Cruising Around Hurricanes

[GirlWriter]

Hi all! I have seen many posts about how cruise ships rarely cancel because of inclement weather, how they just change itineraries as needed, etc.

 

I don't know much about how hurricanes work or the "nimbleness" of cruise ships, so my question may be unfounded (and probably is), but I have always wondered about the safety of this approach ... can't / don't hurricanes sometimes turn "on a dime" (so to speak)? And can't they travel faster than a cruise ship can sail?

 

I just picture in my mind a cruise ship trying to outrun a hurricane sort of like a truck trying to dodge a tornado. It just seems a little foolhardy.

 

Does anyone have any scientifically based information that would help me understand why this is safe for the cruise ships to do?

[ColinIllinois]

Hi all! I have seen many posts about how cruise ships rarely cancel because of inclement weather, how they just change itineraries as needed, etc.

 

I don't know much about how hurricanes work or the "nimbleness" of cruise ships, so my question may be unfounded (and probably is), but I have always wondered about the safety of this approach ... can't / don't hurricanes sometimes turn "on a dime" (so to speak)? And can't they travel faster than a cruise ship can sail?

 

I just picture in my mind a cruise ship trying to outrun a hurricane sort of like a truck trying to dodge a tornado. It just seems a little foolhardy.

 

Does anyone have any scientifically based information that would help me understand why this is safe for the cruise ships to do?

 

Hurricanes actually are very slow moving. You hear about the 115 mph winds but the actually hurricane, for example Irene, is only moving at 9 mph.

 

Ships have state of the art weather equipment (radar, satellite access) that easily allows them to avoid the path.

[GirlWriter]

Hurricanes actually are very slow moving. You hear about the 115 mph winds but the actually hurricane, for example Irene, is only moving at 9 mph.

 

Ah! I never picked up on that distinction before, so that explains quite a bit! :)

[time2cruise1]

The main reason they sail around hurricanes is for your comfort. As long as a modern cruise ship is at sea all but the very worst storms are a safety problem. As pointed out the ship can cruise 2-4 times as fast a typical storm.

 

Having been in a cat 4 storm on the Pearl with winds across the bridge peaking at 150 mph I can tell I was never nervous.

 

 

[VideoTech]

The main reason they sail around hurricanes is for your comfort. As long as a modern cruise ship is at sea all but the very worst storms are a safety problem. As pointed out the ship can cruise 2-4 times as fast a typical storm.

 

Having been in a cat 4 storm on the Pearl with winds across the bridge peaking at 150 mph I can tell I was never nervous.

 

 

 

Wow, that's something I hope I never see on a cruise!

[time2cruise1]

Wow, that's something I hope I never see on a cruise!

 

It was fun. You just had to hold onto your plate and glass to keep them on the table :eek:

 

 

 

[gagal10]

It was fun. You just had to hold onto your plate and glass to keep them on the table :eek:

 

 

 

 

 

How fun.. :) I keep trying to convince the hubby to do a fall cruise, but so far no go.. Don't think I'll show him this. Was it rough with those high winds?? Lots of people getting seasick?? I would love it! :)

[che5904]

The main reason they sail around hurricanes is for your comfort. As long as a modern cruise ship is at sea all but the very worst storms are a safety problem. As pointed out the ship can cruise 2-4 times as fast a typical storm.

 

Having been in a cat 4 storm on the Pearl with winds across the bridge peaking at 150 mph I can tell I was never nervous.

 

 

 

So this is why I don't cruise in the fall.

 

I do have a question, is there a special camera you used to take this photo, or a special setting. Everytime I try to photo my TV screen to get these shots, I have lines running through.

[VideoTech]

How fun.. :) I keep trying to convince the hubby to do a fall cruise, but so far no go.. Don't think I'll show him this. Was it rough with those high winds?? Lots of people getting seasick?? I would love it! :)

 

Actually, hurricane season runs July to November. Late fall and winter cruises are usually fine!

[HelliCap]

I was on the Carnival Ecstasy during Hurricane Rita in the GOM. We had very rough seas, that is when I found out that I do not get sea sick. The crew, the entertainment, and 90% of the passengers were sick. I had not taken any medicine at all for the whole cruise and was standing through the whole thing. It was all you can eat lobster night :p. (I got in a lot of trouble when I brought one back to the room for later :o).

[time2cruise1]

So this is why I don't cruise in the fall.

 

I do have a question, is there a special camera you used to take this photo, or a special setting. Everytime I try to photo my TV screen to get these shots, I have lines running through.

 

This was actually the first week in Dec. Last named storm of the season Nov 29. Pearl from southampton to Miami.

 

The new flat screen tvs are easy to photograph unlike the old picture tube tvs. No special camera or settings needed.

[che5904]

This was actually the first week in Dec. Last named storm of the season Nov 29. Pearl from southampton to Miami.

 

The new flat screen tvs are easy to photograph unlike the old picture tube tvs. No special camera or settings needed.

 

Thanks for the info. I love to have shots of the info on the TV but couldn't ever get them.

[DPurcell58]

Still wondering what the Jewel is going to do this Sat., maybe they can sail around who knows

[time2cruise1]

The jewel should get out of NYC fine. Clearly going to head east first and most likely late into FL

 

The Gem on Sunday another story. They could race back and dock Sat night but they don't want a ship tied to a pier in a Cat 2. My bet she will not dock until Monday AM if the track and timeline stay as is.

[Seago2]

Thanks for the info and great pics- by "great" I mean "OH GREAT" because I am sailing out of NYC on Saturday at 5 on the Caribbean Princess. We are due to call in Nova Scotia Monday and then make our way back down the East Coast, stopping at various places that will make you all say "hahahahaha" so I won't even go there. Basically right into the middle of the projected path of the storm.

 

Thoughts, anyone? Bermuda? A nice, expensive week in NYC waiting?

[CruisinCrow]

Actually, hurricane season runs July to November. Late fall and winter cruises are usually fine!

 

Hurricane season is June 1 to November 30 but the peak of the season is August and September.

 

Knowing that, we still went to Jamaica last September. We were fine but I was really nervous about it. I prefer to avoid September!

[swedish weave]

I just got off NCL website, and they have updated the ship's schedules that are affected by Hurricane Irene.

[time2cruise1]

Thanks for the info and great pics- by "great" I mean "OH GREAT" because I am sailing out of NYC on Saturday at 5 on the Caribbean Princess. We are due to call in Nova Scotia Monday and then make our way back down the East Coast, stopping at various places that will make you all say "hahahahaha" so I won't even go there. Basically right into the middle of the projected path of the storm.

 

Thoughts, anyone? Bermuda? A nice, expensive week in NYC waiting?

 

Pack some shorts and bathing suits. Not Bermuda as all the docks are full.

[swedish weave]

Norwegian Gem arrived in Bermuda this morning. The ship will leave Thursday at 6:00 pm, a day earlier than planned, to avoid the path of the storm. Norwegian Gem will arrive in New York on Sunday, August 28 as scheduled.

 

Norwegian Jewel did not call on Nassau, Bahamas today and instead is spending the day at sea, heading north to return to New York on Saturday, August 27 as scheduled.

 

Norwegian Sky has canceled its call to Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas today and is spending the day at sea. Tomorrow, the ship will miss its call to Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas and instead call on Key West, Florida from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

 

This is from NCL weather alert today.

[Seago2]

I just got off NCL website, and they have updated the ship's schedules that are affected by Hurricane Irene.

 

Yes, I saw that the Gem is still scheduled to come into NYC on Sunday. That flies in the face of everything that is projected for Sunday... not the arrival but the later sailaway time. Even the arrival should be well after the storm surge is due to get bad. So- I guess that is due to change if necessary.

 

Oh well!

[joejoemcd]

This website helps for seeing where and when the sea will be rough, and how rough.

 

http://www.stormsurfing.com/cgi/display.cgi?a=natla_height

 

47.9 is the most wind I have ever seen on board, that 92.2 pic is awesome, I wish I was on board!

 

[cabincop]

I was on Celebrity in 1996 Hurrica Eduardo I love rough seas but felt bad for crew and passengers, I never get sick either you can look up the hurrican on Youtube I think it was Aug or early Sept. Now they have better weather info

[GrandmaHofmann]

The only time we had to outrun a hurricane was Christmas week!

[wisteria1019]

We were on a Celebrity cruise last early October sailing out of Fort Lauderdale. We had to miss 3 ports due to storms. The captain was fabulous - kept us safe and in warm, sunny weather. This year we are on the Dawn sailing 11/02 - hope we are able to miss the bulk of hurricane season.