NEW YORK -- Some cruise lines shifted itineraries as Hurricane
Dennis swept through the Bahamas and headed north, lashing the
coastlines of the Carolinas with high winds and rain but leaving
little structural damage in its wake.
Carnival Cruise Lines' Fantasy and Ecstasy were scheduled to
call in Nassau on Aug. 19 and 20, respectively, but visited Key
West instead. In deference to the storm's track, the Fantasy
disembarked passengers at Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades rather
than at the vessel's homeport, Port Canaveral, on Aug. 29.
Carnival bused passengers between the Florida ports.
Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic and Disney Wonder also skipped
scheduled calls at Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney's private
Bahamian island. The line substituted with calls at Key West and an
extra day at sea on both ships.
The Wonder returned to Port Everglades instead of its homeport,
Port Canaveral, on Aug. 29. As the storm began to turn eastward
late on Aug. 30, Carnival announced that the Aug. 31 departure of
its Inspiration on a five-day Bahamas cruise from Newport News,
Va., would operate as scheduled.
Earlier, tourism officials in the Bahamas breathed collective
sighs of relief as the region emerged relatively unscathed from
Hurricane Dennis' visit there on Aug. 27 and Aug. 28.
Message boards on some Bahamas Web sites were flooded with
inquiries about damage but, by Aug. 29, authorities in Nassau,
Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island and the Out Islands were
reporting "business as usual."
The Bahamas tourism officials said all airlines were operating
normal schedules, and cruise ships were resuming their ports of
call. The two areas most affected by Dennis were Abaco and Grand
Bahama.
Abaco experienced some power outages, minor flooding, downed
trees and boat and dock damage. The Grand Bahama Island Tourism
Board said Dennis brought wind and rain, but there were no reports
of serious damage to buildings.
Laura Dennis, Brian Major and Ernest Blum contributed to
this report.