Is it a gamble cruising the Caribbean?

[phoenix_dream]

All of my cruises in the Caribbean (probably 20 all told, perhaps a few more) have been in the winter or spring. I guess I have been lucky as we have never missed one port due to weather. Had some rough seas a few times due to storms, but that's it. I'm sure summer is a little more chancy.

[north29]

If the odds for a bad weather cruise were the same as gambling in the Casino, I would live in the Casino LOL

[Finabear]

We left NJ early for a Bermuda cruise last September, took an unusual course, and clipped the edge of Hurricane Hermine. Were late to Bermuda but everything was fine (don't believe anything that woman said to the TV cameras in Bermuda - we were never in danger and were kept well informed). Other cruises have missed or changed ports due to weather. Missed a port on an Alaska cruise too.

We go with the flow and don't understand those people who plan say - their wedding - at a port of call on a cruise. Extreme example but there are people that do that and then are surprised when things go sideways. Crazy. Stuff happens!

[ellie1145]

We have cruised in the Caribbean in late May/early June for a number of years (on Oasis, back to back)) and have never missed a port. In fact we have had some superb weather. We like it hot so it's not a problem to us. We would have no hesitation cruising in July, August or September.

 

Rough seas are always a risk wherever you are. The Mediterranean can be very rough at times in the summer so there are no guarantees.

 

Rhapsody of the Seas experienced a terrible storm sailing the Mediterranean in September last year.

 

So no matter where you are the sea can be rough. It's a gamble.

[keesar]

Our first cruise was in the summer. We had a Western itinerary but on the second night, we were told we were doing an Eastern itinerary to avoid a hurricane. Instead of 4 ports, we had two. People who had booked private excursions were scrambling. No problem with the excursions we had booked.

 

On our other cruises, we were not able to tender at Grand Cayman, Cococay (2x), nor dock at Costa Maya.

[OCruisers]

...............................

Caribbean weather brings consistent challenges for cruise lines year after year and this is quite obviously what the OP is concerned about. .............

 

Agree, the OP is concerned about weather on CARIBBEAN cruises.

It's way less dicey to not cruise to the Caribbean during hurricane season ... especially mid August thru mid October.

[Iamcruzin]

June is the start of hurricane season.

 

 

 

Personally I'd book a Caribbean trip in the winter where you have better weather and a better chance of seeing all the ports.

 

 

 

And a better chance of delayed or canceled flights due to snow. Either way it's a gamble.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Hlitner]

Whilst some of this is correct, it is the exception and not the rule. Caribbean weather brings consistent challenges for cruise lines year after year and this is quite obviously what the OP is concerned about. Hence his comments. In short, you've missed his point.

 

After more then 100 cruises all over the world we think we do get the point. On dozens of Caribbean cruises we have had very few missed ports. On dozens of cruises in Europe we have missed quite a few ports (for multiple reasons). Our worst luck with missed ports has been in New Zealand...where weather can play havoc with cruises....especially around South Island. My point is that while the Caribbean does have its weather related issues, this is not an uncommon problem in other parts of the world. When I think back over more then 35 years of cruising in the Caribbean, nearly all the ports that we have missed (and they were few and far between) were in the co-called Western Caribbean. I cannot recall ever having missed a port in the Southern Caribbean.

 

It might do the OP some good to consider cruises versus some other options such as an All Inclusive. So you book a 7 day visit to an AI and have 7 days of lousy weather. Take a 7 day cruise and that is much less likely. Or lets say you had decided to take a vacation to the Gulf Coast this past week. It would not have been a pretty picture. But if you had booked a cruise that would have been impacted by that same large storm, the cruise line would have been able to revise the itinerary to get away from that storm. While you would have had a change in itinerary...at least you would visit some ports in better weather.

 

Hank

[Iamcruzin]

After more then 100 cruises all over the world we think we do get the point. On dozens of Caribbean cruises we have had very few missed ports. On dozens of cruises in Europe we have missed quite a few ports (for multiple reasons). Our worst luck with missed ports has been in New Zealand...where weather can play havoc with cruises....especially around South Island. My point is that while the Caribbean does have its weather related issues, this is not an uncommon problem in other parts of the world. When I think back over more then 35 years of cruising in the Caribbean, nearly all the ports that we have missed (and they were few and far between) were in the co-called Western Caribbean. I cannot recall ever having missed a port in the Southern Caribbean.

 

 

 

It might do the OP some good to consider cruises versus some other options such as an All Inclusive. So you book a 7 day visit to an AI and have 7 days of lousy weather. Take a 7 day cruise and that is much less likely. Or lets say you had decided to take a vacation to the Gulf Coast this past week. It would not have been a pretty picture. But if you had booked a cruise that would have been impacted by that same large storm, the cruise line would have been able to revise the itinerary to get away from that storm. While you would have had a change in itinerary...at least you would visit some ports in better weather.

 

 

 

Hank

 

 

 

That's the same pitch that a travel agent gave me when contemplating my first cruise in 1986. It sold me immediately. By the way the cruise was in September 1986. Long Island experienced hurricane Gloria in September of 85 so it was still fresh in my mind. I had the perfect week for my first cruise on Carnival.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[upwarduk]

I cannot recall ever having missed a port in the Southern Caribbean.

 

 

We missed Curaçao on Easter Monday 2013, due to high winds.

Apparently it is a narrow channel, so makes docking difficult.

 

 

Having said that, my son lived and worked in Aruba for a year and was told that they were outside the hurricane belt, being too far south.

[Mynki]

And a better chance of delayed or canceled flights due to snow. Either way it's a gamble.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Potentially. Depending on your geographic location.

 

But Gordylad is in the UK so a direct flight will almost certainly be to Miami or Orlando if he's sailing on Celebrity in the Caribbean. So he should be OK. Booking a flight via Chicago etc in january could be unwise. We've visited South Florida every winter for the last ten years and have often seen issues in New York and Chicago etc with snow on TV weather channels whilst in Miami, Islamorada. or Key West etc.

 

So he's stacking the odds in his favour by sailing in winter time as opposed to hurricane season.

 

Comparing predictable ish weather to unprecictable political issues, industrial action or even mass shootings in an airport isn't the same thing.

[GordonJasmine]

We have sailed over 20 times in the Caribbean in all months of the year, mostly during hurricane season, and have never had a port cancelled. What is worrying me is flying from Cleveland to Fort Lauderdale in January for our South America cruise in 2019.

[Fish Lover]

Agree, the OP is concerned about weather on CARIBBEAN cruises.

It's way less dicey to not cruise to the Caribbean during hurricane season ... especially mid August thru mid October.

 

No, the OP is concerned about missed ports and itinerary changes. S/he just mentioned the weather as the most likely culprit.

[Mynki]

Actually, I think it's you that has missed the point. There are no guarantees and it is anecdotal that Caribbean conditions more frequently disrupt cruising plans than European itineraries. That includes weather and all other factors which may change the plan. Given the sheer number of ships destined for Caribbean ports in comparison to European ports and then adjusting for the ratio difference, then European cruises equal or exceed the number of missed ports (due to whatever reason).

So in short, your comment (or rather your snarky chastisement of the poster you responded to) is off base and missed the point entirely.

 

Hi sweetie, you missed me?

 

I saw some of your statistical analysis being torn apart on another thread by other forum members. I imagine you were a tad humiliated by that. Time to redeem yourself. The OP is discussing hurricanes. Can you demonstrate your analytical skills and statistical analysis to show the number of ports missed due to hurricanes in both Europe and the Caribbean over the last 20 years along with how many ports were visited by the cruise companies featured on this site etc and then crunch the numbers etc.

 

Look forward to discussing your results with you. All the best

[Fouremco]

No, the OP is concerned about missed ports and itinerary changes. S/he just mentioned the weather as the most likely culprit.

No, the OP cited the weather as the only culprit.

[Fish Lover]

No, the OP cited the weather as the only culprit.

 

No, he cited the weather as a possible cause for missing ports and changing itineraries and asked whether the Caribbean is more at risk than Europe. There are other causes , which Hiltner pointed out. Therefore, to get a clear picture for the risks of having changes occur, one would have to consider all possible causes and how often they occur in relation to the number of cruises going to those destinations.

[Fish Lover]

Hi sweetie, you missed me?

 

I saw some of your statistical analysis being torn apart on another thread by other forum members. I imagine you were a tad humiliated by that. Time to redeem yourself. The OP is discussing hurricanes. Can you demonstrate your analytical skills and statistical analysis to show the number of ports missed due to hurricanes in both Europe and the Caribbean over the last 20 years along with how many ports were visited by the cruise companies featured on this site etc and then crunch the numbers etc.

 

Look forward to discussing your results with you. All the best

 

Reading comprehension is apparently not your greatest strength. This also applies to the other thread you mentioned, if you indeed read every post.

[Mynki]

Reading comprehension is apparently not your greatest strength. This also applies to the other thread you mentioned, if you indeed read every post.

 

Come on fishy, your arguments were pretty much assassinated on the other thread. I cringed reading your posts. Lets see the stats that prove your argument on this thread as for now it's just all anecdotal. Evidence and not drivel required from you...

 

Prove your point and don't make personal insults. :)

[capsplace]

I've lived in SE FLA since 1950. Most recent we took a direct hit, two times in two weeks, unfortunately, was 2004. While you never know when Mother Nature decides to flow and blow, we live in paradise. Come on down and enjoy! Hot? Oh, please. We were in NYC and Wash DC with 105. Never caps 100 here.

[capsplace]

Seas do pick up in the summer, but gauge accordingly.

[Fouremco]

No, he cited the weather as a possible cause for missing ports and changing itineraries and asked whether the Caribbean is more at risk than Europe. There are other causes , which Hiltner pointed out. Therefore, to get a clear picture for the risks of having changes occur, one would have to consider all possible causes and how often they occur in relation to the number of cruises going to those destinations.

Thank you for making my point. The OP only cited weather; it was other posters who mentioned other causes.

[richsea]

Just throwing this question out there as it seems cruisers are delayed with tendering because of rough seas or even ports being cancelled because of high winds and this is in June....non hurricane season.

 

Compared to Europe it seems a bit of a gamble?

 

Boy, I bet you didn't count on your simple question about weather affecting Caribbean cruises to turn into a scientific statistical analysis of the chance for weather/ number of ships/port visits per annum affectations, not to mention an English teacher's interpretaion of the question's composition. Bottom line?...maybe, maybe not, it's weather that nobody can predict. Go and have a great cruise, (no matter how hard it rains!) Ya only live once!

[villauk]

Potentially. Depending on your geographic location.

 

But Gordylad is in the UK so a direct flight will almost certainly be to Miami or Orlando if he's sailing on Celebrity in the Caribbean. So he should be OK.

 

So he's stacking the odds in his favour by sailing in winter time as opposed to hurricane season.

 

.

 

We've sailed several times to the Caribbean and not once have we ever had a direct flight from the UK. The only time we've had a problem with hurricanes is sailing from NY in the summer. It's the luck of the draw where the weather is concerned. I personally wouldn't book a cruise sailing from Ireland up to Iceland in April, but that's exactly what X have scheduled for next year and it's selling well - so, other pax are obviously not worried.

 

We've booked the Caribbean for next next August on a southern itinerary and quite a few posters stated that the likelihood of hurricanes that far south is slim. Did the OP state which itinerary they were considering?

[upwarduk]

I personally wouldn't book a cruise sailing from Ireland up to Iceland in April, but that's exactly what X have scheduled for next year and it's selling well - so, other pax are obviously not worried.

 

 

Not a good idea in July either, from my experience of storm Force 10 gales between Iceland and Ireland in 2009.

Unfortunately because of the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic is effected by tropical storms which have originated in the Gulf of Mexico ( Caribbean)

Last year, we encountered Tropical storm Ian, while crossing the Atlantic. However, Captain Jose steered a more southerly route to avoid the eye of the storm, so we only encountered 1 Night of turbulence instead of 4 which would have been the case if he had gone due west.

[villauk]

Not a good idea in July either, from my experience of storm Force 10 gales between Iceland and Ireland in 2009.

Unfortunately because of the Gulf Stream, the North Atlantic is effected by tropical storms which have originated in the Gulf of Mexico ( Caribbean)

Last year, we encountered Tropical storm Ian, while crossing the Atlantic. However, Captain Jose steered a more southerly route to avoid the eye of the storm, so we only encountered 1 Night of turbulence instead of 4 which would have been the case if he had gone due west.

 

As I said, it's the luck of the draw where the weather is concerned, We went to Iceland in August and had great weather; our friends went a few weeks earlier in early July and it was dreadful. We've had a few bumpy rides in Europe during the summer months too. The Bay of Biscay has never been on a route we've taken, but that can be one of the most unpredictable areas to cruise.