Cruise lines scramble to find home port alternatives after Baltimore bridge collapse
Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, two cruise lines have to find alternate ports where their ships can dock when their current voyages conclude.
What happened
In the early hours of March 26, a cargo ship leaving the port of Baltimore hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a total collapse, Baltimore City Fire Department chief James Wallace said during a press conference Tuesday morning.
Several people are confirmed to have fallen into the water. Two were rescued, and the search continues for others. Mayor Brandon M. Scott has declared a state of emergency in the city.
Because the debris from the fallen bridge and the search-and-rescue efforts block the path to the docking area, the Port of Baltimore has suspended vessel traffic into and out of the port until further notice. It is not yet known how long it will be closed to cruise ships or how long cleanup and rebuilding are expected to take.
Which ships are affected
Two cruise ships — Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Legend and Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas — currently depart from Baltimore, prompting both cruise lines to search for alternative port options.
Carnival Legend is on a seven-night Bahamas voyage that was set to end in Baltimore on March 31. Vision of the Seas is in the early part of a 12-night sailing, also round trip from Baltimore, that's due to finish April 4. Additionally, Carnival Pride is scheduled to move from its current home port of Tampa to begin offering round-trip voyages from Baltimore starting April 15.
American Cruise Lines also has two ships — American Glory and American Constitution — in the area, but they remain largely unaffected, as both vessels are scheduled to home port in Washington, D.C., this year. (The line has other voyages that are set to sail from Baltimore later in the year. It plans to monitor conditions there and make adjustments as necessary.)
What the lines are saying about itinerary changes
Both Carnival and Royal Caribbean will temporarily relocate their Baltimore-based vessels to Norfolk, Virginia, until further notice. In a statement, Carnival said passengers on its current Carnival Legend sailing will be bused, at no cost to them, back to Baltimore after disembarking on March 31. The ship's next sailings will now sail round-trip from Norfolk.
"We will update our future cruise guests on when we will return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime, we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk," Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy said.
Additionally, the current Vision of the Seas sailing will conclude in Norfolk instead of Baltimore. In a statement, Royal Caribbean said it will provide passengers on that voyage, scheduled to conclude on April 4, with compensation and free shuttle transportation back to Baltimore. They are also being provided with free Wi-Fi and phone calls on board in order to adjust their travel arrangements.
As for Vision of the Seas' future cruises, the line said the ship will sail its planned April 4 and April 12 itineraries from Norfolk. "Our guests booked to sail with us will receive compensation due to the necessary adjustments made to their vacations. After returning from the April 12 cruise, Vision will head to The Bahamas for its previously scheduled maintenance."
TPG also contacted the Cruise Lines International Association, which serves as an advocate for the cruise industry as a whole. In an emailed statement, CLIA provided port statistics.
"Cruise activity at the port of Baltimore based on 2024 published itineraries includes 12 ships making a total of 115 ship calls during calendar year 2024," CLIA said. "It is the 29th-largest cruise port in the U.S. with 378,000 passenger movements scheduled through the port."
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