Planning to cruise soon? Storms and strikes both might end up causing issues with your cruise.

Stormy Weather and Issues in Cruising

After Hurricane Helene, you might be hoping that we are clear of storms causing chaos this year. Unfortunately, two more storms look to be on the horizon. While cruise ships usually move around the storms, a storm can cause delays or port changes. However, one of the biggest causes of disruptions in cruising is actually airports.

Most people arrive to the cruise port by air. As we just saw with Helene, to avoid dangerous weather situations, airlines need to delay, cancel, and change flights. A big weather event can cause hundreds of would-be cruise guests who are flying in the day of the cruise to literally miss the boat.

To avoid issues in cruising follow our two simple recommendations.

First, arrive at least a day early. The stress of trying to get from airport to port on the same day as the cruise, hoping the airline doesn’t delay, or worse, cancel can be bad. The price of one night in a hotel near the cruise port is definitely worth it. We keep lists of desireable hotels near most of the major cruise ports if you would like a recommendation.

Second, buy trip insurance! We always recommend it, not just to avoid disruptions in cruising, but also for any and every trip. Even if your cruise leaves on time, a lot of health insurance doesn’t cover everything overseas, and trip insurance can be lifesaving if something goes wrong. Also, airlines are not required to provide compensation for weather-related delay expenses, but many insurance plans provide this coverage.

Strike May Cause Issues in Cruising

The International Longshoremen Association (ILA) is currently in negotiations with various companies in the cruise industry to ensure that their members are paid fairly in the face of global inflation. On October 1, they began a strike that affects ports on the entire East Coast and the Gulf Coast.

Longshoremen are the workers who prepare the ship for departure and handle the cargo, such as delivering the food you eat on onboard. There is a chance this will cause schedule delays may be the primary fallout for the average cruiser.

If you have any further questions about possible disruptions in cruising, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

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