As a result of the closure of the Port of Galveston due to damage from Hurricane Ike, Carnival Cruise Lines’ two Galveston-based ships, Carnival Conquest and Carnival Ecstasy, are scheduled to operate their regular cruise programs from the Port of Houston’s Bayport Cruise Terminal effective with this weekend’s departures.
The 2,052-passenger Carnival Ecstasy will resume its four- and five-day Mexico schedule from the Port of Houston starting with a five-day cruise departing Saturday, Sept. 20. Beginning with the departure of Sunday, Sept. 21, the 2,974-passenger Carnival Conquest will depart Houston on seven-day cruises to the western Caribbean.
Both vessels are currently docked in New Orleans where they were deployed following the closure of the Port of Galveston. Carnival Conquest will arrive at the Port of Houston on Thursday, Sept. 18, and Carnival Ecstasy on Friday, Sept. 19, to disembark those guests who opted to remain aboard the vessels following their previous voyages.
Carnival’s two Houston-based ships will operate the same itineraries as they did from Galveston. Carnival Conquest will sail seven-day western Caribbean voyages departing Sundays to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Carnival Ecstasy will depart Thursdays on four-day cruises to Cozumel, and on Mondays and Saturdays on five-day voyages to Cozumel and Progreso.
The Port of Houston’s newly opened Bayport Terminal is an $81 million state-of-the-art facility with 96,000 square feet of space. It is conveniently accessed from both of the city’s airports, and a variety of fine restaurants and shops are located nearby. The Carnival Conquest and Carnival Ecstasy will be the first cruise ships to utilize the new facility.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Carnival Cruise Lines Posted by Michael on 09/11/08
Carnival is reporting that it’s initial assessment has confirmed that the Grand Turk pier escaped damage. The cruise center facility has some roof damage, and landscaping was lost. However until a more detail evaluation of the roof can be completed it’s still too early to estimate an accurate cost for repairs.
Thanks to the relatively limited damage to the cruise center, repairs could be completed fairly quickly, Carnival said in a statement. However, it added that the pace of repair work and the reopening of the cruise center is largely dependent on overall recovery efforts on Grand Turk. More information should be available in the coming week.
Carnival passengers who were scheduled to go to Grand Turk will be notified of the port change.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Carnival Cruise Lines Posted by Michael on 09/09/08
We’re a little late this week although it’s not for lack of trying.
As we get ready for our QE2 trip in a few weeks we decide to NOT do a show on packing! 
This past week Princess announced the Ultimate Ship Tour - it’s a bit pricey but definately a unique experience
Disney Magic is currently in drydock get some upgrades.
Cunard announced their 2010 World Cruise itineraries.
San Diego is considering offering naming rights on their new cruise terminal and some passengers behaved badly on Carnival Miracle.
This week we decided to take a look at travel gadgets - the stuff we either travel with or want to travel with. We’re sure that your list is a little differnt so go ahead and leave us a comment with those gadgets that you don’t wan’t to leave home without.
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Filed under: Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line, Podcast, Princess Cruises Posted by Michael on 09/08/08
Carnival Cruise Lines:
- Carnival Liberty 9/6 departure from Miami: The ship will replace the scheduled Eastern Caribbean itinerary with visits to Grand Cayman (Mon.), Cozumel (Tue.), Belize (Wed.) and Isla Roatan (Thur.)
- Carnival Miracle 9/6 departure from New York: The ship will replace the scheduled call in Grand Turk with a visit to Tortola (Thur.)
- Carnival Fascination 9/8 departure from Miami: The ship will visit Nassau (Wed.) and Freeport (Thur.)
- Carnival Imagination 9/8 departure from Miami: The ship will replace the scheduled call in Grand Turk with a visit to Freeport (Wed.)
- Carnival Inspiration 9/8 departure from Tampa: The ship will visit Progreso (Wed.) and Cozumel (Thur.)
- Holiday 9/8 departure from Mobile: The ship will visit Progreso (Wed.) and Cozumel (Thur.)
Royal Caribbean:
- Liberty of the Seas, which departed the Port of Miami Saturday, September 6, will sail a revised itinerary, changing the order of its normal ports of call. The ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico, Monday; George Town, Cayman Islands, Tuesday; Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Wednesday; and Labadee, Haiti, Thursday.
- Freedom of the Seas, which departed the Port of Miami Sunday, September 7, will sail a revised itinerary. The ship will not visit San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday. Instead, the ship will be at sea Tuesday; visit Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Wednesday; Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Thursday; and be at sea Friday and Saturday.
- Enchantment of the Seas, which departed Port Everglades Saturday, September 6, will sail a revised itinerary. The ship will not visit George Town, Cayman Islands, Tuesday. Instead, the ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico, Monday, and be at sea Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Mariner of the Seas, which departed Port Canaveral Sunday, September 6, will sail a revised itinerary. The ship will not visit Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Wednesday. Instead, the ship will visit Labadee, Haiti, Tuesday; Montego Bay, Jamaica, Wednesday; George Town, Grand Cayman, Thursday; Cozumel, Mexico, Friday; and at be at sea Saturday.
- Sovereign of the Seas, which departs Port Canaveral Monday, September 8, will sail a revised itinerary, changing the order of its normal ports of call. The ship will be at sea Tuesday; visit Nassau, Bahamas, Wednesday; and CocoCay, Bahamas, Thursday.
- Grandeur of the Seas, which departed the Port of Norfolk Thursday, September 4, will sail a revised itinerary, changing the order of its normal ports of call. The ship will visit Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sunday; St. John (Bay of Fundy), Monday; at sea Tuesday, and visit Boston, Massachusetts, Wednesday. The ship will return to Norfolk Friday, September 12, as scheduled.
Filed under: Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean International Posted by Michael on 09/01/08
With the tropics as active as they are it doesn’t make sense to post our updates by storm - so by cruise line:
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Ecstasy Thur., 8/28 departure from Galveston: The ship will visit Progreso, Yucatan (Sat). This ship will return to Galveston on Wednesday, September 3 as the Port of Galveston is closed due to Hurricane Gustav
Carnival Fantasy Thur., 8/28 departure from Mobile: The ship will visit Progreso, Yucatan (Sat). This ship will return to Mobile on Wednesday, September 3 as the Port of Mobile is closed due to Hurricane Gustav
Carnival Miracle Fri., 8/29 departure from New York: The ship will change her itinerary to visit the ports of call: Port Canaveral (Mon), Nassau (Tue) and Freeport (Wed). Due to strong winds in the southern Bahamas, the ship will cancel her call to Nassau (Tue) and call on Freeport instead. We are investigating a 3rd port of call and will advise tomorrow.
Carnival Inspiration Sat., 8/30 departure from Tampa: The ship will visit Cozumel (Tue)
Carnival Glory Sat., 8/30 departure from Pt. Canaveral: The ship will cancel her call to Nassau (Sun) and visit the scheduled ports of call: St. Thomas (Tue), St. Maarten (Wed)
Carnival Liberty Sat., 8/30 departure from Miami: The ship will visit the ports of call in reverse order Ocho Rios (Mon), Grand Cayman (Tue), Cozumel (Thur)
Carnival Conquest Sun. 8/31 departure from Galveston: The ship will cancel her call to Montego Bay (Wed) and visit Progreso, Yucatan (Tue), Cozumel (Wed), and Grand Cayman (Thur)
Carnival Triumph Sun. 8/31 departure from Miami: The ship will cancel her call to Half Moon Cay (Mon) and visit the scheduled ports of call of St. Thomas (Wed), San Juan (Thur) and Grand Turk (Fri)
Carnival Legend Sun. 8/31 departure from Tampa: The ship will cancel her call to Grand Cayman (Tue) and visit Key West (Mon) and then call on the scheduled ports of call of Cozumel (Wed), Belize (Thur) and Isla Roatan (Fri)
FUTURE CRUISES FOR WEEK STARTING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2008:
Carnival Fantasy: Mon. 9/1 departure from Mobile: We will be forced to change the five-day Carnival Fantasy cruise scheduled to depart on Monday, September 1, 2008 to a four-day cruise departing on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 returning on Sunday, September 7, 2008. The four-day cruise will depart from Mobile at 4:00 PM on Wednesday and visit Cozumel on Friday (arrive 8:00 AM; depart 5:00 PM).
Guests that sail on the new four-day cruise will receive a 25% refund of the cruise fare paid. In addition, guests will receive a 25% discount of a future three- to five-day Carnival Cruise departing prior to December 15, 2009. This discount applies to the cruise fare only. Please understand this offer is non-transferable.
If guests elect to cancel the cruise, we ask that guests contact us right away to cancel the booking. Guests will receive a full refund and refunds will be processed in less than two weeks.
Carnival Ecstasy: Mon. 9/1 departure from Galveston: We will be forced to change the five-day Carnival Ecstasy cruise scheduled to depart on Monday, September 1, 2008 to a three-day Cruise-To-Nowhere departing on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 returning on Saturday, September 6, 2008. The new three-day cruise will depart from Galveston at 4:00 PM on Wednesday.
Guests that sail on the new three-day cruise will receive a 50% refund of the cruise fare paid. In addition, guests will receive a 50% discount of a future three- to five-day Carnival Cruise departing prior to December 15, 2009. This discount applies to the cruise fare only. Please understand this offer is non-transferable.
If guests elect to cancel the cruise, we ask that guests contact us right away to cancel the booking. Guests will receive a full refund and refunds will be processed in less than two weeks.
Royal Caribbean:
Sovereign of the Seas, which departs Port Canaveral Monday, September 1, will sail a revised itinerary. The ship will visit Nassau, Bahamas, Tuesday; and Key West, Florida, Wednesday, spending the night and departing Thursday morning.
Mariner of the Seas, which departs Port Canaveral Sunday, August 31, will sail a modified itinerary. The ship will not visit Coco Cay, Bahamas, Monday, but will makes its scheduled port calls in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Wednesday; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Thursday.
Majesty of the Seas, which departs the Port of Miami Monday, September 1, will sail a revised itinerary. The ship will visit Nassau, Bahamas, Tuesday; be at sea Wednesday and visit Key West, Florida, Thursday.
Liberty of the Seas, which departs the Port of Miami Saturday, August 30, will sail a revised itinerary, with its ports of call simply reordered. The ship will visit Labadee, Haiti, Monday; San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tuesday; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Wednesday.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Because of the current expected path of Tropical Storm Hanna, forecasted to pass near the islands of the Bahamas, NCL has altered the itinerary of Norwegian Spirit’s six-day Bahamas & Florida sailing, departing New York on August 31, 2008. Norwegian Spirit will now call on the island of Bermuda for this sailing.
NCL has also altered the itinerary for Norwegian Sky’s four-day Bahamas sailing, departing Miami on September 1, 2008. The ship will sail a Western Caribbean itinerary, with stops in Cozumel, Mexico and Key West, Fla.
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