Key Aspects:
- Carnival Sunshine is delayed returning from her Bermuda sailing due to high winds and rough waves.
- While the ship will still arrive in Norfolk, Virginia on Saturday, October 18, she will most likely dock in the afternoon rather than the early morning.
- This will delay embarkation for the ship’s next sailing, but no itinerary changes have yet been confirmed and guests will be updated Saturday morning.
Guests aboard Carnival Sunshine‘s October 12, 2025 departure simply can’t catch a break. What was to have been a 6-night sailing to Bermuda became a 5-night sailing after the ship was delayed in returning to her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia, and she departed a day late on October 13, 2025.
Now, continuing bad weather is delaying the ship yet again. Instead of arriving back to the Old Dominion State for debarkation on Saturday morning, October 18, she will not be arriving until sometime Saturday afternoon.
Guests onboard have been alerted to the delay and what adjustments are being made for their debarkation.
“We are experiencing unfavorable weather as we sail back to Norfolk,” a letter from the ship’s master, Captain Antonio Gargiulo, read. “To help with comfort, we have adjusted our course towards calmer waters and reduced our cruising speed.”
On Friday evening, when the ship would normally be sailing at close to her top speed of 21 knots (24 miles per hour), satellite tracking shows Carnival Sunshine moving along at just 14 knots (16 mph).
Windy.com reports winds in the vicinity of the ship of roughly 27-30 knots (31-35 mph). Furthermore, the wind direction means Carnival Sunshine would be sailing directly into the brunt of the oncoming winds, making it even breezier.
By slowing the ship, the relative wind speeds are reduced and the motion of the ship will not be quite as harsh. This doesn’t mean the entire ride will be smooth, however, and Carnival Sunshine will now be delayed.
“Forecasts indicate that unfavorable conditions will continue into the evening, with some improvement expected early Saturday morning,” the letter continued. “Given this situation, our return to Norfolk will be delayed.”
There is not yet any confirmed time for Carnival Sunshine to dock in Norfolk, but Captain Gargiulo and Carnival Cruise Line have been able to confirm some impact from the change.
- There will be no extra charges for the extra time spent onboard the ship.
- Any extra parking charges at the Port of Norfolk will be waived.
- Guests should place their luggage outside their stateroom doors by 10 a.m. Saturday morning unless they will be self-assisting all their bags.
“We understand this weather-related delay will disrupt your plans to return home and apologize for the inconvenience,” the captain continued. “We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated.”
Carnival Sunshine Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Daniel Wright98)
Next Sailing Also Delayed
Since Carnival Sunshine will be late returning to Norfolk, the ship’s October 18, 2025 departure will also be delayed for embarkation. Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to booked guests to keep them informed about the situation.
“Currently, arrival is projected to be sometime in the afternoon,” the email explained. “Because forecasts can change, we will not be able to share embarkation plans for your cruise until tomorrow [Saturday] morning when we have a confirmed docking time for the ship.”
The cruise line is urging guests to sign up for text alerts and will provide an update by 10 a.m. Saturday morning.
“We must allow guests from the current voyage to disembark the ship and leave the parking facility before we will be able to accommodate your arrival and embarkation,” the email clarified. “Please do not proceed to the cruise terminal until you have received confirmation from us regarding revised embarkation plans for tomorrow.”
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While Carnival Sunshine will be delayed for several hours, it is unlikely the ship will be delayed until Sunday. In these types of unusual situations, it is common for the ship to instead set sail in the late evening.
As soon as customs and immigration are able to clear the ship and guests from the Bermuda sailing can debark, embarkation will begin for the planned 8-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary.
Hopefully the delay will be relatively minimal and Carnival Sunshine will still be able to visit Celebration Key, Princess Cays, and Grand Turk as planned. At this time, however, there is no information on whether or not the itinerary may be adjusted.
Guests should stay in close contact with Carnival Cruise Line as the ship’s schedule is confirmed and updated.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
