Update: January 26, 2026, at 8:10 a.m. ET
Winter Storm Fern may be over, but millions of people felt its
impact and travelers taking to the roads of skies on Monday will continue to
deal with the aftermath.
According to Weather.com,
heavy snow, sleet, ice, and high winds were recorded throughout much of the
United States on Sunday, with the storm impacting destinations from New Mexico
to New England. At least 24 states declared emergencies, and several deaths
have also been attributed to Winter Storm Fern.
The storm left the cruise industry reeling, as the heavy
snow and ice also impacted planned itineraries for several major ships,
according to Cruise
Hive, including Carnival Pride in Baltimore, MSC Meraviglia in Brooklyn,
and Odyssey of the Seas in New Jersey.
Royal Caribbean was forced to shorten the next sailing for Odyssey
of the Seas, while Harmony of the Seas returned to Galveston a day early to
avoid the storm. Carnival Cruise line officials also called for an extra day at
sea for Carnival Pride.
*This article will no longer be updated.
Update: January
25, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. ET
According to Cruise
Hive, the two Carnival
Cruise Line ships that were previously issued weather alerts tied to Winter
Storm Fern — Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Sunshine — were able to sail as
scheduled this weekend.
Departing from
Galveston, Carnival Jubilee had been placed on alert ahead of her Saturday,
January 24 embarkation, with guests advised to sign up for text notifications
and remain in close communication in case the storm forced operational changes.
Ultimately, the Excel-class ship departed on time for her seven-night Western
Caribbean cruise, with scheduled calls in Roatan, Costa Maya and Cozumel.
At this point, no itinerary changes are expected, and the ship is still set to
return to Texas as planned on Saturday, January 31.
On the East Coast,
Carnival Sunshine was also under a weather advisory prior to her Saturday
departure from Norfolk, Virginia, with guests similarly encouraged to monitor
alerts in case conditions deteriorated. However, storm impacts in the region
proved minimal, allowing the ship to set sail as scheduled for her eight-night
Eastern Caribbean itinerary to Celebration
Key, Princess Cays and Grand Turk. Carnival confirmed that Sunshine is
currently underway and that no changes are anticipated to either her itinerary
or her return to Norfolk on Sunday, February 1.
Original Text
While much of the attention this weekend has focused on flight cancellations, the powerful winter storm sweeping across the United States is also disrupting cruise operations at several major U.S. homeports, forcing itinerary changes, early returns and passenger alerts.
Several cruise lines have confirmed impacts tied to dangerous winter weather affecting ports, roads and airport access. In some cases, ships are returning early to avoid worsening conditions, while others are warning passengers of potential delays getting to and from terminals.
Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas, sailing a Western Caribbean itinerary from Galveston, Texas, was among the most significantly affected. The ship returned to Texas earlier than planned, and its scheduled stop in Cozumel, Mexico was canceled. The adjustment was made to ensure passengers could disembark safely before severe weather reached the region.
Carnival Cruise Line has also confirmed changes. The Carnival Pride, scheduled to sail from Baltimore, has experienced itinerary disruptions linked to snow and port conditions in the Mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, other Carnival ships — including sailings from Galveston and Norfolk — remain under active weather monitoring, with guests receiving alerts warning of possible delays or schedule changes.
In the Northeast, passengers booked on MSC Meraviglia departures from New York have been advised to prepare for challenging embarkation conditions, as heavy snow in the region could affect travel to the Manhattan cruise terminal.
Cruise lines are urging travelers to monitor official communications closely and to plan extra time for airport and ground transportation.
While most sailings remain operational, the storm’s reach highlights how winter weather can ripple beyond airports — disrupting cruise vacations even when ships themselves are far from snow and ice.
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