Cruising During Hurricane Season: What You Need to Know

Booking a cruise is an exciting experience as you imagine the new shores and destinations you'll visit. But, deciding on the best time for the trip can be a challenge as travelers juggle school, work and holiday periods to find the right cruise that fits their schedule.

Hurricane season may add to the concern as it can affect travel to areas where cruises depart from or travel to on their itineraries. It is important to know when hurricane season is for cruises, your options if weather curtails your plans and how certain credit cards can save you from any lost expenses.

The best cruise lines always have a contingency plan to keep your dream vacation from being completely derailed (or desailed). Here’s what you need to know.

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In the Atlantic basin, hurricane season is between June 1 and Nov. 30, peaking from mid-August to mid-October. Storms can sometimes occur outside of these months, too. In the southern hemisphere, it is between December and March.

Hurricanes that form in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean are known as cyclones, while those that develop over the Northwest Pacific are referred to as typhoons. Cruise ships and hurricanes don’t mix, but passengers need not worry about a hurricane sinking a boat because the crew has advanced weather reports to help avoid impending storms.

Travelers will find their ship rerouted or an itinerary canceled entirely before a cruise line jeopardizes its crew, passengers, and ship. The crew on board also undergo significant training on what to do if they encounter rough seas and weather.

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Cruise vessels can reach speeds of as much as 34 miles per hour (although rare), while hurricanes typically only reach speeds of 10-15 miles per hour — although they can go as fast as 40 miles per hour.

This means ships can steer away from the storm if a hurricane changes course at the last minute. You may encounter rougher waters and an impacted itinerary, but rest assured, the captain and crew stay alert to ensure the safety of everyone onboard.

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If there's a hurricane headed to (or already at) one of your ports of call, your cruise itinerary may change before sailing, or during the sailing.

Typically, the cruise line will monitor the storm's progress and alert guests on board with impromptu port changes or update its website and send appropriate communication if it's before sailing. Changes can mean an Eastern Caribbean sailing rerouting to a Western Caribbean sailing, skipping a port altogether, or shifting the days you'll visit each port based on the weather.

At times, cruises are extended or shortened by a few days if the storm is between the ship's current location and the disembarkation port.

It is very uncommon for a cruise line to cancel a sailing entirely. More than likely, it would alter the itinerary to avoid adverse weather and visit different ports or skip some altogether.

The best way to avoid any problems when traveling during hurricane season is to head to destinations that are not affected. This means that during the North American summer (June-September), travelers are less likely to have disruption in places like the Mediterranean. While during the South American summer (December-February), the Caribbean can be more reliable. Some Caribbean islands like Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao rarely see hurricanes, even during hurricane season.

If you want to avoid hurricane-related cancellations or reroutes, consider destinations that do not experience hurricanes, such as Alaska or Antarctica. There, it’s more likely that fog, rough seas, wind or snow is more of an issue. In these cases, cruise ships that sail to these destinations are usually equipped with easy alternative plans to avoid any travel disruption.

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Yes, adding travel insurance can be very helpful when booking a cruise during hurricane season. Cruise companies may offer it during the reservation process, but travelers can save money by using certain credit cards that have built-in travel insurance with coverages for weather mishaps, among other things. This can include everything from delayed flights getting to the cruise ship, to being unable to sail due to a natural disaster.

This means using the right credit card that already comes with travel protections is key so you don’t have to purchase anything else.

Some travelers like to double down and buy extra protection when booking an expensive travel experience. Hurricane travel insurance can provide peace of mind when spending money on a memorable trip.

If you're flying into the city where you're embarking, we'd suggest trying to arrive a day or two before your cruise departs, rather than arriving on departure day.

Most cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line, offer the option to reserve airfare through the cruise line directly. This can be beneficial in the event of any delays, as the cruise line will help reroute travelers as needed in the event of weather disruptions.

If booking the trip independently, be sure to allow sufficient time to get to the port where your ship departs.

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While certain times of year can be riskier for maintaining a ship’s itinerary and schedule, cruising during hurricane season is not always a bad idea. Since hurricane season covers almost the entire summer and fall in the northern hemisphere, it can be hard to avoid, especially for families that want to travel when kids have school holidays. And a hurricane season cruise can be cheaper or come with extra deals.

The best measures to avoid disruption are to purchase travel insurance, use a credit card with insurance coverage and choose destinations that will minimize any weather impact.

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