If you plan on sailing during hurricane season, we recommend being prepared for complications to arise during your Disney vacation.

We’ve seen hurricanes impact things in Disney World before, and they’ve even been so bad that the parks have needed to shut down for a day or two. While the Disney theme parks are super prepared for these kinds of events, they deal with a different kind of storm than what vacationers out at sea experience. Whether you’re sailing with the Disney Cruise Line — or any cruise line — during hurricane season, it’s important to understand how your cruise might be impacted.

Cruising During Hurricane Season

You might think it’s unsafe to cruise during hurricane season, but that’s not necessarily true. Hurricanes are very well tracked and researched, so they don’t just pop up out of the blue while you’re on a cruise. Meteorologists know about them well in advance and can usually predict the general path of a storm.

In fact, it’s pretty simple for cruise ships to avoid a hurricane — since they know where they’re going to be. They can reroute the ship to go around the storm or even wait a few days for the storm to pass.

In fact, you might even notice that rates are lower for cruises during the peak of hurricane season (around mid-August to mid-October). This is probably partially due to summer vacation being mostly over, and fewer people could also be choosing to cruise during this time due to the potential of hurricanes.

Cruising during hurricane season is generally safe because your captains aren’t just going to sail you right into the eye of the storm. Additionally, ships are equipped with technology and information that allow them to take any actions they need to in order to avoid a hurricane.

Will Your Cruise Get Canceled?

It’s very rare for a cruise to be canceled due to a hurricane. Cruise lines can simply change the itinerary, route, or departure port in order to avoid a storm instead of canceling altogether. They can also delay your trip so that it won’t be impacted by the hurricane in question. While this isn’t ideal, at least you won’t have to worry about safety issues.

So, while your trip might not be canceled, it can definitely be changed. You might have to travel to a different port or leave a few days later. If this does happen, you will want to look at the cancellation or rescheduling policies for your airline, hotel, rental car, or any other plan you have that isn’t covered by the cruise line.

However, in rare situations, cruises can be canceled. In this situation, cruises — like the Disney Cruise Line — will usually offer guests a full refund and sometimes even offer a discount on their next cruise.

For expenses not included in your cruise vacation package, travel insurance could come in handy.

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Cancelation Policies

If the Disney Cruise Line cancels your cruise or delays your cruise for more than three calendar days (and you do not accept an alternative cruise or choose not to travel on a delayed cruise), you can request a refund or a cruise credit by emailing Disney Cruise Line at [email protected].

These requests must be made within 90 days of the original scheduled sail date and must include a copy of the cruise confirmation, proof of payment, and cancellation or delay notice.

If YOU decide to cancel your cruise because you’re worried about a hurricane (meaning you do this before anything has actually changed with the cruise), the normal cancellation policies for that cruise line should apply.

You can cancel your reservation online by signing into your account and going to My Reservations, then selecting “Modify Reservation.” From there, you can change your sail date, edit your travel party, modify your stateroom, or cancel your reservation.

Cancellation fees can apply in certain situations. If you have already paid for your cruise in full, booked it with a Future Cruise Credit, or booked it under a restricted rate or concierge category, it’s recommended that you call the Disney Cruise Line Contact Center at (800) 951-3532 for assistance.

If you booked your cruise through a travel agency, contact your travel agent. And, if you’ve booked it through Disney Vacation Club, contact Member Services at (800) 800-9800 to make modifications.

Here’s a closer look at the cancellation policy:

So, there you have it! That’s what you need to know about cruising during hurricane season. We’d suggest keeping an eye on the weather around the area where you’ll be cruising before your cruise, just to stay in the loop. And remember, your cruise itinerary can be changed, or the dates could be delayed, so keep that in mind when you’re booking during hurricane season.

Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney Cruise Line news, info, and updates.

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Have you ever had your Disney cruise canceled? Tell us about it in the comments.