How Cruise Ships Move When Hurricanes Are Predicted (Real Example)

The cruise industry tracks the number of cruise ships sailing to the Caribbean and also the volume of passengers visiting the region. Numbers reached record levels in 2023 and 2024.

The Caribbean has the largest share of global cruise itineraries. It has been reported that 38% of cruises are in the Caribbean (a 2023 figure).

For U.S. travellers in particular, Caribbean sailings are very popular. One report suggests that 72% of all U.S. cruise itineraries in 2025 target the Caribbean.

It’s not surprising then, that some of these Caribbean sailings end up having to change their itineraries because of hurricane season and the bad weather it brings.

Cruise ships don’t stay put if hurricanes are forecast – they move away to safety.

You can see this happening live on the cruise globe. The arrows are the cruise ships, and you can see where all the ships are located in real time.

Download the app for free on the App Store or visit the website here:

The Cruise Globe

The map above shows the live position of ships during Hurricane Melissa (October 2025).

Cruise ships have moved away from Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti to avoid the worst of the storm. Many are safely docked, and others are sailing close to the shoreline.

Why Ships Move

The cruise line’s primary concern is for the safety of the passengers and crew onboard.

Also, they don’t want to risk damaging the cruise ship – newer, larger ships that cost upwards of $1 billion to build.

Cruise lines work with weather services and authorities to avoid the path of hurricanes.

How They Decide Where to Go

Operations teams track storms in real time and report back.

This allows Captains to reroute to calmer waters or different ports when necessary.

They will make itinerary changes, swap ports, or add extra sea days.

Seeing This Happen on The Cruise Globe

You can see the ships live on thecruiseglobe.com

• Go to TheCruiseGlobe.com → click on Live Map.
• Search for a ship or region affected by a storm.
• Ships “disappear” from expected ports when they’ve moved.
• You can use the “Cruise Replay” feature to see the path change.

Real Example:

Carnival Dream, on a 14-day Eastern Caribbean cruise from Galveston, Texas, is now avoiding the scheduled stop of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, due to Hurricane Melissa (October 2025).

The scheduled Itinerary:

News channels online report changes made to the ship’s itinerary because of the Hurricane. Below from “Into The Funnel” a dedicated site featuring “Independent Carnival Cruise News & Opinion”.

Guests aboard Carnival Dream were notified Sunday evening that the ship’s scheduled call to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on Wednesday, October 29, has been cancelled due to Hurricane Melissa’s projected path near the island. The captain announced that no feasible alternate ports were available, so the ship will add an additional sea day to its 14-day itinerary.
Dream departed Galveston on October 18 for a 14-day Carnival Journeys cruise through the Caribbean. After visits to St. Maarten and St. Croix, the ship was set to continue to Ocho Rios before making its way back to Texas. With Jamaica now off the schedule, the rest of the voyage will consist of four straight sea days leading up to debarkation in Galveston on Saturday, November 1.

The National Hurricane Center in the U.S. issues updates to keep the public informed of the hurricane’s position and path.

You can see on the  thecruiseglobe.com  that Carnival Dream is travelling back to Galveston, Texas, avoiding the worst of the weather predicted for Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and Turks and Caicos Islands.

What This Means for Cruisers

Cruise passengers must expect port changes or extra sea days.

Cruise lines will prioritise safety over sticking to a scheduled itinerary.

Cruise lines will keep the passengers informed of any changes in the itinerary as things develop.

Passengers can also stay informed via official updates and live tracking of the hurricane.

When is the Caribbean hurricane season?

The official hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from 1 June to 30 November.

Hurricanes can occur as early as May. Warmer water temperatures make October the month when the most hurricanes form, with June the second most likely.

Northern Hemisphere

• Atlantic Ocean:
  • The official hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. This includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico.
  • Peak activity is between mid-August and mid-October.
• Northeast Pacific Ocean:
  • The season runs from May 15 to November 30. Storms in this basin form west of Mexico and Central America.
• Northwest Pacific Ocean (Typhoon Season):
  • This is the most active area, with storms occurring all year-round.
  • The worst storms are from July to November, affecting regions from the International Date Line to the coast of Asia.
• North Indian Ocean (Cyclone Season):
  • The season is from April to December, with peaks in May and November.

Southern Hemisphere

• Southwest Indian Ocean: 
  • The cyclone season runs from late October or early November to May.
• Australian/Southeast Indian Ocean: 
  • The cyclone season takes place from late October or early November to May.
• Australian/Southwest Pacific Ocean: 
  • The cyclone season runs from late October or early November to May. 

A storm is called a hurricane when it forms in the North Atlantic or Northeast Pacific, a typhoon in the Northwest Pacific, and a cyclone in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

These are all names for the same type of powerful weather phenomenon, the name just changes, based on location.

How Safe Is A Cruise Ship In A Storm?

All modern vessels are built to withstand extreme weather, but storms and hurricanes might mean passengers have a far rockier journey than they visualised!

Cruise ships have stabilisers to help counteract the ship’s movements and make the journey more comfortable for the passengers. Find out more about ship stabilisers here:

How Cruise Ship Stabilisers Actually Work (And Why They Are Important To Me!)

Will You Get Compensation?

There is no automatic right to compensation if your ship has to change or cut short your cruise because of bad weather.

It is in the cruise line’s terms and conditions that itineraries can change at short notice, and you agreed to that when booking.

Goodwill gestures may be offered, such as onboard credit or future cruise credit.

If your cruise travel insurance includes missed port cover, you can make a claim on that.

Any prepaid excursions arranged with the cruise line will be refunded in full, but if you have arranged private excursions, you will have to see if your travel insurance will cover the cost.

Before You Go

Find out about things you can claim for on your travel insurance that you might forget about here:

5 Things People Forget to Claim on Travel Insurance (That Could Be Worth $$$)

Find out about the “no smoking” cruise ship – and what happened to it here:

This Cruise Ship Banned Smoking Completely — But It Didn’t Last Very Long!