Cruise ships are generally safe to leave the port of origin while a hurricane occurs in the Caribbean, as long as the hurricane does not affect the port of embarkation. Cruise lines do everything in their power to ensure that the “cruise continues” and only in exceptional cases will they cancel the cruise ship. These ships can travel at speeds of more than 21 knots, so they can normally overcome any hurricane or tropical depression and adverse weather. Yes, it's absolutely possible to cruise during hurricane season and there are great benefits to doing so.
Cruise ships move approximately twice as fast as storms themselves, so they can run faster than storms or simply surround storm cells. If a storm is looming in a particular area, cruise ships can reorganize their itineraries and venture to reach sunnier skies. Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30, and during that time hurricanes sometimes change cruise itineraries in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Cruise lines are experts at handling these situations and describe this possibility for guests, along with their policies on how to handle them.
If adverse weather conditions are unavoidable, the cruise line may change your itinerary and possibly change your Bermuda cruise to one along the coast of New England and Canada, or shorten or extend your cruise by one or two days. One of the biggest benefits of sailing during hurricane season is that cruise ship fares are considerably lower. Safety is a priority for all cruise lines, and even with these onboard configurations, many companies are adding additional precautionary measures. But if there seems to be a more serious storm coming their way, cruise ships generally try to overcome or avoid them.
Cruising during hurricane season is possible and can be safe if you take the necessary precautions. Cruise lines are experts at handling these situations and will do everything in their power to ensure that your “cruise continues”. Cruise ships can travel at high speeds and can normally overcome any hurricane or tropical depression and adverse weather. You can always avoid dizziness, but a change of route means missing stops at the port, and the small print on your cruise ticket indicates that you won't be reimbursed if the water is so turbulent that you can't disembark.
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