Not all that glitters is gold – how appropriate for the season of the golden sun and glittering Caribbean water. Summer is one of the busiest and most popular seasons for cruising. School is out of session, work has become more relaxed, and temperatures in the Caribbean are reaching high into the sky. Naturally, in addition to great rates, these factors create for an optimal time for cruising. This season doesn’t come without its baggage though.
Rates & Promotions
Cruise lines understand the summer is a popular season for cruisers, especially for families and young adults. Cruise lines typically tend to capitalize on this boom in business by offering low prices, onboard credit, free room upgrades, and a myriad of other promotions. These rates, when compared to other major cruising seasons, such as Christmas and Easter, are a steal and cruisers almost always capitalize on the opportunity. For cruisers who choose to wait and book weeks or days before a sailing, they can walk away with some of the lowest rates offered throughout the year. This season, though, carries another factor contributing to lower than usual pricing: the threat of disruptive weather.
Depressions and Storms and Hurricanes, Oh My!
The summer season, the peak of hurricane season, poses a threat to ships mainly sailing throughout the Caribbean, Bermuda, Hawaii, and the Mexican Riviera. While many ships typically aren’t affected by an active storm, a hurricane moving through the eastern Caribbean can cause for major disruptions to ships planning on calling in ports such as San Juan, Grand Turk, or Nassau. The looming possibilities of poor weather and itinerary deviations is one of the primary factors for reduced pricing throughout the summer.
Typically, booking your sailing early in the summer can help you avoid the possibility of running into weather issues. The months of August and September, based on historical data, will see the greatest likelihood of developing storms that could affect your ship. Prices seem to usually be lower at the very beginning of June, allowing cruisers to keep their peace of mind from storms and feel the satisfaction of obtaining a great price. While we certainly don’t suggest avoiding cruising later in summer, we do suggest that you take the possibility of disruptive weather into consideration when booking your sailing. For those who may still worry, travel insurance, an increasingly popular add on to many bookings, typically offers protection in the event of deviations or cancellations due to adverse weather.
Don’t You Worry, Don’t You Worry
While the threat of itinerary altering storms typically drives rates down throughout the summer, these threats shouldn’t drive down your plans for sailing this summer. The threat of disruption is simply a threat. Luckily, last year saw only a few minor alterations in itineraries due to a very low number of storms. Last year’s Atlantic hurricane season only saw 2 hurricanes, both of which leveled off at category 1. Due to this, many sailings offered beautiful weather, calm seas, and most importantly great pricing. With a summer season predicted to be quiet in the Atlantic basin, many cruisers should expect to enjoy another summer of warm weather, exciting ports of call, and affordable prices on a variety of sailings.
