Cruise Lines Change Itineraries to Ward Off Hurricane Rita

Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Cruise Lines altered some of its cruise itineraries to avoid Tropical Storm Rita as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits last week.

The Grandeur of the Seas skipped Key West, Fla. on September 20 and headed directly for Mexico´s Cozumel. The Mariner of the Seas substituted a call in San Juan on September 20 instead of calling in Nassau, Bahamas.

The Sovereign of the Seas made its scheduled call at Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean´s private Bahamian island, on September 22 instead of September 20, and the Majesty of the Seas stayed at sea on September 20 instead of calling in Nassau.

The Carnival Victory switched its September 18 cruise from an eastern Caribbean to a western Caribbean voyage and will this week call in Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Jamaica´s Ocho Rios.

The Fascination, which was supposed to visit Key West and Cozumel on its September 19 cruise, will instead visit Freeport and Nassau, both in the Bahamas.