7 Steps to Keep Bad Weather From Ruining Your Cruise

You can’t control the weather on your vacation, but you can make sure the rain doesn’t completely spoil your fun. Be sure to take the following steps the second you feel raindrops on the beach or the ship starts rocking from high waves:

1. Don’t Panic

If you’re new to cruising, you don’t need to be worried about your safety. Cruise ships can handle rough, stormy waters, and they’re usually fast enough to avoid severe weather altogether.

2. Take immediate steps to prevent seasickness

The bad weather will likely keep you indoors, but ensure it doesn’t confine you to your cabin. Cruising through rough waters can test even the strongest of stomachs, even if you're not usually prone to seasickness. Effective solutions to seasickness include acupressure wristbands, antihistamines, Dramamine, and the Transderm scop. If you didn’t bring any with you, the ship’s store will have some in stock, and the infirmary or purser’s desk will usually have Dramamine for free. Once you start feeling the symptoms, it might be too late, so don’t delay!

3. Pay attention to announcements and stay informed

Any port changes or itinerary updates will be announced over the ship’s intercom or via a letter delivered to your stateroom, so pay attention.

4. Be prepared to miss a port

Your cruise may not be canceled, but that doesn’t mean it will not be affected. Ports that require tendering (small boats that shuttle cruisers between the ship and the shore) like Grand Cayman, Belize City, and most of the cruise line’s private islands often have to be skipped because high winds make the process unsafe.

Do I get a refund for missed ports? You might get a (very) small reimbursement, but don’t expect anything substantial. You’ll almost always be refunded for port fees, but that usually amounts to only $10 or $15 pp.

5. Figure out your excursions

Even if your port is not skipped, certain excursions may be canceled anyway. Active, outdoor excursions are the first to go, but you can always replace your zipline or helicopter tours with museums, shopping trips, or bus tours. Excursions booked through the cruise line will be refunded automatically, while private operators will usually issue a refund if your ship never docked… but you may need to contact them to request it.

6. Find something to do on board

You can expect outdoor activities like pool games, rock climbing walls, and zip lines to be shut down for safety reasons, so start looking for alternatives as soon as possible. Spending an afternoon at the gym or the spa is a good start, but you’ll have plenty of options depending on your ship. Your best bets are craft, dance, or mixology classes, game shows, karaoke, movies in the theater, trivia, and bingo. The staff will often step up the ship’s indoor recreation and activities programming since everyone will be forced inside, so pay attention to announcements.

7. Do what you can to get into the evening entertainment or a specialty restaurant

This will likely be everyone’s plan, so if you don’t already have reservations for a specialty restaurant or a show, make some immediately.