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Will sargassum affect cruises?

It will not stop any ship. However, if you are out fishing on your boat, you will likely spend time cleaning a fouled prop. The real impact for a cruise is if the seaweed has landed on the beach you plan to visit.



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Palm Beach in Aruba, Dutch Caribbean It's one of the most reliable Caribbean islands without sargassum. While there are several small, boutique-sized hotels in Aruba, here are two of our favourite large resorts on Palm Beach and Eagle Beach.

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In 2023, a decade-high number of cruise ships have reported an unwelcome passenger on board: norovirus. Outbreaks of the stomach bug have surged on cruise ships this year, reaching the highest levels seen in 10 years.

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There's been a record-breaking sargassum seaweed bloom in 2023 in the Caribbean Sea. In order to help you plan your beach vacation, we've created a list of Caribbean beaches not affected by sargassum seaweed historically. This article was originally published in 2019.

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USF reports it remains difficult to predict exact timing and location for individual beaching events but substantial amounts of the seaweed are expected in May in both the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. June is forecast to be the likely peak of the 2023 season, but impacts are expected to continue into July.

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The amount of sargassum seaweed in Cancun varies by season and even daily. Generally the worst months for seaweed are July and August.

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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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More than 300 sickened on Ruby Princess cruise ship, CDC says. Hundreds of passengers and crew members fell ill while on board a Princess Cruises ship, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. In total, 284 of 2,881 passengers on the Ruby Princess reported being sick during the voyage between Feb.

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I've been sailing on bareboat charter trips for over 10 years in the Caribbean, and we regularly sail past sargassum patches, or step over it on beaches. It's usually not too big of a deal, but some years are worse than others.

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Popular resort hubs, including Playa del Carmen and Tulum, have ramped up efforts to deter sargassum from affecting travelers. What is this? Both destinations have set up temporary barriers and hired more cleaners in an effort to attract more travelers.

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I had island tour guests visiting from Margaritaville over in St. Thomas earlier this week, and they said that the sargassum was very bad over there, and that makes sense. The winds here typically blow east to west, which means they are blowing directly toward Margaritaville, Sapphire, and the Ritz, for example.

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Playa Norte, Isla Mujeres, Mexico Playa Norte is a dazzling beach in the Caribbean without sargassum seaweed. This beach is a perfect white sand haven for vacationers to take a break from their busy lives.

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All of the islands in the Caribbean are in the target zone for where sargassum might wash shore, he says, with the Southern Lesser Antilles (which includes islands such as Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Margarita Island, and Trinidad and Tobago) likely to be slightly less impacted than elsewhere in the Caribbean.

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Some island destinations, such as Barbados, have experienced huge influxes of the seaweed. Most beaches in the Turks and Caicos are free of sargassum, notably the world-famous Grace Bay.

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Top 3 Tips on How to Avoid Norovirus on a Cruise Ship
  1. Wash Your Hands Frequently. The most important thing that you can do to avoid Norovirus on a cruise ship is to wash and sanitize your hands as frequently as possible! ...
  2. Make Sure Food is Protected. ...
  3. Keep Your Immune System Strong.


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For 2023, the passenger capacity is forecast to grow another 18 percent, with the full fleet sailing, plus new ships entering service, offset by the retirement of older ships and some brands that ceased service during the pandemic.

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The 2023 cruise industry is booming. It has far surpassed 2019 levels, breaking sales records in a furious, post-pandemic comeback. Like most tourism sectors, cruising is reaping the benefits of “revenge travel”— vacationers making up for the time that was lost during the pandemic.

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TRAVEL OUTSIDE OF SARGASSUM SEASON By traveling to the Caribbean from November to February, you should be able to avoid the worst sargassum blooms.

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