Carnival Cruise Line sent out a statement to warn guests of cold weather in Norfolk during Carnival Sunshine’s upcoming cruise.

As part of its year-round schedule on the U.S. East Coast, the 1996-built ship is scheduled to depart from its homeport in Virginia on Feb. 7, 2026.

“We are looking forward to having you sail with us, but ahead of your embarkation, we have an update regarding the weather to help you prepare for your first day onboard,” the company explained.

“Due to the significantly low outdoor temperature in the area, in combination with many open decks, it is going to take extra measures to warm the interior parts of the vessel while it is docked in Norfolk,” Carnival continued.

“We encourage you to dress in layers for embarkation, which will come in handy as our team implements additional measures to warm the ship.”

Carnival also warned guests to adhere to their pre-selected terminal arrival appointment for check-in, noting that all passengers must be onboard by the final boarding time indicated on their boarding pass.

Sailing roundtrip from Norfolk, the Carnival Sunshine is scheduled to offer an eight-night cruise to the Caribbean and the Bahamas on Feb. 7, 2026.

The itinerary is highlighted by a visit to Carnival Corporation’s private island of RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay.

Other destinations set to be visited include Grand Turk and Amber Cove, respectively, in Turks & Caicos and the Dominican Republic.

In related news, the Carnival Sunshine recently had to advance its return to Norfolk due to weather conditions in the Norfolk area.

As reported by Cruise Industry News, the 3,000-passenger ship docked at the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center one day earlier than scheduled to avoid a winter storm.

The weather system also affected other vessels sailing in the region, including the Carnival Pride, which adjusted its itinerary to head back to its homeport in Baltimore before conditions worsened.