Why cruise the Caribbean during hurricane season?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts greater lower near- or above-normal tropical storm activity for the 2015 2018 hurricane season. Why risk cruising the Caribbean during hurricane season?


At the risk of repeating myself, allow me to remind you that hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June through November, but on most of those days, there is not a hurricane or even a tropical storm of any significance. Most of the time, it is what they call "partly cloudy," which means sunny with temperatures topping out in the low 80s, with a few clouds drifting in during the afternoon, possibly cooling travelers down with a few sprinkles.

The biggest risk of hurricane season for cruisers is a storm that hits the port from which they are embarking.  Travel insurance can cover that risk.  A storm that hits the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale area in particular can cause havoc, but other than that, cruise ships can simply re-route to an alternative itinerary to avoid the brunt of any storm. 

That makes cruising far preferable to a land vacation during hurricane season. While any particular area is unlikely to be hit by any given storm, if you are unlucky enough to be spending a week on a hard-hit island, you might not be able to enjoy the beaches and other outdoor activity. Even worse, you may find yourself hunkered down in an airport or shelter waiting for the storm to pass.

So again the question is why cruise during hurricane season? During the summer, it is because that is when families have time off school for vacations, and from June through August, the likelihood of a hurricane is slim.

The peak of the hurricane season really arrives more in September. Why cruise then? The answer for most people is because that is when the bargains are. Those dates are often the lead rates in the ads which include a lot of sail dates and, in fine print, say that the price refers to one specific date.

I have cruised in the Caribbean during hurricane season, and like most cruisers, I definitely won the gambles, enjoying great cruises with nice weather at low prices. Not everyone is as fortunate, but even people whose cruises were somewhat disrupted often received compensation in the form of future cruise credits that more than made up for any inconvenience. If you're looking for a vacation bargain, your big concern should be WHERE to cruise. There are great prices available right now on most Caribbean itineraries, and that gives you the chance to still line up good air itineraries at reasonable prices. Waiting for a last minute deal could result in a more expensive bottom line because of expensive air as well as having diminished choice of rooms. Besides, if you don't plan your life, then something will come up to stop you from going.

Click the hotlinks below to check out a few great choices:

Go Freestyle on Norwegian Getaway to St. Thomas, Tortola and Nassau. There's so much to do onboard, including a terrific waterslides and world class showroom entertainment, you may find it hard to tear your family sway from the ship to visit the wonderful ports.

The Western Caribbean usually costs a little less than Eastern Caribbean cruises, because there are more ships that go there from more ports.   Mega-ship Harmony of the Seas starts by unwinding at RCI's private port of Labadee, then visits the fun ports in Jamaica and Cozumel!


If you have a little longer, why not take a 9 to 14 night cruise, as long as you're already flying?

Consider the elegant Celebrity Equinox, that stretches your trip to 8 days, embarking conveniently from Miami and visiting Southern Caribbean ports Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, the beautiful Dutch ABC Islands that are actually located below the hurricane zone.

Can't decide? Why not do two cruises back to back? If you've got the time, you can't beat the price!

Plus, there are lots of other great ships and itineraries. Visit CruisePlanners1.com to see more.