Let’s say that the words of the summer holidays and the thoughts to lounge on the beach or splash in the pool probably come in mind. Summer is the time to rest, relax and recharge. But in certain parts of North America, notably Mexico, the Caribbean and the Atlantic and Gulf coasts in the United States, summer trips also have the potential to be affected by a storm as soon as you hope to visit.
The Hurricane season in the Atlantic basin takes place from June 1 to November 30, but it is not necessary to skip your summer or fall vacation as long as you plan in advance for possible scenarios related to hurricanes. “It is really important to be proactive when it comes to this type of situations,” explains Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist for Accuweather. “Know the risks for a particular community and know when you are going to act. This allows you to be better informed, more resilient and to have a good holiday. ”
I spoke with travel experts from the Hurricane season like Porter and others to get their best advice and advice to travel during the hurricanes season.
1. Be smart where you stay and how you book
If you plan a vacation during the hurricane season and travel to a particularly active area for storms, working with a travel agent can be invaluable, explains Paula Twidale, main vice-president of travel for AAA. “Travel agents can be your best defender by helping you not only cross the reservation process, but also help you straighten and take care of you when things go wrong.”
Opty for a hotel against a rental house can sometimes be a smart choice, because hotels in hurricane areas are likely to have a plan for alteration storms, including a lot of staff at hand to offer assistance and safety equipment such as rescue generators to continue things if the power goes out. “Understand where the property is geographically and if it is above sea level or not,” advises Twiddle. “If it is at sea level or not quite, you really want to be on the fifth floor or more for flood purposes.”
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2. Keep an eye on weather forecasts
A reliable weather application can help you stay informed of tropical storms and hurricanes before and during your trip. Look for meteorological applications that offer a hurricane tracker that shows where the storm is, where it heads and what it could be its impact.
“If you see a hurricane on the horizon that may have an impact on your trip, start contacting your airline, your car rental company and your hotel to find out if you may have to change something,” said Keri Baugh, a travel writer who directs the family travel blog with children. “If you wait too long, you can be behind all the other travelers who have lineed their flights or have obtained rental cars.”
3. Be ready for everything
Some hotels are located in compulsory evacuation areas, but you don’t need to leave to decide to pack your suitcases. “If you are not comfortable with what you see in terms of risk, it’s time to leave,” explains the porter of Accuweather. “The earlier you can go out during a serious threat of hurricane, you might be able to move your vacation in another place and have a good time [safely away from the impacted area]. “”
Prepare for the possibility that things can also deviate from your planned route. “Having a [backup] Plan how you could leave, “explains Nicole Hunter, founder of the Travel blog, go ahead.” For example, if you fly in and outside Florida, be sure to know where the rental car rental agencies are [in case] You have to drive instead of taking your flight.
If you make a family cruise, know that flexibility may be necessary. “In most cases, cruise ships will adjust their routing if necessary to avoid hurricanes [but] This may mean missing a port call (or more port calls) to get out of the danger, ”explains cruise expert David Yeskel, who relies on the Twitter handle Cruise guru.
4. Remember to buy travel insurance
“The weather is unpredictable, and what many travelers do not know is that once a hurricane impacting its destination is identified and appointed, it is too late to buy travel insurance,” explains Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. Buying travel insurance as soon as you book your trip is the best way to protect your travel investment during the hurricanes season.
There is a lot to consider when purchasing a trainer for the hurricanes season. Do you want a cover in case your hotel or vacation rental is made uninhabitable by a storm? Do you want a policy that allows you to cancel for any reason? Companies such as Insuremytrip can help you answer these questions and select the right policy for your trip.
“People think [travel insurance] costs a lot and is not worth it, because 99% of the time they do not use it, ”explains Abraham Pizam, PHD, founding dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management from the University of Florida Centrale. But Pizam says that the vessel insurance is generally about 10 to 20% of the overall cost of the holidays, and this is worth each penny when you TO DO need. “It is a necessity, not a luxury,” he advises.
What if you feel a flight time or an interruption of your trip? “Make sure you save receipts or any other paperwork that can be useful during a complaint,” explains Meghan Walch, product director for Insuremytrip.
5. Stay safe
Offering a storm often is not the best of cases. “To face a hurricane, especially if you are not familiar with hurricanes, is not something to aspire,” says Porter. “It’s not nice to be in a place after a hurricane land.” You could cope with power outages and significant damage to local goods and infrastructure, and many of the things you want to do during your vacation will be considerably modified.
But there may be cases where you are unable to go out before a storm. “If you are on vacation when a hurricane could pass, take it seriously,” explains good trip with Kids’ Baugh, who advises to obtain supplies like water, non-perishable foods, pocket lamps and batteries, and load all your electronics before the arrival of the storm.
