Caribbean Weather – Hurricanes and How to Minimize Vacation Disruptions
Not sure what the Caribbean weather might do during Caribbean hurricane season? Apart from selecting Caribbean resorts that offer hurricane guarantees. Here are some more steps you can take to minimize your risk and disappointment when travelling during this period:
Buy Travel Insurance
You must buy the trip cancellation insurance before the Caribbean weather storm is announced, otherwise it will be deemed a pre-existing condition, so always purchase insurance the same day you book your trip to be safe.
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 always read the fine print on your policy to make sure you what they will actually cover.
Try to Avoid the Storms by Tracking them online
Track hurricanes online with weather websites during the season. Some good site include:
- The National Weather Service – National Hurricane Center
- Hurricane & Storm Tracking for the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans
- Hurricane News and Caribbean Weather Information
- Weather.com Tropical Storm Center
Pick locations that are less hurricane prone
When planning a trip to the Caribbean during hurricane season, it is good to know that hurricanes are less likely the further south you go. While there is no such thing as a “hurricane-free” island, there are some islands that do have a relatively low frequency of hurricanes.
As a general rule, the southern Caribbean is affected by fewer hurricanes than the central and more northerly regions, where Jamaica, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic are prime targets. The islands lying closest to South America, including Aruba, Trinidad and Grenada usually escape direct hits, but have received some ancillary damage in past seasons. and the islands below them, are the least hit by hurricanes. However, as Grenada discovered in 2004 with Hurricane Ivan, never say never and keep in mind that Caribbean weather and hurricanes are unpredictable. Curacao and Bonaire are located outside the main hurricane path through the Caribbean, while Barbados lies southeast of the path of most hurricanes.
However, keep in mind that nature is unpredictable. With global warming on the rise, and the possibility of ever-stronger hurricanes, few places in the Caribbean can be considered completely safe from hurricanes.
A cruise is a less risky option
Cruises can usually sail around the worst of a storm. Today’s ships are exceptionally safe and with the advanced weather tracking available today, bad weather is something they can avoid.
The downside is that the cruise line always reserves the right to reschedule port calls and change itineraries for weather-related reasons and therefore you may not get to visit the places you had hoped to.
Make the best of a hurricane situation
As long as your safety is not an issue, if you do get caught in a hurricane while on vacation, try to make the best of it. Plan ahead, bring some indoor activities, especially when traveling with children. Check out ways to keep them amused.
Bottom line, if you are debating whether to risk it or not, consider how you will handle it.
Even when a storm does not hit directly, there may be several days of windy, rainy weather. If you know that you will be miserable and feel your vacation is ruined, don’t travel to the Caribbean during hurricane season. If you want to get away and you know you will enjoy yourself even when stuck inside, then the extra savings during this time may be worth it to you.
