Cruise Ships Alter Routes to Avoid Hurricane Beryl

The world's largest cruise ship is one of several that has had to change plans to avoid Hurricane Beryl. The Category 4 storm has wreaked havoc in parts of the Caribbean as it moves through the Atlantic, forcing the Icon of the Seas to alter its schedule. Shipping line Royal Caribbean, which owns the vessel, sent an email to passengers on June 29, seen by Cruise Blog, which said the Icon of the Seas' schedule had been modified 'to provide (passengers) with the most enjoyable sailing' because they were expecting 'high waves and strong winds.' Stops in the Caribbean at Philipsburg in St. Maarten and Charlotte Amalie in St.

Thomas were swapped with Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico. The company wrote: 'While it's not the originally planned itinerary, we know you'll have a memorable time. Please know, being onboard is one of the safest places because we are faster and can move out of the way of any inclement weather.' Chief Meteorologist of Royal Caribbean Group Craig Setzter wrote on X, formerly Twitter: 'The deep tropical Atlantic is very much alive very early in the season, and unfortunately is likely a harbinger of things to come this summer & fall.' Icon of the Seas is 1,197 feet long, with 20 decks and is able to host a staggering 7,600 passengers. It is the newest vessel in Royal Caribbean's fleet, snagging titles from previous Royal Caribbean stars like Wonder of the Seas. Icon of the Seas, which entered service on January 27, boasts 40 restaurants, bars and lounges and has its own onboard water park--which all cost about $2 billion to build.

Tickets range from an average of $1,946 to $2,318 per person, depending on how many days the cruise is for and what time of the year it departs. According to the Royal Caribbean Blog's discussion forum, Wonder of the Seas also changed its route, substituting stops at Cozumel, off the east coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, and Nassau, in the Bahamas, for visits to Roatán and Costa Maya. Newsweek has contacted Royal Caribbean, via email, for comment. Other cruise ships that have made adjustments in light of the storm, according to Cruise Blog, include the Norwegian Jade, the Norwegian Breakaway, the Celebrity Beyond, the Carnival Liberty and the Carnival Horizon. A more complete picture emerged Wednesday of the extensive damage wrought by Hurricane Beryl's trek across the Windward Islands, revealing destruction and at least seven deaths.

At least three islands report more than 90% of the homes and buildings either destroyed or severely damaged, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency reported Wednesday. All three are within the chain of Grenadine Islands, where Beryl roared into the Caribbean on the southern end of the Windwards, between St. Vincent and Grenada. With 19 participating states across the Caribbean, the agency was helping coordinate disaster response on Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines even as it continued to track Beryl's movements across Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Belize.

The eye of Beryl, still a Category 4 storm, raked Jamaica's coast Wednesday afternoon and was expected to pass near the Cayman Islands Thursday morning, before making landfall in the Yucatan on Friday morning. The damage estimates for the Windwards - where Beryl made landfall over Carriacou - are only 'a very preliminary look,' said Elizabeth Riley, the disaster management agency's executive director. Beryl struck the islands with sustained winds of 150 mph and higher gusts on Monday, and the National Hurricane Center had warned that winds could be up to 30% higher on the tops of hills and mountains. The impacts to the Grenadine Islands are 'quite significant,' Riley said, leaving residents exposed and vulnerable. Even as recovery efforts began, a tropical wave brought rain and gusty winds Wednesday to the suffering residents.

In a briefing late Tuesday after spending more than two hours in a helicopter provided by the government of St. Lucia, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell described 'total destruction' on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique. 'There's really nothing that can prepare you to see this level of destruction,' Mitchell said. 'It is almost Armageddon-like, almost total damage and destruction of all buildings. Complete devastation and destruction of agriculture.

Complete and total destruction of the natural environment.' 'There is literally no vegetation left anywhere on the island of Carriacou; the mangroves are totally destroyed, the boats and the marinas significantly damaged,' he said. 'There is almost complete destruction of the electrical grid system in Carriacou. The entire communication system is completely destroyed.' However, Mitchell added, he'd been heartened by the volunteers 'showing true Grenadian spirit' by arriving from other less damaged areas in boats and fishing vessels to begin delivering relief supplies to those affected. The following are the preliminary assessments Riley listed: Mitchell, Grenada's prime minister, said the Mitchell said the island's northernmost parish, Saint Patrick suffered significant damage. The parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint Mark and Saint John also suffered much more damage than the parishes of Saint Georgie and Saint David.

'It is clear that agriculture has taken quite a battering. It is clear that many persons have lost their roofs,' Mitchell said. 'It is clear in some instances many people have lost their entire homes.'