Cruise lines ready in event of storm crises
Travellers have options to protect themselves from weather interruptions
You might have already heard about tropical storm Alberto. At the end of May, it became the first named storm of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season — days before the season’s official start on June 1.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts this year will be near or above normal in terms of storm activity in the Atlantic. Coming hot on the heels of last fall’s devastating hurricane season in the Caribbean, the 2018 season’s early start makes it the perfect time to start talking about what you need to know about booking a cruise to the Caribbean (and beyond) this summer and fall. And, more importantly, what you can do if your sailing ends up being affected.
Hurricanes and tropical storms that form in the Caribbean can cause disruption to cruises in the Caribbean and beyond. In the past, storms have delayed, rerouted or even cancelled cruises destined for the Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada and New England, and even transatlantic repositioning voyages.
Cruise lines have become very adept at monitoring the weather, especially in light of well-publicized events such as the brutal storm that Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas found itself caught in back in the winter of 2016. But the fact remains that many storms can form suddenly, and that can mean a sailing that looked trouble-free two days ago is now facing problems.
Unlike land-based resorts, cruises are well-positioned to handle inclement weather: they simply sail somewhere else, where the weather is better.
This can have some unintended consequences, however: that Western Caribbean cruise you booked scheduled to go to Cozumel and Grand Cayman might suddenly become an Eastern Caribbean run going to St. Thomas and Nassau. It has also caused some Bahamas and Bermuda sailings to head north, which understandably upsets guests: Halifax is beautiful, but it’s not the beach-driven paradise found in Bermuda.
If you’re booking a winter or fall cruise to the Caribbean, know that 99 per cent of them will sail on time, as planned and on schedule. But if you are booking a summer cruise, you do need to be aware that the cruise line does not have any obligation to call on the ports published in the brochure: it can substitute ports at any time, or change arrival and departure times, as needed, to ensure the safety of passengers, crew and the vessel.
I have personally been on two rerouted ships in the Caribbean now, which isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things — and both times, we just skipped a scheduled stop at Key West, Fla., and had ourselves a sea day instead. But I’ve also been on a Canada and New England cruise a decade ago that was delayed by two days as we sat in New York Harbor, waiting for hurricane Kyle to pass. That voyage sailed as planned, but with a modified itinerary that dropped two ports of call.
That being said, there are two things you can do to protect yourself if you want to set sail this summer or fall in the Atlantic.
First, book using a travel agent. Any itinerary changes and delays will be communicated to that agent, and they can advise you of any implications. If you’ve booked air, hotels and the cruise with them, they can also go to bat for you if things are changing faster than you can handle them.
The other thing to consider is that sometimes your cruise might be scheduled to depart on time, but your airline has pre-emptively started cancelling flights to your embarkation city. That’s why it is important to buy trip cancellation/interruption insurance if you don’t already have that feature on your credit card. Having this insurance protects you from additional costs and protects your vacation at the same time. The cruise line is under no obligation to refund you if your flight is cancelled.
Finally, try to go with the flow. If you end up on an East ern Caribbean run instead of a cruise to the Bahamas, try to see the adventure in it. The most unhappy people I’ve ever met were those that expected their cruise would stick to “the plan” at all costs.
Happy (trouble-free) cruising.
Visit portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters, 1-800-707-7327, www.cruiseshipcenters.com, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-the-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly at portsandbowsaaron@gmail.com.