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Cruise Lines Have Headaches As Irene Thrashes Coast

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – While much of the attention for Hurricane Irene has been on airline and rail travel, the cruise industry is also having to adjust schedules leaving some travelers stranded as they try to make it home.

Miami-based Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines have adjusted sailing times for ships scheduled to leave New York City this weekend. Holland America also decided to make changes to its schedule including cancelling canceling calls for the ship Veendam in the northeast after it leaves New York.

In addition, several of the cruise lines that have private islands have seen Hurricane Irene leave a path of destruction through the areas. Irene hit Royal Caribbean's CocoCay and Norwegian Cruise Lines Great Stirrup Cay, according to USAToday.com reported.

The Disney Cruise Line rerouted a ship to give the company time to inspect Castaway Cay, its private island, after Irene tore through the Caribbean and the Bahamas, USAToday.com reported.

But even those who are returning to port in Miami and Fort Lauderdale are finding another problem in front of them. With the mass flight cancellations, hundreds of passengers are ending up stranded at local airports.

Click here for more on the flight cancellations

Hurricane Irene is slowly weakening as it moves up the East Coast, but the sheer size of the storm has made it difficult for any types of travel this weekend. Until Irene moves away and an all-clear is given, traveling will be dicey at best leaving travelers everywhere looking to say "Good Night Irene."

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