GALVESTON, Texas — As Hurricane Beryl continues on its path, several cruise ships have adjusted their routes to steer clear of the storm. Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, which departed from Galveston early Sunday, is among those that changed its itinerary.
Speaking to KHOU 11 News aboard Harmony of the Seas, Houston-area teacher and travel agent Gregory Renoud said he and his wife Jennifer are glad to be out of the storm’s track.
“The beauty of a cruise ship is that it moves, so if there is bad weather, they can move us out of the way,” he said.
When they first boarded the cruise ship, Renoud said that passengers heard an itinerary update that explained the ship’s route would change.
“The cruise director came on the loudspeaker and they told us right in the beginning, ‘here’s the plan, here’s what we’re going with, we’ll tell you if there are any changes,’” he said.
In a written itinerary update, passengers were told that Harmony of the Seas would make port stops in Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico earlier than planned, instead of stopping in Roatan, Honduras. The itinerary change also allowed for more cruising days at sea.
In a statement, Royal Caribbean said it was making adjustments to the schedules of five different ships for the "comfort and safety" of guests and crews.
After more than 40 cruises, Renoud said he’s dealt with route changes before and he knew it was a possibility this time around.
“The cruise director told us after we’re done with Costa Maya, they’re going to take us north as fast as possible to get us out of the path of the hurricane,” Renaud said. “I’m not too disappointed. A lot of people come on the cruise to see the ports, I have a lot of fun on the ship itself.
This week, thousands of passengers will experience those routes change on a number of different ships. Major cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, Carnival and Disney confirmed to KHOU 11 News Tuesday they are altering certain cruise lines scheduled stops because of Beryl.
As of 4:30 pm Monday, there were at least two dozen cruise ships still docked in the Caribbean or at ports in Mexico, according to CruiseMapper.com.
As cruise ships prepare to leave the area, Renoud says he’s concerned about the long-term impacts Beryl will have on port cities like Cozumel and Costa Maya that can’t steer clear of the danger.
“That’s a big concern for us, we love supporting the local economy and we’re always worried about them in times like this. If there’s a big storm, it’s almost like it’s happening to your family,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Port of Galveston told KHOU 11 news its officials were also monitoring Beryl’s activities, but it was too early to tell if the storm would impact port operations.