Travelling During Hurricane Season

[kingsgirl]

What are your experiences travelling with RCI during hurricane season from Florida?

 

I'm particularly curious about your personal experiences in regards to...

 

1. those who drive to the port and leave their car
   
2. itinerary changes
   
3. early departure and late return of the ships
   
4. the condition of seas you've experienced
   
5. the overall experience
   

[cb at sea]

Generally, you will know of any potential storms days before you're due to sail.

Should a storm occur in your path, the ship will divert to a safer course...and you may have different ports than stated, or the order of your ports may change. (That doesn't just apply to hurricanes...they can switch or cancel any port for any reason...totally up to the Captain on EVERY sailing!)

 

The seas won't be any different than any other time.....you won't "sail thru" a hurricane....and the "season" makes no difference to the seas! If you are in the vicinity of a storm, it could be choppy, or it might not be....depends on lots of factors!

 

Chances are, you won't have any problems whatsoever.....the odds are with you!

[negc]

 

The seas won't be any different than any other time.....you won't "sail thru" a hurricane....and the "season" makes no difference to the seas! If you are in the vicinity of a storm, it could be choppy, or it might not be....depends on lots of factors!

 

The seas can be quite different than any other time as the effects of a tropical storm or hurricane extend much further out than the eye of the storm. :rolleyes: Having sailed in the Atlantic when a tropical storm was in the vicinity we have even "sailed through the storm" on occasion when its location and track prevented the Captain from avoiding it (see accounts of the Jewel 2011 repositioning cruise which encountered the Halloween storm which devastated parts of New England and one a few years earlier when a beam in the aft of the ship actually broke and guests in the aft cabins suffered a loud grinding noise for a good portion of the cruise because repair work couldn't be performed while the ship was at sea.). In many cases, you are correct that the Captain will due his best to avoid the worst effects of a storm but at times he or she is powerless to totally avoid them. We did two transatlantic cruises when storm action presented us with high winds and sixty foot swells even though we avoided a direct confrontation with the weather front. There are also, I believe, more weeks during hurricane season when there are no storms around, than weeks when a storm or storms are present, but to categorically deny that cruisers will not have any problems from such a storm is plain wrong. Anyone planning to cruise during such times is well advised to purchase travel insurance that covers such a contingency.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

In 2004 we had the pleasure of cruising with Hurricane Frances. She really did a bang up job of closing several ports and extending our cruise by 3 days.

 

We never had rough seas or even rain, you never knew there was a hurricane, they did a great job of keeping us out of harms way. Not easy to move around so many ships with limited berths to port in.

 

Honestly it was a blast!! :D :D Although we loved when the captain announced closure of Miami and we could not get back, I did feel bad for the next weeks cruisers who would have a shorter cruise. We met a few of them in Miami the day we disembarked and they said it was a nightmare just trying to get to Miami and were so glad just to be there!

 

The morning we finally got back to Miami, we had to stay an extra day because there were just too many people stranded and no planes because they closed the airport...twice! From our hotel the next morning we counted 8 ships in port.

 

Itineraries can change by the minute, you just need to go with the flow! :)

 

***

[cruisegirl1]

Several years ago, we had our cruise leave Port Canaveral SEVERAL HOURS EARLY because a storm (I think it was Hurricane Charley) was coming in from the Gulf, across mid Florida. We are told at least 500 missed the ship. I recall Orlando airport closed at noon. Best to arrive the night prior and be on standby if any changes are needed.

 

Outside chairs were tied together and the muster was held in the hallways.

 

Once we got out to sea and away from the hurricane, the waters were very calm.

Good luck

[pmkejk]

Many years ago we sailed out of Port Canaveral in September. A hurricane damaged the port and the night before the cruise it was announced that the ship would be sailing out of Miami. We were told that Port Canaveral would be closed for six weeks. We called our airlines and luckily they said they would change our tickets to fly into and out of Miami with no additional cost because of the storm.

 

We went to the welcome back party on the ship and the Captian said he had some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Port Canaveral would be opened for our return, the bad news is that we were all told that we were returning to Miami and now had no way to get home.

 

There was quite an uproar. I stood in line for hours to get assistance with booking a new flight. I just asked for a free phone call to call my airlines and I was granted that. Good thing, as I was on the phone for over an hour just trying to get a representative on the phone. We got the last two tickets on a flight home. RCCL did tell passengers that they would pay the difference if anyone had to pay to change their tickets.

 

The passengers who were most upset were the one that lived close to Port Canaveral and drove 8 hours to Miami and left their cars there and had to get someone to drive them 8 hours back to Miami and drive back an additional 8 hours.

 

Even with this experience, we still choose to travel in October each year.

 

The thing I learned on this cruise is to ask for a free phone call to your airlines. The reps at the front desk are not at fault for this and they want to help you in any way possible. Try to go with the flow and not let it ruin your vacation.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

In regards to what I posted about my experience during hurricane Frances I forgot to mention that RC waived all Internet and ship to shore phone charges. :)

 

***

[ssb]

With a hurricane, whether you are on land or sea,

and with today's excellant weather forecasting technology,

one can run from a hurricane ahead of time. Even with a ship!

Make your plans and enjoy the cruise!

[UCF_Knight]

The passengers who were most upset were the one that lived close to Port Canaveral and drove 8 hours to Miami and left their cars there and had to get someone to drive them 8 hours back to Miami and drive back an additional 8 hours.

 

While a major inconvenience, it is actually only about a 3 hour drive from Port Canaveral to the Port of Miami.

[kingsgirl]

With a hurricane, whether you are on land or sea,

and with today's excellant weather forecasting technology,

one can run from a hurricane ahead of time. Even with a ship!

Make your plans and enjoy the cruise!

 

Thanks, I know this, I'm just curious about the stories of people in this situation.

[UCF_Knight]

Back in 2002 I was on a 5 night cruise on Monarch in late September. We were leaving from Fort Lauderdale and were supposed to go to Key West and Cozumel. Unfortunately, there was a 85 MPH Hurricane near Grand Cayman and heading northwest, so we knew before we left our house on embarkation day that we weren't going to be going on the itinerary we had originally planned. The ship left port on time and headed out to sea. Sure enough, the Captain quickly announced that we were changing from our original course.

 

By the next day, that hurricane was a 110 MPH storm between Key West and the western tip of Cuba. We were diverted East and ended up going to Labadee and Jamaica instead of Key West and Cozumel. There was also a much weaker tropical storm to the East of the Bahamas.

 

The combined forces of the 2 storms made for the roughest seas I've experienced on a ship. The 2nd night of the cruise we were hitting some pretty massive swells as we steamed towards Haiti. Many of the outside decks were closed off and I remember people bouncing off walls as they tried to walk down the hallways to their cabins (and not just from having too many drinks).

 

All in all, though, we still had a great cruise. Unless there is a storm directly affecting the port you are leaving from, you will usually be able to get out and go somewhere. If you plan a cruise during hurricane season, just try not to get your heart set on one port or another, because you might be going somewhere else entirely.

[mskaufman]

We were in Key West the day before a hurricane was supposed to hit. Everyone was boarding up and we were walking around without a care. Boat left the port in plenty of time.

 

The hurricane hung around and we missed a Port Canaveral stop. The captain took the boat out to sea and we had a calm sunny day with light seas. They opened up the bar. We followed the hurricane up the Chesapeake Bay and arrived in Baltimore several hours late.

 

In the end the cruise line did their job in keeping us out of harm's way.

[Room Service!]

We always cruise in Oct. Love it.

Sure we've had to skip around ports. Some missed, others delayed. No big deal. Can be exciting.

[kc320]

Last August I was on the 4nt Monarch cruise when Hurrican Isabel was out in the Atlantic...we skipped Coco Cay..went to Nassau on Tues instead & then Wed. afternoon we ended up in Key West about 3pm...weather was great except for the afternoon of the last day...some rain..but nothing horrible...was kind of fun being on a "mystery" cruise..

__________________

[B-52]

Port Canaveral - Mariner of the Seas, labor day weekend departure.

 

It was a very busy hurricane season, and I was up all night tracking a storm headed towards the florida coast, and also watching the airline websites for travel delays, etc.

 

We were able to fly in the day of our cruise and get to the ship. At check in, we were told that Coco cay, the first stop, was taken off the itinerary.

 

The ship. along with the other ships that day, left port 1-1/2 hrs early, as soon as all were on board I assume. The captain announced this was needed because we needed to get away from the the storm headed to th coast. We left florida, headed due south hugging the coast all night. We were so close you could see the lights of florida all night long. We were also so close to the coast the ship could not use it's stabilizers. VERY ROCKY EVENING!!! Woo Hoo! Loved it!

 

We headed due south all the way to the coast of Cuba, then headed east to St. Thomas passing under the storm. There was one day we were definitely in hurricane conditions. No one was allowed out on the decks due to extremely high winds (70 mph+) and pelting rain.(that hurt) The seas were very, very rough that day. We were sailing under the storm in the opposite direction, and although we were not directly going through the middle of the storm, we were going through it just the same.

 

St. Thomas and St. Maarten were great. bands of tropical rain, but still great.

 

Then, heading back to Florida the captain announced there was a storm trailing behind us, we had to make good speed to stay ahead, and the next group of passengers would probably experience the same as we did.

 

Incidentally, these storms all turned north up the east coast, never making landfall in Florida, and I can't be sure if this was the year of Katrina, but it was around that time frame.

 

I would have to add, of all our cruises, THIS was our very best!!! An Adventure to say the least. Never knowing what may happen next.

 

No One on board ever complained, everyone who sails this time of the year are very experienced, know what they are getting into, and take it all in stride. There are no kids, and/or your typical vacationing families this time of the year also.

We had a lot of fun. Our next cruise will be same time, but different ship.

[alfaeric]

What are your experiences travelling with RCI during hurricane season from Florida?

 

I'm particularly curious about your personal experiences in regards to...

 

1. those who drive to the port and leave their car
   
2. itinerary changes
   
3. early departure and late return of the ships
   
4. the condition of seas you've experienced
   
5. the overall experience
   

One other experience to keep in mind- how many sailed during hurricane season, and had nothing happen.

 

True, it's great to know with a high degree that the ship will be diverted to make sure that you have a good vacation even if there is a storm.

 

But the odds of an actual storm are also not all that high. We sailed in the heart of the season- September- nothing.

 

Just wanted to point that out.

[SpeedGeek]

Most of my cruises are in the fall during 'hurricane season' and the only issue I've had was the microburst on the Freedom last October. It ended the first night early, but the rest of the cruise was flawless, and I'm excited to be back on the Freedom this October. :D