How did they avoid calamity? Today's modern cruise ships are built to withstand storms, avoid them, and even outrun them. Cruise companies follow the weather very carefully, changing itineraries, canceling sailings, and working hard to keep passengers and crew out of harm's way.

Yes, aggressively. Cruise lines prioritize passenger safety and comfort above all else, primarily because a ship full of seasick passengers results in poor reviews and lost revenue. Modern cruise ships are equipped with sophisticated onboard weather routing technology and are supported by 24/7 shore-based maritime weather centers. Captains have the authority to deviate from the scheduled itinerary to "outrun" or go around storm cells. Because hurricanes and tropical storms move relatively slowly (usually 10–20 mph) compared to a ship's top speed (20–24 knots), ships can easily stay hundreds of miles away from the center of a storm. If a particular port is projected to have high winds or rough seas, the cruise line will cancel that stop and either spend an extra day at sea or find an alternative "calm water" port. Additionally, ships use large underwater fins called stabilizers to reduce the "roll" (side-to-side motion) caused by waves, though these are for comfort in moderate seas and cannot magically flatten a major storm's impact.