Hurricanes and cruises

I wonder how Hurricane Dennis is going to affect the cruise industry. With two more storms out there following the same track, people are going to start re-thinking their cruise plans. That might leave ships with empty cabins and drive prices down for last-minute cruisers like us. If a ship is about to sail with empty space, the price can drop to well under $100 a day per person, but you have to be ready to jump on it.

Ships sailing from ports such as Tampa, Mobile, and New Orleans will be the most affected because a big hurricane can cover most of the Gulf of Mexico. They can easily block the path in and out of Gulf. On the East Coast of Florida, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami would have a little more room to maneuver, but itineraries would be likely to change.

You can take a little comfort in the fact that a cruise ship can easily outrun a hurricane in the lower latitudes. But sailing in the Caribbean can get a little rough if you share it with a big storm.

With all of this said, if you are any kind of gambler, go ahead and book that cruise. The odds are better than you get in the ship's casino.
Howard