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What You Need to Know About Traveling During Hurricane Season

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7 years ago

August 15, 2017

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Here are some basics tips to make sure your beach trips, especially to the Caribbean and Mexico, go smoothly through November. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 through November 30, but it’s fairly rare to see a large storm in either June or November. The East Pacific hurricane season (affecting Hawaii and Mexico’s Pacific Coast) is generally at the same time.

KNOW WHERE HURRICANES ARE MORE COMMON

Keep in mind that hurricanes are rarer the farther south you go. The ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) as well as Trinidad and Tobago are the least likely to see a direct hit by a Caribbean hurricane, while the area south of Los Cabos along Mexico’s Pacific Coast is least likely to be struck by a hurricane. However, all these areas are still susceptible to strong storms, and even the periphery of a large storm can bring heavy wind and rain, putting a damper on any beach vacation.

UNDERSTAND AIRLINE POLICIES

Airports are usually closed during hurricanes and many flights canceled, which results in a disruption of the steady flow of tourists in and out of affected islands. If you are scheduled to fly into an area where a hurricane is expected, check with your airline regularly and often. If flights are disrupted, airlines will usually allow you to rebook at a later date, but you will not get a refund if you have booked a nonrefundable ticket, nor in most cases will you be allowed to change your ticket to a different destination; rather, you will be expected to reschedule your trip for a later date.

If you are scheduled to fly into an area where a hurricane is expected, get travel updates from your airline. If flights are disrupted, airlines will usually allow you to rebook at a later date, but you will not get a refund if you have booked a non-refundable ticket, nor in most cases will you be allowed to change your ticket to a different destination; rather, you will be expected to reschedule your trip for a later date—most often without any kind of change penalty. Some airlines will waive change penalties when a hurricane is a possibility (though not a certainty) so you can rebook your trip in a limited period of time; this gives you an “out” to avoid a rain-soaked vacation you no longer want to take (airlines do this so they won’t be bringing a lot of travelers into an area that they might have to evacuate later). If you find yourself stuck on an island during a hurricane, just be aware that your departure may be delayed while aircraft are flown in to deal with the backlog of tourists trying to get off the island, and since the delay is weather-related, the airline will not be reimbursing you for any additional costs, including extra hotel nights, restaurant meals, or telephone calls back home.

UNDERSTAND HOTEL AND RESORT POLICIES

If a hurricane warning is issued and flights disrupted to your destination, virtually every resort will waive cancellation and change penalties and will allow you to rebook your trip for a later date; some will allow you to cancel if a hurricane threatens to strike, even if flights aren’t canceled. Some will give you a refund if you have prepaid for your stay; others will expect you to rebook your trip for a later date. Some large resort companies—including Sandals and SuperClubs—have “hurricane guarantees,” but these apply only when flights have been canceled or when a hurÂ¬ricane is sure to strike.

Caribbean resorts do everything in their power to protect guests during a hurricane, but don’t be surprised if you are asked to stay in your room or to sleep in a public room during a storm. Food service may be limited, but most resorts go out of their way to keep guests fed and reasonably happy. A particularly destructive storm can make that a challenging proposition, however. If a hurricane warning is issued and flights are disrupted to your destination, virtually every Caribbean resort will waive cancellation and change penalties and will allow you to rebook your trip for a later date; some will allow you to cancel even if a hurricane threatens to strike, even if flights aren’t scheduled. Some will give you a refund if you have prepaid for your stay, others will expect you to rebook your trip for a later date. Some large resort companies—including Sandals and SuperClubs—have “Hurricane Guarantees,” but these kick in only when flights have been cancelled or when a hurricane is sure to strike; just remember that the guarantees give you a credit only for the days that were directly disrupted by the storm. If there was rain for two days before the hurricane actually struck, you won’t be getting any credit for those. On the positive side, if you must stay a couple of extra days before a flight is available, most of the hurricane guarantees will cover your lodging costs for this time. If the resort is not an all-inclusive, you may still be expected to pay for meals and drinks.

Pre-Paid Packages

There’s nothing more disappointing than pre-paying for a package deal you can’t take because a hurricane is bearing down on the island. Travel companies have different philosophies about this. A few will refund your money if a hurricane is about to hit the island where you’ve booked your vacation, but you should expect the refund to take at least 30 to 60 days. Most will force you to reschedule your trip. Even if the resort you’ve booked has a hurricane-guarantee policy, you may have to fight for your 2 or 3 days’ refund from the travel company, though most will make good on guarantees, though they might not do so efficiently or happily. This is where a good travel agent comes in handy; your agent can work on your behalf directly with the travel packager. If you’ve booked your package online, you’ll be fending for yourself. If your travel company has its own policy for weather-related cancellations, that policy might also allow you to rebook for a different date, but you’ll still rarely get a refund.

Cruises

The good thing about cruises is that they can usually sail around the worst of a storm. And today’s ships are extraordinarily safe. The bad thing is that the cruise you get may not be the cruise you signed on for. A cruise line always reserves the right to reschedule port calls and change itineraries for weather-related reasons; the line might even shift a cruise from the Eastern to Western Caribbean if a hurricane threatens its route. There is almost no chance you’ll get a refund just because the port you’ve longed to see is no longer on your itinerary. You might get a discount on a future cruise or a shipboard credit, but that’s about the best you can hope for. If you aren’t able to get to your port of embarkation because of weather, be happy that you bought a travel insurance policy. You did that, right?

CONSIDER TRAVEL INSURANCE

If you plan to travel to a beach destination during the hurricane season, it is wise to buy travel insurance that allows you to cancel for any reason. This kind of coverage can be expensive (up to 10% of the value of the trip), but if you have to prepay far in advance for an expensive vacation package, the peace of mind may be worth it. In order to get a complete cancellation policy, you must usually buy your insurance within a week of booking your trip. If you wait until after the hurricane warning is issued to purchase insurance, it will be too late.

Most travel insurance policies will cover a trip disrupted because of a hurricane (when you are forced to arrive late or leave early for your trip), but you’ll be reimbursed only for the affected days until the airport or resort reopens. You will usually be reimbursed for the days you are forced to stay at a resort during a hurricane, but be sure to read the fine print on your policy to make sure you are actually covered. And remember that you’ll usually only be covered if you buy your insurance at the same time you book the trip or before any kind of hurricane watch or warning is issued; otherwise, the hurricane might be deemed a pre-existing condition, which means no compensation for you. But if the airlines are operating and allowing passengers to fly to the destination, you’ll usually be expected to leave for your vacation, even if a hurricane threatens. Also, most insurers won’t pay as long as the airline is flying, even if the resort you booked and paid for is totally destroyed by the storm. In a case like this, it’s usually better to take advantage of the airline’s more flexible change policy and rebook your trip for a different time and a different resort.

Before you buy expensive travel insurance, see what kind of guarantee your tour packager or hotel offers. Some places offer a so-called “hurricane guarantee”; if your resort or packager offers this, then you may not want to buy an additional policy. However, these guarantees don’t help you if you just get plain old-fashioned rain for a week and not a hurricane or tropical storm, and this happens from time to time regardless of the season.

Beaches

4 Great Cruises from Baltimore in 2014

Published

7 years ago

August 15, 2017

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There’s something special about living near a city like Baltimore: When you want to escape, you can head to the port right off I-95, put your car in long-term parking, and board a ship in search of new experiences near and far. Though you may not be aware of it, Baltimore is growing its reputation as a homeport city; if you haven’t thought about booking a cruise out of the “Crab Cake Capital of the World,” now may be the time. According to Maryland’s Department of Transportation, 250,000 travelers sailed out of the Port of Baltimore in 2012 and, in 2013, Royal Caribbean’s newly renovated Grandeur of the Seas joined the ranks of the ships that call the port home.

CRUISE TO THE BAHAMAS

If you’re sick of cold, gray skies, a trip to the sunny Bahamas may be just what you need to get through the rest of this ugly winter. Carnival Pride, a Spirit-class ship, homeports out of Baltimore part of the year (and Tampa for the balance). While this is an older ship—she made her debut in 2002—it’s a favorite because of its size. In today’s world of mega cruise ships, Carnival Pride is a “mid-size” ship that welcomes 2,124 travelers per cruise. The ship still has everything you may need at sea—from nearly a dozens bars to an array of restaurants and in-room dining to Broadway-style shows and a terrific kids program. This itinerary to the Bahamas includes three days at sea so go ahead and treat yourself and book a few spa treatments and spend at least one full day by the pool. The ship stops at Port Canaveral near Orlando, where shore excursions include day trips to Walt Disney World, Universal, and Sea World as well as activities like canoeing and kayaking. This cruise also calls on Nassau and Freeport in the Bahamas. A lot of people spend the day in Nassau at Atlantis, but the line also offers options like a beach day at Balmoral Island or a catamaran sail and snorkel trip. More snorkeling adventures can be found in Freeport and there’s also a fun dolphin encounter.

Dates: Jan. 19, 26; Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2, 16, 23; Apr. 6; May 11, 25; June 8, 22; Jul. 6

Cruise Fares: As low as $429 per person for 7 nights.

CRUISE TO BERMUDA

Not everyone will be able to snag vacation time for a cruise this winter but there are also excellent options out of Baltimore form April through October. Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas offers six- and seven-night itineraries to Bermuda. Both options include three nights docked at Kings Wharf plus two or three sea days. Beaches of pink sand, dramatic cliffs, quaint villages evoking the country’s British roots, and green-as-can-be golf courses are just part of what makes Bermuda so intoxicating. Most shore excursions are active, like scuba, snorkeling, fishing, and kayaking, but you can also opt to be more of an observer with Royal Caribbean’s island exploration tours and glass-bottom boat excursions. While the 1,950-passenger Grandeur of the Seas is one of the line’s oldest ships, launched in 1996, she underwent a $48-million upgrade in 2012 and now has many of the same features as Oasis-class ships. The cabins were upgraded and new dining options were added, making this ship is an excellent choice for a weeklong getaway.

Dates: Apr. 26; May 9, 23; June 6, 20; July 4, 18; Aug. 1, 15, 29; Sept. 12, 26; Oct. 10

Cruise Fares: As low as $469 per person for the six-night itinerary and as low as $649 per person for seven nights.

CRUISE TO THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN

Grandeur of the Seas also offers a 10-night Western Caribbean itinerary out of Baltimore with two sea days followed by stops at Labadee, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten before spending three more days at sea and returning to port in Maryland. The longer length of this cruise makes it popular with people—like retirees and those with young children who aren’t yet in school—who can take off more than a week at a time.

Dates: Jan. 21; Feb. 8, 18; Mar. 8, 18; Nov. 1, 11, 29; Dec. 9, 27

Cruise Fares: As low as $619 per passenger for 10 nights.

CRUISE CHESAPEAKE BAY

For people who think they’ve already sailed every itinerary there is, we suggest American Cruise Lines’ glorious seven-night Chesapeake Bay voyage that blends just the right amount of history, culture, and the great outdoors. The cruise takes guests to Yorktown and Williamsburg, Virginia, to view Civil War battlefields and colonial homes. The ship also calls on Tangier Island in Virginia along with Crisfield, Cambridge, Oxford, St. Michaels, and Annapolis in Maryland. From aquariums to National Historic Landmarks and the U.S. Naval Academy to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, you’re guaranteed to visit places you’ve never been before. Three ships—American Glory, Independence, and American Star—sail this unique itinerary in May, June, and November.

Dates: May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; June 7; Nov. 2, 8

Cruise Fares: As low as $3,245 per person for six nights. Seven-night cruises as low as $3,750.

Andrea M. Rotondo is a freelance writer based in New York City. She covers cruise news and luxury travel trends for Fodors.com and writes for a variety of outlets, including her website Luxury Travel Mavens. Follow her on Twitter: @luxtravelmavens.

Beaches

9 New Things to Do in Oranjestad, Aruba

Published

7 years ago

August 15, 2017

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PHOTO: Aruba Tourism Authority

If you haven’t been to Aruba lately you might not recognize Oranjestad. The small city has been refreshed and rejuvenated with both locals and visitors in mind, and there are more innovative improvements to come.—Susan Campbell

PHOTO: Aruba Tourism Authority

Linear Park

Aruba is creating the longest linear park in the Caribbean to provide a smooth paved trail ideal for walking, jogging, biking, and sightseeing. The trail begins at the airport and stretches along the sea to downtown Oranjestad with plenty of resting spots, refreshment stands, and dining options along the way. Catch a stellar sunset at Surfside Beach and try out the new public workout equipment or take a dip in the sea along the trail. The main park plaza has also become a popular outdoor venue for events like marathons, yoga, and cultural festivals.