Carnival Sunshine Returns to Norfolk Early, Drops Grand Turk

Carnival Sunshine will return to Norfolk, Virginia, one day earlier than planned on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, as severe winter weather targets the U.S. East Coast, prompting the cruise line to cancel a scheduled call to Grand Turk in Turks and Caicos.

The change comes as winter storms, including Winter Storm Fern and a subsequent system, disrupt cruise operations across multiple U.S. ports with snow, ice, freezing temperatures, and strong winds affecting both ship itineraries and passenger travel plans.

Norfolk return moved up, and Grand Turk dropped from the itinerary

In a letter delivered to guests, Carnival Sunshine Captain Leonardo Contarino said the ship’s team and Carnival’s Fleet Operations Center had been monitoring forecasts ahead of the vessel’s return. He said a winter storm moving into the Northeast, combined with unfavorable conditions along the East Coast, required the ship to sail with additional time to get back to Norfolk before the weather fully develops.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Norfolk area from 1 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, through 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, warning that heavy snow is possible (forecast totals of 8 to 15 inches) along with strong coastal wind gusts that could reach 50 to 60 miles per hour.

Carnival Sunshine departed Norfolk on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, on an eight-night Eastern Caribbean sailing that originally included stops at Celebration Key, Princess Cays, and Grand Turk, with a scheduled return on Sunday, Feb. 1. With the revised plan, the ship will no longer call on Grand Turk.

Contarino told guests that “delivering the full itinerary is the goal,” but said conditions made the change necessary. Shore excursions booked through Carnival for Grand Turk will be canceled, with refunds issued back to guests’ Sail & Sign accounts.

What guests can expect in Norfolk: disembarkation options and required processing

Although the ship will be alongside in Norfolk a day early, guests are not required to end their cruise on Saturday. Carnival brand ambassador John Heald confirmed that passengers can disembark Saturday or remain onboard overnight and leave on Sunday, Feb. 1, as originally planned.

• Disembark Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, to get a head start on travel plans ahead of the storm, while the ship is already in port.
• Remain onboard Saturday night and disembark Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, following the original end-of-cruise schedule, after completing required processing.

Heald said Carnival plans to keep hotel services available while the ship is docked in Norfolk, with the exception of the casino and onboard retail shops, which must close under port regulations when the ship is alongside.

Contarino also told guests that U.S. Customs and Border Protection procedures still apply when the ship returns. All passengers must be processed when the vessel arrives, including guests who intend to remain onboard until Sunday.

For those staying onboard, Contarino said “it will not be necessary to carry luggage off the ship” during the required processing, though guests will need to remain in the cruise terminal until all passengers have been cleared.

Refunds, onboard support, and the next sailing

To help guests manage last-minute travel changes, Carnival is making internet access available onboard, Contarino said. Heald also noted that Carnival is opening the value Wi-Fi plan for all guests.

Carnival is also issuing a one-day, pro-rated refund of the cruise fare paid for the sailing, returned to the original form of payment. The company said it will also provide one-day, pro-rated refunds for pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages, as well as prepaid gratuities.

Carnival has also contacted guests booked for the next sailing from Norfolk, scheduled to depart Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. The cruise line advised that embarkation remains scheduled for that date, while noting that forecasts can change and additional updates are possible if conditions worsen.

The next voyage is scheduled as a six-night Bahamas itinerary with planned visits to Celebration Key, Nassau, and Bimini, returning to Norfolk on Saturday, Feb. 7.

Other cruise lines adjust itineraries as storms disrupt key ports

Carnival is not the only operator making changes as winter weather hits multiple regions. Carnival Pride, homeported in Baltimore, was delayed after snowstorms over a weekend. The ship, concluding a 14-night Caribbean and Panama Canal itinerary, returned to Baltimore one day late on Monday, Jan. 26, instead of Sunday as scheduled, leading to the cancellation of the next voyage’s visit to Bimini and a shortened sailing duration. Passengers were offered a one-day, pro-rated refund of their fares.

Royal Caribbean also adjusted several sailings. Harmony of the Seas, departing from Galveston, Texas, returned to its homeport ahead of schedule on Saturday, Jan. 24, to avoid incoming freezing rain and icy conditions, canceling a planned stop in Cozumel, Mexico. The line offered a one-day fare refund and the option for guests to remain onboard through Sunday.

Odyssey of the Seas postponed its return to Cape Liberty, New Jersey, by a day, arriving Tuesday, Jan. 27. Its Southern Caribbean itinerary was adjusted with stops in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas removed, and the ship’s subsequent sailing, scheduled to depart Monday, Jan. 26, was shortened from 12 nights to 11.

MSC Cruises also made a preemptive change, with MSC Meraviglia returning to Brooklyn, New York, a day early on Saturday, Jan. 24, to avoid heavy snow and strong winds in the harbor. Guests were advised to arrive at the port early and keep travel arrangements flexible.

Royal Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas, based in Baltimore, and Mariner of the Seas in Galveston were among ships being monitored closely, though no operational impacts were announced in the update cited. Other operators, including Norwegian and Disney, were also monitoring conditions for potential changes.

Air travel disruptions complicate cruise passenger plans

Beyond the ports, the weather has disrupted air travel nationwide. FlightAware reported more than 27,000 flight delays and cancellations, complicating travel for cruise passengers getting to embarkation ports or returning home after disembarkation.

Cruise lines have urged passengers to stay informed through email alerts and text message updates as conditions evolve, and to build flexibility into travel plans when severe weather threatens.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How has Winter Storm Fern impacted cruise itineraries?

Winter Storm Fern and related winter systems have triggered delays, early returns, and port cancellations. Changes cited include Carnival Sunshine returning to Norfolk a day early and canceling Grand Turk; Carnival Pride arriving back in Baltimore a day late, affecting its next sailing; Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas returning early to Galveston and canceling Cozumel; and MSC Meraviglia returning to Brooklyn a day early to avoid snow and high winds.

Do guests have to get off the ship when it arrives early in Norfolk?

No. Carnival said guests can disembark Saturday, Jan. 31, or stay onboard overnight and disembark Sunday, Feb. 1. However, Carnival Sunshine Captain Leonardo Contarino told guests that all passengers must complete required U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing when the vessel arrives, including those staying onboard until Sunday.

How will refunds work for the missed port and the shortened cruise?

Carnival said shore excursions purchased through the cruise line for Grand Turk will be canceled, with refunds issued to guests’ Sail & Sign accounts. Carnival is also providing a one-day, pro-rated refund of cruise fare to the original form of payment, along with one-day, pro-rated refunds for certain pre-purchased beverage and Wi-Fi packages and prepaid gratuities.

What happens if my port of embarkation is affected by severe weather?

Cruise lines have advised guests to monitor email and text updates for operational changes and to keep travel plans flexible when storms disrupt roads, airports, and ports. In the updates cited, MSC advised guests returning to Brooklyn to arrive early and remain flexible, while Carnival told guests booked on the Feb. 1 Norfolk departure that embarkation remained scheduled but that forecasts could change and further updates were possible.