Is cruising to the Caribbean safe?
Erica Banks is a Senior Consultant of House of Travel Newmarket.
Q: I had hoped to do a cruise around the Caribbean but am wondering whether, in the wake of Irma, I should change my plans. Is it still advisable to travel to the Caribbean and, if not, what alternatives would you recommend?
Cruising in the Caribbean is very popular and it is an amazing part of the world to explore which relies very heavily on tourism. There are a select few ports that are currently closed due to storm damage but plenty are still open and cruise liners are now running as usual.
I would recommend that if you are still interested in travelling to the Caribbean to look at visiting the western and southern islands, such as Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica which were less affected.
It's important to note that the hurricane season in the Caribbean is usually from June to November so travelling outside of these dates is advisable.
For further information visit safetravel.govt.nz we endorse the recommendations outlined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding actions and advice that Kiwis travelling to the Caribbean should be aware of.
If you are looking at alternative cruising destinations, the options are endless! I would highly recommend cruising around Hawaii or the Mediterranean if you are after the laid-back holiday in the sun with breath-taking views.
For somewhere a little closer to home you can't go past the South Pacific, there are great island hopping cruises available around French Polynesia, Fiji and Vanuatu.
Have you cruised to the Caribbean before? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
Republished with permission of Stuff.co.nz.