Celebrity Cayman Islands Visit: Will this visit be cancelled in April 2023 because of the giant 2023 sargassum bloom?

[Ian Feldman]

Celebrity Cayman Islands Visit: Will this visit be cancelled in April 2023 because of the giant 2023 sargassum bloom?

[Cruising Caribbean]

@Ian Feldman It's so hard to say! I would imagine unless it's unsafe, the cruise line will still visit the Cayman Islands.  There may be an advisory warning in effect in terms of the shores and beaches, but I don't think the port of call would be canceled due to this. My advice would be to avoid the beaches and book excursions that are inland. It would be a bummer to venture into the beautiful waters of the Cayman Islands and then you are unable to enjoy them due to the 2023 sargassum bloom. 

This is an awesome alternative to spending your time on the beach. It's the Cayman Crystal Caves. 

[FJB]

12 hours ago, Ian Feldman said:

Celebrity Cayman Islands Visit: Will this visit be cancelled in April 2023 because of the giant 2023 sargassum bloom?

Yes

[3Sisters]

@FJB Is this a common thing? I was under the impression a port of call would not be canceled solely due to a sargassum bloom. Has this happened to you in the past? There has to be a way to mitigate this issue so that areas such as the Cayman Islands will not suffer a loss of tourism. Seaweed is a common beach factor, but it's definitely not appealing. 

[FJB]

On 3/21/2023 at 3:23 PM, 3Sisters said:

@FJB Is this a common thing? I was under the impression a port of call would not be canceled solely due to a sargassum bloom. Has this happened to you in the past? There has to be a way to mitigate this issue so that areas such as the Cayman Islands will not suffer a loss of tourism. Seaweed is a common beach factor, but it's definitely not appealing. 

I should know by now that my sarcasm on the internet isn’t realized by all.  How the hell does anyone know now whether a cruise in April will be canceled by seaweed?!  There are dumb questions IMO. 

[kefthecruiser]

@FJB Wow, who’s Mr. Grumpy today? Perhaps for your sarcasm to work, you should use more than a monosyllabic response.

@Ian Feldman  I’ve had Cayman Island visits cancelled on two different cruises, after we set sail, due to poor weather conditions at the port. It became a sea day, on a slow boat to Cozumel.

You take your cruise and you take your chances. Make the best of it, it’s meant to be relaxing and enjoyable.

[3Sisters]

@FJB I definitely did not recognize the sarcasm, but I'm not too knowledgeable on the topic anyhow. I wouldn't say the question was irrelevant, especially if @Ian Feldman hasn't experienced this sort of thing while cruising before. I agree with @kefthecruiser that you certainly take a chance a port of call is canceled due to any natural circumstance, but it's a risk you take with every booking. 

I found this great article on the seaweed blob. https://www.cruisehive.com/massive-smelly-seaweed-blob-approaches-florida-and-the-caribbean/97131

It measures 5,000 miles wide. That's a huge span coming towards the Caribbean and Florida. One really valid reason to avoid this stuff is the unpleasant stench it often has. It could make your beach visit a bit smelly. Some areas in Florida are already seeing the seaweed begin to wash up on shore. I guess now we just watch and see where it ends up landing and how bad the effects really are.