Nov. 5, 2001 – Although Hurricane Michelle has not threatened the Virgin Islands, it has cost St. Thomas two regularly scheduled cruise ship calls this week — but has brought two others that had not been planned.
The Carnival Paradise, which had been expected to pull into St. Thomas on Wednesday, and Carnival's Victory, previously scheduled to arrive on Thursday, both have been diverted from Eastern to Western Caribbean itineraries this week and so will not visit the Virgin Islands.
Meantime, Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas and Celebrity Cruises' Mercury were to have cruised the Western Caribbean but have been diverted to the Eastern Caribbean. Both are now to call at St. Thomas on Thursday, tying up at The West Indian Co. dock.
The hurricane out of the Gulf of Mexico slammed into Cuba on Saturday and then headed northeastward toward the Bahamas. Carnival Cruise Lines repositioned its two ships, which both sail out of Miami on Sundays, for the Western Caribbean runs. At the same time, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity moved their two vessels, both of which depart Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Sundays, out of the Western Caribbean into the Eastern Caribbean.
Local losses: The Victory has a standard capacity of 2,758 passengers and 1,150 crew. The Paradise, which is on charter this week, has 2,040 and 920, respectively.
Local gains: The Enchantment of the Seas normally carries 1,950 passengers and 760 crew, while the luxury liner Mercury carries 1,870 and 935, respectively.
With the call by the Paradise canceled, The West Indian Co. also announced Monday that on Wednesday the Zaandam will tie up at the WICO dock instead of anchoring in the inner harbor, as it had been scheduled to do.
