What will the 2018 hurricane season bring to cruising?

Nearly 500,000 cruisers were affected last year by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria. And by the time the 2018 hurricane season kicked off on Friday, subtropical storm Alberto already had brought heavy rain to parts of Florida and the Caribbean.

It’s enough to make any traveler a bit nervous, and perhaps thinking

twice about taking that Caribbean vacation they were planning.

Experts say Alberto’s early arrival probably means nothing at all. It’s still too early in the season to tell.

“You have to wait until August and September for the heart of hurricane season and the greatest threat for major hurricanes,” said Dan Kottlowski, AccuWeather hurricane expert.

But there could be “another storm or two that forms June into July.”

The experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, issued their annual hurricane season forecast May 24, only a day before Alberto began closing in on Florida. It basically said the upcoming year will have a normal to slightly-abovenormal risk of storms.

“NOAA’s forecasters predict a 70 percent likelihood of 10 to 16 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes,” the report said.

An average season in the Atlantic Basin, which officially runs from June 1 until Nov. 30, produces 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. A Category 3 hurricane or stronger is classified as a major hurricane.

“Last year’s hurricane season brought an enormous amount of devastation to many people and places,” said Colleen McDaniel, a senior editor with Cruise Critic.

“Many islands in the Caribbean saw significant damage, which also directly impacted tourism dollars that are so important to the region.

“While cruise ships have the benefit of being able to adjust sailings to avoid storms and keep guests out of harm’s way, we did see cruises that were canceled entirely, sailings that were shortened and itineraries that were altered to avoid ports of call in the storm’s path,” she said.

Most of the ports that received significant damage have reopened and “are eager to welcome visitors now,” she said.

Cruise Critic advises travelers to:

Purchase travel insurance early; companies will only insure your trip prior to a storm being forecast.

Consider booking airfare through the cruise line, which might help you adjust your travel plans if a trip is canceled, shortened or extended because of weather.

Add a few days’ buffer to your travel dates if you have important dates on your calendar (such as, a friend’s wedding, the first day of school, etc).

travel@latimes.com