Passengers of P&O Cruises, Virgin Voyages and Norwegian Cruise Line were among thousands whose Caribbean travel plans were disrupted on Saturday due to sudden US military air strikes on Venezuela.
Three TUI Airways flights chartered by P&O Cruises for sailings on Arvia from Barbados turned back mid-Atlantic on Saturday (3 January) following Caribbean air safety warnings.
The Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester services returned to the UK, with other chartered flights cancelled before departure.
P&O Cruises confirmed the majority of its delayed guests arrived in Barbados yesterday, but two flights will arrive today (Monday). The cruise line has not yet confirmed details of the updated itinerary with Travel Gossip.
A spokesperson said: “Following the disruption and impact caused on Saturday by the international air restrictions, all P&O Cruises guests on Arvia Caribbean cruise holidays now have confirmed flight details to/from Barbados.
“P&O Cruises has worked tirelessly over the weekend with our charter carriers to arrange new flights for a total of 5,000 inbound and outbound guests. The onward ports of call and itinerary are being prioritised and communicated to all guests on board so they can now continue with their planned holiday.”
The US military operation in Venezuela, which came without warning, led to the US Federal Aviation Administration temporarily restricting US airline operations to parts of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, causing US carriers to cancel hundreds of flights.
The airspace has now reopened and US airlines, including United, have added extra flights from Newark to San Juan to help passengers who faced disruption.
While the restrictions applied to aviation, it also meant that cruise ports, including Bridgetown in Barbados and San Juan in Puerto Rico faced delays with passengers getting to the port.
According to Cruise Hive, Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady is skipping scheduled visits to Aruba and Curaçao today and tomorrow (Tuesday) and will now call in Barbados and St Lucia instead.
Also, Virgin Voyages said passengers prevented from joining at San Juan would be given a full future cruise credit. It added: “Virgin Voyages is actively assessing all options and working through every possible scenario to support our Sailors [passengers] during this unprecedented disruption.
“We understand how frustrating this situation can be, especially following what we hope was an exceptional voyage.
“We will continue to provide updates as soon as confirmed information becomes available. Sailors should continue to monitor their email for the latest details.”
Cruise Hive said that Norwegian Cruise Line pushed back the departure of Norwegian Epic from San Juan until later on Sunday, and Princess Cruises delayed the departure of Grand Princess from the Puerto Rican port until tonight (Monday), causing the ship to cancel its call in St Thomas today.
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) issued warnings over the weekend, including advising against all travel to Venezuela.
It stated: “On 3 January, Venezuelan authorities announced a ‘state of external commotion’ due to air strikes on targets across the country. This could lead to closure of Venezuelan borders and airspace.”
“If you are a British National already living or travelling in Venezuela, you should shelter in place, but be prepared to change your plans quickly if necessary.”
It also added travellers may face some disruption in Barbados: “Regional airspace restrictions have been lifted, however some flights to and from Barbados are facing disruptions due to rescheduling. If you are travelling, check with your airline, tour operator, or cruise company for the latest information and allow extra time for rebooking or delays.”
