Hurricane Helene impacting cruise lines in South Florida as storm intensifies

As Hurricane Helene rapidly intensifies, cruise lines are adjusting sails that are affected by the potential Category 3 hurricane.

Helene is predicted to bring damaging winds, heavy rainfall and dangerous rip currents to Florida’s west coast. 

The storm is headed into the Gulf of Mexico, where it is aiming for a destructive landfall along the Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday, FOX Weather reported.

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Miami-based cruise lines, Royal Caribbean and Carnival, have already changed sailings.

"Pleasure craft are advised to seek safe harbor. Port facilities are advised to review their heavy weather plans and take all necessary precautions to adequately prepare for the expected conditions," Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric Rodriguez, Coast Guard District Seven, told Fox News Digital in an emailed statement.

The storm is moving toward the north-northwest near 10 mph with an increase in forward speed expected later today through Thursday, bringing the center of Helene across the eastern Gulf of Mexico and to the Florida Big Bend coast, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Some Carnival ships adjusted three sailings this week that were leaving from Tampa and Miami, headed to Cozumel, Mexico. Carnival Horizon canceled a visit to Grand Cayman.

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"As the safety of our guests and crew is our priority, we will continue to watch the storm and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates as more information becomes available," officials with Carnival wrote in a press release.

Stewart Chiron, a Miami-based cruise industry expert known as The Cruise Guy, told Fox News Digital that it has been a very low impact hurricane season for the cruise industry. 

He sees Hurricane Helene impacting ports of call.

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"Ships that were supposed to be going to Cozumel, Mexico are diverting to ports south in Mexico, like Costa Maya or let's say, even Nassau. So right now, the ships are just diverting, but the arrivals and departures are not being impacted at this point," Chiron said.

Carnival Paradise was slated to port at Tampa Bay, while Carnival Elations was scheduled to port at Jacksonville, "but officials noted that the return to those ports may be impacted by the storm," FOX Weather reported.

MSC Cruises, a Swiss-Italian cruise line, has updated three of their sailings amid the hurricane warnings.

"We have notified impacted guests. Our top priority is the safety of our guests and crew, along with minimizing the weather's impact on our guests' vacation plans," said an MSC spokesperson via email.

Chiron says cruise companies are always monitoring the status of hurricanes.

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"They're certainly have their own weather tracking equipment on board. They're dealing with their fleet operations centers ashore, the National Hurricane Center. In fact, they provide a lot of information and data to the National Hurricane Center."

"These storms, the tracks can be projected forecasted so that the ships can avoid areas of inclement weather and go to areas where passengers have a better chance to have some fun," said Chiron.

For vacationers who have planned travel in the wake of the storm, passengers can cancel their cruise because of an impending storm, he added.

Chiron advised that passengers who are sailing should monitor the updates on cruise lines' websites.

"The good news is that the cruise lines move their ships, they change itineraries and in cases with ships leaving this weekend, the storm will have passed," he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment.