(October 5, 530pm) - Hurricane Matthew will close ports in Florida and South Carolina on Thursday, Friday and Saturday affecting a number of turnarounds.
With the path of the storm, PortMiami will be closed on Thursday and is expected to reopen for normal operations on Friday.
As we reported earlier, Carnival Sensation's October 1 sailing was sent to Costa Maya and Cozumel rather than the Bahamas and Grand Turk. It was due to return to Miami on Thursday but Carnival has extended the cruise by one day and it will no return on Friday (October 7).
Carnival Sensation's October 6 sailing will now depart Miami on October 7 (Friday) and it will shortened to a 3-night cruise going to Nassau with an overnight stay and the following day at sea. Carnival says the itinerary is subject to a post-storm assessment of Nassau.
Port Canaveral plans to be closed at least on Thursday. Carnival is anticipating it reopening to traffic on Friday.
Carnival Victory returned to Port Canaveral a day early this morning and dropped off passengers. It left as quickly as possible and will be at sea safely away from the storm as Matthew passes through Port Canaveral. The ship will return to Port Canaveral on Friday to pick up passengers for as shortened two-night cruise that will call only at Freeport.
Carnival anticipates Jacksonville reopening sometime on Saturday.
Carnival Elation is still planning to return to Jacksonville on Saturday (October 8), but Carnival is warning that its arrival may be delayed. Of course that could delay embarkation for for the October 8 sailing.
Charleston is expected to be closed to traffic on Saturday,
Carnival Ecstasy's cruise that was to return on Saturday is being extended to Sunday October 9. Because the decision could be made so early, the call in Cozumel on October 5 could be extended overnight and all day on Thursday. There will be two sea days returning to Charleston.
Passengers planning to board Carnival Ecstasy on Saturday now won't be doing so until Sunday (October 9) and sailing a revised itinerary shortened by one day. The revised six-night itinerary will now call at Half Moon Cay (October 12) and Nassau (October 13), subject to the ports reopening and a post-storm assessment of the destinations.
