Benefits of Taking a Cruise During Hurricane Season

Taking a cruise is the best way to vacation vs. a land vacation in hurricane season.  Common questions asked about cruising during hurricane season are:

• Will my cruise be canceled? (question most asked)
• Will my cruise still stop at my ports during hurricanes?
• Will I get seasick from the hurricane?
• What do cruise ships do during hurricanes?

So why is taking a cruise vacation the best option for a vacation during hurricane season?  The answer is simple, the ship is mobile and can sail out of the way of storms and into sunny skies and calm water.  I recently read a story about a couple who planned their dream vacation to Bermuda.  A day after arriving, they were told the resort was being evacuated and they had to leave due to the island being in the path of the hurricane.  The dream vacation they had planned turned into one night at the resort and then a long day at the airport trying to get a flight out of Bermuda.

If you take a cruise during hurricane season, you do not have to worry about this.  The ships say clear out of the path of storms.  Sometimes this means that you will visit a different port than you were expecting (Example:  Key West instead of Nassau) or have an extra sea day.

However, your vacation that you have been looking forward to for months or years will continue on.  Your ship will not sail into the storm, so no need to worry about taking a cruise when there is a hurricane.  It is extremely rare for a cruise to be canceled due to a tropical storm/hurricane.  If your embarkation port is getting hit with a storm, your trip maybe delayed for a day or two for the safety of the passengers.

Here are some important things to remember if you are cruising during hurricane season.

• Always try to get into your embarkation port the day before you are scheduled to leave, 2 days if you are leaving from a non-US port.  A few years ago, 2 ships had to leave San Juan early when the port was closed, 350 passengers who planned on getting onboard at the last minute were left behind.
• If you have a sea day instead of visiting a scheduled port, you will get your port fees refunded to you, usually in the form of onboard credit.
• Always travel with a passport.  If your ship has to embark early and it leaves before you get there, you can not fly to the next port and meet the ship without a passport.
• Travel Insurance is worth every penny when traveling, especially with the unpredictability of hurricanes. Insurance covers you for luggage delays, medical emergencies, travel interruptions, weather delays, job losses and more.
• Remember that ports can change based on the movement of storms.  Remember to be flexible and enjoy the sunny weather wherever the captain may take you.

Photo Credit: NASA