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Cruising During Hurricane Season: Everything You Need to Know

Last updated: June 4th, 2024

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If you think it’s best to avoid booking a cruise vacation during hurricane season, there are certain factors to consider that may change your mind. In fact, cruising during hurricane season may actually be an advantageous time to cruise.

When is hurricane season for cruises?

Hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June 1 to November 30. The peak of hurricane season occurs between mid-August and early November.

The Eastern Caribbean tends to see more hurricanes toward the beginning of the peak season, while peak season in the Western Caribbean islands stretches throughout the entire period. Some East Coast cruises might be affected by a hurricane in the Northern Atlantic.

Booking your Caribbean cruise vacation before peak time, say in June or July or at the end of November, is one way to cruise during hurricane season.

Hurricanes, or similar types of storms that go by different names, can affect cruises in other parts of the world, too. If cruising Australia or other areas of the South Pacific, for instance, be aware its peak cyclone season is from January to March. Parts of Asia are also susceptible to typhoons during monsoon season, lasting from May to October.

Is it dangerous to cruise during hurricane season?

Only a very small portion of cruises that sail to the Caribbean during a storm season are actually affected by these storms. Though you may encounter slightly rougher water on a cruise during hurricane season, there are many systems in place to detect any hurricane weather along your cruise route, ensuring your ship’s captain and crew will be able to chart a path around any bad weather or make modifications to the itinerary to keep you safe.

Can my cruise itinerary change if there’s a hurricane?

You may have heard or read that there were some cruises that were canceled in the wake of Hurricane Irma in 2017, but the fact is that it’s actually extremely rare for a cruise to be canceled during Caribbean hurricane season.

Typically, it’s 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.

So what happens when you do embark on time, but there’s a hurricane happening in the region? Most likely a hurricane will not impact your cruise, but you might incur an itinerary change if a hurricane is in the path of a port of call on your cruise itinerary.

Thanks to an incredible arsenal of weather equipment onboard the ship, including everything from weather maps and satellite images to computer-generated storm models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), your captain and crew are always on top of where a hurricane is headed and have the experience and means to stay out of its path.

One of the ways your captain might avoid a hurricane’s path is to make a last-minute schedule change to your cruise itinerary. If, for example, your Caribbean cruise itinerary had a scheduled stop in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but the route there is impacted by a hurricane, your cruise ship will reroute, and you’ll skip that port of call.

This will result in an additional day at sea, during which you’ll continue to enjoy your ship’s many luxurious amenities. With an extra sea day, you can treat yourself to that herbal body wrap at the spa, spend some quality time with the kids, or participate in one of the many onboard classes offered during your cruise. Depending on your ship’s proximity to the storm and its severity, the captain may find it necessary to order the pool to close.

Another hurricane cruise scenario might involve a substitution of one port of call for a skipped one. There are a number of factors at play here, including weather patterns and cruising time to the substitute port that captain and crew will be constantly monitoring.

You may find yourself completely charmed by the opportunity to visit a different Caribbean port and think of those captivating stories you’ll have to tell about the time your cruise ship was diverted during a storm.

If you’re flexible about timing and open to itinerary changes, you should have no worries when booking a cruise during hurricane season. If you choose to cruise during hurricane season, the fact that you likely booked a cruise at an excellent price should make any itinerary changes easier to handle.

Are there special offers during hurricane season?

Now that you know cruising during hurricane season is unlikely to ruin your vacation, you can begin to plan your cruise strategy. Since many people don’t realize it’s possible to cruise during hurricane season safely, fewer people book cruises during peak hurricane months. Cruise fares are often lower during this time as Caribbean hurricane season occurs just after the peak summer travel season ends.

Where can I cruise to avoid hurricane season?

To avoid cruising during hurricane season, choose a destination other than the Caribbean or other regions of the world that are prone to storms. Consider cruises to Alaska from May to September or European cruises from August to November.

Read: Best Places to Visit in September

If you’re dreaming of a Caribbean cruise vacation and can only cruise during peak hurricane season, think about booking a cruise itinerary with ports of call on islands that are considered outside the hurricane zone. Islands in the Southern Caribbean are statistically less affected by hurricanes. These islands, nicknamed the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao), generally lie outside of the path for most hurricanes.

Will a cruise be canceled because of a hurricane?

It is unlikely that your cruise during Caribbean hurricane season will be canceled, but it is not guaranteed. That’s why it’s a smart move to purchase travel insurance (for any cruise vacation), and most necessary if you choose to cruise during hurricane season.

When you’re looking for travel insurance, don’t pick one based solely on the lowest price. Read a policy’s fine print carefully before you purchase, as many travel insurance policies won’t cover trip cancellations or delays due to hurricanes.

Look for policies that include coverage for trip interruptions or cancellations due to severe weather or a hurricane. Travel insurance policies should also offer medical coverage and non-medical evacuation. Some will even cover delayed flights and travel delays in general. If a policy doesn’t include hurricane coverage, you may be able to add optional “cancel for any reason” coverage, but your best option is to purchase a policy that has specific hurricane coverage.

Just as important, you should purchase your travel insurance immediately after booking your cruise. Most insurance companies set time limits on purchasing policies that include hurricane coverage. Generally, you must have purchased a travel insurance policy before the hurricane is named in order to be covered. There are also travel insurance policies that require you to purchase within a certain timeframe (usually 14 to 21 days) of making your initial trip deposit. These conditions make it well worth your time to research and purchase a travel insurance policy not hastily, but certainly with haste.

For complete peace of mind about flights to and from your cruise, book your airfare with Flights by Celebrity. Flights by Celebrity offers cruise travelers a wealth of benefits and protection for your airfare investment with its points, price, and protection platform. First, you can use any applicable airline points to book your flight. Next, you’re guaranteed the lowest available price for the flights you book. Dedicated specialists are available 24/7 to work on your behalf should you experience a flight delay or interruption. They will work to get you on the next available flight so you can still get to your cruise ship on time, or get back home as quickly as possible if your return flight is affected.

What happens if there’s a storm during my cruise?

When cruising during hurricane season, you might encounter stormy weather, but it doesn’t necessarily follow that you’ll have to contend with rocking and rolling onboard your ship. Celebrity Cruises’ ships are conceived by master engineers, built exceptionally strong by the world’s most expert shipbuilders, and are equipped with advanced onboard technology that keeps them stabilized so you won’t typically feel even light rolling.

That built-for-strength stability and advanced on-board technology, coupled with the fact that Caribbean waters are quite calm in the summer and fall months, are another reason why it’s most likely that your Caribbean sailing, even during hurricane season, will be smooth and worry free.

Passenger safety in adverse weather (and in fair weather, as well) is so important that Celebrity Cruises’ parent company, Royal Caribbean International, employs a Chief Meteorologist who mans a Fleet Operations Center that monitors weather around the globe, wherever Celebrity Cruises’ ships travel.

It is the Chief Meteorologist’s job to keep a close eye on weather patterns and monitor any brewing storms that may affect a ship’s route. If a storm develops, the Chief and his team do everything in their power to avoid a ship being in harm’s way.

One advantage that cruise ships have in severe weather is that, unlike land destinations, ships are mobile. If a hurricane or other severe weather appears to be developing while you’re enjoying your cruise vacation, you can be sure the marine operations team is at work assessing when it might arrive, how severe the weather event may be, and how the ship’s captain can maneuver around it or change course.

How do I keep safe if there’s a hurricane while I’m on a cruise?

Now that you know how Celebrity Cruises works to ensure your safety with expert engineers, meteorologists, and experienced captains and crews, you should know what you can do to be safe if a hurricane situation occurs during your cruise vacation.

First, even the most seasoned cruisers might find themselves in need of stomach-calming assistance when cruising during hurricane season, so be sure to pack over-the-counter medication to prevent seasickness or, if necessary, a prescription for a patch that will prevent motion sickness.

It’s equally important that you stay calm and continue to enjoy as much cruise activity as you would like. Be sure to pay attention to the captain’s daily messages about sea conditions, and always heed crew members directions.

Book your cruise

Now that you understand the ins and outs of cruising during hurricane season, browse our cruise itineraries online and find the perfect cruise for you, or call one of our vacation specialists at 1-800-852-8086.

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A METEOROLOGIST SHARES

Why cruising is safe during hurricane season, james van fleet, the first chief meteorologist in the cruise industry, gives us five reasons why it's still a good time to cruise during hurricane season..

Wave Season is the time to plan an escape to warmer weather or anywhere with Royal Caribbean—and for a great deal.

Credit: Royal Caribbean

Great vacations are made up of adventures, memorable moments and ideal weather. However, we all know the weather can be unpredictable. What if we told you there’s a vacation you could take and have zero worries about the forecast literally raining on your parade? That vacation is a cruise —yes, really.

No matter the weather that’s brewing, you can count on catching perfect waves on the FlowRider surf simulator and braving the tallest slide at sea when you’re on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Cruise ships easily travel from one place to the next, meaning they can conveniently ditch bad weather at a moment’s notice. Take it from James Van Fleet, Royal Caribbean’s chief meteorologist and the first in the cruise industry . He keeps an eye on our 25-plus ships and two private destinations around the clock, so that you can keep the good times rolling.

Read on for five reasons why it’s safe to cruise during hurricane season, according to Chief Meteorologist Van Fleet:

Royal Caribbean Chief Meteorologist Van Fleet records frequent weather updates during hurricane season.

1.  Cruise Ships Are a Safe Place to Be

One of the best parts about taking a cruise vacation is that you can easily head to better weather—think sun, sand and a cocktail in hand. And as you’re headed toward clearer skies, there are plenty of ways you and the whole family can enjoy yourselves—like watching jaw-dropping shows across air, water, ice and stage to roller skating, laser tag and bumper cars.

Van Fleet: A common misconception is that the open water is the most dangerous place to be in inclement weather. It’s actually the total opposite: If a storm is coming your way on land, you have fewer options. Your home is a potential target that can’t be moved. On a cruise ship, captains can sail out of the way—and quickly. Having a dedicated meteorologist working with the teams on board to look at weather patterns and make real-time decisions makes all the difference, too, because we’re able to get in front of what’s developing and immediately communicate that to our crew and guests.

2.  The Ocean Is Actually Calmer During Hurricane Season

When asked if the seas are rougher during  hurricane season , Van Fleet said there’s no need to worry.

Van Fleet: That’s actually a myth. In fact, the high-pressure and humid temperatures associated with hurricane season settle the seas. The Atlantic Ocean, the  Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico are all much calmer in the summer than they are in the winter. So, it’s actually still a good time to take a cruise.

3.  Ships Have Stabilizers For Smooth Sailing

Even if the conditions do happen to get choppy, every Royal Caribbean ship has features and capabilities to help things go as smoothly as possible so that you’ll hardly notice .

Van Fleet: For example, all Royal Caribbean cruise ships have stabilizers that act like airplane wings. When you think about it, air is water vapor, so these stabilizers essentially lift the ship over waves the same way a wing lifts a plane over rough air. This keeps the “rise and fall” from being too noticeable.

Van Fleet normally monitors the weather from Royal Caribbean’s Miami headquarters.

Credit: Royal Caribbean Press Center

4.  There’s ‘Round the Clock Weather Tracking

Royal Caribbean uses sophisticated technology , from computers and satellites to radars and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), to track and monitor weather around the world. Van Fleet even keeps portable tracking devices with him at all times.

Van Fleet: What’s more, there are  officers on board always monitoring information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They’re stationed throughout the ship to make sure everyone is safe should inclement weather arise.

5.  You’ll Get Frequent Updates

Van Fleet and the crew make it a point to keep everyone in the loop as much as possible so that guests know what to expect when it comes to updates and possible rerouting.

Van Fleet: The captain will make weather announcements, and I record forecast videos that play in every stateroom. I also rely on social media to give updates—it’s one of the fastest ways to connect with everyone. If you follow me on Twitter , you’ll get the latest and greatest directly from me, too.

On a Royal Caribbean cruise, the forecast is always smooth sailing. Whether you’re looking to kick back by the pool with a cocktail and live music, take on thrills like the RipCord by iFly skydiving simulator or get a taste of the world of flavors on board, the weather will be an afterthought.

Ready to experience all the adventure, entertainment, dining, nightlife and more on your next vacation (rain or shine)? Head here to find your cruise.

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• Cruise Advice

What to Expect When Cruising During Hurricane Season

Richard Simms

• June 2, 2024

Cruising during hurricane season can be risky but also cheaper and less crowded. It’s important to take precautions for a safe and enjoyable trip.

Cruising during hurricane season requires careful consideration of geographical factors. Since areas like the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico are more prone to hurricanes, it’s important to research your destination and choose a flexible cruise line for unexpected weather events.

What is Hurricane Season?

Hurricane season is the time of the year when tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to occur because of mild weather.

The North Atlantic Hurricane Season

In the Atlantic, hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with the season’s peak occurring in August and September.

During this period, the Atlantic Ocean is warm enough to fuel the formation of tropical storms and hurricanes. In the peak of hurricane season, the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico water can be as warm as 90 degrees.

The Atlantic hurricane season typically produces 12 named storms, six of which become hurricanes and three of which become major hurricanes. Recently, it was reported that NOAA expects the hurricane season to be more active than normal.

The number and intensity of storms can vary yearly, depending on factors such as ocean temperatures, wind patterns, and atmospheric conditions.

When planning a cruise during hurricane season, it is essential to keep an eye on the weather and to be prepared for the possibility of itinerary changes or cancellations. Cruise lines have contingency plans for dealing with storms, but it is always a good idea to have travel insurance and be flexible with your plans.

Understanding hurricane season and the risks associated with cruising during this time can help you make informed decisions and stay safe while enjoying your vacation.

Cruising During Hurricane Season

If you plan to cruise during hurricane season, keeping an eye on the weather forecasts before and during your trip is essential. Cruise lines have established procedures to deal with adverse weather conditions, and they will typically monitor the weather closely to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew.

When booking a cruise during hurricane season, purchasing travel insurance that covers trip cancellations and interruptions due to weather-related issues is also a good idea. Some cruise lines may also offer its own insurance policies that provide additional coverage.

If a hurricane is forecasted to affect your itinerary, the cruise line will typically make necessary changes to the route to avoid the storm. This may include changing ports of call, altering the duration of the trip, or canceling the cruise altogether. 

Suppose a hurricane is expected to impact your vacation directly. In that case, the cruise line directly will likely email you before embarkation day with details about the trip or ports of call changes.

Cruising during hurricane season can be an exciting adventure, but being well-prepared and aware of the risks is essential. By keeping an eye on the weather forecasts, purchasing travel insurance, and understanding the procedures of the cruise line, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable cruise vacation.

Geographical Considerations

The Caribbean is a popular destination for cruises, but it is also one of the areas most impacted by hurricanes. The hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June to November, with the peak season being from August to October.

When planning a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season, choose your itinerary carefully. Some areas of the Caribbean are more prone to hurricanes than others, and it is important to avoid these areas during hurricane season.

Western Caribbean cruises , which typically include destinations such as Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, are more likely to be affected by hurricanes than Eastern Caribbean cruises, which usually include destinations such as St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Puerto Rico.

It is also important to note that storms can affect other areas of the Caribbean, such as the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao), the Bahamas, and Bermuda.

Safety Measures and Precautions

When cruising during hurricane season, safety is always the top priority. Fortunately, cruise ships are equipped with advanced technology and highly trained crews to ensure the safety of all onboard. 

One of the most critical safety measures is the captain’s decision-making process. Captains are trained to monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions about the ship’s route and itinerary. For example, if a hurricane is predicted to be in the ship’s path, the captain may alter the course or cancel the trip.

Cruise ships also have advanced safety technology, including radar, sonar, and satellite communication systems. These tools enable the crew to monitor weather conditions and communicate with other ships and emergency services if necessary.

Cruise ships have extensive emergency procedures in place in the event of an emergency. All passengers must participate in a safety drill at the beginning of the trip, which includes instructions on evacuating the ship in an emergency. Crew members are also trained to handle various emergencies, from medical emergencies to fires and floods.

Passengers can take additional precautions to ensure their safety during hurricane season. It is recommended that they pack a basic emergency kit, including a flashlight, batteries, and a first aid kit. They should also stay informed about weather conditions and follow the captain’s instructions.

The Benefits of Cruising During Hurricane Season

Before we go one step further, it’s important to note that planning a cruise during hurricane season can be a gamble. It also comes with several risks, which we’ll discuss in the next section. But definite pluses make this a time of year worth considering.

For one thing, the latter part of the hurricane season falls when most kids are back in school. You still have the tail-end of summer, meaning cruising out of ports like New York City in still-gorgeous weather but with fewer families.

Given that many clans try to fit four or five people into a stateroom, the fewer families on any sailing, the lower the overall number of people aboard. And that means more room for you.

Impact on Itineraries

Cruising during hurricane season can significantly impact itineraries, causing port stops, missed ports, and ship rerouting changes. It is essential for passengers to understand the potential itinerary changes that may occur due to hurricanes and to be prepared for such changes.

Possible Itinerary Changes

Cruise lines have established procedures to monitor weather conditions and make necessary itinerary changes to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. If a hurricane is forecasted to impact a port of call, the cruise line may cancel the port stop and replace it with an alternative port.

In some cases, the ship may need to reroute to avoid the hurricane entirely, resulting in a change of itinerary. These changes may occur before embarkation day or while sailing on your cruise.

Missed Ports and Rerouting

Cruise lines typically offer compensation in the form of onboard credit or a refund of the port fees in case of a missed port. Passengers may also participate in an alternative activity onboard the ship. If the ship needs to reroute, the cruise line will typically provide updates and keep passengers informed of any changes to the itinerary.

Passengers must understand that itinerary changes can occur anytime during the cruise, even after the ship departs from its home port. Passengers should remain flexible and be prepared for potential changes to their itinerary due to hurricanes.

How to Deal with Delays and Cancellations

When cruising during hurricane season, it’s essential to know that delays and cancellations are possible. The safety of passengers and crew is the top priority, and cruise lines will take necessary precautions to avoid any potential danger.

If a storm or hurricane is approaching, the cruise line may alter the itinerary or even cancel the cruise altogether. In this case, passengers will typically be notified as soon as possible and given the option to reschedule or receive a refund.

It’s important to note that cruise lines are not responsible for any additional costs incurred due to delayed or canceled cruises, such as flights or hotels. Passengers should always purchase travel insurance to cover any unexpected expenses.

In the event of a missed port due to weather conditions, the cruise line will typically offer compensation. This may include a refund of port fees or a credit towards a future cruise.

It’s important to review the cruise contract and reservation details carefully to understand the policies and procedures in case of delays or cancellations. By being prepared and informed, passengers can confidently navigate any unexpected situations.

It’s a good idea to print out the Ticket Contract before you accept the terms and conditions for your cruise.

Travel Insurance and Compensation

Cruising during hurricane season can be risky, and travelers are often concerned about what will happen if their cruise is cancelled or delayed due to weather conditions. Fortunately, many cruise lines offer insurance and compensation options to protect travelers from unexpected events.

Travel insurance is one of the most important things to consider when booking a cruise during hurricane season. 

Travel insurance can cover various issues, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and lost or stolen luggage. In case of a cruise cancellation due to weather or other reasons, most cruise lines offer a full refund or rescheduling option.

However, outside costs of the cruise, such as non-refundable hotel rooms or airfare with hefty change fees and booked tours or shore excursions outside of the cruise line, are not covered.

Buying insurance during hurricane season is important, and it should be done promptly. 

Why? Two reasons. 

First , if you want a policy with a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) clause (which we highly recommend), it must be purchased within two weeks of the initial deposit. 

Secondly , to make any hurricane-related claim, the policy has to have been purchased before the storm is named. 

In other words , you cannot wait until the last minute to learn about the hurricane, buy an insurance policy, and attempt to file a claim.

It’s essential to carefully read the cruise line’s ticket contract and the travel insurance policy’s explanation of benefits before agreeing to the terms and conditions.

Some cruise lines may also offer compensation for inconveniences caused by weather-related delays or cancellations, such as additional hotel stays or transportation costs. It’s important to check with the cruise line to see what compensation options are available.

Port taxes and fees are another consideration when booking a cruise during hurricane season. If a port is closed due to weather conditions, cruise lines may be required to refund these fees to travelers.

Travelers should also watch for special offers and lower prices for cruising during hurricane season. While booking a cruise at a lower price may be tempting, it’s important to consider the potential risks and understand the cruise line’s cancellation policy.

Tips for Cruising During Hurricane Season

Cruising during hurricane season can be daunting, but it can still be a great vacation with the proper preparation and attitude.

Here are some tips to help you navigate the potential challenges of cruising during hurricane season:

1. Choose Your Destination Wisely

When planning a cruise during hurricane season, choosing your destination wisely is important. Some areas are more prone to hurricanes than others, so do your research and select a destination that is less likely to be affected.

For example, cruises to Alaska or Europe are less likely to be impacted by hurricanes than cruises to the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico.

2. Be Prepared for Seasickness

The seas can be rough during hurricane season, so preparing for seasickness on a cruise is important. Bring any necessary medication or remedies, such as ginger or motion sickness bands, and consider booking a cabin in the middle of the ship, where the motion is less noticeable.

3. Have the Right Attitude

When cruising during hurricane season, having the right attitude is essential. Understand that the weather is out of your control and that the ship’s crew is doing everything possible to keep you safe. Stay positive and enjoy the other aspects of your cruise, such as the onboard activities and entertainment.

4. Have a Backup Plan for Travel

Be flexible. If a hurricane does impact your cruise, it’s essential to have a backup plan for travel. 

Purchase travel insurance covering weather-related cancellations and delays, and have a plan for alternate travel arrangements, such as flights or hotels.

Following these tips and being prepared, you can still enjoy a fantastic cruise during hurricane season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the atlantic hurricane season for cruises.

Hurricane season for cruises typically runs from June 1 to November 30. During this time, tropical storms and hurricanes are more likely to occur in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean.

Can cruise ships go around hurricanes?

Cruise ships can change their itinerary and route to avoid hurricanes. They can also speed up or slow down to stay ahead of or behind a storm. However, it’s important to note that rerouting a ship can cause changes in the ports of call and itinerary.

What happens on a cruise if a hurricane is coming?

If a hurricane is approaching, the captain and crew will closely monitor the storm’s path and adjust the ship’s route as necessary. Passengers may experience changes in the itinerary, such as skipping ports of call or spending more time at sea. The ship may also encounter rough seas and high winds, causing some discomfort for passengers.

Is it safe to cruise during hurricane season?

Cruising during hurricane season can be safe, but knowing the risks and potential changes to the itinerary is important. Cruise lines have extensive safety protocols in place to ensure the safety of passengers and crew during storms.

How often do cruise ships get caught in storms?

While cruise ships do their best to avoid storms, they can get caught in bad weather. However, this is relatively rare; cruise lines have protocols to keep passengers safe during these situations.

This article was original published in 2019 and updated in 2024.

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Cruising in Hurricane Season

If you’re thinking about cruising in hurricane season, there are a few things you should know before setting sail. While these storms occur throughout the world, you likely hear about them parading through the waters of the northern Atlantic — most often the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. But weather reports don’t always mean that you can’t still relax on board and get a taste of Caribbean culture. From prevention to preparedness, here’s everything to know about how Princess® manages cruising in hurricane season.

What Months Are Hurricane Season?

There’s no one definition for hurricane season as it varies by location. Storms may appear in early summer and may last well into the winter months. In the Eastern Caribbean, rough weather conditions usually heighten in August and last through October. Hurricane season in the Western Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico typically occurs from September to late November. While these seasons span over several months, it’s important to remember that a potential increase in weather activity isn’t the same as a sure thing.

Princess has expertise, longevity and access to some of the best tools in the industry. Our team is constantly monitoring safety conditions for guests to make sure that you can cruise with comfort and peace of mind. So, whether you’re looking to travel to Puerto Rico or the Bahamas, hurricane season shouldn’t stop you from sailing to your dream destinations. With Princess, soak up the splendor of tropical destinations all year long.

How Does Princess Prepare for Poor Weather Conditions?

Regardless of the season, we continuously monitor weather patterns and reroute ships as necessary when concerns arise. Still, guests may ask our friendly crew, “what do cruise ships do in bad weather conditions when they’re already out at sea?” We’ve crafted first-class protocols and procedures to assist and safeguard guests while cruising in hurricane season. All our itineraries were created with great consideration to provide both unparalleled experiences and quick evacuations in the event of an emergency. Not to mention, our ships are destinations in themselves, so guests can continue relaxing and exploring while on board and inside. When you sail with Princess, find peace of mind that your safety is always our top priority.

How does Princess Help Communities After a Hurricane?

Here at Princess, we don’t take the news of a hurricane lightly. With our very own Princess Cays® residing in the Bahamas, we care deeply about its remarkable environment and the people who call it home, including some of our own. In the event of a hurricane, we are proud to partner with local organizations to offer support, rebuild communities and provide food and water to those who need it most. 

5 Things to Know about Cruising During Hurricane Season

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What you need to know if you’re doing a hurricane season cruise

Have you booked or are you considering doing a cruise during hurricane season?

In this article, we go through 5 things that are important to know if you are planning a cruise during hurricane season, so you can be prepared and know what to expect.

When is Hurricane Season

Hurricane season is actually from June through November, although typically we see more hurricane and tropical storm activity from mid-late August, and throughout September and October.

Is it safe to cruise during hurricane season?

The most common and understandable concern many cruise passengers have is, how safe is it to cruise during hurricane season?

We actually booked and took our very first cruise during hurricane season, so I’ve dealt with this first hand and totally get the worries! (September 2004 – If you google it, it was the “year of the hurricanes”!!)

Firstly, yes it’s safe to cruise during this time. The reality is that cruise lines will not bring their passengers, their crew and even their ships into harm’s way.

Cruise lines work with meteorologists and have technology to predict storm locations and they do their best to avoid being in a hurricane’s path.

Something to keep in mind is that due to the fact that this is a cruise ship, it can move around. Contrary to an island, where if a hurricane is coming, you can’t move off that island. You’re a little bit stuck.

Cruise lines can do things do keep away from the storms and hurricanes, such as change itineraries or even shorten, lengthen or even cancel a cruise altogether (which rarely happens).

What itineraries can be affected?

Itineraries most affected by hurricanes are Caribbean itineraries, Bahamas and Bermuda cruises. Obviously if you are cruising to Alaska, the Mediterranean or somewhere else, this will not be an issue for you.

What can happen if a hurricane occurs during your cruise?

If a hurricane or even a severe tropical storm looks like it will affect any of your cruise ports, the most likely thing to happen is that the cruise line will make a decision to change the itinerary.

Itinerary changes – cruise ports

When a hurricane is expected to affect an island, or even the nautical route at sea, cruise ships often change up the itinerary.

As an example, if your cruise was going to the Western Caribbean with ports of call in Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Falmouth planned, the itinerary may be switched for an Eastern Caribbean route and head to St. Thomas, St. Marteen and Nassau.

Cruise ships may also simply replace one cruise port stop, or they may even switch up the order of the cruise port days. They may skip a port and have an extra sea day .

Cruise ships will not be knowingly taken into the path of a hurricane and cruise lines monitor closely to make changes ahead of time, as much as possible.

Itinerary changes – length of cruise

Sometimes the cruise will be shortened or lengthened to avoid a hurricane.

When might this happen?

As an example, if a cruise is leaving out of Florida and a hurricane is forecast, your scheduled embarkation day can be affected. Of course, things like this can happen when leaving from other ports as well.

Cruise lines will sometimes make a decision to make a cruise shorter, or even longer by adding days, to avoid bringing a cruise ship into a storm. A ship can even stay out at sea for extra days.

Our first cruise was actually affected by a hurricane, and this is what happened to us. Our 7 day Caribbean cruise became a 5 day cruise!!!

We were nervous wrecks in the days leading up to the cruise, but we honestly had a great time (and have done more than 20 cruises since lol).

If you’d like to hear our story and have even more information, including how the cruise line dealt with compensation, you can watch this video below.

*If you liked this video and found it helpful, please consider sharing it on Facebook with others that might be cruising.

How to prepare if you’re cruising during hurricane season

There are definitely things you can and in preparation (just in case), if you’re cruising during hurricane season.

1. Be Flexible

The reality is that a cruise itinerary can change at any time of the year, that’s actually in the fine print when you book a cruise. However, when booking a cruise during hurricane season, it’s especially important to be flexible.

When researching ports and even booking excursions, just remember that it may change up. If booking with the cruise line, they’ll refund any charges for excursions you don’t take if you don’t make it to that port. However, if booking private excursions, do make sure that they have that in their policy as well.

It’s important to remember, that no matter where you go on your cruise, you’ll have fun and there will be great things to see and experience.

2. Purchase cruise travel insurance

At any time of year, cruise travel insurance is important. The fact is, unpredictable things can happen.

However, check your policy to make sure that you’re covered if you can’t get to your cruise due to a hurricane. That happens sometimes if a hurricane actually affects your flights. Make sure you’re covered so you don’t have to worry!

3. Keep an eye and ear on upcoming weather forecasts

This goes without saying, but keep informed so that you know if an itinerary change is likely. Be prepared with any changes of clothing needed.

In the recent past, we’ve seen cruises that were supposed to be going to Bermuda, have a itinerary change to avoid a storm. Those cruises went to Canada and New England.

Now those are amazing places, and people book Canada/New England cruises all the time, but, if you were planning on Bermuda beaches, and end up at Peggy’s Cove…. well, let’s just say you definitely would need warmer clothes.

This isn’t typical, and rarely happens, but is an example of just keeping an eye on things so that you can be prepared.

Is it cheaper to cruise during hurricane season?

You may have noticed, that cruises are generally much cheaper during hurricane season. Typically, Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda cruises will be less expensive from September-November.

There are advantages:

It’s a great opportunity to try out a new and amazing ship for much less that you’d pay during January or February. You can pick up some incredible cruise deals!

It’s also quieter. Kids are in mostly back at school, so it’s so much less busy than during the summer.

If you want to cruise without many kids on board, or even if you have kids but have flexibility in vacation time, and prefer to avoid crowds, this can be ideal. It’s a great time to take advantage of lower pricing and Kids Sail Free deals which are a huge money saver for families .

Finally, the weather can be beautiful. Although a cruise can be affected by a hurricane and need to make changes, the weather outside of those storms is often nice, hot and sunny.

Recap: 5 Things to Know about Cruising During Hurricane Season

Cruising during hurricane season is something thousands of cruisers do every year, and enjoy it! It’s important to remember that if there is an itinerary change, the cruise lines are doing this to keep everyone safe.

Having a good attitude and trying to be flexible if there is a change, will help you to have the the very best cruise. Plus, you’ll have a fun cruise story to tell ;-).

Have you cruised during Hurricane season? Do you have a cruise coming up that will sail during hurricane season? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Cruising!!

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I had a cruise in September that was to go to CoZumel We ended up staying in the Gulf. Ok, but near as much fun.

Oh, you were affected – that’s too bad. Certainly not as fun if you don’t get to a port.

Thanks for taking time to share your experience!

Me and my wife are going this September and hoping that we have no hurricane shows up

Hi Micheal,

Hopefully there won’t be any hurricanes. Just be prepared to enjoy your cruise and be flexible if an island is affected, that you will likely sail somewhere else.

Wishing you a great cruise!

We have our first cruise coming up early next week. We are headed to Cozumel and Progresso.. I’m a bit nervous since I’m hearing in the news that a tropical depression is developing and might hit the Gulf late next week, which we will still be there. I even asked our congregation to keep us on their prayers.

I hope all is going well on your cruise!

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How Cruises Navigate the Rough Seas of Hurricane Season

After devastating hurricanes struck the caribbean and florida this fall, travelers may wonder what to expect in terms of sailing conditions and itinerary changes when cruise lines encounter serious storms..

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When it comes to monitoring weather and hurricane season, this is not the cruise industry’s first rodeo.

Photo by Shutterstock

As hurricanes Fiona and Ian devastated the Caribbean and Florida last month, heading as far up the eastern Atlantic coast as Newfoundland, Canada, and leaving a trail of destruction behind, cruise ships were left unscathed. How did they avoid calamity?

Today’s modern cruise ships are built to withstand storms, avoid them, and even outrun them. Cruise companies follow the weather very carefully, changing itineraries, canceling sailings, and working hard to keep passengers and crew out of harm’s way.

Millions of cruisers are in the Caribbean on dozens of ships during the hurricane season, which roughly runs from the start of June until the end of November. In addition to the Caribbean, storms can impact the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada and along the Mexican Riviera on cruises out of California that sail to such ports as Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

The largest storms tend to hit the eastern Caribbean in August through October and the western Caribbean from September through November. These late summer and fall periods are also when you are likely to find some of the best cruise deals of the year.

For those temped by the savings, it’s worth noting that most cruises are not physically impacted by hurricanes. But if you book a cruise that takes place during hurricane season, be prepared for possible last-minute itinerary changes and cancellations should there be storms. If you have your heart set on your cruise visiting a particular island, you may be better off avoiding hurricane season sailings—no matter how good the deals are.

How cruise ships monitor for hurricanes and severe weather

Major cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean , Celebrity Cruises , Carnival Cruise Line , and Princess Cruises , continuously monitor weather patterns around the world.

The captain and officers on each ship have access to weather maps and satellite images and storm models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). And they get updates from teams on the ground monitoring storms.

Royal Caribbean Group , which includes Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and luxury line Silversea , hired its own meteorologist, James Van Fleet , in 2017; during hurricane season, he is based in Miami in a storm monitoring center with a 25-foot wall of weather screens. The rest of the year he trains cruise ship crew on how to deal with weather conditions.

He provides public reports on forecasts and conditions on his Instagram account . It’s fascinating reading for weather enthusiasts and includes very practical information for those who have a cruise coming up.

Carnival similarly monitors weather conditions from its fleet operations center, which opened in 2018 at the company’s Miami headquarters and runs 24/7. The center keeps in touch with ship captains as weather systems develop.

Thankfully, when storms and hurricanes do develop, cruise lines often have time to plan. Most storms appear on weather radars 7 to 10 days before they hit. And when it comes to cruise ships and storms, cruise lines leave nothing to chance.

How cruise lines handle rerouting ships during a hurricane

Hurricanes may cause ships to miss ports as they seek calmer seas, and in some cases, itineraries are changed more drastically. You may find your eastern Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten is changed to a western Caribbean cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, or the opposite.

Hurricanes can have an impact on a wide range of itineraries across numerous destinations. During Hurricane Fiona in September, for instance, some ships were rerouted away from Puerto Rico, others away from Bermuda, and still others away from Canada.

Passengers on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Getaway out of New York thought they were heading to Bermuda, but ended up instead visiting Newport, Rhode Island; Portland, Maine; and St. John in New Brunswick, Canada, due to Hurricane Fiona.

That ship was hardly alone. Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian resulted in hundreds of itinerary changes, and some cancellations as well.

Leading up to Hurricane Ian, the Florida ports of Key West, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Port Canaveral were shut down, leaving some ships at sea.

Passengers on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship Disney Wish had their four-night sailing out of Port Canaveral extended by a day when the ship could not return to port and instead found calmer seas to hang out in. A video was posted on Twitter of passengers cheering when they learned they would have more time on the ship. Passengers on the next sailing weren’t as lucky. Their cruise was canceled due to the late arrival of the incoming sailing.

Staying at sea is often a safer bet for ships during a hurricane, as they are not in danger of hitting any structures or rocks as they might be in port.

How rough do cruise ship sailings get during hurricanes?

While your ship can avoid the brunt of a storm, you shouldn’t assume you won’t feel some rocking and rolling. If you are cruising in hurricane season, it’s best to be prepared with a seasickness remedy .

You’ll know rough seas are expected not only based on the captain’s daily briefings but also by actions by the crew—such as dampening tablecloths so that dishes don’t fall off. If the ship’s pools and water park close, time to take some seasickness medication if you’re prone.

Should you set sail during a hurricane?

Whether or not to sail on a cruise during hurricane season is a very personal decision. But note that having your cruise impacted by a hurricane is rare, even at the height of the season. You may actually find little to no impact on your cruise vacation.

Whatever you decide, you are certainly not going to find yourself sailing right into a major storm, so deciding whether to cruise or not is a matter of comfort and convenience—not safety. At worst, you may experience some rough seas. And you should be prepared to be flexible in terms of any possible itinerary changes.

It’s a good idea to purchase travel insurance that covers trip disruption for weather-related changes, so that you are covered for any flight changes or hotel stays should your cruise be changed or delayed.

If ports are missed, the cruise line may compensate passengers with onboard spending credit to use for drinks and Wi-Fi and other purchases, but that’s totally at its discretion. If the cruise is canceled due to a hurricane you can expect a full refund, and some lines will also provide a discount on a future sailing in addition to the refund, the cruise line’s effort to sweeten the pot so you will rebook.

If you are cruising in hurricane season, it makes sense to keep track of the weather prior to your cruise so you aren’t blindsided should changes occur. Check with your cruise line if you have concerns and to stay up to date on any announcements made by the company.

Bonus vacation or choppy nightmare? Here's what it's like on a cruise ship stuck at sea during a hurricane

There's always a possibility of bad weather and rough seas when you go on a cruise, but cruise lines are well prepared to change course if an approaching storm could be too dangerous to navigate. There are also contingencies if they are unable to return to port as scheduled. Right now, all those playbooks have been dusted off and are in use.

On Monday, Sept. 26, as Hurricane Ian was closing in on Florida, Disney Wish left Port Canaveral for a four-night Bahamas cruise with planned stops at Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private island, before a planned return to Port Canaveral on Friday, Sept. 30.

But with Hurricane Ian a dangerous Category 4 storm making landfall in Central Florida, Port Canaveral closed and has ceased all operations until further notice.

Without the option to return to Florida as originally scheduled, Disney Wish — along with other cruise ships — is (temporarily) "stuck" at sea.

While staying at sea and away from the storm is the safest decision, travelers still have a lot of questions, concerns and general curiosity about the change of course. The Points Guy spoke with passengers currently on board Disney Wish to learn what it's like being out at sea for a few extra days during a hurricane.

You'll get frequent updates from the captain

When Disney Wish set sail on Sept. 26, the captain made an announcement that the ship might return to Port Canaveral later in the day than originally planned based on the projected forecast at that time. Matt Roseboom, editor and publisher at Attractions Magazine , is on board the sailing and captured video footage of the initial announcement.

The captain notified guests with flights leaving before 3 p.m. on Sept. 30 to contact their airline to depart later in the day, if possible. He also advised that they were watching Hurricane Ian carefully and would continue to keep passengers updated on the weather throughout the voyage.

Lizzie Meeks, a Disney travel advisor in Nashville, is also on the sailing and explained to TPG that the captain told guests "the port authority will need to assess any damage before giving the ship the green light to move into port and the cruise terminal."

Your itinerary might be adjusted

A cruise ship's schedule of port visits and sea days can be adjusted midcruise for a number of reasons. The weather is certainly one of those reasons — even absent a full-fledged hurricane. But when a hurricane is churning, it is very possible that the ship's itinerary will change.

Related: When will cruise ports in Florida reopen?

For Disney Wish, a port change announcement came on the morning of Sept. 28 when the ship was scheduled to dock at Castaway Cay for the day. Rather than head toward Disney's private island, and toward the storm, the ship turned toward the eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean where seas would be calmer.

Meeks shared that the winds near Castaway Cay were too strong, with little hope for improvement, so the captain made the decision to sail away from the area.

A day at port became a day at sea, but Disney conjured a bit of its famous "Disney magic" and added more activities throughout the day, according to Roseboom. "They made an announcement and told us to close out of the Disney Cruise app and reopen it to see the new schedule of activities," he said. Mickey and his friends still wore their island outfits to greet guests, even if everyone had to stay on board.

"They've really made an effort to make it a special day," Meeks said. "There have been a ton of new character meet and greets throughout the day, including Marvel, 'Star Wars' and Halloween characters that are typically reserved for special event cruises. New group games and trivia themes have been added, as well as additional times for drink tastings like Champagne, bourbon, gin and more," she added.

Related: What happens when a hurricane hits Disney World

Your cruise might be extended

If a hurricane strikes while you are at sea, it's also possible that you may end up with an extended sailing and extra days on the ship.

That's currently the situation for Carnival Paradise, Carnival Elation, Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Getaway, MSC Cruise's MSC Divina and Disney Wish. With several Florida ports closed due to the storm, the ships cannot return to disembark passengers on schedule.

In such cases, cruise lines have two options: head to a different port up or down the coast to disembark passengers or remain at sea until the ship's home port reopens. Docking at a different port creates a whole new set of issues for passengers who need to return to cars, homes or airports near the originally scheduled port — so that option is rarely used.

Related: At least 5 cruise ships stuck at sea as Hurricane Ian closes Florida ports

In the case of Disney Wish, the first announcement came on the evening of Sept. 27 as the storm moved closer to shore. Based on updated forecasts, the captain announced the ship would not return to port until Saturday or Sunday, after the storm had passed and they could better assess the situation at Port Canaveral. That meant passengers would remain on board one or two days longer than expected.

Before he could even complete the announcement, cheers erupted through the ship, as seen in the below video.

In a subsequent announcement on the afternoon of Sept. 28, the captain updated guests that Disney Wish would return to Port Canaveral on Sunday instead of Friday and that the ship should be able to dock at Castaway Cay on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Even before the extension of this sailing was formally announced, Disney Cruise Line canceled the upcoming Disney Wish sailing that was set to depart Port Canaveral on Friday, Sept. 30, as a safety precaution.

Extra days are generally a good thing

As that announcement was made, audible cheers confirmed that most guests were thrilled that their vacation was just extended indefinitely. "The general sentiment is that people are content and happy about the extra day(s)," Roseboom said.

Cruise ships can easily avoid storms by sailing away from them and chasing better weather. For Disney Wish, at least, the weather has been fairly calm. "The current weather is sunshine with some humidity. We had choppier waves this morning [when the ship was closer to the storm], but from where we are now, you wouldn't even know there was a hurricane in the distance," Meeks said.

Plus, the crew is prepared to innovate to accommodate the extra days. The entertainment staff will schedule more sea-day activities, just as they did when Castaway Cay got canceled.

Guests don't need to worry about running out of food, as cruise ships carry more than just one sailing's worth of food on board. In a pinch, the cruise ship can find a way of picking up provisions in the islands. With two extra days at sea, the ship might run out of specific perishables, like berries, but passengers will still have plenty of choices at every meal.

Because Disney Wish employs a rotational dining schedule, in which passengers are assigned nights at each of the ship's main restaurants, guests must now wait to be told which restaurants they should dine in on the additional nights of the sailing. "Since Disney Cruise Line uses rotational dining, they simply assigned us two more nights of a restaurant. It's really operating like normal in many ways," Meeks said.

You'll have to rearrange travel plans

Roseboom, who resides in Central Florida, is enjoying the extra day or two of vacation, but is equally worried about his house and friends and family back home in the wake of Hurricane Ian. "For cruisers who live outside of Florida, they seem to be mostly happy, but they do have to figure out how to change their flights," he shared.

For Meeks, reality set in as the cheers subsided.

"Some people, including myself, found the news concerning because of travel logistics — changing transfers and flights, booking a hotel room just in case our flights are canceled and communicating with family back home are all stressful and you could feel the tension late last night," she said.

Not only is Port Canaveral closed until Hurricane Ian passes and the wind calms, but Orlando International Airport (MCO) has also shuttered during the storm .

Even once the airport reopens after the storm has passed, it will take some time for planes and crews to get back into position, and longer still to accommodate all of the passengers who have been temporarily stranded in the Central Florida area.

This is one of the reasons why when cruising during hurricane season, it's very important to seriously consider travel insurance, or at least book your trip using a credit card that conveys some built-in trip protections to help minimize the financial impact.

Bottom line

"There are certainly worse places to be 'stuck,'" Meeks told us. "A lot of people have the perspective that we are safe and have much to be thankful for," she added. Crew and passenger safety is the reason cruise lines make the decision to stay at sea past the end of their scheduled itinerary. Yes, it can be inconvenient, but cruise lines do go out of their way to make the most of the experience for their guests, and safety is always the top priority.

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It's Hurricane Season, How to Keep Bad Weather From Ruining Your Cruise Vacation

A re you planning to go on a cruise now? Since it’s hurricane season, there’s a high chance of bad weather. Instead of enjoying a sunny Caribbean cruise, you might end up experiencing cold and rainy weather, which isn’t ideal for pool and beach activities. But does this mean your cruise is ruined? Absolutely not! There are plenty of things to do on a cruise, even when the weather isn’t great. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your cruise vacation despite the bad weather.

1. Lower Your Expectations

The first thing you need to do when cruising during hurricane season is to manage your expectations. Given the likelihood of rainy and inclement weather, don’t expect sunny beach days and leisurely poolside lounging. 

Be ready for a cruise that might be impacted by rainy weather. Instead of spending your sea days hanging out by the pool, you might end up being stuck indoors. 

If you adjust your expectations, you won’t be as let down if it happens. Who knows, you might get lucky, and the weather turns out to be perfect. At least by managing your expectations, you won’t be disappointed if the weather is really bad.

2. You Might Skip a Port

When cruising in bad weather, it’s important to be prepared for the possibility of missing a port. This is especially common during hurricane season, when cruise ships often have to change their routes and skip ports if it’s not safe to dock. 

If you have your heart set on visiting a particular cruise port but are sailing during hurricane season, it’s best to manage your expectations and understand that there’s a chance that the port may be skipped.

3. Shore Excursions Canceled

Besides the possibility of ports being skipped, there is also a chance that your shore excursions will be canceled due to weather. If there is bad weather, especially for water-based activities like kayaking or catamaran rides, there’s a chance your tour might get called off. 

It’s important to be prepared for this. Make sure to check if your shore excursion is still on. 

To avoid disappointment, it’s best not to book shore excursions from external tour operators that don’t allow cancellations. Imagine paying for a tour that you can’t cancel if your cruise skips the port! 

When it comes to shore excursions during hurricane season, I suggest you don’t plan too far in advance. I always book last-minute shore excursions or only book cancellable ones. 

4. Stay onboard the Cruise Ship

If the weather is bad outside, instead of braving the rain at the cruise port, why not stay on board the ship? It’s better than being outside in miserable weather. There are still plenty of activities to enjoy on the cruise ship, even if the weather is bad. 

You can catch a movie at the theater, attend an art auction, go to the afternoon tea, take advantage of spa discounts on port days, join a dance class, or participate in afternoon trivia. Even during port days, a quick check of your cruise planner will reveal numerous onboard activities to keep you entertained. The best part is the cruise ship will not be as crowded since many passengers are at the port.

5. Pack for Bad Weather

If you know you’re going on a cruise when the weather is expected to be bad, make sure you’re prepared. Bring an umbrella and ponchos, and pack extra sweatshirts in case it’s not as warm as you’d like. Make sure your shoes are suitable for rainy weather. Being prepared will save you from scrambling to buy things at the cruise gift shop and paying high prices.

6. Be Prepared for Seasickness

Whenever I’m cruising during hurricane season, I always make sure to be prepared for choppy waters on a cruise, especially since I’m prone to seasickness. 

To prevent seasickness from being triggered, I take anti-seasickness medication before I even start feeling sick, as it usually takes about an hour to kick in. Also, I always book a cabin in mid-ship, the most stable area on a cruise ship. If you’re interested, you can check out my article on how I manage seasickness on a cruise: Cruise without Seasickness: Genius Tricks You Need to Know

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The post It’s Hurricane Season, How to Keep Bad Weather From Ruining Your Cruise Vacation appeared first on Suburbs 101 .

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What Happens if There Is a Hurricane During My Cruise Dates?

Hurricane season is officially from June 1 through November 30 each year. During those times, hurricanes and tropical storms will sometimes change the itineraries for cruise ships in the Caribbean and the Bahamas.  

The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has predicted an above normal hurricane season for 2024. They are predicting an 85% chance of an above normal season, 10% chance of a normal season, and 5% chance of a below normal hurricane season.

They are forecasting between 17 to 25 named storms with eight through 13 of them becoming hurricanes. Of these eight to 13 hurricanes, they predict four to seven will develop into major hurricanes.

So what happens if there is a hurricane or tropical storm during the same dates as your cruise?

First you need to know that cruise lines do everything in their power to make sure the “cruise goes on” .   Only in rare cases will the cruise actually be cancelled by the cruise line.  These ships can travel at speeds over 21 knots so they can usually outrun any hurricanes or tropical depressions and just go around any inclement weather.

You may face some choppy seas

The seas can be rough for anyone who gets sea sick easily , so make sure you carry some Dramamine with you.  The bigger ships will not rock as much, but when you are really close to a big storm you will feel movement.  This should not last long though, as the captain will try to get as far away from the storm as quickly as possible.

The seas will not always be rough when you are sailing around a hurricane, however, and it’s definitely not as bad as maybe you have seen in the movies.

If the weather gets too rough the shows will be cancelled, though, and the pools will be emptied.  It’s definitely an adventure cruising in choppy seas, but if you can just hold on you might even get an extra couple days out of your trip.

Your itinerary could change

If the hurricane is going to hit one of the ports you were going to be visiting, there may be a change in plans.  It is best just to have a good attitude about the situation since you really can’t do anything about it anyway.  You might visit a different port or even stay at a port for an extra day while the weather clears.

Do I get a refund?

With most cruise lines, you will likely only get a full refund if the entire cruise is cancelled.  This is a very rare thing because cruise lines do everything they can to keep out of harm’s way and sail around storms.

However, if you booked a 7 day cruise and there is a hurricane coming in during that same time you might get your trip shortened by a couple days (cruise lines will usually refund the amount of days that were canceled). 

At the same time, the people that are on the ship when a storm is coming in might get an extra 2 days on the ship (and they usually only have to pay for 2 days worth of tips).

Be prepared with travel insurance

A hurricane might not affect your trip at all or it might make your cruise miserable.  If you do lose a couple days of your vacation or have your flight cancelled because of the weather and therefore can’t make your cruise you will want to have travel insurance to be compensated.

With cruise travel insurance you can be reimbursed in case the weather or any other unforeseen event messes up your high seas getaway.  You can check out Travel Guard to see everything that is covered with your cruise.

Note: This article was updated on June 1, 2024.

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Hurricane during the cruise? Here’s what happens and if you can get a refund

June 12, 2024

Hurricanes can be scary and can be even more frightening when you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean .

However, most of the time the only things that happen are inconveniences due to route changes , and there are no real risks for passengers.

In this article, we are going to look in detail at what the 2024 hurricane season in the Atlantic will look like and how these phenomena affect cruise travel .

Table of Contents

2024 Hurricane season for cruises

For cruises in the Caribbean , the hurricane season runs roughly from early June to late November .

There is also a small difference based on the area, historically the eastern Caribbean is most affected during the early part of the season , while in the west there can be major hurricanes e ven toward the end of the season .

The frequency and intensity of these phenomena also change from year to year .

Unfortunately, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , in 2024 there will be an 85 percent chance that the Atlantic hurricane season will be above normal . This means that we should expect more and probably stronger hurricanes .

According to forecasts, there will be 8 to 13 hurricanes this year , of which 4 to 7 could become major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher.

Below here, you can see the outlook for the Atlantic hurricane season of this year.

Now let’s look at what to do in case of a hurricane during your cruise and what the policies of the cruise lines are.

Is it dangerous to cruise during hurricane season?

It was dangerous a few decades ago , but the risk has been greatly reduced nowadays .

Generally speaking, hurricanes are seen as phenomena to watch out for, but they are not directly dangerous to passengers .

This change is mainly due to the improvement of the detection and analysis systems that can more easily predict where hurricanes will occur and what their trajectory will be .

This allows the captain to make adjustments to the route , change the itinerary and ports of call, or (in severe cases) cancel the cruise as a preventive measure .

What should I do in this situation?

Passengers should do nothing but follow the directions given to them by the cruise lines .

In some cases, the crew may ask you to avoid some outside decks because of strong winds and bad weather conditions , or they may inform you that the sea will be rougher than usual.

Obviously, for your own safety abide by the rules as much as possible , and if they tell you not to do something don’t do it, and don’t risk it!

Additionally, remember to bring something for seasickness ; it’s always on my list of cruise essentials .

The refund policy

A while ago, someone emailed me asking if it is possible to receive a refund if there’s a hurricane during the cruise .

Unfortunately, the answer is no in most cases .

According to the terms and conditions of the largest cruise lines, you cannot request a refund if your cruise changes itinerary or if it misses a port of call .

The only case in which you can receive a refund is for a totally canceled cruise , but as I mentioned before these are very rare cases.

I know that some travel insurance pay even in the case of a port cancellation, but this depends on the type of insurance and the conditions you have chosen.

If it’s cruise-specific insurance , check your contract, as it should mention this eventuality.

I remember a few years ago I had travel insurance (unfortunately I can’t remember the name) and the port of Santorini in Greece was canceled. No surprise since it’s usually a very windy tender port .

The insurance reimbursement was $100 per person , not much, but still enough to have fun on the ship during that day.

To conclude

As we have seen, there is not much to worry about , even if you take a cruise during hurricane season.

The only thing that can happen is that you may have to revise your plans .

If you are afraid, want clarification, or want to know specifically how the situation is handled by the ship you have booked, you can contact the cruise line’s customer service directly .

They are usually very willing to provide this kind of explanation, especially to first-time cruise passengers .

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Cruising During Hurricane Season: What You Need To Know

Cruising during hurricane season can be risky but also cheaper and less crowded. It’s important to take precautions for a safe and enjoyable trip.

Cruising during hurricane season requires careful consideration of geographical factors. Since areas like the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico are more prone to hurricanes, it’s important to research your destination and choose a flexible cruise line for unexpected weather events.

What is Hurricane Season?

Hurricane season is the time of the year when tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to occur because of mild weather.

In the Atlantic, hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with the season’s peak occurring in August and September. During this period, the Atlantic Ocean is warm enough to fuel the formation of tropical storms and hurricanes. In the peak of hurricane season, the water in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico can be as warm as 90 degrees.

The Atlantic hurricane season typically produces 12 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes and three becoming major hurricanes. However, the number of storms and their intensity can vary yearly, depending on factors like ocean temperatures, wind patterns, and atmospheric conditions.

During the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season, 16 tropical cyclones formed, Out of those, 14 intensified and were given names.

When planning a cruise during hurricane season, it is essential to keep an eye on the weather and to be prepared for the possibility of itinerary changes or cancellations. Cruise lines have contingency plans for dealing with storms, but it is always a good idea to have travel insurance and be flexible with your plans.

Understanding hurricane season and the risks associated with cruising during this time can help you make informed decisions and stay safe while enjoying your vacation.

Cruising During Hurricane Season

If you plan to cruise during hurricane season, keeping an eye on the weather forecasts before and during your trip is essential. Cruise lines have established procedures to deal with adverse weather conditions, and they will typically monitor the weather closely to ensure the safety of their passengers and crew.

When booking a cruise during hurricane season, purchasing travel insurance that covers trip cancellations and interruptions due to weather-related issues is also a good idea. Some cruise lines may also offer their own insurance policies that provide additional coverage.

If a hurricane is forecasted to affect your itinerary, the cruise line will typically make necessary changes to the route to avoid the storm. This may include changing ports of call, altering the duration of the trip, or canceling the cruise altogether.

Suppose a hurricane is expected to impact your vacation directly. In that case, the cruise line directly will likely email you before embarkation day with details about the trip or ports of call changes.

Cruising during hurricane season can be an exciting adventure, but being well-prepared and aware of the risks is essential. By keeping an eye on the weather forecasts, purchasing travel insurance, and understanding the procedures of the cruise line, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable cruise vacation.

Geographical Considerations

The Caribbean is a popular destination for cruises, but it is also one of the areas most impacted by hurricanes. The hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from June to November, with the peak season being from August to October.

When planning a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season, choose your itinerary carefully. Some areas of the Caribbean are more prone to hurricanes than others, and it is important to avoid these areas during hurricane season.

Western Caribbean cruises, which typically include destinations such as Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, are more likely to be affected by hurricanes than Eastern Caribbean cruises, which usually include destinations such as St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Puerto Rico.

It is also important to note that storms can affect other areas of the Caribbean, such as the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao), the Bahamas, and Bermuda.

Safety Measures and Precautions

When cruising during hurricane season, safety is always the top priority. Fortunately, cruise ships are equipped with advanced technology and highly trained crews to ensure the safety of all onboard. 

One of the most critical safety measures is the captain’s decision-making process. Captains are trained to monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions about the ship’s route and itinerary. If a hurricane is predicted to be in the ship’s path, the captain may alter the course or cancel the trip.

Cruise ships also have advanced safety technology, including radar, sonar, and satellite communication systems. These tools enable the crew to monitor weather conditions and communicate with other ships and emergency services if necessary.

RELATED: Are Cruise Ships Safe?

Cruise ships have extensive emergency procedures in place in the event of an emergency. All passengers must participate in a safety drill at the beginning of the trip, which includes instructions on evacuating the ship in an emergency. Crew members are also trained to handle various emergencies, from medical emergencies to fires and floods.

Passengers can take additional precautions to ensure their safety during hurricane season. It is recommended that they pack a basic emergency kit, including a flashlight, batteries, and a first aid kit. They should also stay informed about weather conditions and follow the captain’s instructions.

The Benefits of Cruising During Hurricane Season

Before we go one step further, it’s important to note that planning a cruise during hurricane season can be a gamble. It also comes with several risks, which we’ll discuss in the next section. But definite pluses make this a time of year worth considering.

For one thing, the latter part of the hurricane season falls when most kids are back in school. You still have the tail-end of summer, meaning cruising out of ports like New York City in still-gorgeous weather but with fewer families. Given that many clans try to fit four or five people into a stateroom, the fewer families on any sailing, the lower the overall number of people aboard. And that means more room for you.

Impact on Itineraries

Cruising during hurricane season can significantly impact itineraries, causing port stops, missed ports, and ship rerouting changes. It is essential for passengers to understand the potential itinerary changes that may occur due to hurricanes and to be prepared for such changes.

Possible Itinerary Changes

Cruise lines have established procedures to monitor weather conditions and make necessary itinerary changes to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. If a hurricane is forecasted to impact a port of call, the cruise line may cancel the port stop and replace it with an alternative port.

In some cases, the ship may need to reroute to avoid the hurricane entirely, resulting in a change of itinerary. These changes may occur before embarkation day or while you’re sailing on your cruise.

Missed Ports and Rerouting

Cruise lines typically offer compensation in the form of onboard credit or a refund of the port fees in case of a missed port. Passengers may also participate in an alternative activity onboard the ship. If the ship needs to reroute, the cruise line will typically provide updates and keep passengers informed of any changes to the itinerary.

Passengers must understand that itinerary changes can occur anytime during the cruise, even after the ship departs from its home port. Passengers should remain flexible and be prepared for potential changes to their itinerary due to hurricanes.

How to Deal with Delays and Cancellations

When cruising during hurricane season, it’s essential to know that delays and cancellations are possible. The safety of passengers and crew is the top priority, and cruise lines will take necessary precautions to avoid any potential danger.

If a storm or hurricane is approaching, the cruise line may alter the itinerary or even cancel the cruise altogether. In this case, passengers will typically be notified as soon as possible and given the option to reschedule or receive a refund.

It’s important to note that cruise lines are not responsible for any additional costs incurred due to delayed or canceled cruises, such as flights or hotels. Passengers should always purchase travel insurance to cover any unexpected expenses.

In the event of a missed port due to weather conditions, the cruise line will typically offer compensation. This may include a refund of port fees or a credit towards a future cruise.

It’s important to review the cruise contract and reservation details carefully to understand the policies and procedures in case of delays or cancellations. By being prepared and informed, passengers can confidently navigate any unexpected situations.

It’s a good idea to print out the Ticket Contract before you accept the terms and conditions for your cruise.

Travel Insurance and Compensation

Cruising during hurricane season can be risky, and travelers are often concerned about what will happen if their cruise is cancelled or delayed due to weather conditions. Fortunately, many cruise lines offer insurance and compensation options to protect travelers from unexpected events.

Travel insurance is one of the most important things to consider when booking a cruise during hurricane season. 

RELATED: What You Need to Know About Travel Insurance

Travel insurance can cover various issues, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and lost or stolen luggage. In case of a cruise cancellation due to weather or other reasons, most cruise lines offer a full refund or rescheduling option.

However, outside costs of the cruise, such as non-refundable hotel rooms or airfare with hefty change fees and booked tours or shore excursions outside of the cruise line, are not covered.

It is important to buy insurance during hurricane season, and it should be done promptly. 

Why? Two reasons. 

First, if you want a policy with a Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) clause (which we highly recommend), it usually needs to be purchased within two weeks of the initial deposit. 

Secondly, to make any hurricane-related claim, the policy has to have been purchased before the storm is named. 

In other words, you cannot wait until the last minute to learn about the hurricane, buy an insurance policy, and attempt to file a claim.

It’s essential to carefully read the cruise line’s ticket contract and the travel insurance policy’s explanation of benefits before agreeing to the terms and conditions.

Some cruise lines may also offer compensation for inconveniences caused by weather-related delays or cancellations, such as additional hotel stays or transportation costs. It’s important to check with the cruise line to see what compensation options are available.

Port taxes and fees are another consideration when booking a cruise during hurricane season. If a port is closed due to weather conditions, cruise lines may be required to refund these fees to travelers.

Travelers should also watch for special offers and lower prices for cruising during hurricane season. While booking a cruise at a lower price may be tempting, it’s important to consider the potential risks and understand the cruise line’s cancellation policy.

Tips for Cruising During Hurricane Season

Cruising during hurricane season can be daunting, but it can still be a great vacation with the proper preparation and attitude.

Here are some tips to help you navigate the potential challenges of cruising during hurricane season:

1. Choose Your Destination Wisely

When planning a cruise during hurricane season, choosing your destination wisely is important. Some areas are more prone to hurricanes than others, so do your research and select a destination that is less likely to be affected.

For example, cruises to Alaska or Europe are less likely to be impacted by hurricanes than cruises to the Caribbean or the Gulf of Mexico.

2. Be Prepared for Seasickness

The seas can be rough during hurricane season, so preparing for seasickness on a cruise is important. Bring any necessary medication or remedies, such as ginger or motion sickness bands, and consider booking a cabin in the middle of the ship, where the motion is less noticeable.

3. Have the Right Attitude

When cruising during hurricane season, having the right attitude is essential. Understand that the weather is out of your control and that the ship’s crew is doing everything possible to keep you safe. Stay positive and enjoy the other aspects of your cruise, such as the onboard activities and entertainment.

4. Have a Backup Plan for Travel

Be flexible. If a hurricane does impact your cruise, it’s essential to have a backup plan for travel.

Purchase travel insurance covering weather-related cancellations and delays, and have a plan for alternate travel arrangements, such as flights or hotels.

Following these tips and being prepared, you can still enjoy a fantastic cruise during hurricane season.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the atlantic hurricane season for cruises.

Hurricane season for cruises typically runs from June 1 to November 30. During this time, tropical storms and hurricanes are more likely to occur in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean.

Can cruise ships go around hurricanes?

Cruise ships can change their itinerary and route to avoid hurricanes. They can also speed up or slow down to stay ahead of or behind a storm. However, it’s important to note that rerouting a ship can cause changes in the ports of call and itinerary.

What happens on a cruise if a hurricane is coming?

If a hurricane is approaching, the captain and crew will closely monitor the storm’s path and adjust the ship’s route as necessary. Passengers may experience changes in the itinerary, such as skipping ports of call or spending more time at sea. The ship may also encounter rough seas and high winds, causing some discomfort for passengers.

Is it safe to cruise during hurricane season?

Cruising during hurricane season can be safe, but knowing the risks and potential changes to the itinerary is important. Cruise lines have extensive safety protocols in place to ensure the safety of passengers and crew during storms.

How often do cruise ships get caught in storms?

While cruise ships do their best to avoid storms, they can get caught in bad weather. However, this is relatively rare; cruise lines have protocols to keep passengers safe during these situations.

This article was original published in 2019 and updated in 2023.

The post Cruising During Hurricane Season: What You Need To Know appeared first on Cruise Radio - Daily Updates On The Cruise Industry.

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By: Richard Simms Title: Cruising During Hurricane Season: What You Need To Know Sourced From: cruiseradio.net/everything-you-need-to-know-about-hurricane-season-cruises/ Published Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2023 01:42:38 +0000

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How Hurricanes Idalia and Franklin Are Impacting Cruise Schedules

Update (Wednesday, August 30 @ 10:15 A.M. Central): 

After rapidly strengthening, Hurricane Idalia made landfall on the gulf coast of Florida this morning. However the impact on the state — and cruises — is far from over. As of now, several ports are closed as they wait for the storm to pass.

Below, we have a number of updates on trips impacted by the weather.

Carnival Sunshine: Carnival says the current sailing from Charleston is sailing its scheduled route. With the port currently closed, the cruise line still hopes to sail the upcoming September 2 cruise as planned.

Carnival Elation: Sailing from Jacksonville, the ship is “currently at sea, a safe distance from the storm.” Carnival says it will return once an assessment is completed. For passengers on the August 31 sailing, they are asked not to go to the cruise terminal until told to do so. Passengers can sign up for text alerts by texting CCL1 to 278473.

Carnival Liberty: Port Canaveral is currently closed, and Carnival Liberty is at sea, away from the storm. It is hoped that the September 1 cruise can sail as planned.

Carnival Paradise: This ship sails from Tampa, where the port is closed at this time. The ship will return once the storm passes and it is cleared to enter. Guests on the August 31 sailing are asked not to go to the port until confirmed by Carnival. Passengers can sign up for text alerts by texting CCL2 to 278473.

Royal Caribbean: The cruise line posted the following message to its guests as of last night:

“Along with our Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer, we’re currently watching the development of multiple weather systems. There are no changes as of now, but we are committed to keeping you informed as the situation evolves. As always, please know that the safety and comfort of our guests are always our highest priority. Please check back for any potential changes.”

Update (Monday, August 28 @ 5:30 P.M. Central): 

Tropical Storm Idalia is now near hurricane strength with sustained winds of 70 miles per hour. The storm is expected to pick up speed as it moves north and continue strengthening. Now it is predicted to become a major hurricane before making landfall in Florida.

Carnival has adjusted the schedule of two ships more in response.

Carnival Conquest , which departed today for a four-day cruise, will now visit Bimini on Tuesday, have a day at sea on Wednesday and visit Nassau on Thursday. Originally the ship was slated to visit Key West and Cozumel.

Carnival Valor cancelled a stop in Costa Maya today, but will visit Cozumel tomorrow.

We will continue to watch for more updates.

Original Article:

As the tropics heat up following what’s been a record-hot summer for much of North America, the impact on cruises ramps up as well.

Last week, Hurricane Hilary led to impacts on the West Coast. Now, two storms look to impact cruises in the Caribbean and Atlantic .

Hurricane Franklin currently churns in the Atlantic, north of the Dominican Republic and east of The Bahamas. With maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour, Franklin is expected to strengthen, with many storm models pointing to a Category 3 storm with winds of 111-129 miles per hour.

The storm is currently moving northwest, but is expected to turn out toward sea, putting it dangerously close to Bermuda starting Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

Roughly 1,000 miles away between the tip of the Yucatan and Cuba, another storm is brewing.

Tropical Storm Idalia has just been upgraded from a tropical depression, now with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. From there, Idalia is forecasted to strengthen into a hurricane on Tuesday as it moves moves toward the gulf coast of Florida.

Both storms are in places where they can have an impact on cruise itineraries, and in some cases they already are. Your cruise line will be in touch with the latest updates , but here is what we know as of now.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival has told us they are monitoring both storms and have already made some adjustments to itineraries due to Hurricane Franklin.

Carnival Magic: Originally set to sail from Norfolk, VA to Bermuda on a six-day cruise, Carnival Magic will now instead sail to Half Moon Cay, Nassau and Freeport to steer clear of Hurricane Franklin.

Carnival Legend: Similar to Carnival Magic, Legend was slated to sail from Baltimore on a six-day cruise to Bermuda. Instead, it will now visit Nassau and Freeport.

A Carnival spokesperson also told us “The safety of our guests and crew is our priority, and we are continuing to monitor forecasts and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates to our guests as more information becomes available.”

Looking at current itineraries and schedules, we think possible impacted ships could include Carnival Vista and Carnival Glory, which are set to sail to the Yucatan near the projected path of Idalia.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean has multiple ships sailing toward the area of Tropical Storm Idalia, including Voyager of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas. 

As of now, however, there are no updates to the schedule announced by the cruise line. Itinerary updates can be found here .

Other Cruise Lines (Disney, Virgin, Norwegian)

There are a number of other lines that are either visiting ports that could be impacted by a storm, or the weather is between the ship and a scheduled port.

For instance, Norwegian Pearl’s itinerary calls for it to visit Bermuda, which will likely feel the effects of Hurricane Franklin. Scarlet Lady is scheduled to sail from Miami to Costa Maya, which would put in in the path of Idalia. Disney Fantasy is scheduled to visit Cozumel tomorrow morning according to CruiseMapper.com .

We’ve contacted Norwegian Cruise Line for details of any possible changes and have yet to hear back. Virgin Voyages and Disney Cruise Lines show no itinerary updates as of now. 

Again, your cruise line will be in touch if there are any schedule updates . We will continue to check periodically for any announced cruise schedule changes due to the weather.

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The Original Myrtle Beach Dolphin Cruise

• Myrtle Beach Dolphin Cruise with The Hurricane Fleet
• Trips Departing Daily
• 2 Hour Trip
• Upper Deck for up to 50 passengers
• Large AC cabin area
• Cooked to order Hamburgers & Cheeseburgers Available
• Beer, Wine, Soft Drinks and Snacks available onboard
• Scenic Cruise (Bring your camera )
• Family Friendly
• Bathroom Onboard
• Natural ist Led Narration During the Cruise
• Large Vessel for plenty of room to move and relax
• Vacation Highlight Since 1985
• Book Online – Go Today
• Sunset Trips Available
• $35 Adults / $26 Kids
• Free Shark tooth for everyone onboard!
• Call 843-249-3571 or Book Online

The Hurricane Fleet is the Original Myrtle Beach Dolphin Cruise company. We operate out of the closest port to the Atlantic Ocean, allowing for more time on the water….to search for Dolphins.

On days when the  shrimp boats are running, we are able to pull right up behind to watch the dolphins feeding off the scraps and the nets coming out of the ocean full of fun critters. When the shrimp boat is running, the crew will toss up a bag of goodies for you to see, learn about, and touch if you’d like.

Our base is a cozy, quaint fishing town offering some of the world’s best seafood and unique shops. Located about 10 minutes outside of North Myrtle Beach, at the closest port to the ocean, you’ll have more time on the ocean enjoying the beautiful views of the Myrtle Beach area coastline.

This Dolphin Cruise & Tour runs from multiple times a day and our Sunset Dolphin Cruise is very popular and often sells out. Book early. Whichever tour you take, you’ll have time to eat fresh, world class seafood right in the village before or after your trip. It’s a fantastic combo that families have been enjoying for years. Bring your camera , this is one tour that you’ll want to share.

IMAGINE THIS : Your dolphin tour begins with a nice cruise through the jettys and out into the ocean. As the Myrtle Beach coastline comes into view, our 90-foot tour boat cruises the coast in search of dolphins, giving you a full view of the coastline. This is an excellent way to see the area from a different perspective, while cruising along in a comfortable setting.

This Myrtle Beach dolphin cruise is a trip for the young, and old. Bring the whole family. Every kid on this trip will get a Free Shark Tooth to take home with them.

More information about our fishing charters and company can be found on our About Us page.

For more on dolphins in the wild, visit NOAA

Departs Daily from the Closest port to the ocean.

By far the best dolphin cruise we have been on! Great crew, very informative and amazing dolphin sightings, plus the captain got right behind the shrimp boat so we could watch them pull their nets and dump the shrimp. It was AMAZING!!

Great time here! Great staff, good value. Everything you need available. They have burgers, hot dogs, drinks, snacks, supplies Would definitely go with them again!

We took a trip with the Hurricane fleet crew, dolphin adventures. Fun ride, interesting facts, the dolphins were scarce on this day but, I would love to do it again.

We took the sunset cruise and it was awesome. Got to see a lot of dolphins and the sunset was beautiful. The captain and crew were very friendly and knowledgeable. There were 14 of us ranging from age 14 months to 64 years old and everyone enjoyed it. For the price it was well worth the trip. Highly recommend

We saw Dolphins!

We did the Dolphin tour. We saw several dolphins. It was well worth it to get out on the ocean. My daughter did get a little sea sick but got through it and obviously it was no fault of hurricane fleet just bring some dramamine along.

These guys were absolutely amazing! Just don’t bring bananas! Our family of seven took a dolphin cruise. Well worth the value, the crew on board was absolutely amazing! They showed the kids shark teeth shark jaws the captain got us right on dolphins. And just made it a very memorable experience. It gets windy on the water, bring a jacket, also be prepared for a fun ride! A special thanks to crew members, Callie and Colby, and a guy I never caught his name, but he had some slick sunglasses! Haha. Thank you! We took the 1:30p cruise.

One of the highlights of our beach trip. My 3 year old keeps talking about it. I was nervous about taking a toddler on a 2 hour trip with no guarantees but I booked the dolphin sunset cruise in the morning and we were on the water watching dolphins that evening. There’s something to do the whole trip. The ride out on the Intracoastal Waterway has scenery, seagulls that occasionally fly along with the boat, and the Captain has facts about what you’re passing. Once out on the ocean, the Captain had the boat next to a pod of dolphins within 10 minutes. Before leaving the dock he said he had to have the boat back at a certain time but then stayed out a few extra minutes because a separate pod of dolphins showed up right as we were about to head in. The ride back to the dock was relaxing. The weather had cooled off, the water was smooth, and you head down the waterway facing the setting sun. Perfect spot to grab a picture then sit back and take it in. Didn’t know what to expect so we packed some snacks in a small bag but they had a snack bar and on the way in one of the crew had something going on a grill. We’ll go back next year for sure and will recommend it to anyone in the area on vacation.

Great experience we went on the dolphin cruise and everyone had a good time.

Best dolphin cruise out there!

We had a great time! They were great with my kids and really made it enjoyable for all. My son kept calling him “my friend”.

Loved everything about the dolphin tour. Sadly we didn't see any dolphins, but the Capitan & crew were phenomenal. The boat ride was glorious! The scenery was beyond beautiful! Honestly, for the price, even without seeing any dolphins, I'd absolutely pay to do it again. Very much worth it!

Protect Your Trip »

The safest places to travel during hurricane season.

Some destinations pose less of a risk than others.

Travel During Hurricane Season

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Hurricanes can wreak havoc on countries in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as far as several miles inland. This includes destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and U.S.

Hurricane season occurs between June and November , which means that for about half of the year, you may have to worry about a hurricane interrupting your travels.

This doesn't mean you can't plan a tropical vacation or cruise during that time, though. Read on to discover where to safely travel during hurricane season.

Best islands to visit during hurricane season

In 2017, hurricanes Maria and Irma devastated Caribbean islands including Dominica, Puerto Rico and St. Martin. Yet other islands were untouched by the storms, namely those outside of the "hurricane belt." These include what's known as the ABC islands: Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. There are also other islands you can visit with some confidence during hurricane season. The following Caribbean destinations pose the least threat of a hurricane:

• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

Best places to cruise during hurricane season

It's not as crazy as you might think to book a cruise during hurricane season. In addition to cruises within the southern Caribbean (in the destinations noted above), you can avoid worrying about a hurricane by choosing one of the following cruise vacations:

• Alaska cruises
• Hawaii cruises
• Mediterranean cruises

What's more is many lines offer last-minute cruise deals or deep discounts to those who are willing to travel during this time. Bonus: If you don't have school-aged kids, fewer crowds make this an especially good time to travel.

Also consider that cruise ships have onboard weather tracking systems that help them avoid trouble. Experts at Cruise Critic say it's not uncommon for cruises to be shortened or extended during hurricane season so they can work around a storm. Your cruise line might switch your itinerary to include a stop at a different island in order to stay out of a storm's path (assuming there's space). Stopping at an unexpected destination such as Grand Turk instead of the Bahamas doesn't seem so bad.

Tips for travel during hurricane season

If you've got your eyes on an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean or an East Coast beach vacation and are worried how hurricane season will pan out, you can save yourself time and stress by planning ahead. Consider these tips when planning your vacation:

Purchase travel insurance

No matter where you decide to vacation during hurricane season, you should consider purchasing travel insurance . You may be given the option to purchase travel insurance when you book your trip, but you can also buy a separate policy through companies like Travelex and Nationwide .

In addition to travel insurance products that cover flight cancellations , lost luggage and illness, you can also buy cancel for any reason insurance (CFAR) that will do exactly what it says – let you cancel for any reason, including weather-related events like hurricanes (which aren't always covered by standard policies). CFAR policies will refund you for the cost of your prepaid airfare, hotels and more, but only if you buy them ahead of time.

If you have a credit card that offers travel insurance as a member perk, you might also rely on that coverage, provided you use your card to pay for the trip. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a free travel insurance benefit that will refund you up to $10,000 per trip for prepaid travel (think flights, hotels and tours) if severe weather ruins your plans. The card also provides protections for lost luggage, auto rental collision damage and more.

Consider destinations closer to home

Maybe you don't even want to deal with the potential for canceled or rescheduled flights. In that case, it might make sense to plan a weekend getaway or vacation in a destination you can reach by car.

Book a refundable hotel rate

To make this strategy work, you'll need to book a hotel fare you can cancel without any penalty. Since the National Hurricane Center knows when a hurricane is forming and, for the most part, can predict where it's heading, you can cancel your accommodations with even a few days' notice and just stay home.

You might also be interested in:

• Is a Travel Agent Worth It?
• The Best Travel Rewards Programs
• The Easiest Way to Renew Your Passport
• TSA PreCheck vs. Global Entry: Which One Is Right for You?

Tags: Travel , hurricanes , Travel Tips

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• # 4 Bora Bora

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Cruise ship worker arrested in Miami for allegedly possessing child porn

Authorities found multiple videos of suspected child sexual abuse material on the employee's cellphone during a routine cabin search., by lara priven • published june 17, 2024 • updated on june 17, 2024 at 3:48 pm.

A 35-year-old cruise ship employee was arrested in Miami on Sunday for allegedly possessing child pornography and videos depicting bestiality.

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Theme parks, disney world, subscriber only, disney world | 3 looks back at disney cruise line’s new lookout cay.

Some touches may not be immediately apparent to visitors. During an early preview of the space, Disney executives explained the back story and some of the symbolism of the elements.

Where’s the lighthouse?

Lighthouse is right there in the name, but the structure may standout in the daylight from a distance. It’s smaller than the stereotypical kind of rocky coastline lighthouse one might see up north in Maine or Canada.

It doesn’t need to be tall because generally the Bahamas are flat.

“It’s not exactly a historic lighthouse. It was constructed more in the modern era. But it is of some serious cultural significance to this area,” Bradley Watson, conservation program manager, said.

“This area has a lot of fringing reefs. … Those reefs kind of inhibit boat traffic,” he said. “Even now, it’s very difficult for you to get a boat to come into this shore because if you look out there, you see all those reef patterns. And so that lighthouse was a beacon to communicate with ships as they go by this area.”

Remember, Lookout Cay is a stretch of the island of Eleuthera; unlike Castaway Cay, which is a private experience for Disney passengers. There are full-time residents, businesses and schools on Eleuthera.

But DCL passengers can hike to the light station. It’s at the end of the resort’s nature trail and provides a fresh, natural view of the area.

What is Minnie wearing?

Disney reached out to Bahamian fashion designer Theodore Elyett to come up with appropriate looks for multiple characters seen on Lookout Cay. Elyett talked about the process and the finished product during a public session aboard the Disney Magic the day after the costumes debuted.

“When you think of anything Bahamian, it’s always bold print, pattern and texture, detail, volume, proportion. That is what Theodor Elyett has always spoke with,” he said.

Mickey and Minnie join in with Junkanoo performers in "Rush! A Junkanoo Celebration" at Disney Lookout Cay on Saturday, June 8, 2024, a colorful parade of dancing and Bahamian music that goes through Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney's newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy join in with Junkanoo performers in RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration at Disney Lookout Cay on Saturday, June 8, 2024, a colorful parade of dancing and Bahamian music that goes through Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney's newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Junkanoo performers at the Goombay Cultural Center during "Rush! A Junkanoo Celebration" at Disney Lookout Cay on Saturday, June 8, 2024. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

Junkanoo performers parade through Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point during RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The colorful parade features dancing and Bahamian music that goes through Disney's newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

A walkway leads out to the beach at Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, features pink sand beaches and crystal-clear water, with areas that cater to families and adult-exclusive areas. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, features pink sand beaches and clear turquoise water, with areas that cater to families and adult-exclusive areas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Guests at Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, enjoy the clear turquoise water on the island retreat on Saturday, June 8, 2024. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Rush Out, Gush Out Water Play, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, is a water play area for all ages featuring slides and various water features to cool off in while at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest exclusive destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

Rush Out, Gush Out Water Play, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, is a water play area for all ages featuring slides and various water features to cool off in while at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest exclusive destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Guests explore Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The island retreat, built to feature Bahamian culture into the design, has nature trails, a water play area and beaches for families and adults. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Watering Hole Bar, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, is one of four bars at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest exclusive destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Mickey and Minnie join in with Junkanoo performers in RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration at Disney Lookout Cay on Saturday, June 8, 2024, a colorful parade of dancing and Bahamian music that goes through Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Junkanoo performers at the Goombay Cultural Center during RUSH! A Junkanoo Celebration at Disney Lookout Cay on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The colorful parade features dancing and Bahamian music that goes through Disney's newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

The Nature Trail at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, takes guests to the easternmost end of Eleuthera, where the Lighthouse, that Disney's newest destination in the Bahamas, is named for. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

The Nature Trail at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, takes guests to Lighthouse on the easternmost end of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

True-True BBQ is one of the main dining areas at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, with Bahamian-inspired menu items such as Bahamian pigeon peas and rice and Bahamian-style lime-marinated grilled snapper. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

An open-air dining pavilion, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, outside of True-True BBQ, one of the main dining areas at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, offers a spot in the shade to have lunch while at Disney Cruise Line’s newest exclusive destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Cruise Line guests make their way from the Disney Wish to Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on Saturday, June 8, 2024, Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Cruise Line guests make their way from the Disney Wish to Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on Saturday, June 8, 2024, Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Family Beach Cabanas at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, offer private spaces that can be rented at Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Serenity Bay Cabanas, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, offer private spaces that can be reserved adjacent to the adult-exclusive beach at Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Cruise Line guests have their picture taken at the entrance of the main beach and visitor area of Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, on Saturday, June 8, 2024. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Fun in the Sun Beach Bash, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, features a chance for young guests to interact with Disney characters with activities like Goofy’s Good Day Limbo at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest exclusive destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Fun in the Sun Beach Bash, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, features a chance for young guests to interact with Disney characters with activities like Pluto’s Pineapple Ring Toss at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest exclusive destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

The Play-Play Pavilion at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest exclusive destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The pavilion is home to the Disney Fun in the Sun Beach Bash, featuring a chance for young guests to interact with Disney characters with activities and games. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Sebastian’s Cove, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, features a Little Mermaid-themed water play area at Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Cruise Line guests board a tram that will take them to the main beach and visitor area of Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, on Saturday, June 8, 2024.(Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

Disney T’ings, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, is the primary store where guests can get Disney island-inspired merchandise and souvenirs on Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Turbot Berth, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, is where Disney Cruise Line guests can check in for a charter boat reservation at the entrance of Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Guests at Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, snorkel to take a glimpse below the clear turquoise water at the island retreat on Saturday, June 8, 2024. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

A view of the bridge that leads to Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point from the Disney Wish, while docked at Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. (Rich Pope, Orlando Sentinel)

Disney Cruise Line’s newest destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, pictured on Saturday, June 8, 2024, features plenty of space for guests to spread out and enjoy a day at the island retreat. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

“I want you to know it’s a Theodore Elyett piece before you even have to be told that it’s that. And so when you look at the beautiful designer collection that I created for our VIPs, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, I want you to see the beauty of the Bahamas and I wanted to take our cultural expression which is junkanoo in and make it digestible for guests from around the world to enjoy,” Elyett said.

Some of the costumes have rays of sunshine around the neck and hemlines. There are pineapples, a nod to a Eleutheran product, and pop-art conch shells on Mickey’s board shorts. (He also wears big straw sandals.) At one point, Minnie was going to have a pineapple as a headress, but that was altered as the emphasis was more on fashionwear than costumes.

“We just decided to go with a green and yellow bow, which lays flat as a turban,” said Elyett, who is also a full-time TV news broadcaster in the Bahamas.

First look: Disney Cruise Line’s new port is big on Bahamas

They also pulled back on the number of bows for Minnie seen in his early sketches, but she does have a number of her trademark polka dots, but they’re fashioned from raffia.

“It was a way to connect the Disney character that we all know and love with the Bahamian culture and this design,” Elyett said. A handful of the characters have matching plush figures available for purchase through the cruise line.

Daisy sports a big wide-brimmed hat.

“She is the fashion girl. She is the it girl, and I really wanted to bump up her look to be the typical Bahamian woman,” Elyett said. “If you venture out into the community and you’re going into a special event, if a Bahamian woman shows up, she’s coming dressed just like this – over the top for no reason but looking fabulous.”

“A lot of my friends, when I started posting these images on social media, they said she looks like she’s going to church on a Sunday morning,” Elyett said. “That’s exactly what I wanted it to be.”

What’s that logo?

Lookout Cay visitors may pose in front of a free-standing photo backdrop at the resort. It’s red, black, white and yellow, and leans into the junkanoo look seen on show performers during the day.

The ovals harken to the dots on Mickey’s pants, and the whole thing gives off ear vibes.

Junkanoo costuming is typically handmade with cardboard, crepe paper and feathers. The Disney look, seen on associated T-shirts and ear-hat bands, is designed for more permanence.

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Woman says ‘dream vacation’ lasted just 18 hours and ended with her husband dying

VERSAILLES, Ky. ( WKYT /Gray News) - Rick and Barbara Smith spent their years traveling after he retired.

This past May, the two set out on what was supposed to be an eight-day river cruise starting in Idaho with American Cruise Lines, but it ended in tragedy.

“It was our dream vacation but it lasted 18 hours,” Barbara Smith said.

The couple’s trip was cut short after Rick Smith woke up that first night unable to breathe.

He was taken to a hospital in Washington where he spent six days with doctors letting him know he had a leaky heart valve.

Rick Smith became stable enough to be flown to the University of Kentucky Hospital.

Barbara Smith said her husband underwent open heart surgery but died 24 hours later.

While her husband was fighting for his life, Barbara Smith said she had been battling the cruise line company.

“I said my husband is in the hospital, his health is deteriorating. I don’t know how I’m going to get home. Please just consider us with compassion and sympathy and respond … but they didn’t,” she said.

Barbara Smith said they didn’t have travelers’ insurance, but she just wants the company to try and work with her regarding the situation.

“I’m still getting questionnaires about how our trip was. I’m still getting brochures in the mail from them for future trips. It’s like everything I wrote about Rick to them just went down some black hole,” she said. “I can’t get mad at anyone because Rick died.”

Barbara Smith said she is disappointed in the lack of empathy shown by the cruise line after not only being unable to complete the trip with her husband but losing him too.

“My husband was absolutely the best. A sweet, kind, caring man,” she said. “People ask us how long we’ve been married. I say not long enough. It could have gone a lot longer.”

Copyright 2024 WKYT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Health | Too good to be true? What wearable technology…

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Health | Too good to be true? What wearable technology can and can’t tell you about your heart health

“I turned it on and sure enough, I get the alert like five or six times a day because with Afib it’s constant. It sort of gets annoying,” Spunar said.

Just 10 months after seeing a cardiologist and receiving treatment, an alert on her watch let her know that the irregular heart rate was back.

“If I did not have that watch. I wouldn’t know. I really wouldn’t,” she said. “Because of the watch, I feel and my doctors feel confident that I’m going to know when it happens.”

Symptoms for atrial fibrillation, commonly known as Afib, include fatigue, heart palpitations, trouble breathing and dizziness. Afib is one of the most common arrhythmias. Risk factors for Afib include high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and obesity .

Most people diagnosed with Afib are in their 50s or 60s, but according to Dr. Yasser Rodriguez, an electrophysiologist at Cleveland Clinic Weston, diagnoses for Afib are increasing — and the patients are getting younger.

“With the increasing obesity epidemic, we’re seeing a lot more sleep apnea and obesity in younger people, which is shifting the patients closer to their 50s,” Rodriguez said.

Dr. Pedro Martinez-Clark, medical director and CEO of Amvita Heart & Vascular Health, also attributes the younger age of diagnosis to better technology, like wearable devices, which have allowed for conditions to be detected, diagnosed and treated at an earlier stage.

More and more people are using wearable devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers to monitor their physical activity and well-being. However, others, like Spunar, are using them to help with early detection and management of medical conditions.

When it comes to wearable technology, many devices are available to consumers, but not all are FDA-approved. The most common devices, Apple Watch and Fitbit, have been cleared by the FDA to identify Afib.

“I think these technologies are definitely a significant move forward in our ability to detect patterns of risk,” Martinez-Clark said. “But just like anything else, there are positives and negatives.”

What wearable devices can do

Wearable devices offer a range of features, from tracking activity levels and sleep quality to monitoring vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure. This can be helpful to detect irregularities in heart rates for patients that are less symptomatic.

“Let’s say you’re having dinner and you’re relaxed, and then your heart rate is at 140-150; that’s abnormal,” Martinez-Clark said. “In the absence of symptoms, wearable technology can tell us that there is a fast rate in a situation where it shouldn’t be fast.”

According to Martinez-Clark, what may be even more important than detecting an arrhythmia is keeping track of the frequency and regularity of the arrhythmia. Because symptoms can vary, this is the critical information doctors will use when making a diagnosis — a task wearable devices have made easier for potential patients.

“Regardless of the age of the patient, irregular heart rhythms can have very serious implications,” Martinez-Clark said.

What wearable devices can’t do

On the flip side, obsessive tests and false alarms are just a few reasons why physicians advise the public to take the wearables’ advice with caution.

“Companies would rather over-call things than under-call them, and because they’d rather over-call, make sure they’re not missing anything than the other way around,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of times that patient will come and it’s not exactly atrial fibrillation, it’s something else that’s much more benign.”

For example, with younger people, an out-of-the-ordinary fast heartbeat could be normal, but would trigger false alarms. And for patients with significant anxiety, detection and alerts can trigger even more anxiety.

“We actually recommend to those patients not to wear those devices,” Martinez-Clark said.

Another problem with the readings done by a smartwatch or fitness tracker is the varying levels of interference. According to Dr. Andre Landau, interventional cardiologist at Broward Health North, in a test done by a physician, the skin is disinfected and sometimes shaved to create close contact. Not only that, for the entire test, the patient stays still.

“If the patient is moving at the time of the recording, it makes the recording more difficult to interpret,” Landau said.

Because of this, medical professionals strongly urge the public to visit a physician and get properly tested if they feel symptoms or receive alerts that an arrhythmia was detected.

For symptomatic patients or those who have experienced a stressful situation, like a stroke, Landau recommends a more sophisticated device, like KardiaMobile, an FDA-approved device to detect Afib, to monitor electrical signals in the heart.

“It’ll record an EKG, transmitted to your cellphone, that you can text or email to a doctor for more analysis,” Landau said.

New treatment for Afib launching at Cleveland Clinic

On Monday, Cleveland Clinic Weston is launching a new treatment for Afib known as “Pulsed-Field Ablation.” PFA is a non-thermal treatment method that promises faster procedure times and less risk to adjacent structures.

“It’s just completely revolutionary. I don’t want to overuse that word, but I probably will not see another technology in my career that is as disruptive as this was overnight,” Rodriguez said.

The catheter ablation therapy uses electroporation, or the delivery of rapid, high-voltage pulsed electrical fields to tissue, causing cell membranes to become permeable, to treat cardiac arrhythmias.

“It’s almost instantaneous,” Rodriguez said. “Every treatment is 2.5 seconds. With the older technology it was 10 to 15 seconds. You’re getting the entire vein and you’re getting it in seconds.”

According to Rodriguez, there are at least 12 million people in this country that have been formally diagnosed with Afib, and projections are “going sky high.”

“I tell everybody, you have to go for that annual physical,” Spunar said. “Because even if you don’t have the watch, at least your physical can capture some of this.”

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