Would you cruise the Caribbean in late August

[mmouse37]

We have done many of our cruises in August, September, October and November. I would not hesitate to book a cruise in those months. I definitely would get trip insurance but I would cruise in any month!

MJ

 

[starvenger]

It's not just hurricane season that would dissuade me from cruising the Caribbean in August. If I wanted hot muggy weather I'd stay home. Alaska is a much better destination.

If OP is looking at the Caribbean then I'm guessing that they don't mind the humidity that much. To each their own, obviously.

Also, I'm curious - your handle would imply that you live in Arizona, but your comment would indicate you live in a more humid clime now. So where are you at this point in time? And I guess you prefer the dry heat to the humid heat? I used to work in Houston myself, and actually preferred that humidity over the dryness of Phoenix. But again, to each their own.

 

[otten]

It's not just hurricane season that would dissuade me from cruising the Caribbean in August. If I wanted hot muggy weather I'd stay home. Alaska is a much better destination.

Ah but I live on the west coast of Canada in Vancouver. I can see the cruise ship port from my office window. Alaska is beautiful but doesn’t feel like as much of a vacation.

 

[otten]

If OP is looking at the Caribbean then I'm guessing that they don't mind the humidity that much. To each their own, obviously.

Also, I'm curious - your handle would imply that you live in Arizona, but your comment would indicate you live in a more humid clime now. So where are you at this point in time? And I guess you prefer the dry heat to the humid heat? I used to work in Houston myself, and actually preferred that humidity over the dryness of Phoenix. But again, to each their own.

Yea I’m in the PNW. Alaska is far more convenient a destination but the weather is so similar to being at home. And I don’t really want to arrive back in port and immediately see my office!

 

[TeamRipper]

For the past 5 years we have cruised on the Fantasy in October because our friend's kids are out of school. The first 3 were absolutely gorgeous, perfect weather all week long. The last two years we have dealt with Mathew and Irma. We have flown in to MCO both times early, like others have said "are you crazy?". Our itineraries have been changed, our boarding DAYS have been changed! Both times we have dealt with the issues. Fly early, make a time of it, roll with the punches...we missed our Aristocat charter in BVI for 2 years straight!
I get that there are hyper "planners" that want the perfect cruise experience, but do NOT let the potential of weather dissuade you from a cruise at this time of year. Disney will not put their guests into trouble nor put their billion dollar ships into harms way (more like it). They WILL divert, they will slow down, they will alter planned itinerary.

I don't know how to say this more softly, but if you are stretching your budget, consider trip insurance. If you can't do that, you need to understand that expensive things could happen, up to and including missing your vacation.

Plan for the worst, hope for the best!

 

[jdb in AZ]

If OP is looking at the Caribbean then I'm guessing that they don't mind the humidity that much. To each their own, obviously.

Also, I'm curious - your handle would imply that you live in Arizona, but your comment would indicate you live in a more humid clime now. So where are you at this point in time? And I guess you prefer the dry heat to the humid heat? I used to work in Houston myself, and actually preferred that humidity over the dryness of Phoenix. But again, to each their own.

Arizona is humid in August (monsoon season) but no where near as humid as Texas. I was in Dallas for a seminar and the humidity was high enough to leave condensation on the glass doors. A woman from Houston was complaining how dry Dallas was. We've cruised the Caribbean in December/January and it was stifling and sticky. When we got to Costa Rica (rain forest) the humidity was so bad a shore excursion guide asked if I was o.k. It's all a matter of what you're used to. There's no way i'd enjoy August in the Caribbean.

 

[hardis5]

Absolutely we'd sail this time and have done 3 sailings the last week of August for the very reason of the price drop as many (not us being CDN) have their kids already back in school. Personally I think the hurricane season worry to be an unnecessary factor when deciding to cruise. Technically running from June 1st through the end of November, one of DCL's most costliest out of FLA and busiest cruise period during the summer is during the hurricane season. People sail all summer without a 2nd thought to their being the possibility of a hurricane. Come August and the price drop it seems to always be scoffed as due to hurricanes and demand and - hurricanes are a possibility but it is all supply/demand. Schools in and families not available or able to pull their kids from, demand drops off.

Our first sailing in August 2011 on the Dream, we were the first cruise after Irene (driving through the storm to get to FLA for the cruise). Our Castaway day was altered so storm damage could be dealt with but we still had a great cruise. Last year friends had book for more than a year (a large family group) and saw their sailing cancelled just a few days prior by DCL due to the large storms. They had their $ refunded with a future sailing discount but still went to FLA changing their families gathering to a WDW vacation.

Peace of mind in trip insurance and enjoy the possibility of being able to take advantage of great off-season/end-of-summer rates.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

Absolutely, with good travel insurance and a flexible mindset.

 

[starvenger]

Arizona is humid in August (monsoon season) but no where near as humid as Texas. I was in Dallas for a seminar and the humidity was high enough to leave condensation on the glass doors. A woman from Houston was complaining how dry Dallas was. We've cruised the Caribbean in December/January and it was stifling and sticky. When we got to Costa Rica (rain forest) the humidity was so bad a shore excursion guide asked if I was o.k. It's all a matter of what you're used to. There's no way i'd enjoy August in the Caribbean.

Yeah if you've lived in Houston all your life Dallas and San Antonio will seem pretty dry. And if you're from AZ then Dallas will seem pretty humid. You'd probably suffer up here in Toronto if the cold didn't get to you first.

 

[ahain]

I would cruise anytime my schedule, budget and vacation days would allow! We have cruised in August (EB Panama Canal), and had a wonderful time, but soooo HOT! As other posters have mentioned, do get trip insurance just in case.

 

[piratepride]

Our last cruise was on the Fantasy August 12-19th 2017. we missed the hurricane by a couple of days! It is a good time to go as the price is MUCH cheaper than during June, July and early August. This was our 3rd Disney Cruise and all of them were in mid-late August. Disney Cruise Line will reroute your cruise if there is any fear of a hurricane.

 

[MomOTwins]

I get that there are hyper "planners" that want the perfect cruise experience, but do NOT let the potential of weather dissuade you from a cruise at this time of year. Disney will not put their guests into trouble nor put their billion dollar ships into harms way (more like it). They WILL divert, they will slow down, they will alter planned itinerary.

It's not just about wanting to hyper-plan--be sure you actually do HAVE the flexibility to alter plans if they change your cruise dates or get back late. My job requires me to give notice of the exact days I'll be out a month in advance. No wiggle room for me to stay an extra day as much as I would love to

 

[vakamalua]

It will be blisteringly HOT!

 

[dvcdisney]

Out of 9 Caribbean cruises, 6 of those have been in the last 2 wks of August. However, only 2 of those were actually during a Hurricane and 1 just missed the beginning of a hurricane. It didn't stop us from going again. Although I will admit I didn't appreciate all the movement on the ship.

Although our August cruise have been to Alaska and Europe for last few times, it's not because of the Hurricane factor, it was mostly because we grew tired of cruising the same Caribbean itinerary. If DCL offers a better itinerary, we would do another Caribbean cruise again in August. In the meantime, it's Europe and Alaska for us!

 

[bobbiwoz]

We were in Tortola and St Thomas last year a week before the hurricane hit those islands and devastated them. That has given me pause for the future. However, we are going in July this year, and I imagine we will continue to cruise that time of the year. Our stops in those two ports were absolutely wonderful and fun.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We did a late August cruise back in 2004. We went into it knowing that a hurricane could impact it and were fine with that; it would become a mystery cruise if they had to make itinerary changes while we were sailing. We got lucky because there was a hurricane before we sailed and one that followed sometime after we returned home, so we were never actually impacted by one.

My only problem was the heat and humidity. My wife insisted on this time of year because it was over her 40th birthday (we were in WDW over mine, in the fall). When we got home she said we will never do it again this time of year.

My first time I experienced heat exhaustion. This was after we finished our Nature Hike and Kayak excursion while on Castaway Cay. I was sooooo happy to get into an air conditioned ship.

If you are okay with the fact that a hurricane could change your cruise around a little or a lot; because they will avoid the worst of it I say go. And as has been mentioned in a previous post, I too recommend trip insurance.

 

[Shanti]

I'm trying to plan our next Disney Cruise. We did Eastern Caribbean on the Magic in April 2015 but our kids were 3.5 and 10 months and a bit young to get the most out of it. I really want to go again but now we are someone tied to school schedules which leaves us with Christmas break ($$$$$$ yikes), Spring break and summer. From a price standpoint end of August works best because we don't go back until after labour day and the prices don't seem quite so high as earlier in the summer.

But what about hurricanes? We were at Disney World during Hurricane Matthew. It wasn't ideal but it was okay. It seems like the likelihood of a storm impacting a cruise is higher though so I wonder how people feel about cruising in late summer.

I would if it were my only opportunity.

BUT, in that case I would book everything via DCL: the cruise, flights & hotel, and use DCL's travel insurance, so that if a hurricane hits, DCL is 100% responsible for the entire cost of my vacation, and/or can manage 100% of any rescheduling of cruise, flights & hotel that might be required.

 

[Shanti]

I'm ok with hot weather as a cruise is about swimming at the pool and beach.

There actually isn't much of a pool on the Disney cruise ships...

 

[Bonnie1222]

Personally... NOOOOOOOOOOOO Never again. We have done 4 cruises (all western) during hurricane season over the last 4 years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017. We are Florida residents and the stress is just too much. The prices were great, especially FL resident rate, but personally, watching the weather for 2-3 weeks ahead watching storms form and track toward FL and the Caribbean; They are going out to sea, wait no, they are turning back... Then, when you get a potential CAT 5 like Irma that takes a direct hit on your house, causes damage and worrying if you can leave your house. No, sorry DH and I just can't take that stress any more. While we understand the majority of people are traveling from places other than FL to take the cruise, still the trips can be cancelled, even it is last minute (like Maria), and although we don't want to minimize the inconvenience to other people, the idea of leaving your home to go on a trip is nerve racking.

Now, did we have a good time on our trips? Yes. Did we luck out and not have any tropical storms during our cruises? Yes. But, the weather was not the greatest at the stops - rain most days even if just for part of the day. Cozumel 3 years ago had 4-8" of standing water in the streets due to rain, this past September almost nobody got off the ship it rained so hard and excursions were canceled (but we got off to just walk around and go to Mega and got free ponchos) and stores on shore closed early. Grand Cayman last year took us over an hour to tender because the rain was so bad you couldn't see the island and when you got there the streets were flooded. 3 out of 4 years it rained in Falmouth. Although we have lucked out at CC with good weather every trip.

But to get back to the OP question, we never cruised in August (just way too hot for us). Our last 4 trips were in Late September/Early October and 1 in Late October/early November.

 

[LNMom]

I grew up in Miami (Andrew), stayed with my physician husband at the hospital for Katrina, and worried about my MIL who stayed at her home in FL for Irma. The peak of hurricane season is the last weekend in August.
With that said: go in the cruise, but you MUST get trip insurance.
Or, use a credit card that offers trip insurance, such as CITI Prestige.
Without trip insurance you should not go.