Bad weather is something all tourists dread ruining their holiday, but the thought of being stuck in the middle of the ocean when a storm strikes is particularly concerning.
If you’ve been thinking about going on a cruise holiday but are worried what would happen in the event of a severe storm, hurricane or typhoon, well, it turns out you needn’t panic.
Cruise ships are well equipped to monitor weather around the world so they can quickly plan and prepare in the event of an approaching storm.
One of the best things about going on a cruise holiday is that the ship can simply navigate away to better weather, so if there is a potential threat to guests or ships, your itinerary may just be altered so that you avoid the storm.
The Caribbean is one of the most popular destinations for cruises but passengers should be aware that hurricane season in this part of the world runs from June 1 to November 30, with the peak occurring between mid-August and early November.
The eastern Caribbean tends to see more hurricanes toward the beginning of the peak season, while the peak season lasts through the entire period in the western Caribbean islands.
So if you go cruising in the Caribbean during this period there is a chance that your itinerary may be disrupted due to bad weather, but it shouldn’t be something to worry about.
Celebrity Cruises says only a very small portion of cruises are actually affected by hurricane storms, although you may encounter slightly rougher seas at this time. But even if conditions do get a little choppy, cruise ships have stabilisers to help make the sailing as smooth as possible.
The cruise company said: “It’s actually extremely rare for a cruise to be cancelled 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 cancelled.
“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.”
Royal Caribbean says passengers embarking on a cruise holiday should have “zero worries about the forecast” as cruise ships can easily travel from place to place, conveniently ditching any bad weather.
James Van Fleet, Royal Caribbean’s chief meteorologist, adds: “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.”
Passengers will always be kept informed about any looming storms or hurricanes while onboard through frequent weather announcements from the Captain, so you’ll be kept in the loop about any possible rerouting.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
