Heavy rain and flooding across Brevard County slowed cruise-day travel at Port Canaveral on Monday, Nov. 2, while five ships were scheduled to turn around passengers.
Norwegian Getaway, Carnival Freedom, Disney Wish, Utopia of the Seas and Carnival Glory were in port for debarkation and embarkation. Cruise Hive reported that ships arrived as scheduled, though passengers described rain, standing water and slower-than-usual travel in the area.
Port Canaveral said it had no reports of roadway flooding in its immediate vicinity and that traffic and cruise operations were normal, though slightly slower because of weather conditions affecting Central Florida. There were no confirmed delays to the ships’ expected afternoon departures.
Norwegian Cruise Line sent text alerts to booked Norwegian Getaway guests advising them to allow extra travel time because of localized flooding. The ship was docked at Cruise Terminal 5 on the port’s north side after a five-night sailing.
State Road 528, the principal route between Port Canaveral and Orlando International Airport, had reports of standing water in some lanes, according to a guest leaving Utopia of the Seas. Cruise Hive also reported that FlightAware showed more than 95 flight delays at Orlando International Airport on Monday morning.
The National Weather Service had issued a flash flood warning for southeastern Brevard County until 11:45 a.m. The report said 12 to 15 inches of rain had fallen in many areas, with another 3 to 5 inches expected. Local schools in Brevard County were closed for the day, and road closures elsewhere in the county could add time for travelers heading to or from the port.
Carnival Freedom was scheduled to begin a five-night Bahamas itinerary. Norwegian Getaway, Disney Wish, Utopia of the Seas and Carnival Glory were each scheduled for four-night Bahamas sailings. Guests were advised to rely on their cruise line for official updates and travel advisories.
