The Port of Tampa has reopened after being closed overnight due to dense fog in the area. The fog caused two Royal Caribbean ships to stay in port overnight and delayed several other cruise ships from returning this morning.
Both Brilliance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas were scheduled to leave Tampa on Saturday afternoon. Both ships remained in port overnight and were able to depart shortly after noon when the fog lifted.
Due to their delayed departure, Brilliance of the Seas will no longer stop in Grand Cayman. The ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico, on Tuesday. Rhapsody of the Seas will visit all scheduled ports except for Costa Maya.
Carnival Cruise Line issued a statement saying that Carnival Miracle is delayed arriving back in Tampa. The ship was scheduled to arrive back in port early Sunday morning. The cruise line is issuing text alerts by texting CCL1 to 278473 (CRUISE). The cruise ship will transition through the channel into the port when the vessel receives clearance.
Carnival Miracle is scheduled to sail a seven night cruise to the Western Caribbean from Tampa with port stops in Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, and Grand Cayman.
Looks Carnival Miracle is stuck in the fog pic.twitter.com/D2MaE6zK6T
— David Faysash (@DavidFaysash) December 30, 2018
Now we’re talking @RoyalCaribbean! @PTZtv capturing both our ladies heading out for the New Year’s Cruise #BrillianceoftheSeas and #RhapsodyoftheSeas. Thank you @PortTampaBay @USCG @uscoastguard @NWSTampaBay for staying with us all night to keep searching for a break in fog! pic.twitter.com/XJRJD5eJGm
— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) December 30, 2018
