Hurricane Debby, which began forming in the Gulf of Mexico last week, has significantly impacted cruise schedules and port operations. The storm made landfall in Florida early today, moving in a north-northeast direction with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. As it travels over land, Hurricane Debby is expected to weaken throughout the day and into tonight.
Port Tampa Bay was closed on Sunday, prompting several cruise lines to adjust their itineraries. Carnival Paradise and Margaritaville at Sea Islander remain at sea with delayed arrivals. Carnival Elation departed early from Jacksonville, while Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas and Vision of the Seas, along with Norwegian Sky, altered their port calls to avoid the storm.
The Coast Guard is currently assessing the situation at Port Tampa Bay to determine when operations can safely resume. Meanwhile, tropical storm conditions persist along Florida’s Gulf coast and are anticipated to affect the Atlantic coast by this evening.
