Carnival Cruise Line Cancels Grand Turk Stops Amid Safety Concerns

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. — Carnival Cruise Line has announced the cancellation of stops at Grand Turk on several upcoming cruises, citing an unexpected itinerary change. The alteration affects select sailings aboard the Carnival Vista set for April, May, and June.

The affected itineraries begin with an eight-night cruise departing from Port Canaveral on April 19, where the Grand Turk stop has been replaced by a visit to Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic. Another sailing on May 3 follows a similar pattern, with modified port times for San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Doug Park, a representative for Carnival Cruise Line, confirmed that guests who had booked excursions in Grand Turk would receive a $50 onboard credit per stateroom as compensation, along with full refunds for any excursions already purchased. “Carnival is offering $50 onboard credit per stateroom and full refunds for any Grand Turk excursions already booked,” Park stated.

In correspondence with affected guests, Carnival described the itinerary changes as “unexpected” and assured them that updated information would soon be available on Carnival.com.

The United States Department of State recently issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the Turks and Caicos Islands, urging travelers to exercise increased caution primarily due to crime concerns. The advisory mentions that most incidents occur on Providenciales, the most developed island, where police resources may be limited.

“Most crime occurs in Providenciales. Police may have limited investigatory resources,” the advisory states, adding that firearms and ammunition are illegal and strictly enforced at airports.

Carnival’s decision to cancel its Grand Turk stops follows similar actions taken by Royal Caribbean, which also scrapped visits to Caribbean locations due to safety concerns. The cruise line has yet to provide a detailed explanation for these changes, leading many to speculate that security and safety issues are driving the cancellations.

Royal Caribbean’s Vice President of Safety, Craig Setzer, emphasized the cruise line’s commitment to ensuring passenger safety by monitoring weather conditions and security advisories. “From a weather perspective, safety is a given and it always comes first,” Setzer remarked during a recent seminar.

As Carnival and Royal Caribbean navigate these changes, some cruise lines still plan to visit Grand Turk, with Celebrity Cruises continuing to operate scheduled trips. The recent string of cancellations has raised questions among prospective travelers regarding safety protocols and itinerary reliability in the region.