Thousands of flights were canceled Saturday after Friday’s FAA ground stop, just as Florida’s busiest cruise ports turned around their ships. Here is what cruise lines say and what to do.
Friday’s nationwide flight shutdown could not have come at a worse time for cruisers.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted departures at U.S. airports at 3:54 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, Nov. 13. It lifted the ground stop at 8:15 p.m., AvWeb reports. But the ripple effect hit Saturday, one of the busiest days of the week for cruise ships to finish one trip and start the next.
More than 5,000 U.S. flights were canceled Saturday and about 5,300 more were delayed, CBS News reports, citing FlightAware.
What caused the FAA ground stop?
Officials blamed a telecommunications outage.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said switches and routers in the FAA’s system became overloaded with data and went down, NBC News reports. Officials found no evidence of a cyberattack, according to AvWeb.
On Saturday, Duffy said operations were back to full strength, CBS News reports. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford expected airlines to be fully back on schedule by the end of the day Sunday.
How many cruise ships sailed this weekend?
A lot.
Cruise Hive counted 17 ships at Florida ports near the hardest-hit airports on Saturday, Nov. 14:
PortMiami: 7 ships
Port Canaveral: 6 ships
Port Everglades: 4 ships
Four more ships were at the Port of Galveston in Texas. In Los Angeles, Discovery Princess was also scheduled to sail Saturday.
Will cruise ships wait for passengers with canceled flights?
Usually, no.
Cruise lines do not typically delay departures because of flight problems, Cruise Hive reports. A ground stop affects planes, not ships.
Royal Caribbean alone had nine scheduled departures on Saturday, TheTravel reports. Royal Caribbean Blog says the line sent letters to cabins on ships such as Liberty of the Seas about the disruption. The cruise line advises guests who cannot make it on time to consider flying to the ship’s next port and joining there.
Royal Caribbean requires guests to be checked in and on board at least 90 minutes before the ship departs, The Walking Cruiser reports.
What if you booked flights through the cruise line?
That can make a big difference.
Carnival says that if a flight booked through its Fly2Fun program makes you miss embarkation, it will arrange for you to meet the ship at a later port where the law allows, according to The Walking Cruiser. If that does not work, guests get a future cruise credit.
If you booked your own flights, Carnival’s ticket contract says no-shows are not refunded. You would normally pay your own way to catch up with the ship.
Royal Caribbean’s optional Travel Protection Program can cover extra hotel, meal and catch-up travel costs if a covered delay makes you miss your departure, TheTravel reports.
How far did cruisers go to make their ships?
Some guests skipped the airport entirely.
One Royal Caribbean guest posted on Reddit about driving 19 hours from Michigan after the ground stop hit just before they left for the airport, TheTravel reports. Their original flight was later canceled.
Other cruisers posted on social media that their flights were canceled with no new options until Monday, according to Royal Caribbean Blog.
Are airlines offering refunds or waivers?
Yes. Delta and United announced travel waivers, Fox 9 reports. The FAA said passengers should contact their airlines about flights and any possible compensation.
Policies differ by airline, so check yours directly.
What should cruisers do if they are flying this weekend?
If you are sailing in the next few days, here are some tips:
Check your flight before leaving home. Look at the airline’s app or website, not just the airport board.
Call the cruise line early. If your flight is canceled, let them know as soon as possible and ask about joining at a later port.
Consider driving. If you live within a day’s drive of the port, it may be the safest bet.
Read your insurance policy. Some travel insurance covers missed departures caused by flight delays.
What about passengers getting off ships this weekend?
They may face delays too.
Guests finishing cruises over the weekend may run into canceled or delayed flights home, Cruise Hive reports. The backlog could take several days to fully clear.
If your cruise ends this weekend, check your flight status before you leave the ship.
Did the ground stop affect your cruise plans? Tell us how you made it to your ship.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
Cruise Hive (Nov. 14, 2026), the ships in port, airport impacts and advice
AvWeb (Nov. 14, 2026), the ground stop times and cause
CBS News (Nov. 14, 2026), Saturday cancellations and the recovery timeline
NBC News (Nov. 13, 2026), Duffy’s explanation of the outage
Royal Caribbean Blog (Nov. 14, 2026), cruisers’ reports and Royal Caribbean’s advice
TheTravel (Nov. 14, 2026), Royal Caribbean departures, protection program and the 19-hour drive
The Walking Cruiser (Nov. 13, 2026), boarding deadlines and Carnival’s Fly2Fun policy
Fox 9 (Nov. 14, 2026), airline travel waivers
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