Remember
how truly rare hurricanes are. Yes, we've
seen a record number of hurricanes in 2005, but
stop and think how many cruise departures and resort
stays occurred in 2005 with perfect weather and
no disruptions. The vast majority of travelers in
the Caribbean, Florida, and Mexico enjoyed their
vacations with no weather worries. It's the constant
news coverage that makes us think otherwise.
Buy
travel insurance. Having travel coverage,
such as TravelSafe,
can give travelers real peace of mind on the road.
To protect yourself, you should check the fine print
in your policies, as some travel insurance coverage
only kicks in if a hurricane renders your hotel
uninhabitable. Also, many travel suppliers, such
as tour operators, offer their own insurance, which
may not pay off if the supplier itself shuts down
or declares bankruptcy as a result of the hurricane.
Have
a "backup plan." Ahead of time,
you can have your travel consultant ask your hotels
how they plan to handle a hurricane evacuation (some
properties and tourist destinations actually have
no emergency facilities).
Check
cancellation penalties. Will your suppliers
allow you to re-schedule in advance of a hurricane,
or even cancel completely, without owing extra money?
Many airlines have now made it a standard practice
to allow re-bookings at no penalty to the passenger
if a hurricane affects their existing flights. But
you need to ask to find out if that "out"
is available for the trip you are taking.
Travel
early or late during the hurricane season.
National Hurricane Center statistics show that most
Atlantic hurricanes hit in September (36.3 percent),
with August coming in second at 29 percent and October
at 18 percent. Since the Atlantic hurricane season
runs June through November, then your best bets
are June, July, and November.
