After the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday, two cruise lines must find alternate ports where their ships can dock when their current voyages end.
What happened
In the early hours of March 26, a cargo ship leaving the Port of Baltimore struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a total collapse, James Wallace, chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department, said during a press conference Tuesday morning.
Several people have been confirmed to have fallen into the water. Two were rescued and the search continues for others. Mayor Brandon M. Scott has one state of emergency in the city.
As the debris from the fallen bridge and the search and rescue efforts block the road to the docking area, the Port of Baltimore has suspended shipping traffic in and out of the port until further notice. It is not yet known how long it will be closed to cruise ships or how long the cleanup and rebuilding is expected to take.
Which ships are affected
Carnival Legend is on a seven-night trip to the Bahamas that would end in Baltimore on March 31. Vision of the Seas is on the first leg of a 12-night sail, also round-trip from Baltimore, ending April 4. Additionally, Carnival Pride is scheduled to move from its current homeport of Tampa to offer round-trip travel from Baltimore beginning April 15.
American Cruise Lines also has two ships – American Glory and American Constitution – in the area, but these remain largely untouched as both ships will call home in Washington DC this year. (The line has other trips departing from Baltimore later this year. It plans to monitor conditions there and make adjustments as necessary.)
What the lines say about route changes
Carnival will temporarily relocate its Baltimore-based ships to Norfolk, Virginia, until further notice. In a statement, the line said passengers on the current Carnival Legend sailing will be bused back to Baltimore at no charge after disembarking on March 31. The ship’s next sailings will now depart round-trip from Norfolk.
“We will inform our future cruise guests about when we return home to Baltimore, but in the meantime we appreciate the quick response and support from officials in Norfolk,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.
Royal Caribbean has not yet announced an alternative for Baltimore, but has verified that Vision of the Seas will not return there either after the current voyage or for some of the next cruises.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragedy and collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and extend our sincere prayers to all those affected,” Royal Caribbean said in an emailed statement. “We are closely monitoring the situation and our port logistics team are currently working on alternatives for current and upcoming Vision of the Seas sailings. Any updates will be communicated to our guests and travel partners once our plans are finalized.”
TPG has also reached out to the Cruise Lines International Association, which acts as an advocate for the cruise industry as a whole. In an emailed statement, CLIA provided port statistics.
“Port of Baltimore cruise activity, based on published 2024 itineraries, includes 12 ships making a total of 115 ship calls in the 2024 calendar year,” CLIA said. “It is the 29th largest cruise port in the U.S. with 378,000 scheduled passenger movements through the port.”
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