Cruise Lines, Agents Prepare for Isaac’s Impact

With Tropical Storm Isaac expected to blow – or roar – into Florida this week, cruise lines altered itineraries and Florida-based agents took preparatory steps – for themselves and their clients.

At least six cruise ships were affected by Isaac’s activity in the Caribbean. Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas and Monarch of the Seas skipped calls this weekend at CocoCay, the line’s private island in the Bahamas. The Carnival Ecstasy also skipped a weekend call at its private island in the Bahamas, opting instead for Freeport.

The Carnival Valor and Carnival Liberty altered their courses slightly in the Caribbean. In addition, Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, changed from an Eastern Caribbean to a Western Caribbean itinerary last week.

Little negative impact
Meanwhile, Florida travel agents contacted by Travel Market Report indicated that Isaac had yet to have an impact on their Florida-based cruise business. For many, weather preparation is a familiar drill – both to protect their clients and their own homes and businesses.

“We always look at the situation carefully and check in our system about who is traveling during the next five days and who should be contacted,” said Ralph Santisteban, owner of a CruiseOne franchise in Miami. “We keep those files active and available.”

For the most part, storms and hurricanes have little negative impact on cruises, he said. That’s a point Santisteban emphasizes to clients who express concern about booking cruises during hurricane season.

“The cruise lines are very good at navigating around a storm and not sailing into the bad weather zones,” he said. “The worst that can happen is that a port of call may be substituted for another one. But your vacation goes on.”

For clients living in a hurricane zone, cruises can actually be a good way to escape bad weather at home, according to Santiseban.

“I have clients who are storm hunters – they will book a cruise when they know a storm is coming,” he said. “If they take a three- or four-day cruise, they can get out of town and avoid the loss of power and phone lines.”

Natural disasters happen
Linda Owens, CTC, owner of Tourrific Travel in Naples, said her clients rarely voice concerns over sailing during hurricane season.

“Occasionally you will have a client who will ask about it. The standard answer is that natural disasters can happen anywhere. You can’t not go because of what might happen.”

She also noted that cruise lines are adept at altering course to steer clear of trouble during hurricanes.

Insurance recommended
Even so, agents should always advise clients that trip insurance is essential for both land and sea travel in the Caribbean during hurricane season, said Lisa Silvestri, owner of Silvestri Travel in Sarasota, Fla.

The cruise lines are “really good at being proactive and rerouting,” she added. But too much rerouting puts a damper on a cruise, she said.

 “Back when [Hurricane] Charlie hit, I had clients on the brand new Caribbean Princess and it actually changed course three times. It was a little rough and disappointing for my clients.”

A hurricane’s impact is usually a greater challenge in port areas than at sea, Silvestri said, citing Hurricane Wilma’s impact on Fort Lauderdale in 2005. “Cruises couldn’t come back.”

‘Be there for your clients’
While not expecting much impact from Isaac, Susan Weissberg, president of Wylly’s Professional Travel in Coral Gables, Fla., said she was mindful of the fact that she had clients vacationing in the Caribbean this week. “We are there for them 24/7, like we were during Andrew.”

When Hurricane Andrew devastated south Florida in 1992, Weissberg had her hands full helping local clients return home from their travels.

“I had clients who needed to get back from Colorado, and there were no flights, so we had to use a carpool to get them as far as Dallas,” she said. “Once they got to Dallas, we had someone drive them to Miami.”

The big lesson Weissberg learned from past hurricanes is the need for preparation.

“You have to be there for your clients and make sure your cellphones are charged,” she said. “The worst thing is really having no electricity after these types of hurricanes. We had that with Wilma and Katrina, but nothing compared with Andrew.”

Personal impact
Florida agents said they were prepared to take precautions to protect their homes and businesses if Isaac gathered momentum.

“Flooding and 80-mile-an-hour winds are expected here on the west coast of Florida, so we are concerned,” said Owens.

Keeping a checklist of things “that I and my business can’t function without” in the event of a hurricane is essential for Silvestri, who also lives and work where Isaac is headed.

Hurricane preparations at work
Weissberg has preparation plans for both home and business.
 
“If I were to evacuate, I would take the hard drives and computers, along with the active files that people use so we can still work,” she said, adding, “But I’ve never had to evacuate.

“In the office, we turn off all of the computers, cover everything with plastic and make sure we have a lot of bottled water and flashlights,” she said. “In the home, we make sure the windows are protected by storm shutters and take in anything that could become a projectile.

“We’re not really expecting a huge hurricane right now. It appears to be more of a tropical storm, but things can change.”

Earlier this month, NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, revised its forecast of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. The updated outlook increased the odds of an above-normal hurricane season to 35%.