Cruising During Hurricane Season: Essential Insights — Should You Set Sail?

Experienced travelers recognize that autumn is an excellent time to find a bargain for cruises to the Caribbean or Bahamas. However, be mindful of a significant risk: autumn marks hurricane season in these areas, and there's a possibility that a hurricane or tropical storm could interrupt your journey.

Typically, several fall cruises are impacted by storms each year. In some cases, numerous voyages may be affected.

Nevertheless, even in peak hurricane weeks (more details below), the majority of sailings in the Caribbean and Bahamas proceed smoothly. Here’s what to consider before deciding to cruise during hurricane season in these areas.

What are the dates for hurricane season concerning cruises?

In theory, hurricanes or tropical storms can form in the Atlantic at any time. However, the vast majority of these storms — around 97%, according to the National Hurricane Center — occur from June 1 to November 30 each year. This timeframe is recognized as hurricane season in the Atlantic and usually sees about 14 named tropical storms, with half of them developing into hurricanes.

During this period, the peak for tropical storms in the Atlantic is predominantly from mid-August to mid-October. This timeframe is what I refer to as the critical "iffy zone" for cruises to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, as well as sailings from eastern U.S. ports to Bermuda and New England.

Despite the peak weeks for hurricane formation, the likelihood of your cruise being impacted by a hurricane remains relatively low. A quick look at any cruise booking site will reveal hundreds of sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas each year during hurricane season, with only a small fraction affected by tropical storms in most years.

Even during the peak of hurricane season, there can be many weeks without any tropical storms impacting the Caribbean or Bahamas. When a significant storm does occur, it will likely only affect a small part of the region and, consequently, a limited number of cruise ships.

It's important to remember that the Caribbean is vast compared to the size of a typical hurricane. The distance from Belize, on the western edge of the Caribbean Sea, to the easternmost Leeward Islands is nearly 2,000 miles. In contrast, the hurricane-force winds of a small hurricane typically extend just 25 miles from its center, while a larger hurricane's winds might reach up to 150 miles away.

For example, even if a massive hurricane is approaching St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands (a common stop for Eastern Caribbean cruises), it’s unlikely to impact a Western or Southern Caribbean sailing occurring at the same time.

Predicting where tropical storms will land each year is a risky endeavor. However, if you're looking at the odds, the southern Caribbean tends to experience fewer storms on average. The southern islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao (popular stops on Southern Caribbean routes) are situated well south of the typical hurricane path and generally see few storms in the fall.

What is the forecast for hurricanes in 2024?

For the 2024 hurricane season, the U.S. government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts an above-average year with 17 to 25 named storms, of which eight to 13 are expected to develop into hurricanes.

Out of those, the prediction indicates that four to seven could escalate into major hurricanes.

The agency highlighted several factors that promote tropical storm development, such as near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic, the emergence of La Niña conditions in the Pacific, and decreased Atlantic trade winds along with lower wind shear.

NOAA's prediction was made public on May 23.

In April, another prominent hurricane forecasting group from Colorado State University also anticipated a highly active hurricane season. Their forecast suggests an "extremely active" year with 23 named storms overall, of which 11 would develop into hurricanes.

According to the Colorado State University forecast, five of those storms could develop into major hurricanes with sustained winds reaching 111 mph or higher.

The Colorado State team also pointed to warm ocean temperatures as a contributing factor for their heightened predictions.

So far this year, hurricanes Beryl, Ernesto, and most recently Helene have affected cruise ports or itineraries.

Your cruise itinerary during hurricane season may be subject to changes.

When a tropical storm forms in any part of the Caribbean or Bahamas, cruise lines typically respond by rerouting ships away from the affected area to safer parts of the Caribbean or Bahamas. This may lead to unexpected adjustments in your cruise itinerary.

Depending on the storm's projected path, changes to your itinerary could be relatively minor — such as a port stop being delayed by a day or swapping one port for another. However, the adjustments could also be much more significant.

Cruise lines occasionally overhaul an entire itinerary to steer clear of storms. For instance, a ship on an Eastern Caribbean route with stops in places like St. Thomas and St. Kitts might be redirected to Western Caribbean ports such as Cozumel, Mexico, and Falmouth, Jamaica.

In some instances, a storm may lead to the removal of a port from the itinerary without a replacement being added. There are also times when cruises may be shortened or extended by a day or even two or three.

The latter scenario can happen if a storm is expected to pass between the ship and its home port as it’s scheduled to return. The ship may either head back to the home port early to arrive ahead of the storm or remain at sea for additional days until the storm has passed.

In rare situations where a home port is closed due to a storm, ships may sail to an alternate port to disembark passengers. In such cases, the vessels might begin their next cruise from that alternative port. Although there are occasions when cruises are canceled due to prolonged disruptions at a home port caused by storms, such instances are relatively uncommon.

You do not have a right to compensation for changes in your itinerary.

Cruise lines are not required to provide compensation if they alter an itinerary due to weather conditions. The fine print in cruise contracts permits them to make such adjustments at their discretion. However, this does not imply that compensation is never offered.

In cases of a port swap, where one port is replaced by another, compensation is usually not provided. However, if a port is missed without a replacement, you might be offered an onboard credit as compensation, although you shouldn't count on it. Cruise lines will refund the cost of any prepaid shore excursions related to the missed port and any port taxes or fees paid in advance for that port.

If a cruise is shortened, lines typically provide a prorated refund for the lost days. Conversely, when cruises are extended, lines generally do not charge passengers extra for the additional days, at least concerning room, board, and entertainment. Passengers will still need to cover onboard extras like drinks and spa services.

When cruises are altered due to weather, cruise lines often assist passengers in modifying their post-cruise travel plans. They may offer free phone calls from the ship or complimentary internet access to help passengers reach out to airlines and hotels for necessary changes.

You won't receive a refund if you cancel your cruise to avoid an approaching storm.

Typically, cruise lines do not provide refunds to passengers who cancel their trip on short notice, even if a significant storm is forecasted in the area of the scheduled cruise.

If a hurricane is headed toward the Caribbean just days before your departure, you cannot simply call your cruise line, cancel the trip, and expect a refund.

From the cruise line's perspective, the cruise will continue as planned — it may just be adjusted slightly, depending on the storm's path in the following days. They believe you are still getting the experience you paid for: a fantastic cruise vacation.

However, there are exceptions. If a cruise line anticipates that a storm will significantly disrupt a voyage (for example, due to lost days from a delayed departure), it may allow passengers to cancel for a refund or provide credit toward a future cruise.

This occurred in 2017 when several cruise lines postponed their departures from Florida as Hurricane Irma approached. Those that delayed allowed passengers to cancel in exchange for a cruise credit. Alternatively, passengers could choose to embark on the shortened trips and receive a prorated refund for the days missed.

When a cruise line cancels a sailing entirely, it often offers passengers a refund for the trip along with a future cruise credit that can be used for their next journey. This approach was evident in 2017 when Irma's impending arrival led some lines to cancel their itineraries altogether.

One challenge cruisers face in these (relatively uncommon) situations where a cruise line cancels a sailing due to a storm is the last-minute nature of the cancellation. This can leave you in uncertainty in the days leading up to your cruise, unsure if it will proceed. If a hurricane is targeting your departure port, you may have to choose between traveling there (potentially into a dangerous situation) or staying home and risking the loss of your payment for the cruise.

Each cruise line has its own approach to compensation issues, with some being more generous than others when it comes to storm-related disruptions. The responses can also differ based on the specific circumstances of each storm.

To prevent disappointment, my recommendation is to approach any bookings during hurricane season with the understanding that you likely won't receive compensation for itinerary changes due to storms, nor will you be refunded if you decide to cancel at the last minute.

This potential risk is one reason why cruises are typically offered at lower prices during hurricane season compared to other times of the year.

Incorporate flexibility into your travel plans during hurricane season.

When booking a cruise during hurricane season, remember that tropical weather can impact not just cruise ships but also flights.

If you're flying to your cruise departure city, ensure you allow ample time in your schedule in case a significant storm disrupts air travel and leads to flight delays. A storm occurring far from your destination can still affect your flight. Tropical storms moving through the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and up the East Coast can sometimes create traffic jams in air travel across large parts of North America during hurricane season.

At TPG, we always recommend that cruisers arrive at their departure ports at least one full day before their sailings, especially during hurricane season. You wouldn't want a flight delay to be the reason you miss your cruise.

Travel insurance is essential for cruises in the fall.

It's wise to book both flights and cruises using a card that offers travel protections, which is particularly crucial during hurricane season.

Certain cards, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, can reimburse you for some expenses arising from trip delays, cancellations, and interruptions caused by severe weather, provided you booked the trip with that card. Additionally, these travel protection benefits may cover costs associated with lost or delayed luggage.

However, keep in mind that these benefits often come with extensive fine print, which can complicate the process of claiming them under certain conditions.

You can also purchase separate travel insurance specifically for your trip, which will reimburse you in case of delays, cancellations, or interruptions. However, these plans often contain a lot of fine print that restricts their applicability and vary significantly in coverage.

While travel insurance typically covers the costs of changing flights or pre-cruise hotel bookings if a storm delays your departure, it usually does not compensate you for itinerary changes made by the cruise line due to a storm. Additionally, if you decide to cancel your cruise to avoid a storm, insurance policies typically won’t cover this—unless you invest in an expensive "cancel for any reason" policy.

Keep in mind that to file a claim related to a cruise affected by a hurricane or tropical storm, you must have purchased the travel insurance policy before the storm formed and was officially named.

You might encounter rough seas during your journey.

Cruise lines may reroute their ships hundreds of miles to steer clear of tropical storms and hurricanes, but that doesn't guarantee a smooth sailing experience during hurricane season.

If a significant storm is affecting the Caribbean or Bahamas, you might experience some movement on your ship, even if you're far from the storm's eye. The swells from major storms can travel thousands of miles.

If you are particularly sensitive to seasickness, hurricane season may not be the ideal time for you to set sail. However, there’s no need to worry. Modern cruise ships are equipped with advanced stabilizers to reduce the impact of waves. As ships have grown larger, they've generally become more stable; for instance, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, weighing in at 236,857 tons, is among the largest cruise ships in the world and requires significant force to shift.

Any rough seas caused by a nearby storm are usually short-lived. Many cruise ships in the Caribbean can reach speeds of up to 22 knots (approximately 25 mph), enabling them to cover around 300 miles in a single day. So, you might find yourself in choppy waters one day and basking in sunshine the next.

Just as airline pilots navigate to avoid turbulence, cruise ship captains and their shore-based teams are highly attuned to passenger safety and comfort. They are proactive in repositioning vessels to find calmer waters when necessary.

Exercise caution when booking shore excursions during hurricane season.

Not every cruiser opts for shore tours arranged through their cruise line. Some choose to book excursions with third-party tour companies like Viator or PortSide Tours. If you take this approach during a hurricane-season cruise, make sure to review the cancellation policies before making any advance payments for excursions.

While cruise lines will generally refund you for prepaid shore excursions booked directly with them if a port call is canceled, there's no guarantee that an external tour company will do the same. Some may offer refunds, but others might require a nonrefundable deposit that's difficult to reclaim, even if there's an itinerary change due to a storm. (Note: Travel insurance policies can sometimes cover the loss of nonrefundable deposits.)

In summary

Cruises in the Caribbean and Bahamas during peak hurricane season can be fantastic deals, and many operate without any issues. However, before you book, ensure you're comfortable with the possibility that your itinerary could change unexpectedly or be disrupted in other ways. While it doesn't happen frequently, it is a possibility.

If your goal is to visit a specific Caribbean or Bahamian destination — like St. Kitts or the British Virgin Islands — a cruise during hurricane season might not suit you. However, if you’re open to adventure and seeking an affordable getaway at sea, there’s no reason to hesitate about a fall sailing.