Hurricane Rafael is currently moving through the Leeward Islands in the southern Caribbean, but is expected to reach Bermuda by Tuesday of this week.
Hurricane Rafael is currently moving NW at 12mph with winds at around 85mph. Rafael is currently a category 1 hurricane will pass along the island of Bermuda early Tuesday. Along with high winds, Rafael will batter Bermuda with heavy rain and high waves. At this time, Bermuda is currently under a tropical storm warning.
Updated 10/15 at 11:23pm: At this time, no itineraries have been altered for any Bermuda cruises. I will continue to monitor the cruise line’s websites for any new information.
Later this week, cruise ships will begin to arrive at the various ports around Bermuda. Ships visiting this week include Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Star. These ships will be in port during the estimated time of landfall for Rafael. At this time there is no information from either cruise line regarding deviations. As the storm gets closer the cruise lines will be able to determine if a deviation of the itinerary is necessary.
After Rafael has passed by Bermuda, the storm will continue north towards Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. There are a number of cruise ships sailing near or through the projected path of Rafael at the estimated time of arrival in Canada. These ships include the Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Gem, Silver Whisper, and the Veendam. Due to the uncertainty of the storm’s path, none of these cruise lines have issued any notices of deviation. As the storm gets closer the cruise lines will be able to determine if a deviation of the itinerary is necessary.
I will continue to update this article as new information is learned regarding cruise deviations. In the meantime, please continue to monitor your cruise line’s website for any new information.
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Hurricane photo: NOAA
Header image: State of CT Emergency Preparedness Website
