Carnival Cruise Line issued a visitor advisory exhibiting revised embarkation instances for these booked on Carnival Legend’s subsequent cruise.
The ship, which was homeported in Baltimore earlier than this week’s tragic bridge collapse, is briefly primarily based in Norfolk, which has brought about schedule adjustments and floor transportation challenges for some booked visitors.
Carnival Legend Pushes Again Boarding Instances
Carnival Cruise Line has alerted visitors booked on Carnival Legend’s March 31, 2024 departure that embarkation instances have been pushed again by two hours. That is to permit ample time for visitors to journey to the ship’s new, momentary homeport of Norfolk, which is about 230 miles south of Baltimore and a 4-hour drive, relying on site visitors.
On March 27, 2024, the cruise line introduced that Carnival Legend would function from Norfolk, for the reason that Port of Baltimore has been closed since March 26, 2024, when the cargo ship Dali misplaced energy and rammed the Francis Scott Key Bridge, inflicting it to completely collapse. The tragedy has brought about the deaths of six folks and shut down the fifth-largest port on the US East Coast.
Carnival Legend’s present crusing departed Baltimore on March 24, 2024, and can now conclude in Norfolk moderately than Baltimore. The cruise line is offering buses to move visitors on that crusing again to Baltimore.
The embarkation advisory relating to the ship’s March 31, 2024 departure contains the brand new embarkation instances in addition to the handle of the Norfolk terminal and details about parking, for these visitors who intend to drive themselves to the brand new embarkation port.
The road additionally will present restricted bus service for visitors who want help. The revised embarkation schedule exhibits a delay of two hours for every 30-minute time slot.
As an illustration, visitors who have been to embark between midday and 12:30 p.m. now will embark between 2 and a pair of:30 p.m.; these scheduled to embark between 12:30 and 1 p.m. will now board the ship between 2:30 and three p.m., and many others. All visitors have to be aboard the ship in Norfolk by 7:30 p.m.
“We’re making preparations for a restricted variety of buses to move visitors who want help with transportation between Baltimore and Norfolk. Shuttle service will start at roughly 10:30 a.m. and the ultimate shuttle will depart Baltimore at 2:30 p.m.,” Colleen Oliverio, vice chairman of visitor companies for Carnival Cruise Line, wrote within the visitor advisory.
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She added that transportation may even be accessible from Norfolk to Baltimore on the conclusion of the crusing. The advisory requested booked visitors full a survey indicating their curiosity in bus transportation. The survey was due again to the cruise line by 5 p.m. on March 28 in order that an applicable variety of shuttle buses could possibly be organized.
The advisory included a welcome bit of reports for visitors — a $100 onboard credit score per stateroom to assuage cruisers’ frustration with the adjustments.
“We all know that is an sudden change of plans and we respect your understanding. All the Carnival Legend workforce is trying ahead to welcoming you aboard for a enjoyable and memorable cruise,” Oliverio added.
The March 31, 2024, cruise aboard Carnival Legend is a 7-day Jap Caribbean voyage with port calls at Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; and Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.
Royal Caribbean Ship Additionally Impacted by Port Closure
Carnival Cruise Line will not be the one model dealing with the fallout on the Port of Baltimore. Royal Caribbean has one ship primarily based on the port, the two,416-guest Imaginative and prescient of the Seas, which left the port on March 23, 2024, on a 12-night Caribbean crusing. The cruise was because of return to Baltimore on April 4, 2024, however will as a substitute conclude in Norfolk.
Additionally, Royal Caribbean has switched Imaginative and prescient of the Seas’ homeport to Norfolk, briefly. Cruisers planning to sail on the ship’s subsequent two 8-night Bahamas cruises, departing on April 4 and April 12, will embark and debark in Norfolk.
