Port Canaveral Sustained Minimal Damage From Hurricane Matthew – Set to Resume Full Operations Saturday Afternoon

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Port Canaveral plans to open on Sunday afternoon following the wrath of Hurricane Matthew which brought high winds and rain overnight, but left behind minimal damage to Port Canaveral. There Port plans to resume full operations tomorrow afternoon pending U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port approval.

“We are fortunate that our cruise terminals, cargo piers, and infrastructure are intact and ready to support our customers as soon as we have the green light tomorrow from the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Port Canaveral CEO John Murray.

Port Canaveral Post Hurricane Matthew 20161007Cruise ships are expected to return tomorrow with Carnival, Disney and Royal Caribbean cruise lines awaiting word on when they can schedule their arrival.

The Disney Dream has already informed passengers they plan to arrive at Port Canaveral on Saturday and are giving passengers the choice to remain on the ship until Sunday.

The Disney Fantasy will return on Sunday to debark passengers and sail on a shortened 6-night Western Caribbean cruise.

Port assessment teams spent the entire day surveying facilities and ensuring there were no obstacles to reopening the harbor and landside operations. Florida Gov. Rick Scott was in the area during part of the day for a firsthand look at the storm’s impact.

Initial assessments show Port Canaveral harbor is navigable with no obstructions. Cargo piers remain intact with minimal damage to cruise terminals. Some Port tenants experienced some damage to their properties.

To assist our community with recovery from Hurricane Matthew, the Canaveral Port Authority is providing 80-100,000 square feet of space in the new Port Canaveral Logistics Center in Titusville to the American Red Cross to store relief supplies to help those who need assistance in the aftermath of the storm.

DCL’s October 8th 8AM Update – No Further Changes – Posted below for historical reference.

October 8, 2016 – 8:00 a.m.

Based on the projected path of Hurricane Matthew, as well as its expected impact on the Bahamas, Disney Cruise Line is making the following adjustments to itineraries:

Disney Fantasy

  • The October 8 sailing of the Disney Fantasy is being altered to a 6-night western Caribbean cruise departing on Sunday, October 9, from Port Canaveral. This sailing will include stops in Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Castaway Cay. Guests who remain on the revised itinerary will receive a pro-rated refund equal to the amount of one-night of their cruise fare and an onboard credit. Guests who would like to rebook a future sailing at a discount OR cancel their sailing for a full refund are invited to call us at 1-866-325-3905 or 407-566-7032 on Saturday, October 8.
  • The October 1 sailing of the Disney Fantasy is being extended by one day given the uncertainty around the impact Hurricane Matthew will have on Port Canaveral. We are planning to disembark in Port Canaveral on Sunday, October 9. We are working with the guests onboard to assist them with their travel arrangements.

Disney Dream

  • The October 3 sailing of the Disney Dream is being extended by one day, as Port Canaveral will not be available for the ship’s scheduled arrival on Friday, October 7. We are now planning to disembark in Port Canaveral on Saturday, October 8, once the Coast Guard has determined that the port is safe for cruise ship operations. We are working with the guests onboard to assist them with their travel arrangements.
  • The October 7 sailing of the Disney Dream from Port Canaveral is being cancelled. Refunds will automatically be processed back to the original form of payment used for cruise bookings. Guests are invited to call us at 1-866-325-3905 or 407-566-7032 beginning Monday, October 10, to book a future cruise at a discount.
  • We are hopeful that the October 10 Disney Dream sailing will be able to complete its planned itinerary to Nassau and Castaway Cay. Should that not be possible, we are always prepared to visit alternate ports or spend days at sea.

Disney Magic

  • The October 7 sailing of the Disney Magic from New York is being changed to a Canadian itinerary, with plans to visit Sydney, Nova Scotia; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Saint John, New Brunswick. Guests who remain on this revised itinerary will receive an onboard credit. Guests who would like to rebook a future sailing at a discount OR cancel their sailing for a full refund are invited to call us at 1-866-325-3905 or 407-566-7032.

While we always strive to deliver magical cruise vacations, nothing is more important to us than providing a safe experience for our guests and crew. We will continue to closely monitor Hurricane Matthew and provide updates as necessary.

32 Replies to “Port Canaveral Sustained Minimal Damage From Hurricane Matthew – Set to Resume Full Operations Saturday Afternoon”

      1. MUN

        Scott, not all passengers parked their vehicles in lot and garage adjacent to the terminal. Some park at hotels, other lots, etc.

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    2. Jonathon D

      We had our van inside the Disney parking garage between levels 2 and 3. It only had salt and grime, so we will plan on a good washing. We were a bit nervous. I can’t speak for anyone else. Driving home we only saw minimal tree and signage damage. it was also nice to not have to worry about tolls on the turnpikes. Captain Fabien did an awesome job providing updates to everyone and, of course, everyone cheered when he announced that the cruise would be extended an extra day!

      Reply ↓
    1. Scott Sanders Post author

      I made an inquiry and will share any official updates when and if they become available. I am not going to publish second hand information that I cannot verify until the next ship arrives at Castaway Cay with passengers.

      Reply ↓
  15. BP

    Thankful that they got those renovations completed on the building (e.g. roof) … it could have been a different story …

    Reply ↓
  16. J

    On the extended Disney Dream sailing, Captain Thord did mention that the Port was going to position their locks so that flooding at the port would be minimal due to any storm surge, though it might be worse for other areas. He made this comment in reference to concern that cars would be flooded or washed away.

    Reply ↓
  17. Dave

    UPDATE: According to Cruise Critic, “Disney’s private island is open and will be able to receive Disney Dream passengers tomorrow”.

    Yay!

    Reply ↓

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