Cruise Ships Change Course as Hurricane Beryl Heads to Mexico

Hurricane Beryl continues to hit the Caribbean, prompting major cruise lines to adjust ship itineraries out of safety concerns.

Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival, Celebrity, and Disney have modified their schedules to avoid the worst of the storm, finding alternative ports of call or delaying visits to destinations in the hurricane’s path.

The tropical storm is currently roaring across the Cayman Islands after hitting Jamaica hard overnight, devastating the island nation with destructive winds and torrential rain—the worst storm Jamaica has seen in 15 years. While Beryl has weakened from a Category 5 to a Category 3, the National Hurricane Center warns that weather conditions remain dangerous, with winds reaching speeds up to 115 mph.

Experts predicted the 2024 hurricane season would be hyperactive, and Beryl serves as an ominous warning for what’s to come. Typically, hurricane season in the Caribbean peaks from mid-August to mid-October, winding down by November. Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Category 5 storm to form in the Atlantic, fueled by record-high warm ocean waters.

Beryl will likely be weakened by the time it reaches Yucatan Peninsula early Friday, before eventually hitting Northern Mexico and Southern Texas across Monday and Tuesday. Currently, a hurricane warning is in effect for Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, and the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from Puerto Costa Maya to Cancun, including Cozumel.

Hurricane Beryl: Cruise ship changes

Royal Caribbean has altered the schedules for Icon of the Seas, Wonder of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas to avoid the storm’s path, dropping port of calls at locations like St. Maarten and Roatán.

Norweigan ships Jade and Breakaway have changed routes completely, shifting to Eastern Caribbean ports of call.

Carnival has maintained original itineraries for Liberty and Horizon as much as possible with minor adjustments. Liberty is reversing the order of ports for its 7-day Western Caribbean cruise, while Horizon is skipping a stop in Grand Cayman.

Celebrity Beyond also altered the order of its cruise, arriving at Aruba before Bonaire.

Enchanted Princess skipped its scheduled call at Belize City on July 3 with a day in Cozumel.

Finally, Disney cruise ship Fantasy, which was scheduled to arrive in Falmouth Jamaica today (July 4), is instead spending the day at sea.