Carnival, Royal Caribbean divert cruises to avoid Hurricane Erin
All the signs were there last week as the tropical system that would become Hurricane Erin rapidly strengthened on a westward path in the Atlantic — hurricane season was about to start disrupting cruise vacations.
First, Royal Caribbean made a proactive move to ensure smoother sailing for its Aug. 14 cruise from Baltimore aboard Vision of the Seas, which was scheduled to overnight in Bermuda from Aug. 16 – 17 before heading to The Bahamas. The cruise line opted to sail to Florida for the weekend instead of Bermuda, allowing for a safer course to The Bahamas this week.
Although Bahamas cruises will still deal with rough seas as Hurricane Erin churns up the Atlantic, The Bahamas will be a safer place to sail this week than Bermuda.Cruise passengers sailing to The Bahamas should also prepare for less-than-ideal beach days as the massive Hurricane Erin passes to the east of the islands on a path north that will take it between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast later in the week.
Even if Bahamas cruise ports remain open and the sun is shining, cruise passengers and other vacationers visiting Bahamas beaches should be mindful of a hidden and highly dangerous hurricane hazard — rip currents.
Powerful waves generated by Hurricane Erin will bring life-threatening rip currents along the beaches of The Bahamas, Bermuda, much of the U.S. East Coast, and even Atlantic Canada over the next several days.
Doug Parker shared more details on how cruise lines are rerouting cruise ships to stay safe from Hurricane Erin, and other cruise news, on the Aug. 18 edition of Cruise News Today.Hurricane Erin causes cruise lines to reroute ships
Cruise News Today Transcript:
This is Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning, here's your cruise news for Monday, August 18th.
Hurricane Erin continues to impact cruise itineraries and port operations across the Atlantic. Now, Carnival Cruise Line is rerouting the Carnival Sunshine, which was set to sail to Bermuda from Norfolk. The ship will now head south to Celebration Key and Nassau.Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas dropped Bermuda in favor of Port Canaveral and CocoCay, while Disney Treasure switched itineraries from eastern to the western Caribbean.
The Coast Guard has issued warnings for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Ports remain open, but there are warnings of strong rip currents and waves at the beaches.
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Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas sets sail on first cruises
And Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas has officially begun service. The ship departed from Port Canaveral on Saturday for its first cruise, sailing to The Bahamas and the company's private island, CocoCay.
It's the second ship in Royal Caribbean's Icon Class and will be christened on Wednesday by astronaut Kellie Gerardi.
Star of the Seas launches its official maiden voyage on August 31st, kicking off year-round, weeklong cruises to the Caribbean through at least 2027.MSC Cruises revises World Cruise due to Middle East conflicts
And MSC Cruises is adjusting its itinerary for the 2026 World Cruise, happening in January because of conflicts in the Middle East.
Now, the 118-night cruise aboard the MSC Magnifica, starting at $16,000 per person, was set to cruise to 47 different destinations across 32 countries, but the line has decided to avoid the Red Sea region for safety reasons.
A revised itinerary will be out later this month. MSC says passenger safety and comfort remain the top priority.And cruise stocks were mixed on Friday. Carnival Corporation: down 1.6%, 29.76, Royal Caribbean: up 0.5%, 313.95, Norwegian: flat, 24.30, and Viking: up 1.2%, 60.72.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know: tips@cruiseradio.net, and have yourself a great Monday. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
, or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Aug 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
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