With multiple massive wildfires raging out of control in the Los Angeles area, it is understandable that cruise travelers with sailings booked from Long Beach would be concerned about whether or not their departures will be impacted. Guests have reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, for details.
Fortunately, Heald has confirmed that at this time, no Carnival cruises are impacted and the Port of Long Beach is operating as normal.
“I wondered about Long Beach and sailings from there in the next couple weeks,” one guest asked. “Will we be notified by text or email if anything changes?”
The concerned guest is setting sail on Carnival Panorama‘s January 25, 2025 departure, a 7-night Mexican Riviera itinerary visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.
For now, however, there are no operational changes expected at Long Beach, though Carnival Cruise Line is monitoring the situation and will make adjustments if they become necessary.
“We do not anticipate any impact to Carnival’s homeport schedule in Long Beach but will, of course, follow the direction of local law enforcement,” Heald explained. “Safety is always a priority, and we urge our guests to do the same.”
The raging wildfires are tearing through multiple Los Angeles neighborhoods. As of Thursday, January 9, 2025, The Palisades fire has burned approximately 17,200 acres, including many homes and historic buildings. The Eaton fire has burned 10,600 acres, and the Sunset fire has burned more than 40 acres.
Together, the fires have devastated an area equivalent to more than 43 square miles. All three fires are zero percent contained at the time of this writing.
For cruise guests, however, it is important to note that the Los Angeles area is extensive, and the worst of the fires are 30 miles north of the cruise port.
Nevertheless, travelers with upcoming cruises will still want to keep in close contact with Carnival in case of any delays or disruptions. Furthermore, air travel is likely to be impacted, and guests should be in touch with their airline to ensure they will be able to reach the cruise homeport as planned.
Carnival Cruise Line currently has three vessels homeported from Long Beach: Carnival Firenze, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Radiance.
In addition, ships from Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises are also homeported from the nearby Los Angeles Cruise Port. No cruise lines have made any sailing adjustments at this time.
Many Natural Disasters Impact Cruises
It is not unusual for different natural disasters to impact cruise operations, either by closing homeports or forcing itinerary changes for ports of call.
Hurricanes and coastal storms are the most familiar incidents that affect cruises, but other disasters can certainly cause disruptions depending on where, when, and how they occur.
For example, Carnival Cruise Line and other cruise lines diverted sailings away from Port Vila, Vanuatu, following the 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck on December 17, 2024.
In August 2023, extensive wildfires on Maui destroyed much of the popular port of Lahaina, and cruise lines likewise changed ship itineraries to alternative ports of call or days at sea.
Landslide in Port Vila following 7.3-magnitude earthquake. (Photo Credit: Dan McGarry)
While it may seem that shifting cruise ship visits would cause even more difficulty for ports that depend on tourist income, doing so permits emergency services to work effectively without attending to visitors as well.
Furthermore, when different disasters strike, port communities may be unable to offer services to travelers until recovery efforts are underway.
Cruise lines are not without compassion, however, and often offer assistance to devastated port communities.
Carnival Cruise Line’s President, Christine Duffy, recently held a skydiving fundraiser to support Tampa Bay and other communities impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The cruise line has also donated $60,000 to paramedic services in Vanuatu.
Cruise Hive’s thoughts are with everyone impacted by the California wildfires and other incidents, with hopes that communities can rebuild and regain their strength over what will be a long recovery period in the years ahead.
Source: Cruisehive.com
