Hurricane Melissa: Cruise Reroutes and Closures

Published on Oct 27, 2025, 10:09 am CDT

5 min read

Key points

Jamaica closed airports and seaports as Hurricane Melissa intensified to Category 5 on October 27
Cruise lines are canceling Jamaica and Cayman calls, adding sea days, or swapping to Belize and Roatán
Carnival Dream dropped Ocho Rios and added a sea day on its current itinerary
Royal Caribbean redeployed ships from Eastern to Western Caribbean patterns to avoid Melissa
Marine warnings and long-period swells will constrain tender operations in the Cayman area midweek

Jamaica has shut airports and seaports as Hurricane Melissa strengthened to a Category 5 system on October 27, prompting cruise lines to reroute ships away from Jamaica and the Cayman area this week. Travelers are seeing canceled calls, timing shifts at private islands, and some added sea days as lines steer clear of the storm's core winds, surge, and long-period swells. Guests should watch for excursion refunds, adjusted arrival windows, and tender restrictions where seas remain elevated.

Hurricane Melissa Cruise Operations

Jamaica's government moved to close Norman Manley International Airport (Kingston) and Sangster International Airport (Montego Bay) while activating shelters and emergency measures as the storm approached. The Port Authority communicated seaport closures as part of the national response, and officials warned of flooding, landslides, and prolonged outages as the system nears landfall. For cruise planning, those closures remove Jamaica from near-term itineraries until port and channel assessments clear a safe reopening.

Lines have already begun shifting routes. Carnival Dream canceled its Ocho Rios call and added a sea day to stay well clear of the storm envelope. Royal Caribbean deployments this weekend shifted from Eastern to Western Caribbean patterns, and some schedules moved calls from Jamaica and Grand Cayman toward Belize City and Roatán, where conditions have been more manageable on earlier sailings. Expect additional day-by-day adjustments as marine forecasts update.

In the Cayman Islands, authorities and local outlets flagged high-risk marine conditions, including dangerous channels and very long-period swells likely to affect tendering midweek. Since Grand Cayman typically uses tenders rather than a fixed pier, even moderate swell can suspend operations; cruise calls there often become same-day go or no-go decisions based on local pilotage and sea state.

Latest developments

As of Monday morning, October 27, the National Hurricane Center had a Hurricane Warning in effect for Jamaica and parts of eastern Cuba, with watches for the southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos. Forecast guidance called for catastrophic rainfall totals and life-threatening surge in affected areas, which will keep cruise lines conservative on route planning until post-storm inspections confirm safe port conditions.

Analysis

What to expect next five days. From Monday through Tuesday (October 27-28), ships will continue to avoid Jamaica entirely, with knock-on changes to Cayman and any private-island calls east of the storm's core. Wednesday and Thursday (October 29-30) bring lingering swell and restricted tender windows across the Cayman area and exposed anchorages; Belize, Roatán, and Cozumel are the most likely substitutes where berths and pilots are available. By Friday to Saturday (October 31-November 1), attention shifts north and east as Melissa influences the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, which could trigger timing changes at private islands and Nassau while ports conduct rapid assessments. All of this remains subject to NHC track and local harbor master decisions.

How lines manage this. Cruise operations lean on daily port status briefings, pilotage limits, and swell models when deciding to cancel, delay, or tender. Jamaica and Cayman are popular calls on Western Caribbean runs, but conservative thresholds apply: pilots may cap tendering at lower wind and wave limits to protect passengers and small craft. That is why a ship may skip Grand Cayman even on a sunny day if long-period swell makes boat channels unsafe. The combination of closed airports and seaports in Jamaica and hazardous marine conditions around Cayman creates a short-term bottleneck that pushes ships toward mainland berths with more shelter.

Practical steps. Check your line's app and email each morning for push alerts, revised arrival windows, and excursion status, and rebook ship-run tours when possible so refunds process automatically if a call is scrubbed. If your sailing originally included Ocho Rios, Falmouth, or Montego Bay, plan for a sea day or a swap to Belize, Roatán, or Mexico. Pack motion comfort items for rougher sea states across the Yucatán Channel and western Caribbean. If you are flying to meet a ship in Florida, also watch airline waivers linked to Melissa, which can support no-fee date changes on departure or return.

For broader traveler context on air waivers tied to Melissa, see Adept Traveler's waiver roundup here: Jamaica Waivers and Airport Closures for Hurricane Melissa.

Final thoughts

Cruise lines are prioritizing safety and schedule certainty as Hurricane Melissa disrupts Jamaica and nearby waters. Expect conservative routing, added sea days, and last-minute port swaps until seas subside and port authorities complete post-storm inspections. Staying flexible, watching line communications closely, and understanding how swell affects tender ports will help you make the best of shifting plans.