Normally by this time of year, there’s at least been a couple of hurricanes that cruise ships have had to navigate around. Well, it’s been an extremely quiet hurricane season, but Mother Nature isn’t going out with a whimper.
Instead, two massive weather systems are creating havoc for not just those in the path of the storm, but also for cruise schedules.
Hurricane Polo and a Nor’Easter Create a Double Whammy for Cruises
Hurricane Polo is a massive category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 miles per hour. The major hurricane sits off the western coast of Mexico, roughly 600 miles due west of Acapulco and four hundred miles south of Cabo San Lucas.
Forecasts are for the storm to head slightly west before turning north and hitting the southern Baja Peninsula sometime early next week. Cruises headed to the southern Baja Peninsula or the west coast of Mexico during the next several days will have to steer clear of the storm.
On the other side of North America, a strong nor’easter has spun up on the Atlantic coast and sets to batter the region for the next several days. While certainly not as strong as Hurricane Polo, the impacts of this storm will be much more widely felt. The storm already stretches from the Carolinas into Maine and Canada. In particular, New York and Boston appear likely to get some of the biggest impacts.
Forecasts are for coastal flooding, wind gusts of up to 50 mph and 3-5 inches of rain over wide swaths of New England.
Multiple Cruises Already Impacted
Both storms combined will impact millions of people. But cruise ship schedules are also set to be impacted as well.
In fact, we’re already seeing some itinerary changes being reported due to the two storms.
Cruise Industry News reports that Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas is seeing a drastic schedule change. Originally set to depart Los Angeles today on a weeklong cruise with stops in Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlán, Navigator will adjust its route to avoid the storm.
Instead, the ship will cancel calls on Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas. A stop in Mazatlán will be moved to a different day and a call on Puerto Vallarta will be added.
We think other ships could have schedule changes as well, though they are not confirmed.
Grand Princess is starting a 10-day cruise from Los Angeles today. Its route includes three stops in the southern Baja Peninsula over the next several days. Given the storm, we’d expect this schedule to be adjusted to avoid the storm and keep passengers safe.
Carnival Panorama starts an 8-day cruise from Los Angeles tomorrow. That trip visits the area impacted by Hurricane Polo at the end of the month. It’s possible that the storm could mean a route or itinerary change as well.
Brilliant Lady from Virgin Voyages sails from Los Angeles tomorrow on a 7-night cruise with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta. The stop in Cabo San Lucas is scheduled for Monday, when the storm is forecasted to make landfall neaby. To us, it seems likely this call could be cancelled or adjusted as the date gets closer.
Canada/New England Cruises Impacted
On the east coast of the United States, things get a bit trickier. While the storm isn’t as strong as Hurricane Polo, its impact is over a much larger area, impacting ports from Baltimore to Halifax. Simply skipping a port to avoid the storm may not mean a ship avoids the impacts.
Already, Royal Caribbean has reportedly changed the itinerary of Vision of the Seas sailing from from Baltimore. It is going from a New England/Canada cruise to a trip to The Bahamas.
We also noticed that Independence of the Seas has returned home to Cape Liberty earlier than scheduled. The ship was slated to arrive in port tomorrow morning. Instead, it has returned to Cape Liberty, docking this afternoon.
There are still a number of other cruises scheduled in the area that could be impacted. This includes Norwegian Breakaway and Celebrity Silhouette. Still others are scheduled to depart ports in New England on cruises to spots with better weather, but will likely have to sail through storms to get there.
If Changes Are Made to Schedules, Cruise Lines Will Be in Touch
While it has been a relatively slow year for weather-related itinerary changes, the next few days look to have their fair share. If you’re on a cruise with stops in western Mexico or New England/Canada just be aware that schedule changes can and do happen.
If your cruise is impacted, the cruise line will be in contact with you with the latest updates.
