GALVESTON — Carnival Cruise Lines has canceled two more trips from Galveston and has changed itineraries on more ships scheduled to visit ports in Mexico, even as fears about H1N1, aka swine flu, ease.
The cancellations could cost the Port of Galveston about $150,000 in revenues and change plans for thousands of passengers.
Miami-based Carnival has canceled until June 15 departures with calls at ports in Mexico, where swine flu cases have risen to 473, with a suspected death toll of more than 150 people.
Carnival, which has not reported any cases of swine flu, said Monday it had canceled the May 21 and June 4 voyages of the liner Ecstasy from Galveston to Cozumel, Mexico.
Carnival last week announced it had canceled its Thursday’s sailing from the island.
The cancellations are to accommodate changes in itineraries of other voyages. Carnival cruises from Galveston will make seven-day trips to the Western Caribbean.
Carnival customers who don’t want to sail on a modified itinerary can choose a refund in the form of a future cruise credit equal to the amount they paid for the voyage, officials said. The credit is available through the end of next year.
Compensation for missed ports and altered itineraries vary, the company said.
Those who planned to sail on four- or five-day cruises from Galveston and New Orleans and don’t want to take seven-day voyages can choose a cruise credit or a refund, officials said.
Each canceled cruise could cost the island port about $50,000, port director Steve Cernak said, noting the company was right to put safety first.
