Cruising during hurricane season

[1sttimerhere]

okay, another question:

Take a risk and do it? I know that if there are any hurricaines around the ship can avoid them, but I know also that if there is one near a port (esp. a tender port), the port will be cancelled.

Beside Katrina, has anyone else had a cruise cancelled b/c it was too dangerous to board ship? I am thinking about September or October. I need to know the pros and cons before i decide. And you people always know whats up! :D

[hstrybuf]

I've never had a cruise cancelled due to a hurricane, but I've sailed in a tropical storm. That was an August cruise. We prefer October. The weather has usually been good and we haven't yet had a hurricane although we're technically still within the season.

[chitown cruisers]

Sept/Oct works for me and the rates are great!!:D

[cruzmonkey]

okay, another question:

Take a risk and do it? I know that if there are any hurricaines around the ship can avoid them, but I know also that if there is one near a port (esp. a tender port), the port will be cancelled.

Beside Katrina, has anyone else had a cruise cancelled b/c it was too dangerous to board ship? I am thinking about September or October. I need to know the pros and cons before i decide. And you people always know whats up! :D

We're going 9/30/07 out of Tampa. Come on down and join the party.

[jetskier]

I was on the Norwegian Sun Oct 23, 2005 going through the backside of Wilma after she got done battering Cozumel. Cozumel and Cancun were cancelled. We still were able to do Roatan and Belize barely as Hurricane Beta was tearing through Nicaragua.

 

You can not predict when and where a hurricane is going to hit. Take advantage of the lower rates and take out cruise insurance.

 

Dave

[TravlGrl]

Book it! Just be sure to get travel insurance just in case. Enjoy your cruise!

[nybumpkin]

Our cruise wasn't cancelled, but we missed Grand Cayman and returned to port a day late two years ago on Conquest, thanks to Hurricane Dennis. The captain and crew did a great job of keeping us up to date on the hurricane's track and no one was surprised when they announced we were skipping GC. Similarly, we had ample warning that we might return late - the captain suggested the people who needed to return on time might want to consider debarking the ship in Cozumel and flying home from there. (I don't think there were many takers on that, though, given the cheers I heard around the ship when they announced the day delay in returning.;) ) I wouldn't hesitate to cruise again in hurricane season - you just have to be willing to "go with the flow." And you might seriously consider trip insurance - maybe the cruise goes as scheduled, but your flights to the port get messed up due to weather.

[TravlPro]

Buy your travel insurance from an outside provider, not the cruise line. Then if your port of departure is affected and the cruise cancelled the cruiseline will give you a future cruise credit in the amount of the cruise. The outside insurance will reimburse you the cost of the cancelled cruise. You WIN, you get another cruise and your money back!

 

Cheers, Neil

[Caribbreeze]

Help me out here, I'm feeling a little slow on this one. Next cruise will be our first time booking our own air fare, and we are insuring on our own also. So, here's what I can't seem to get, if we're on ship, and are delayed return by a day or so (oh darn), or the return port is changed, I understand that insurance will reimburse my air fare (yes?), but we will still be in port with now no return flight? I'm way to new at this :o so I'm counting on you folks.

[jmcancruise]

Two years ago we were delayed by just a few hours on the Glory, but long enough that many people missed their flights home, as did we. We were able to contact our TA and she arranged for another flight the next morning and also a hotel in Orlando where we could spend the night. We had travel insurance, so the cost was covered but we paid up front for the cost and were reimbursed for the costs by our insurance company a few weeks after we returned home.

 

The only drawback for us was that we spent much of the last night of the cruise on the phone trying to get our TA. Lines from the ship were completely jammed.

 

Everything worked out fine for us because we had insurance, but there seemed to be a lot of people who didn't, that were scambling trying to figure out what to do. Insurance was obviously worth it.

[Adi12982]

Hurricane season is from June 1 - November 30th - 6th months - that would eliminate 1/2 of the year.

 

Being a Floridian I know that not even October is safe - I remember Hurricane Isabel hit un mid-Octiber - Iremember it more becasue it was my mom's birthday - but know that you can be affected any time during those six months (and sometimes more, TD Andrea formed this last week, earlier than the start of the season).

[im4clowns]

the only time we were effected by a hurricane in my 9 cruises was in oct 2005 when we were on the Carribean Princess and Wilma was heading to Fort Lauderdale and we were on our way back in. there were a few tense hours when they didn't know where the storm was headed and they were talking about going back out to sea or heading up the coast....

 

luckily Wilma wobled and went farther up the west coast!!

[beachgal58]

sailed the glory 2 yrs ago oct...all ports were changed due to wilma i think it was...we knew this is what happens during hurricane season..but we were to go to belize, k west, cozumel...we got san juan (pu) st thomas and nassau(pu)...but we knew this ahead of time! goin on the triumph in sept this yr!!

[makeda]

sailed the glory 2 yrs ago oct...all ports were changed due to wilma i think it was...we knew this is what happens during hurricane season..but we were to go to belize, k west, cozumel...we got san juan (pu) st thomas and nassau(pu)...but we knew this ahead of time! goin on the triumph in sept this yr!!

 

we were on that same trip! still trying to get to key west...but never felt in danger or anything!

[nothomeonacruise]

I'm also from Florida and August and September are bad hurricane months, but October can be, too. However, I agree you just go and have fun anyway. Carnival doesn't want to endanger you or their crew, so they'll make it as safe as possible. I personally pick November for cruising because the weather is usually very nice (cooler) during that time.

[GayleR]

okay, another question:

Take a risk and do it? I know that if there are any hurricaines around the ship can avoid them, but I know also that if there is one near a port (esp. a tender port), the port will be cancelled.

Beside Katrina, has anyone else had a cruise cancelled b/c it was too dangerous to board ship? I am thinking about September or October. I need to know the pros and cons before i decide. And you people always know whats up! :D

 

Our first cruise was on a tiny oceanliner way back in 1990. We were supposed to go Eastern Caribbean but due to a hurricane, we went Western. The first night out (from Miami) it was very rocky! Up and down.....up and down....I immediately went to bed after dinner the first night and woke up to calm seas. We had a great time!

 

I wouldn't hesitate to cruise again in hurricane season - you just have to be willing to "go with the flow." And you might seriously consider trip insurance - maybe the cruise goes as scheduled, but your flights to the port get messed up due to weather.

 

I totally agree with this. "Go with the flow." Don't be upset if your itinerary changes or you miss a port or two. You can also get really good prices for booking during hurricane season.

[memphislonghorn]

Go and enjoy the lower fares. Take out travel insurance, as previous posters have said. Keep in mind the chances of a hurricane impacting YOUR cruise on the specific 5-7 days of the cruise are astronomical. I am cruising on Sensation to Bahamas in Sept. and I am not worried one bit!:)

[racyguy14619]

We had a few tense moments in October 2005. Wilma was scrubbing Cozumel just before our departure, and it was debatable whether she would decide to start moving again and head for Miami. We didn't have insurance, so we were a bit nervous. The ship actually left an hour or so early, and without about 15% of our passengers. After that it was a great cruise.

 

This time I have insurance, so no worries :D

[Jayfo]

Can anyone recommend a good company for insurance for my upcoming fall cruise?

Thank you!!!!!!:D

[lagbunch8]

Just FYI Sept & Oct are peak for the season. I wouldn't sail then because I wouldn't leave my house "just in case". Other than that if you don't mind sea days and aren't counting on seeing a certain port than go for it!

[Donna - dsw]

TRAVEL INSURANCE:

http://www.statravel.com

http://www.Travelinsure.com

http://www.travelguard.com

http://www.travelprotect.com

http://www.csa.com

http://www.utravelpro.com

http://www.tripinsurancestore.com

http://www.insuremytrip.com

[Donna - dsw]

Sorry for the double post - - - -

 

Here are some web site to check for insurance.

 

TRAVEL INSURANCE:

http://www.statravel.com

http://www.Travelinsure.com

http://www.travelguard.com

http://www.travelprotect.com

http://www.csa.com

http://www.utravelpro.com

http://www.tripinsurancestore.com

http://www.insuremytrip.com

[stellarfish]

I'm from FL and I look at any month from May (yes, they can start early) to November (last year we even had a really late storm approach) as a crap shoot. Storms can develop at any time. We are cruising in October and are just going to cross our fingers and pray. :p

[aimila21]

I traveled last October and we didn't experience any hurricanes but we did have crappy weather for the whole cruise (and skipped a port b/c of it.) But, there are others who say that had AWESOME weather during that time. I'd definitely get the insurance though, just in case.

 

 

[lorven]

I have always cruised in oct, past 4 years..and took the chance and fortunately have never experienced any problems......