What Happens To Cruise Ships During Hurricanes

Cruise ships can typically outrun a hurricane -- storms tend to move about 8 to 10 knots while ships can attain speeds of up to 22 knots and beyond.

What happens to cruise ships during hurricanes. Typically its still safe for cruise ships to depart the home port while a hurricane is occurring in the Caribbean as long as the hurricane is not impacting the embarkation home port and if the home port is impacted a cruise departure may only be delayed by a day or two rather than being canceled. While hurricanes should always be taken seriously the odds that youll ever encounter one on your cruise are exceptionally slim. In fact with just a few precautions youll not only have peace of mind but a few insider tips on how to enjoy cruising during late summer and early fall which in my opinion is the very best time for sailing the Caribbean with Norwegian Cruise Line.

With Hurricane Dorian causing multiple itinerary changes and port closings many cruisers find themselves desperately seeking information. Virgin Islands it caused 92 billion dollars in damage and claimed more than 3000 lives. Hurricane dorien in 2019 saw the Allure extend from a 7 night cruise to 11 nights.

The ship will move to a safer area. A surprising number of travelers actually opt to cruise during hurricane season when extensions such as these are not unheard of. What happens if there is a hurricane while on a cruise.

Its no secret that hurricanes can cause tremendous amounts of damage. People who are new to cruising often ask this question concerned about the safety of booking a cruise during hurricane season. But that doesnt mean you always can expect smooth sailing during hurricane season.

Itinerary changes cruise ports. Firstly hurricanes move very slowly - something like 15 mph maximum cruise ships can move faster that that. Some ports may remain closed after a hurricane.

A ship will NOT try to weather the storm. Hurricanes are never a surprise. However while a ship can outrun a storm or change course to avoid one you may still experience some rough water during your travels so you may want to pack seasickness remedies.