Cruising​ ​During​ ​Hurricane​ ​Season,​ ​Updated

We​ ​have​ ​been​ ​watching​ ​the​ ​cruise​ ​industry​ ​for​ ​nearly​ ​twenty​ ​years​ ​now,​ ​taking​ ​note​ ​of​ ​common parts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​experience​ ​regardless​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cruise​ ​line.​ ​​ ​Regardless​ ​of​ ​whether​ ​your​ ​beverage​ ​is served​ ​in​ ​a​ ​can​ ​or​ ​crystal​ ​glass,​ ​on​ ​deck​ ​by​ ​a​ ​friendly​ ​crew​ ​member​ ​in​ ​shorts​ ​or​ ​en​ ​suite​ ​by​ ​a butler​ ​it​ ​won’t​ ​be​ ​happening​ ​if​ ​your​ ​cruise​ ​is​ ​cancelled.​ ​At​ ​that​ ​point,​ ​what​ ​we​ ​paid​ ​is​ ​irrelevant. Whatever​ ​we​ ​were​ ​looking​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​in​ ​the​ ​culinary​ ​department​ ​goes​ ​bad.​ ​The​ ​dreams​ ​we anticipated​ ​becoming​ ​reality​ ​are​ ​sunk.​ ​​ ​Such​ ​was​ ​the​ ​unusual​ ​effect​ ​of​ ​Hurricane​ ​Irma, squashing​ ​the​ ​travel​ ​plans​ ​of​ ​thousands​ ​and​ ​urging​ ​new​ ​caution​ ​when​ ​sailing​ ​during​ ​hurricane season.

Shall​ ​I​ ​Cancel​ ​My​ ​Cruise​ ​During​ ​Hurricane​ ​Season?

First​ ​to​ ​know,​ ​not​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​has​ ​really​ ​changed.​ ​​ ​Historically,​ ​the​ ​period​ ​from​ ​June​ ​to​ ​November which​ ​happens​ ​to​ ​be​ ​hurricane​ ​season​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​time​ ​when​ ​it​ ​is​ ​convenient​ ​for​ ​families​ ​to​ ​travel. That’s​ ​what​ ​fills​ ​up​ ​summer​ ​sailings​ ​and​ ​causes​ ​staterooms​ ​that​ ​hold​ ​three​ ​or​ ​four​ ​travelers​ ​to be​ ​at​ ​a​ ​premium.​ ​​ ​In​ ​the​ ​Fall​ ​as​ ​we​ ​might​ ​think​ ​hurricane​ ​season​ ​is​ ​winding​ ​down,​ ​it​ ​is​ ​actually pumping​ ​up​ ​and​ ​when​ ​most​ ​hurricanes​ ​actually​ ​happen.​ ​​ ​That​ ​increased​ ​hurricane​ ​frequency​ ​in September,​ ​October​ ​and​ ​November​ ​also​ ​comes​ ​with​ ​lower​ ​prices​ ​because​ ​of​ ​it.

Maybe​ ​Sail​ ​From​ ​Somewhere​ ​Other​ ​Than​ ​Florida

Hurricane​ ​Irma​ ​passed​ ​over​ ​Florida,​ ​where​ ​many​ ​cruise​ ​ships​ ​begin​ ​their​ ​itineraries,​ ​causing ports​ ​to​ ​close,​ ​flights​ ​to​ ​be​ ​cancelled​ ​and​ ​travel​ ​plans​ ​to​ ​be​ ​wrecked.​ ​​ ​An​ ​initial​ ​thought​ ​might​ ​be “so​ ​sail​ ​from​ ​somewhere​ ​else?”.​ ​​ ​Not​ ​really​ ​a​ ​good​ ​cure​ ​for​ ​hurricane​ ​season​ ​as​ ​we​ ​see​ ​in​ ​this textbook​ ​season.​ ​​ ​​ ​A​ ​matter​ ​of​ ​days​ ​before​ ​Florida​ ​experienced​ ​Irma​ ​which​ ​shut​ ​down embarkation​ ​ports​ ​in​ ​Miami,​ ​Fort​ ​Lauderdale​ ​and​ ​Tampa,​ ​another​ ​hurricane​ ​wreaked​ ​havoc​ ​on Texas​ ​and​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​busiest​ ​cruise​ ​ports​ ​in​ ​North​ ​America.

Boy​ ​Am​ ​I​ ​Glad​ ​I​ ​Had​ ​Travel​ ​Insurance

Those​ ​scheduled​ ​to​ ​sail​ ​during​ ​recent​ ​hurricane​ ​events​ ​who​ ​bought​ ​travel​ ​protection​ ​that​ ​covers travel​ ​disruptions.​ ​​ ​Like​ ​lost​ ​luggage​ ​coverage,​ ​the​ ​travel​ ​disruption​ ​part​ ​of​ ​travel​ ​protection​ ​is usually​ ​one​ ​on​ ​a​ ​list​ ​of​ ​additional​ ​features​ ​that​ ​are​ ​included​ ​in​ ​the​ ​price.​ ​​ ​The​ ​star​ ​of​ ​the​ ​show​ ​is the​ ​cancellation​ ​benefit​ ​(should​ ​you​ ​cancel​ ​for​ ​a​ ​covered​ ​reason)​ ​and​ ​the​ ​medical​ ​coverage (should​ ​something​ ​happen​ ​to​ ​you​ ​outside​ ​of​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​healthcare​ ​system).​ ​​ ​This​ ​year,​ ​travel disruption​ ​coverage​ ​which​ ​usually​ ​does​ ​not​ ​get​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​attention,​ ​was​ ​the​ ​most​ ​used​ ​of​ ​all included​ ​policy​ ​features.

So​ ​My​ ​Stateroom​ ​Location​ ​Did​ ​Nothing​ ​For​ ​Me

If​ ​the​ ​ship​ ​does​ ​not​ ​sail​ ​because​ ​of​ ​a​ ​hurricane,​ ​​ ​it​ ​does​ ​not​ ​matter​ ​where​ ​your​ ​stateroom​ ​is located.​ ​​ ​You​ ​won’t​ ​be​ ​in​ ​it.​ ​True:​ ​the​ ​exact​ ​center​ ​of​ ​the​ ​ship​ ​has​ ​the​ ​best​ ​ride​ ​in​ ​rough​ ​seas. Also​ ​True:​ ​Avoiding​ ​rough​ ​seas​ ​has​ ​become​ ​as​ ​much​ ​of​ ​a​ ​priority​ ​as​ ​avoiding​ ​rough​ ​air​ ​is​ ​on airlines.​ ​​ ​Case​ ​in​ ​point:​ ​The​ ​ships​ ​that​ ​did​ ​not​ ​sail​ ​this​ ​week.​ ​​ ​Does​ ​this​ ​mean​ ​to​ ​consider hurricanes​ ​when​ ​selecting​ ​a​ ​stateroom?​ ​​ ​No,​ ​that​ ​would​ ​be​ ​silly.​ ​​ ​Still,​ ​we​ ​might​ ​think​ ​twice about​ ​which​ ​sailing​ ​date​ ​if​ ​we​ ​had​ ​a​ ​crystal​ ​ball​ ​and​ ​could​ ​predict​ ​when​ ​hurricanes​ ​will​ ​hit.

Your​ ​Crystal​ ​Ball​ ​For​ ​When​ ​Hurricanes​ ​Will​ ​Hit

I​ ​suppose​ ​there​ ​are​ ​probably​ ​some​ ​travelers​ ​who​ ​were​ ​involved​ ​with​ ​the​ ​decision​ ​on​ ​when​ ​to sail​ ​who​ ​are​ ​saying​ ​“I​ ​told​ ​you​ ​so”​ ​right​ ​now.​ ​​ ​During​ ​the​ ​planning​ ​process,​ ​their​ ​choice​ ​was some​ ​week​ ​other​ ​than​ ​when​ ​hurricanes​ ​hit.​ ​But​ ​before​ ​those​ ​people​ ​go​ ​patting​ ​themselves​ ​on the​ ​back​ ​for​ ​making​ ​the​ ​right​ ​call,​ ​consider​ ​the​ ​reality​ ​of​ ​the​ ​situation:​ ​they​ ​got​ ​lucky. Personally,​ ​I​ ​have​ ​never​ ​been​ ​scheduled​ ​to​ ​sail​ ​then​ ​the​ ​sailing​ ​was​ ​cancelled.​ ​​ ​I​ ​had​ ​a​ ​close call​ ​though.

Preparing​ ​to​ ​travel​ ​with​ ​Viking​ ​River​ ​Cruises​ ​we​ ​were​ ​advised​ ​that​ ​the​ ​ship​ ​might​ ​not​ ​sail​ ​due​ ​to low​ ​water​ ​levels​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Elbe​ ​river​ ​in​ ​eastern​ ​Germany.​ ​​ ​In​ ​that​ ​case,​ ​we​ ​had​ ​a​ ​choice:​ ​go​ ​and experience​ ​a​ ​modified​ ​itinerary​ ​or​ ​cancel​ ​and​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​full​ ​refund.​ ​​ ​We​ ​went,​ ​never​ ​sailed​ ​an inch,​ ​and​ ​enjoyed​ ​that​ ​particular​ ​sailing​ ​more​ ​than​ ​just​ ​about​ ​any​ ​other​ ​river​ ​cruise.

Obviously,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​crystal​ ​ball​ ​somewhere​ ​that​ ​will​ ​tell​ ​us​ ​which​ ​sailings​ ​to​ ​or​ ​not​ ​to​ ​book during​ ​hurricane​ ​season.​ ​​ ​Still,​ ​we​ ​can​ ​make​ ​the​ ​best​ ​of​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​situation​ ​if​ ​prepared​ ​for​ ​whatever might​ ​come​ ​our​ ​way.​ ​But​ ​then​ ​that’s​ ​a​ ​solid​ ​secret​ ​of​ ​enjoying​ ​travel​ ​of​ ​any​ ​kind​ ​at​ ​any​ ​time​ ​of the​ ​year​ ​too.

Chris Owen shares frank, inside information about cruise vacations on ChrisCruises.com