Tempests in the tropics

Cruise Travel, May-June, 2005 by M.T. Schwartzman

Last season will be remembered for the four major hurricanes that stormed through the Caribbean in rapid succession-Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. In their wake, they left disrupted travel plans for embarking passengers, itinerary changes for ships at sea, and weeks of reconstruction for the island destinations in the Caribbean.

In retrospect, they also provide a case study of how cruise lines and their passengers are affected by the whims of Mother Nature. Not only was the hurricane season one of the most active in recent memory, but it also cut a wide swath through the Caribbean, wreaking havoc on some of the most popular cruise destinations. Among the islands hardest hit were the Bahamas, Grenada, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.

Back in the U.S., the parade of storms curtailed operations at all of Florida's major homeports. When all was said and done, Carnival Cruise Lines alone was forced to alter the itineraries for more than two-dozen cruises and had to cancel a handful of others. At Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, 19 ships were affected at one time or another-including one as far north as Cape Liberty, New Jersey.

Officially, the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean runs from June 1 through November 30, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The majority of hurricanes occur during the peak months of August, September, and October, but serious hurricane activity can occur at any time during the season. One such storm, Lenny, hit the island of St. Martin in November 1999, resulting in the loss of the tall ship Sir Francis Drake.

For most cruise travelers, however, the event of a hurricane is far less dramatic, although it can entail a good degree of inconvenience. And when a hurricane approaches, it's always a scramble for the cruise lines, as each storm follows its own particular track. "We don't have any hard-and-fast rules," says a spokesman for Carnival Cruise Lines. "We take it on a case-by-case basis." Essentially, the cruise lines have four choices, explains an official from Royal Caribbean: They can shorten the cruise, lengthen the cruise, change the itinerary, or keep the ship out at sea.

Once a hurricane's path becomes clear, a management team goes into action, meeting frequently to follow the storm's course and plot alternative itineraries to avoid the islands that are likely to be affected. Thanks to the latest technology, including advanced hurricane forecasting and satellite communications, cruise lines can stay continuously abreast of the situation out in the Atlantic and remain in constant communication with their ships.

In the meantime, passengers are kept advised through their travel agents, or sometimes by means of the emergency phone numbers they have provided in their booking documentation. "It's one of the reasons why we ask for that information," notes the spokesman for Carnival. Additionally, storm bulletins are posted on each cruise line's web site, sometimes as often as three times a day.

Back out at sea, ships are being re-routed as the storm makes its way through the region. "As a general rule, we like to keep the ships 150 miles away [from a storm]," the Carnival representative says. Even after the storm has passed, the waters may still be rough, "so we may decide to keep the ship out another day," he adds. Even then, port calls may not resume immediately, since the shoreside infrastructure must be examined for damage.

Operational considerations must be taken into account as well. "Navigational markers must be checked and shipping channels may have to be cleared," says the press official from Royal Caribbean, noting that storm-driven sand can create underwater shoals. Such was the case in Port Canaveral, he explains, where it was a couple of weeks before RCI's 140,000-gross-register-ton Mariner of the Seas could resume operations from her regularly scheduled homeport.

Cruise passengers may be entitled to a refund if their planned cruise itinerary must be changed. Carnival's terms and conditions say that, "When practicable, Carnival will promptly notify guests of a pre-cruise itinerary change ... Carnival will offer such guests an opportunity to cancel their cruise within 24 hours without penalty. No additional compensation for the itinerary change will be offered at a later time."

What about itinerary changes for passengers already onboard? Some cruise travelers mistakenly believe that if their itinerary is altered en route, they are entitled to a refund in full or in part. Again the fine print is clear. The Carnival brochure says: "If an itinerary change occurs while a ship is at sea or when notice prior to sailing is not feasible, Carnival shall attempt to substitute an alternative port. No compensation shall be provided to passengers when an alternative port is offered." Most cruise lines have similar policies; but in practice, Carnival and others can be more generous, and last season often were.

How about passengers whose flights to embarkation are disrupted or delayed by the storm? Here is where travel insurance proves its value. The travel-delay provisions of most insurance policies should provide for reimbursement, usually $500 for additional accommodations, meals, and "catchup" expenses.