Congratulations – you booked a cruise during hurricane season, and now you are freaking out. All you wanted to do was get a great cruise deal on an epic cruise itinerary, and now you are second-guessing yourself. Good news – as New Orleans Based Travel Agents, we are here to help you find What Cruise ships do in a hurricane.
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Can a cruise ship survive a hurricane?
Today’s modern cruise ships are built to withstand rough seas and turbulent wind. Still, they were also built to outrun or avoid a hurricane. Cruise lines follow weather patterns and warnings very carefully. They will change itineraries or cancel sailings to keep passengers and crews out of harm’s way.
How many hurricanes are expected each year?
Each year The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for cases of hurricane season. 2023 is forecasted to be a range of 12-17 total named storms, with 5-9 of those becoming hurricanes and 1-4 major hurricanes.
A major storm would be considered a category 3, 4, or 5 5.
When Is the Atlantic Hurricane Season?
The Atlantic Hurricane season officially starts June 1st and lasts until November 30th. This six-month period accounts for 97% of all Atlantic Tropical Storms and hurricanes.
The peak of the hurricane season that would affect US cruise ports includes Mid August-Mid October.
When Is Hurricane Season in the Caribbean?
The Caribbean hurricane season is the same as the Atlantic Hurricane season. Even though a hurricane can hit any of the islands in the Caribbean, Trinidad, Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire Barbados, Curacao, Grenada, and Saint Vincent are less likely to be hit by hurricanes than other islands.
When Is the Pacific Hurricane Season?
Most people think of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico when it comes to hurricane season. Still, the Pacific Ocean also has hurricane season from June 1-November 30. They tend to average eight hurricanes a year.
Where can I cruise to avoid hurricane season?
If you are set on using your summer vacation for cruising but also want to avoid hurricane season, consider taking a cruise to Alaska from May to September or a European cruise from May to October. River Cruising in Europe is another option to avoid the Caribbean during this time.
Where to find the latest updates on how cruises are affected by hurricanes?
The best place to start with information is directly with the cruise line. Your cruise line will be in contact with any passengers whose itinerary is affected by a hurricane.
If you are already on your cruise and a hurricane is affecting a port of call or your ship’s path, the captain will address all passengers with an announcement, written letter, or a message on your TV.
I also like following local meteorologists’ Twitter and Facebook pages for the latest information. If sailing out of New Orleans, you can follow Scott Pile; James Van Fleet is the chief meteorologist for Royal Caribbean. Of course, the National Hurricane Center is a great resource.
What To Do If You Can’t Get to Your Cruise Ship Because of a Hurricane
When a port is affected by a hurricane, there are many reasons why people cannot get to the port. Hurricanes are unpredictable, and flights may change, cancel, or delay.
If your cruise is still sailing, but your flight is canceled or delayed, check your travel documents to see if you could meet with the cruise ship at another port of call.
What to do if your cruise is affected by a hurricane
You can only do so much if your cruise is affected by a hurricane! The previous cruise may stay away from the port until it is safe to dock, your cruise itinerary changes, and you are going to alternative ports, or the cruise could be canceled altogether.
The cruise only needs to compensate passengers if they have travel insurance.
How are passengers compensated for cruise changes due to a hurricane?
Depending on the severity of the hurricane, some cruise lines may issue a future cruise credit, additional onboard credit, or even a percentage off for a future cruise.
Critical Tips for Hurricane Season Cruises
There is always a risk sailing on a hurricane season cruise, but thousands of passengers take that risk so they can go on their ideal cruise vacation. If a hurricane or tropical storm doesn’t scare you, let’s check out some tips to get you through the storm season.
Look for a cruise deal.
A cruise during hurricane season can be one of the cheapest cruises you go on! A cruise ship would instead their ship be filled with people paying a lower price than sail empty! The chance of you hitting bad weather is minimal, so if you book a cruise, ensure you get a good deal!
You can also get some last-minute cruise deals if you want to sail during Hurricane Season.
Be flexible
If a storm develops, you need to make sure you are flexible. Most hurricanes develop and are tracked for a few days, and seasoned cruisers know the storm’s path can change dramatically. Make sure you get to your departure port a day or two early and have some extra vacation days in case you are stuck on the cruise ship.
Be Careful booking shore excursions.
We love doing a mixture of cruise line-sponsored excursions and DIY or on-your-own excursions through third parties; however, ensure you are not booking a nonrefundable excursion.
Get good travel insurance.
If you are going to gamble with a hurricane and want to try to get a partial or full refund – get yourself some good travel insurance.
You want to verify that the travel insurance policy covers disruption of weather-related events. Remember to read that fine print because you cannot purchase travel insurance once a hurricane is a known and foreseeable threat.
Before committing to the perfect plan, check out a few travel insurance policies.
Bring Seasickness Medicines
Even though sailing during the late summer has calmer waters, if you run into a big storm, you may have some inclement weather that rocks the boat. Be prepared with Seasickness medicine and alternatives to help you if you do feel ill.
Book with a travel agent
If you still need to book your End of summer to early Fall Cruise – reach out to Sunset Chasers Travel Agency today so we can help you book the perfect cruise. We advise you to refrain from sailing during the peak period of August-September. Still, if you take all the proper precautions, you will avoid rough seas and have smooth sailing.
Have I ever sailed during Hurricane Season?
Have I ever gone on a cruise during /hurricane season? No, I haven’t! Summertime is not an excellent time for me to use my vacation day. I also live in New Orleans, so I stay close to home if I need to pack up my stuff and evacuate my house at the last minute.
But since I have never done a Hurricane Season Cruise, does that mean you shouldn’t? No! If you are comfortable sailing during that time of year, go for it! Just make sure you pack a good attitude if you come face to face with hurricane-force winds!
Hurricane Season Cruises: Bottom Line
Cruising during hurricane season does not need to be that scary if you are prepared! Passenger safety is necessary, but the cruise line will ensure the ship is never in the hurricane’s path.
If you have a missed or alternative port during your vacation, consider it a bonus with an extra sea day. You get a great discount on sailing and will have great memories to tell your friends back home.
If you do not want to sail in the Caribbean during hurricane season, please get in touch with us for options on an Alaskan Cruise.
