How often are cruises cancelled for hurricanes?

Cruise ships move about twice as fast as the storms themselves, so the vessels can either outrun the storms or simply go around storm cells. If you're worried about your cruise being canceled, you can rest assured that that's highly unlikely.



Complete cruise cancellations due to hurricanes are actually quite rare, occurring only a handful of times each year. Cruise ships are mobile assets, so lines prefer to reroute the ship—for example, switching from an Eastern Caribbean to a Western Caribbean itinerary—to stay well away from a storm's path. In most cases, the only reason a cruise is fully cancelled is if the home port (like Miami or Galveston) is closed by the Coast Guard, preventing the ship from docking or departing. While the 2026 hurricane season (June–November) may see several itinerary shifts, travelers are rarely left at the pier; instead, they might experience a shorter trip, a change in ports, or an extra day at sea.

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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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In a dire scenario, a cruise ship could sink in a hurricane. But before you cancel all your future cruise plans, know this: it's highly unlikely. Cruise ships are built like fortresses. They boast stability, seaworthiness, and a bucket-load of safety features to help them ride out even the angriest storms.

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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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Caribbean Seasons
Rain is more frequent in the wet season, but the temperatures are warmer. 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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But for the most part, the best time to cruise the Caribbean is January through April during the dry season, especially in April when temperatures are warmer. The worst time is September and October during the peak months of the Caribbean hurricane season. May is a brief rainy season for some destinations.

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In such cases, cruise lines have two options: head to a different port up or down the coast to disembark passengers or remain at sea until the ship's home port reopens.

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If a storm is threatening the area a ship was scheduled to sail to, cruise lines will reroute the ships if the forecast is severe enough. While cruise ships can typically outrun most storms, passengers may still experience rough seas as their ship skirts the edges of a weather system.

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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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Within the last 111 years, over 20 cruise ships and ocean liners have sunk.

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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? Let's cut right to the chase: Yes, cruise ships are generally safe as long as you use common sense and remember that vessels are not impervious to accidents, illness or people who just don't know how to behave.

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Royal Caribbean has cancelled a second Radiance of the Seas cruise due to continued propulsion issues and needed repairs. Royal Caribbean International has begun reaching out to guests booked on the September 8, 2023 departure of Radiance of the Seas with the news that the sailing has to be cancelled.

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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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In calm waters, ships often can be towed safely to the nearest shore. In rough seas, other options would be considered. Abandoning ship really is a last resort, as moving passengers from one ship to another on the open sea can be dangerous, particularly in inclement weather. As is ordering passengers into lifeboats.

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Cruise ships are designed with proactive measures in place, enabling ships to avoid the effects of going through a storm. Cruise ships are designed with measures put into place to ensure they're kept afloat. For the most part, a cruise ship should be able to handle turbulent environments. Find out more about us here.

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A Cruise ship in port would get damaged and destroyed like any other ship in port when a tsunami hits. At sea: nothing. They will likely not even notice it, as the tsunami wave is very small (a couple of feet) and travels at every high speed (500mph or even more).

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According to a recent report from research firm G.P. Wild, each year an average of 10 people die and 60 more are injured on a cruise as a result of so-called “operational incidents,” which are basically...

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Expect Rougher Caribbean Seas in the North and East Rough Waters: When one body of water runs into another, waves tend to be higher and rougher. Although the Caribbean is generally known for smooth sailing, it can get choppy in areas where it meets up with the Atlantic Ocean.

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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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