Key Aspects:
- Carnival Sunshine will be arriving to Norfolk on Sunday morning instead of Saturday as announced previously.
- Guests should keep their original terminal arrival times for embarkation and all guests must be on board by 3 p.m.
- The visit to Half Moon Cay is now cancelled but the ship will arrive to Grand Turk three hours early.
Following up on an earlier message alerting guests to the closure of the Port of Norfolk and Carnival Sunshine being delayed in her return to her Virginia homeport, Carnival Cruise Line has now confirmed the changes in embarkation and itinerary.
Furthermore, guests continue to be advised about the cold weather and how it will impact the embarkation experience so they can be prepared for the challenging conditions in Norfolk.
Embarkation Shifted a Full Day
Carnival Sunshine was originally scheduled to return to Virginia on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at the end of her current 6-night Bahamas sailing. Blustery conditions, however, forced the Port of Norfolk to close and the ship will now be returning on Sunday instead.
Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to embarking guests to let them know of the change and how it impacts boarding the ship. Carnival Sunshine can welcome up to 3,002 guests onboard, and it is important that everyone is aware of the adjustments to their sailing.
“Carnival Sunshine is expected to arrive in Norfolk tomorrow morning, Sunday, February 8,” the message confirmed. “For embarkation all guests are being asked to adhere to their original Terminal Arrival Appointment schedule.”
This means the time that guests selected when they checked in for the cruise several weeks is still the time they ought to arrive at the cruise terminal, only on Sunday rather than on Saturday.
All guests must be checked in at the cruise terminal no later than 3 p.m. and Carnival Sunshine should be departing by 4:30 p.m. at the latest.
This is the third consecutive Carnival Sunshine cruise that has faced weather-related challenges. The January 24 departure returned to Norfolk a day early to beat bad weather, while the February 1 departure shifted sailing routes to smoother waters, which meant a port cancellation on the itinerary.
Embarkation to Be Chilly
Carnival has once again reiterated that embarkation on February 8 will be a cold affair, urging guests to dress appropriately.
“Sunday will be cold. So, we encourage you to dress in layers for embarkation, which will come in handy as our team implements additional measures to warm the ship,” the email said.
According to the National Weather Service, Norfolk will be under an extreme cold warning from 10 p.m. Saturday night until 10 a.m. Sunday morning. The high temperature is predicted to be near 30 on Sunday, but wind chills may be as low as zero degrees. Gusts may reach 33 miles per hour.
Carnival has not indicated what “additional measures” may be used to try and keep public areas of Carnival Sunshine feeling slightly sunnier, but some outdoor areas may be closed to prevent frequent door openings that would release the inside heat.
Itinerary Changed for Shortened Cruise
Because the ship is now leaving on Sunday rather than Saturday, it is not possible to maintain the original itinerary. The cruise had been planned to visit Half Moon Cay on Tuesday, February 10, followed by Grand Turk and Amber Cove on Wednesday and Thursday.
“Since we had to shorten our voyage, we will not be able to visit Half Moon Cay but have arranged to give you some extra time in Grand Turk, where we now expect to arrive at 8:00 AM,” the email explained.
Originally, Carnival Sunshine was to have arrived in Grand Turk at 11 a.m. Now, guests will have three additional hours to enjoy that beautiful port of call on Wednesday, February 11. The ship should still be departing the island at 6 p.m.
The time in Amber Cove on Thursday, February 12 is unchanged from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Likewise, Carnival Sunshine should arrive back in Norfolk as originally planned by 8 a.m. on Sunday, February 15.
Any shore tours pre-purchased through Carnival Cruise Line for Half Moon Cay will be automatically cancelled and refunded, while tours in Grand Turk may be adjusted if necessary for the new time in port. Guests can visit the Carnival Adventures desk portside, forward on Deck 3 (Lobby Deck) with questions.
