Tropical storm “Don” is yet another reminder of the kind of flexibility you must have when cruising during hurricane season. Although it is only a tropical storm with sustained winds of 45 miles per hour, this can make for a bumpy ride when out at sea.
Don is also expected to pick up some speed as it heads into the warm Gulf of Mexico waters and could increase in strength as well. This storm will actually bring some much needed rain to Texas, but a couple cruise ships have had to change their itineraries so far, although not by very much.
The Carnival Imagination had a port in Cozumel which has now been changed to Freeport. Cozumel is a beautiful port, but not when it is in the middle of a powerful storm, so even 2,000 passenger ships like the Imagination serve their passengers much better when they simply change their destinations in search for calmer seas.
Another ship, the Carnival Elation is on a 5 night cruise out of Mobile Alabama, and it only had a slight itinerary change, leaving Cozumel an hour earlier than planned. But again, these minor changes in your schedule is what you have to expect when you go on a cruise during hurricane season.
Whenever you book a cruise between July and October you need to stay aware of any changes from your cruise line. Your travel agent can do this for you, or your cruise line will keep in touch with you if you booked directly through them. Changes might include your cruise leaving the port sooner or later than planned and this can affect your plane travel plans as well, so if you are not one for flexibility you will want to schedule a cruise during the calmer months of the seas.
This is also why you can get some great cruise deals during hurricane season. Some people will simply not brave the unknown of this time of year so cruise lines offer lower prices to fill their ships. Although the last few years have been fairly quiet in regards to hurricanes, you just never know when one is going to interrupt your vacation plans.
For those who want to avoid any chance of running into a hurricane you can take cruises to the north like Canada and Alaska this time of year, and then in the winter time you can take a cruise to the Bahamas and Caribbean. You will have to pay a little more, but at least you have little chance of your schedule being interrupted
