Weather calling for rain both port days!!!

I'm sailing on Princess next week on a 5 day cruise with 2 port stops, Amber Cove and Grand Turk. I checked the weather report for both on the days we will be docked there - and they are calling for rain on both days!! I am hoping this changes, but I am so concerned that this is going to completely ruin the trip if it does not. March was supposed to be the "dry season" from what I read! We have 3 excursions already booked - what is the likelihood that they will be cancelled? And if they are, will we still be allowed to leave the boat, and will there be anything to do at port if we do? Even if it's raining, I don't want to be stuck on the ship - we're taking this cruise to explore and see new places!

If anyone has been through this before and shares our sentiment for not wanting to be stuck on the ship please share your experience, and thank you if you are able to answer my questions!

If it rains, it rains. Enjoy it anyway.

Usually, when they predict rain, that really means a 10 minute shower and the sun will come out.

people always ask me what I'll do if a hurricane changes my cruise plans. I'm going to sit in the hottub with a nice cold hurricane in a cup and enjoy my cruise.

My 1st cruise was rainy (off and on) and cloudy the entire time....it sucks to come home from a cruise without ANY tan to show for it! But...we still had a good time...can't do anything about it, aside from cancelling! So...take a good book, and prepare to relax!

Even a day with 100% chance of rain forecast could only be a 10 minute downpour with 100% certainty . Especially in the tropics .

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Do any of you know whether it is likely our excursions will be cancelled?

Do any of you know whether it is likely our excursions will be cancelled?

If the excursions are water based, ie snorkeling, and the storm causes the water to be murkey or cloudy, then yes, the cruiseline excursion may be cancelled.

Grand Turk is a tender port so if the seas are choppy you won't be able to tender to the shore. Enjoy the extra sea day.

Do any of you know whether it is likely our excursions will be cancelled?

Impossible to predict - just like the weather. You'll find out when you get there. If they are ship based excursions and they are caneled your money will be refunded, so there will be no financial loss. Just go and enjoy your cruise - it will be what it will be.

I'm sailing on Princess next week on a 5 day cruise with 2 port stops, Amber Cove and Grand Turk. I checked the weather report for both on the days we will be docked there - and they are calling for rain on both days!! I am hoping this changes, but I am so concerned that this is going to completely ruin the trip if it does not. March was supposed to be the "dry season" from what I read! We have 3 excursions already booked - what is the likelihood that they will be cancelled? And if they are, will we still be allowed to leave the boat, and will there be anything to do at port if we do? Even if it's raining, I don't want to be stuck on the ship - we're taking this cruise to explore and see new places!

 

If anyone has been through this before and shares our sentiment for not wanting to be stuck on the ship please share your experience, and thank you if you are able to answer my questions!

Ah yes! "The cruise to nowhere." Been there and actually enjoyed adding a couple more sea days (weather/medevac/etc) to the "left" side of our recent Panama Canal cruise. Always stuff to do and the captain's open bars after missed port two was a nice perk.

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Grand Turk is a tender port so if the seas are choppy you won't be able to tender to the shore. Enjoy the extra sea day.

When did Grand Turk become a tender port? The last two times we were there, the ship pulled right up to the dock.

I'm sailing on Princess next week on a 5 day cruise with 2 port stops, Amber Cove and Grand Turk. I checked the weather report for both on the days we will be docked there - and they are calling for rain on both days!! I am hoping this changes, but I am so concerned that this is going to completely ruin the trip if it does not. March was supposed to be the "dry season" from what I read! We have 3 excursions already booked - what is the likelihood that they will be cancelled? And if they are, will we still be allowed to leave the boat, and will there be anything to do at port if we do? Even if it's raining, I don't want to be stuck on the ship - we're taking this cruise to explore and see new places!

 

If anyone has been through this before and shares our sentiment for not wanting to be stuck on the ship please share your experience, and thank you if you are able to answer my questions!

Both ports have a shopping area right at the port. Typical touristy stuff, but I'm sure the shops will be open, even if it's raining. Are your excursions booked through Princess, or through independent contractors? If they were booked through Princess, and are cancelled, you'll get a refund that will be credited to your on board account. If they were booked independently, you'll need to contact the vendors to find out how your payment will be refunded should there be a cancellation.

We have been on many cruises when it rained and the shore excursions were not cancelled.

The only ones that may be cancelled for you will be if the seas are too choppy at Grand Cayman to safely use the tenders to get back and forth from the ship.

Just relax and make the most of it.

We have been on many cruises when it rained and the shore excursions were not cancelled.

 

 

The only ones that may be cancelled for you will be if the seas are too choppy at Grand Cayman to safely use the tenders to get back and forth from the ship.

 

 

Just relax and make the most of it.

The OP said they go to Grand Turk, not Grand Cayman.

Rain is a fact of life in the Caribbean. Most showers are short downpours, then it gets hot and steamy. Sometimes it's overcast and rainy all day - hard to predict. There will still be plenty to do, and most shore excursions will take place rain or shine.

Roz

As of last month Grand Turk was not a tender port. As for rain, we have had rain on many of our Caribbean cruises for multiple days on and off the ship. But it only rained for around 10 minutes. The two longest rain periods we had were at HMC for about 25 minutes and St. Thomas for 30 minutes. The longest period of rain we ever had was through the Panama Canal. It rained for 2 hrs., but after getting soaked the sun came out and it was so hot you dried off quickly.You will never find the perfect time to cruise if you worry about weather (rain), or hurricanes

Grand Turk is a tender port so if the seas are choppy you won't be able to tender to the shore. Enjoy the extra sea day.

Grand Turk is a tender port? Did the dock sink since I was there last? :o:o:o

Sorry about the Grand Turk comment.... Had Grand Cayman on my brain. Glad things are all cleared up. :eek:

Sorry about the Grand Turk comment.... Had Grand Cayman on my brain. Glad things are all cleared up. :eek:

Well, at least we know what (or where) is on your mind! :D

Glad to know the dock is still there too.

I haven't had a cruise where we haven't had a ton of rain! In fact our last was Bermuda last June, when the Hurricane turned around and came to Bermuda as a tropical storm. It rained 5 out of 7 days for that cruise. My DH was miserable about it, on the other hand, I just don't care one bit about things I can't change ;p

Even in the "colder" months the rains can be a blessing! It rained on our hike to Cave Tubing in Belize, it was a blessing it did IMO!

Like was mentioned you need to take into account that rain happens a lot in these areas. Even not as "tropical" but if you look at a Disney trip in the Spring/Summer there will be rain forecast every day. It will be a quick shower and over with. If it rains longer/harder just chill out and enjoy not being at home.

Excursions are a TOTALLY different ball game though. They aren't just affected by what you "see" as the weather. A good example is on a multi-gen cruise my mother's parasailing was canceled, it was a little to windy higher up, weather in general was amazing that day. She also had the same excursion to Antarctica canceled not once, but twice on 2 different cruises. Neither because of the current weather, but because the forecast suggested it might be harder getting back in 6 hours. If they are canceled it is probably because of a really good safety issue and even if everything looks OK, they are willing to loose money to keep you safe.

If the weather IS really bad but you are at port they won't stop you from getting off the ship, but please please plan on being back at least 2 hours before the last call for on board. Weather doesn't just affect getting to the port but also leaving. Better safe than sorry!

Just plan for rain with light rain gear and/or an umbrella if you like to use one. Have plastic rain cover for your camera and you are good to go. If you don't need the gear that's a win. Go without it and it rains, that is a loss.

Bob

On our first cruise several years ago, we had a stop in Freeport with a snorkeling excursion booked. It poured rain all day long, and we were notified early that morning that our excursion was canceled. We got in line at the excursion desk as early as we could to see if there were any others still going out that we could do, and ended up doing a bus tour of the city with a stop at an outdoor shopping mall. Wasn't ideal, but better than nothing, especially since there is nothing at the port or in walking distance in Freeport.

In 30+ cruises I've never had a day when it rained all day on port days. Lucky I guess. Usually showers are brief. Of course it could happen; excursions can get cancelled if deemed necessary. I have had sea days where it rained quite a bit.

We had one independent excursion that cancelled; not so much due to rain that day, but because it was a snorkel excursion and the operators met us at the port and said they recommended not going because the water was murky from previous rains. I thought that was very responsible; they could have just taken us out and let us try to snorkel in poor water conditions.

It has rained on us at several ports. In Hawaii we were on a whale watch and it rained. The rain usually only lasts for a few minutes (which seems like HOURS when you're on an excursion) but it usually stops as abruptly as it begins. I carry cheap rain ponchos for everyone (Dollar Store). It's become the family joke that if I carry them, it doesn't rain and if I don't it rains. We were on a catamaran in Roatan and it POURED. Hey, we were in swimsuits, so no problem. It stopped, we arrived at the spot to snorkel and all was good. Our towels were DRENCHED. That's the only casualty of the rain. We had to wring it out to get it back to the ship. We've found that the prediction of rain on every one of our ports is common. Having the rain interfere with the cruise is pretty rare. We've gone shopping in the rain (with the ponchos). That makes your hands free rather than carrying an umbrella and we can put a backpack on under the poncho. Just think Disney. We have NEVER been to Disney World that we didn't get rained on. People just seem to pretty much carry on after they get soaked. If you were the only one walking around wet, it would be different, but everyone will be wet too.Sometimes, if it's HOT, the rain is welcome.

 

Excursions are a TOTALLY different ball game though. They aren't just affected by what you "see" as the weather. A good example is on a multi-gen cruise my mother's parasailing was canceled, it was a little to windy higher up, weather in general was amazing that day. She also had the same excursion to Antarctica canceled not once, but twice on 2 different cruises. Neither because of the current weather, but because the forecast suggested it might be harder getting back in 6 hours. If they are canceled it is probably because of a really good safety issue and even if everything looks OK, they are willing to loose money to keep you safe.

 

Woah!!! What kind of excursions are there in Antarctica? What cruise line goes there? I am intrigued!!!

Not like I want to go on one, I am still shell shocked over the Titanic hitting ice Rose not moving over on that door. Just wondering.