As Tropical Storm Ernesto bore down on the Caribbean over the weekend, cruise ships were rerouted to avoid the brunt of it. Carnival Cruise Lines changed itineraries for the Aug. 5 departures of the Carnival Freedom out of Fort Lauderdale, Carnival Magic from Galveston and Carnival Legend from Tampa. Disney Cruise Line revised the itinerary for the Disney Fantasy’s Aug. 4 departure from Port Canaveral.

The Carnival Freedom will visit Ocho Rios on Wednesday, but the visit to Grand Cayman on Thursday is tentative depending on the storm’s path. Carnival said a decision will be made today, Monday, on which of two itinerary options the Carnival Magic will take -- the first option will go to Cozumel on Tuesday and Nassau on Thursday, while the second option includes Freeport on Wednesday and Nassau on Thursday.

The Carnival Legend cancelled its calls to Belize and Mahogany Bay and instead will visit Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Wednesday; Grand Cayman on Thursday; and Cozumel on Friday. Disney Fantasy was scheduled to visit St. Maarten on Tuesday, St. Thomas on Wednesday and Castaway Cay on Friday.

The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Ernesto was expected to pass south of Jamaica on Sunday and move north of the northeastern coast of Honduras late Monday. Maximum sustained winds were near 50 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening was possible as Ernesto moved over the Western Caribbean Sea. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Jamaica and tropical storm watch is in effect for Grand Cayman and the coast of Honduras from the Honduras/Nicaragua border westward to Punta Castilla.