It's hurricane season!

Best part of it all are those unexpected cruises to nowhere

Our family too, we were to be on the Carnival Holiday out of Mobile, flying into Nola. Since Carnival didn't cancel the cruise outright, the airline or maybe it was our insurance, made us attempt to get to our destination. We Got all the way to Denver airport. Frontier offered to get us on a flight to PNS. Oh, heck no, and be evacuated to a shelter. Instead, our family of 2 adults and 4 kids had a very sad lunch at the McDonalds, waited in line for hours and flew back home. Since Carnival gave their ships for relief, we never did get a cruise. I am thankful that we didn't end up out on the water bobbing away. I know of all the horror and devastation so many went through during and after Katrina. My parents both live/d on the Gulf coast Alabama, so I know first hand. My four young boys just couldn't understand why we had to go home. As much as it hurt them, it saddened me as well, especially as I unpacked 6 suitcases of clean clothes.

This would have been our first cruise. I knew way back in 2005 that I was going to love cruising and that cruising would be a big part of our family's lives. It just had to wait another 2 years and when the timing was right happened to be with Princess. We finally got around to trying Carnival in 2015, and I can say I am pretty happy with the product. I know we can't do anything about the weather, or other unknowns, but from that very first cruise I did have insurance and I always have.

Saw on the news that this year will be one of the most active hurricane seasons in seven years. Curious as to see how many of you have been impacted in the past. I, myself, was supposed to sail out of New Orleans back when Katrina hit. Not only did they get decimated, but most of the ports we were supposed to visit as well. Spent our vacation watching this unfold on TV. Although it was disappointing not to be able to go, it was horrible to see the pain and destruction this storm had on so many others. For those of you sailing this season, I wish you a safe and uneventful cruise. Keeping my fingers crossed as well, as I will be on the Magic Sept. 16th.

Saw on the news that this year will be one of the most active hurricane seasons in seven years. Curious as to see how many of you have been impacted in the past. I, myself, was supposed to sail out of New Orleans back when Katrina hit. Not only did they get decimated, but most of the ports we were supposed to visit as well. Spent our vacation watching this unfold on TV. Although it was disappointing not to be able to go, it was horrible to see the pain and destruction this storm had on so many others. For those of you sailing this season, I wish you a safe and uneventful cruise. Keeping my fingers crossed as well, as I will be on the Magic Sept. 16th.

Sept 16 right at the peak of the season, good luck!!!

I have cruised 8 times during Hurricane season and only had one rainy day out of 58 days so far....57 days of sunny weather so don't sweat it....weather forecasters have been getting worse not better at predicting....enjoy!

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Thanks! Guess I'll find out shortly. It's always a crap shoot at this time of year!

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We normally cruise in February but have a cruise booked for October of this year to Cuba. If a hurricane does affect this cruise and we miss Cuba, it won't be the end of the world for us. The main reason we are going on this cruise is to put us at Platinum for our February 2019 cruise that is booked.

Our Bermuda cruise in 2010 went to Nassau for 2 days instead due to a hurricane. RCI offered $400 OBC to those who did not cancel. They also offered no penalty cancellation (not sure if it was contingent on re-booking though). We went with the OBC since we had already paid for air & there were 4 of us who had to plan time off from work to go. I still haven't made it to Bermuda, but maybe someday...

We live in Florida... done a few cruises during the summer (June or July) but never in the fall. Trying it out in October and hope not to regret it! I just want to get on the ship and if our ports get changed or turned around or whatever, I will be happy just to be cruisin'!

Better yet has anyone cruised out of NYC or Baltimore in a snowstorn. I have in january on the Spendor from manhattan

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We have only cruised during Hurricane season and never had a problem in 8 cruises so far.....one day of rain on a sea day out of all my cruises so relax.....cruising in a few weeks out of Baltimore....expecting nothing but great weather again

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We are cruising this coming Sunday out of Galveston and it looks like a new disturbance is off the coast of Africa and could become Hurricane Harvey before next week.

I am hoping that if it does go into the Caribbean (we are supposed to go to Cozumel, Roatan and Belize) that we will be routed up to Key West and the Bahamas.

I am wondering when the itineary change would be announced? When we board the ship or thru and email prior?

Just wanting to know as soon as possible so we can make alternate excursion plans.

Of all the times we have cruised in hurrican season, we havent had to change ports.

Thank you,

Last summer we were due to arrive in Belize the day the tropical storm hit there, so the ship diverted us to The Bahamas instead. My 11-year-old insisted that we stand in line to meet the captain. When it was our turn she shook his hand and said - "THANK YOU. My mom told me she was absolutely not ever taking me to The Bahamas for a vacation because it's too expensive, and I've been wanting to go there forever. I'm so excited we'll be there tomorrow. You've made this is the best vacation ever."

It's all about the attitude.

We generally sail out of Galveston because we live very close. I'm only concerned about what's happening with the port of Galveston, and, honestly, I'd rather evacuate to a cruise ship than have to sit in traffic to get to central or northern Texas to ride out a storm at a friend's house.

I am wondering when the itineary change would be announced? When we board the ship or thru and email prior?

 

Just wanting to know as soon as possible so we can make alternate excursion plans.

This depends on when they make the decision. We found out on our last cruise the morning before we were scheduled to be at the affected port (midcruise). We were on RCCL - they had the excursion money refunded to our onboard accounts at the same time they announced the change. Within a few hours, they had new excursions posted for those who wanted to do something in The Bahamas. The selection wasn't great, because they didn't have a ton of notice, but it was obvious they were trying to offer options. We got the internet plan for the day and managed to figure out what we wanted to do on our own.

Lots of conversations with fellow cruisers, swapping options and advice.

We are cruising out of Charleston this Saturday 8/19 and I've been hearing some buzz about Hurricane Harvey wave forming off the coast of Africa. Stocking up on some extra ginger pills and Bonine but otherwise not overly concerned, I am sure they will keep us safe and if we have to divert course we'll deal. It is the only time of year that the entire family could go which is why we chose "hurricane season" to cruise.

Our previous cruises have all been winter and we have run into issues with flights being messed up due to snow. Another time we were at Disney during a hurricane; a handful of rides were shut down and the parades were cancelled but the upside was that we pretty much had the park to ourselves and could basically walk on to the rides that were open, and got to eat at a few places where we previously could not get reservations. If life gives you a lemon, make lemonade......

We are cruising this coming Sunday out of Galveston and it looks like a new disturbance is off the coast of Africa and could become Hurricane Harvey before next week.

I am hoping that if it does go into the Caribbean (we are supposed to go to Cozumel' date=' Roatan and Belize) that we will be routed up to Key West and the Bahamas.

I am wondering when the itineary change would be announced? When we board the ship or thru and email prior?

 

Just wanting to know as soon as possible so we can make alternate excursion plans.

 

Of all the times we have cruised in hurrican season, we havent had to change ports.

 

Thank you,[/quote']

 

That disturbance is still many days away. Your chances of a reroute at this juncture are so low as to not even consider it a possibility. If she's packing a punch as she crosses Barbados and is pointed straight at Honduras from there you might hear something around Friday at the earliest. And then the answer is likely a port reversal or a Grand Cayman/Jamaica substitute. You're not going to the Bahamas. Bank it.

We are cruising this coming Sunday out of Galveston and it looks like a new disturbance is off the coast of Africa and could become Hurricane Harvey before next week.

I am hoping that if it does go into the Caribbean (we are supposed to go to Cozumel' date=' Roatan and Belize) that we will be routed up to Key West and the Bahamas.

I am wondering when the itineary change would be announced? When we board the ship or thru and email prior?

 

Just wanting to know as soon as possible so we can make alternate excursion plans.

 

Of all the times we have cruised in hurrican season, we havent had to change ports.

 

Thank you,[/quote']

 

When our intinerary was changed, we found out the night before our sailing via an email.

:eek:

We have done at least 10 cruises during hurricane season.

We are doing another September 30th.

Maybe we've been lucky, but we have never encountered a hurricane. Nor do we worry about it.

Happy Sailing!

We've cruised 11 times during hurricane season, with another couple coming up this fall. Not worried in the least... if they need to change the itinerary or ports, so be it, and we actually enjoying the rockier seas (no motion sickness for at all, thank goodness!).

Only once in all of those cruises have we had to make a change: October 2014 we were scheduled for a B2B2B that was supposed to be Eastern Caribbean - Western Caribbean - Eastern Caribbean. On the first leg, just after sailaway, the captain informed the ship that due to hurricane Gonzalo gaining strength in the Eastern Caribbean, our ship (the Conquest) was going to change the entire itinerary over to the Western Caribbean instead. We had a fantastic time and we were safe. The sad part was watching the devastation that Gonzalo wreaked upon the islands that we were due to visit that week.

One final thing to note - we ALWAYS get travel insurance that includes trip interruption and cancellation... just in case!!

We have sailed the last 8 mid September's due to school breaks and lucked out so far with no diversion or cancelled ports. Majority sailed out of Miami and port canaveral. The reduced rates compared to summer rates helps too. We don't always get insurance which is probably not the smartest but did for this September. Another advice if you drive and park is choose a higher floor on the parking decks just in case there is any storm surge there you are less likely to have an underwater car.

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We are cruising this coming Sunday out of Galveston and it looks like a new disturbance is off the coast of Africa and could become Hurricane Harvey before next week.

I am hoping that if it does go into the Caribbean (we are supposed to go to Cozumel' date=' Roatan and Belize) that we will be routed up to Key West and the Bahamas.

I am wondering when the itineary change would be announced? When we board the ship or thru and email prior?

 

Just wanting to know as soon as possible so we can make alternate excursion plans.

 

Of all the times we have cruised in hurrican season, we havent had to change ports.

 

Thank you,[/quote']

If that forecast model continues as is, I would say it's quite likely that your Western Caribbean itinerary will be converted into an Eastern Itinerary.

I don't care about hurricanes, typhoons or tsunamis. I don't care if the ship goes in circles to avoid ports or storms, I am CRUISING, no cleaning, no cooking, no work. This is a chance we take when we cruise during hurricane season in FLA, bring in the DOD and say a prayer for the motherland! :)

 

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I totally agree with you. We have always cruised in hurricane season, and we are just happy to be on the SHIP. Cruising around, having fun .:cool:

Things could get interesting next week:eek: We are doing a short five day out of Charleston so it will be interesting to see what pops up....what I'm trying to figure out is this....we usually ALWAYS book an aft cabin...but this cruise we are forward!!! Hope we are not in for a rocky ride...in forty plus cruises...and a lot of them during hurricane season we have never been hugely affected....wondering where we would go if we had to skip Freeport and Princess Cay....five sea days would be okay with me;p

When we were in the path of two hurricanes we were rerouted Nassau and freeport and port canaveral.

Key west not enough space for many cruise ships

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