Flights canceled and cruise itineraries changed as Lee reaches New England, Canada
Lee made landfall in Canada on Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, bringing heavy rainfall, powerful winds and storm surge to parts of New England and southeastern Canada. Some flights and cruises in those areas have been affected as the storm barreled up the Atlantic coast.
According to FlightAware, which tracks aviation, 117 flights at Boston's Logan International Airport had been canceled as of Saturday evening, following two dozen cancellations on Friday. Another 21 flights at Nantucket Airport and 12 at Martha's Vineyard Airport were also canceled Saturday.
Cape Air, which flies short flights to several Massachusetts airports and in the Caribbean, canceled 129 flights on Saturday after canceling another 45 on Friday, according to FlightAware.
American, Delta and United Airlines also offered waivers for flyers traveling to or from several airports in cities that are expected to be affected, including Bangor, Maine, and Boston. The travel days that were expected to be most affected in these areas were Saturday and Sunday.
Those who are traveling to New England or Canada on these airlines can check if their change fee has been waived on the airlines' websites.
Lee brought tropical storm conditions to Bermuda Thursday, prompting several airlines to offer waivers to travelers flying in and out of the island nation. Both American and Delta Airlines offered to waive change fees for flyers traveling to or from Bermuda on Thursday and Friday.
Flights were not the only mode of transportation being affected by the storm. Royal Caribbean altered the itineraries of four cruise ships ahead of the hurricane, including one that was scheduled to dock at a port in St. Maarten on Thursday, but did not due to the storm, according to the group that runs the port.
Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas ship was supposed to visit Halifax, Canada on Saturday, but instead spent the day in Manhattan after leaving from Cape Liberty in New Jersey on Friday, according to Travel Market Report, which monitors travel trends.
Norwegian Cruise Lines has also canceled the planned stops of its Norwegian Escape ship. After leaving Boston on Tuesday, the ship docked in Eastport, Main instead of Portland. It was supposed to go to Halifax, Canada, but instead will head to New York on on Sunday, where it will finish out the remaining two days of the cruise.
Prince Cruise lines has also diverted ships away from Halifax. Instead of stopping in the Canadian city on Thursday, the Emerald Princess left Saint John, Newfoundland and went straight to its homeport in Brooklyn, New York. It arrived one day earlier than expected, on Friday, a representative for the cruise line told CBS News via email.
The cruise line's Caribbean Princess ship docked in Boston on Friday to brace for the storm. The rest of the itinerary for the 10-day cruise may also change due to weather.
"We sincerely apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience these unexpected changes cause our guests, but greatly appreciate their patience and understanding as we prioritize everyone's safety," the representative said.
American Cruise Lines, which has several small ships in Portland, Bangor and New Bedford, Massachusetts, has docked all of its ships in the region ahead of the storm, a representative for the cruise line told CBS News via email. "Further itinerary adjustments will be made, as necessary, according to the weather," the representative said.
CBS News has reached out to these and other cruise lines for more information and is awaiting response.
