Cruising During Hurricane Season

What happens if there's a hurricane predicted at the time of my cruise?

Cruise lines try to avoid operating any ship in the vicinity of a tropical system and they monitor the progress of these storms very closely. If there is potential threat to any of their guests or ships, the itinerary may be altered to try to avoid any interaction with the storm or any affected areas.

Cruise lines will notify Travel Agencies and the public about any itinerary changes.  We will post updates on tropical storms in blog posts.   RSS links to NOAA advisories are also included in the left navigation pane and our Hurricane Zone tab.

As we saw during the various Flu outbreaks, Health and Safety is the prime concern for each cruise line. As always, my recommendation is for you to purchase travel insurance, so that you may obtain the necessary assistance should the need arise.

See where ships are relative to tropical storms

Interactive tracking map (real-time ship tracking)

BE PREPARED CHECKLIST

• Monitor hurricane warnings before cruise
• Activate cell phone international roaming if necessary
• Make sure cruise line and travel agent have current contact information
• Make sure airline has current contact information
• Setup flight notifications with airline if possible
• Share your itinerary with family and friends
• Review your travel insurance policy for potential coverages
• Call travel insurance provider to answer any questions about coverage
• Provide emergency contact information to cruise line, travel agent, and airline
• Keep passport, credit card, and necessary medication with you while in port
• If you have a balcony cabin, put all personal articles away
• Follow instructions given by ship's personnel

Enjoy your cruise vacation - rest assured that the cruise line will do everything to make your cruise enjoyable and safe. 

It may be necessary for the cruise line to deviate from original published itinerary - this is their right under the contract rules. You want them to do this so that you are safe. Don't be upset if port changes are made - just make the best of your cruise vacation. I always say that any day on a cruise is better than a day at home. 

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Related Blog Posts & Links

• NOAA: Below-normal Atlantic Hurricane Season is likely this year 
• NOAA: Predicts above-normal Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season 
• NOAA Predicts an above-normal Central Pacific hurricane season
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness - Taking Action
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness - Get a Plan
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness - Forecast Process
• NOAA 2015 Hurricane Season Predictions
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness - Inland Flooding
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness - High Winds
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness - Storm Surge
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness - Basics
• 2015 Hurricane Preparedness Week
• 2015 CSU Atlantic Hurricane Prediction

• Colorado State University 
• Climate Prediction Center (CPC) 
• NOAA/ National Weather Service 
• WMO Severe Weather Info Centre 
• National Hurricane Center (NHC) 
• NWS Regional Offices and Centers
• Hurricane Preparedness 
• Hurricane Safety Checklist 
• Travel With Protection Against Unexpected 
• Weather

Largest Ships Fastest Internet at Sea

Meeting the Challenges of Today's Wireless Use at Sea

Like it or not, we live in a connected society today and there is an increasing demand to stay connected everywhere you travel.   On land, you probably are noticing more and more locations providing free WiFi connectivity.   In fact, that has become a competitive advantage for many food chains.

Demand at Sea

Staying Connected via Social Media at Sea

Even before the recent outburst of wireless device use, there has always been a need to stay connected while on a cruise.  Cruise lines introduced internet cafes years ago to meed those needs.  As times changed, they added the ability to stay connected using your own wireless computer from select areas of the ship.  The demand increased and ship-wide internet access was born.

It isn't unusual for a passenger to have several wireless devices with them during their cruise vacation.   They are on Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media sites instantly sharing their vacation with family and friends back home.   When news breaks, you can be sure you'll find a video, shortly after the event, on YouTube.

Royal Caribbean & O3b Maritime

We first reported on this topic in our article, High Speed Internet at Sea Coming Soon, in June, 2012.  O3b Networks announced a milestone multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. to provide high-speed satellite-delivered broadband service aboard the world’s largest cruise ship. 

The plans are finally coming to fruition thanks to custom-built antennae which were shipped to Florida last month, and installed on Oasis of the Seas. Testing confirmed the ships' ability to match the fastest broadband connections on shore.

According to information provided by Royal Caribbean, the higher internet speeds will make it feasible for a guest to download streaming video or post video clips to Facebook.

By the time the new system becomes available on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein said guests can anticipate "several new, show-stopper uses of the bandwidth."

Goldstein continued, "If you're a first-time guest on one of these ships, you won't realize how much work it took to make the wireless so pervasive – or that your cell 'tower' is 4,900 miles over your head. If you are a return guest, you'll be blown away by the improvement. It's that dramatic."

This is exciting news !!!

For those that have used the internet on any ship, not only aboard the Royal Caribbean fleet, you can attest that it takes a lot longer to get a simple task, such as sending an email, done  and it is more expensive consequently.    

Royal Caribbean is developing new pricing plans for added service.     Obviously, someone will be paying for the system's implementation costs, which makes us a little concerned about the pricing.  We hope that this new speed isn't priced such that it isn't utilized.

According to Royal Caribbean, the new high speed internet connections will be available beginning August 2014.

High Speed Internet at Sea Coming Soon

    O3b Networks & Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas

Providing Ultra-Fast Internet Communications

If you've ever been on a cruise ship and purchased internet minutes, you'll appreciate this announcement.  Royal Caribbean International, long known for their innovations, including the largest ships afloat - Allure of the Seas and sister ship Oasis of the Seas - has announced a venture with O3b Networks of St. John, Jersey, Channel Islands that will make the internet lover smile.

Connectivity at Sea

This week, O3b Networks announced a milestone multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. to provide high-speed satellite-delivered broadband service aboard the world’s largest cruise ship. By summer 2013, more than 8,000 guests, staff and crew members aboard the cruise industry leader’s flagship Oasis of the Seas  will be the first to enjoy O3b’s enhanced connectivity at sea as if connected to fiber at home or in the office.

Steerable Beams Tracking your ship

• O3b’s satellite beams follow the ship on its normal route.
• O3b maintains the ship within the beam centre.
• O3b receives latitude/longitude updates on two hour intervals via in-band or out-of-band channel.
• Beam tracking updates in real time if the ship has to change course. 

Steve Collar, Chief Executive Officer, O3b Networks said:

  “With O3b Maritime, Oasis of the Seas will experience connection speeds that are an order of magnitude higher and latency that is four times lower than offered in the market today. At O3b, we believe that affordable, high speed broadband should always be within reach – wherever you are in the world, on land and at sea - and we are delighted to showcase the unrivalled performance of O3b Maritime together with Royal Caribbean.”

Pricing has not been announced at this time.  Currently internet pricing at sea starts around 65 cents per minute and can decrease if you purchase a package plan.   What would you pay to have high-speed access from your stateroom or public areas of the ship?

 

Where's My Ship Right Now

Have you ever wondered if there's a way to find out where a ship is located? There are many times when you might be curious about the location of a cruise ship or other vessel.  The most practical situation that comes to mind is when hearing about inclement weather or some other natural disaster.   Are there any ships in danger?


How vessel positions are recorded

The system is based on AIS (Automatic Identification System). Since December 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) requires all vessels over 299GT to carry an AIS transponder on board, which transmits their position, speed and course, among some other static information, such as vessel’s name, dimensions and voyage details.

The chart above is a live interactive map generated by MarineTraffic.com,  an academic, open, community-based project. It is dedicated to collecting and presenting data which are exploited in research areas such as simulation of vessel movements in order to contribute to the safety of navigation and to cope with critical incidents.

More about AIS

AIS is initially intended to help ships avoid collisions, as well as assisting port authorities to better control sea traffic. AIS transponders on board vessels include a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, which collects position and movement details. It includes also a VHF transmitter, which transmits periodically this information on two VHF channels (frequencies 161.975 MHz and 162.025 MHz – old VHF channels 87 & 88) and make this data available to the public domain. Other vessels or base stations are able to receive this information, process it using special software and display vessels locations on a chart plotter or on a computer.

 Some Ship Tracking Resources

 

 Live Ships Map - AIS - Vessel Traffic and Positions

 Cruise ships and ocean liners

  FleetMon - the first public Ship Wiki, your tool for live ...

  Shiptracking.eu - Real time ship traffic

 

 

 

 

 

Major Hurricane Earl Forces Cruise Itinerary Changes

5-Day Forecast Cone for Hurricane Earl (Credit: NOAA NHC)

Click for Current 5-Day Graphic

Weather Underground Current 5-Day Graphic (click)

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

 Major Hurricane Earl (Atlantic Basin)

Earl now a Category TWO Hurricane

UPDATE:  800 PM EDT THU SEP 02 2010

...HURRICANE EARL CONTINUES NORTHWARD...RAINBANDS MOVING ONTO THE
COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA...

Cruise Itinerary Changes:   (details below)

Carnival Cruise Line : 
All departures for the sailings of September 1, 2010 – September 6, 2010 are scheduled to operate as normal. 

Norwegian Cruise Line: 
At this time, we expect all ships embarking this weekend to sail their scheduled itineraries. 

Royal Caribbean International: (latest changes in bold)
Enchantment of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas, Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas

NHC issuing advisories on Hurricane EARL and TS FIONA

In the five days since this storm became a Tropical Storm, Earl has continued its path westward and continued to grow in strength.  It became a Category One Hurricane Sunday night August 29th, and quickly grew to a Category Two later that night.   On Monday, Earl continued to strengthen to a Category Four Hurricane, weakened to a Category Three but strengthened again.  While it is now a Category Two hurricane, it is still a powerful storm and will remain so for the near future.

Based on the current forecast, Earl will be passing east of the Bahamas and then heading for the Northeast coast of the United States by this weekend.

INTERESTS IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND SOUTHEASTERN CANADA SHOULD
MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF EARL.

As a service to our readers, we have RSS feeds from the NHC which can provide up to date information about these tropical storms.   We will also monitor the cruise lines for any itinerary changes as a result of the storms.

Current Watches & Warnings

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... 

* BOGUE INLET NORTH CAROLINA NORTHEASTWARD TO THE NORTH
CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER INCLUDING THE PAMLICO AND ALBEMARLE
SOUNDS
* WESTPORT MASSACHUSETTS EASTWARD AROUND CAPE COD TO HULL
MASSACHUSETTS INCLUDING MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKET ISLAND

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CAPE HENLOPEN
DELAWARE
* NOVA SCOTIA FROM MEDWAY HARBOUR TO DIGBY

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* CAPE FEAR NORTH CAROLINA TO WEST OF BOGUE INLET NORTH CAROLINA
* NORTH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO SANDY HOOK NEW
JERSEY...INCLUDING DELAWARE BAY SOUTH OF SLAUGHTER BEACH AND THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY SOUTH OF NEW POINT COMFORT
* THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND NEW YORK FROM FIRE ISLAND INLET EASTWARD
ON THE SOUTH SHORE AND PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR EASTWARD ON THE NORTH
SHORE
* NEW HAVEN CONNECTICUT TO WEST OF WESTPORT MASSACHUSETTS...
INCLUDING BLOCK ISLAND

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* NORTH OF HULL MASSACHUSETTS TO EASTPORT MAINE
* THE COAST OF LONG ISLAND WEST OF FIRE ISLAND INLET ON THE SOUTH
SHORE AND WEST OF PORT JEFFERSON HARBOR ON THE NORTH SHORE
* NOVA SCOTIA FROM ECUM SECUM TO MEDWAY HARBOUR AND FROM DIGBY TO
FORT LAWRENCE
* NEW BRUNSWICK FROM JUST WEST OF FORT LAWRENCE WESTWARD TO THE
U.S./CANADA BORDER

 

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.  A WATCH IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 48 HOURS
BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE
WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR
DANGEROUS.
 

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE
THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.

Discussion & Outlook
 

SUMMARY OF 800 PM EDT...0000 UTC...INFORMATION (02Sep)

LOCATION...33.0N 74.7W
ABOUT 160 MI...260 KM SSE OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
ABOUT 625 MI...1005 KM SSW OF NANTUCKET MASSACHUSETTS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH...165 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 010 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...948 MB...27.99 INCHES

ON THE FORECAST
TRACK...THE CENTER OF EARL WILL PASS NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA OUTER
BANKS TONIGHT...AND APPROACH SOUTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND FRIDAY NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 110 MPH...175 KM/HR
...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  EARL IS NOW A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.  ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS
EXPECTED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...BUT EARL IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A
LARGE AND STRONG HURRICANE AS IT PASSES NEAR THE OUTER BANKS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205
MILES...335 KM.  THE DIAMOND SHOALS BUOY...LOCATED ABOUT 20
MILES...30 KM...SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS...RECENTLY REPORTED A
WIND GUST TO 38 MPH...60 KM/HR. 

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A NOAA HURRICANE 
HUNTER AIRCRAFT WAS 948 MB...27.99 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

WINDS...TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE NORTH
CAROLINA COAST WITHIN THE WARNING AREA SOON.  EVEN IF THE CENTER OF
EARL REMAINS OFFSHORE...HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR
IN THE OUTER BANKS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT.  TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS
WILL LIKELY REACH THE COAST FROM VIRGINIA NORTHWARD TO
MASSACHUSETTS ON FRIDAY.  HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN
THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA IN MASSACHUSETTS FRIDAY NIGHT.

STORM SURGE...A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS
MUCH AS 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING
AREA OVER NORTH CAROLINA AND THE LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY. STORM SURGE
WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE GROUND
LEVEL WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA OVER MASSACHUSETTS.
ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA...STORM SURGE WILL
RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.
NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND
DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

RAINFALL...EARL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2
TO 4 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES...OVER
PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA...THE OUTER BANKS AND SOUTHEAST
NEW ENGLAND. ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FROM
EXTREME SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA NORTHWARD ALONG THE IMMEDIATE
MID-ATLANTIC COAST...AS WELL AS OVER DOWNEAST MAINE.

SURF...LARGE SWELLS FROM EARL WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE BAHAMAS
AND THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES THROUGH FRIDAY.  THESE
SWELLS WILL LIKELY CAUSE DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS AND RIP
CURRENTS.
 

 Cruise Line Advisories

Carnival Tropical Weather Update

September 2, 2010
We are closely monitoring Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona in the Atlantic.  Rest assured, all of our ships will continue to operate at a safe distance from the storms.
All departures for the sailings of September 1, 2010 – September 6, 2010 are scheduled to operate as normal. 
We will update this information on Carnival.com if any new information becomes available.  Most importantly, we look forward to welcoming our guests onboard this weekend.


August 29, 2010 – 12:30PM

We are closely monitoring the two tropical systems (Danielle and Earl) that have formed in the Atlantic.  Rest assured, all of our ships will continue to operate at a safe distance from the storms.

The Carnival Pride will change it's itinerary now visiting Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Freeport.  In addition, the Carnival Victory will change the sequence of ports and will cancel St. Maarten. 

All of Carnival’s other ships are operating the scheduled itineraries.

We will update this information on Carnival.com if any new information becomes available.  Most importantly, we look forward to welcoming our guests onboard this weekend.


Royal Caribbean Tropical Weather Update

September 01, 2010 5 PM E.S.T

Due to the forecasted path of Hurricane Earl, Royal Caribbean International is altering the current itineraries for Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas.

Due to the forecasted path of Hurricane Earl, Royal Caribbean International has altered the current itineraries for Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Freedom of the Seas.

Monarch of the Seas was unable to call on CocoCay, Bahamas Tuesday, August 31. The ship sailed directly to Nassau, Bahamas, where it will stay until midnight Wednesday, September 1. The ship will spend Thursday at sea as it returns to Port Canaveral on Friday, as scheduled. Monarch of the Seas is currently sailing a four-night itinerary, which departed Port Canaveral on August 30.

Majesty of the Seas extended its port call in Key West, Florida on Tuesday, August 31 until early Wednesday morning. It will spend the remainder of Wednesday at sea, and call into Nassau on Thursday, September 2. The ship will return to the Port of Miami on Friday, as scheduled. Majesty of the Seas is currently sailing a four-night itinerary, which departed the Port of Miami on August 30.

Enchantment of the Seas called on San Juan, Puerto Rico Sunday, as scheduled, but cancelled its call at St. Thomas on Monday in order to avoid inclement weather from the storm. Instead, the ship called on Samana, Dominican Republic on Monday, August 30 and Labadee, Haiti, on Tuesday, August 31. The ship will spend Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at sea as it returns to Baltimore on Saturday, as scheduled. Enchantment of the Seas is currently sailing a nine-night Caribbean itinerary, which departed Baltimore on August 26.

Oasis of the Seas was unable to make its scheduled port calls to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on Tuesday, August 31 and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten on Wednesday, September 1. The most recent forecast simply placed the storm too close to these ports of call during the time Oasis of the Seas would be sailing there. The ship will now call at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Oasis of the Seas is sailing a seven-night Caribbean itinerary, which departed Ft. Lauderdale on August 28.

Freedom of the Seas will be unable to make its scheduled port calls to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas on Wednesday, September 1 and Phillipsburg, St. Maarten on Thursday, September 2. The most recent forecast simply placed the storm too close to these ports of call during the time Freedom of the Seas would be sailing there. The ship called on CocoCay, Bahamas on Monday, as scheduled, spent Tuesday at sea, and called into George Town, Grand Cayman on Wednesday. On Thursday, the ship will visit Cozumel, Mexico. The ship will spend Friday and Saturday at sea as it returns to Port Canaveral, Florida on Sunday, as scheduled. Freedom of the Seas is currently sailing a seven-night Caribbean itinerary, which departed Port Canaveral on August 29.

No other Royal Caribbean International ship's itinerary is currently being affected by Hurricane Earl. Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will update this information if there are any additional itinerary alterations due to the storm's projected path.
Norwegian Cruise Line Weather Alert 

Updated September 2, 11:30 am

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona.

At this time, we expect all ships embarking this weekend to sail their scheduled itineraries.

We will continue to closely monitor the weather conditions and will update this information and notify our guests if there are any itinerary changes because of the storms’ projected paths.

Updated August 31, 2010 at 3 pm

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Earl and Tropical Storm Fiona.

Because of Hurricane Earl’s path which took it west of Bermuda, Norwegian Dawn is sailing its original itinerary. The ship is currently en route to Bermuda and will arrive on Wednesday morning as scheduled.

Because of the adverse weather, Norwegian Jewel did not stop at Great Stirrup Cay today and instead docked in Nassau a day early. The ship will stay in Nassau overnight. Depending on the path of Hurricane Earl, there is a possibility that the ship will need to leave Nassau early tomorrow morning.

We will continue to closely monitor the weather conditions and will update this information and notify our guests if there are any additional itinerary changes because of the storms’ projected paths.
We appreciate our guests understanding.

Updated August 29 at 9 am ET

At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the paths of both Hurricane Danielle and Tropical Storm Earl.

Because of the storms, we are modifying the following itineraries:

Norwegian Dawn will depart New York as scheduled today. We are continuing to monitor the storm and there is a possibility of an itinerary change depending on the storm’s path.

Norwegian Epic departed Miami yesterday as scheduled. The ship will call into Cozumel, Mexico and Roatan, Honduras in place of Phillipsburg, St. Maarten and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The ship’s call into Nassau on Friday has been extended.

Norwegian Spirit arrived in Bermuda this morning as originally scheduled.

Tropical Storm Resources (click links below)
Hurricane EARL	National Hurricane Center
Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook	National Weather Service
Atlantic Tropical Weather Discussion	Hurricane Preparedness
Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook (ATL)	Real-Time Hurricane Information
Active Storms	NOAA Satellites & Information
NASA: Latest Storm Images	WMO Severe Weather Information Centre
Real-time Monitoring (Atlantic)	The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Real-time Weather Sites	Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

Major Hurricane Danielle Near Bermuda

5-Day Forecast Cone for Hurricane Danielle (Credit: NOAA NHC)

Click for Current 5-Day Graphic

UPDATE: 500 AM AST MON AUG 30 2010

...DANIELLE WEAKENING AND QUICKLY LOSING TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS
OVER THE FAR NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN...  

500 PM AST SAT AUG 28 2010

...DANIELLE WEAKENING A LITTLE...EXPECTED TO PASS WELL EAST
OF BERMUDA LATER TONIGHT...
 

DANIELLE MAINTAINING CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE STRENGTH
Expected to Weaken Monday, August 30th

Norwegian Cruise Line modifies itineraries (see below) 

Carnival Cruise Line modifies Carnival Pride 

& Carnival Victory itineraries (see below)

Tropical Depression 6 formed in the Central Atlantic about a week ago and at that time was 600 miles west-southwest of Cape Verde Islands.  A couple days later it was a named Tropical Storm and then a Category One hurricane.    It has continued to strengthen and as a Category Four hurricane, it is approaching Bermuda's coastline.  This is a very powerful storm at the present time.   It appears that the storm might move away from Bermuda and weaken.

NHC issuing advisories on Hurricane DANIELLE, TS EARL and TS FRANK

As a service to our readers, we have RSS feeds from the NHC which can provide up to date information about these tropical storms.   We will also monitor the cruise lines for any itinerary changes as a result of the storms.

Current Watches & Warnings

Update 28Aug... AT 5 PM AST...THE BERMUDA WEATHER SERVICE HAS DISCONTINUED THE
TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR BERMUDA.

THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

Discussion & Outlook
 

SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...INFORMATION (30Aug)

LOCATION...40.4N 52.0W
ABOUT 440 MI...705 KM S OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75 MPH...120 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NE OR 40 DEGREES AT 17 MPH...28 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...984 MB...29.06 INCHES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH...120 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  DANIELLE IS STILL A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE...BUT ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS
FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  DANIELLE IS EXPECTED TO LOSE
ITS TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS LATER TODAY...AND BECOME A LARGE AND
POWERFUL EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE OVER THE COLD WATERS OF THE NORTH
ATLANTIC.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 310
MILES...500 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 984 MB...29.06 INCHES.

Bermuda Weather Forecast 

 

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

SURF...LARGE WAVES AND DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT BERMUDA
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.  SWELLS FROM DANIELLE WILL BEGIN TO ARRIVE
ON THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES LATER TODAY.  THESE SWELLS
ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

 

 Cruise Line Advisories

Carnival Tropical Weather Update

August 29, 2010 – 12:30PM

We are closely monitoring the two tropical systems (Danielle and Earl) that have formed in the Atlantic.  Rest assured, all of our ships will continue to operate at a safe distance from the storms.

The Carnival Pride will change it's itinerary now visiting Port Canaveral, Nassau, and Freeport.  In addition, the Carnival Victory will change the sequence of ports and will cancel St. Maarten. 

All of Carnival’s other ships are operating the scheduled itineraries.

We will update this information on Carnival.com if any new information becomes available.  Most importantly, we look forward to welcoming our guests onboard this weekend.




August 27, 2010 – 6PM

We are closely monitoring the two tropical systems (Danielle and Earl) that have formed in the Atlantic.  All of our ships are now operating a safe distance from the storms and performing the scheduled itineraries.  In addition, we are not anticipating any significant itinerary changes for our cruises departing from any of our Florida or East Coast home ports this weekend.

Royal Caribbean Tropical Weather Update

Due to Earl:  Oasis of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas are sailing modified itineraries at the present time
 (See our Hurricane Earl post for details)

August 23, 2010 4:00 p.m. E.S.T

At this time, Royal Caribbean International is closely monitoring the path and progress of Tropical Storm Danielle to ensure guests enjoy safe and comfortable cruises, and to make certain our ships steer clear of the storm. The safety of our guests and crew is always the foremost concern of Royal Caribbean International.

Given Tropical Storm Danielle's current location and projected path, Royal Caribbean has not altered the itineraries of any ships. Royal Caribbean will continue to closely monitor weather conditions and will update this information if there are any changes to the storms' projected path.

Norwegian Cruise Line Weather Alert 


Updated August 28 at 9 am ET
At Norwegian Cruise Line, the safety and security of our guests and crew is of the utmost importance. Therefore, the company is closely monitoring the paths of both Hurricane Danielle and Tropical Storm Earl.

Because of the storms, we are modifying the following itineraries:
Norwegian Spirit’s arrival time into Bermuda, currently scheduled for 11 am on Sunday, August 29, will be dependent on the speed and the path of the storm, and will most likely be delayed until Monday morning, August 30.

Norwegian Epic will depart Miami today as scheduled. The ship will call into Cozumel, Mexico and Roatan, Honduras in place of Phillipsburg, St. Maarten and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. The ship’s call into Nassau on Friday has been extended.

Norwegian Dawn will depart New York as scheduled on Sunday, August 29. We are continuing to monitor the storm and there is a possibility of an itinerary change depending on the storm’s path.

Guests on board the vessels will be kept up to date by the ship’s Captain. It is also important to note that we will continue to closely monitor the storm and if the path changes, we may need to modify these itineraries.
We appreciate our guests understanding. As soon as there is further information, we will update NCL.com and notify our guests.

Tropical Storm Resources (click links below)
Hurricane DANIELLE	National Hurricane Center
Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook	National Weather Service
Atlantic Tropical Weather Discussion	Hurricane Preparedness
Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook (ATL)	Real-Time Hurricane Information
Active Storms	NOAA Satellites & Information
NASA: Latest Storm Images	WMO Severe Weather Information Centre
Real-time Monitoring (Atlantic)	The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Real-time Weather Sites	Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

Tropical Storm Colin Heads Towards Bermuda

5-Day Forecast Cone for Tropical Storm Colin (Credit: NOAA NHC)

Click for Current 5-Day Graphic

UPDATE:  1100 AM AST SUN AUG 08 2010
...COLIN MOVING NEAR BERMUDA...WEAKENS TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION...

 1100 AM AST SAT AUG 07 2010
...COLIN HESITATES BUT EXPECTED TO RESUME A NORTHWARD MOTION LATER TODAY...

Tropical Storm Colin is now forecast to bring heavy rains and gusty winds to Bermuda before it heads into the north Atlantic this weekend.  The storm had become a remnant low on August 5th, but it has regained strength and now threatens Bermuda once again.   NASA's TRMM Satellite captured images of the storm at different stages of its development.  

NHC issuing advisories on TS COLIN and TS ESTELLE 

As a reminder,  Hurricane Season runs from June 1 - November 30.    Our blog has RSS feeds from the NHC which will bring you current advisories.   Our Weather tab (above) has additional links for monitoring tropical weather and other dangers which could impact your cruise vacation.

Current Watches & Warnings

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
Bermuda

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

BERMUDA WEATHER ADVISORY: 

TS Colin is a threat to Bermuda. Conditions will deteriorate today with wind and shower activity increasing. Tropical storm conditions are expected to develop later this this evening, and persist through early midday Sunday as Colin passes just west of the Island. Conditions gradually improve Sunday afternoon. Please check for updates regularly. 

Discussion  &  Outlook

SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...INFORMATION (08Aug)

LOCATION...32.0N 65.6W
ABOUT 50 MI...80 KM WSW OF BERMUDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...35 MPH...55 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 360 DEGREES AT 12 MPH...19 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1013 MB...29.91 INCHES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH...55 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48
HOURS.  HOWEVER...COLIN COULD DEGENERATE TO A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE
DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO.

Cruise Line Advisories

None at this time 

The following ships are in the area of the Tropical Storm: 
Norwegian Dawn, Holland America Veendam, Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas

We will monitor the storm and provide any Cruise Line Updates

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

WIND...TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS MAINLY IN GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER
BERMUDA TODAY.

STORM SURGE...COLIN IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE SOME COASTAL FLOODING
AND LARGE WAVES IN BERMUDA...PARTICULARLY ALONG SOUTH-FACING
BEACHES.

RAINFALL...COLIN IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS
OF 1 TO 3 INCHES IN BERMUDA.

Tropical Storm Resources (click links below)
Tropical Storm COLIN	National Hurricane Center
Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook	National Weather Service
Atlantic Tropical Weather Discussion	Hurricane Preparedness
Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook (ATL)	Real-Time Hurricane Information
Active Storms	NOAA Satellites & Information
NASA: Latest Storm Images	WMO Severe Weather Information Centre
Real-time Monitoring (Atlantic)	The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Real-time Weather Sites	Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

Tropical Storm Conson in NW Pacific

Tropical Storm CONSON Forecast Track (Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

Tropical storm Conson is now dissipating over Vietnam.   At one point in time, it was a powerful Typhoon which caused extensive damage and loss of life in the Philippines and China.  In the Philippines, at least 53 people were dead and at least 38 were missing. 

More than half of the main northern island of Luzon, which includes Manila, was without electricity, and authorities said it would take two to three days to restore power. Several dozen flights were canceled, and schools and many government offices closed. High winds felled trees and floods were knee-deep floods in some communities in the capital.  Heavy rains, unrelated to the typhoon, have also wreaked havoc in China and Japan.  More than 100 people are dead from flooding in China.

The typhoon hit northern Vietnam and caused torrential rains on Saturday afternoon and evening, initial reports said. Strong winds from the typhoon swept out Hai Phong, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh in the afternoon, while Ha Tinh and Quang Binh saw downpours, up to 180 millimeters.

A tropical storm in the West Pacific, when it intensifies, becomes a Typhoon. A typhoon is a tropical storm with sustained winds in excess of 119 km/h or approximately 74 mph. If the same storm were in the Atlantic, it would be called a hurricane.

Current Advisory from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC):

171500Z POSITION NEAR 21.1N 106.4E.
TROPICAL STORM 03W (CONSON), LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 50 NM EAST-
SOUTHEAST OF HANOI, VIETNAM, HAS TRACKED NORTHWESTWARD AT 10 
KNOTS OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS. MAXIMUM SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHT
AT 171200Z IS 19 FEET.

The forecast indicates that the storm should dissipate over the next 24 hours.

Tropical Storm Resources (click links below)
Tropical Storm CONSON Forecast/Advisory	National Hurricane Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)	National Weather Service
Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo - Typhoon Centre	Hurricane Preparedness
Hong Kong Observatory (Tropical Cyclone Track)	Real-Time Hurricane Information
Tropical Cyclone Forecast Track	NOAA Satellites & Information
NASA: Latest Storm Images	WMO Severe Weather Information Centre
Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS)	The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Real-time Weather Sites	Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

Continue to monitor this blog for tropical weather reports throughout the year.

First Tropical Storm Forms in Atlantic

5-Day Forecast Cone for Tropical Storm Alex (Credit: NOAA NHC)

Click for Current 5-Day Graphic

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

1000 AM CDT WED JUN 30 2010

...ALEX HAS NOT STRENGTHENED YET...BUT FORECAST TO DO SO TODAY... 

Alex is now Category 1 Hurricane

The first Tropical Depression of the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season became the first named Tropical Storm and is forecast to become the first Hurricane most likely before the end of Tuesday, June 29th.

NASA Data Sees Alex's Core Aligned, Growing Toward Hurricane Strength

An additional concern with this Tropical Storm is that it might hamper cleanup efforts of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse   Deepwater Horizon / BP Oil Spill Press Releases

Credit GOES-13 NASA (more info)

When we began tracking Alex, there were three active storms.  The two storms in the East Pacific, Hurricane Celia and Hurricane Darby became TS Celia and TS Darby and are no longer threats.  

For complete up to the minute information on this developing storm, click on the RSS feeds in the left navigation pane of this blog.   We will provide updates periodically as conditions warrant. NHC issuing advisories on TS ALEX

Current Watches & Warnings

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* THE COAST OF TEXAS SOUTH OF BAFFIN BAY TO THE MOUTH OF THE RIO
GRANDE
* THE COAST OF MEXICO FROM THE MOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE TO LA CRUZ

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN IN EFFECT FOR...
* THE COAST OF TEXAS FROM BAFFIN BAY TO PORT OCONNOR

* THE COAST OF MEXICO SOUTH OF LA CRUZ TO CABO ROJO
 

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. A WARNING IS TYPICALLY ISSUED
36 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF
TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE
PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS 
ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

ADDITIONAL WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED 

Local Weather

Belize:  (Weather Underground)    Honduras: (Weather Underground)   
Mexico: (Maps of Mexico)           Texas: (NWS Austin)

Discussion & Outlook

SUMMARY OF 1000 AM CDT...1500 UTC...INFORMATION (30 JUN)

LOCATION...23.8N 95.5W
ABOUT 145 MI...235 KM E OF LA PESCA MEXICO
ABOUT 190 MI...310 KM SE OF BROWNSVILLE TEXAS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...80 MPH...130 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 320 DEGREES AT 7 MPH...11 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...961 MB...28.38 INCHES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 80 MPH...130 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  ALEX IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
HURRICANE WIND SCALE BUT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A CATEGORY TWO
HURRICANE PRIOR TO LANDFALL. A GRADUAL WEAKENING SHOULD BEGIN AFTER
THE CENTER CROSSES THE COASTLINE.

ALEX IS A LARGE CYCLONE AND THE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD
UP TO 60 MILES...95 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE
WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM PRIMARILY TO THE
NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

RAINFALL...ALEX IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS
OF 6 TO 12 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEASTERN MEXICO AND SOUTHERN
TEXAS...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 20 INCHES.  THESE RAINS
COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES...
ESPECIALLY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.  RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH ALEX
ARE SPREADING ONSHORE IN NORTHEASTERN MEXICO AND SOUTHERN TEXAS.

WIND...HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE COAST WITHIN
THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA TONIGHT. HOWEVER...TROPICAL STORM WINDS
SHOULD BEGIN SOON...MAKING OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR
DANGEROUS.

STORM SURGE...A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY
AS MUCH AS 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST
TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.  THE SURGE COULD
PENETRATE INLAND AS FAR AS SEVERAL MILES FROM THE SHORE WITH DEPTH
GENERALLY DECREASING AS THE WATER MOVES INLAND.  NEAR THE COAST...
THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

TORNADOES...ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF EXTREME
SOUTHERN TEXAS TODAY AND TONIGHT.

There are no cruise ships in the immediate vicinity of Alex

Carnival Legend departed Sunday on a 7-night Western Caribbean that includes Honduras and Belize.  Based on the itinerary and the storms predicted path, there shouldn't be any changes to that cruise, but we will monitor this developing storm.

As always, Carnival Cruise Line will monitor the storm and make any necessary adjustments in schedules to protect ships, passengers, and crew.    No advisories are issued at this time.  The following link would have any updates:  Carnival Travel Advisory

Tropical Storm Resources (click links below)
Tropical Storm ALEX	National Hurricane Center
Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook	National Weather Service
Atlantic Tropical Weather Discussion	Hurricane Preparedness
Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook (ATL)	Real-Time Hurricane Information
Active Storms	NOAA Satellites & Information
NASA: Latest Storm Images	WMO Severe Weather Information Centre
Real-time Monitoring (Atlantic)	The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Real-time Weather Sites	Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

Historical Updates:

700 PM CDT TUE JUN 29 2010

...ALEX NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH...HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE APPROACHING

THE CENTER...

700 AM CDT TUE JUN 29 2010

...HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS ALEX MOVING FASTER TOWARD THE
NORTH-NORTHWEST...

1000 AM CDT SUN JUN 27 2010
...ALEX WEAKENS TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION...EXPECTED TO RESTRENGTHEN
OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO... 

1000 PM CDT SAT JUN 26 2010...ALEX MOVING INLAND OVER BELIZE...
 

400 PM CDT SAT JUN 26 2010
...AIR FORCE PLANE FINDS A STRONGER ALEX...WEATHER DETERIORATING
FAST IN BELIZE AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA...

700 AM CDT SAT JUN 26 2010
...ALEX HEADING TOWARD BELIZE AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA...
(26 JUN) Tropical Depression ONE  has formed into the first named storm of the Atlantic 2010 Hurricane Season. We began watching this storm last night and it has become Tropical Storm Alex overnight.  It is currently 320  miles east of Belize.  On the current track, the storm is expected to reach the Yucatan Peninsula later today.