It is hurricane season and the first major storm, Hurricane Irene, has been chasing ships from Puerto Rico and the Bahamas up the Eastern seaboard of the United States, causing itinerary changes and even stranding passengers in San Juan when ships were ordered (reportedly by the port) to leave early.

According to local press reports, cruise line policies on how to handle the passengers varied with some being stuck in San Juan or having to catch up with their ship at their own expense.

The storm has steered clear of most of the southeast, but could hit New York head on, according to reports at press time. Some ships departing on New York on Saturday were making plans to sail early.

Princess Cruises issued a statement that it did not expect the itinerary of the Caribbean Princess to be directly impacted for its Saturday, Aug. 27 departure from New York, and did not indicate that it would early.

Celebrity Cruises left Bermuda one day early, arriving back at Cape Liberty on today instead of Saturday for its turnaround a day early. Holland America Line’s Veendam has also moved its turnaround up one day.

Carnival Cruise Lines will sail from New York on Saturday as planned, but changed the order of calls, going to Halifax first and then Saint John, and Grand Turk instead of a day at sea. From Port Canaveral, Carnival has substituted Key West for Nassau, and from Charleston, Bermuda and sea days have been dropped in favor of Cozumel and Key West. Other sailings have also been subject to adjustments.