Well, there actually is an off-season! Generally speaking, the peak months to visit the Caribbean islands are December through May. June through November is officially considered hurricane season, with peak activity between mid-August and early November.
June through November is also the rainy season in the Caribbean. During that time you can expect the most rain and the highest chances for tropical storms. However, rainfall varies in destinations. In the Southern Caribbean, where you can visit Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, you will experience relatively little rainfall even during their wet season.
Can you even book a cruise during hurricane season? Absolutely! Just because it’s the official hurricane season, it doesn’t mean there will be a hurricane. However, there’s a chance a hurricane or tropical storm could disrupt your cruise.
There are hundreds of sailings departing for the Caribbean each year during cruise hurricane season. Over the years, only a small portion of these were affected by tropical storms.
Cruise lines keep a very close eye on possible hurricanes and will readjust their itinerary to sail around the hurricane. You might not get to see all the islands you were hoping for, but you will get to see other parts of the Caribbean that are clear away from the storm. For example, a ship on an Eastern Caribbean might reroute to Western Caribbean ports.
In some cases, a hurricane will cause a port to be removed from an itinerary altogether, and no new port added as a replacement. If necessary, you’ll see cruises shortened or extended by a day or two or even three. This can occur when a storm is forecast to pass between a ship and its home port around the time the cruise is scheduled to be heading home. The ship might return to the home port early to avoid the storm and arrive before the storm gets to that area or stay out at sea for extra days to wait for the storm to pass.
Cruise lines generally don’t offer compensation if there is an itinerary change due to a hurricane. Most likely you won’t receive a refund if your cruise was shortened to avoid a storm. On the other hand, you won’t have to pay extra if the ship has to stay out longer to wait for the storm to pass. Food, room, and entertainment are covered but for drinks and spa treatments you usually have to pay yourself.
Always read the contract and fine print for each cruise line to find out what is covered and what is not. Also, if cruising during hurricane season and you are flying into your departure port, keep in mind that flights might get cancelled or delayed. So flying in the day before your cruise is leaving is advisable.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you might experience rough seas. Even if the storm is far away, there is a chance you will feel some motion on your ship.
Having mentioned all the things that could happen during hurricane season, it is rare that a storm might occur during your sailing. You might find some great deals, just make sure you are okay with possible itinerary changes or short-term cancellations.
Now that you have decided to go on a cruise, let’s talk about roaming charges on your ship. Cruise ships offer internet packages, some starting at $20/day and on some cruise lines you must purchase the package for the full length of your cruise. If you want a one-time 24-hour internet pass, it will be even more expensive. There are different plan options, such as video calls and social media only, or full packages to include streaming movies and music. Each cruise ship company has their own plans and packages, check ahead of time to compare options.
Great news! The eSIM from Red Bull MOBILE is available on cruise ships and ferries with the Telenor Maritime package. Please note, this package will only work on cruise ships and ferries. To purchase a land package please select the destination where you travel to.
Purchase an eSIM from Red Bull MOBILE Data and never worry about running out of data on your cruise again!
So, how does it work to get data on your cruise ship and avoid roaming charges?
It works with an eSIM from Red Bull MOBILE for land packages and Telenor Maritime for cruise ships and ferries.
Red Bull MOBILE is an app-based data plan for travelers. With the use of eSIM, it allows you to surf from anywhere around the globe. Whether you’re sightseeing, base jumping, climbing, or in fact cruising.
That means you never again have to worry about running out of data for your internet connection wherever you might travel, when you need it the most or about unexpected fees and invoices.
All you have to do is download the app, register, search for – or scroll down to your destination or the Telenor Maritime option, and purchase your package. Please note, the Telenor Maritime package will work on cruise ships and ferries only! To purchase a land package please select the destination where you travel to.
Set-up instructions for Android devices can be found here.
Set-up instructions for iOS devices can be found here.
In order to ensure proper functionality, you should purchase and install the eSIM before you start your trip or board your cruise ship. You will need a steady internet connection to set up your data plan, therefore it would be advisable to have your plan set up where you have a strong internet signal. The packages are valid for 30 days after activation. When you’ve used up 80% of your data, we’ll let you know — so you won’t get stuck without any data. You’ll get another notification once your data has finally run out.
In the Red Bull MOBILE App you will also see how much data you have already used.
Where does the Telenor Maritime package work?
The Telenor Maritime package currently works on many ships and ferries.
You should switch off data roaming for your primary SIM card to avoid roaming charges. Since streaming movies, videos and TV shows use a lot of data, it is advisable to download these ahead of time to minimize data usage.Get the eSIM from Red Bull MOBILE Maritime package to avoid expensive roaming charges and enjoy your cruise!
