What is Sept-Dec weather like for Caribbean Cruises?

[DoomsdayFAN]

I am looking into taking a cruise sometime between Sept-Dec of next year and I was wondering what the weather is like on the Caribbean during those months?

 

Depending on the cruise I choose, my itinerarie could include: Port Canaveral, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Falmouth, St. Thomas, St. Marteen, Nassau, Castaway Key, Labadee, Fort Lauderdale.

 

I can't expect that time of year to be all sunny and beautiful like summer, but I hope it's not all dreary with gray stormclouds and showers all day long.

[Cuizer2]

September, October and November are the last three months of hurricane season. So it can get windy.

 

Basically the Caribbean is in the 80s year round. It is in the upper 80s in the summer and in the lower 80s during the winter.

[headhunterke]

November might already be pleasant in weather. But, it's a little gamble.

On my second cruise, we had to skip Grand Turk (and almost some other ports) because of the weather. On the other hand, it will still be warm, but it will be very bearable, even at noon.

But all in all, I don't want to cruise that region anymore during that period. I prefer January, February.

[DoomsdayFAN]

Well the most likely month as of yet is probably going to be November. So I'm hoping by then it'll be somewhat clear.

 

How is the humidity out there? It is as bad or worse than Florida?

[jamessemaj]

Higher probability of rain, especially in Oct. and Nov., less in Dec.

[headhunterke]

I have found it to be about the same as in Florida on most places on that cruise. Except in Roatan. There it was so humid the fog came out of the ground.

Although, that not really the Caribbean anymore, but it was on the same itinerary...

[dancinman66]

Sept and October are hurricane season but end nov and dec are good but weather cooling

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cb at sea]

It's only windy if there IS a hurricane...and your ship will avoid the storm! It's HOT, and HUMID in all of those locations at that time of year.

Edited September 4, 2014 by cb at sea

[Warm Breezes]

Our October cruise was HOT and rocky. Our November and December cruises were beautiful with only a couple showers.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We cruise in early Dec. almost every year. Weather is usually very good, 80-90, sometimes humid, sometimes not. We've had only a couple of rain showers in multiple cruises that time of year, and a few days (like 2 or 3) that struggled to hit 70. I haven't noticed any super windy conditions.

 

Of course, weather is unpredictable, so there are no guarantees, but we find it a perfect time to cruise.

Edited September 4, 2014 by Nebr.cruiser

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

High 80s ...

[dorisis]

No worry about hurricanes since ships can easily avoid them. We leave tommorrow and will be in the Caribbean for 2 weeks. The weather will be hot and humid. We will be going again in december and expect the same conditions.

 

Prices for Caribbean are really low for this September. Check out Princess cruises.

[Cuizer2]

No worry about hurricanes since ships can easily avoid them.

 

Tell that to the people on these ships ...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsrEkvmiGfk

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAhj4UDIm54

 

 

 

The following video is of the captain explaining what happened to the Freedom of the Seas on October 9, 2011 ...

 

[DoomsdayFAN]

When the ships avoids the hurricanes, does that mean they skip out on destinations? Or just take alternate routes?

 

Man, I can't believe it's hot in November! That's nuts. I thought for sure by then it'd be cool breeze.

 

lol, I take it then I wont be in need on a coat or sweater. (I run hot anyway)

 

 

I just hope the weather isn't so bad that it messes with my planned excursions. I want to Scuba dive in Cozumel and Grand Cayman, and ride jetskis in Castaway Cay. Maybe ride some quads too.

[OCruisers]

It can mean that your whole itinerary will change to avoid the tropical storm and you might have more days at sea than you planned.

When a tropical storm is approaching your embarkation port, travel conditions (flying or driving) to get there will not be the best.

This is the main reason why it's so very much less expensive to cruise to the Caribbean in the fall. ;)

LuLu

[Cuizer2]

When the ships avoids the hurricanes, does that mean they skip out on destinations? Or just take alternate routes?

 

It depends. It can result in no change, it can result in a late arrival, it can result in a missed port, it can result in a rescheduling of the ports (same ports as originally scheduled, but on different days than originally scheduled), it can result in substitute ports or in can result in a whole new itinerary.

[DoomsdayFAN]

Tell that to the people on these ships ...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsrEkvmiGfk

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAhj4UDIm54

 

 

 

The following video is of the captain explaining what happened to the Freedom of the Seas on October 9, 2011 ...

 

 

Dang! That's nuts. I must admit though, I'm curious to know what it would look like to see Allure or Oasis travel through those waters. :D

[DoomsdayFAN]

It can mean that your whole itinerary will change to avoid the tropical storm and you might have more days at sea than you planned.

When a tropical storm is approaching your embarkation port, travel conditions (flying or driving) to get there will not be the best.

This is the main reason why it's so very much less expensive to cruise to the Caribbean in the fall. ;)

LuLu

 

It depends. It can result in no change, it can result in a late arrival, it can result in a missed port, it can result in a rescheduling of the ports (same ports as originally scheduled, but on different days than originally scheduled), it can result in substitute ports or in can result in a whole new itinerary.

 

I assume though that within a month of the trip, you'd have an idea of if any hurricanes are coming, right? Or do those drop out of no where? (No hurricanes where I live, ever)

[Cuizer2]

I assume though that within a month of the trip, you'd have an idea of if any hurricanes are coming, right? Or do those drop out of no where? (No hurricanes where I live, ever)

 

Hurricanes start as weather over Africa. If the conditions are right, the weather can become a tropical storm and if it gets stronger, a hurricane. I believe the timeline is closer to one to two weeks (not a full month).

[Cuizer2]

Dang! That's nuts. I must admit though, I'm curious to know what it would look like to see Allure or Oasis travel through those waters. :D

 

It would look something like this ...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxrKBTvKJ3U

[rvsullivan]

As dramatic as those video's are, none are in the Caribbean. They are not going to take a cruise ship into a storm like that on purpose. Check out how many cruises have been diverted in Nov-Dec over the past 10 years. Not many hurricanes then, always a slim chance but not likely.

 

Here are the National Hurricane Centers info by month:

 

 

 

Hurricane Season By Month

 

The following numbers are historical averages and will vary from year to year.

 

June: On average, one tropical storm develops every other year.

 

July: Three tropical storms develop, two become hurricanes and one becomes a major hurricane.

 

August: Three tropical storms develop during the month and two become hurricanes.

 

September: Four tropical storms develop, two become hurricanes and one becomes a major hurricane.

 

October: Four tropical storms develop, none of which become hurricanes.

 

 

Note that Oct, Nov and December are basically zero!

[Cuizer2]

As dramatic as those video's are, none are in the Caribbean. They are not going to take a cruise ship into a storm like that on purpose.

 

No, they will not. And airplanes also will not fly into a storm on purpose (unless of course it is one of NOAA's planes specifically designed for that purpose).

 

The point is, no mater where on earth a ship is, the captain will attempt to avoid bad storms, whether that storm be in the Caribbean or any other large body of water here on earth. And yet, despite their best efforts and weather charts, sometimes the ships (and planes) find themselves in a place that they would rather not be. Then, as the captain in the last video points out, the itinerary goes out the window and safety becomes the prime concern.

 

Do ship captains try to play bumper boats? Of course not. However, despite the captain's best efforts, sometimes two ships attempt to occupy the same space at the same time. Is it likely that a ship will be caught in a hurricane in the Caribbean? No. Is it possible? Yes.

[donaldsc]

There are lots of good WEB climate sites. Do a search and check them out.

 

DON

[DoomsdayFAN]

It can mean that your whole itinerary will change to avoid the tropical storm and you might have more days at sea than you planned.

When a tropical storm is approaching your embarkation port, travel conditions (flying or driving) to get there will not be the best.

This is the main reason why it's so very much less expensive to cruise to the Caribbean in the fall. ;)

LuLu

 

If the ship must alter course or change itinerary, we'd still get the full 7 days right? Perhaps in a new port that wasn't originally on the schedule?

[Cuizer2]

If the ship must alter course or change itinerary, we'd still get the full 7 days right? Perhaps in a new port that wasn't originally on the schedule?

 

This is usually true. However, some cruises have been cut short so the passengers could be off loaded before the storm hit (the cruise line then offers a prorated refund). Others have had their seven night cruise turn into a nine night cruise.

 

In short, hurricanes do not coordinate their schedules with the cruise lines before they travel across the Atlantic and into the Caribbean.