Passengers from three major cruise ships who were supposed to arrive in Miami on Sunday faced an unexpected delay in their Caribbean trip. As commuters were ready to pack their bags and leave their cruises, it was suddenly announced that the Port of Miami was closed for an undisclosed amount of time.
Despite being able to see Miami from their ships, they could only land once they got an all-clear, which eventually took half a day. On the other end, passengers who were supposed to board the cruise for the beginning of their trips also faced disappointment right in the beginning.
Due to the port’s closure, thousands of passengers have missed their flights, as their vacation got extended by another unwanted day.
The root of the chaotic situation lay in an accident at the port that happened early Sunday morning. Read on to know why the Port of Miami was closed and how it affected travelers.
Why Was the Port of Miami Closed?
The Port of Miami was closed for 11 hours on Sunday after an early morning collision between a 30-foot boat and a Fisher Island Ferry. The crash occurred at around 3:40 men and resulted in one injured person and the death of another. The port remained closed due to the investigation and removal of the vessels.
As the boat hit the ferry in the channel east of the Pilot House Station at Dodge Island, one man was pulled out of the water by the workers on the ferry. The man was in serious condition but still managed to say that a friend of his was missing. The man was then transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.
The Miami Fire Rescue Dive team later found the other missing person, but by then, he had already passed away.
How Did the Closed Port of Miami Affect People?
As the Post of Miami remained closed for 11 hours, three cruise ships that were planned to arrive at 8 am on Sunday were stranded. Passengers aboard the Carnival Celebration, Norwegian Cruise Line Escape, and MSC Seascape ships had to face a delay in their plans.
The cruise was also supposed to pick up new passengers after dropping off the old ones, which also got delayed. An estimated 16,000 passengers were idling off the port, and the delay led to a wave of missed flights as well as all other plans.
Thankfully, the Miami International Airport notified the airlines of the situation, and all rebooking fees are being waived for any cruise passengers who were affected by the delay. Travel plans for about 33,000 people were disrupted due to the port’s closure.
Has the Port of Miami Reopened?
Yes, the Port of Miami is open now and is fully operational despite the 11-hour closure on Sunday from 2: 30am. The three cruise ships that were stuck without being able to load or unload passengers are also on their way.
The cruises were docked at the port by 4:30 pm instead of 7 am, and new passengers could board only at midnight instead of 5 pm.
Many measures were taken to help travelers overcome this new problem. From extra money for meals to free flight rebookings, the authorities have compensated as best as they could. Unfortunate incidents are often unpredictable, and we just have to agree that is the way of life.
Comment down below if you, too, were affected by the closing of Miami Port, and let us know how you coped with it.
1 Comment
My husband and friends of ours we’re affected by the port closure as we waited in the NCL terminal all day to board our cruise ship. The staff of NCL was fantastic, providing drinks, pizza and chips. I understand that others did not have such a pleasant experience, however at the end of the day someone lost their life. Our delay is nothing compared to what the family of that man has to go through.