Weather Questions -- Current Storms in the Bahamas ...

[jdg345]

Hello,

We were going to get on the Dream this weekend but are considering rescheduling our trip due to weather. Does anyone have any experience sailing in stormy seas and how the cruise line handles such types of issues during the trip? We checked the forecast for Castaway Cay and it shows Thunderstorms and 90-100% chance of rain all through the weekend and into Monday. Nassau, Bahamas is no different.

Any thoughts/comments from those with some experience here would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello,

We were going to get on the Dream this weekend but are considering rescheduling our trip due to weather. Does anyone have any experience sailing in stormy seas and how the cruise line handles such types of issues during the trip? We checked the forecast for Castaway Cay and it shows Thunderstorms and 90-100% chance of rain all through the weekend and into Monday. Nassau, Bahamas is no different.

Any thoughts/comments from those with some experience here would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!

If it's unsafe to port, the captain will take the ship out to sea. Avoiding as much rough seas as possible. Ports might be changed, or eliminated.

I wouldn't cancel a cruise due to weather.

"Thunderstorms" in the Caribbean can be hit or miss in any specific location.

 

[lanejudy]

I agree with PP - the captain does everything possible to avoid bad weather, including changing the itinerary. I'd go and make the best of it.

Do you have insurance that would cover a cruise canceled this close just because you don't like the weather report? DCL won't allow you to reschedule to another date, you'd lose full payment at this point. Insurance would be your only option to recoup some of that - and even "cancel for any reason" coverage may not give full reimbursement.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[mrswillson]

I would never cancel your cruise due to potential bad weather, you will just be rerouted and given a new itinerary. You'll still be on the same ship with all of the same amenities. One year we sailed and expected western ports of call but a tropical storm rerouted us eastern to Puerto Rico and St. Maarten. It ended up being a blast.

 

[Laundress]

I would not reschedule. The captain will have been through this situation many times before. The weather and the sea is their life. I would consider myself in good hands.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

One cruise I remember speaking with a ship's officer the day before Castaway Cay day and they thought the day was going to be a wash out-and it wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination. Weather in the Carribbean comes and goes. The Captain, ship's officers-they know what to do to maximize everyone's vacation, while keeping them safe. I am not sure how you could cancel at this point in time w/o losing your money. I would go and make the best of it. I think you might be surprised. Good luck with your decision.

 

[CamColt]

I agree with the above poster, I would not reschedule even if I would be disappointed with bad weather. With that said, chances are the Captain will do everything he can to get around the storms. We sailed 2 weeks ago and missed Cozumel because of Franklin. We had a beautiful day at sea instead and Captain Fabian even found us some sun. On another cruise a few years ago we missed St Maarten and went to San Juan instead, and had a lovely day there.

Good luck!

 

[mevelandry]

Don't do that. You'll lose your money. Also, they will do their best to avoid bad weather... Worst case scenario they could modify the itinerary.

Also, chances of rain and thunderstorm can also mean you will have 30 minutes of intense rain and the rest of the day will be perfect.

 

[gotomu212]

Keep in mind the % of rain chances means a chance there will be rain, not how long it will rain. We often see the Caribbean with 75%+ rain chances and find that they'll be a 5 min pop up shower every day and that's it.

 

[ukintheus]

We are on this same cruise. I agree with all the previous posts, you can have a great time on a Disney cruise even with bad weather. We've sailed around a tropical storm on the Wonder in the Gulf of Mexico before and had some of the most relaxing and enjoyable days. I know this is just a short, 3 night, but it can still be fun even with not-so-great weather. I do agree that we are probably looking at rain, as this isn't the typical pop-up thunderstorms of the summer, but the remains of invest 92L (I think was the number). The ships are extremely stable, I don't think motion will be an issue on this cruise (of course I'm not an expert). We would still go even if there was a hurricane forecast, DCL knows what they are doing and it will still be a fun cruise.

I hope you decide to go! Safe travels if you do.

 

[jdg345]

We are on this same cruise. I agree with all the previous posts, you can have a great time on a Disney cruise even with bad weather. We've sailed around a tropical storm on the Wonder in the Gulf of Mexico before and had some of the most relaxing and enjoyable days. I know this is just a short, 3 night, but it can still be fun even with not-so-great weather. I do agree that we are probably looking at rain, as this isn't the typical pop-up thunderstorms of the summer, but the remains of invest 92L (I think was the number). The ships are extremely stable, I don't think motion will be an issue on this cruise (of course I'm not an expert). We would still go even if there was a hurricane forecast, DCL knows what they are doing and it will still be a fun cruise.

I hope you decide to go! Safe travels if you do.

Thank you, and Safe Travels to you as well!

We are still debating ... we don't want to be out there if this thing is going to be rocking and rolling all over the place. While I understand that the Captain looks to avoid the bad weather, Invest 92L (you were correct in the name/number) seems to take up the entire area to the east of Florida from the Southern Bahamas all the way up to the Georgia Coast.

Is this going to be your first trip on the Dream?

 

[bbn1122]

We were on a 3 Night Dream cruise in 2011 at the end of August right after a Hurricane went through Bahamas and skimmed the Floida coast. We thought it would be cancelled but everyone said DCL a never cancels. It was our 2nd cruise, first on Dream and we did not get insurance, so we just went with the flow.

Well, rough seas first night. CC day was cancelled due to clean up of island. We did dock at Nassau that day but we could not get off because they were cleaning up too. We sailed out to sea that night and came back to Nassau the next day. We did not get off the ship, some people did.

The cruise was a little bit of a let down with no Castaway but we had fun! We made up a few years later with almost the same cruise at the same time in August. But that time we sailed Concierge and had a Cabana at Castaway Cay. And the weather was perfect!!!

 

[ukintheus]

Thank you, and Safe Travels to you as well!

We are still debating ... we don't want to be out there if this thing is going to be rocking and rolling all over the place. While I understand that the Captain looks to avoid the bad weather, Invest 92L (you were correct in the name/number) seems to take up the entire area to the east of Florida from the Southern Bahamas all the way up to the Georgia Coast.

Is this going to be your first trip on the Dream?

No, this will be our third time on the Dream. We have a bit of an addiction problem going on with DCL. This will be our 17th cruise with them. We have had some rough seas in the past but I really think this will be more of a weather dud if anything and won't have very rough seas with it. We fly out tomorrow and are going to just enjoy whatever comes our way. We have yet to have a bad cruise, somehow they are all fun and special even if they aren't perfect.

I can understand the nervousness but if you decide to go, I think you will have a great time regardless of the weather.

 

[ukintheus]

I found this report on current sea conditions around the Bahamas. 3-4 foot seas at most, which really is nothing to worry about. When we sailed around the tropical storm we had about 15 foot seas and then you could tell that the ship definitely had a roll going on! I hope this helps ease your mind on movement at least.


From weather underground marine discussions.

...SW N Atlantic including the Bahamas...

A surface trough prevails off the eastern Florida coast while a ridge of high pressure extends across the area. Recent scatterometer data along with ship and buoy data indicate light to gentle winds prevail over the area. Seas are in the 3-4 ft range outside the Bahamas, and 1-2 ft west of the Bahamas. The subtropical ridge will gradually build along 28n into Fri with little change in winds or seas. The main forecast issue continues to be the emergence of weak low pressure off the coast of northeast Florida toward the end of the week into the weekend. Currently, the low looks to deepen north of the forecast waters, which will keep the main marine impacts north of the discussion area.

 

[mevelandry]

Thank you, and Safe Travels to you as well!

We are still debating ... we don't want to be out there if this thing is going to be rocking and rolling all over the place. While I understand that the Captain looks to avoid the bad weather, Invest 92L (you were correct in the name/number) seems to take up the entire area to the east of Florida from the Southern Bahamas all the way up to the Georgia Coast.

Is this going to be your first trip on the Dream?

I've experience choppy seas and as long as you bring meds for seasickness it should be fine.

 

[jdg345]

Well ... we went, and it was great! There were a couple of quick passing sun showers but it was otherwise sunny. Seas were calm and the ship barely seemed to move.

Thank you all for suggesting we keep our reservations, it really worked out !

 

[cruiser21]

Hello,

We were going to get on the Dream this weekend but are considering rescheduling our trip due to weather. Does anyone have any experience sailing in stormy seas and how the cruise line handles such types of issues during the trip? We checked the forecast for Castaway Cay and it shows Thunderstorms and 90-100% chance of rain all through the weekend and into Monday. Nassau, Bahamas is no different.

Any thoughts/comments from those with some experience here would be greatly appreciated.

TIA!

They handle it the same way they are handling Hurricane Harvey. They'll keep you safe, but no guarantee it will be pleasant.

 

[ukintheus]

Well ... we went, and it was great! There were a couple of quick passing sun showers but it was otherwise sunny. Seas were calm and the ship barely seemed to move.

Thank you all for suggesting we keep our reservations, it really worked out !

I'm glad you decided to go - we thought the weather was lovely. Unfortunately we got sucked into the travel nightmare of trying to get back to Houston due to Hurricane Harvey - but the cruise was great!

 

[Dug720]

They handle it the same way they are handling Hurricane Harvey. They'll keep you safe, but no guarantee it will be pleasant.

This one is Irma.

Other than flipping Cozumel and Falmouth, DCL didn't have to deal with Harvey as a cruiseline.

 

[Maritza Prokop]

Irma is the biggest of all hurricane till now. It has really created a lot of destruction.