Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruises Cancelled-Ships Stranded At Sea

Passengers on two cruise ships have been stranded at sea and other weekend cruise passengers have had their trips cancelled due to a tropical cyclone off of Australia's southeastern coast. Tropical Storm or Cyclone Alfred, a category two storm, is expected to bring heavy rain, flooding, and high winds to the Queensland city of Brisbane. This weather is anticipated to heavily impact the port, meaning no ships can dock or depart. This storm has stranded passengers on board the Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas and Carnival's Luminosa, which Travel Weekly reported have a capacity of 4,905 passengers and 2,826 passengers, respectively, as they are unable to dock in their home port of Brisbane for several days until the storm passes. The Carnival Corporation has been contacted via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Delaying or cancelling cruises due to weather is not a new event for ships, however, Cyclone Alfred has been described by meteorologists as a "once in a generation" storm and Queensland citizens have been warned of the risk of life-threatening flooding.

What To Know

Cyclones are the same phenomenon as hurricanes, but are given a different name due to the part of the world where they occur. Meteorological modelling out of Brisbane shows that up to 20,000 homes could experience flooding from the storm, which is expected to make landfall soon, per Sky News. Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald posted an update from Carnival Luminosa's Captain Marchi four hours ago, on Facebook, which stated that although Cyclone Alfred should be over on March 8, the ship is likely not able to head into port until March 9, as the port needs to do a post-storm evaluation. A spokesperson for the Royal Caribbean Group told Newsweek: "Along with our Chief Meteorologist, we have been closely monitoring the progression of Cyclone Alfred. Guests currently onboard will spend three extra days cruising the South Pacific before returning to Brisbane. Guests have been notified of the changes directly." Many comments underneath Heald's post are from passengers on board the cruise thanking the company for keeping them safe and entertained. Those on board the ships at sea are unlikely to feel the effects of the cyclone, but back on land, evacuation orders have been issued for the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, and Queensland residents are bracing for impact.

What People Are Saying

Australian meteorologist Tony Auden told Sky News: "The worry here is back then, the population in the firing line was 36,000 people - this time, it's 4.5 million people in that firing line, with some very nasty weather on the way in the next few days." Carnival Luminosa passenger Kaa Ren on Facebook: "Currently onboard her and the staff have been just wonderful. Very grateful to be on the safety of the ship where we have had beautiful blue skies all day and perfect sailing conditions but we are thinking of all those on land that have a very few rough days ahead of them. Hope everyone stays safe." Carnival Luminosa passenger Annie Foss Hawman on Facebook: "I am onboard and have to say that the crew has been fabulous throughout the changes. The captain has been as forthcoming with information as possible, and we are grateful to be safe, well fed, and have open lines of communication to use to rebook flights and stay in touch with our families."

What Happens Next

Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruises have issued full refunds to their passengers affected by Cyclone Alfred. Although the cycle is expected to pass by March 8, the port will need to assess any damage caused by the cyclone before it is safe for cruises to dock.