Can My Ship Weather the Storm?

The truth is you probably will never find out the answer to this question. The reason I say that is because avoiding the storm makes a lot more sense than weathering it. The universally accepted strategy adopted by the cruise lines is to avoid hurricanes rather than confronting them. Because these cruise lines have been sailing the Caribbean for decades they have come up with hurricane emergency plans which are all but foolproof.

Cruise ships are worth hundreds of millions of dollars or more and take many years to build, the cruise ships are not interested in losing that sort of investment. In an effort to protect their investments cruise ships have all been outfitted with the most high-tech methods of weather monitoring equipment available. Each ship also has a bridge officer whose sole responsibility is to monitor the weather during hurricane season. Additionally the cruise ships receive shore side support just in case something gets missed by the officers on board. By receiving up-to-the-minute reports from the national hurricane Center, NOAA, and satellite weather information the cruise lines can reroute any ships that are sailing into danger. At these cruise line hurricane command centers the cruise lines have the ability to speak directly to the captain as well as the ship’s bridge.

Another thing to consider when booking a Caribbean cruise vacation during hurricane season is the ship’s ability to outrun the storm. Modern cruise ships have the capability to reach top speeds of more than 22 knots, most storms move at roughly 8 to 10 knots. In other words, through the use state-of-the-art technology cruise ships have little trouble evading the worst part of hurricanes. However, this doesn’t mean the ship will entirely miss the storm, there is the possibility the captain will have to navigate waters that are a bit rougher than usual. This is yet another reason that even experienced cruisers should always prepare for possible seasickness. Like the Boy Scouts say, always be prepared.

As you can see the cruise lines have gone to great lengths to lessen the chances of you encountering a hurricane while on a cruise. This is yet another reason why you should not be afraid to book your next cruise during hurricane season.

Series on how hurricanes effects cruising

• Part 1 Hurricanes Suck But Not Enough to Keep Me From Cruising
• Part 2 Can My Ship Weather the Storm?

Related posts:

1. Hurricanes Suck But Not Enough to Keep Me From Cruising
2. Time to Plan Another Cruise
3. When Should I Book My Cruise
4. Fanmail Friday: December 12th Edition

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