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Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian resulted in hundreds of itinerary changes, and some cancellations as well. “Waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor,” Branham said. En route back to Charleston Friday night into Saturday, the Carnival Sunshine navigated into a strong storm system that battered the southeast over the holiday weekend. Videos emerged on social media showing cabins and hallways flooding, shop floors littered with destroyed merchandise and leaking ceilings. Passenger Brad Morrell snapped a photo of an automated instrument map reporting a 69 knot, or 79 mph, wind. Ready to experience all the adventure, entertainment, dining, nightlife and more on your next vacation (rain or shine)?
What other cruise lines have made changes?
But if you book a cruise that takes place during hurricane season, be prepared for possible last-minute itinerary changes and cancellations should there be storms. If you have your heart set on your cruise visiting a particular island, you may be better off avoiding hurricane season sailings—no matter how good the deals are. In conclusion, hurricanes are a formidable force of nature, but cruise lines are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and procedures to navigate through these storms. Overall, cruise ship operators place a high priority on the safety and well-being of their passengers and crew during hurricanes.
Other Cruise Lines (Disney, Virgin, Norwegian)
Jodi Grundig is a writer for our sister site Cruise.Blog (and she has her own blog at Family Travel Magazine) was on the Disney Wish when the sailing had to be extended by a couple days. It was supposed to be a 4-night cruise, but at the time of writing will end up being 6-nights. Warm ocean waters provide the energy needed for a hurricane to develop and strengthen. Typically, the sea surface temperature needs to be around 80°F (27°C) or higher to fuel the storm. As warm, moist air rises from the ocean’s surface, it creates an area of low pressure.
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First and foremost, you can expect more questions than answers in the days before a cruise when there's a hurricane. Ship captains and crew receive specialized training to effectively manage emergency situations and facilitate evacuation if required. These plans include clear protocols and procedures that outline evacuation routes, assembly areas, and the allocation of life-saving equipment. In response to the rapidly intensifying Tropical Storm Idalia, Carnival Cruise Line has significantly altered the itinerary of one of its ships, Carnival Conquest. The MSC Seaside, which departed from Port Canaveral on Sunday on a three-day sailing, skipped its Tuesday call to the line's private island, Ocean Cay, to overnight in Nassau instead.
She said that the only time passengers heard from the captain was in the afternoon, when he told them he had an experienced crew and would do everything he could to minimize discomfort as the ship encountered the storm. Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises, which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm. Without the option to return to Florida as originally scheduled, Disney Wish — along with other cruise ships — is (temporarily) "stuck" at sea.
Man goes overboard Royal Caribbean cruise ship as Hurricane Idalia passed through Cuba - FOX 35 Orlando
Man goes overboard Royal Caribbean cruise ship as Hurricane Idalia passed through Cuba.
Posted: Wed, 30 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Sometimes hurricane-related problems don't have anything to do with the ship and everything to do with conditions at the port of embarkation. Reid Overcash said the crew did not communicate with passengers as the ship was stopped in the ocean during the storm. "Our cruise ship last night was literally sideways and slung everything in our room breaking, people in the hallways throwing up and sleeping on the stairs," Whited wrote in the post. Other passengers on the ship shared details of their ordeal on social media, with some complaining about a lack of communication from the ship's crew. At that point, the captain "turned the ship from sailing northwest toward Charleston to head north/northeast heading directly into the eye of the storm system," Taylor said. Without sounding pretentious, I feel bad for people on other cruise lines who don't have access to this kind of information because it must be mentally anguishing to not have the sort of information Mr. Van Fleet provides.
This often involves closely monitoring the storm’s progress and making timely decisions regarding itinerary changes, delaying departures, or even canceling trips altogether. Cruise lines will reroute ships by hundreds of miles to avoid tropical storms and hurricanes. Even during the busiest of hurricane seasons, there will be many weeks without a single tropical storm in the Caribbean or Bahamas. When a large storm does swirl through the Caribbean or Bahamas, it'll likely only affect a small portion of the region and, thus, only a small number of cruise ships. Guests don't need to worry about running out of food, as cruise ships carry more than just one sailing's worth of food on board. In a pinch, the cruise ship can find a way of picking up provisions in the islands.
Your cruise might be extended
A day at port became a day at sea, but Disney conjured a bit of its famous "Disney magic" and added more activities throughout the day, according to Roseboom. "They made an announcement and told us to close out of the Disney Cruise app and reopen it to see the new schedule of activities," he said. Mickey and his friends still wore their island outfits to greet guests, even if everyone had to stay on board. For Disney Wish, a port change announcement came on the morning of Sept. 28 when the ship was scheduled to dock at Castaway Cay for the day. Rather than head toward Disney's private island, and toward the storm, the ship turned toward the eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean where seas would be calmer. When Disney Wish set sail on Sept. 26, the captain made an announcement that the ship might return to Port Canaveral later in the day than originally planned based on the projected forecast at that time.
In such instances, cruise lines often provide compensation or alternative arrangements to ensure passenger satisfaction. This may include refunds, onboard credits, future cruise discounts, or additional onboard activities and entertainment options to enhance the guest experience during the modified voyage. While cruise lines take extensive precautions to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew during hurricanes, there may be rare situations where evacuation becomes necessary. Ship evacuation plans are carefully crafted to handle such scenarios, ensuring a swift and organized process to get everyone to safety.
During a hurricane, the cruise line’s shore-side team also plays a crucial role in communication. The team monitors the storm’s progress and works closely with the ship’s captain and crew to make decisions regarding itinerary changes or other necessary measures. As the situation evolves, updates are relayed to the ship for dissemination to passengers, ensuring that they receive the most up-to-date information. Effective communication with passengers during hurricanes is paramount for cruise lines.
The ship’s medical staff did help a “small number” of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance following the storm. Despite the significant damage and a delay in schedule, Carnival Sunshine embarked on its next five-day Bahama sailing on Saturday. Cruise ships can easily avoid storms by sailing away from them and chasing better weather. "The current weather is sunshine with some humidity. We had choppier waves this morning [when the ship was closer to the storm], but from where we are now, you wouldn't even know there was a hurricane in the distance," Meeks said. Canceled cruises are rare and cruise lines generally opt to change their itineraries instead. Exceptions are generally limited to anticipated direct strikes on major ports of embarkation, like Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Most insurance companies set time limits on purchasing policies that include hurricane coverage. Generally, you must have purchased a travel insurance policy before the hurricane is named in order to be covered. There are also travel insurance policies that require you to purchase within a certain timeframe (usually 14 to 21 days) of making your initial trip deposit. These conditions make it well worth your time to research and purchase a travel insurance policy not hastily, but certainly with haste. It is unlikely that your cruise during Caribbean hurricane season will be canceled, but it is not guaranteed. That’s why it’s a smart move to purchase travel insurance (for any cruise vacation), and most necessary if you choose to cruise during hurricane season.
Hurricanes may cause ships to miss ports as they seek calmer seas, and in some cases, itineraries are changed more drastically. You may find your eastern Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten is changed to a western Caribbean cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, or the opposite. A storm off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina, battered a Carnival cruise ship for hours late Friday night before it docked, leaving passengers terrified.
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