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Everything You Need to Know If You Go on a Cruise During Hurricane Season

By Madison Owens Leave a Comment

It’s still hurricane season on the East Coast of the U.S., and those storms can definitely affect your Disney vacation.

Disney Wish

We’ve seen hurricanes impact things in Disney World before , and they’ve even been so bad as to shut down the parks for a day or two . While Disney World is super prepared for these kinds of events , there’s another type vacation you might be worried about — Disney cruises or cruising in general . So, let’s talk about how cruises can be impacted by hurricanes .

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.

Disney Magic

The good news is 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, wait a few days for the storm to pass, or take a completely different route that doesn’t go near the storm.

Disney Cruise Line

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 over, but less people could also be choosing to cruise during this time due to the potential of hurricanes.

Castaway Cay (Disney’s Private Island)

Cruising during hurricane season is generally safe, because your captains aren’t just going to sail you right into the eye of the storm. They have the technology and info that allows them to take any actions they need to in order to avoid a hurricane.

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Will your cruise get canceled.

It’s very rare for a cruise to be canceled due to a hurricane, and that’s for a number of reasons that we’ve already mentioned a bit. Cruise lines can simply change the itinerary, route, or departure port in order to avoid a storm instead of canceling a cruise. They can also just delay your trip so that it won’t be impacted by the hurricane in question.

Disney Dream

So, while your trip might not be canceled, it can definitely be changed . You might have to travel to a different port in order to leave or leave a few days later in order to still go on your cruise. So, if this does happen, you will want to look at the cancelation 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 , so know that there is a small possibility that it could happen. In this situation, cruises will usually offer guests a full refund and sometimes even offer a discount on your next cruise. Disney Cruise Line will give you a refund if your cruise is canceled .

But remember, if this does happen, you will also need to check out the cancelation policies for your airfare, hotel, rental car, etc. because they can all be different. Make sure you look at these ahead of time! This is also a reason you might want to get some travel insurance for your trip.

What It Costs to Take a Disney Cruise

Cancelation policies.

If 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 and amount of payment, and cancellation or delay notice.

Castaway Cay

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 cancelation policies for that cruise line should apply.

You can cancel your reservation online by signing into your account and going to My Reservations , then select “ 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 cancelation 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 are 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.

Want more about Disney cruises? Check out more about Disney cruises sailing to Australia and New Zealand for the first time , the name and theme for the NEW Disney Cruise Line ship , and how the COVID-19 testing policy has changed for Disney Cruise Line .

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

The Best Times to Book Your Disney Cruise

What you need to know about disney cruise line, learn all about disney cruise line and its various ships, explore disney’s mega cruise ship – the wish, a full list of what you can’t bring on a disney cruise, these are the best times to book your disney cruise, the best ways to save space in your tiny cruise cabin, 10 things you need on your next cruise (that you won’t think to pack), what it’s like to live on a cruise ship for 6 months, join the dfb newsletter to get all the latest disney news delivered right to your inbox click here to subscribe.

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

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Disney Cruise Line is Modifying Its September 9 Sailing Due to Tropical Storm Lee

by Melissa Roden · September 6, 2023

If you’ve been following along with MickeyBlog you may have heard the news that meteorologists are currently watching a storm system in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Lee. The storm is expected to reach the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by Saturday. As a result, the decision has been made to adjust the itinerary of the Disney Fantasy which is slated to leave Port Canaveral on September 9th.

Guests already booked on the September 9, 2023 sailing are getting an email from Disney Cruise Line announcing the change. “Based on the storm’s current forecast track,” the letter reads, “Bermuda and the seas around Bermuda will be impacted over the next week and a half making it unsuitable for cruise travel.”

With this in mind, Disney Cruise Line has modified the Disney Fantasy schedule. The cruise will now bypass Bermuda and replace stops there with Cozumel, Mexico, and George Town, Grand Cayman along with a second visit to Castaway Cay.

The new September 9, 2023, Disney Fantasy Sailing is now making the following stops:

Saturday, September 9 – Port Canaveral, Florida
Sunday, September 10 – Day at Sea
Monday, September 11 – Cozumel, Mexico (previously Day at Sea)
Tuesday, September 12 – George Town, Grand Cayman (previously Bermuda)
Wednesday, September 13 – Day at Sea (previously Bermuda)
Thursday, September 14 – Disney’s Castaway Cay (previously Day at Sea.)
Friday, September 15 – Disney Castaway Cay
Saturday, September 16 – Nassau, The Bahamas
Sunday, September 17 – Port Canaveral Florida.

For those on September 9, 2023, Disney Cruise Line will also be offering a credit of $200 per stateroom to use during this sailing. The funds will automatically appear in the stateroom account. The credit can be used toward shipboard services, merchandise, food, beverages, and Port Adventures.

In addition, each reservation will also receive a 20% discount on future cruise reservations. This offer is good on sailings taking place BEFORE September 9, 2023.

Any Port Adventures booked for Bermuda will automatically be removed from your clients’ Cruise Plans. Port Adventures for the news stops (Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Castaway Cay) can be booked up to three days before sailing or online once boarding the ship.

Those impacted by the itinerary change but have not heard from Disney are encouraged to reach out to Disney Cruise Line directly. As of going to print, no further Disney Cruise Line sailings are reporting itinerary changes. However, we will continue to follow Tropical Storm Lee closely and will keep you posted on any additional updates.

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Tags: Bermuda Castaway Cay Cozumel Disney Cruise Line Disney Fantasy Future Sailing Discount Grand Cayman Hurricane itinerary change Onboard credit Port Canaveral Tropical Storm Lee

Melissa Roden

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Change of plans: Tropical Storm Nicole disrupts major cruise line itineraries

Major cruise lines have changed their plans due to Tropical Storm Nicole .

Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Liberty ship, which departed Monday on a four-day sailing from Florida's Port Canaveral, skipped a planned visit to Nassau in the Bahamas Tuesday, spending the day at sea instead, spokesperson Matt Lupoli said in an emailed statement. The ship also stopped in Cozumel, Mexico, Wednesday rather than private island Princess Cays.

The line is asking guests sailing on the vessel's next voyage Friday to come to the cruise terminal "one hour after their previously scheduled embarkation time."

Carnival Sunshine, which left Monday on a five-day cruise from Charleston, South Carolina, also changed course. The ship spent Wednesday at sea instead of visiting Nassau, and will stop in Nassau on Thursday rather than Princess Cays.

Carnival Paradise "will remain at sea until it is safe to dock at the Port of Tampa Bay," Lupoli said. The ship left Tampa on Sunday for a five-day sailing. The vessel's next cruise, which had been scheduled to leave Thursday, will now depart Friday. Passengers will receive a refund for half their original fare.

Carnival Elation also visited Freeport in the Bahamas on Tuesday instead of Princess Cays. The ship departed Saturday on a five-day voyage from Jacksonville.

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"Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is actively monitoring the storm’s forecast for any potential impact," Lupoli said. "As the safety of our guests and crew is our priority, we will continue to keep an eye on the storm and factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard and the local port authorities to provide timely updates as more information becomes available."

Are cruises skipping Florida ports?

Port Canaveral is closed until further notice , and Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale also ceased operations . The Jacksonville Port Authority said the port is closed with plans to begin reopening Friday after the storm passes, according to its website .

What other cruise lines have made changes?

► Disney Cruise Line also amended multiple itineraries because of the storm. Disney Dream, which left Monday on a six-day sailing from Miami, skipped a planned stop at Disney's Bahamas private island Castaway Cay Tuesday and instead spent the day at sea, a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson said by email.

Disney Wish also opted for a sea day Tuesday in place of a planned stop in Nassau. The ship, which left on a five-day voyage from Port Canaveral Monday, also visited Cozumel on Wednesday rather than Castaway Cay.

"We will continue to closely monitor the storm and notify guests of any further impacts," the spokesperson said.

► Norwegian Cruise Line made similar changes. Norwegian Getaway, which left for a 10-day sailing from Port Canaveral Tuesday, canceled plans to stop at the line's private island, Great Stirrup Cay, in the Bahamas on Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the line. The ship instead opted to spend the day at sea.

Norwegian Prima also canceled its Thursday visit to Great Stirrup Cay in favor of a sea day. The ship left from Galveston, Texas, on Oct. 31.

► Holland America Line's Eurodam and Rotterdam ships each spent an extra day at sea to avoid the storm, a spokesperson for the line said in an emailed statement. Both ships had been scheduled to return to Port Everglades on Wednesday following 11-day and 10-day cruises, respectively, and their next voyages will be delayed by at least one day.

Where is Tropical Storm Nicole headed?

The east coast of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina will continue to see tropical storm conditions within warning areas Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center .

"Tropical storm conditions will spread northward along the west coast of Florida to the coast of the Florida Panhandle through tonight," the center added.

Disney Cruise Line Ships Alter Course as Subtropical Storm Heads Toward Florida

Subtropical Storm Nicole isn’t just potentially impacting Florida, but also the waters around the state. Due to this, ships of the Disney Cruise Line fleet have been forced to alter their course. This will be changing itineraries for the fleet as the storm forces ships to skip Castaway Cay. This comes as Florida has a state of emergency ahead of the storm’s arrival.

At this point, this has caused both the Disney Wish and the Disney Dream to change their itineraries. Guests aboard the Disney Dream that departed on November 7th were given a letter sharing that the ship would be getting an extra day at sea as the ship headed to Cozumel, Mexico. The Disney Wish is also going to be headed to Cozumel, Mexico instead of Castaway Cay.

Here is the new itinerary for the Disney Dream this week:

Monday November 7, 2022 – Miami, Florida
Tuesday November 8, 2022 – At Sea
Wednesday November 9, 2022 – At Sea
Thursday November 10, 2022 – Cozumel, Mexico
Friday November 11, 2022 – At Sea
Saturday November 12, 2022 – Miami, Florida

Here is the new itinerary for the Disney Wish this week:

Monday November 7, 2022 – Port Canaveral, Florida
Wednesday November 9, 2022 – Cozumel, Mexico
Thursday November 10, 2022 – At Sea
Friday November 11, 2022 – Port Canaveral, Florida

At this point, other ships in the fleet have not changed their itineraries. Subtropical Storm Nicole is expected to become a category 1 hurricane before coming ashore on Florida late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning somewhere between Miami and West Palm Beach. This isn’t expected to have the same intensity as Hurricane Ian , which caused lots of destruction when it crossed Florida earlier this fall.

Daps Magic will continue to follow this story and provide updates as they become available.

Book your next Disney Cruise Line adventure with Mouseways Travel, the official travel partner of Daps Magic. They focus on the details so you can focus on the fun!

Mr. Daps is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Daps Magic! Find Mr. Daps regularly at Disneyland with his trilby and bow tie taking pictures and simply enjoying the Happiest Place on Earth. He is the weekly host of GEEKS CORNER and your reporter for all that Disney And Positive Stuff. Find videos of all of that one the Daps Magic YouTube channel. Mr. Daps is also a Brand Ambassador with Her Universe ! Find Mr. Daps on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads ! If you see Mr. Daps in the parks, be sure and say hi!

Bonus vacation or choppy nightmare? Here's what it's like on a cruise ship stuck at sea during a hurricane

There's always a possibility of bad weather and rough seas when you go on a cruise, but cruise lines are well prepared to change course if an approaching storm could be too dangerous to navigate. There are also contingencies if they are unable to return to port as scheduled. Right now, all those playbooks have been dusted off and are in use.

On Monday, Sept. 26, as Hurricane Ian was closing in on Florida, Disney Wish left Port Canaveral for a four-night Bahamas cruise with planned stops at Nassau and Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line's private island, before a planned return to Port Canaveral on Friday, Sept. 30.

But with Hurricane Ian a dangerous Category 4 storm making landfall in Central Florida, Port Canaveral closed and has ceased all operations until further notice.

Without the option to return to Florida as originally scheduled, Disney Wish — along with other cruise ships — is (temporarily) "stuck" at sea.

While staying at sea and away from the storm is the safest decision, travelers still have a lot of questions, concerns and general curiosity about the change of course. The Points Guy spoke with passengers currently on board Disney Wish to learn what it's like being out at sea for a few extra days during a hurricane.

You'll get frequent updates from the captain

When Disney Wish set sail on Sept. 26, the captain made an announcement that the ship might return to Port Canaveral later in the day than originally planned based on the projected forecast at that time. Matt Roseboom, editor and publisher at Attractions Magazine , is on board the sailing and captured video footage of the initial announcement.

The captain notified guests with flights leaving before 3 p.m. on Sept. 30 to contact their airline to depart later in the day, if possible. He also advised that they were watching Hurricane Ian carefully and would continue to keep passengers updated on the weather throughout the voyage.

Lizzie Meeks, a Disney travel advisor in Nashville, is also on the sailing and explained to TPG that the captain told guests "the port authority will need to assess any damage before giving the ship the green light to move into port and the cruise terminal."

Your itinerary might be adjusted

A cruise ship's schedule of port visits and sea days can be adjusted midcruise for a number of reasons. The weather is certainly one of those reasons — even absent a full-fledged hurricane. But when a hurricane is churning, it is very possible that the ship's itinerary will change.

Related: When will cruise ports in Florida reopen?

For Disney Wish, a port change announcement came on the morning of Sept. 28 when the ship was scheduled to dock at Castaway Cay for the day. Rather than head toward Disney's private island, and toward the storm, the ship turned toward the eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean where seas would be calmer.

Meeks shared that the winds near Castaway Cay were too strong, with little hope for improvement, so the captain made the decision to sail away from the area.

A day at port became a day at sea, but Disney conjured a bit of its famous "Disney magic" and added more activities throughout the day, according to Roseboom. "They made an announcement and told us to close out of the Disney Cruise app and reopen it to see the new schedule of activities," he said. Mickey and his friends still wore their island outfits to greet guests, even if everyone had to stay on board.

"They've really made an effort to make it a special day," Meeks said. "There have been a ton of new character meet and greets throughout the day, including Marvel, 'Star Wars' and Halloween characters that are typically reserved for special event cruises. New group games and trivia themes have been added, as well as additional times for drink tastings like Champagne, bourbon, gin and more," she added.

Related: What happens when a hurricane hits Disney World

Your cruise might be extended

If a hurricane strikes while you are at sea, it's also possible that you may end up with an extended sailing and extra days on the ship.

That's currently the situation for Carnival Paradise, Carnival Elation, Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Getaway, MSC Cruise's MSC Divina and Disney Wish. With several Florida ports closed due to the storm, the ships cannot return to disembark passengers on schedule.

In such cases, cruise lines have two options: head to a different port up or down the coast to disembark passengers or remain at sea until the ship's home port reopens. Docking at a different port creates a whole new set of issues for passengers who need to return to cars, homes or airports near the originally scheduled port — so that option is rarely used.

Related: At least 5 cruise ships stuck at sea as Hurricane Ian closes Florida ports

In the case of Disney Wish, the first announcement came on the evening of Sept. 27 as the storm moved closer to shore. Based on updated forecasts, the captain announced the ship would not return to port until Saturday or Sunday, after the storm had passed and they could better assess the situation at Port Canaveral. That meant passengers would remain on board one or two days longer than expected.

Before he could even complete the announcement, cheers erupted through the ship, as seen in the below video.

In a subsequent announcement on the afternoon of Sept. 28, the captain updated guests that Disney Wish would return to Port Canaveral on Sunday instead of Friday and that the ship should be able to dock at Castaway Cay on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Even before the extension of this sailing was formally announced, Disney Cruise Line canceled the upcoming Disney Wish sailing that was set to depart Port Canaveral on Friday, Sept. 30, as a safety precaution.

Extra days are generally a good thing

As that announcement was made, audible cheers confirmed that most guests were thrilled that their vacation was just extended indefinitely. "The general sentiment is that people are content and happy about the extra day(s)," Roseboom said.

Cruise ships can easily avoid storms by sailing away from them and chasing better weather. For Disney Wish, at least, the weather has been fairly calm. "The current weather is sunshine with some humidity. We had choppier waves this morning [when the ship was closer to the storm], but from where we are now, you wouldn't even know there was a hurricane in the distance," Meeks said.

Plus, the crew is prepared to innovate to accommodate the extra days. The entertainment staff will schedule more sea-day activities, just as they did when Castaway Cay got canceled.

Guests don't need to worry about running out of food, as cruise ships carry more than just one sailing's worth of food on board. In a pinch, the cruise ship can find a way of picking up provisions in the islands. With two extra days at sea, the ship might run out of specific perishables, like berries, but passengers will still have plenty of choices at every meal.

Because Disney Wish employs a rotational dining schedule, in which passengers are assigned nights at each of the ship's main restaurants, guests must now wait to be told which restaurants they should dine in on the additional nights of the sailing. "Since Disney Cruise Line uses rotational dining, they simply assigned us two more nights of a restaurant. It's really operating like normal in many ways," Meeks said.

You'll have to rearrange travel plans

Roseboom, who resides in Central Florida, is enjoying the extra day or two of vacation, but is equally worried about his house and friends and family back home in the wake of Hurricane Ian. "For cruisers who live outside of Florida, they seem to be mostly happy, but they do have to figure out how to change their flights," he shared.

For Meeks, reality set in as the cheers subsided.

"Some people, including myself, found the news concerning because of travel logistics — changing transfers and flights, booking a hotel room just in case our flights are canceled and communicating with family back home are all stressful and you could feel the tension late last night," she said.

Not only is Port Canaveral closed until Hurricane Ian passes and the wind calms, but Orlando International Airport (MCO) has also shuttered during the storm .

Even once the airport reopens after the storm has passed, it will take some time for planes and crews to get back into position, and longer still to accommodate all of the passengers who have been temporarily stranded in the Central Florida area.

This is one of the reasons why when cruising during hurricane season, it's very important to seriously consider travel insurance, or at least book your trip using a credit card that conveys some built-in trip protections to help minimize the financial impact.

Bottom line

"There are certainly worse places to be 'stuck,'" Meeks told us. "A lot of people have the perspective that we are safe and have much to be thankful for," she added. Crew and passenger safety is the reason cruise lines make the decision to stay at sea past the end of their scheduled itinerary. Yes, it can be inconvenient, but cruise lines do go out of their way to make the most of the experience for their guests, and safety is always the top priority.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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Disney Cruise Line Important Travel Information

Our approach to health and safety.

Our focus remains on operating our ships in a responsible way that continues to create magic for all on board. We are resuming sailing in a gradual, phased approach that emphasizes multiple layers of health and safety measures, developed in consideration of guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other medical experts. Visit Know Before You Go to learn more about COVID-19 protocols and sailing requirements.

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An unofficial disney cruise line news, information, weather, and photo blog..

NOAA Predicts an Near-Normal 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season

June 1st marks the official start of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season which will continue through November. On May 25th, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published their outlook for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season. NOAA predicts that the 2023 Atlantic basin hurricane season will be near -normal due in part to El Niño, and above-average Atlantic temperatures.

Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center , a division of the National Weather Service, are predicting near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which goes from June 1 to November 30, predicts a 40% chance of a near-normal season, a 30% chance of an above-normal season and a 30% chance of a below-normal season.

NOAA 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook

For the 2022 hurricane season, NOAA is forecasting a likely range of 12 to 17 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). NOAA provides these ranges with a 70% confidence.

“Thanks to the Commerce Department and NOAA’s critical investments this year in scientific and technological advancements in hurricane modeling, NOAA will be able to deliver even more accurate forecasts, helping ensure communities have the information they need to prepare for and respond to the destructive economic and ecological impacts of Atlantic hurricanes.” Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo

The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be less active than recent years, due to competing factors — some that suppress storm development and some that fuel it — driving this year’s overall forecast for a near-normal season.

After three hurricane seasons with La Nina present, NOAA scientists predict a high potential for El Niño to develop this summer, which can suppress Atlantic hurricane activity . El Niño’s potential influence on storm development could be offset by favorable conditions local to the tropical Atlantic Basin. Those conditions include the potential for an above-normal west African monsoon, which produces African easterly waves and seeds some of the stronger and longer-lived Atlantic storms, and warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea which creates more energy to fuel storm development. These factors are part of the longer term variability in Atlantic atmospheric and oceanic conditions that are conducive to hurricane development — known as the high-activity era for Atlantic hurricanes — which have been producing more active Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1995.

Colorado State University’s (CSU) Department of Atmospheric Sciences which published their report in April , is similar to NOAA’s outlook as they to anticipate the 2023 Atlantic basin hurricane season will be slightly below-average activity. The report for 2023 estimates about 6 hurricanes, 13 named storms, and 2 major hurricanes.

CSU anticipates that the 2023 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have slightly below-normal activity. According to the CSU forecast, current neutral ENSO conditions look fairly likely to transition to El Niño this summer/fall. However, there is considerable uncertainty as to how strong an El Niño would be, if it does develop. Sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central Atlantic are much warmer than normal, so if a robust El Niño does not develop, the potential still exists for a busy Atlantic hurricane season. Larger-than-normal uncertainty exists with this outlook. CSU forecasters anticipate a near-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean. As is the case with all hurricane seasons, coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them. They should prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted

Below is a comparison of the NOAA and Colorado State University’s predictions along with the 1981-2010 long term average, 1991-2020 long term average, and final numbers for 2012-2022. As you can see, the 2023 NOAA high comes in well below the record setting 2020 season which had 30 named storms develop in the Atlantic Basin. CSU predictions are above the new long term average. NOAA’s low end predictions for total storms match the old long term average.

2023 Hurricane Season Prediction Comparison

2023 Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclone Names

NHC’s tropical cyclone advisory archive for the following potential named storms can be viewed here .

Followed by the greek alphabet, if needed.

NOAA 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Storm Names

New for this year, NOAA will implement a series of upgraded and improvements to products and services that will improve hurricane forecasting during the 2023 season.

The National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Weather Outlook graphic, which shows tropical cyclone formation potential, has expanded the forecast range from five to seven days.
Over the last 10 years, flooding from tropical storm rainfall was the single deadliest hazard. To give communities more time to prepare, the Weather Prediction Center is extending the Excessive Rainfall Outlook an additional two days, now providing forecasts up to five days in advance. The outlook shows general areas at risk for flash flooding due to excessive rainfall.
The National Weather Service will unveil a new generation of forecast flood inundation mapping for portions of Texas and portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast in September 2023. These forecast maps will extend to the rest of the U.S. by 2026. Forecast flood inundation maps will show the extent of flooding at the street level.

NOAA will expand the capacity of its operational supercomputing system by 20%. This increase in computing capability will enable NOAA to improve and run more complex forecast models, including significant model upgrades this hurricane season:

In late June, the Hurricane Analysis and Forecast System (HAFS) will become operational. HAFS will run this season in tandem with the currently operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecast Model System and Hurricanes in a Multi-scale Ocean-coupled Non-hydrostatic model, but eventually will become NOAA’s primary hurricane model. Retrospective analysis of tropical storms and hurricanes from the 2020-2022 seasons show that this model has a 10-15% improvement in track forecasts over existing operational models. This new model was jointly created by NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory Hurricane Modeling and Prediction Program and NOAA’s National Weather Service Environmental Modeling Center .
The Probabilistic Storm Surge model upgrade on May 2, advances storm surge forecasting for the contiguous U.S. and new forecasts for surge, tide and waves for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Forecasters now have the ability to run the model for two storms simultaneously. This model provides forecasters with the likelihood, or probability, of various flooding scenarios including a near worst-case scenario to help communities prepare for all potential outcomes.

It is important to keep in mind that these annual forecasts are just predictions, not what will happen. Mother Nature can, and will do whatever she wants and even the best forecast models will be thrown for a loop. It is imperative to stay alert in the event a system develops and for those living in coastal areas to be prepared. NOAA’s outlook is for overall seasonal activity and is not a landfall forecast

We will continue to track tropical systems that have the potential to impact cruise itineraries, as well as frequent Caribbean and Bahamian ports of call. We strive to provide accurate and updated information, but ultimately the best source of up to date information on these systems the National Hurricane Center and your local National Weather Service offices . Basically, what I am saying is that we should not be used as official forecast information. The goal is to share the information from the NHC and how it relates or impacts it may have on sailings and ports of call.

We have been covering hurricane season since the website launched and have a dedicated Tropical Weather page .

Historical Hurricane Season Outlooks

2013 – NOAA Predicts an Above Average 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2014 – NOAA Predicts Near to Below Normal 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2015 – NOAA Predicts Below Normal 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2016 – NOAA Predicts Near-Normal 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2017 – NOAA Predicts Above-Normal 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2018 – NOAA Predicts Near or Above-Normal 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2019 – NOAA Predicts Near-Normal 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2020 – NOAA Predicts an Above-Normal 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2021 – NOAA Predicts an Above-Normal 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2022 – NOAA Predicts an Above-Normal 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season
2023 – NOAA Predicts an Near-Normal 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season
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