After fog causes a 10-hour delay, the Carnival ship departs late at night

After a lengthy delay that extended into the early afternoon due to heavy fog, Carnival paradise was finally able to enter Tampa Bay shortly after 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 19th.

The original plan was for the ship to return Port Tampa Bay around 8 a.m. but was unable to enter the bay as heavy fog made visibility nearly impossible.

This made navigation in the bay difficult and the U.S. Coast Guard closed the channel until the fog cleared and shipping could safely resume.

Instead, Carnival paradise spent the morning and early afternoon just outside of Tampa Bayinitially circled in a holding pattern and later just waited for the fog to clear.

Meanwhile, Carnival Cruise Line notified arriving guests of the delay but was unable to offer a set embarkation time for its next cruise, a four-day Western Caribbean cruise with a visit to Cozumel, Mexico.

Shortly after 2 p.m., the ship was able to begin its return journey to the cruise terminal, which takes three to four hours depending on the exact position of the ship and the other local traffic. Until 6 p.m., Carnival paradise was able to dock as planned – 10 hours later than originally planned.

As the ship departed, arriving guests were informed of their changed embarkation time and given tips for arriving at the cruise terminal, albeit much later than they might have liked.

“We know you can’t wait to get on board for the start of your weekend getaway. It’s been a long day and we really appreciate the patience and understanding you’ve shown during this weather-related delay.” The email notification has been read.

“The ship will arrive in the early evening and we must allow disembarking guests to exit the cruise terminal and parking area before we can accommodate your arrival. We warmly ask for your cooperation in revising the schedule.”

The original cruise terminal arrival dates selected by guests were between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. However, due to the significant delay, all appointments are now being postponed significantly, so that the first appointments do not start until 8 p.m

All passengers must be checked in at the cruise terminal by 11:00 p.m. in order to prepare for departure. The ship is expected to depart shortly after embarkation is complete.

Although this is a much later departure than expected, the first day of the trip is a day at sea. It is common for cruise ships to sail more slowly on sea days to allow for less wind for outdoor deck activities. This allows the ship to slightly adjust its speed to compensate for the delay on the way to Mexico.

“We assume that we can carry out our visit to Cozumel as planned.” confirmed the email.

Carnival paradise should be in there Cozumel from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 21st.

On board tonight, dinner will be offered as open seating – with no fixed table or time allocation – in the main dining rooms and at the Lido Marketplace buffet, so all guests can enjoy a delicious meal. An announcement will be made as soon as the cabins are ready for guests.

If the delay is longer, compensation will be offered

With almost the entire first day of the four-day voyage canceled, Carnival Cruise Line is offering all arriving guests a $25 onboard credit to be posted to individual Sail and Sign accounts. This includes lunch on Thursday, which guests would otherwise have been able to enjoy on board if embarkation had proceeded as planned.

Additionally, a one-day, prorated refund will also be issued on all pre-cruise packages. This includes all prepaid gratuities, beverage packages and WiFi packages.

Also read: What is Carnival Prost! Package?

Please note that weather-related delays are beyond the cruise line’s control and the company is not obligated to provide credit for such difficulties. However, most cruise lines offer some compensation to ease travelers’ frustrations.

Fog-related delays are common in Tampa during the winter months, when air and water temperatures and high humidity quickly create conditions for very dense fog. Fog can also be a challenge Port of JacksonvilleThere is also a long stretch of riverboats here that must navigate carefully to get to the cruise terminal.

Unfortunately, such delays are unpredictable, especially since cruise lines often book their ocean excursions months, if not years, in advance.

To be prepared, travelers should always plan for onward travel (e.g. flights) later in the day, or even the next day if possible, or consider travel insurance, which can help reimburse delay-related costs.