Carnival Cruise Ship to Depart Port Early, Guests Urged to Return

Due to expected poor weather arriving earlier than anticipated, Carnival Pride will need to depart Cork, Ireland sooner than expected on Friday, August 18, 2023. Carnival Cruise Line is attempting to contact passengers and urging them to be back to the ship no later than 5 p.m.

Carnival Pride to Leave Port Early

Carnival Pride is visiting Cobh (Cork), Ireland today, but deteriorating weather is forcing the ship to leave the port earlier than the originally scheduled departure time of 7 p.m. At this time, the cruise line is reaching out to guests to alert them to be back aboard no later than 5 p.m.

“This is an update for Carnival Pride’s guests only. If you are ashore in Cork, Ireland, please return to the ship by 5:00 PM,” said John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador via social media. “Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate this evening, and the ship will have to sail earlier than planned.”

Previously, the all-aboard time for guests was to have been 6:30 p.m., in preparation for the 7 p.m. departure.

Undoubtedly, multiple methods are being used to alert guests to the changed departure time. This may include updates in the Carnival Hub app, text messages, emails, and announcements onboard (for guests who may have been planning a later time to leave the ship and explore the port).

The cruise line is also likely reaching out to all Carnival shore excursions currently underway in Cork to alert them to the departure adjustment, and tour operators will subsequently cut excursions short if necessary to return to the ship on time. Tour operators will also spread the word to those guests on excursions.

It is possible the Spirit-class ship will also blow its horn to alert guests near the dock area, though not all travelers may be familiar with this signal or know that it is intended to encourage everyone to return to the vessel.

Severe Weather Expected

Cobh is located in southern Ireland, off the Celtic Sea, and the entire region is inundated with poor weather today. The severity of the weather is expected to increase significantly after 5 p.m., and may not improve for several hours. Localized flooding is expected.

The strength and direction of winds are of particular importance to cruise operations, as strong winds can push a ship and prevent it from sailing safely in tight spaces. Winds can also cause ships to break their mooring ropes and move adrift.

Winds today in Cobh are from the east-southeast, which means they are likely pushing Carnival Pride against the dock. This means it is unlikely the ship will break loose, but stronger gusts may make thruster maneuvering impossible – which is necessary for the ship to depart.

Wind speeds are reported at 20-25 miles per hour (32-40 kilometers per hour), and are expected to increase to 28 mph (45 kph) over the next couple of hours. Gusts may be measured as high as 45-50 mph (72-80 kph).

Local residents in the area are reporting the poor weather conditions as more similar to a fall or winter storm rather than what should be a summer day.

The 88,500-gross ton Carnival Pride features 12 decks which presents a significant profile for winds to push against, dramatically impacting how efficiently the ship can maneuver. The ship can welcome 2,124 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 2,680 travelers when fully booked.

Carnival Pride is homeported in Dover, UK for the summer, offering a mix of European itineraries with destinations in Ireland, England, Scotland, Iceland, and more. The ship will reposition to Civitavecchia (Rome) in early September to offer additional Mediterranean sailings, before returning to Tampa, Florida in late October to spend the winter in the Caribbean.