Worried about Cruise in September????

[RedskinsCruiser2010]

I am booked on the Liberty of the Seas on 9-19-2010 and I am really worried about this upcoming hurricane season. They say it will be really bad and I did not purchase insurance yet (or purchase the flights) I planned on purchasing the flights this week. I am just worried. Never cruised during hurricane season. Not sure what to do. If I do go the captain will change course right?:confused::confused::confused:

[ryano]

If I do go the captain will change course right?:confused::confused::confused:

 

Rest assure that the Captain WILL NOT put their multi hundred million dollar ship, their crew or their passengers in harms way :)

 

Dont sweat it and enjoy your cruise! They have been saying its going to be "really bad" for the last 3 or 4 years

[rjm1cc]

They may change some ports to avoid the storm.

[TPKeller]

There is no reason to worry. The only thing that I would do right now (and everyone knows you should already do this anyway) is to make sure you plan to arrive a day early for the cruise. This is especially important for hurricane season.

 

The only real risk during hurricane season is for a storm to hit your departure port on or shortly before your actual sailing date. This doesn't happen very often, even in the busiest years.

 

Once you're on the ship, you have even less to worry about. It would probably be good to at least mentally prepare for the fact that your itinerary may not be exactly what you have planned for, but that's the beauty of a cruise during hurricane season. Unlike a land resort, your ship can and will change schedule, or change ports altogether to avoid the bad weather.

 

I've been on several cruises during hurricane season, and have not had a bad experience yet. The prices tend to be much lower, and when there isn't a hurricane nearby, the weather is really great!

 

Theron

[truffles2]

The possibility of storms affecting your flights is a real possibility. Better think about insurance. WE missed a cruise in August because of weather once:eek:.

[MICHLEV1974]

I agree with the posters too. I have sailed 3 times during peak hurricane season. The itineraries were altered to go around the storms. Enjoy your low price, your fabulous ship, and your great vacation.

 

Do yourself a huge favor and get the insurance. This will help if you have trip interruption getting to the port ie flight cancellations, car rentals, hotel, etc.

[llist]

until this last april we always cruised during hurricane season (3 cruises) and once it did get a little windy coming back to miami but really... if you're captain sees bad weather in your path he will divert... you may miss a few ports but your still cruising :D ... and yes, it would be good to get in a day early imo... dont worry so much and enjoy your cruise ;)

[RedskinsCruiser2010]

Thanks Everyone,

I am going to arrive in MIA on the 18th and I plan on getting the insurance this month. One more question, Say I book an excursion and we do not make it to the island because of the weather. Will they refund my money? I am booked on the zip line in Labadee (really that was the main reason I booked this cruise) and I am booked on the ATV excursion in St. Marteen (this was my boyfriends pick LOL) I want my money back if we can not do those things (they cost alot of money) Will they just give me an On board Credit or something? Thanks for all the help you all are giving me.

[minnie00]

Thanks Everyone,

I am going to arrive in MIA on the 18th and I plan on getting the insurance this month. One more question, Say I book an excursion and we do not make it to the island because of the weather. Will they refund my money? I am booked on the zip line in Labadee (really that was the main reason I booked this cruise) and I am booked on the ATV excursion in St. Marteen (this was my boyfriends pick LOL) I want my money back if we can not do those things (they cost alot of money) Will they just give me an On board Credit or something? Thanks for all the help you all are giving me.

 

I think if you book with the ship you get a refund but not sure how it works if you book directly through off site people.

We are also going to arrive on the 18th:D but we are not buying airfare yet...its crazy high right now:rolleyes:

[gatour]

The biggest worry, is if the hurricane is hitting your embarkation port on your day of embarkation. This did happen a few years ago.

 

Sounds like you already decided to buy insurance and that was going to be my suggestion for your situation.

 

If a ship misses a port they will refund your money if you booked an excursion for that port. I can't remember exactly how RCCL handle the refund though.

[ssb]

There is plenty of notice and you or ship can run from a hurricane!

I would rather live in a hurricane area than a tornado, volcano, or anearthquake area.

Which i do Galveston Texas

[orville99]

until this last april we always cruised during hurricane season (3 cruises) and once it did get a little windy coming back to miami but really... if you're captain sees bad weather in your path he will divert... you may miss a few ports but your still cruising :D ... and yes, it would be good to get in a day early imo... dont worry so much and enjoy your cruise ;)

 

 

We always cruise in August. Last year we had an Eastern turn into a Western because of a TS that hit St. Thomas, so this year we booked a Western, and would not be at all displeased if it turned into an Eastern because of a TS in the gulf. The prior year we had our departure port change because of a TS (Fay). Other than a three hour bus ride, not a major inconvenience, but I would have hated to be someone who tried to fly in on departure day. Airports were all closed down.

 

Existing excursions were automatically cancelled and fully refunded on bill, and we had the option of re-booking similar excursions at the new ports.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

The three parts of a cruise in which a tropical event such as a tropical storm or hurricane is likely to impact your vacation is if the tropical event threatens the airport and port from which your ship is about to depart or if it hits and damages that port while you are gone or is threatening the home port and airport when you are supposed to return from the cruise.

 

All of these things have happened in Florida, but they are the exception rather than the rule. That said, I do understand your concerns. I live in Florida, have a September cruise scheduled and actually do feel somewhat anxious about it. But the truth is, I am just as concerned about this predicted heavy tropical season even if we don't go anywhere and just stay home.

[Icruzthere4Iam]

I lived on the gulf coast of Florida from the late eighties until 2005 and can tell you that every year at "forecast" time it was "forecast" to be the worst year in recorded history, hide the woman and children the world is coming to an end. It is not a forecast but rather a SWAG, which board rules prohibit me from spelling out the meaning of. Relax, enjoy the lead time up to your cruise and then definitely enjoy your cruise as well. Take care, Jim

[cb at sea]

Even if they only predict 1 hurricane, it could affect you---or not! Mother Nature is the only one who has a hand in this....the weathermen don't have a clue. That's why it's a "prediction"!

[koko1]

Most travel insurances does not cover "Acts of God" so be sure and check before you purchase. I am going on the same cruise, live in Ft Lauderdale & have been booking during hurricane season for years. Mid Sept is condered "peak" & that's why the week we have booked is usually the lowest rate all year, for all the lines, not just RCCL. Only one time in all the years I have been booking during this time has there actually been a hurricane. No probs on the trip but had to sail around for 2 extra days as they had closed the port. The gave everyone free internet access to they could try & rebook their flights. Once you are on the ship no problem, but plan to come in the day before.

[janetz]

The announcement this week about the hurricane season surely has alot of people concerned. We sail from FLL Oct 2nd, flying down from Boston on the 1st, first flight out, non stop. We know weather can disrupt us. After the year and a half wait for this cruise it would be so sad to miss it. BUT I am going to think positive. :D There will be "no weather" on Oct 1st or 2nd.

[cb at sea]

Just read a blurb about a Bermuda cruise (5/22) that had nasty weather...and it wasn't "hurricane" season....you just can never tell! Good or bad weather can happen anytime!

[ehfl]

We booked for 2 weeks prior to yours. I'm more worried that my house will be hit by a hurricane. If the ship has to change ports....so what? A vacation is a vacation, and it doesn't matter to me which tropical island we end up at.

 

I don't understand why people get so upset at the possibility of having a slightly different itinerarry.

[Maryscooking]

This was not hurricane related, but we were in Labadee in January and it rained the whole day - sometimes just a light mist, sometimes a downpour. They were still running the zipline, but did refund money for anyone who didn't want to go (I know b/c we decided not to go).

 

I was really worried that we would just have to suck it up and go since they were actually still running the thing, but they didn't give us any problems about a refund. The money was back in our on-board acct by the next day.

[koko1]

Per my previous post have had no probs with cruising mid-Sept. I did have a big problem 2005, the ONLY year I stayed home. My brand new car (1 week ond) incurred $8000 worth of wind damage sitting on my condo parking lot. Insurance company would not total & was drivable but, because of backlog, was not able to get it in for repairs for 6 months! In the future I will definitely book a cruise mid-Sept. Per usual, I will park my car @ the airport on a covered high floor. From there I will do alt trans to the pier.

 

If you are drving to the cruise I would recommend this any time during hurricane season. The airport is always on higher ground then the cruise port & less likely to flood. This is not the time to "chinz" out & do remote parking. If port is closed because of hurricane you are not going to be going anywhere anyway. The cruise will just sail around until the port is open again.

[gpmacki]

If I were on your cruise, I'd say be prepared for a Hurricane. My wife and I have sailed the Canada/New England route twice (Enchantment of the Sea and the Victory). Both times we hit hurricanes. The first on the Enchantment (Quebec City to FLL), just after we left Boston in the evening, it started to get a little rough but the Captain went around it as best he could and the next day was was smooth sailing again.

 

On the Victory out of New York, the hurricane hit New York as we were sailing out of the harbour, one minute the statue of Liberty was clearly visible the next it was hidden behind the rain. What a time to hold the lifeboat drill. It got progessively worse through out the evening, most people hit the bed early but a few of us braver souls stayed up for the welcome show in the theater. Woke up in the morning a few things had fallen around (like me out of the sofabed - wife and two grandkids had the real bed), but the water was smooth. Unfortunately the hurricane had hit Boston bad and our port visit was cancelled, but they refunded our port fees and gave everybody a $50 credit and put on some extra events for the day at sea.

 

Oh yeah, our first cruise (Alaska on the Radiance - we have only completed three so we are still newbs) also ran into rough water when we left Hubbard Glacier (24 foot swells)... Hmmm maybe I am bad luck. The only thing on that cruise was the band in the lounge and the singer hanging onto a pole while we danced the night away... Shuffling the way the ship rocked, what a night.

 

Once you are on board never let weather worry you!

[EmmaCel]

I am on a Liberty Of the Seas cruise from Sept 26th to Oct 3rd...I am nervous as well. I understand that they say every year will be the worst, but I have been waiting for this trip since I paid in November last year! I don't know what I'd do if a hurricane hit FLL/Miami when we are supposed to depart...

[stretch44]

If I were on your cruise, I'd say be prepared for a Hurricane. My wife and I have sailed the Canada/New England route twice (Enchantment of the Sea and the Victory). Both times we hit hurricanes. The first on the Enchantment (Quebec City to FLL), just after we left Boston in the evening, it started to get a little rough but the Captain went around it as best he could and the next day was was smooth sailing again.

 

On the Victory out of New York, the hurricane hit New York as we were sailing out of the harbour, one minute the statue of Liberty was clearly visible the next it was hidden behind the rain. What a time to hold the lifeboat drill. It got progessively worse through out the evening, most people hit the bed early but a few of us braver souls stayed up for the welcome show in the theater. Woke up in the morning a few things had fallen around (like me out of the sofabed - wife and two grandkids had the real bed), but the water was smooth. Unfortunately the hurricane had hit Boston bad and our port visit was cancelled, but they refunded our port fees and gave everybody a $50 credit and put on some extra events for the day at sea.

 

Oh yeah, our first cruise (Alaska on the Radiance - we have only completed three so we are still newbs) also ran into rough water when we left Hubbard Glacier (24 foot swells)... Hmmm maybe I am bad luck. The only thing on that cruise was the band in the lounge and the singer hanging onto a pole while we danced the night away... Shuffling the way the ship rocked, what a night.

 

Once you are on board never let weather worry you!

 

Would you please let me know what cruises you have booked for the future. I want to be sure I'm not on them!:D

 

To the orginal poster, we have taken Sept/Oct cruises for the last 6 years and have had perfect weather on all but one (and that one was just one night of choppy seas). We'll be going this September about the same time as you, just not the same ship and with our past record of good weather you need not worry!;)

[uncw89]

We always cruise in August. Last year we had an Eastern turn into a Western because of a TS that hit St. Thomas, so this year we booked a Western, and would not be at all displeased if it turned into an Eastern because of a TS in the gulf. The prior year we had our departure port change because of a TS (Fay). Other than a three hour bus ride, not a major inconvenience, but I would have hated to be someone who tried to fly in on departure day. Airports were all closed down.

 

Existing excursions were automatically cancelled and fully refunded on bill, and we had the option of re-booking similar excursions at the new ports.

 

Were you on my cruise last Aug? (DCL Magic, Aug 16-22) We were Eastern turned Western...while we were disappointed that we didn't get to our original ports, we had great weather at our new ports and a great time! So, I'm trying an Eastern again this year! July 18-Freedom of the Seas. I'm hoping for great weather!!!:D