Hurricanes Earl and Kay disrupt cruises to Bermuda, Mexican Riviera
A growing Hurricane Earl is forcing some significant changes to Bermuda cruises this week as it barrels toward the island, even as another hurricane in the Pacific threatens to disrupt sailings along the Mexican Riviera.
Among the most notable changes, cruise giant Carnival Cruise Line's 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic departed Bermuda late Wednesday — a day ahead of schedule — to get out of Earl's way. The storm is expected to pass close to Bermuda late Thursday or early Friday.
Carnival Magic was on a six-day cruise to Bermuda out of New York that was supposed to include two days at the destination. But it's now steaming eastward toward calmer waters and will spend the day at sea. The early departure meant that passengers only got about half the time in Bermuda that they were expecting.
Also leaving Bermuda ahead of schedule on Wednesday was Royal Caribbean's 3,344-passenger Mariner of the Seas. The vessel cut a three-day stay at the island destination short by a day and now is heading to Nassau in the Bahamas.
In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line has canceled a two-day Bermuda visit scheduled to begin Friday for its 3,963-passenger Norwegian Getaway. The ship, which is on a nine-night sailing out of New York, instead is visiting Nassau and Miami.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Hurricane Kay — which the National Hurricane Center is calling a "large and dangerous" storm — is starting to affect cruise ships sailing along the Mexican Riviera as it heads northward past Cabo San Lucas and Mazatlan. The two ports are significant cruise destinations.
Related: Everything to know about cruising during hurricane season
Carnival has already made major changes this week to the Mexican Riviera itinerary of its Long Beach, California-based Carnival Panorama. The 4,008-passenger vessel visited Cabo San Luas and Mazatlan ahead of schedule after departing Long Beach on Saturday, and it skipped a visit to Puerto Vallarta entirely. Instead of visiting Puerto Vallarta, Carnival Panorama now is returning northward to stay out of the storm's way and will make an unscheduled call at Ensenada on Friday.
Other ships scheduled to be sailing in the path of Hurricane Kay in the coming days include Royal Caribbean's 3,807-passenger Navigator of the Seas. The ship left Los Angeles on Wednesday on a five-night cruise to the Mexican Riviera and was scheduled to visit Cabo San Lucas on Friday. But, as of now, it appears to be headed for Ensenada instead, according to ship tracking sites.
Royal Caribbean did not respond to a question from TPG about whether Navigator of the Seas' itinerary will be disrupted.
Wherever Navigator of the Seas goes, it is likely to encounter rough water.
"Kay is a very large tropical cyclone. It is producing an extensive area of high seas, with swells affecting portions of southwestern Mexico, the Gulf of California, and the Baja California peninsula," the National Hurricane Center said Thursday in its latest update on the storm.
As of 11 a.m. EDT Thursday, Kay was about 115 miles northwest of Cabo San Lucas and moving north-northwest at about 15 miles per hour. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour.
The NHC expects Kay to travel up the coast of the Mexican Riviera over the next two days.
"Although Kay is likely to weaken before it makes landfall or moves very close to the west-central coast of the Baja peninsula, it is forecast to remain a large and dangerous hurricane through that time," the agency said Thursday.
As of 11 a.m. EDT Thursday, Earl was about 230 miles south of Bermuda and moving north-northeast at about 13 miles per hour. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour.
The storm is expected to strengthen over the next 36 hours and pass southeast of Bermuda by early Friday. While the storm's center is likely to pass about 75 to 100 miles away from Bermuda, the NHC says the island could experience hurricane-force winds if its track shifts west.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.