Hurricanes

[woodmaster]

We will be on a july 8th cruise on the CB, and I was wondering if anyone has had storm related issues, and how did they (themselves and Princess) handle it. Did they stay out in the waters or move to a safer port to dock.

Thanks:confused:

[BigGuy25]

Most of our cruises have taken place in July. Fortunately for us, we've followed a hurricane ... and had a hurricane following us ... but we've never had to miss a port. The "footprint" of a hurricane is such that it's pretty easy for a modern cruise ship to stay away. And, hurricanes move very slowly, so they are fairly easy to outrun. Occasionaly you will find that the seas are a bit heavier, and the breezes are up, when a hurricance has been in the area. We had a great catamaran sail in port where a hurricane had been in the area a few days earlier. One of the biggest inconveniences for some happens when the storm is located at your disembarcation port on the day you are to return. However, that can sometimes gives you a bonus day at sea. Not always a bad thing!

[spongerob]

A hurricane at sea that might be near your intended itinerary or ports of call isn't a huge worry for the ship - for those in its path, it might be a different story. Your ship will do its best to steer clear of the worst weather, so if there is an active storm your itinerary might be altered drastically. A year or two ago, an RC ship bound for the Caribbean did a Canada/New England cruise instead to avoid the storm.

 

What is much more problematic is if a storm is threatening the ship's home port. You might not even be able to get there. Most trip insurance does not cover this! Some insurance policies will cover extra hotel expenses if there are delays. Do not rely on the cruise lines to provide information on a minute-by-minute basis. They are at the mercy of the port authorities, who will make the decision whether or not to close the port entirely if there is a real threat of the storm coming on shore nearby.

[Host Caroline]

Many "hurricane cruises" on Princess albeit in Sept. and not July -- we have changed itineraries (gone west instead of east or vice versa), been late coming back by 3 days and had cloudy weather but never never in danger and that's the risk of hurricane season cruising (and esp. one reason it's so cheap in the early fall). It can be a "magical mystery tour"...

You take what the sea (and the weather) gives you....

[Jstringers]

As long as the storm in not "in port" cruising is the way to go! The ship will simply steer clear or the storm.

 

I always order another drink, have fun, and the Captain will take you somewhere!:)

[insag]

Woodmaster,

It's insag I'm on the same cruise you are please don't ask these questions it can bring bad luck to us,

But I will tell you from past history that if a storm hits just let it hit the night or the day after we leave FLL, I have seen ships pull out of FLL 30 minutes early just because they were about to close the port, as for what happens if one is hitting a island that you are schedule for you just don't go but it is hard to reschedule another island because everybody else is running to that island too and they can only handle so many people or cruise ships,

But we are going to have a great time just bring bonaine in case we get rocking.

 

Tina