How cruisers can weather hurricanes

If you were a passenger on more than a dozen cruise ships this week in the Caribbean, you would be facing a change in your itinerary. This might make you wonder: do you want to chance a cruise during hurricane season?

The current threat this week to the cruise schedule is Hurricane Rina. It might end up impacting a dozen ships as the huge storm rumbles toward Cozumel, which is one of the world’s most visited cruise ports.

So far, more than eight cruise ships have already had to change ports. But unfortunately or not, a change in port might be minor compared to what can happen when you’re in the open water with a hurricane headed your way.

To begin with, in statistical terms, the chances that anyone’s particular voyage can be affected by a hurricane during the busy season from June 1 to November 1 are very slim.

One reason is that such major storms are not that common. An average season may see only a half dozen major storms spread over several months. But it can happen.

So what’s the risk and what should you know?

Safety may be your first concern. Cruiser polls show many potential passengers avoid hurricane season because they fear for their safety.

Long experience with storms, however, have led cruise ships to generally be outfitted with state-of-the-art satellites and other equipment enabling them to avoid hurricanes and general rough weather, which is their goal

“Solid engineering and satellite equipment allows cruise lines to follow the paths of storms (and quickly send ships elsewhere),” says Cruise Critic.

"We monitor the storms closely and make strategic changes to the itineraries to keep them away from the storm," said Jennifer de la Cruz, a Carnival spokeswoman. "The nice thing … is that there are a lot of destinations in the Caribbean, so we have lots of options."

Fear or seasickness may come in second as a passenger concern.

The bigger ships generally do not rock as much, but when you are really close to a big storm,  passengers still feel some movement. This should not last long though, as the captain always makes an effort to get away from the storm. The solution: have some Dramamine on hand just in case.

So why do cruisers pick hurricane season for their trip.

More than one cruise poll found that the reason most people go during hurricane season was the cheaper price. Some polls show a close second was the time of year in the summertime when the children are out of school.

"It's the cheapest time to cruise, and for a lot of people, that's worth the risk," says Caroline Spencer Brown, editor in chief of Cruise Critic.com.

Cruise experts say it’s always good advice to arrive a day or two prior to a cruise in case of bad weather. It’s also good advice if there’s any trouble getting to the ship to contact the cruise line for help.

Cruisers during the hurricane season should be aware that if their cruise is disrupted, they may have problems with air transportation home.

Cruisers should also be aware that outright cancellations are extremely rare. Cruise officials have learned to be experts at changing ports and re-positioning ships to avoid not only stormy weather but also any chance of a complete cancellation. On those rare occasions, cruisers can expect a refund.

But don’t expect to be compensated if your cruise misses a port or two.

The fine print in the standard cruise contract gives lines the right to substitute and/or eliminate ports if and when they feel like it. However, cruisers may be entitled to refunds on prepaid port taxes or fees.

Cruisers can buy insurance. But it’s not unusual for the insured to find that coverage does not include weather related events. So to avoid that particular kind of wave, experts say to take a close look at the contract.

By David Wilkening