Hurricane Paloma forces cruise ships to change Caribbean itineraries

Cruise ships on Caribbean itineraries are being forced to change course by Hurricane Paloma as it gains strength and heads past the Cayman Islands toward the Bahamas.

The Royal Caribbean vessel, Grandeur of the Seas, which sailed from Baltimore on October 30, will skip its stop at Grand Cayman, but will head to Cozumel, Mexico, instead, staying clear of the strengthening hurricane. The Crystal Symphony will also avoid Grand Cayman and move on to Grand Turk, in the Turks & Caicos, instead.

The Disney Magic, which departed from Port Canaveral, is changing to a Western Caribbean itinerary from the planned Eastern Caribbean route. The cruise ship will call in Costa Maya, followed by Cozumel and then Grand Cayman – if that port has reopened by mid-week.

Hurricane Paloma is expected to affect other cruise itineraries as the week progresses.

The powerful Category 4 hurricane is considered extremely dangerous, according to the National Hurricane Center. It blew across Cayman Brac in the Cayman Islands, heading in the direction of Cuba and the Bahamas. Five to 10 inches of rainfall is expected in the Caymans and Cuba.

Some good news for visitors to the Caribbean is that Paloma skirted Grand Cayman’s main port town of Georgetown. It is anticipated that the storm will weaken considerably by mid-week, before it passes over the Bahamas.

www.nhc.noaa.gov