Hurricane Threat

My family and I are booked on the Dream departing from New Orleans on Sunday with ports of call in Cozumel, Belize and Roatan. Our kids will be out of school on fall break, so we rolled the dice with booking during hurricane season.

Of course, six days before our departure, a tropical disturbance is forming in the Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center is "predicting" a track right across our cruise path for late next week.

Does anyone have any experience with how the cruise line handles a hurricane threat? I can only imagine how much lost revenue a cruise would suffer from drink sales alone if they got anywhere near a major storm. I can envision a "worst case scenario" where Carnival might just write off Belize and Roatan and we hit Progreso, Cozumel and Key West instead.

Thoughts?

The risk being that all ports could be changed or canceled completely. A few have turned into a cruise to nowhere simply because adjusting ports last minute isn't always an option. You still get a cruise but if the storm impacts it you may not know in advance what ports you may stop at.

But no point in worrying now as it's way too far out to know what path it will eventually take.

You may end up going the Florida Keys / Bahamas (Eastern Caribbean) route.

On my first cruise we were booked for an Eastern route, but a Hurricane in the area had the Captain choose a Western itinerary.

I leave Sunday on Pride out of Baltimore, heading to Bahamas/Grand Turk. I'd be lying if I wasn't a little concerned.. Its too early to tell what is going to happen but you know, you still stress a bit. Just hope for the best and think positive thoughts!

I wouldn't be concerned at this point. If an itinerary change is necessary, Carnival will make an itinerary change accordingly. They will keep the ship a safe distance from the storm.

We cruise Sunday also! Super worried. I hope the itinerary doesn't change, we've got some fun plans arranged. Regardless I know we will have fun.

I am convinced, based on reading what has happened in the past, that Carnival will keep us safe.

You might miss a port or even all planned ports, due to weather. That is disappointing. However I always take a family member, often a grandchild, with me. Putting that person's life in danger is not a risk I would knowingly take.

I totally trust Carnival to keep us safe and that's all I care about. I can live with, and even come to enjoy the unthought of benefits that might come from disappointment. Make lemonade. I could not live with feeling responsible for losing a family member.

It is only because I trust the cruise line to put safety first that I am comfortable with taking other people with me.

We are also watching this storm as we head off to the same ports on Saturday.

Safety doesn't even register on my radar. I'm not concerned about it, I don't care about it..because I know Carnival isn't going to put their ship in a dangerous area. I'm not worried that I'm going to be in a hurricane at all.

same for us, we're Breezin' out on Sunday as well. I have no doubts that CCL will keep everyone safe and reroute if necessary.

Also on the Dream so am somewhat concerned by this. Will we know before we board what they plan to do? This is my first cruise mainly because I've always been leery of being stuck on a boat the entire time. If I know ahead of time that it is already planned to be a 'cruise to nowhere' I may very well just opt for a couple of additional nights in New Orleans and head back home.

It's tough to make a call this far out. Lots of things can happen.

Just bring ponchos and be prepared to have itineraries changed even during cruise. No doubt all cruise lines will be watching for developments.

For some early forecasts: https://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=3444

We are also on the pride out of Baltimore for this Sunday. I'm not concerned I'll just be happy to be on the ship at all

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I had the same issue early September. We had beautiful weather the whole time.

I leave Sunday on Pride out of Baltimore, heading to Bahamas/Grand Turk. I'd be lying if I wasn't a little concerned.. Its too early to tell what is going to happen but you know, you still stress a bit. Just hope for the best and think positive thoughts!

I am going to be on this one with you! We will see what happens!

I am convinced, based on reading what has happened in the past, that Carnival will keep us safe.

 

You might miss a port or even all planned ports, due to weather. That is disappointing. However I always take a family member, often a grandchild, with me. Putting that person's life in danger is not a risk I would knowingly take.

 

I totally trust Carnival to keep us safe and that's all I care about. I can live with, and even come to enjoy the unthought of benefits that might come from disappointment. Make lemonade. I could not live with feeling responsible for losing a family member.

 

It is only because I trust the cruise line to put safety first that I am comfortable with taking other people with me.

I agree...my favorite part of cruising is the actual cruise itself. If I don't get off the ship, I am ok with that. Happy sailing!

I am going to be on this one with you! We will see what happens!

My BF said "It will be okay..we'll still have fun!" He's so positive, I love it :) I just hope we can still do our excursions and such.

I am certainly not concerned with the safety of our cruise. Carnival isn't going to risk a $750 million ship never mind the lives of 5,000 passengers and crew. Shoot, the lost revenue of drink sales alone would be enough to keep any cruise line away from storms.

I am more curious about how the change of ports of call might happen. I have spent weeks researching and plotting out each of our stops. Now I may need to scramble our plans. And I hoped to hear others' accounts of itinerary changes.

The trend in the models over the past day or two is for the storm to turn northward earlier than expected a few days ago. Current models take the hurricane from the central Caribbean northward over Hispaniola and into the Bahamas, then northeastward out to sea. The Western Caribbean would be spared in this scenario, although seas could be a little rough by the middle of next week.

Of course the models could flip back to a more westward track in the next day or two. It's still too early to know for sure. Once the disturbance forms into a tropical depression, the modeling usually becomes better.

Lee

The big threat for the Caribbean is now 97l which is soon to be Matthew.

 

I am more curious about how the change of ports of call might happen. I have spent weeks researching and plotting out each of our stops. Now I may need to scramble our plans. And I hoped to hear others' accounts of itinerary changes.

You should go ahead and have some alternative plans looked at prior to the cruise. At least consider other ports not on your original itinerary. The first time we had this happen it was kind of hectic trying to plan new excursions while onboard the ship. Needless to say we had the same thing happen the next year and we were better prepared and knew what to expect. My advice is just be prepared for a change and hope for the best.:D

I am going to be on this one with you! We will see what happens!

I am on this one too.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried. We were on the Hurricane Sandy cruise that was canceled after we boarded the ship.

It can't happen twice, right? :eek:

We were supposed to be on the Pride as well leaving this Sunday. I decided to cancel even though it means losing money. The danger is just to great to risk and neither my or my family's lives are worth the possibility of not coming home.

I am certainly not concerned with the safety of our cruise. Carnival isn't going to risk a $750 million ship never mind the lives of 5,000 passengers and crew. Shoot, the lost revenue of drink sales alone would be enough to keep any cruise line away from storms.

 

I am more curious about how the change of ports of call might happen. I have spent weeks researching and plotting out each of our stops. Now I may need to scramble our plans. And I hoped to hear others' accounts of itinerary changes.

Don't forget to look at Jamaica and Grand Cayman, both within easy reach if the storm stays south and Belize or Roatan are cancelled.

We were supposed to be on the Pride as well leaving this Sunday. I decided to cancel even though it means losing money. The danger is just to great to risk and neither my or my family's lives are worth the possibility of not coming home.

Well you have to do what you think is best. Sorry your missing what you had hoped to be a great vacation. IMO it's way too early and better to wait until more definitive information is available. And cruise ships don't risk lives unnecessarily, they steer as far away from danger as they can. Might be some rough sea days, but nothing to panic over.

The big issue is having your embarkation/disembarkation port is being hit by a tropical disturbance!