Hurricane Earl - Canadian Port Changes

After knocking nearly a dozen cruise ships sailing in the Bahamas and the Caribbean off course in recent days, a northbound Hurricane Earl is now having an impact on vessels that sail to New England, Canada and Bermuda.

In the most dramatic fallout so far, Holland America says the 1,258-passenger Maasdam, currently on a seven-night sailing to Canada and New England, will return to its home port of Boston today two days ahead of schedule to ride out the storm at dock. Calls at Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia, as well as Bar Harbor, Maine have been canceled.

"This will put the ship safely alongside (a dock) in Boston ahead of the storm's anticipated arrival," the line says in statement. "Guests are welcome to stay onboard the ship until Saturday morning."

Holland America also has announced the 2,104-passenger Eurodam, currently on a trans-Atlantic cruise to New York, will call Friday at Halifax instead Sydney, Nova Scotia to avoid the storm. The ship will remain at sea on Saturday and Sunday to stay out of the storm's path before arriving in New York on Monday.

Another Holland America ship that sails out of New York to Bermuda, the 1,350-passenger Veendam, will depart Hamilton, Bermuda on Friday several hours early to make its return trip to New York as the storm approaches.

Other lines with New York-based ships making changes:

-- Princess Cruises. The 3,080-passenger Caribbean Princess will skip today's call in Halifax and sail directly for New York to avoid the worst effect of the hurricane, the line says. In an unusual diversion, the ship will pull into a Manhattan cruise berth on Friday for the day before moving early Saturday to its normal berth across the harbor at the Cruise Terminal in Brooklyn in time for disembarkation Saturday morning.

-- Carnival. The line says the 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle, racing to stay ahead of Hurricane Earl, will pull into New York late on Friday, half a day ahead of schedule, as it returns to the city after an eight-night voyage to the Bahamas. The ship skipped a scheduled call in Nassau on Wednesday so it could depart for home early.