Cruisers stuck at sea as rough weather closes cruise ports: 'I'm bummed'
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - Rough seas are impacting cruise ships trying to sail away from danger. Some cruisers are stuck at sea because it isn’t safe to dock at certain ports.
Longtime cruisers didn't think there would be any weather disruptions in December, so they were surprised by the weather system. They are making the most of their vacation, but sailing around in circles isn't what they were hoping for.
"Instead of walking around on islands and enjoying the nice weather, you’re kind of stuck on a cruise ship out in the water," said Daniel Ruiz who’s on board the Carnival Vista.
He’s cruised before, and this trip hasn’t been smooth sailing.
"I’m bummed that we didn’t get to go to Grand Turks," he said.
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It wasn’t safe for the ship to dock, so Ruiz missed out on his pre-planned ATV excursion. Instead, he’s making the most of what he can on board the ship.
"Eating – you know. Eating. You can never get away from the eating. There’s always food," Ruiz said chuckling.
He isn’t alone in that choice.
"Eat your weight in whatever the heck you can get a hold of. Get the drink package," said Larry and Kristen Cantor, who are first-time cruisers.
The Cantor family is a little bummed because they had been planning this Christmas cruise for a while. They’re sailing on Allure of the Seas and didn’t make it to Coco Cay because of bad weather.
"It is kind of a letdown, but that’s life. You got to learn to deal with it," Larry added.
The howling wind they can hear from their balcony is a constant reminder of how rough conditions are. Some pool decks even had to close on Thursday to make sure passengers stayed on board.
"When we were up on the top deck where the pools and things are, you could see people looking like they were going to get blown away," Larry concluded.