Cruise ship diverts to Bermuda to avoid hurricane

Dockyard will welcome an unexpected extra cruise ship this weekend due to Hurricane Arthur.

The Carnival Splendor has been forced to travel south to avoid the weather system.

Instead of heading up towards Halifax in Canada, the liner is now making her way from New York to Bermuda.

She is scheduled to arrive in Dockyard on Saturday morning and berth at Heritage Wharf.

The Carnival Cruise ship will join the Explorer of the Seas in the West End.

The Splendor is scheduled to leave Bermuda at 6pm on Saturday — a couple of hours after the Explorer. While on Sunday Dockyard will play host to another cruise duo of the Norwegian Dawn and the Grandeur of the Seas.

Yesterday afternoon the Bermuda Weather Service reported that Hurricane Arthur was not expected to be a threat to Bermuda.

And it stated that the closest point of approach to the island within three days is forecast to be 493 nautical miles to the North West at 5pm today.