6 Caribbean hurricane cruise considerations

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When planning a Caribbean adventure, here are six hurricane cruise considerations.

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On September 29, tropical storm Matthew, then in the eastern Caribbean, was declared a hurricane. Matthew hit Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas before slamming into Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Death and devastation were left in its wake.

Causing varying levels of disappointment for their passengers due to Matthew, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Princess and Norwegian Cruise Lines all rerouted many of their cruise ships sailing in the Caribbean. Some cruise itineraries were scrambled, some substituted different ports for scheduled ports, while others skipped scheduled ports and added time at sea. A few cruises were canceled.

Considering Hurricane Matthew, I’ve got some hurricane cruise considerations to think about when thinking of booking during hurricane season before you book one.

1. When is hurricane season?
The Atlantic basin hurricane season lasts for six months, from June through November, but most hurricane activity occurs from August through October, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center. In June, July and November, hurricanes are far less of a problem than during the peak season.

If you want to be 100 percent certain a hurricane won’t affect your cruise, consider cruising somewhere else, like Europe, during the hurricane season. Even during hurricane season, however, the odds are your cruise won’t encounter one.

2. What happens if a hurricane threatens my upcoming cruise?
If you’re thinking about canceling your cruise if it looks as if it will be affected by a hurricane, cruise lines’ policies, with which I’m familiar, don’t permit it.

3. What happens if my flight is canceled and I can’t get to the port of embarkation on time?
If the ship sails without you, while your cruise line will typically try to help you, even if not required, it’s generally up to you, both physically and financially, to meet the ship at one of its ports of call. Travel insurance, according to the plan purchased, may reimburse you for your extra costs and for missing part of your cruise due to your canceled flight.

Weather and mechanical problems can cause you to miss your sailing if you’re flying in at the “last minute.” Therefore, my rule of thumb when planning a cruise vacation is to arrive at the port of embarkation at least one or two days prior to the ship’s scheduled departure to ensure you don’t miss the sailing.

4. What happens if I’m on a cruise when a hurricane occurs?
Hurricanes may disrupt your cruise while you’re at sea, but your safety shouldn’t be compromised due to the storm. Cruise lines have meteorologists constantly assessing any weather problems their ships may encounter. If storms threaten them, they can immediately reroute affected ships. Normally, with their speed of up to 22 knots and the head start they get from forecasters, cruise ships can outrun hurricanes. While the ship may encounter rough seas at the edge of storms, cruise ships are capable of handling them.

I’ve been on a ship in the Caribbean while a nearby tropical storm threatened. While the seas were rough, our ship safely steered clear of the storm while sailing to an alternate port.

5. What happens to the shore excursions I’ve booked if my ship reroutes due to a hurricane?
The answer to that question depends on whether you’ve booked your excursion through the cruise line or directly, either through a travel agent or by yourself.

If you or your travel agent booked your shore excursions, whether or not you’ll be able to cancel and get your excursion fees back depends solely on the policies of the excursion vendors. According to your travel insurance policy, it may reimburse you for non-refundable excursions you miss due to a hurricane.

If you booked your excursions through the cruise line, they will generally reimburse you for any excursions which were canceled due to a storm. A few years ago, Regent Seven Sea Cruises fully reimbursed me for an expensive shore excursion which included round-trip airfare booked through them that was canceled due to weather and other circumstances.

6. What happens to my flights if a hurricane causes the cruise line to cut my cruise short or extend it for safety reasons?
The cruise lines understand the difficulties faced by their passengers if the cruise ends early or late and will generally waive Internet and phone fees so passengers can make new travel arrangements.

If the cruise line made your flight arrangements, they will work with you directly, but you will likely be responsible for change fees charged and any change in the ticket price. If you booked your flights directly, you are responsible for making the changes yourself. Because you will likely be one of many making new flight bookings, a travel agent can be extremely helpful in situations like this. A good travel insurance policy will normally reimburse you for the extra costs of your flight changes due to a hurricane.

So, is it worth the risk to cruise during hurricane season? Remember these six hurricane cruise considerations.

During the height of hurricane season cruise savings are often available and, statistically speaking, even then the odds are your cruise won’t be affected by a hurricane or tropical storm. If your cruise is affected, if you plan well and have the right travel insurance you will mitigate many of the consequences if a hurricane impacts your cruise.

(Image: Regent Seven Seas Cruises Voyager, docked at Tallinn, Estonia. Copyright © 2014 NSL Photography. All Rights Reserved.)

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