While Port Tampa Bay has reopened with some temporary vessel depth restrictions and cruise vessels are beginning to return, one ship is further delayed and will not be able to return as planned on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
Margaritaville at Sea’s Islander was supposed to return to her Florida homeport on Sunday to debark her current 5-night Key West and Cozumel sailing, and to begin her next cruise, an identical 5-night sailing.
Now, the current sailing is becoming a 6-night cruise with an extra day at sea, while the next cruise is being shortened to a 4-night voyage.
The cruise line reached out to guests booked on the September 29 departure to inform them of the change just one day before embarkation.
“This morning, the Port Heavy Weather Advisory Group, along with the U.S. Coast Guard surveyed the condition of the channel and have determined that Islander’s scheduled arrival into Port Tampa Bay is delayed until Monday, September 30, 2024,” the cruise line confirmed.
“The September 29, 2024 sailing aboard the Margaritaville at Sea Islander will now depart Port Tampa Bay on Monday, September 30, 2024.”
The ship will have an altered itinerary and will no longer visit Key West on Monday as planned, as the vessel will only be departing Tampa that day. The ship will spend Tuesday at sea, then will be in Cozumel, Mexico on Wednesday, October 2.
Another day at sea will follow as Margaritaville at Sea Islander makes her way back to Tampa for debarkation on Friday, October 4 as planned.
No further changes are expected for the altered itinerary or additional upcoming sailings. Of course, last-minute alterations are always possible on any cruise vacation due to weather, port operations, mechanical difficulties, or many other reasons.
Embarkation Not Yet Confirmed
Booked guests now impacted by the altered itinerary have been contacted about their potential next steps and what compensation may be available. The cruise line does note that embarkation plans are not yet confirmed.
“Please be advised that embarkation on Monday, September 30 is likely to be delayed based on currently known information,” the notification read. “We will send another notice with exact timing as soon as additional guidance is provided by the U.S. Coast Guard.”
The delay of embarkation is another reason for the ship’s altered itinerary. With a day at sea as the first full day of the cruise, Islander will be able to adjust her sailing speed to easily compensate for a few hours’ change in embarkation.
The 85,619-gross-ton, Spirit-class Margaritaville at Sea Islander, the former Costa Atlantica, is one of just two cruise ships for the small, niche cruise line Margaritaville at Sea.
The ship can welcome 2,114 guests per sailing at double occupancy, or up to 2,680 travelers when fully booked. Also onboard are nearly 900 international crew members.
Islander just debuted in mid-June, offering 4- and 5-night sailings from Port Tampa Bay, the first time Margaritaville at Sea has offered the city as a cruise homeport.
Satellite tracking data shows that Islander is currently still at sea, well away from Port Tampa Bay and not heading toward the cruise port at this time.
Read Also: Tampa Cruise Port – Terminals, Transportation, What’s Nearby
In fact, of the multiple delayed cruise ships that need to return to the Florida homeport, only Carnival Paradise has so far entered the channel to navigate toward the cruise terminals. This may be due to the limited channel availability for the port’s initial reopening, when marine traffic must be prioritized due to a variety of factors.
Of the different vessels impacted by the extended closure of Port Tampa Bay, Carnival Paradise is the most delayed cruise ship, and therefore it makes sense that she would be the first to return.
