Hurricane Cruise Cancellations as Storms Floris and Ivo Hit

Published on Aug 7, 2025, 7:56 am CDT

5 min read

A burst of tropical activity is forcing cruise lines on both sides of the Atlantic to rip up itineraries. Storm Floris is battering northern Scotland and the Norwegian Sea just as Tropical Storm Ivo threatens Mexico's Pacific coast and Tropical Storm Dexter stirs near Bermuda. Princess Cruises, Ambassador Cruise Line, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian have all diverted ships, skipped ports, or issued weather advisories in the past 48 hours. With mid-August peak hurricane season looming, travellers booked this week should brace for last-minute changes and monitor official updates.

Key Points

Why it matters: Multiple named storms are disrupting marquee summer sailings in Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Travel impact: Regal Princess, Ambience, and several Caribbean ships have already dropped ports or swapped sea days.
What's next: Ivo could reach near-hurricane strength by Friday, while Dexter keeps Caribbean routes unsettled.

Snapshot

Regal Princess, sailing a 12-night British Isles cruise, skipped Invergordon and Stornoway and added Liverpool after 80 mph gusts from Storm Floris made Scottish ports unsafe. Ambassador's Ambience reshuffled a Norwegian fjords itinerary, trading Sandnes for Bergen and extending Ålesund. In the Caribbean, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian rerouted vessels away from Tropical Storm Dexter, shifting calls from San Juan and St Thomas to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. On the Pacific side, cruise planners with stops in Acapulco and Huatulco are on standby as Tropical Storm Ivo, now 195 miles south-southeast of Acapulco, strengthens over warm water. Lines are offering onboard credit or flexible rebooking for affected guests.

Background

Hurricane season officially spans June 1 to November 30, but 90 percent of cruise-related weather disruptions cluster between mid-August and mid-October. This year NOAA projects 13-19 named storms, with 6-10 hurricanes. So far the Atlantic season has produced short-lived systems-Andrea, Barry, Chantal, and now Dexter-yet abnormally warm sea-surface temperatures raise the odds of rapid intensification. In the eastern Pacific, Ivo is the second storm in a week after Henriette. Cruise lines typically steer clear of the worst weather by adjusting routes rather than cancelling whole voyages, and passengers seldom receive full refunds. However, prepaid shore excursions are refunded automatically, and major lines extend free Wi-Fi and onboard credit when disruptions exceed 24 hours.

Latest Developments

Storm Floris forces itinerary surgery

Princess Cruises confirmed two cancelled Scottish calls and an added Liverpool stop for Regal Princess, citing 80-90 mph winds forecast by the UK Met Office. Ambassador Cruise Line diverted Ambience to Bergen and cut Haugesund and Stavanger. Full details are in our earlier Storm Floris travel disruption report (internal link). Both ships promise further updates via in-cabin TV and the line's apps. Passengers received automatic refunds for missed shore tours and a £50 onboard credit per cabin.

Caribbean ships dodge Tropical Storm Dexter

Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian adjusted at least five sailings after the National Hurricane Center's 5 p.m. advisory placed Dexter 500 miles south-southwest of Newfoundland yet threatening heavy swell east of the Bahamas. Ships bound for St Thomas and San Juan were rerouted west to Cozumel and Grand Cayman; others inserted extra sea days. Royal Caribbean's Itinerary Updates page is posting real-time changes. Lines are offering $50-$100 in onboard credit plus free Wi-Fi vouchers to ease re-planning.

Pacific outlook as Tropical Storm Ivo builds

The Associated Press reports Ivo at 40 mph winds, moving west-northwest at 22 mph roughly 195 miles from Acapulco. The National Hurricane Center says swells could reach Mexican Riviera hubs by Thursday. Princess, Holland America, and Norwegian winter schedules list eight Acapulco calls, and shore-side agents have been warned that diversions to Manzanillo or extra sea days are likely if Ivo trends north. No itineraries are cancelled yet, but booking engines show new "weather watch" icons for September sailings.

Analysis

This week's triple-storm shuffle underscores how adaptable modern cruise operations have become. Vessels routinely sail at 20 knots or more, giving captains a 400-mile daily buffer to outrun or sidestep bad weather. The larger challenge lies in port infrastructure: narrow channels at Invergordon or tender-only anchors like Cabo San Lucas cannot safely receive ships in high swell, forcing abrupt itinerary pivots. Lines increasingly build "soft" itineraries with backup pier reservations and contractual clauses that prioritize safety over schedule guarantees. Still, last-minute swaps carry revenue and brand-loyalty costs. Missed ports mean lost shore-excursion income and disgruntled guests who booked specifically for marquee stops. Some operators now bundle storm-season sailings with enhanced cancellation flexibility, mirroring airline change-fee waivers. Insurance with cancel-for-any-reason riders remains the surest hedge for travelers seeking reimbursement beyond a future cruise credit. For cruise lines, transparent communication-push alerts, live Q&A streams, and real-time app updates-has become as critical as satellite weather feeds in preserving customer trust during an increasingly volatile storm era.

Final Thoughts

With Storm Floris already rewriting itineraries in northern Europe and Tropical Storms Ivo and Dexter lining up on opposite coasts, expect further mid-voyage tweaks over the next week. Track your ship's app, enable push notifications, and keep flexible plans ashore. The 2025 peak season is just beginning, and proactive monitoring is the best defense against unexpected hurricane cruise cancellations.