Would you cancel a cruise because of a bad weather forecast?

[Sloop-JohnB]

I for one very much GET your post / situation

 

Vacation time for some people is just harder to come by... Stress filled 2 career families where the idea of Mom & Dad and the kids all being to coordinate their schedules just is not easy !!

 

Which is but another reason to buy good travel insurance... And when it comes to cruising, we too tend to buy the Celebrity Care one that offers the "cancel for whatever reason clause" (better in our mind to sacrifice 25% of the basic cruise fare, than 100% EACH)

 

So ya, if things weren't looking perhaps ideal, ya I might consider canceling as well (ie booked a Summertime Cruise to Bermuda and there is a big old Hurricane heading up the Atlantic which might mean not just rainy days, but also stormy seas)

 

But I also believe that everyone is entitled to make their own choices on what would and would not be comfortable for them or their travel companions (travelling with kids can be a challenge at the best of times)

 

So although you've reached out for advice... And I wouldn't let a little rain put me off... It might indeed make the whole trip miserable for your clan

 

And I understand that (that said I'd give it a bit more time if you can before pulling the plug... 3 to 5 Day Weather Forecasts tend to be the most accurate)

 

Cheers!

Edited August 15, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[spookwife]

Cranky kids because they can't hang out on the beach?! Sorry but who cares where you are or what you are doing as long as you are doing it together as a family?! When we were kids we had squat input or. Control

Over what our vacation was. We went where the 'rents said and we did what they decided what we were doing. Sometimes I was bored to tears. I got told to suck it up and be grateful for what I had. Sometimes I had a freaking blast. If you let mere weather dictate whether or not you can enjoy yourselves you will NEVER enjoy yourselves.

 

That being said that time I was miserable? Was when I was forced to spend a week at the beach. Hated every single aspect of it and ended up sunburnt and heat stroke. I would have sacrificed a few goats to get rain hard and long enough to getting mother inside

 

 

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[Charles4515]

Cranky kids because they can't hang out on the beach?! Sorry but who cares where you are or what you are doing as long as you are doing it together as a family?! When we were kids we had squat input or. Control

Over what our vacation was. We went where the 'rents said and we did what they decided what we were doing. Sometimes I was bored to tears. I got told to suck it up and be grateful for what I had. Sometimes I had a freaking blast. If you let mere weather dictate whether or not you can enjoy yourselves you will NEVER enjoy yourselves.

 

That being said that time I was miserable? Was when I was forced to spend a week at the beach. Hated every single aspect of it and ended up sunburnt and heat stroke. I would have sacrificed a few goats to get rain hard and long enough to getting mother inside

 

 

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These days many more parents spoil their children than back when we were growing up. The parents themselves may have been spoiled. What are these children going to be like? My parents would not have canceled a cruise because of a weather forecast.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Charles4515

[SPacificbound]

No. Weather forecasts are not an exact science. The forecast could say the next seven days sunny with highs in the mid 80's. Or whatever your idea of perfect weather is. Mother nature is a very unpredictable lady.

[bplazo]

Cranky kids because they can't hang out on the beach?! Sorry but who cares where you are or what you are doing as long as you are doing it together as a family?! When we were kids we had squat input or. Control

Over what our vacation was. We went where the 'rents said and we did what they decided what we were doing. Sometimes I was bored to tears. I got told to suck it up and be grateful for what I had. Sometimes I had a freaking blast. If you let mere weather dictate whether or not you can enjoy yourselves you will NEVER enjoy yourselves.

 

That being said that time I was miserable? Was when I was forced to spend a week at the beach. Hated every single aspect of it and ended up sunburnt and heat stroke. I would have sacrificed a few goats to get rain hard and long enough to getting mother inside

 

 

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I was thinking the same thing. Growing up I would have been happy going anywhere regardless of weather.

[Lois R]

I was thinking the same thing. Growing up I would have been happy going anywhere regardless of weather.

 

LOL:D..I remember when I was a kid we would sometimes go camping....

not with a tent but a smaller (much smaller version of Airstream LOL).

Have you ever been to Myrtle Beach, SC in the summertime? HOT.....

Mosquitos and yes, the summer rain could come down too.:eek:.....still

had a good time:)....my folks never cruised when I was a child.......

They did cruise a bit later in life but growing up? Nope....never.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Lois R

[bplazo]

LOL:D..I remember when I was a kid we would sometimes go camping....

not with a tent but a smaller (much smaller version of Airstream LOL).

Have you ever been to Myrtle Beach, SC in the summertime? HOT.....

Mosquitos and yes, the summer rain could come down too.:eek:.....still

had a good time:)....my folks never cruised when I was a child.......

They did cruise a bit later in life but growing up? Nope....never.

 

Omg, that brings back memories of a pup tent with no closing, I remember not sleeping thing about snakes slithering. No bathrooms either just bushes to hide behind.

[Swinden]

It's probably too late for the original poster, but I'm in the weather business and a couple of observations - summer time from June 1 to Nov 1st is hurricane season and the rainy season for the Atlantic basin (western Atlantic and the Caribbean), most likely every day you will have a chance of rain no matter where ever you are in the region....this is why it is the "low season".

 

With that said, unless the weather services is predicting / tracking a tropical cyclone, forecast beyond 72 hours is often a crap shoot....forecast 7 to 10 days out have less a probability....and it all depends on which computer model the weather forcaster is using as there quite a few in use. Personally, the only reason why I would cancel a cruise if I knew there was a tropical cyclone heading our way....but then for me I would want to ride out the storm.

[badger1829]

There is rain forecast for Bermuda every day this week.

 

DH and I are on the Summit to Bermuda leaving this Sunday, traveling with our two boys age 9 and 11. We visit Bermuda for the beaches. If there is rain forecast for all next week too, we are seriously considering canceling our trip. We have Celebrity's cancel for any reason insurance and would be fine with transfering the credit to a sailing this winter.

 

What would you do?

As many others have said, it is up to you. But we would never cancel a cruise because rain was in the forecast

[Seabourn Pearls]

I wouldn't cancel a picnic based on a weather forecast.

[Nanannjen]

My kids are all grown now, but some of our most memorable vacations were during bad weather. We were in an ocean town during a hurricane and still talk about it. Sometimes things don't turn out the way you plan, but better!

 

We were at EPCOT - at the American Adventure (the furthest from the parking lot) - came out and it was pouring - teeming. We ran and laughed the entire way to the car. Kids were about 9 and 11, maybe. 15 years later - they still have fond memories of that day. Kids remember the most remarkable things - not always the memories you had "planned" for them!

[Lois R]

Did they decide to go on the cruise???.....this thread was started

last week and they were supposed to be crusiing TODAY.

[josie724]

We were at EPCOT - at the American Adventure (the furthest from the parking lot) - came out and it was pouring - teeming. We ran and laughed the entire way to the car. Kids were about 9 and 11, maybe. 15 years later - they still have fond memories of that day. Kids remember the most remarkable things - not always the memories you had "planned" for them!

Lol similar thing happened to us at MGM studios at Disney. We arrived in a severe rain storm, waited it out in the car. Once the rain stopped we entered the park and it was empty, we pretty much had the park to ourselves, no lines at all. So it was a blessing, not a problem, and of course my kids still talk about it. Funny isn't it? The things you don't plan for make the best memories!

[Topo Gigio]

By the time there is a bad weather forecast for your cruise, you are wayy over final payment date...

[Lois R]

By the time there is a bad weather forecast for your cruise, you are wayy over final payment date...

 

That is true but if you read some of the original posters's replies she

said they got insurance for "any problem" at all and then it sounded

like it would not be a problem if they lost some of their $$....

But I thought the exact same thing.....if a person is going to cancel

a week before their cruise? Normally insurance would not cover

"I changed my mind".

[wwcruisers]

Did they decide to go on the cruise???.....this thread was started

last week and they were supposed to be crusiing TODAY.

 

Lois -- I seriously doubt that we'll ever know. I think that if someone is getting ready to pull the plug on a cruise (or any other pre-paid vacation) at the very last minute -- well -- there must be something more it than just an unfavorable weather forecast. :confused:

[cyntil8ing]

My family just got off the Summit yesterday. We were onboard for that forecasted three days of rain in Bermuda. I would have never considered canceling because of a forecast. My children had been looking forward to this cruise and counting the days since school ended.

 

We had on/off again rain on Wednesday; a few light showers now and again, a few downpours that lasted maybe 10 minutes each. We did a private tour and had a great day despite getting wet a few times.

 

Thursday was a little cloudy in the am, but mostly sunny the rest of the day. We arrived at Warwick Long Bay around 11:00 and spent the day beach hopping to Horseshoe Bay. There was a quick shower in the mid-afternoon that chased everyone away. I just don't understand why hundreds of people who are IN the water immediately jump out and leave if a shower passes by. It was bright and sunny again in less than 15 minutes and the crowd was gone.

 

Friday was perfect weather. A few bright, puffy clouds here and there. Lots of sun. We couldn't have asked for anything better.

 

I can't even begin to imagine my children's disappointment if we had canceled this cruise, especially when so much of the time the weather ended up being just fine.

[lolavix]

My first post here was #48. I was going to Bermuda a few days before the OP and my forecast four days out was something like 80% chance of rain Sunday, 80% chance of rain Monday, 50% chance of rain Tuesday. Another weather site contradicted this and said "a few showers" for each day.

 

This was the reality:

 

Sunday--cloudy as we pulled into port. Sunny and gorgeous by the time we stepped off the boat. We all wound up sunburned.

 

Monday--Sunny and gorgeous for most of the day. As we returned to the ship, we had a brief (maybe 10-15 minute) downpour.

 

Tuesday--Sunny and gorgeous the entire day, until we sailed away from Bermuda

 

I actually did think about the OP and wondered what she wound up doing.

Edited August 24, 2014 by lolavix

[Zou Bisou Bisou]

I was thinking the same thing. Growing up I would have been happy going anywhere regardless of weather.

 

Did your parents dislike children as much as you do?

[pattyfe]

Did your parents dislike children as much as you do?

 

Where did you get that idea?

[phoenix_dream]

These days many more parents spoil their children than back when we were growing up. The parents themselves may have been spoiled. What are these children going to be like? My parents would not have canceled a cruise because of a weather forecast.

 

Amen to that. I do not know the OP so would not presume to comment on their family in particular. But in general, I believe that until you are the one paying for it, you don't get a vote. You can express an opinion but the final decision rests with the parents. Smart parents will want to book a vacation where there is a reasonable expectation that the family as a whole will enjoy the trip. But then I am also with the opinion that just spending time together as a family - in particular when both parents work and are very busy - is what vacations are really all about. To decide vacations based on the kids not being bored or being cranky? That'll be the day.

[BunnyLebowski]

Did they decide to go on the cruise???.....this thread was started

last week and they were supposed to be crusiing TODAY.

 

OP here. We went and had a fantastic time! Got in our perfect beach day on Wednesday and were back in the cabin just prior to the brief downpour that day. Many correctly predicted that there is so much to do on the ship itself that the kids would have hardly been phased if rain forced them to spend more time indoors with their new friends.

 

Thanks to all who took such a keen interest in our family's vacation plans! Great weather for almost the entire time. Everyone wanted to stay longer. Enjoyed ourselves so much we booked another suite for an 11 night med cruise next summer.

 

Was a little surprised to see this thread still going...many opinions, clearly.

 

May everyone enjoy their future sailings!

[captdave]

I was one of the first to post, told ya.

 

CaptDave

[DebbieMacG]

OP here. We went and had a fantastic time! Got in our perfect beach day on Wednesday and were back in the cabin just prior to the brief downpour that day. Many correctly predicted that there is so much to do on the ship itself that the kids would have hardly been phased if rain forced them to spend more time indoors with their new friends.

 

Thanks to all who took such a keen interest in our family's vacation plans! Great weather for almost the entire time. Everyone wanted to stay longer. Enjoyed ourselves so much we booked another suite for an 11 night med cruise next summer.

 

Was a little surprised to see this thread still going...many opinions, clearly.

 

May everyone enjoy their future sailings!

 

I'm glad you went and had a great time, as I said the weather can be so changeable :) thanks for coming back and letting everyone know.

 

 

We had rain here at Loch Ness for the first 23 days of August, it was cold and we had to have the heating on. The last three days have been hot and sunny :)

[A Sixth?]

Last week was one thing... didn't the Summit divert to Florida instead of heading to Bermuda for this weeks's sailing (Aug 24th) ?

 

Maybe not a great move looking at these wind and wave charts for this morning. :eek:

 

Edited August 26, 2014 by A Sixth?