December seems to be the worst month to take a Caribbean cruise.
Last year, I spent Christmas week on Celebrity Summit, and rough seas sent that relatively small ship bouncing up and down.
It was the first time I had seen airsickness bags placed, not discreetly but everywhere. People were using them, and on the worst night I felt as if I had the main dining room to myself as I ate a leisurely meal. I was joined by some of the ship's musicians, who had many of their sets canceled because they were supposed to be in outdoor venues.
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The ship was a ghost town that night, as the outdoor decks were closed and the big theater production was replaced by a simpler show that did not require as much movement.
We actually made all our ports on that trip, but the weather was bleak most of the five-day trip and at least some passengers left the ship and won't be likely to get back on one again.
Sailings like that are rare, but bad weather can cause ships to miss ports and can affect even the largest Royal Caribbean (RCL) -) Oasis-Class ships. In September, for example, I sailed from New Jersey on Oasis of the Seas as a hurricane moved up the East Coast.
Image source: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
What it's like on a huge Royal Caribbean ship
On that September trip on Oasis we sort of trailed behind the worst of the weather, but still getting from New Jersey to the Caribbean and back made for two very rough days.
The captain, it should be noted, has full power to make the safest choices. That can mean sailing away from the storm or completely changing an itinerary.
In this case, during the worst of it, many of the pools were closed. You could feel the motion on the ship, which is rare on what was once the world's largest cruise ship, and you could see the water in the pools sloshing from side to side.
Royal Caribbean put airsickness bags out, but most people seemed to weather the storm. Passengers were somewhat disrupted because, for example, not closing your closet or bathroom door led to it slamming loudly and loose items left on counters might be knocked off.
On that huge ship, however, the impacts were fairly minimal despite very bad weather.
What it's like on a smaller Celebrity ship
Currently, I'm writing this from the Cafe al Bacio coffee bar on Celebrity Apex. It's a larger Celebrity ship but about one-third smaller by passenger capacity than an Oasis-Class ship.
The seas are rough enough that walking while sober feels a bit like walking after having a few adult beverages. The movement of the ship is very noticeable, and while I was lying in bed, I felt as if I were being rocked to sleep.
Our captain has communicated about the choices being made to lessen the impact, and we will arrive at our first stop a few hours late. And once we arrive, we might not be able to dock.
Apex is much larger than Summit but much smaller than Oasis. It's small enough that you can feel the movement, but large and modern enough that few passengers seem to be bothered.
As a basic rule, the captain will prioritize safety above all else. We may miss ports, leave ports early, and even not get home as planned. That can lead to disappointment for passengers, but missing a port makes a lot more sense than putting people in danger.
If you get motion sick easily, sail on the largest ships and avoid December as well as hurricane season.
Otherwise, if you end up on an affected sailing, be kind to the crew. They did not cause you to miss swimming with the dolphins or your zipline adventure. Those decisions were made at the highest level.
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