Caribbean weather in August

[Soozy Croozy]

Scheduled for August cruise to Aruba, Curacao & Grand Turk...worried about weather/hurricanes.

 

I know we can't predict but does anyone have experience cruising in August,  what should I prepare myself for?

[navybankerteacher]

Expect hot weather - but very little different from rest of the year in the Caribbean.  You will be in peak hurricane season, but the fact is that the odds are that you will not be impacted -  and if you are, it will generally mean a change of one or more ports of call.  
 

You go on a cruise: you take your chances; if you cruise during hurricane season you add the chance of a hurricane impacting your itinerary.

 

Enjoy.

[mom says]

Well, weather happens every day. Hurricanes happen,  but cruise ships don't sail through them. They sail around them. They don't sail to a port where a hurricane is forecast while they are there. They go to another port, or you get an extra sea day. The ABCs are so far south, they usually avoid most Hurricanes.  You can look up their individual average monthly weather online. 

[Essiesmom]

It’s rare for a hurricane or tropical storm affects the fr south and west of the Caribbean.  EM

[capriccio]

Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are south of the normal hurricane routes so you shouldn't have to worry about them.  They go multiple decades between getting hit.  Grand Turk on the other hand seems to experience them fairly frequently.

 

Remember that cruise lines and your captain will not want to put you and their ship in any danger and will modify the itinerary if necessary.

[NotADopey1]

We live in Florida and have cruised in August several times.  The weather is hot and humid in the Caribbean but it is the same in Florida.  I would be more apt to avoid September and October.  We were on a Celebrity cruise during Irene in 2023 in October and our itinerary was changed as we cruised to avoid the weather.  We were the only ship out there.  My advice is to make sure you purchase insurance and not through the cruise line. Some of our fellow Florida cruisers did get off at a port and flew home to prepare their properties.  

[leaveitallbehind]

Hurricane season just means that conditions are correct for storms to develop and therefore they can.  But it is not a guarantee that they will at any given location or time.  Others have covered the subject so I won't repeat those other than to say that Aruba and Curacao are south of the hurricane zone and severe storms there are extremely rare.

 

Given the bulk of your planned itinerary I would not be concerned.  We have been very fortunate I guess over our 32 years of cruising with a number of Caribbean itineraries in the peak of hurricane season with none impacting us to date.  Certainly doesn't mean they can't or won't, however.  But that typically doesn't dictate our plans.

Edited April 9 by leaveitallbehind

[MBP&O2/O]

Forecasters predict a very active year for 2024.

 

Have a look at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/marine/?atlc which may give you the information you require.

 

 

[MCC retired]

Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are south of the normal hurricane routes 

 

True , but you have to cruise there and back ?

[leaveitallbehind]

44 minutes ago, MCC retired said:

Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are south of the normal hurricane routes 

 

True , but you have to cruise there and back ?

...and as those would primarily be sea days, plenty of avoidance opportunity.  Not saying your comments aren't correct, but rerouting may avoid the storm if one is of concern.

 

It's also too far in advance to predict anything other than possibilities.  If this is of great enough personal concern, just don't book the cruise.  Otherwise, just hope that the odds stay in your favor for any given date and itinerary.

Edited April 9 by leaveitallbehind

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We expected the Caribbean to be a lot hotter in early September than it is in the winter months but that was not the case.

 

We are more concerned about travel from PA to FL. 

[njkate]

I have the same concern as we booked a 4 day cruise to Bahamas end of August! Wasn’t even thinking of hurricanes when I booked! Thankfully no flying involved but curious if any cruise lines ever canceled a cruise because of hurricanes 

[Essiesmom]

They won’t cancel,  but may alter the itinerary.  EM

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, njkate said:

I have the same concern as we booked a 4 day cruise to Bahamas end of August! Wasn’t even thinking of hurricanes when I booked! Thankfully no flying involved but curious if any cruise lines ever canceled a cruise because of hurricanes 

 

57 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

They won’t cancel,  but may alter the itinerary.  EM

 

Strictly speaking, they HAVE canceled cruises because of hurricanes - sometimes because that's where the path is heading, sometimes because of damage that has already occurred.  But cancellations are rare and should not be relied upon to get out of sailing out of a cruise that looks risky.

 

Altering the itinerary is a much more likely reaction to a possible hurricane, but each event is dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

[njkate]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

They won’t cancel,  but may alter the itinerary.  EM

Well on a 4 day Bahama cruise itinerary change would be very limited lol

Not worried about it as no air involved we would drive to Port Canaveral from Savannah the day before!

I was indulging my grandson, he wanted to go on a cruise before he has to go back north and back to school

[wcook]

The only times hurricanes really mess up a cruise is when they hit the embarkation/disembarkation ports. Even during a busy hurricane season, the odds of a particular port being hit your week is very small.