POLL: Why do you book in Hurricane season???

[christhree]

OK..just FYI Why book in hurricane season??? Why whine when you itinery changes? For example, I expect ALOT of commentary about this...

 

 

The other looming storm, Tropical Storm Charley, is packing 45 mph winds and forecasters believe it will be a hurricane by Friday as it enters the Gulf. At 1 p.m., Charley's center was about 275 miles south of Santo Domingo, near latitude 14.5 north and longitude 69.7 west.

 

The storm was moving west-northwest at 24 mph, and forecasters have issued a tropical storm watch for Jamaica. A watch for the Cayman Islands will probably be issued later today, the National Weather Service said.

 

Charley is expected to stay on its current path for the next 24 hours. An Air Force Reserve hurricane hunter plane is scheduled to investigate the storm late this afternoon. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the storm's center.

[tef43]

1. Price.

 

2. Substantially fewer children on board.

[AuntieBon]

Price, price and price!

 

I love to cruise but in order to partake I have to travel at the cheapest times and in the cheapest state room.

[madelinerose]

1. Price

 

2. Port is Baltimore. We are 15 minutes away.

 

3. We never vacation during the summer. Too many children.

 

4. The weather is usually gorgeous and not 95 degrees with 95% humidity.

 

IMHO, these are great reasons to travel anywhere during hurricane season.

[FishyTrishy]

I scheduled in August because it was between semesters at school. Plus, I just wasn't thinking. I was too excited about getting away. I don't think I've whined... yet. I'm not too picky about where I go, as long as I get away from work. :p

[uwbadger]

That's when we have summer break, plus it's my daughter's birthday. We sail on the Conquest this Sunday and in some strange way I am actually excited that we may have to change ports if the weather is bad -- I look at it as an adventure.

 

I've learned from wise people on this board to expect the unexpected when I cruise and then make the best of it. I'm just happy to be on vacation with my family.

[IKE]

I criuise 3 times a year. Winter(Feb/March) for our Birthdays, September for Our Anniversary and Dec. before Christmas for a nice break. Rates are much lower in Hurricane season and We have sailed now 10 yrs in a row. in month of Sept.and have had good experieinces. Sometimes water is rough and have hurricanes behind us or in front and ships just changed course. The Captain is always looking out for this Ship, Crew and Passengers so with new technology today can get away from the storms. I go again on" Legend "end of Sept. from NYC this time. I hear it is a bit rougher as you will be in Atlantic Ocean for a day or 2 and this makes me nervous. We usually sail out of Fla. So keeping my fingers crossed this Cruise. Ike

[Bunkie103]

We always vacation in Sept. or Oct. to celebrate our anniversary and my birthday. Kids grown and try to avoid summer with so many kids. P.S. I don't whine! :mad:

[CCLNCLRCICRUISER]

1. Lower cruise price

 

2. Lower Airfare

 

3. Lower Hotel Price

 

I love to buy clothes and travel off-season :)

[Grayce]

For us it was the price. I wanted top get away for as little $ as possible.

[bombero]

We're from Florida and have at least 4 ports and plenty of ships to choose from.. But we cruise in the Fall (this year, Oct.,Oosterdam) because... Much Better Pricing, Fewer Children, Slightly Cooler Temperatures and my wife's job gets very hectic Mid-Nov. thru March.. We also book in April.. This year it's the Valor.. Bombero

[teedee]

I like the fall/winter for cruising, the weather is usually great, the prices are much lower, and way fewer children on board. If I want to be around children (and sometimes I do) I'll go to Disneyworld. If we change itineraries because of weather that's fine with me, I'm cruising more for the ship than the ports anyway!

 

Terri

[ChrisBuck]

I don't worry about hurricanes because:

1 - If a hurricane is going to cross my itineraries path, Carnival will alter the course of the ship. They won't put a $500,000,000 dollar ship in the path of a hurricane.

2 - If one hits port the last day of our cruise, Carnival will keep the ship at sea. What a deal another day or two attached to the back end of my cruise for free!

3 - If one hits port the day we are to embark, you'll get a discount becasue the ship will be a day or two late getting into port. This is actually the worst outcome because your cruise will be shorter.

 

So now I only have to worry about hurricanes hitting the port that I am supposed to leave on the day that I am supposed to leave, and this is considerably less to worry about!

[hstrybuf]

There have been a lot of things that have factored in when we've cruised in the past. This time we chose our cruise because of price, itinerary, and timing. We're toward the end of hurricane season, fewer kids on board and too long since our last cruise! ;)

[pholter]

1) Definitely because there are less children on board

2) The price is right on both airfares and the cruise itself

 

We chose to do the Southern Itinerary this time around so we could avoid

alot of the Hurricane worries, too. Several of our port cities are known to

be outside the Hurricane belt.

[LuvSun&Fun]

Price! Have sailed two times in the fall. Haven't had a problem being rerouted because of weather.

[Cruising = Heaven]

Our group always cruises during Sept., Oct. or Nov. because of price and the children are back in school, or at least most of them are. The couple of times we have encountered hurricane conditions, our captain has just steered away from it but we've only missed one port out of four cruises. Even if we had to miss a port, it would just mean one more wonderful day at sea - no big deal. Actually, we've found running from the hurricane adds to the excitement of the cruise. There's usually 14 to 16 of us and no one has ever gotten sick! Will be on the Glory 10/16 and can't wait!

[yarlenna]

There are several reasons why I have booked during hurricane season:

1. Repositioning cruises are wonderful and many are in the fall - especially Panama Canal while ships come back to the Caribbean after the summer season in Alaska. Also ships leave Europe after the season and go transAtlantic another great route!

2. DH can get time off

3. Price and less children on board

[Longin2cruise]

1. Price

 

2. Crazy as it sounds, I like crusing when the seas are just a little rough. Love being out on deck with the wind blowing in my face.

[elf169]

1. Less children

2. Lower Price

3. Excitement! Don't mind changing or missing ports. Adds to the excitement. Have only had one port changed during 10 cruises.

4. May be a little cooler (usually not much) Cruise this year Sept. 18 on Glory.

5. Live in Florida so Hurricanes warnings are a part of life.

 

Love cruises and don't really care where we go as long as we are on the ship. Have been to most of the ports, so not really an issue if we change ports.

 

Can hardly wait till Sept. 18.

[DebBrown]

1. Price.

 

2. Substantially fewer children on board.

I second that!

[cantwait2cruise]

Last year I cruised in Aug. b/c I needed a vacation after taking the Bar Exam. This year we're cruising in Aug. b/c it's my mom's 50th b-day on the 28th. I'm not concerned about not being able to go to a port; my biggest concern would be if a hurricane was making landfall at the home port (i.e. Tampa) on the day of embarkation.

[pungo3]

1. Price

 

2. Less children

[sgriff17]

Wait a minute...i thought I was signing up for a Poll question?? :)

 

I would never do it, too much of a worrier.

[dznymom]

Well, since hurricane season lasts for 6 months, it's pretty tough to avoid it if you cruise more than once a year :) We have cruised in July and August several times and never had anything except perfect weather. Besides, I am another of the nutty people that really enjoy some rough seas, and a little excitement. We are scheduled to leave on Saturday from Port Canaveral on the Glory, and I have been even more excited than usual because of Bonnie and Charley. My only concern is that we might miss a day of our cruise!

 

I do feel badly for the people that are flying in on the day of the cruise, though. This is a perfect example of why we ALWAYS arrive at least a day before our cruise, and in this case a week ahead!