How cruise lines prepare and adjust plans during hurricane season
Hurricanes can spin up in three to four days in the North Atlantic, requiring cruises to pay close attention to the weather forecast and be nimble for what the forecast may bring.
How cruise lines prepare and adjust plans during hurricane season
For many travelers, summer means cruise line vacations in the Caribbean. But with summer also comes hurricane season, which can have a significant impact on cruise line vacation plans. June 24, 2023.
For many travelers, summer means cruise vacations in the Caribbean. But with summer also comes hurricane season.
Hurricanes can spin up in three to four days in the North Atlantic, requiring cruises to pay close attention to the weather forecast and be nimble for what that forecast may bring.
"The cruise lines are always going to do what they can to keep everybody safe," ‘The Cruise Guy’ Stewart Chiron told FOX Weather.
Fishermen tie up their wooden boat next to a cruise liner in St John's Harbour on March 10, 2008 in St John's Antigua.
(Chris Jackson / Getty Images)
Chiron noted that cruise lines have the same weather tracking equipment as the National Hurricane Center and even provide the agency with weather data. Cruises then use this information to adjust their routes accordingly in order to avoid storms.
Some storms, however, may impact the destinations where cruise ships plan to port. In this case, cruise passengers’ plans may need to change.
"Sailings could be impacted at the last minute, but most of the time, it’s just itineraries," Chiron said. Because of this possibility, he recommended that travelers purchase travel insurance.
Tourists walk off of a cruise ship on December 10, 2017 in St John's, Antiqua.
(Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
In rare cases, a cruise ship may become caught in a storm. This recently happened to a Carnival ship near Charleston, South Carolina.
CRUISE SHIP CARNIVAL SUNSHINE POUNDED BY LARGE WAVES DURING COASTAL STORM IN SOUTH CAROLINA
If a ship does expect rough seas, crews may follow measures such as dampening tablecloths to prevent dishes from sliding off and closing pools, according to AFAR.
According to Statista, about 31.5 million people worldwide are expected to go on an ocean cruise this year, an increase from the 29.7 million people reported in 2019 before the pandemic caused cruise numbers to plummet.