Hurricane season??

Anyone book a cruise in the past years during hurricane season?? What happens when you leave home on the day your cruise departs and a hurricane is on a projected path of where you want to cruise to?? The last 3 cruise we took were in Jan. and April. We decided to cruise the end of August. We are taking our chances?? Hopefully NO Hurricanes !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We always cruise during hurricane season and in 13 cruises have never had a problem. Many people on these boards suggest that you always go a day before to insure your arrival should you encounter any problems. As far as being on a ship that is headed towards where the hurricane is, the ship would never go near it. You would end up with a different itinerary. There are ways around it.

Not to mention you can get great upgrades because the ship will not be totally full:D

Or you end up with the cruise to no where. Last year some just floated off the Fl coast in the straights off Key West. All depends on where your ship is going and where any storm is coming from.

I have been wondering the same thing. I would love to cruise for my BD in October.

I know people say to stear clear of the Caribbean during hurricane season on land vacations, but I guess it's a little harder to re-route your hotel room. ;)

Prices are sometimes cheaper. Thanks for the info.

Cruise during those months and will continue to do so, its cheaper and never had a problem.... Im on a cruise, how bad can that be:p

Kathy

I took two cruises during hurricane season several years ago and never had a problem, once in August and once in September. It was great, they were both to the Caribbean, eastern and southern.

Delores

Always go in the day before any cruise to avoid problems. We were on an a 7 day cruise on Navigator last Sept. when Ivan showed up. We got a 9 day cruise instead, perfect weather and not the itinerary we expected! We didn't care! Going again on back to back this early Sept. Prices are so much less in Sept. and Oct.

FIRST GO THE DAY PROIR!!! :D :D

I can give your first hand from our Naviagtor cruise last August/September with hurricanes Frances and Ivan.

We had no problem in boarding in Miami, Hurricane Frances was about 2 days away, our first 2 stops was to be Naussa and Labadee both were cancelled. Antiguia was substituted and were able to make St Thomas as planned, just on a different day. Then as we were to return to Miami a Hurricane Ivan was headed straight for Miami and the coast guard closed all ports, the airport closed and evuacations were ordered. So we got an extra 2 days at sea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) :) We loved it....instead of retuning Saturday, we returned Monday.....the entires cruise we were safe, out of harms way and had a blast!

If your cruise is Eastern Caribbean you'll be re-routed to Western Caribbean and visa-versa....some ports may be cancelled all together. It's not up to the captain its up to Miami headquarters as to where and when you can go.

I would cruise during hurricane season again with out hesitation Just make sure to get insurance and always go day prior. ;)

***

Let me speak from the other side -- the group that got two days cut off our cruise instead of having two days added to it. It was not fun. We got to Miami on Friday afternoon. The cruise was to leave Saturday. We called our travel agent about 4 p.m. on Friday who told us the ship would not leave until Sunday. We spent the night in a beach hotel in Miami unable to evacuate inland because all the hotels were full. I had elderly parents and a baby in tow. Later we learned many people slept in their cars that night due to no hotels being available.

Sunday, we see on the RCI website that our ship now will not be leaving until Monday late -- two days late. Also, we'll do the Western Caribbean instead of the Eastern Caribbean. So much for our plans for spending the day at Atlantis, spending a day on St. John, etc. Now, we're going to Ocho Rios.

There was no possibility for the upgrades others have suggested because the Mariner was having even more trouble leaving port than the Navigator, so plenty of Mariner passengers were sent on buses from Port Canaveral to Miami and put on the Navigator. (I heard the bus ride was an experience. Glad we missed it.)

RCI didn't provide a cancellation option until 4 p.m. on Friday. By then, we were already in Miami, having flown from California early on Friday as everyone advises. So, the cancellation option came too late for us. We went, we got a $500 per cabin shipboard credit and that was that.

Also, our waiters and cabin attendants were tired and unhappy when we finally did board -- presumably because people generally didn't tip for the extra two days, and they knew they wouldn't make it up the loss with the next group, which would only be on the ship for five.

Trust me -- we went several years in a row during Hurricane Season and had no problems. Last September was basically miserable.

Our family of 10 spent over $12,000 (incl. airfare) for a cruise that ended up being 5 days instead of 7 and went places we didn't want to go. Needless to say, I won't book during Hurricane Season again -- don't care how cheap the rates are.

Thank you Lyncruiser...as they say there's always 2 sides to every story. ;)

Sorry you were on the "short" end of it. :eek:

***

We also cruised last September out of Miami. We lost 1 day from our cruise, but I would not say our experience was that bad.

We were scheduled to leave on Sunday when ( I think it was Jeanne ) the hurricane was coming. We drove to Miami Saturday - right before the it hit Sat. night/Sunday. The port was closed all day Sunday. We found an inland hotel in Miami and waited through the storm, all the while checking Cruise Critic and Royal Caribbean web sites. We left on the cruise Monday afternoon and had a wonderful cruise - perfect weather in the western caribbean. Missed Grand Cayman because not much was left from earlier and missed Belize because of the shorter trip. But all in all still had a great cruise.

Royal Caribbean gave us $250 onboard credit and a voucher for 50% off our next cruise which we will be on in 3 weeks! Got a great aft balcony for really cheap!

I would cruise hurricane season again - you just have to adjust your expectations to accomodate the possibilities. In fact we will book our next cruise on this upcoming one and it will be for this September!:D

Hope this helps...You know, chances are you won't have any problems, and if you do, just roll with the punches.

Patty

Lyncruiser, I am so sorry that you had such a difficult time, but I want you to know that is only and isolated incident. It is not the norm. Yes, hurricanes do happen but when you take into perspective how many actually occur and exactly when you want to cruise, the percentage is very low. You, unfortunately fell into that percentage. I am sure it would never happen to you again.

We usually cruise in September after the kids go back to school so there are more adults and fewer kids. Only ever had one problem and that was last year. Due to hurricane Jean we had two extra days at on the ship. It was a real burden but we held up as best we could (HE HE).

Actually, I gamble on the cruises during hurricane season on purpose. I try to book for early September thru November when possible. I figure I will either get a great price with no problem or if there is a hurricane and my plans are changed, I get another reason to book again with a discount. :) Besides, someone has to sail then, why not me?

Just my opinion, but I will never cruise in the hurricane season again, we were to be on the Explorer in sept of last year, when Frances was coming thru,we live in Florida so it was already here when we were trying to leave, the RCI website said we were leaving on time on Sunday, but just before we left our house we called RCI and they informed us that we were leaving on Monday instead,the roads were covered with trees, and the rain would not stop, once we made it to the ship everything was great our cruise was only six days, but it was nice,we went to Western instead of Eastern, they gave us 250 per stateroom credit, and 50% off next cruise which was nice booking this year we leave in six weeks, but overall the stress of everything like the cruise being on one minute off the next wondering if Ivan was going toward our house, we also left our son with someone and we worried about him the whole time, so this year were going in may and my son is going with us. the captain was great, but for us hurricane season will be at our home this year. my in-laws were with us and they have already booked for oct. so I guess just depends on the person, some might think it is exciting. good luck whatever you choose.

I, too, was on the Explorer cruise that was a day late going out due to Hurricaine Jeanne. I thought the $250 shipboard credit along with 50% off another cruise, combined with the $600 we were refunded by the insurance for delay of trip, was more than enough compensation. We are doing a 12nt repo cruise on 11/1 with our 50% off and I wouldn't mind if we had trouble again. It was an adventure!

I, too, was on the Explorer cruise that was a day late going out due to Hurricaine Jeanne. I thought the $250 shipboard credit along with 50% off another cruise, combined with the $600 we were refunded by the insurance for delay of trip, was more than enough compensation. We are doing a 12nt repo cruise on 11/1 with our 50% off and I wouldn't mind if we had trouble again. It was an adventure!

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D

We were cruising on the Mississippi while a hurricane was bearing down on our meow-kids in Miami last August. My wife was a wreck even after we got a hold of our sitter to have her take extra precautions. When we got to New Orleans we couldn't get home to Miami...the airport was closed! There was almost no damage in the Miami area, but our sitter had no power for several days after we returned. Our apt was fine. And local residents collected about $150,000 from FEMA for "hurricane damage". Prior to this we had never been affected by hurricanes while cruising Caribbean in Sept-Nov.

If you are not VERY flexible I would not suggest booking in Hurricane season. Here is my story:

I was scheduled to go on the Mariner last September(the 26th), and that is when Hurricane Jeanne came to Florida. The cruise was recheduled to monday and then to Tuesday. They also switched embarkation from PC to Miami(because too much sand built up and the Mariner couldn't get through). The original itenerary was Labadee,Ocho rios, GC, and Coz. It ended up being Nassau and Coz instead with 2 days cut off of the cruise. RC did offer a $500 shipboard credit and 50% off a future cruise to those passengers who still went. For those who opted out, they got a full credit to reschedule their cruise for a later time. I opted out and rebooked for April 10th. I could not get a new flight to Florida to get me there in time.

Also to get another view, my mother was on a cruise the week before I was to go and bc of Jeanne they got stuck at sea until tuesday(extra 2 days). Doesn't sound that bad, excpet if you gotta be back at work. She also had a hard time getting a flight OUT of Florida to get back home(Las Vegas). Luckily I rebooked it for her while she was onboard-she said many people were going to be stuck in the airport at least a day trying to get home. She said that although the cruise line was offering free internet and phone use during the crisis, she was unable to reschedule her fligt online and the wait for the phone was hours long. Luckily I got her email and went ahead and got the earliest flight I could for her to Vegas-and that was at 10pm on Tuesday!

So would I book again in hurricane season. Probably not. I'm sure my experience is the exception rather than the rule but it only takes once!

These days I try to avoid hurricane season, but it doesn't always work out that way. I also fly in a day ahead of the cruise. On my first cruise, I didn't know any better and luckily it didn't affect anything other than being tired the first day on the ship. We did encounter a tropical storm (this was in August) and many people were sick due to the 12 foot swells. DH and I weren't sick, but we did walk funny and that was before our first drink! ;)

I've found this to be a very interesting and helpful thread. Our family of four is just off the 2/20 Mariner sailing, and I've been wanting to book another cruise to help me get over missing the last one (LOL)! DH and I have our 15th anniversary on 8/30, and I thought a little getaway cruise for just the two of us would be nice since prices are better that time of year. I'm now thinking we ought to wait until later in the year when hurricane season isn't a threat. I can't imagine how worried I'd be if a hurricane delayed our trip home, or worse yet, headed toward our kids in Raleigh!!

I was also on the Explorer that left a day late and missed Belize and Grand Cayman. I was disappointed to miss Belize (because that was why I'd picked the cruise), but it certainly didn't ruin our trip.

My dh and I are pretty laid back though, we could have fun anywhere. I didn't feel any of the staff was rude. We were in an awesome aft cabin and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

We fly down the day of the cruise (I know that is frowned on here) so flights and hotels were a little stressful. I figured we would certainly make it to Atlanta for our layover, but was unsure if we would get to Miami on Sunday. I gambled and got a hotel room at the Miami International Airport and we were able to get to Miami on Sunday. Our trip insurance paid for the extra hassle and the shipboard credit paid for our dolphin encounter. And for once, my dh wasn't griping because I forced him to buy insurance.

We often vacation in Sept. and I don't plan on changing. Prices are better and places are less crowded.

Dawm