Poor Weather Delays Carnival Cruise Ship Departure

Carnival Venezia, currently homeported from New York City, was unable to leave on her Sunday, December 10, 2023 sailing due to rough weather that made conditions in the Hudson River and the adjacent bay unsafe for the ship to navigate.

Fortunately, the ship has now been able to depart and there appears to be no significant change to her itinerary, though it is possible her arrival to her first port of call may be later than originally planned.

Carnival Venezia Departure Delayed

Carnival Venezia was delayed and spent an unexpected overnight in New York City on December 10, 2023 due to rough weather that impacted conditions on the Hudson River, a critical passage the ship must navigate to safely put to sea.

“The weather has been taking a toll,” Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald explained. “Carnival Venezia was expected to leave [Sunday] from New York, but you will ssee that she is still there [on Monday morning].”

Guests onboard were notified by the ship’s captain that the ship would be delayed in her departure via letters and announcements.

“Unfavorable weather marked by strong winds is currently impacting the … bay area, a route we must navigate shortly after we depart,” the letter explained. “After consulting with our Fleet Operations Center and local pilots, we have determined that it’s unsafe to sail through these conditions. Consequently, we will remain docked until [Monday] morning when conditions are expected to improve.”

The weather did indeed improve by early Monday morning, and Carnival Venezia was able to set off on her way before 7 a.m.

At the time the ship was to have departed at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, local winds were steady at approximately 9 miles per hour (14 kilometers per hour), but gusts were recorded over 30 mph (48 kph) just two hours later, when the ship would have been moving through the bay.

Read Also: What to Do Onboard a Cruise Ship in Bad Weather

Undoubtedly, the 1,400 international crew members onboard went above and beyond to offer additional activities and entertainment while the ship remained in New York, ensuring that every passenger had a great start to their cruise vacation even if the ship wasn’t yet underway.

Will the Itinerary Be Impacted?

Carnival Venezia is now en route to Freeport in the Bahamas, the first scheduled port of call. The ship was to have been in Freeport from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13.

While satellite tracking data shows the ship will still be in Freeport on Wednesday, her estimated time of arrival is not until 2 p.m. This time may yet be adjusted, however, as the ship makes her way the 1,100 miles (1,770 km) to Freeport.

It is possible that once the ship has cleared any further challenging weather, her speed may be increased to make up time and she could arrive closer to her original schedule. It is also possible that her stay in port will be extended past 4 p.m. to give guests more time to enjoy Freeport even after a later than anticipated arrival.

The additional ports of call on the itinerary – Nassau and Half Moon Cay – should not be impacted, though their times may also be slightly adjusted if necessary.

Carnival Venezia will leave the Bahamas on December 15, 2023 and will enjoy two days at sea as she makes her way back to New York.

There should be no impact on the ship’s next sailing, a 10-night Eastern Caribbean Christmas itinerary leaving New York on Monday, December 18 and visiting Nassau, Princess Cays, Grand Turk, and Amber Cove.

The 135,225-gross-ton Carnival Venezia can welcome 4,090 guests at double occupancy and up to 5,263 passengers when fully booked with all berths filled.

She will remain homeported from New York through mid-December 2024, offering Eastern Caribbean and Bermuda itineraries. In December 2024, Carnival Venezia will move to Port Canaveral to bring her unique style to the world’s busiest cruise port with Bahamas, Eastern Caribbean, and Western Caribbean sailings.