Multiple Cruises Stranded at Sea Due to Unexpected Port Closure
A rare storm is brewing in the Pacific Ocean, sparking one cruise port to batten down the hatches. As a result, some passengers are getting extended vacations while others have found their travels canceled.
A Category 2 tropical cyclone named Alfred is hurtling toward Brisbane, located on the southeastern coast of Australia—a city that hasn't been impacted by such severe weather in decades, according to The New York Times.
Airports, schools, and public transportation were all shuttered in response to the storm expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday morning—including its port, which ships like Carnival Luminosa and Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas call home at this time of year.
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The Luminosa was expected to return to the port on March 6, after an 11-day Fiji South Pacific itinerary, while the Quantum of the Seas was meant to return on March 7, after a seven-day South Pacific cruise.
John Heald, a senior cruise director and brand ambassador for Carnival Cruise Lines, shared the message the company sent to passengers who had their trips aboard the Luminosa canceled as a result, on Facebook, noting that, once the storm passes, officials will still need to "conduct a post-storm assessment before [the ship] can be cleared to safely return to port."
The earliest they anticipate the ship docking is on March 8. However, the speed of the storm and any resulting damage will factor into it. Until then, the ships will remain at sea, with the captain "keeping the ship a safe distance from any bad weather."
While some might expect those stuck on the water due to weather to panic, passengers aboard the Luminosa replied to Heald's post with praise for the crew.
"I am onboard the Luminosa now and the Captain and all involved has done an amazing job all cruise to keep us safe," one wrote.
Another agreed that the crew was "amazing," keeping them "updated throughout the cruise with as much information as has been available."
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