Hurricanes/Canada

[delluser]

PLEASE BE KIND.  We sail next week out of Quebec City.  While it is still too early to tell what the path of TS Lee (projected to be a Cat 4 Hurricane) will take, some models are showing pretty nasty weather that could be headed toward our Canada based cruise (ports in NFL, NS).  What reroute is even possible when sailing from Quebec City?  I don't honestly care where we go, but I've never thought about a hurricane impacting a northern itinerary before. Yes, we have travel insurance.  This is just a general question and not a panic post (I'm well aware that this is hurricane season).  

 

[david_sobe]

Yes its too early to say.  The weather guy said this morning that the north east is not out of the woods yet.  I cant imagine such a monster storm hitting the north east coast.  But until it makes that turn to the north, no one knows if it will stay out to sea or hit a coastal area somewhere.  But even if it stays out to sea, a monster hurricane like that will make for rough seas everywhere.  I remember when I first moved to Florida and we had these giant waves and was shocked to learn they were from hurricane Luis and that storm came nowhere near Florida.  But it was so big and powerful it was churning ocean water all through the Atlantic.   No matter what happens, the captain will know what areas to avoid.  Its that time of year and this is not new.

[tsahall01]

I'm holding my breath right now!!  I live in the US Virgin Islands and I'm due to fly out on Friday afternoon for a 10 day cruise on the Breakaway! Tropical Storm Lee (soon to be major hurricane Lee)  has wobbled a bit north, so we are no longer in the "cone of terror", but that can change at any time.  As it stands right now, it is not due to be close to the Virgin Islands until Sunday morning, well after my Friday afternoon flight.  I called American to see if I could leave earlier--but the cost would be over $2,000 to change--so I threw the dice and am hoping for the best!

[senslady]

3 hours ago, delluser said:

PLEASE BE KIND.  We sail next week out of Quebec City.  While it is still too early to tell what the path of TS Lee (projected to be a Cat 4 Hurricane) will take, some models are showing pretty nasty weather that could be headed toward our Canada based cruise (ports in NFL, NS).  What reroute is even possible when sailing from Quebec City?  I don't honestly care where we go, but I've never thought about a hurricane impacting a northern itinerary before. Yes, we have travel insurance.  This is just a general question and not a panic post (I'm well aware that this is hurricane season).  

 

We are on the same cruise and it is a bit scary to hear of a possible hurricane.  There is no other reroute from Quebec City for a cruise ship but I'm sure Norwegian is questioning what will happen too.  We have insurance also and I urge anyone who doesn't have it to make sure they purchase it.  Guess all we can do is wait and see.  Let's all keep our fingers crossed.

[Turtles06]

3 minutes ago, senslady said:

.  We have insurance also and I urge anyone who doesn't have it to make sure they purchase it.

If you are speaking generally about the wisdom of having travel insurance, I agree with you. But if you are advising people on an upcoming cruise to buy insurance now because of Lee, I think many policies will not cover you once a storm exists and has been named.  In any event, everyone should read a policy before buying it. 
 

I hope all in the path of Lee are safe. 

[senslady]

7 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

If you are speaking generally about the wisdom of having travel insurance, I agree with you. But if you are advising people on an upcoming cruise to buy insurance now because of Lee, I think many policies will not cover you once a storm exists and has been named.  In any event, everyone should read a policy before buying it. 
 

I hope all in the path of Lee are safe. 

Yes Turtles06,  you are probably right.

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

Following, as I'm on Caribbean Princess 10 day from Brooklyn to Quebec starting on the 19th.

[Socalev]

Last year.  Same scenario.  Departure delayed one day and first two ports cancelled.  First port visited..Halifax..rained and there was residual damage from the storm.  Still enjoyed the cruise. And the extra day in Quebec City.

[bortman23]

Saw some news reports saying it should hit some cold water as it heads north this week, and will "likely just be a remnant of a storm by the time it makes it's way to Canada" and even a chance it could head back out to sea without making it to Canada.

[laudergayle]

49 minutes ago, bortman23 said:

Saw some news reports saying it should hit some cold water as it heads north this week, and will "likely just be a remnant of a storm by the time it makes it's way to Canada" and even a chance it could head back out to sea without making it to Canada.

That would be such a Blessing for everyone.  🙏🏻

[eileeshb]

I’m not a meteorologist but I have spent 30+ years looking at weather charts for predicting surf.

the main site I’ve used is the US naval oceanographic and meteorological service the link is for the North Atlantic chart for swell (waves) and wind. It looks like it’ll be Thursday before New England will start feeling any effect and could still be even later in the week before it kicks in.

The picture below is the chart for Friday 6am, you can see the red colours which would be the central area of the storms with the biggest waves … surfers get very excited if it goes to black. 
the little L shapes show the direction of the wind and the number of lines on them show the strength of that wind L = 10knots, F = 20knts (shorter lines mean 5 knots) . 
 

[kasimir]

Trust me, by the time it gets anywhere near Canada it will have weakened down to a Tropical Depression at worst. Hope the following screenshot will help:

 

Enjoy your cruise vacation and don't worry too much.

[Kitty Ellas Mom]

6 minutes ago, kasimir said:

Trust me, by the time it gets anywhere near Canada it will have weakened down to a Tropical Depression at worst. Hope the following screenshot will help:

 

Enjoy your cruise vacation and don't worry too much.

This is what I would have thought too, except I keep seeing articles that it will somehow boomerang back and get more speed.  There's that new phrase, "rapid intensification. "

[kasimir]

20 minutes ago, Kitty Ellas Mom said:

This is what I would have thought too, except I keep seeing articles that it will somehow boomerang back and get more speed.  There's that new phrase, "rapid intensification. "

Relax and ignore these sensationalist articles, fact is hurricanes need warm/hot water to keep strength or get stronger. The further north this storm system travels the colder the sea surface temperatures get and it will automatically lose intensity. 
 

While I am also not a meteorologist, I do live on a Caribbean island and we intensely follow each hurricane season as this directly affects us. So again, you will be fine 😊

[Joli 8899]

I am on the same cruise too!   It’s definitely a nerve wracking experience not knowing a couple days in advance what’s going to happen.  I hope the hurricane decreases in intensity, and I would be disappointed to miss stopping at the ports.  But safety first, and I hope all the people on this cruise have a wonderful time.  

[bortman23]

Hoping for the best for everyone!

[eileeshb]

On 9/11/2023 at 3:00 AM, kasimir said:

Relax and ignore these sensationalist articles, fact is hurricanes need warm/hot water to keep strength or get stronger. The further north this storm system travels the colder the sea surface temperatures get and it will automatically lose intensity. 
 

While I am also not a meteorologist, I do live on a Caribbean island and we intensely follow each hurricane season as this directly affects us. So again, you will be fine 😊

The north Atlantic has been unusually warm this year, nothing like as warm as the Caribbean but definitely warmer than normal for us. It hit 19C in Ireland at the weekend (66F) normal peak is 16C. That may cause the storms not to weaken as much as they normally do but still shouldn't be anything like what hits the Caribbean or southern USA. 

[Panhandle Couple]

The main issue might be waves and wind while tied to the dock. That could force a missed port.  Sailing in 40 mph winds is not out of the ordinary, as long as the ship stays facing into the wind.

 

Last Oct when returning to Boston we had a front come through with over 50 mph winds. The ship had turned head on into it, and the results were not too bad.

[mendi]

The Escape has altered its itinerary and left Portland skipping Bar Harbor direct to St Johns New Brunswick. Leaving tonight at 9 heading back to NY which also skips  Halifax. Pax on board this sailing note they got a $100 per cabin on board credit and a 10% of a cruise thru 12/24. Not that any of that matters, the safety is concern 1. The ship is scheduled to safe harbor around the NY area while still sailing and arrive on schedule to port Sunday 6 am. 

We are on the 9/17-9/24 sailing so I hope all goes to the new schedule and arrive safely as per the new plan. September sailings in the Atlantic always a roll of the dice. I took this same itinerary on the Escape in 2019 and was 1 week after Dorian trashed the Canadian Maritimes. Hope the second time is not the same.

[Nealhill]

Hi!  Any word on Norwegian Pearl cruise scheduled to leave 9/15/23from Boston? We will board plane at 5:25 AM tomorrow morning! 

My husband said some cruiselines are heading south instead of going to Canada!!!

[craig01020]

1 hour ago, Nealhill said:

My husband said some cruiselines are heading south instead of going to Canada!!!

At least you had that option. I cancelled my 9/13 cruise because it was Quebec City to NYC. There really is no alternate route. I didn't want to be in rough seas most of the way. Good luck.

Edited September 13, 2023 by craig01020

[Nealhill]

Smart move!

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, craig01020 said:

At least you had that option. I cancelled my 9/13 cruise because it was Quebec City to NYC. There really is no alternate route. I didn't want to be in rough seas most of the way. Good luck.

Joy on the move 

[cabincop]

Last year 10day Canadian cruise & the hurricane had just left Nova Scotia. I did not think hurricanes went that far north either. St John was hit hard & another port had just gotten their electricity back on a few days before we docked. Everyone was buying stuff cuz we felt so bad for them. I took the horse drawn cart around town in a lite drizzle. Trees were down, roofs were damaged but God Bless the residents they still came out for us. Good luck cruisers