Duck and Cover:  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 2010 should be a busier than normal hurricane season.   NOAA says there is a 70% probability for each of the following ranges of activity this season:

  • 8-14 Hurricanes
  • 3-7 Major Hurricanes

Should You Cruise During Hurricane Season?

The captain of a Princess ship once told me, “any cruise ship captain who gets caught in a hurricane would have to be pretty stupid.” The good news is that officers have access to the most advanced hurricane centers. Remember, hurricanes are slow-moving bodies; if a storm threatens an island on a Caribbean itinerary, the captain will change course and cruise to other areas instead. I’m certain you won’t mind missing a port when it’s being plummeted by 100 mph winds and driving rain.

The Atlantic Ocean is a different matter. Hurricanes that don’t go ashore typically hug the coastline which means ships sailing from New York, Boston, Baltimore or Charleston to Bermuda or the Caribbean may have move to a Canada/New England itinerary instead.     There are no islands to hide behind and if a storm is in your path you may miss Bermuda or have to go North when you thought you were cruising South.

So, should you sail during hurricane season? I wouldn’t hesitate a second to book any ship during hurricane season because during the fall, especially, rates are ridiculously low and kids are back in school.  Add to that, I don’t particularly care if the ship has to skip a port.

Will you get seasick? It’s very unlikely because ships steer clear of the path of a hurricane.   I’ve cruised in the Caribbean when another area was hit hard by a hurricane.  The skies were blue, the winds calm during the entire cruise.

Who may want avoid sailing during hurricane season? If your heart is set on visiting Bermuda I suggest booking a cruise early in the season.   It doesn’t have to be a full hurricane for the Captain to decide it’s wiser to head for Canada.  The reason is because ships can’t dock during major storms and don’t even try to because wind and high seas will smash the ship against the dock, causing damage.

I’m always shocked when passengers complain that a ship’s itinerary changed to avoid a hurricane. You mean you WANT to be tossed about in high seas and wind so bad even officers get seasick? Of course there are threats of lawsuits, even though storms fall into the “acts of God” category which means the cruise line isn’t legally responsible. Not to mention, the small type on your cruise ticket also says the Captain can change itinerary or cancel a port for any reason whatsoever.

The point is, the weather is too uncertain to let it affect your vacation plans. And the big advantage of a cruise is that a ship can move away from a large storm whereas in a hotel, you’re stuck. As someone who rode out Hurricane Hugo in Puerto Rico’s El San Juan hotel, let me tell you: It’s pure hell. Even worse than enduring that Category V hurricane, was being stuck in San Juan for three nights with no electricity or air conditioning because the airport was shut down.

Does the prospect of a hurricane keep you from cruising during the June through November season?