Cruises Rerouted After Category 5 Hurricane Beryl Threatens Caribbean

Hurricane Beryl has been upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane, becoming the earliest such storm on record and forcing several cruise lines to reroute their ships to avoid the storm’s path.

The hurricane first made landfall across the Windward Islands, The Weather Channel reported, which include popular vacation spots like Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada. By Tuesday, Beryl had grown to a dangerous Category 5 storm as it swirled across the eastern Caribbean Sea with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph.

The storm was fueled by record-warm waters, The Associated Press reported.

A​ hurricane warning had been issued for Jamaica, The Weather Channel noted, and a hurricane watch was now in effect for the Cayman Islands. The storm was expected to remain a hurricane and make landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula or Belize by around Friday.

As the hurricane continued to threaten the Caribbean, several cruise lines adjusted their schedules to avoid the storm. Carnival Cruise Line confirmed to Travel + Leisure it canceled a planned stop in Grand Cayman on its Carnival Horizon ship and will visit Cozumel, Mexico, on a different day on the Carnival Liberty. Both Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line altered their schedules, USA Today reported. 

For its part, Celebrity Cruises has rerouted its Celebrity Beyond ship, switching up the dates it is scheduled to stop in Bonaire and Aruba, a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told T+L. Similarly, Royal Caribbean has changed the itineraries on several of its ships, including its newest Icon of the Seas, which will now visit Cozumel, Mexico, and Costa Maya, Mexico, instead of Philipsburg, St. Maarten, and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

“The safety of our guests, crew, and communities we visit is our top priority. Along with our Chief Meteorologist, we are closely monitoring the progression of Hurricane Beryl, and are making adjustments to some of our Caribbean sailings for the comfort and safety of our guests and crew,” the spokesperson told T+L. “Guests and travel advisors will be notified directly of any necessary changes.”

Princess Cruises, however, had not yet made any changes to its itineraries, and a spokesperson told T+L the company was “closely monitoring the current conditions.”

“Rest assured, our ships are equipped with the latest technology and are fully capable of altering course to avoid adverse weather,” the spokesperson said. “The flexibility and mobility of our fleet allow us to take necessary precautions swiftly, ensuring a safe and enjoyable cruise experience.”

This year’s Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be “above normal,” which could result in anywhere from 17 to 25 named storms, eight to 13 hurricanes, and four to seven major hurricanes.