{"id":16263,"date":"2011-08-05T17:00:42","date_gmt":"2011-08-05T22:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=16263"},"modified":"2016-12-15T09:46:44","modified_gmt":"2016-12-15T15:46:44","slug":"5-travel-tips-for-hurricane-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2011\/08\/5-travel-tips-for-hurricane-season\/","title":{"rendered":"5 travel tips for hurricane season"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Before choosing a hotel in the hurricane belt, be mindful of its cancellation policies. Credit: minds-eye.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Jeanenne Tornatore<\/em><\/p>\n

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Hurricane season is in full swing, and with a month left of the busy summer travel season, these brewing storms still have the potential to threaten many vacation plans.\u00a0 If you\u2019re headed to a destination prone to tropical storms \u2013 the East Coast, Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean \u2013 here\u2019s some advice that will make traveling during this volatile weather season a little less worrisome.<\/p>\n

1. Keep a watchful eye on the weather.
\n<\/strong> I know, this sounds just all too obvious.\u00a0 Who wouldn\u2019t pay attention to the weather forecast for their vacation spot? But it\u2019s not just about the immediate weather in your destination.\u00a0 When it comes to tropical storms, experts can often very accurately predict their path and growing strength days ahead of landfall.\u00a0 At least a week before your departure, stay tuned to national weather stations and websites to ensure you know what may be in store for your journey.<\/p>\n

2. Know airline and hotel policies.<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s become common practice for major airlines and hotels in hurricane prone destinations to be very flexible with their change and cancellation policies when hurricane conditions affect travel.\u00a0 When choosing a hotel or resort, contact the property and ask about their policies.\u00a0 It may be a smart move to choose one that offers refunds or credit for a future stay should a storm cause cancellations.\u00a0 And ask your airline about their rules as well \u2013 at the very least they should be willing to waive a change and cancellations fees for a ticket.<\/p>\n

3. Evaluate evacuation procedures.
\n<\/strong>Upon arrival, ask about your hotel\u2019s evacuation procedures.\u00a0 Knowing what to do should a storm hit will keep anxiety low and put your mind at ease, which is why you went on vacation in the first place!<\/p>\n

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Worried about being stranded on dry land? Today's cruise ships are built to endure storms.<\/p><\/div>\n

4. Consider a cruise. <\/strong>
\nIf your worry outweighs the great deal you found to a tropical paradise, look into cruising as an alternative.\u00a0 Modern cruise ships are built with sophisticated satellite technology that allows them — for the most part — to avoid stormy weather.\u00a0 It may mean you spend an extra day at sea instead of docking at a scheduled island port, but the chance your trip will be cancelled is small.<\/p>\n

5. Look outside the hurricane belt. <\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s true — there are tropical islands in the Caribbean that are very unlikely to get hit by a tropical storm.\u00a0 The ABC islands — Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao — located not far off the coast of Venezuela, are considered to be outside the hurricane belt and have historically seen very little severe storm activity.\u00a0\u00a0 And remember, it’s still the off-season in the Caribbean, which means no crowds and prices that are hard to pass up.<\/p>\n

Related resources<\/strong><\/p>\n