Cruise ship passengers and crew members who were delayed at sea finally made their way back to the Port of Tampa.
Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas had been forced to sit offshore for more than 24 hours because of the dense coastal fog that had blanketed the area.
"In the winter months when the water in the Gulf of Mexico gets cold and moist air moves on top of that water, that’s when sea fog forms," Bay News 9 Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay said.
And for the last two days, the sea fog has lingered.
This is the first time in port history that sea fog has canceled a turnaround, which means people on the boat are getting home late and the following cruise has been scrapped.
As a result of the sea fog, more than 2,000 stranded passengers were on hold with Royal Caribbean when the cruise line eventually decided to cancel the cruise. Royal Caribbean is offering a full refund, plus 25 percent of the fare paid toward another cruise.
The sea fog also affected the passengers on the ship. Ohio State University football coach Urban Meyer and several former players were on board for a cancer fundraiser. They took advantage of their two extra days at sea, tweeting and enjoying the extra moments, even if it was in the fog.
The cruise line says it's hard to tell how long the fog will stick around, which is why the company didn't cancel the cruise until Tuesday afternoon.
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