Hurricane Ivan news and updates here

Hurricane Ivan Update

September 8, 2004 - 10 a.m.

Royal Caribbean International is closely monitoring the path and progress of Hurricane Ivan to ensure our guests enjoy safe and comfortable cruises and to make certain our ships steer clear of the storm.

The safety and comfort of our guests are always the foremost concern of Royal Caribbean International.

Given Hurricane Ivan's location and projected path, we are currently altering the itineraries of several Royal Caribbean International ships. We will update this information three times daily - at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Port of San Juan

Adventure of the Seas will not make its port call in Willemstad, Curacao, today. Instead, the ship will spend today at sea and make a port call at Castries, St. Lucia, on Thursday

Port Everglades

Enchantment of the Seas will not make its port call in Cozumel, Mexico, on Saturday. Instead, the ship will make a port call in Nassau, Bahamas.

Port of Baltimore

Grandeur of the Seas will not make its port call in Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, on Saturday. Instead, the ship will spend the day at sea.

At this time, no other Royal Caribbean International ships are being impacted by Hurricane Ivan. We will continue to closely monitor the storm and update this information at 3 p.m. today.

Tropical Weather Update

September 8, 2004 - 3 p.m.

Royal Caribbean International is closely monitoring the path and progress of Hurricane Ivan to ensure our guests enjoy safe and comfortable cruises and to make certain our ships steer clear of the storm. The company also continues to monitor its operations resulting from Hurricane Frances.

The safety and comfort of our guests are always the foremost concern of Royal Caribbean International.

Due to damage caused by Hurricane Frances, Royal Caribbean is currently unable to bring its ships to Port Canaveral, Florida; Freeport, Bahamas; and Coco Cay, Bahamas, Royal Caribbean's private island.

Given Hurricane Ivan's location and projected path, we are currently altering the itineraries of several Royal Caribbean International ships. Additionally, several Royal Caribbean International ships are sailing modified itineraries because of Hurricane Frances.

We will update this information three times daily - at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Ships sailing from Port Canaveral

REVISED: Sovereign of the Seas, normally scheduled to depart Port Canaveral Friday, September 10, on a three-night sailing, will now make that sailing from Port Everglades. The ship will delay its departure from Port Everglades until 8 p.m., local time, Friday. The ship will sail a modified itinerary, visiting Nassau, Bahamas, from 8 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, and return to Port Everglades on Monday morning September 13. Royal Caribbean will transport guests from Port Canaveral and the Orlando airport to Port Everglades for this sailing. The company also will return guests to those locations at the conclusion of this sailing.

Mariner of the Seas, which normally sails from Port Canaveral, departed the Port of Miami Tuesday night and is sailing a modified itinerary that will conclude on Sunday at the Port of Miami. This was due to Hurricane Frances.

Ships sailing from the Port of San Juan

Adventure of the Seas, because of Hurricane Ivan, will not make its port call in Willemstad, Curacao, today. Instead, the ship will spend today at sea and make a port call at Castries, St. Lucia, on Thursday.

Ships sailing from Port Everglades

Enchantment of the Seas because of Hurricane Frances, departed Port Everglades Monday night and is sailing a modified itinerary that will conclude on Thursday at Port Everglades.

Enchantment of the Seas (September 9 sailing), because of Hurricane Ivan, will not make its port call in Cozumel, Mexico, on Saturday. Instead, the ship will make a port call in Nassau, Bahamas.

Ships sailing from the Port of Baltimore

Grandeur of the Seas because of Hurricane Ivan, will not make its port call in Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, on Saturday. Instead, the ship will spend the day at sea.

Ships sailing from the Port of Miami

Explorer of the Seas, because of Hurricane Frances, departed the Port of Miami Monday night and is sailing a modified itinerary that will conclude on Sunday at the Port of Miami.

Majesty of the Seas, because of Hurricane Frances, departed the Port of Miami Monday night and is sailing a modified itinerary that will conclude on Friday at the Port of Miami.

Navigator of the Seas, because of Hurricane Frances, departed the Port of Miami Monday night and is sailing a modified itinerary that will conclude on Saturday at the Port of Miami.

At this time, no other Royal Caribbean International ships are being impacted by tropical weather. We will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and update this information at 7 p.m. today.

Hurricane Ivan leaves at least 9 dead in Grenada:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3634898.stm

not good for any of us in south florida whether east coast or west coast!!!! we've had enough!! we still don't have power here on the east coast after frances! the weather men say that sunday/monday we're in the soup again!!!!!! oh geez!!!! haven't we had enough?????????????????????????????????????????????

Just heard on the weather channel they want residents of Key West to start evac as of 6pm today.

Just heard on the weather channel they want residents of Key West to start evac as of 6pm today.

Also - tourists are being asked to leave NOW.

They estimate it will take 36 hours to evacuate the Keys. That puts the end of the evacuation 'window' at 6 am Saturday. Hope those independent-minded Conch Republic citizens don't even think about riding it out.

yup!!! just heard the same thing!!!! oh geez!!!!! can we please get a break????????

how much more can florida take???????

Current meteorological guestimations:

Ivan will cross Cuba, hit the Keys with 140-145 mph winds just after 2am Monday, then make US landfall at Marco Island a few hours later with winds deminished to around 135 mph. They're saying it will then proceed NW over the Florida peninsula, arriving in Osceola County by 2am Tues with sustained winds of 'only' 90 mph, gusting to as high as possibly 110.

For non-Floridians: Marco Island is in extreme SW Florida, just below Naples. Osceola County is in Central Florida. Brevard county (where Port Canaveral is located) boarders Osceola to the east.

Correction to info on the evacuation of the Florida Keys:

Visitors and tourists being evacuated now. That is happening.

Mandatory evac of resicents of the Keys and Flamingo, FL may be ordered first thing in the morning. Guess the info about the 6 pm tonight evac was a bit premature.

I DID also see earlier that residents of mobile homes in the Keys had mandatory evac orders beginning 5 pm today. Don't know now if that was accurate or not...

There are a LOT of mobile homes in the Keys.

Yes is happening......

Furioso this Hurricane Ivan... It's the first time in all my life that I see a Hurricane of this magnitud....

All Floridians Residents... Please, take care of yourself and please, go so fast to the north of the United State that you can....

All Floridians Residents... Please, take care of yourself and please, go so fast to the north of the United State that you can....

I vote going to Minnesota!

Vanilousky -

Thank you. We are watching Ivan the Terrible closely to try to decide which way we might need to go.

For you - Thankfully, you are getting only the edges of this thing, but I can imagine it is still rough weather for you. Please stay safe, and please, please, post back here to let us know you are yours are safe - and how things look around you - once this thing passes out of your area.

Not again! :( My mother in St. Augustine, Fla just got her power on yesterday from when Frances went through on Sunday.

We were supposed to go to Fla next week on vacation to see her in NE Fla.

Does anyone have any real good sites to check on the storm's progress and projections? Thanks.

Try www.stormcarib.com

They have alot of good info as well as a board with postings from various caribbean islands.

Praying for all in the path of Ivan....

Jan T

Candi -

Try this one: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_astorm9+shtml/091748.shtml?

Here is the link I am using to track this:

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/?from=tabset

I have never watched the Weather Channel as much as I have in the past 2 weeks!!

We would appreciate all your prayers- as we in Jamaica are preparing for Ivan! There really is no place to evacuate to! We have done our best to prepare...

Thank you!

Jamrenjer-

You got it! We have been thinking about you folks all day. On the TV, I keep watching that monster creep closer and closer to you. They showed video here of a fellow in Jamaica buying supplies and talked to him on camera. He was SO concerned, and justifiably so!

Please do everything you can to stay safe.

And one other thing - please post here when you can afterwards, and let us know you are safe, and tell us how things around you are.

Thoughts and prayers going out to the people of Jaimaca and the Caymans in the path of Ivan.

I too am worried from Texas. Hubby is in Fort Myers Beach along with my brother and sister-in-law. They made it through Charley with minor damage, the tidal surge came within inches of their house, some neighbors weren't so lucky. I can't get any thing done as my head is glued to TWC and reading posts about the storms.

God be with all of you, stay safe and please don't take any chances. Get out in plenty of time. I think some thought Frances wasn't as big a deal since she lost her punch. DH says there will probably be more damage from Frances because of the rain, wind and tornadoes.

Take care all,

Colleen

Fla. Urges New Evacuations As Ivan Nears

Sep 09, 11:26 AM EST

MIAMI - Tourists and residents were told Thursday they will have to leave the Florida Keys to avoid mighty Hurricane Ivan, even as the state still struggled with the misery left by Hurricanes Frances and Charley.

Forecasters said Ivan - which strengthened early Thursday to 160 mph - could reach the island chain as soon as Sunday, making it the third hurricane to hit Florida in a month. The last time three hurricanes hit Florida in a single season was 1964, when Cleo, Dora and Isabel hit the state.

Charley struck southwest Florida on Aug. 13 with wind of 145 mph, causing an estimated $6.8 billion in damage and 27 deaths. Frances hit the state's eastern coast early Sunday with 105 mph wind, leaving $2 billion to $4 billion in insured damage and at least 15 dead in the state.

Ivan has already killed at least 15 people as it tears through the Caribbean, the most powerful hurricane to hit there in a decade. Ninety percent of the homes in Grenada were damaged, looting erupted and a prison was destroyed, leaving criminals on the loose.

At 11 a.m., Ivan's center was 430 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, or about 960 miles southeast of Miami. It had 160 mph wind and was moving about 15 mph.

National Hurricane Center forecasters predict that Ivan could hit the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane, with wind of 131 to 155 mph, late Sunday or early Monday.

Monroe County emergency officials asked tourists to leave the Keys at 9 a.m. Thursday, the third visitor evacuation there in a month, following Charley and Frances. Mobile home residents were urged to begin evacuating at 6 p.m. Thursday, and other residents were told to prepare to leave Friday.

A single highway links the islands with mainland Florida. The last time everyone on the Keys were told to evacuate was in 2001 for Hurricane Michelle, a 135 mph storm that wound up missing a direct hit on the chain. Officials estimated that only 15 percent of Keys residents left then.

"I don't think that people will think twice when we tell them it's a Four heading right at us. I think they will be pretty responsive," Monroe County emergency manager Irene Toner said.

Should Ivan strike Florida, it would be the first time since 1950 that two major hurricanes - ones with wind at least 111 mph - hit Florida so close together.

Jim Lushine, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Miami, said Ivan could make history.

To all, here is another good site

http://www.hurricanetrack.com/

Our prayers are with all of you in the caribbean and Florida. Inlaws live in Ocala and they got some damage from Frances.

I vote going to Minnesota!

There's only so much skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing a person can take...

My step-mother lives about 60 mi N. of Tampa, 20 mi. W. of Brooksville. Her house is just off SR 19, just a few miles from the Gulf. Charley left a couple in. of rain, but Frances blew in with high winds and LOTS of rain. Her power and phones were out from Sun. to Wed. She is 80 and lives alone since my dad died last year. Fortunately, she has good neighbors. She was able to call her family on a neighbor's radio phone Tues. and if they had had to evacuate, the ones next door would have taken her with them so she wouldn't have had to drive herself. I worried about her in 98 degrees with no AC. She's very spunky and told us she was having a "camping adventure".

Tonight on our local news, the meteorologist said the present projection for Ivan after it hits Jamaica, and Cuba is the entire Gulf coast of FL. We all wish she'd move back here and this just makes us worry more about her.

She is flying to Philly in 10 days to visit her daughter. Too bad it's not tomorrow.

We still have our boards up from Frances, and our supplies are all in a pile. I dont think Florida's economy can take another hit...

Prayers are needed!!!