Cruising In Hurricane Season

It’s June and the weather has been so pleasant here at home that we nearly forgot hurricane season started last Saturday on the first of June. Thankfully, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hasn't forgotten, but their prediction for 2013 is grim.

After two decades of covering the cruise industry and more than a hundred personal sailings, a hurricane finally caught up to us last year. Our voyage on what we began to call the Hurricane Sandy Cruise began with a bus trip up I-95 from Fort Lauderdale to Jacksonville, Florida to board Holland America Line’s Eurodam for the
Malt Shop Memories Cruise. We hadn't given hurricane season a thought because it had been a light storm year hurricane-wise and the official season was nearly over. We were well taken care of by Holland America Line and our Entertainment Cruise Productions hosts for the Malt Shop Memories Cruise in terms of getting us on board and enjoying our cruise; however, the weather is certainly something to think about. Hurricane Sandy (pictured above) could have sunk our trip.

Travel insurance is another consideration to cover cruisers in such situations, especially this year as you can tell from this statement from the NOAA web site:

In its 2013 Atlantic hurricane season outlook issued today, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting an active or extremely active season this year. 

For the six-month hurricane season, which begins June 1, NOAA’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook says there is a 70 percent likelihood of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 7 to 11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher). 

These ranges are well above the seasonal average of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes.

Cruise Diva takes an in-depth look at what’s in store if your vacation plans find you Cruising Into Hurricane Season.

Image Courtesy NOAA/NASA