Do cruises cancel during hurricane season?

Cruise lines have established procedures to monitor weather conditions and make necessary itinerary changes to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. If a hurricane is forecasted to impact a port of call, the cruise line may cancel the port stop and replace it with an alternative port.



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You may experience rough seas Swells from big storms can travel thousands of miles. If you're particularly prone to seasickness, hurricane season might not be the best time for you to cruise. But don't panic. Cruise ships are built with sophisticated stabilizers that tamp down the effects of waves.

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Because cruise ships can move around bad weather, full cancellations are rare. But they can and do happen. Cruise lines are loath to cancel sailings and try to wait as long as possible before making a decision, while still trying to give passengers enough lead time to make alternate plans if necessary.

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Though your itinerary may change, cruises are rarely canceled due to storms. Ships are designed to handle rough seas and can be rerouted to avoid danger.

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A possible forced stay at sea: If the storm proves too formidable, the ship may need to hunker down and ride it out at sea. A slim chance of sinking: It's an unnerving thought, but the possibility exists. If the ship takes too much damage, it could go down.

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What month should you avoid in the Caribbean? Due to the risk of hurricanes, September and October are the months when it is wise to avoid the Caribbean.

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According to the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS), hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June 1 through November 30 and normally peaks in August and September. The Caribbean region is a part of the Atlantic hurricane season, which also impacts Florida and other parts of the coastal southern United States.

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Wet season and dry season are both good times to cruise the Caribbean. The worst time for a Caribbean cruise weather-wise is August to September, as it is peak hurricane season.

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Only in rare cases will the cruise actually be cancelled by the cruise line. These ships can travel at speeds over 21 knots so they can usually outrun any hurricanes or tropical depressions and just go around any inclement weather.

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Official hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30, with September and October the most likely months for hurricanes to develop. Hurricanes are not, however, a reason to dismiss a Caribbean cruise in these months. The Caribbean is a vast region and some areas tend to be far less prone to hurricanes than others.

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As hurricane season looms, many travelers may be wondering where it is safe to travel during the summer months. Typically, travelers may want to be wary of locations like Bermuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Southeast and Gulf coasts during hurricane season.

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When travelers think of safe islands to visit during hurricane season, the “ABC Islands” of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao often come to mind. Of the three, Aruba is the best option for points travelers.

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The best time for a Caribbean cruise is from December to April when the weather is dry, sunny, and clear skies on most days. The ideal cruising conditions of mild temperatures and calm waters typically last throughout winter and spring, making it the prime Caribbean sailing season and very traveler-friendly.

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It is possible to sail even during hurricane season but with good planning and a little bit of common sense. Hurricanes are never a given, so it is possible to have a pleasant sailing experience during this low season. It is worth weighing up the risks as prices are lower.

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Can Royal Caribbean change a cruise itinerary? In the event of strikes, lockouts, riots, weather conditions or mechanical difficulties, or for any other reason whatsoever, Royal Caribbean® may, at any time and without prior notice, cancel, advance, postpone or deviate from any scheduled sailing o...

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Issues: Ocean crossings always encounter the roughest waters because there are no nearby landmasses to provide shelter. Avoid: The winter months are the most intense, with transatlantic cruises hitting very rough seas from November through February and Pacific cruises from February through April.

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Are cruise ships safe in high winds? In extreme cases, they may even reroute their ships away from areas where they expect severe weather conditions. While there is no definitive answer as to how strong of a wind a cruise ship can take, most vessels are designed to handle winds up to 70 knots (80 mph).

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While highly advanced weather and storm detection systems mean that cruise ships can easily avoid these situations, the fact they can withstand them means the chances of tipping over are very slim.

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Not only can a modern cruise ship roll to 60 degrees before it fully tips over, but it can also withstand waves that measure up to 50 feet in height! This is because cruise ships are designed to withstand the most extreme weather conditions imaginable.

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The only way that a cruise ship would be able to be flipped over is if it took the wave hit perpendicular on the port or starboard side, along the beam. Most of the time, ships will aim to hit a wave bow-first.

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Hurricane Season Storms in August and October have a moderate risk of developing into hurricanes while September has the highest risk of all. For these reasons, September is the worst month of the year to take a cruise.

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