Cruise to Nowhere: Carnival Cancels Only Port Call Amid Post-Tropical Cyclone Francine
A Carnival Cruise Line trip has scrapped its single scheduled port visit, turning the journey into a cruise to nowhere because of the impact of post-tropical cyclone Francine.
Carnival informed YSL News in an email, “Carnival Valor will be returning to New Orleans on Friday, September 13. The upcoming voyage will be shortened by one day and will not stop at Cozumel.”
The four-day cruise to the Western Caribbean, which was originally set to leave on Thursday, has been delayed due to the Carnival Valor’s previous trip being held back in its return to the Port of New Orleans. While the port had been closed because of the storm, it reopened on Friday.
Guests will receive a partial refund for the missed day, along with reimbursements for services like Wi-Fi or beverage packages that were supposed to be used that day. Additionally, each guest will get a $100 credit to use on board, a future cruise credit worth 50%, and compensation for any extra costs incurred, such as flight change fees.
Francine struck the Louisiana coast on Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane before being downgraded. By Friday, the storm is expected to dissipate, although certain regions of the Tennessee Valley and Southeast are still at risk for flooding through Saturday.
It’s not unusual for cruise companies to modify itineraries, occasionally resulting in cruises without any planned port visits. For example, in April, a Royal Caribbean International cruise to Alaska transformed into a cruise to nowhere after a technical issue caused the cancellation of a trip that had already started.