Booking for next year's hurricane season

[spongerob]

I've been following the trials and tribulations posted by the people whose cruises were shortened as a result of the closure of Port Everglades while Frances and Jeanne hit Florida. After reading all this, would you book a cruise during the late August-September time frame next year?

 

If so, and you ran into travel problems, what compensation is reasonable and fair, or do you think "compensation" is already built into the cut-rate fares?

[sue d. miller]

I book for late October every year!! This has been an extreme year for hurricanes in Florida. But I will continue to do so. I wouldn't be surprised if one was out there this year when we go. If it was a 5 day or a nine day, I would still be on the ship, and happy to be there. I cannot control the weather, only my reaction to it!! Compensation isn't an issue. :)

[isujim]

We have sailed 2 of the last 3 Septembers and both cruises had some minor effects of hurricanes..........yes..........if the itinerary was right I wouldn't hesitate to book a cruise in this time frame..........but believe it or not......probably out of Galveston.......closer to home.........just in case. Both our previous cruises in September were out of Galveston.

 

Yes, I think prices reflect the "peak" hurricane season.

 

As for compensation............each cruise is different, each would be affected different..........each should be looked at seperately.

 

Jim

[Pam in CA]

Well... I think after this year, if you book during hurricane season, it's clear (to me) that you should take out the insurance and make your flight arrangements through Princess. The discounts for sailing the Caribbean between August and November are deep enough to do that. If the cruise is cut short, I think the compensation should be prorated by the number of days missed.

 

I guess I have a hard time understanding the people who say, "I'll never take out insurance and I'll never book my air through Princess" and then crab and demand refunds and rebates for their "inconvenience." I also have a hard time understanding the people who crab about missed ports. That happens all the time whether it's hurricane season or not.

 

Missed days, I understand. But, you take your chances during Hurricane season and if one actually affects your cruise, well, that's the chance you took.

[starsjohn]

Of course, I would book, even though it is my usual time to head for Tahiti or other Pacific delights.

 

I would hope to get one of those "extended" trips with "surprise" ports and maybe a bit of fun wave action.

 

This is the worst year in almost a century for bad storms in one location. The odds are still in your favor of just plain old good weather and good cruising.

 

John

[tom-n-jules]

Well... I think after this year, if you book during hurricane season, it's clear (to me) that you should take out the insurance and make your flight arrangements through Princess.

Insurance -- always!!

 

Princess air?? Don't think the potential for hurricanes should impact that decision at all. (Won't give up chosing my own airline and flights.) I think all airlines provide accomodation for changing flights without additional charge when something like a hurricane hits.

 

We were in New Orleans and bugged out when Ivan was coming, and we could have changed our return flight to come home via Houston without any cost if we needed to. I know there was info on AA's website continually updating the situation, and offering no-charge changes when needed.

[roe2ship]

One word - NEVER. Even though this is an unusual season, these months are peak time. I would consider late October or early November and even then I better be well prepared of the things that can go wrong. IMO, some begin to rationalize the choice of cruising at these times because they are so deeply caught up with that attractive cheap fare, that they feel they can handle the risk of all plans that may change. Those are the same ones that would complain then that the crew did not say "good morning" to them one day.

[bruce-r]

August is fine for me, but since DW is a teacher, September is right out until she retires and that won't happen for quite a few years. I'd probably chance September if the price/itinerary were right and then I'd for sure get insurance.

[AbbyGirl]

I will book in late August early Sept again. We were deverted to a couple different islands, but I was not stuck sitting in Ohio, so whereever we ended up was fine with me. Had the length of the cruise been changed, then so be it, there wouldn't have been anything we could have really done about it anyway. We did book Princess air, and no insurance, but that is just the risk you take. We had great flights scheduled, but that may have just been beginners luck!

[Cruisinforever]

If I lived in a FL port city, or darned close, I might book a cruise for those times. Personally, I'd rather not develop the ulcer and just book it for another time of year, and pay more. I love a good deal, though.... humnnn.....

[KAJOKG]

You can't predict weather, for sure. A few years ago we here in Florida were watching closely Hurricane Georges. It was late Sept or early Oct and we were scheduled to fly to Europe during the warnings. We got out on the last flight out of West Palm Beach before they closed the airport. BUT the stupid weather from that storm went out over the Atlantic and into Europe and rained every single day for our 14 days in Europe. What a soggy Oktoberfest in Munich!!!! And all from Hurricane Georges....Now that's a first for this Floridian. Go figure! Motto? I guess just do what you gotta do, and pray for the best.

[bombero]

We always book between Sept. & Nov., mostly to avoid all the children. I know we take our chances, and the cruise lines are not responsible for your cruise due to bad weather. But it seems, at least this year the cruise lines bent over backward to try and please everyone. I for one will continue to book in the Fall and take my chances....( Oosterdam, 19 days away-Oct, 24th ). So close I can almost smell it. :) :p :D ... Bombero

[sue d. miller]

Hey Bombero, we are going on the same date!! different ship!!! :)

[Aquarian]

No, as much as I'd love to save the money, I don't have the stomach for hurricane season cruising. I'm too much of a worrier and then there's Murphy's Law.

[hugger]

you might book for Mid February and get snowed. In which case the ship would leave without you :(

 

I would always buy insurance to cover my trip - just in case. We leave on the Dawn the 14th - praying for smooth sea's - we don't much care where we go for 10 days as long as we're on a ship :)

[Pam in CA]

As long as you know what the possibilities are and set your expectations that things could change on a dime, I think it would be a great time to cruise. If you have a dream of a lifetime cruise that you've been saving 20 years for and would be devastated if you missed anything, then this is perhaps not the right time of year to cruise the Caribbean.

 

As Hugger says, if you book in February, you could get stuck in an airport and miss your ship. I have, even though I was flying down the day ahead -- it ain't fun playing catch-up.

[Cruiser-66]

After reading these posts regarding "Hurricane Season" I'm just wondering how much savings is there? Would anyone care to say what kind of deal they got? If the savings was big enough I'd do it, but not for just a few dollars. I'm from the midwest and enjoy getting away in the winter!

[Cruisinforever]

After reading these posts regarding "Hurricane Season" I'm just wondering how much savings is there? Would anyone care to say what kind of deal they got? If the savings was big enough I'd do it, but not for just a few dollars. I'm from the midwest and enjoy getting away in the winter!

 

Welcome, Knutsonl! I know what you mean about our winters.... but, then we have to worry about getting snowed in at anytime between November and March (sometimes into April!) and not getting to the airport. For my May 1st cruise this spring, I was pretty sure I was safe.... sort of! :rolleyes:

[JanetMarie]

For DH and I, we prefer to not book during hurricane season specifically for the reasons you have posted. I don't have the time to worry about the weather and I prefer to know that we will be traveling (for the most part) during a part of the year when it is NOT hurricane season. I don't see the logic in putting myself in the line of storms, when I have the option to book at another time.

[jennat]

Good question. The rates don't really sway me because they are good pretty much from Sept to January. This hurricane season has been outragous. Is it a one time thing or the shape of things to come? If it is the latter I would stay away from hurricane season. We always cruise in Sept because my kids are off track and they can go to thier grandparents and not miss school. The get a 5 week break in the summer but....heat, kids and crowds, no thanks. As for the other breaks I am married to a CPA and Dec through Beginning of May are out. It is a delima (that is sooo spelled wrong!). I just hope Florida, the industry and us cruisers (and of course everyone else affected) aren't forced to make that choice due to repeat preformances of these monster storms. The weather is crazy this year....we had 11 tornados touch down around Denver yesterday. This is not Oklahoma and not the spring.....very wierd!

 

I did learn one lesson. Buy travel insurance! I did not expect the cruise line to pay any of this, I just thought....my bad! Oh well, it was worth the extra money to spend time on Marco Island. We had a great time!

 

Jen

[Maryandi]

Most people think they are fairly intelligent - so if they book knowing the trip might be rearranged, why expect to be compensated if it is ?

 

 

If you are going to move to a barrier island and someone tells you that someday you are going to have a hurricane that will destroy your house/condo-and-you still move there - why expect someone else to pay you for this ?

 

I have been here for all the hurricanes since 1949 - of course, this year has the most. I was soundly ripped for my post after Charley-but the theory is the same - you get what is in the cruise contract - everything else is gravy.

 

PS, if you are still interested in a mobile home, see above.

[sue d. miller]

Jen, I live about 30 miles north of Marco Island!! I love it here!!! :D

[jennat]

Sue, Me too, Me too! Thanks for sharing your jewel with all of us evacuees (again) :p

Jen

[dosi]

After reading these posts regarding "Hurricane Season" I'm just wondering how much savings is there? Would anyone care to say what kind of deal they got? If the savings was big enough I'd do it, but not for just a few dollars. I'm from the midwest and enjoy getting away in the winter!

We saved about $800 on cruise doing it in October rather than January. That amount more than covers our airfare for our family of three and pays for our precruise hotel too!!

 

We are well aware of our risks and do not complain at port changes. We would like it better though if Princess were a little more forthcoming with correct info. We know we will not be going to the Caymans and yet the CSR's at Princess insist it is on our intinerary. Well whereever we go we will be in wonderful company and that's what we really care about. :)

[Host Caroline]

Having just returned from an extended cruise on Mariner of the Seas I can honestly say that in all our years of cruising (often in the fall) this was the first time that our cruise was affected in terms of a delay.. but this has been a very very weird year weatherwise... The prices are lower in the fall and the weather can be bee-uu-tiful... We had not ONE cloudy day in the Eastern Caribbean.

 

If any of you are lookin' for some relaxation, good company and cruising with a bunch of Cruise Critic cruis-a-holics, come along on our Cruise Critic Caribbean Princess Cruise next September 17, 2005 sailing from Port Everglades to St Thomas, St Maarten and Princess Cays. Quite a few of our group were on the Mariner and we plan to keep the party going!!! For pricing and booking information http://www.cruisecritic.com/interests/groups.cfm?ID=56 or email me at carocruiser@aol.com.

 

More information will be posted at the top of the Princess board soon!

 

Host Caroline