Don’t Let Hurricane Season Ruin Your Summer Vacation
Thursday, June 9th, 2011There’s no need to panic but just wanted to remind readers the 2011 Hurricane Season has begun (June 1, to be exact) and runs through November 30. Remain calm. The chances of a hurricane making landfall and ruining a summer vacation is minimal. Because of this, there is no reason to avoid vacationing in destinations where a hurricane could make landfall such as Mexico, Southeastern United States and Dominican Republic. If there is a good thing about hurricanes it’s that there’s time to plan.
When booking your summer vacation, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Know the hotel’s (or rental agency’s) cancellation policy for named storms (i.e.: hurricanes). Chances are, you won’t lose your deposit if your vacation is disrupted due to hurricane but check anyway.
Book with an airline with flexible booking options. Believe it or not, not all airlines charge a change fee so if you’re concerned your vacation may be disrupted by a named storm, book with an airline offering flexibility.
Investigate travel insurance during the travel planning process. There are several forms of travel insurance out there and if you’re insuring your trip, make sure it covers travel disruption due to hurricanes. And the time to look at travel insurance is during the travel planning process, not when a named storm is out there because chances are, if there’s already a storm churning, you’ll have a difficult time locating a policy.
If you happen to be vacationing in a destination that is expecting a hurricane, it’s important to remain calm. Tune into local news stations (radio, television, Internet) for the latest information. Follow instructions from your hotel/rental agency on what to do. If you’re remaining at the property during the storm, avoid windows, find high ground if in a storm surge area, and do not go outside. Yeah, it’s tempting to go out and surf the turbulent waves but don’t do it.
If you’re asked to leave the property, do so as soon as possible to get ahead of the traffic. Have a plan mapped out before leaving the hotel and ask front desk staff to assist you in locating alternative accommodations. Although a named storm may be expected to make landfall in one area of a state it doesn’t mean the entire state will suffer.
Don’t let Mother Nature prevent you from planning a summer vacation. You and your kids worked hard all year long to enjoy it. Just invest in a little planning to prevent any unwanted surprises.
Image Source: Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism




