Hurricane Beryl has been wreaking havoc in the Caribbean for the past week, leading several cruise lines to modify their routes to ensure the safety and comfort of their passengers and crew members.
With the approaching tropical storm headed towards Texas, Royal Caribbean is now making alternate arrangements for their ship, Mariner of the Seas. Currently, the ship is homeporting in Galveston, Texas, and the cruise line is taking necessary precautions to avoid any potential impact from the inclement weather.
On July 8, 2024, Beryl, a tropical storm, is expected to strengthen into a hurricane, coinciding with the Voyager-class ship’s scheduled departure from a 4-night Western Caribbean cruise.
Due to the hazardous weather conditions, the 4,000-passenger vessel is sailing away from Texas, which will postpone its return until July 9, 2024. Consequently, the scheduled 5-night Western Caribbean cruise will also depart a day later than planned.
Affected guests received a letter from the cruise line stating that due to Tropical Storm Beryl, the return of the previous sailing has been delayed. As a result, the boarding day has been shifted to Tuesday, July 9.
Due to the delay in embarkation, the cruise itinerary has been altered, resulting in the cancellation of the scheduled stop at Costa Maya, Mexico on July 10th due to time constraints.
Fortunately, the scheduled call on Cozumel, Mexico, on July 11 will proceed as planned. This is a stroke of luck because as of July 5, Cozumel had closed its maritime traffic due to the hurricane.
The letter expressed regret over the unavoidable alteration in the travel plan due to unforeseen circumstances. As a result, the scheduled visit to Costa Maya had to be canceled. The letter conveyed sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused by this unexpected change. The letter also mentioned that the weather conditions were being closely monitored and the team was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the guests on board.
In regards to the abrupt disruption, the cruise line has assured their guests that they will be contacted directly to discuss compensation.
As for the moment, the future cruises of the 139,863-gross ton vessel are still on track and not affected. The next voyage, which is a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel, is still set to depart on July 13 as scheduled.
Tropical Storm Beryl Closes In On Texas
Texas braces for the impact of the initial hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic Season as it rapidly approaches. As per the most recent report from the National Hurricane Center (NOAA), this storm is intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico and is projected to hit Texas on the late hours of Sunday, July 7, 2024, or the early hours of Monday, July 8.
As a Category 1 Hurricane, the impending storm is predicted to make landfall somewhere in the region between Corpus Christi and Galveston. It is expected to cause severe rainfall, surges, and flooding, which could be life-threatening. Some regions of Texas are expected to receive as much as 15 inches of rainfall in a single day.
As Hurricane Nicholas approaches, the Port of Galveston and the U.S. Coast Guard have collaborated to make a critical decision. They have decided to shut down the bustling port for maritime traffic on Sunday evening and the entire day of Monday, until the storm subsides.
At 10 a.m. Central Time on Sunday morning, the Port of Galveston provided an update on their Facebook page. According to the update, the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended vessel operations and is expected to close the port to vessel traffic at 4 p.m. in anticipation of tropical storm conditions. The update also advised port operations to be prepared to cease all operations later in the day and vacate the port premises.
According to the post, Galveston Harbor should prepare for tide surge levels that are 4-6 feet above normal along the coast overnight. Heavy rainfall is also expected to arrive later this afternoon, and flooding in and around the port complex is anticipated from late today through Monday.
You may also be interested in: All the changes made to cruise ship itineraries due to Hurricane Beryl.
Although Hurricane Beryl may not regain the same level of intensity that devastated the Caribbean and claimed 9 lives, it is expected to regain hurricane status once it reaches Texas.
The NOAA reported that on June 28, 2024, a tropical depression formed, which quickly escalated into a Category 1 hurricane in just 24 hours, with wind speeds of up to 75 mph.
On July 2, 2024, Hurricane Beryl was designated as a Category 5 storm, with wind speeds reaching a staggering 165 mph. The Caribbean region was hit hard by this devastating hurricane, claiming the lives of at least nine people.
Although Beryl was initially downgraded to a tropical storm, it has recently picked up speed in the Gulf of Mexico and is predicted to be upgraded to a Category 1 Hurricane prior to its arrival in Texas. This means that the winds are expected to maintain a minimum sustained speed of 75 mph or greater.
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