Debunking fears and myths of cruising during Atlantic hurricane season.
Atlantic hurricane season debuts on June 1, 2023 and will last until November 30. With this, concerns arise with would-be travelers about the impacts a potential storm could have on their vacation plans.
Hurricanes can cause major headaches for all kinds of coastal travel but in particular, have a unique mark on the cruise industry. Because of this, many travelers fear cruising during this time of year for a variety of reasons. This blog will hopefully serve to ease those fears while also providing some advice to cruising through Atlantic hurricane season.
What is the likelihood a hurricane will actually impact my cruise?
In short, not very likely. This answer partially depends on where you are cruising from and to, but the chances of your vacation being impacted by a hurricane are actually pretty low. Chances increase the deeper you get into the season but most cruises between June and the end of November will go unimpacted. It's a low probability that a storm will be happening at the moment and place of your cruise that will cause significant disruption of your travel plans. This doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare, it certainly happens, but don't let this stop you from enjoying the planning and anticipation of your trip.
What happens if a hurricane impacts my cruise?
This answer also is dependent on a variety of factors. First, if a storm is simply impacting your destination (ports of call), a simple itinerary change might be all that is needed to keep your vacation on track. This happened to me personally on a cruise in 2011. We were sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. When we departed Fort Lauderdale for our first port, we were informed that a tropical storm was headed towards St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Our cruise itinerary changed. We stopped at Nassau and then headed west to Costa Maya and Cozumel to avoid the storm in the eastern Caribbean. While we were disappointed to miss two of our favorite ports, we still had a wonderful cruise with great weather and impact of the weather was minimal on our vacation. Royal Caribbean also compensated us with some onboard credit for the disruption.
The worst case scenario is that a storm is headed towards your embarkation (boarding) port around the time you are scheduled to embark or disembark. This can cause delays or cancellations. If a storm is bearing down on your embarkation port near boarding day, it is likely that the cruise line will cancel or truncate your cruise to avoid putting you in harms way. If a hurricane or tropical system is nearing your disembarkation port when you are set to leave, the ship will stay at sea until it safe to return and allow you to head home. You will be fully compensated for lost days or cancellations but this is where trip insurance can become very important. More on that in a second.
Is it dangerous to cruise during hurricane season?
Absolutely not. A cruise ship is a moving vessel. If a storm is headed near your path, the ship can simply go to a place of better weather. All cruise lines have top-notch meteorologist to advise them on forecasts to assist them in placing their ships and guests in the best position possible to enjoy their vacation. Hurricanes don't just appear out of nowhere, so there will be plenty of time for the cruise companies to prepare and move your itinerary when a storm is approaching.
A cruise ship is actually a much safer location to be during a storm than a beach destination where you stay in a condo and resort. As mentioned above, the crew will move the ship to a safe place and won't return you to a port until the weather passes. If you are on the coast during a tropical weather event, a ship is a great place to maneuver to clear skies and ride out the storm. Some cruise lines have even used their ships to take the shoreside staff to safety when strong weather is bearing down on their headquarters.
It is 100% safe to be a ship during hurricane season.
Are the seas rougher during hurricane season?
When there is no tropical weather events in the area of your cruise, the seas are really no different during hurricane season than any other time year. That being said, this is a period of heightened weather activity. While the ship will navigate around any potentially dangerous weather, that doesn't mean you won't necessarily encounter some choppy seas in the process. If the ship has to pass behind, next to, or in front of a storm, there may be some high winds and rough surf during that time period. It's not dangerous at all, but might make the ride a little uncomfortable. This is no different than a passenger plane navigating around bad weather.
If you have concerns about seasickness or rough seas, book a room on lower decks near the center of the ship. The calmest seas tend to be on either side of hurricane season.
What can I do to prevent issues while sailing during hurricane season?
Trip insurance, trip insurance, trip insurance. While cruise lines will compensate you in terms of refunds for cancelled or truncated trips due to weather, disruptions in travel to and from the port can add expenses that might not be subject to compensation from your cruise line. Flights purchased through the cruise line are covered during travel delay and disruption but if you are a price sensitive cruiser like the rest of us, you likely booked separately from the cruise line. If you have to change your flight because tropical weather delays or extends your cruise, travel insurance will cover extra expenses you may occur like flight re-booking fees, hotel stays, and other travel related expenses.
It is important to stay flexible when cruising during hurricane season. Plans change, storms arise, and while they may be rare, can cause disruption to your plans. Be prepared by having trip insurance to ease your mind and protect you financially. In all likelihood, you won't encounter this situation, but if you do, you'll be covered and can be flexible on your travel plans.
Utilizing a travel agent also provides you with additional support should something go wrong. We can act on your behalf and can work behind the scenes to help you rebook, get to your cruise, home from your cruise, and everything else while you simply enjoy your trip. CruiseNReview can assist you with booking travel insurance and always provides support before, during, and after your trip. For assistance in planning, click here.
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