No one is really immune to hurricanes. The can pop up in the Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean and even as far north as the Canada/New England region. But with all the risk, comes reward…
5 reasons to cruise during hurricane season:
1. Low Prices
Even though hurricane season isn’t a peak season to cruise, the cruise lines still need to fill the ships. You can find three and four-night getaways for as low as $119 per person. There is usually always a hurricane spinning around late August through mid-September, so if you wait and book last minute you could find a deal.
2. Kids in School
If you don’t want to hear little Johnny running down the hall like a wild animal at 3 am or being bombarded by poolside cannonballs, the latter end of hurricane season is your time to book. The kids are in school and the prices are at rock bottom.
3. Ships have speed.
First you should know that the cruise line and captain would never put you in a situation where you would be face-to-face with a storm. Cruise lines have situation rooms that are in constant contact with NOAA and other weather resources to make sure they provide the smoothest ride possible, should a storm approach. The average storm moves around 8-10 knots, the average cruise ship moves around 21 knots.
4. Adventure
I’ve found myself booking cruises during hurricane season because I love the adventure. If a storm is in the Western Caribbean, your ship might move to the Eastern Caribbean for that week or vice versa. Sometimes you could have an extra day at sea or be moved to a different port upon return. Whatever happens, you’re in good hands with the cruise line.
5. More Room for You
With the kids in school and people not wanting to venture out during hurricane season, you’ll find opportunity abounds for less crowded ports, less sold out shore excursions, and better shopping opportunities because port merchants will still want to move their merchandise.
My advice: Spin the wheel and cruise during hurricane season; lady luck could be on your side.
Tips:
- Always book travel insurance. We preach this a lot on Cruise Radio because every vacation we always hear at least one story about someone’s trip that was ruined because they didn’t have travel insurance. It’s not as expensive as you think; on a recent seven-night sailing my policy was $32. Read more about travel insurance here.
- Patience is key. Know that if you travel during hurricane season, especially if there’s a storm spinning around out there, that you could come back to an different debarkation port or you cruise itinerary could be affected. Just roll with the punches.
Featured photo: Mike Mitchell/Flickr
