Tomorrow is June 1. It's that time again. Hurricane time…and it has nothing to do with sports teams from the University of Miami. It's time for hurricanes to begin. It's time for predictions about how many there will be. It's time to find what names they will carry. And it's time for people who go on cruise ships to ask the annual question…how worried should I be?
There have been two storms so far. Not hurricanes, because they get their names when 
they're just tropical storms, one step removed from hurricanes. Tropical Storm Alberto and Tropical Storm Beryl were just that, on the way to becoming tropical depressions.
Next up will be Chris, then Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene…
Now you know your hurricanes ABCs.
What's normal? Since 1980, normal has been 11 named storms, six hurricanes, two major hurricanes. Most predictions this year — starting with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — are for 9 to 15 named storms, 4 to 8 hurricanes, 1 to 3 major hurricanes.
While this is normal, it's better than the last two hurricane seasons. In 2010, there were 19 named storms, then the third most in history. In 2011, there were 20. None of them was especially devastating…but sometimes the worst hurricanes strike in slow seasons. That was the case with Andrew, the only major hurricane in 1992 but only the third Category 5 storm in history. That was not the case with Katrina, the worst of a bad year (2005), another Cat 5 hurricane that killed thousands of people in the gulf states.
In case you didn't recognize her, that's Katrina in the picture.
Ships are usually not hurricane targets. With the sophisticated tracking modules used today, ship captains know how to get out of the way. Ships usually travel faster than hurricanes do. The fallout for cruisers, however, can be rough waters and missed ports.
It all ends November 30. Or at least, that's when it's supposed to end…but only Mother Nature knows for sure.
Royal Caribbean Independence of the Seas
6 nights
December 16, 2012
Fort Lauderdale (return): Georgetown, Ocho Rios, Labadee
Inside: $409
Cost per day: $68
www.royalcaribbean.com