Lovelysmile29 Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 Hello, Due to some unfortunate circumstances the cruise I had planned for April to the Caribbean had to be rescheduled for September. I have never cruised in September before and I an nervous because I know that it is in the middle of hurricane and rain season. Has anyone cruised during this time before and had good weather through the whole cruise? I haven't been on a vacation in YEARS and I do not want to spend this one with rain most of the time. Please let me know if you think I should just try to look for ones in 2021 instead. I am going to St. Thomas, St. Marteen, and Perfect Day. Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royal Cruiser Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 I cruised last September. It was a week after Hurricane Dorian. The weather was perfect throughout the cruise. Perfect day at cococay was perfect. I mean it's a risk. If my cruise was a week earlier I would of had to deal with the hurricane. If you get travel insurance you will have nothing to worry about. Even during Hurricane season you will have a great time. These ships can out run a hurricane. Your itinerary might change depending on location of the hurricane but you would still have a great time. Lovelysmile29 and KristiZ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mook1525 Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 I cruised two weeks after Dorian. weather was PERFECT I mean no single drop of rain entire week. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshleyDillo Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 Hurricane Season doesn't mean a greater chance for rain overall. It's not really a "rainy season" situation -- it's just where powerful storms can develop. Cruise ships will avoid sailing into the storms. You are more at risk of the entire cruise being changed or altered because the debarkation port is affected, but the chances of that are pretty slim. My 7-day cruise was affected by Dorian and ended up turning into a 4-day cruise. I still had a great time and left the cruise with a future credit to use for the days that we missed. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyfsu21 Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 I would not be nervous at all about booking a September cruise. Rain is a thing down here year round and it rarely rains all day for multiple days. Mostly just afternoon showers where it can go from storming to sunshine in 15 minutes. Concentrate on enjoying your upcoming cruise and leave the worrying up to Royal & there meteorologist. Lovelysmile29 and Royal Cruiser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregD Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 I agree with what others have said. I cruised in September shortly after Dorian as well and our weather was perfect. Some things to alleviate stress are get travel insurance, get to your port a day or two early to minimize travel delay impacts, and prepare to be flexible. Most likely your cruise will go on without a hitch. If it does get impacted, it could be shorter, longer, or just have different stops. In my eyes, even a shortened cruise is better than no cruise, so roll with the punches on board, and have another cocktail and enjoy the cruise! Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melody of the Seas Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 I cruised In Sept one week after Dorian and the weather was perfect, its hit or miss that time of year, but if you do happen to have a storm for your cruise, Royal Caribbean will change its itinerary to avoid the storm at all cost, They want to keep the passengers and their ships safe. last year I saw that they rerouted all their ships to the west side of Florida to avoid the storms.. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk8erguy1978 Posted December 26, 2019 Report Share Posted December 26, 2019 I've cruised in September many times from NJ to Bermuda. That was even the month we picked for our wedding which if we didn't get to Bermuda - yikes! That year (2016) the seas were so calm you'd think we were docked. This year Jerry interfered with our cruise and they cut Bermuda short and sailed slowly back to NJ. It was still a great cruise. As mentioned the ships will avoid the storms which could mean an alternate itinerary (different islands, different order, shorter or longer sailing). It's a risk sure but even in perfect weather times some travel delay can mess you up. I experienced quite a few flight delays this past year. From @Matt's podcast: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2014/06/11/cruising-during-hurricane-season-royal-caribbean-blog https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/podcast/episode-318-hurricane-season-redux Lovelysmile29 and Matt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoyalGreek Posted December 27, 2019 Report Share Posted December 27, 2019 September is one our favorite months to travel. Less kids, warm waters, great weather and low prices. Enjoy it. We always do. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyC Posted December 27, 2019 Report Share Posted December 27, 2019 We've cruised in September, and as long as you go in with an open mind, you'll have a great time. If you're okay with the possibility of your itinerary changing or your cruise getting shortened or lengthened, then go for it! I'd recommend travel insurance, or book flights refundable or reuseable. Don't pay for pre/post- cruise hotels in advance, book them pay on arrival or cancelable up to day of arrival. Make sure your jobs are okay with the possibility of your cruise getting extended, and bring a few extra days of medicine (which you should always do no matter when you sail.) If you pre-book third party excursions, make sure they have a cancellation clause if your ship misses the port. Not trying to scare you, but just being realistic. Chances are everything will be fine and your trip will go off perfectly. But when Mother Nature decides she wants to take charge, well, she's the boss and we just need to take it for what it is and enjoy the cruise we get. LOL Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabarwolf Posted December 27, 2019 Report Share Posted December 27, 2019 We sailed a week before Dorian. The only rain we had was in San Juan (and the bulk of that was in the rain forest). Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted December 27, 2019 Report Share Posted December 27, 2019 Keep in mind that it can also rain in the spring, too - or winter, or summer - you weren't guaranteed perfect weather with your first plan, either. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovelysmile29 Posted December 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 Thank you everyone for the advice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 On 12/26/2019 at 12:34 PM, Lovelysmile29 said: Hello, Due to some unfortunate circumstances the cruise I had planned for April to the Caribbean had to be rescheduled for September. I have never cruised in September before and I an nervous because I know that it is in the middle of hurricane and rain season. Has anyone cruised during this time before and had good weather through the whole cruise? I haven't been on a vacation in YEARS and I do not want to spend this one with rain most of the time. Please let me know if you think I should just try to look for ones in 2021 instead. I am going to St. Thomas, St. Marteen, and Perfect Day. Thank you, Concur with @Royal Cruiser . We sailed after Dorian, and the weather was great. My only suggest is to take care in selecting travel insurance for your trip. I was disappointed with the coverage I purchased through Royal--- there was little real hurricane coverage. If my home became uninhabitable, then I was covered. If I had an accident en route, I was covered. There was nothing about flooded roads that prevented me from getting to the port, although I might have gotten something for trip delay. So next time I am going to do a little more due diligence in selecting the insurance policy... Lovelysmile29 and Royal Cruiser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickinSTL Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 We cruised 3 days after dorian went through FL.. It was extremely hot, but we had a great time on our B2B Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basil Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 On 12/26/2019 at 7:49 PM, RoyalGreek said: September is one our favorite months to travel. Less kids, warm waters, great weather and low prices. Enjoy it. We always do. My thought exactly. We were in Hurricane Irma. Some slight inconveniences, but the positives out do the negatives. I love cruising in September. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cruise Junkie Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 I Cruised On The 15th Of September And I Had One Of The Best Cruises Ever. If You Want To Read About It. Here It Is https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/15061-cruise-in-to-harmony-not-live-harmony-of-the-seas-91519-to-92119/ Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovelysmile29 Posted December 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 1 hour ago, ChessE4 said: Concur with @Royal Cruiser . We sailed after Dorian, and the weather was great. My only suggest is to take care in selecting travel insurance for your trip. I was disappointed with the coverage I purchased through Royal--- there was little real hurricane coverage. If my home became uninhabitable, then I was covered. If I had an accident en route, I was covered. There was nothing about flooded roads that prevented me from getting to the port, although I might have gotten something for trip delay. So next time I am going to due a little more due diligence in selecting the insurance policy... Thank you @ChessE4 ! I will definitely look into what the insurance will offer. I normally purchase through Costco not sure of the brand though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 The vast majority of hurricane season cruises execute normally. When a storm does impact a week of cruising it makes big news like no one saw it coming. Every year people who are oblivious to hurricanes are shocked that their long planned vacation was changed due to a storm. You are a step ahead and obviously you are aware of the potential for a hurricane to impact a September cruise. The key to enjoying a cruise in hurricane season is to remain flexible. As long as you can get on the ship on the day of your departure the ship will go somewhere safe and avoid sailing into a storm. Some people get upset when they had one destination in mind. Let's say St. Thomas was "why they booked the cruise". Then a hurricane is in the area near St Thomas and now the cruise is diverted to Jamaica instead. Some people get upset that they "lost" St Thomas and the ship went to Jamaica instead where the weather is sunny and warm. When you cruise in hurricane season those type of last minute changes can occur because the ship is not going to cruise into a storm, they'll find another island nowhere near the hurricane. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovelysmile29 Posted December 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 14 minutes ago, twangster said: The vast majority of hurricane season cruises execute normally. When a storm does impact a week of cruising it makes big news like no one saw it coming. Every year people who are oblivious to hurricanes are shocked that their long planned vacation was changed due to a storm. You are a step ahead and obviously you are aware of the potential for a hurricane to impact a September cruise. The key to enjoying a cruise in hurricane season is to remain flexible. As long as you can get on the ship on the day of your departure the ship will go somewhere safe and avoid sailing into a storm. Some people get upset when they had one destination in mind. Let's say St. Thomas was "why they booked the cruise". Then a hurricane is in the area near St Thomas and now the cruise is diverted to Jamaica instead. Some people get upset that they "lost" St Thomas and the ship went to Jamaica instead where the weather is sunny and warm. When you cruise in hurricane season those type of last minute changes can occur because the ship is not going to cruise into a storm, they'll find another island nowhere near the hurricane. @twangster Thank you for the info. I am looking forward to St. Maarten and excited about Perfect Day so that is why I booked. The one in April was going to San Juan and this one will be going to St. Thomas that's no biggie for me. Does anyone know if the whole itinerary could change or more likely just 1 island? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fonemanbob Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 Every month is a good time to cruise. Have done Sept. on several occasions. If memory serves me correctly we had rain twice over all of those cruises. Like the song says "Don`t worry be happy" !!!!! Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted December 28, 2019 Report Share Posted December 28, 2019 51 minutes ago, Lovelysmile29 said: @twangster Thank you for the info. I am looking forward to St. Maarten and excited about Perfect Day so that is why I booked. The one in April was going to San Juan and this one will be going to St. Thomas that's no biggie for me. Does anyone know if the whole itinerary could change or more likely just 1 island? Depends. If a monster cat 4 or 5 storm is heading towards the eastern Caribbean they might divert to western Caribbean. It depends what’s happening with each storm. The decide on a course of action on a case by case basis. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4214 Posted December 30, 2019 Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 On 12/28/2019 at 8:49 AM, Lovelysmile29 said: Does anyone know if the whole itinerary could change or more likely just 1 island? We traveled the week of Sept 22, 2019 Eastern Itinerary going to Cococay, St Thomas and St Maarten. As Tropical Storm Karen was making its way to that part, we were still able to go to Cococay (thankfully! It was the highlight of our cruise. LOVE COCOCAY!) and then we were re-routed to a Western Itinerary - Costa Maya and Cozumel. We knew traveling during hurricane season has it's risks and as others have mentioned, if you have an open mind and just go with the flow, you'll have a great time. We had alot of fun going to the unexpected ports and we loved being in Cozumel. We also invested in travel insurance for peace of mind. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cruises Posted December 30, 2019 Report Share Posted December 30, 2019 We cruised on the Allure in late-September of 2018 and had a total blast! The weather was great; there was one night that the seas were a little rough. It just so happened that the night the seas were acting up a bit we were at the aqua theater show. The water was splashing up out of the pool and into the first row of seats AND YET the performers still went on with the show and it was INCREDIBLE. We took advantage of the September sailing because the rate couldn't be beat (the benefit of sailing during Hurricane Season) and were very happy with our cruise vacation! I'm confident you will have a wonderful trip - ENJOY! Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaosgirl426 Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 I was on Symphony of the Seas DURING hurricane Dorian... they kept us informed throughout the cruise, and even though we had like 6 itinerary changes it was a great cruise. It's safer to be on a large ship during a storm than on land because you can circumnavigate the dangerous parts of the storm. the only thing i hated was that they didnt tell us about excursion cancellations until we got off the ship. (happened on my birthday so i was distraught). Ive been on other cruises during september and october as well and they have all been nice. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DunkelBierJay Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 On 12/26/2019 at 11:34 AM, Lovelysmile29 said: Hello, Due to some unfortunate circumstances the cruise I had planned for April to the Caribbean had to be rescheduled for September. I have never cruised in September before and I an nervous because I know that it is in the middle of hurricane and rain season. Has anyone cruised during this time before and had good weather through the whole cruise? I haven't been on a vacation in YEARS and I do not want to spend this one with rain most of the time. Please let me know if you think I should just try to look for ones in 2021 instead. I am going to St. Thomas, St. Marteen, and Perfect Day. Thank you, While I haven't cruise in September (yet), I will cruise anytime, anywhere for any reason knowing that RC will change itineraries to avoid dangerous weather. James Van Fleet is the man. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 I've sailed out of Baltimore twice in September (5-nighter to Bermuda each) ---- In 2016, the weather was perfect, in fact, we were on the heals of TS Karl. In 2017, we had to deal w/ Hurricane Jose --- we went above it going out, below it coming back. The ship rocked and having a sunny day was tough to come by (except the day we left Baltimore), however, we had a fantastic time. Ended up doing the Sushi Making Class which was an absolute hoot. I look at it this way, the weather may not always cooperate, but you're on a cruise - plus, the captain will never put you in harms way, so safety was never an issue on Grandeur. So, like others have said, in September, it can be a lot like a crap shoot ---- for every comment where the weather was bad, you can find a comment where it was delightful. You just never know. Lovelysmile29 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff P Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 22 minutes ago, coneyraven said: I've sailed out of Baltimore twice in September (5-nighter to Bermuda each) ---- In 2016, the weather was perfect, in fact, we were on the heals of TS Karl. In 2017, we had to deal w/ Hurricane Jose --- we went above it going out, below it coming back. The ship rocked and having a sunny day was tough to come by (except the day we left Baltimore), however, we had a fantastic time. Ended up doing the Sushi Making Class which was an absolute hoot. I look at it this way, the weather may not always cooperate, but you're on a cruise - plus, the captain will never put you in harms way, so safety was never an issue on Grandeur. So, like others have said, in September, it can be a lot like a crap shoot ---- for every comment where the weather was bad, you can find a comment where it was delightful. You just never know. What do they typically do on a Bermuda trip if there is a hurricane? I noticed a few trips in October out of NY to Bermuda that are priced great, but hesitate thinking that would be a prime spot for a hurricane to travel through during that time of year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted January 2, 2020 Report Share Posted January 2, 2020 6 minutes ago, Geoff P said: What do they typically do on a Bermuda trip if there is a hurricane? I noticed a few trips in October out of NY to Bermuda that are priced great, but hesitate thinking that would be a prime spot for a hurricane to travel through during that time of year There really arean't any alternatives ..... I've seen cruises leave early or late to avoid the storm...... I remember, during Hurricane Matthew, the cruise ended up going up to NYC instead of Bermuda ..... or, in really dire situations, they can cancel.... but that would be as a last resort . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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