Not even the most adventurous travelers among us would choose to willingly sail into the eye of a storm. And while it can be less expensive to cruise during hurricane season, if you’re not up for the risk, there’s no need to do it. There are numerous other destinations to sail with calmer conditions, the upscale amenities you want and the new experiences you crave. 

If you’re hoping to avoid the Atlantic Ocean hurricane season - typically from June through November - here are a few of our favorite alternatives.

Pacific & Caribbean, with Panama Canal Transit 

September is peak hurricane season in the Caribbean, so a cruise such as this one, that spends 16 days sailing from Los Angeles to Miami, is likely to avoid the worst of the season. Plus, the Caribbean portion falls at the end of the itinerary, so you’re even later into November at that point. Here are some of the highlights: 

Los Angeles:

Shop for cruise wear along Rodeo Drive, visit the observatory, set just below the iconic Hollywood sign or visit the stunning Getty Museum. 

San Diego:

Go whale watching, visit the giant pandas at the renowned San Diego Zoo and experience the local heritage at the Junipero Serra Museum, where the first mission was founded. 

Cabo San Lucas:

Combine sea life with desert life as you visit incredible cactus gardens and snorkel in quiet coves. 

Puerta Quetzal, Guatemala:

Explore Antigua, Guatemala’s colonial capital and admire its striking emerald volcano views and travel to famed Lake Atitlan. 

Corinto, Nicaragua:

Be dazzled by white-sand beaches, clear blue waters and the ruins of Leon Viego, one of the oldest Spanish settlements in the Americas. 

Puntarenas, Costa Rica:

Wander through a rain forest canopy, discovering breathtaking waterfalls, butterfly gardens and a cloud forest. 

Panama Canal:

Enjoy a daytime transit of this engineering marvel. 

George Town, Grand Cayman:

Swim and snorkel with stingrays or relax for hours on exquisite white-sand beaches. 

Galapagos Islands 

Experience the otherworldly landscapes and unfettered wildlife of the pristine Galapagos Islands. 

Santiago Island:

Blue-footed boobies are seen in large numbers here, where the crater floor serves as an important breeding site. Keep an eye out for pelicans, sea lions and Galapagos fur seals, too. Walk along the black-sand beach and snorkel with sea turtles while you’re here. 

Rabida Island:

Head south from Santiago to this small, red-sand island, home to a nesting colony of pelicans. 

Elizabeth Bay:

Take a zodiac ride in this sheltered inlet, known for its variety of wildlife and mangrove ecosystem. 

Tagus Cove, Isabela Island:

A former anchorage for pirates and whales, here you’ll have fabulous views of the island, its volcanoes and Darwin Lake. 

Sullivan Bay, Santiago Island:

Walk on hardened fields of black lava and admire the island’s geologic wonderland of lava flows, collapsed craters and hornitos orlava ovens. 

Bartolome Island:

One of most photographed of the Galapagos Islands, this barren, lunar-like landscape is full of spatter cones, pinnacle rocks and the endemic Galapagos penguin. 

Las Bachas, Santa Cruz Island:

Discover one of the largest nesting areas of the Pacific Green Sea Turtle in all of the Galapagos. 

Baltra:

Visit with a huge colony of frigate birds, blue-footed boobies and more, choosing from a guided walk or zodiac ride along the coast. 

Pitt Point, San Cristobal Island:

Disembark on a green-sand beach, then hike to a plateau for spectacular views before meeting red-footed, blue-footed and Nazca boobies, all nesting together. 

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island:

Visit the National Park Service tortoise-breeding center and the Charles Darwin Research Station. 

And More …

We have many more ideas for hurricane-season cruising, including San Francisco Bay; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Vancouver, British Columbia. We love to think outside the box, so if you are hoping to cruise in the fall, but want to avoid the windy weather of the Atlantic, let’s chat. Let’s schedule a consultation and we can chat about the many ways to avoid hurricanes while in temperate climates, in a manner that suits you! If you haven't signed up for my weekly small-ship experience newsletter, you can do so here: