With Tropical Storm Helene well away from Florida and most coastal warnings in the state now dropped, cruise homeports have been able to conduct critical safety inspections and ascertain any damage.
Now, both Port Canaveral and Port of Jacksonville have successfully reopened, and Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed that Carnival Glory and Carnival Elation, respectively, are able to return to their homeports for debarkation and to welcome their next guests.
Carnival Glory – Port Canaveral Update
“We hope those of you in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene are safe. Thank you for your patience and understanding, while you waited for updates about our operational plans for your cruise. Good news – our partners in Port Canaveral have cleared the ship to arrive,” the cruise line announced for Carnival Glory at noon on Friday, September 27, 2024.
Carnival Glory was always planned to return to Port Canaveral on Friday, but typically would dock before 8 a.m. with the next cruise’s embarkation beginning at approximately noon.
Now, the ship is delayed several hours and incoming travelers are asked to shift their cruise terminal arrival time to accommodate the change.
“Embarkation will be delayed by THREE HOURS,” the cruise line confirmed. “Please do not arrive earlier as it will cause extra waiting time and the embarkation staff will ask you to leave and return at your new designated time.”
Incoming guests must wait for travelers currently onboard the ship to not only debark, but also to clear through US Customs and Border Protection processing before the cruise terminal will be available for new passengers.
Furthermore, it is best to permit debarking guests to leave the parking facilities in order to clear space for new arrivals. This will help smooth out traffic snarls and ensure a faster, more efficient process for everyone.
All Carnival Glory guests must be checked in at the cruise terminal no later than 5 p.m. for the ship’s departure.
Carnival Elation – Port of Jacksonville Update
Plans for Carnival Elation are not quite as clear-cut, as the ship was initially scheduled to return to Port of Jacksonville on Thursday, September 26. That was obviously not possible due to the port’s closure for then-Hurricane Helene, but the port has now reopened.
This does mean, however, that Carnival Elation must still navigate up the St. Johns River to reach the cruise terminal, but satellite tracking data shows the Fantasy-class vessel now doing just that.
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Because of the significant delay, guests are asked to move their pre-selected terminal arrival appointments by 8 hours. This means a traveler who opted for a 12 p.m. arrival time when they checked in for their sailing should now arrive at the cruise terminal at 8 p.m.
All travelers will need to be checked in at the cruise terminal no later than 9:30 p.m., and Carnival Elation will depart shortly thereafter.
Carnival Cruise Line has also confirmed the change for the next itinerary.
“The ship will be docking in Jacksonville this afternoon and we will be operating your cruise as a shortened 3-day voyage with a visit to Freeport,” the statement read.
The ship will be in Freeport on Sunday, September 29, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Furthermore, all guests onboard will receive a 25% refund of their cruise fare and pre-paid add-ons, including gratuities, drink packages, and WiFi plans, if applicable.
Carnival Cruise Line is also offering a $100 (per stateroom) onboard credit for guests to enjoy during their now shortened cruise.
If travelers are unable to set sail with Carnival Elation, they will receive a full refund for any pre-purchased items meant for their sailing. Their cruise fare will become a 100% future cruise credit to use on another Carnival cruise of their choosing (it does not have to be aboard Carnival Elation).
Carnival Paradise – Port Tampa Bay Update
Port Tampa Bay remains closed as of Friday afternoon, and the coastal region near the port remains alert to a marginal risk of flash flooding due to rainfall from Helene.
Carnival Paradise will return to her homeport as soon as the port reopens and safety assessments are completed, but that will not be today.
“We are very tentatively anticipating sometime Saturday, September 28,” Carnival Cruise Line’s website said with a 2 p.m. update.
Because the ship’s next sailing was to have departed on Thursday, September 26 and will now be delayed at least two days for what was to have been a 4-night sailing, the cruise line is still considering options.
“We will have more details about our operational plans and options as soon as more information becomes available,” the update reads.
Guests are encouraged to sign up for text alerts to be updated as soon as possible once those plans are confirmed and Carnival Paradise is ready to welcome her next guests.
