Officially a Category 5 hurricane as of July 2, Hurricane Beryl churns toward Jamaica, with a projected trajectory to the Gulf of Mexico. Honduras and Belize are some of the countries expecting the full brunt of the storm. The hurricane will then likely sweep north toward Texas and possibly Louisiana. As of July 2, the storm sat about 500 miles southeast of Puerto Rico, hitting the Lesser Antilles. As of July 3, six people have been reported dead in Jamaica from the storm.

The storm has become so strong, destinations not even in the line of the hurricane are bracing for its effects. With 165 mph winds, the hurricane is currently moving west across the Caribbean Sea, with a storm surge expected today, July 3. June hurricanes are rare, with peak activity typically between August and October.

Summer cruisers to the Caribbean might need to prepare for some changes. On July 1, Royal Caribbean had three ships in the southeastern Caribbean. The cruise line announced it was changing cruise ship itineraries because of the storm. Wonder of the Seas, Icon of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas all altered itineraries. Icon of the Seas, originally scheduled to stop in St. Maarten and St. Thomas, will now visit Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico, instead.

Wonder of the Seas will skip two ports and instead call to Nassau, Bahamas.

Norwegian Cruise Line also adjusted its schedule. In fact, the cruise line adjusted practically its entire itinerary for a week-long sailing on Norwegian Breakaway. The cruise line canceled stops in Honduras, Harvest Caye in Belize, and Cozumel and Costa Maya in Mexico. Instead, the ship will go to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, St. Thomas and Tortola. Norwegian Jade also changed its schedule, heading to San Juan, Tortola and Puerto Plata instead of Falmouth, Jamaica; Grand Cayman; and Cozumel.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Beyond departed on an eight-night cruise from Port Everglades and now reversed the order of its original itinerary.

Disney Cruise Line, currently with a ship in the Caribbean, announced it will not visit Falmouth. This stop will be replaced with a sea day.

Carnival Liberty from Carnival Cruise Line moved a planned stop in Cozumel July 5 to July 2. Carnival Horizon skipped a visit to Grand Cayman July 3, with the cruise line prioritizing guest and crew safety above all else.

All cruise lines with ships in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, as well as cruises planning trips to these destinations, continue to monitor the storm. If you have a booked cruise in the coming week, please visit your cruise line’s website for official updates.

Do you expect to experience Hurricane Beryl? Do you have an upcoming cruise? Have you experienced a cruise where itineraries were drastically changed due to hurricanes? Tell us your thoughts. Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.