Hurricane season...cruising from Tampa?

We have never cruised from Tampa before. It's always been Miami or Port Canaveral for us. We usually cruise during September which is hurricane season.

We are going on Miracle on 8/28 which is also hurricane season.

Our itineraries have been turned a few times due to hurricanes....east changing to west...or west changing to east. One time we cruised southern and had them just do the itin backwards. They went to Barbados first and then came back up to the other islands to avoid a hurricane.

My question is this....since the Miracle only does western...where will it go to avoid a hurricane...

Will it leave from a different port? Will it's itin ever change to eastern?

Has anyone had this experience? If so, where did you go?

Cruzn

We were on the Miracle last year as Hurricane Emily plowed through the Caribbean. (Funny - My cousin is my TA. Her mother was cruising with me. My TA's sister is Emily. And, yes, she is a storm. We continued to tease Em that we didn't want her with us.)

Back to your question, we thought our itinerary would have been switched to the eastern. They did change the itinerary at the last minute - it was posted at the port. Instead we sailed around the east side of Cuba and stopped at Ocho Rios (Jamaica), Grand Cayman and Cozumel. We did receive a credit for missed ports (Belize and Costa Maya).

As you can see, we cruised last year the same time you are going this year, while H-Kat was coming up through the Gulf. CCL motorcoached us down to Port Everglades to embark, but the itinerary remained the same.

As a side note, the ride down to Port 'Glades was long, but I can guarantee you I'd rather be going down to embark then to have to suffer the ride back after a week of fun in the sun, not to mention missed flights, etc.

Have a blast!!!

Hope we don't get rerouted due to a hurricane on this one....we have been to Ocho Rios and really don't care to go there again. We booked out of Tampa this time because we have heard such great things about the Miracle. We are looking very forward to being on this ship!

Thanks!

As you can see, we cruised last year the same time you are going this year, while H-Kat was coming up through the Gulf. CCL motorcoached us down to Port Everglades to embark, but the itinerary remained the same.

 

As a side note, the ride down to Port 'Glades was long, but I can guarantee you I'd rather be going down to embark then to have to suffer the ride back after a week of fun in the sun, not to mention missed flights, etc.

 

Have a blast!!!

How long was the ride to Port Everglades?

How long was the ride to Port Everglades?

It was, if I recall correctly, about 5 hours, but that was with a "lunch" stop in Fort Myers.

In hindsight, it was a pretty good way to meet some of the people we were going to be on the ship with, and to find out who to avoid like the plague:D

I was one of the ones on the bus AFTER our cruise going from Ft Lauderdale to Tampa! It kind of stunk but I was feeling bad for the people who had to do the bus ride to get on the ship, thinking that it would postpone their boarding the ship for a few hours. Guess it depends how you look on it. To the OP, we went right through Katrina but it was after our last port of call. We woke up in the wee hours feeling like we were on a roller coaster! I can safely tell you that the Miracle is certainly seaworthy in the worst of weather!:D None of us even got seasick. I would do another cruise on the Miracle in a second even if I knew I would be in the same sitauation again. (though I have to admit I was excited when I heard about the hurricane coming as I thought I might get a couple of extra days on board!:o ) Have a great trip and don't worry. They handled the situation very well and kept us well informed about what was going on.

You ask a question that is almost impossible to answer since it depends totally on weather conditions at the time of sailing. What is certain is that you will never be in danger

It was, if I recall correctly, about 5 hours, but that was with a "lunch" stop in Fort Myers.

 

In hindsight, it was a pretty good way to meet some of the people we were going to be on the ship with, and to find out who to avoid like the plague:D

5 hours....Wow....how long was that lunch stop????

I don't mind the long ride ( who knows, chances are it won't happen anyway)

It's just that after having a huge DVT in my left leg that took over a year to dissolve, I have to be careful with it. It still gets sore. That part doesn't bother me....I can always sit in the aisle seat and stretch it out.

Just want to stay safe.......

You ask a question that is almost impossible to answer since it depends totally on weather conditions at the time of sailing. What is certain is that you will never be in danger

Actually, I am getting answers for my question. I'm not asking where we will go for sure....just where people have went on previous rerouted cruises. I was thinking that I have not seen anyone post about being turned to the Eastern ports....

There was one year that we were cruising Eastern when there were actually four hurricanes and tropical storms going on....mostly in the Western Carib...just curious...as we would not have wanted to be doing Western that week.

We have cruised during hurricane season many, many times. It is true that they will not put you in danger. We are not really worried about that. Just curious about people that have had their routes changed and where they went.

Only three and a half months to go....can't wait!

Rest assured that Carnival will do everything possible to insure your safety.

In all our years of cruising, it does amaze me that we have never been affected by hurricanes. (or even reall heavy seas for that matter) With all the talk about weather, I can honestly say that we don't make plans based on hurricane worries. We realise that ports can be changed for a variety of reasons, so we don't hang the success of our cruise on any port. Cabo was missed one time because the waves were to rough to tender...but that is about it.

I am certain it will happen to us one day, but as of yet...not a cloud in sight.

Don't let the weather scare you....just cruise and roll with whatever comes your way!!

To the OP, we went right through Katrina but it was after our last port of call.

Do you mean that literally?

Do you mean that literally?

Bet that was a fun ride!!!!

I was just watching the news here in New York tonight and they are predicting that the we (the northeast) will be the ones that should prepare for the storm season this season. They mentioned that they did not think that Florida would be hit.......wonder if they use a crystal ball? Have fun on your cruise!

I was just watching the news here in New York tonight and they are predicting that the we (the northeast) will be the ones that should prepare for the storm season this season. They mentioned that they did not think that Florida would be hit.......wonder if they use a crystal ball? Have fun on your cruise!

Maybe they are saying that for ratings. It is all over the news here... and the headline in our paper today was dealing with -- what a Cat 5 would do to our country -- and to be prepared!

I was just watching the news here in New York tonight and they are predicting that the we (the northeast) will be the ones that should prepare for the storm season this season. They mentioned that they did not think that Florida would be hit.......wonder if they use a crystal ball? Have fun on your cruise!

I've read some articles that stated NY needed to prepare, but the ones I read said that it was a matter of time. It didn't specify that the hit was immenent, just possible.