida Massive Bend space as a Class 1 hurricane on Monday afternoon.
The storm will then curve eastward over the northern a part of the state and into southeastern Georgia, earlier than shifting again into the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday.
In preparation for the storm’s impression, Carnival Cruise Line has additionally adjusted the subsequent crusing of Carnival Elation from Jacksonville, which is now shortening her present crusing and shifting up departure for her subsequent cruise a day early on Sunday, August 4.
Regardless of the progress of Tropical Storm Debby, no different cruises from Port Tampa Bay are impacted presently. This might change, nevertheless, as climate circumstances proceed to evolve.
Learn Additionally: How a Hurricane Might Have an effect on Your Cruise
“We encourage people cruising from Port Tampa Bay to contact the cruise line they’re crusing with, ought to they’ve questions or considerations about their cruise itinerary,” the port posted. “Any adjustments to your cruise itinerary, together with vessel climate avoidance plans and any port name adjustments, will likely be communicated by the cruise line straight.”
Cruise strains at all times hold security as the primary precedence for any schedule adjustments and can give vacationers as a lot discover as attainable for any changes.
