You might think about avoiding booking a cruise during hurricane season, but the lower prices and demand might have you reconsidering.

Going on a cruise during hurricane season can often be a topic of debate. The lower fares mean that you might be able to take your dream vacation for less; however, you risk your voyage being impacted by unfavorable weather. So, is going on a cruise during hurricane season a good idea?

In the past, storms have caused some itineraries to be modified or canceled altogether. That being said, the majority of cruises are able to successfully depart without any issues. 

Here is everything you need to know about taking a cruise during hurricane season and predictions for the 2024 season. 

When is hurricane season? 

The Atlantic hurricane season, which includes the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, runs from June 1 through November 30, but the season's peak is primarily between August and October.

And while tropical storms are notoriously unpredictable, there are usually around a dozen or so storms in a given year, with some being stronger and weaker than others. 

The Pacific's season is a little bit different, beginning on May 15 and ending on November 30. 

According to the National Hurricane Center, an average Atlantic hurricane season will produce 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. 

A major hurricane is defined as a Category 3, 4, or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, meaning that the cyclone reaches a maximum sustained winds of 111 mph (96 knots) or higher. 

"Very active" hurricane season prediction for 2024

On Thursday, April 4 the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project released their first forecasts for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. 

They predict that this season will be "very active" with a total of 23 named storms, 5 of which are projected to be major hurricanes. 

The project team also expects 115 storm days, compared to the average of 69.4 days from 1991-2020.  

Colorado State University predicts that the probability of at least one major hurricane making landfall along the entire United States coastline is 62% during the 2024 Atlantic hurricane system, increasing from the 43% average from 1880 to 2020. 

The increase in activity is due to hurricane-favorite conditions, such as the transition from El Niño to La Nińa and the record-warn sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic. 

Related: Safe at sea: what it’s like on a cruise ship when there’s a hurricane

Will a hurricane affect my cruise?

Royal Caribbean's top priority is the safety of the guests, crew, and ship, and they will never send a ship near a hurricane. To that point, if a storm is predicted to go anywhere near where a ship is scheduled to be, Royal Caribbean will be the first to cancel scheduled port stops or even completely change the itinerary.

While the odds of a storm affecting your cruise are low, you should be mentally prepared for that to occur; cruising during hurricane season means having a certain level of flexibility with your plans. 

If you are scheduled to visit the Eastern Caribbean but a storm arises, Royal Caribbean may drop a port of call or completely switch your itinerary, turning your Eastern cruise into a Western Caribbean one. 

On rare occasions, Royal Caribbean will cancel a cruise if a storm is projected to impact an area where the ship is scheduled to embark and/or disembark. 

Canceling a cruise, though, is usually the last option for Royal Caribbean, and they are more likely to keep a ship out at sea for an extra day or two, and subsequently shorten the next sailing, than outright cancel any given sailing.

If you decide not to go on the cruise at the last minute, you will not receive any compensation from the cruise line. Unless it is flat-out canceled by Royal Caribbean, the ship is still going to depart, and they will deliver a cruise vacation to all passengers, regardless of whether or not the itinerary stays the same. 

Do cruise lines provide any compensation if a sailing is impacted by a storm?

As mentioned, Royal Caribbean will do everything that they can to guarantee a safe voyage, even if it means that the port order is swapped or changed altogether. So long as the embarkation port is not closed, your cruise will almost certainly sail. 

Per the cruise contract that you agreed to when you booked the cruise, no compensation is required to be given if your itinerary changes. That means that if your cruise changes from an Eastern Caribbean cruise to a Western one, you will not be compensated for the change. 

If, however, they have to make the difficult decision to completely cancel the cruise, you will be issued a full refund. It must be Royal Caribbean's decision, though. If you elect not to sail at the last minute, you will lose the money that you paid for the vacation. 

Lower prices

Cruise fares tend to drop significantly in the fall. Not only is this due to the fact that the peak travel season has ended, but it is also to account for the uncertainty that arises when cruising during hurricane season. 

A 4-night Eastern Caribbean cruise onboard Independence of the Seas, for instance, starts at $559 per person for an interior room during July 2024. The same itinerary drops to $300 per person in September. 

In the days leading up to the cruise, you will inevitably keep a closer eye on the news to see if there are any storm developments, which may lead to some pre-cruise anxiety. In the summer, it is unlikely that you will have these worries, even though June and July still technically fall within hurricane season. 

Related: What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?

Make sure that you buy travel insurance

Purchasing travel insurance is recommended regardless of when your cruise is; however, it is a no-brainer when it comes to cruising during hurricane season. 

Whether you get travel insurance from Royal Caribbean when booking or from a third-party provider, you will want to ensure the policy covers disruption in case of weather-related events.

You may also want to consider a "Cancel For Any Reason" policy, as most travel insurance policies only kick in if your vacation is interrupted -- think if Royal Caribbean cancels the cruise or an airline cancels your flight. A hurricane forming in the Atlantic and your fear of going is not grounds for travel insurance to kick in.  

If you want the flexibility to cancel your trip before Royal Caribbean does, you will need a policy that includes Cancel For Any Reason. Note, though, that these policies tend to be more expensive! 

Finally, make sure that you purchase the travel insurance as soon as possible, as to file any claims under a travel insurance policy, you have to have bought the policy before the storm was formed and named. If you purchase the policy afterward, you will not be entitled to any compensation. 

Related: Should you buy annual travel insurance plans?

Importance of flying in before the cruise

You should always fly in at least one day prior to your ship's departure. During hurricane season, however, you may opt to fly in even earlier, just to make sure that you are in the vicinity of the ship if there happen to be any disruptions to air traffic due to a storm. 

Even if, for instance, you are flying from the Midwest to Florida, a hurricane in the Western Caribbean can impact flight schedules across the United States. If you wait until the day of, you may find yourself missing the ship! 

Read more: The costly cruising mistake newbies make planning their first cruise

Come prepared with medication to curb any motion sickness symptoms 

Cruise ships will do their best to avoid the path of a hurricane and chart a course with optimal sea conditions. Plus, modern cruise ships are built with stabilizer fins that help counteract the ocean’s movement, so there is less movement felt. 

That being said, you never know when you will hit a rough patch, whether you are sailing during a hurricane or not! 

When packing for your cruise, make sure that you buy some motion sickness medication, like Bonine or Dramamine. While medication will be available on the ship, having it on hand is best. 

Related: How to avoid getting seasick on a cruise

Hurricane season isn't over yet, and the proof of that is in the late-season subtropical storm Nicole.

While not a hurricane yet (and possibly never a true hurricane), Royal Caribbean has begun re-routing a number of ships to avoid the path of the storm.  

Guests with sailings this week have been notified on a series of changes.

"We're very sorry for the last-minute change caused by the weather. The decision to modify our itinerary is not one taken lightly, and we explored all options before taking this measure," a letter distributed to guests on Liberty of the Seas said.

"However, as always, your safety comes first."

"Please know, being onboard a ship is one of the safest places to be because we are faster and can move out of the way of any inclement weather.

Read more: Safe at sea: what it’s like on a cruise ship when there’s a hurricane

Here are the changes due to Subtropical storm Nicole so far:

Liberty of the Seas will change her 4-night Bahamas cruise to skip all scheduled ports and instead sail to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

Freedom of the Seas will change from a 4-night Bahamas cruise to head to Falmouth, Jamaica instead.

Anthem of the Seas is altering her 7-night Bahamas itinerary to instead visit Labadee for two days in a row.

Independence of the Seas will still be able to visit Nassau as scheduled, but will drop a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The November 7 sailing of Independence of the Seas will be extended by one day and will now return on November 12. As a result, the November 11 sailing of Independence of the Seas will be shortened by a day and begin on November 12.

Enchantment of the Seas is on an 8-night Southeast Coast and Perfect Day Cruise.  She was already able to visit Charleston and Port Canaveral, but will drop Nassau and CocoCay and head back north.

Read more: What to know about cruising during hurricane season in the Caribbean

Necessary changes

Altering the planned itinerary for cruise ships due to a tropical storm is no simple task, and a large part of the planning process falls to Royal Caribbean's in-house meteorologist.

James Van Fleet shared a video update on Monday explaining the nuances of predicting a hurricane's track, which is necessary to know where to send Royal Caribbean's fleet to avoid the path.

"This is a very odd track, friends. It looks super weird, but it all makes sense to me meteorologically how this plays out."

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Mr. Van Fleet explained that the storm's track is the result of various fronts the storm will encounter, including a cold front that is going to, "punch it right in the face, knock it back to the south west."

"That's why such a weird track over the Bahamas, down over Florida, and then finally going north. It's because that first front literally pushes it back to the southwest. It hangs out for about 12 hours or so, and then a next front comes and grabs it as we get into Thursday and Friday and will yank it up the East Coast as we head into Saturday, Sunday and Monday."

Mr. Van Fleet sees swells between North Carolina, the Bahamas, and the east coast of Florida.

"I think the worst part of that will be on Wednesday in the middle of the week. And that's when much of the fleet is out in ports and away from Florida."

How bad seas? Mr. Van Fleet is expecting ocean swells between 21-28 feet (7 or 8 meters).

Where is Subtropical storm Nicole headed?

According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm is located about 495 miles east of the northwestern Bahamas.

Nicole has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1002 mb.

According to the National Hurricane Center, a subtropical storm is a cyclone where maximum sustained surface wind speed is 39 mph or more.

Meteorologists expect Nicole will gradually strengthen over the next few days and be near or at hurricane intensity by Wednesday as it approaches Florida.

Going on a cruise ship during hurricane season means there's a chance a storm could impact your vacation, and when it does, there's all sorts of possibilities.

Sailing on Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas this week, I found myself unexpectedly dodging Hurricane Ian as our ship got out of Florida right before the storm was projected to hit, and safely away during the worst of the impact.

Being on a cruise ship while there's a hurricane active near home brings an assortment of emotions, and it can lead to all kinds of scenarios you never imagined when you booked the cruise, or even in the weeks leading up to the sailing.

What's it like to be on a cruise during a hurricane, and what sort of issues could you face if a storm ends up in the way of your ship?

A lot of unknowns

First and foremost, you can expect more questions than answers in the days before a cruise when there's a hurricane.

Once forecasters saw a hurricane was going to form, they produced an early track that seemed to put the storm in the way of our cruise.

We were booked on a 6-night Western Caribbean cruise out of Fort Lauderdale, and the storm would be blocking our way in one way or another.

As anyone that deals with hurricanes a lot will tell you, the forecasts for tropical storms are quite variable and prone to changes that greatly benefit or penalize your situation. One day it might look like your ship will be clear of any issues, and the next, it looks like you're stuck.

Unfortunately, no one knows the answers of what exactly will happen when you're many days before the storm is set to hit.  Beyond a 48 or 72 hour window, tropical storm predictions can vary considerably with many possibilities.  With Hurricane Ian, the models were rarely in agreement, and most of the time there were wide arcs of possibilities.  This leaves vacationers unsure what to do.

In the final few days before the cruise, my wife and I had a few moments of trying to decide if our vacation was still on:

• Could we safely make it to our embarkation port? 
• Where would our ship go?
• Would we be better off staying home to manage our house and mitigate damage?
• Would getting home be impacted?

In our case, when we drove down to Fort Lauderdale from Orlando, the storm was only predicted to be a category 2 and headed for the Florida Panhandle. As it turned out, it would be a category 4 and hit around Fort Myers.

Essentially, you can't expect every question you might have to be answered and you may have a sense of "que sera sera" as it pertains to going on the cruise. We made our decision to cruise based on the best information we had at the time we were to depart, and would trust in the cruise line to provide information and changes as needed.

You could have a different itinerary

The most common scenario when there is a hurricane is for the cruise line to change your itinerary to avoid the storm.

In our case, Allure of the Seas dropped a visit to Roatan so we could instead sail the long way around Cuba and circumnavigate the island as a way of avoiding Hurricane Ian, while still making out way south.

Allure ended up safely behind Hurricane Ian, slowly moving west as the storm cleared out of the Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico.

While skipping Roatan is not ideal, it's something you have to assume could happen with any cruise on any sailing. Itinerary changes are not uncommon, regardless of if it's hurricane season or not.

There were definitely some guests upset we would not be able to visit Roatan, and that's to be expected because no one wants to be disappointed.  In speaking with crew members, a few shared anecdotally some guests actually question why the ship doesn't simply sail into the storm to make the scheduled port on time.

Liberty of the Seas had a few itinerary changes.  At first, they were flip-flopping her schedule to bypass Mexico and go to Grand Cayman.  When Grand Cayman closed, they switched it up again and moved her to Mexico.

Don't expect your cruise to be cancelled

First time cruisers will often post on Facebook to ask if their cruise will be cancelled, and it's clear that it's very unlikely a cruise will be totally cancelled.

Sailings can be extended or shortened, but Royal Caribbean very rarely cancels an entire sailing.

That isn't to say they've never done it, but time and time again, we see ships getting re-routed and extended instead.

Mariner of the Seas went from a 5-night cruise to a 7-night cruise.  Independence of the Seas also got an additional day.  In both cases, the issue was Port Canaveral closed and that prevented the ship from getting back into port.

If your cruise is extended or shortened, expect extra onboard credit and any unlimited packages purchased to be honored for the extra days. This includes drink packages, dining packages, internet plans and more.

What it's like if your cruise is extended because of a hurricane?

While my cruise only had a change in itinerary, other cruise ships had to remain out at sea longer because of the closure in Port Canaveral.

Jodi Grundig is a writer for our sister site Cruise.Blog (and she has her own blog at Family Travel Magazine) was on the Disney Wish when the sailing had to be extended by a couple days.  It was supposed to be a 4-night cruise, but at the time of writing will end up being 6-nights.

"There were cheers onboard, so most people seemed to be pretty excited for two extra day," she said of the reaction after the cruise was to be extended. "A few people were upset because of commitments at home."

For Ms. Grundig, safety was the most important thing, "It wasn't unexpected so I was just glad to be safe after the initial panic of moving my flight, which was fairly easy."

As you might imagine, having a cruise extended means logistical changes to get home.  While some people can simply drive home, a lot of passengers fly back.

"They offered phones for people who needed to make calls and they provided free internet for people to make changes to flights/arrangements."

"I was luckily able to switch my Friday flight to Sunday. Because it's over a weekend, I won't really miss anything at home thankfully."

How bad are the sea conditions when there's a hurricane?

While I think most people understand cruise ships don't sail into hurricanes, the most common question I've received during my cruise is something along the lines of, "how bad are the waves?".

Not only do cruise ships avoid the path of a hurricane, they will chart a course with the optimal sea conditions to avoid the worst of any rough seas.

Hurricane or not, there can be "motion in the ocean", so no cruise is immune from waves. However, the reality is the cruise has been quite smooth sailing in terms of wave height.

When a ship changes itinerary, they have the opportunity to sail waters far away from the storm.  In addition, ships can sail closer to land to find protected waterways that can lessen the effect of the seas.

During my cruise, our ship went around Cuba, and by the time we made our way westward again, the ship stayed far enough away from Hurricane Ian to keep everything quite calm. We rarely felt much motion, and the sea conditions ended up being extremely calm.

In the case of the Disney Wish, that ship went out to sea further east in The Bahamas to avoid even the furthest aspects of the storm.

Typically, a hurricane's forward speed averages around 15-20 mph. Hurricane Ian was moving at less than 10 miles per hour.

Cruise ships can sail faster than hurricanes can move, which gives them the ability to out run the changing path of any storm.

Royal Caribbean's X Factor: James Van Fleet

Unlike every other cruise line, Royal Caribbean has its own Chief Meteorologist who not only provides each ship and the cruise line important guidance on the weather, but he also shares insight with guests.

Mr. Van Fleet has over 20 years of experience as a meteorologist in television, covering an array of locations from Texas to Florida. 

Mr. Van Fleet posts daily video updates, explaining what the latest forecasts indicate, and he shares what he thinks is possible.  He also talks about various ships, and demonstrates where the ship is located, what to expect, and most importantly, how they are keeping safely away from the hurricane.

In the days before the cruise, my mind was put at ease that we'd be able to sail thanks to his updates. During the cruise, we got information about what the storm was doing and how our ship was dealing with track changes.

At the height of the hurricane imminent threat to Florida, he took to answering questions from passengers both on video and on social media.

Without sounding pretentious, I feel bad for people on other cruise lines who don't have access to this kind of information because it must be mentally anguishing to not have the sort of information Mr. Van Fleet provides.

While he may not know more than anyone else as to what the storm will do, his many years of experience as a meteorologist in Florida gives him insight into the nuances of tropical storms that can put many minds at ease.

The Atlantic hurricane season has been quiet thus far, but it's claimed an itinerary change for at least one cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas cruise ship has changed itineraries to avoid the path of Tropical Storm Fiona.

Guests booked on Harmony of the Seas have been advised they will change from an Eastern Caribbean itinerary to a Western Caribbean itinerary.

In an email to guests, Royal Caribbean said the change was made, "to maintain a safe and comfortable journey."

Instead of sailing to St. Thomas and St. Maarten, Harmony of the Seas will go to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.

This change affects the September 18, 2022 sailing of Harmony of the Seas only.

The ship will still visit Perfect Day at CocoCay as scheduled.

Tropical Storm Fiona is now very near the Leeward Islands and is forecasted to move westward across the U.S. and British Virgin Islands on Saturday and Puerto Rico late Saturday and Saturday night.

The National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Fiona's center is approaching Guadeloupe and tropical storm conditions (winds 39 mph or higher), heavy rain and strong waves are expected in the Leeward Islands.

Fiona is then forecasted to strengthen after moving across Hispaniola early next week and could impact the Turks and Caicos islands as well as southeastern Bahamas.

Cruiser reaction

Whenever cruise lines need to change an itinerary due to weather, there's plenty of thoughts on the impact from the guest perspective. 

Thomas Beaulieu wrote on Facebook, "That's still a great itinerary. You will get more than your money's worth if you bought the beverage package. 5 out 7 days you get full use of the package all day and night! Cheers."

Chris Blahut, wrote "Can’t do anything about the weather. Better to be safe than sorry."

Ragene Warner Pinson was disappointed, but understood the need for the change, "What a bummer. I understand why but that’s still a bummer. St Thomas and Saint Martin are so much better than the Mexico ports and my personal opinion."

Quiet hurricane season so far

At the risk of jinxing our collective luck, so far hurricanes have not been a major factor so far in 2022 in the Atlantic.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs between June and November, and there's been only three named storms before September. 

There were no named storms in the Atlantic during August, the first time that had happened since 1997.

For what it's worth, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued an updated forecast in early August for the rest of the season, which still called for an above-normal level of activity.

NOAA thinks there will be 14 to 20 named storms, with six to 10 turning into hurricanes. Three to five of those could strengthen into major hurricanes — Category 3 or stronger — with winds of at least 111 m.p.h.

Welcome to the first week of June, and we have a few different Royal Caribbean news updates to share.

There are many facets of cruising, and in an effort to keep you informed, here is a quick summary of the cruise news stories this week you should also be aware of, in addition to our other articles.

If you ever have a news tip, feel free to email it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future update!

Early Tropical Storm Alex could impact outlook

It looks like we will have our first named storm of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season this weekend when a depression comes over Mexico and into the Gulf of Mexico to form Tropical Storm Alex.

Given that it will likely pass through Florida over the weekend, there's a chance it could impact cruises. While no decision has been made yet to change or cancel any Royal Caribbean cruises yet, Royal Caribbean Chief Meteorologist James Van Fleet produced a series of videos on Thursday morning to provide an outlook for what to potentially expect.

Mr. Van Fleet warned if there was going to be any kind of closure at the ports, it would probably be on Saturday, June 4.

If and when Royal Caribbean announces any cancellations or changes, guests will be directly notified.

Morning @RoyalCaribbean Guests, 3 videos breaking down this upcoming storm and what it could mean for the weekend. Please watch all three for full briefing. Video 1 - Storm track, timing, and Ports, Video 2, and Video 3 - breakdown of what each Ship can anticipate. Video 1: pic.twitter.com/oN3hU5tRVk

— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) June 2, 2022

Video 2: https://t.co/rGaJv0tqpS pic.twitter.com/9ifM8VY3Cu

— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) June 2, 2022

Video 3: https://t.co/NMhimFULcE pic.twitter.com/xjrkW8t35V

— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) June 2, 2022

The system is likely to become a tropical depression or tropical storm while it moves northwest over the northwest Caribbean and southeastern Gulf of Mexico. It is not expected to become a hurricane.

Follow James Van Fleet on Twitter for additional updates.

Cruise industry calls again to end international air travel covid testing

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) publicly called on the United States government to once again end pre-departure Covid-19 testing for air travelers coming to the United States.

The testing requirement is in place for all travelers, including U.S. citizens, whether they are vaccinated or not, to show a negative Covid test result before taking an international flight into the United States.

CLIA reaffirms its support for the elimination of the pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated international air travelers to the United States, which will help support the return of international cruise travelers to U.S. ports, boosting local economies across nationwide. https://t.co/gazlR8syuI

— Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) (@CLIAGlobal) June 1, 2022

CLIA represents the interests of all the major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean reverts infant policy

Royal Caribbean has changed back a policy for the minimum age of infant cruisers.

In early May, Royal Caribbean made a change that considered St. Kitts and Perfect Day at CocoCay "sea days" as it relates to infants. Sailings with three consecutive sea days require infants to be 12 months or older at the beginning of the cruise, instead of 6 months.

This week, that policy change was reversed and Royal Caribbean's website no longer lists those islands as part of the policy.

Royal Caribbean meets with Alaska tour operators and local leaders

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley highlighted a recent visit with Alaska's port officials and community members.

Mr. Bayley shared on Facebook that Royal Caribbean stakeholders recently visited Anchorage, Seward, Ketchikan, and Sitka to meet with more than 15 community partners, tour operators, and local leaders.

"Throughout the 7-day visit to Alaska, stakeholders saw Royal Caribbean’s donations put into action! The donations will help expand programs like Ketchikan’s ocean preservation and community resilience, Sitka Trail Works’ scenic trail development, and support marine science programs in local high schools."

"One of our top pillars is caring for the communities we visit, so it is exciting when we get to see partnerships unfold!"

"Thank you to all of our partners in Alaska for your dedication to unmatched cruise guest experiences, and to our shoreside employees who continue to support Alaska in ensuring amazing cruise vacations across the board! Cheers to an amazing cruise season in Alaska!"

Royal Caribbean's cruise ships are safe from the wrath of Tropical Storm Eta, as any ships in the area have sought refuge in Bahamian waters.

Tropical Storm Eta made landfall over the Florida Keys, while impacting much of South Florida on Monday. 

Royal Caribbean Director / Chief Meteorologist James Van Fleet shared an update that Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruise ships are sticking close to shores of the Bahamas where the effects of the storm will be minimal.

Each of the ships have had their top decks locked down, anchors pulled up and bows of the ship pointed into the wind to minimize the impact.

Mr. Van Fleet shared that the ships are experiencing winds in the range of 40-65 knots, although he is expecting higher gusts.

Mr. Van Fleet also noted that the ships are "completely safe" in their current positions. He and his team discussed a variety of scenarios with the captain of each cruise ship to determine the best course of action.

Looking at the storm track and predictions helps Royal Caribbean minimize fuel consumption while there are no guests onboard.

So far my @RoyalCaribbean Ladies and @CelebrityCruise Sister’s in the #Bahamas are seeing winds right in the range we were anticipating, clocking between 40-65 knots. I am expecting some higher gusts so will share updates again tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/R8Ohln8fF3

— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) November 9, 2020

The maximum sustained winds of Tropical Storm Eta were 65 mph (100 km/h).  Its wind damage is not expected to be great, but it is bringing a significant amount of rainfall to South Florida. Radar estimates indicate that over a foot of rain has fallen over the past 2 days in some areas.

Eta could dump an additional 6 to 12 inches.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph Sunday night and made landfall on Lower Matecumbe Key around 11 p.m.

With Tropical Storm Isaias out of the way of Florida and the Bahamas, Royal Caribbean's fleet of ships that had gone west of Cuba are now headed back to their previous position in the Bahamas.

Cruise ship tracking website cruisemapper.com shows the half dozen ships making their way back through the Straits of Florida, and to the northern Bahamas near CocoCay.

The ships include Grandeur of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.

Prior to the storm, Royal Caribbean had been staging some of its ships in the vicinity of CocoCay, which allows for the ships to make quick trips back to Miami for supplies.

Late last week, Royal Caribbean moved these same ships west to avoid the path of Hurricane Isaias, as it approached with its category 1 winds and rain.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said the storm now has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph -- just 4 mph shy of officially being a hurricane -- and is located about 250 miles south-southwest of Myrtle Beach, S.C. Isaias is moving north at 13 mph.

PortMiami re-opened around noon on August 2, and Mariner of the Seas is currently docked at Terminal A, as of Monday morning.

PORTMIAMI | ISAIAS UPDATE

PortMiami is now open for business and conducting Port operations. See USCG Marine Safety link for status information: https://t.co/7Ogg5OVEk4

— PortMiami (@PortMiami) August 2, 2020

Hurricane Isaias is approaching The Bahamas this weekend, and it has forced a few Royal Caribbean ships to move out of the region to avoid the path of the storm.

While there are no cruises sailing for guests, a number of Royal Caribbean ships have been anchored off CocoCay, including Grandeur of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean spread its fleet out around the world during the voluntary cruise shutdown, with some ships remaining in the Caribbean, and others in Europe and Asia.

According to cruisemapper.com, these ships have all headed west, through the Straits of Florida and to an area west of Cuba.

According to the National Hurricane Center’s 8 a.m. update, Hurricane Isaias remains on track to skirt up Florida’s east coast as it gains strength entering the Bahamas Saturday morning.

Moving cruise ships out of the path of a storm is normal operating procedure for cruise lines to ensure the crew onboard are safe, along with protecting the ship.

There are no cruises during this global health crisis, which prevented Royal Caribbean from having to alter sailings or cancel sailings all together.

When tropical storms develop, Royal Caribbean's Chief Meteorologist James Van Fleet works closely on the track of the storm and provides guidance to ships on the safest course of action.

First weekend in August 2020...looks about right. #Isaias is approaching #Andros Island, #Bahamas. Today we will see if the wind shear can relax enough for a flex of this storm between the #Florida East Coast. More updates coming shortly. Be smart, and safe. #flwx pic.twitter.com/Q13HUWYh5r

— James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) August 1, 2020

Forecasters expect Isaias to move near the east coast of the Florida peninsula Saturday night through Sunday.

During an earnings call with investors today, Royal Caribbean's executives discussed a variety of topics related to the company's financial success in the third quarter. Part of those discussions shed some light into various plans and progress being made by the cruise line that guests may find intriguing.

Hurricane Dorian cost Royal Caribbean $27 million

Anytime a hurricane disrupts cruise itineraries, there is an impact on Royal Caribbean's bottom line, but Hurricane Dorian caused the largest impact of any hurricane in Royal Caribbean's history.

Royal Caribbean Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty characterized Hurricane Dorian's unusual, one-time impact on Royal Caribbean's financial performance.  Three main Florida embarkation ports closed on a weekend as a precautionary measure.  These measures impacted 16 sailings and made this the most disruptive storm in the company's history. 

The financial impact was particularly large because the affected ships included the very successful Oasis-class, because Perfect Day at CocoCay was closed for 10 days, and because of the cruise line's extensive relief efforts.  The combination of guest compensation, the closure of Perfect Day at CocoCay and the relief efforts negatively impacted the third quarter by $27 million.

Guests love the upgrades and enhancements

Royal Caribbean's investments in destinations and ships continue to be a hit with guests who are booking cruises to experience them.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. chairman and CEO Richard D. Fain spoke about this effect, "Perfect Day at CocoCay continues to amaze our Royal Caribbean International guests, and boost our bottom line. Our vessel modernization program is driving strong results. These upgrades are expensive, but our guests love them and reward us accordingly."

"Or take our investments in technology, which are beginning to bear fruit. These investments are expensive, and demanding, but they improve the experience for crew and guest alike. They make us more attractive, or more efficient. "

Perfect Day at Lelepa will built with sustainability in mind

Royal Caribbean recently announced a new Perfect Day island destination in Vanuatu, and the island will be powered by renewable sources of energy to ensure it is carbon footprint is reduced.

Mr. Fain spoke about their plans for Lelepa, "There's also one, very special aspect of this project that is also worth noting. Lelapa will be the first private cruise destination in the world that achieves carbon neutrality. All of the energy consumed will be generated from renewable sources. Accomplishing that requires both major investment and major innovation, but Perfect Day at Lelapa will be rich in both."

A look at how many guests are experiencing Perfect Day at CocoCay

You do not have to listen to earnings call with investors to know Perfect Day at CocoCay has been a giant hit with guests.

Mr. Liberty mentioned at one point in the call, more than 70% of Royal Caribbean's guests sailing on a Caribbean cruise will experience Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Plans for Perfect Day at Lelepa

Royal Caribbean International CEO and President Michael Bayley provided a few details on Perfect Day at Lelepa in Vanautu during the call.

Mr. Bayley indicated Perfect Day at Lelepa should open in late 2021 or early 2022.

He also said that guest volume for Perfect Day at Lelepa will be less than Perfect Day at CocoCay, "The volume will be less less than Perfect Day at CocoCay, which I think at its peak in a few years will get to close to 3 million people going there. The number for Vanuatu, I think, reaches close to 750-800,000 is currently in our plans."

Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas cruise ship has changed itineraries to avoid the path of Tropical Storm Karen.

Guests sailing onboard Symphony of the Seas have been informed of a change in their sailing that will skip scheduled stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Maarten and insyead visit Cozumel and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Thanks to @FmtTony for providing this photo

Symphony of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas have now had their itinerary changed to avoid Tropical Storm Karen.