Cruise passengers who were supposed to go to Bermuda arrive in Atlantic Canada

HALIFAX – Cruise ship passengers who planned on a warm-weather vacation but ended up in Atlantic Canada instead say they're disappointed about the last-minute change in plans, but they understand the need to put safety first.

Norwegian Dawn, with a guest capacity of 2,300, was originally supposed to travel to Bermuda, but swept into Halifax on Sunday morning instead — an itinerary change thanks to hurricane Florence.

Cristi Legare, who got off the boat with her family in 10-degree-weather, says Norwegian Cruise Line told her about the change at around 10 p.m. the night before it left Boston on Friday.

She says it's important to protect passenger safety, but she's frustrated that the company isn't offering passengers a partial refund since they're going on a trip that would cost several hundred dollars less than their original vacation.

The ship will also visit Sydney, N.S., Saint John, N.B., and Bar Harbor, Maine, before heading back to Boston.

In a statement, Norwegian Cruise Line said the safety and security of their guests is their top priority, adding that the nature of cruise vacations means that itinerary changes are sometimes necessary for a variety of reasons.