cruising during hurricane season

[4kidsandadog]

I just got my quote for a cat 2 (YAY) from DU for Sep. 05... My 12yo is balking, saying she "will NOT" go on a cruise during hurricane season. Will someone out there tell her something to ease her mind??? I know the chances of anything horrible happening to us are quite slim. I don't know what her problem is.

Any of you have good things to tell her about cruising during the hurricane months?

Karen

 

[AnnaS]

My family and friends of ours, all refuse to go during hurricane season. I am afraid too but would probably not let it stop me from cruising. Of course, since we all cruise together, they win and we cruise beginning of July only.

 

[Mjasp]

You will (I would assume) NEVER be put in harm's way, We are booked in August and if there is a hurricane I look at it as an adventure of the ports we will actually get to see.

 

[Seasca]

Wife and I just booked a 4 nighter at the end of Sept of 04. I am a little concerned about possible threat, but there is so much advance warning and knowledge of systems developing that the Captain and Disney would never put us or his crew in harms way.

 

[BobandLee]

We were on a 7 day eastern cruise about 4 years ago. There should be no problems at all with the weather while cruising. They really do a good job avoiding weather.
The real problem was the next week when we were staying at Key West when the huricane caught up with us!(after the cruise)


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4 day cruise-1998 7 day eastern -2000 7 day western cruise with Payton-2002
MEMBERS CRUISE --2003
We Are the People Our Parents Warned Us About!

 

[kcashner]

We cruise in September almost every year. We missed 2003 due to the dry dock. The only important thing about cruising at this time of year is to be flexible. The ship may not go where it is scheduled to go.

The captain has the flexibility to alter the course and ports to anywhere he wants to. We did an "Eastern" cruise that went to Key West in order to wait out a day and see what the hurricanes in the eastern Carribean did. He will never take the ship anywhere dangerous.

If your heart is set on certain ports, don't cruise at all. The weather can always get bad, and the captain always has the right to change the planned ports of call. If you are willing to be a little flexible, the fall is a great time to cruise. The prices are right, the weather is generally good.....and I guess I've been fortunate because I've never had a cruise that couldn't get to Castaway. I've had much rougher seas in December and Feb. than in "hurricane season."

If/when the ship can't make a port, there will be a fun deck party or an alternate port. Shore excursions will be arranged, and any previously booked excursions will be fully refunded. I've already booked again for Sept. 2004.
Kathryn

 

[MO Disney cruiser]

I agree with Kathryn. We love to cruise in September. 5 so far during that time. The weather is beautiful and the cruise costs considerably less.

On one cruise there was a tropical storm brewing out there, but the captain just steered away from it.

 

[The4OfUs]

Hurricanes and tropical storms are fairly slow moving storms, so it's not like one can pop up and surprise the crew of the ship - they are tracked from the second of their birth through to the dissipation, so if the concern is that the ship might be hit by a storm out of the blue, that's easily put to rest. Meteorologists may not have the day by day weather down pat *wink* (as one I get to make fun of them!) but they can't miss something as large as a Hurricane.

In the eastern Pacific, hurricanes start forming by mid-May. In the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes season starts in June. For the United States, peak hurricane threat exists from mid-August to late October although the official hurricane season extends through November. Over other parts of the world, such as the western Pacific, hurricanes can occur year-round.

I understand your DD's apprehension - I actually decided at the age of 6 to become a meteorologist because thunderstorms terrified me, and my father told me that the more I knew about something, the less it would scare me - and it just grew from there. So maybe if she learns more about them? There's some great sites out there, like this one:

http://hurricanes.noaa.gov

 

[natdencro]

Daughter been a CM on the Magic for 4 years, and never yet had a problem on board with hurricanes. If the weather is stormy anytime, then the Captain will divert. They would never risk sailing if there was danger to anyone with weather conditions.Hope you get to sail!Nat

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I live right on the east coast of Florida, south of the Port. I would much rather be on a cruise than in my house when a hurricane is threatening. Hmmm maybe that will be my escape plan this year!!!!

 

[TiggerzFan]

We sailed last November and are going again this September - all in hurricane season. I look at it as an opportunity to visit an unscheduled port.... Bad weather can hit any time of year but you'll have the "magic of the mouse" on your side!

 

[4kidsandadog]

Thanks for the replies... I told my daughter all of the info and she recanted her refusal to go. (I'm glad... I would have hated to leave her behind!! ) We put the deposit down on our cabin yesterday!

Karen

 

[TiffJ]

Our first cruise ever was on the 4 day Magic when Hurricane Floyd hit. (1999) They even closed down WDW the day we were leaving.(1st time EVER) We left 1 hr early and they couldnt use the stabilizers so we could go faster and out run it. It was pretty wobbly that night at dinner and dishes kept sliding off the servers trays. However once we got around the tip of FL it was all good. They diverted us to Cozymel. We didnt get to go to Castaway Cay because it had been hit by the hurricane. We had an extra day at sea. It was an awesome cruise and we never felt like we were in any danger at all. Tell her that Disney would not endanger themselves or the passengers & they can always track any possible hurricanes and know where to go & where not to go.

 

[rae519]

My Mom's first airplane ride and first cruise was when Hurricane Lili diverted the Magic from it's Western Itinerary to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay twice. We had beautiful blue skies and calm - like glass - seas.

By the way, my Mom's name is Lilly - so we had a lot of fun teasing her about causing the diversion!!!!

Rae

 

[NancyDVC]

Anyone who lives on the east coast (near the ocean) can tell you about the days of "Where will it hit?" during hurricane season. If you live in a coastal region at some point you will get hit by a hurricane. Today's crusie ships keep abreast of the weather with the latest equipment and always steer far wawy from any trouble.

On my first (and only) cruise out of NYC to Bermuda we left a week after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida. Another hurricane/tropical storm had just missed Bermuda and we had a lovely trip. The night we left Bermuda we noticed that the ship was rocking more than we were used to. When we asked one of the officers he told us that here was a bad storm heading from the Carolinas eastward to the ocean and we had put on speed to out run it. The Captain's choice had been to rock and roll from the speed or from the storm. We were grateful to be rocking from the speed and not the storm.
We are booked on the September 11 Magic right in the middle of Hurricane season and I have no qualms about hurricanes or any other storm.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I wonder if this is why they removed St. maarten from the Eastern in August, September and some of October, because of storms?