Hurricane Irma: Miami Passengers Embrace Cruise To Nowhere

MIAMI, FL — The Norwegian Escape cruise ship departed Miami on Sept. 2 and was set to return Saturday after stops in Honduras, Belize and Mexico. But then Hurricane Irma happened, and now many of them are choosing to cruise to nowhere.

The cruise ship, with about 4,000 guests, reached the Honduran island of Roatan on Monday and Belize the following day. But on Tuesday, passengers were alerted that their ports of call at Mexico's Cozumel island and the Costa Maya were canceled.

Deadly Irma carved a path of destruction across a string of Caribbean islands and was gunning for Florida, home to a fair number of passengers on the ship. Many aboard had already switched from relaxation to disaster-preparation mode, and were eager to return home to secure their belongings and ensure the safety of their pets. (For more information on the cruise ship's journey and other Miami stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Michael Davis, who lives near the water in St. Augustine, Florida, was one of them.

"Once they said, 'We're heading back,' then the mood shifted from vacation time to, 'Alright, let's get home and get it taken care of,'" said Davis, 42.

But there was only a short window of time to drop them off before it would be too dangerous to dock in Miami. So the ship arrived in port Thursday afternoon, two days early, allowing hundreds of passengers to disembark.

Analysis: There's No Way Around Irma's Wrath For Florida

Hundreds more had no reason to get off, however, and knew that competing with Florida residents evacuating the state ahead of the storm for rental cars and flights was a losing proposition. So they chose a second option: a "cruise to nowhere."

The Escape headed back out to sea Thursday evening, with a new manifest of about 4,000 that included some of the original passengers as well as some fellow travelers who disembarked early from another ship called the Norwegian Sky. They, too, had decided to prolong their seagoing adventures.

The cruisers have no idea where they are headed or when they will return. A lot of it, they were told, would be up to Irma: which path she decides to take and how long she lingers.

"We said to guests that we cannot confirm when or where you'll be coming back, but obviously we'll make every effort to return the ship to port as soon as it's safe to do so," said Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman Vanessa Picariello.

Picariello said the ship "is heading west," but she did not have a more precise route. She said the ship will try to make a port of call if it's safe to do so "but if not, guests will enjoy a cruise to nowhere and be able to be safe and out of the storm."

Picariello added that the ship plans to return to Miami, but that cruise officials will look into alternate ports if the one in Miami is damaged by the hurricane.

Margaret Cunningham of Battle Ground, Washington, said she decided to stay on board with her husband, Mike, after the captain assured them the ship could avoid Irma and even outrun a hurricane.

"They've been very clear that they're not going to run out of food. They're not going to run out of water. They're not going to run out of booze — very important — and so we're just going to stay on and enjoy the ride," said Cunningham, 65, who is recently retired.

Barbara Engel, who could not get a flight home to Dallas, said she believed staying on the ship was her best option.

"I've got everything here and more than I would want, and we can run" from the storm if necessary, Engel, 49, said shortly before the ship pulled into port in Miami on Thursday. "So really, all told, I think I'm in the best place I can be at this time."

Debbie Kendrick, of Courtland, Ohio, said she has enjoyed the cruise, even if she hasn't slept quite as well because she doesn't know when or where it will end.

"I appreciate that the cruise line wants to keep us safe," she said. "They're not just dropping us off."

By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press

Associated Press Airlines Writer David Koenig contributed to this report.

Photo credit: Brian Witte/Associated Press