Update July 11, 7:00 a.m. EST: Tropical Storm Chantal weakened in strength has dissipated in the Caribbean. Heavy rain and near tropical force winds will continue to hit parts of the Caribbean as the storm moves north-northwest over the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. The remnants of TS Chantal have a 20% chance of strengthening back into a tropical storm. No further cruise itineraries have been changed at this time. However, cruises to the Bahamas this weekend will likely see choppy waters and heavy rain.
The third tropical storm of the 2013 hurricane season has formed in the Atlantic Ocean. Tropical Storm Chantal currently has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and is moving to the West-Northwest at 29 mph.
TS Chantal crossed over the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles. Grenada, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe and other islands in the region were under a tropical storm warning. After crossing these islands, current projections have the tropical storm passing to the south of Puerto Rico towards Jamaica and Cuba before the storm heads north towards the Bahamas/Florida on Friday and Saturday.
It is important to note that tropical storms and hurricanes can move in erratic patterns and can be hard to predict more than 2-3 days out. The National Hurricane Center does not expect TS Chantal to strengthen into a hurricane at this time. Tropical storms become hurricanes when maximum sustained winds exceed 74 mph.
Cruise lines have begun to make changes to itineraries. The Carnival Liberty will skip a stop in St Thomas and make call in Nassau, Bahamas in its place. The Carnival Victory will be stopping in Freeport, Bahamas replacing a stop in Grand Turk.
Cruise Fever will continue to monitor this storm and will update this page if and when there are changes to cruises on Carnival, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Disney, Holland America, or any other major cruise line.
Cruise lines do everything in their power to not cancel cruises due to weather, including hurricanes. They will often alter a ship’s itinerary to keep the cruise ship out of harms way for the safety of the passengers and crew members, and so passengers on board can enjoy their cruise. This can mean a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean will become a cruise to the Western Caribbean, and vice versa.
Visit the National Hurricane Center’s website for the latest information on Tropical Storm Chantal and other storms in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
