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It’s fascinating reading for weather enthusiasts and includes very practical information for those who have a cruise coming up. More often, departure is delayed by a day or so, and passengers are generally compensated accordingly. If the weather prevents you from getting to your cruise, there are multiple strategies that can help you resolve the issue. Passengers aboard the Carnival Sunshine described shattered glass, water pouring into rooms and hallways, the ship pitching about and a lack of communication from cruise staff. Some passengers and crew members needed "minor assistance" from medical staff, a Carnival cruise spokesman told CBS News. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more.
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In the most severe circumstances, it might be deemed necessary for a cruise ship to return to a different port than the one from which it departed. Cruise lines will reroute ships by hundreds of miles to avoid tropical storms and hurricanes. That doesn't mean you can always expect smooth sailing during hurricane season.
What happens if the port I'm supposed to cruise out of is closed?
Videos capture terrifying moments of Royal Caribbean cruise caught in bad weather - NBC 6 South Florida
Videos capture terrifying moments of Royal Caribbean cruise caught in bad weather.
Posted: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
When cruises are shortened or extended due to weather, cruise lines will often aid passengers who need to change post-cruise travel plans. They might offer free phone calls from the ship or free internet access to make it easier for passengers to contact airlines and hotels to make changes. In theory, a hurricane or tropical storm can develop in the Atlantic at any time. Still, the vast majority of such storms — about 97%, according to the National Hurricane Center — occur between June 1 and Nov. 30 of any given year. This is the period known as hurricane season in the Atlantic, and it typically brings about 14 named tropical storms, half of which become hurricanes.
Hotels With Cruise Shuttles For Every Major Port in America
A cruise line may allow free or discounted use of the internet and phones if a ship's arrival back in port is delayed so passengers can make plans. Remember though, many others will be trying to change their plans all at once. Having a travel agent to assist you with these changes could be immensely helpful. You likely will have to pay any airline change fees, which might not be covered by the cruise line. Cyclone season is a good time of year to build an extra day or two into your holiday.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Caribbean is enormous in comparison to the size of a typical hurricane. The distance between Belize, on the western end of the Caribbean Sea, and the easternmost Leeward Islands is nearly 2,000 miles. The hurricane-force winds of a typical small hurricane, by contrast, extend just 25 miles out from its center. The hurricane-force winds from a large hurricane might extend as far as 150 miles from its center. If you want to cruise without many kids on board, or even if you have kids but have flexibility in vacation time, and prefer to avoid crowds, this can be ideal. It’s a great time to take advantage of lower pricing and Kids Sail Free deals which are a huge money saver for families.
When Is Hurricane Season?
If you don’t respond and don’t arrive at the port, you will likely be marked as a no-show and treated the same as a cancellation. If cruises are delayed or extended before departure, passengers should be given the option to cancel their cruise. A few years ago, I was due to sail on Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship Navigator of the Seas, but was forced to cancel my cruise due to Hurricane Dorian.
Does travel insurance cover costs associated with itineraries that are changed or cancelled by a hurricane?
Winter storm delays cruise ships impacting over 10000 passengers - Cruise Blog
Winter storm delays cruise ships impacting over 10000 passengers.
Posted: Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
With all this in mind, it's important to note that cruise ship passengers generally aren't compensated for itinerary changes due to weather. Hurricanes are unpredictable by nature and the cruise line will choose the best option for keeping passengers safe. If you're planning to cruise during hurricane season, having travel insurance in place is definitely worth your while. Only a very small portion of cruises that sail to the Caribbean during a storm season are actually affected by these storms. If you're on a cruise ship during a hurricane, your captain will be charged with informing passengers of a new plan. The guest services desk is also a prime communication center for passengers in this scenario.
If you're having trouble getting into your port of embarkation, make sure you contact the cruise line. (Carry the toll-free emergency number.) If you've booked your flights through the cruise line, the line will assist in making other arrangements to help you reach the ship. Even if you booked airfare on your own, most lines will do everything possible, even if they are not obligated, to help you get to the ship -- but there's no guarantee.
Cruises are canceled occasionally when a home port experiences extended disruptions related to storms, but this is relatively rare. To avoid storms, cruise lines will sometimes completely rework an itinerary. A ship on an Eastern Caribbean sailing to such stops as St. Thomas and St. Kitts might reroute to such Western Caribbean ports as Cozumel, Mexico, and Falmouth, Jamaica. Within this time frame, the peak period for tropical storms in the Atlantic, by far, is the weeks between mid-August and mid-October. This is the key "iffy zone," as I like to call it, for cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well as sailings out of eastern U.S. ports to Bermuda and New England.
This means that most cruisers won’t have to miss out on any fun even if they do travel during hurricane season in the Caribbean. You should always follow cruise safety tips to have the best experience onboard. One advantage that cruise ships have in severe weather is that, unlike land destinations, ships are mobile.
There's always a possibility of bad weather and rough seas when you go on a cruise, but cruise lines are well prepared to change course if an approaching storm could be too dangerous to navigate. There are also contingencies if they are unable to return to port as scheduled. Passengers on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship Disney Wish had their four-night sailing out of Port Canaveral extended by a day when the ship could not return to port and instead found calmer seas to hang out in. A video was posted on Twitter of passengers cheering when they learned they would have more time on the ship. Their cruise was canceled due to the late arrival of the incoming sailing.
You may find yourself completely charmed by the opportunity to visit a different Caribbean port and think of those captivating stories you’ll have to tell about the time your cruise ship was diverted during a storm. Hurricanes, or similar types of storms that go by different names, can affect cruises in other parts of the world, too. If cruising Australia or other areas of the South Pacific, for instance, be aware its peak cyclone season is from January to March. Parts of Asia are also susceptible to typhoons during monsoon season, lasting from May to October. The Eastern Caribbean tends to see more hurricanes toward the beginning of the peak season, while peak season in the Western Caribbean islands stretches throughout the entire period. Some East Coast cruises might be affected by a hurricane in the Northern Atlantic.
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