Ahhh, the scariest time of year.... and NO I'm not talking about Halloween.
I am talking about good OL' Fashion Hurricane Season. Which if you live in the Southern part of the US, you count down to this time with jars of peanut butter, bottles of water, and battery stocks that make electric vehicle companies jealous. For the rest of the country, just know it's straight up not a good time.
Now, I live in the cone of destruction, so of course I care about it, but why should you?
Well, if you're like most Americans you have a vacation planned during this time. Like also most Americans you will be traveling to somewhere where you will be affected by these massive terribly named storms. I mean what kind of names are these? (apologies to all the people out there with these names) but where did they even come from?
Anyways, Hurricane Season in the USA is June-November, (I was also shocked to realize 6 months out of the year something named Alberto is trying to take me out). I don't know about you, but traveling is pretty much the only reason I go to work, and I am not going to go without having a trip planned that long.
Unfortunately for the unsuspecting fellow traveler they don't realize how long Hurricane Season is and truly all the ways it could mess with your vacation plans.
The travel industry also likes to give the best deals during Hurricane season, I swear like $200 for a 7-night cruise, but it leaves August 25th (peak storm season).
This is where paying attention to things like refundable, credits, future travel, and transferrable are somewhere in there when looking at a trip. Other trips can always be booked, the divorce you get from making your spouse travel in a Category 3 Hurricane, is rarely undone. Always pay attention to booking conditions.... and read the small print.
ALWAYS ALWAY ALWAYS GET THE INSURANCE!!!!!
If you can't tell my recommendation not just as a travel agent, but as a person who doesn't want to see you lose out on hundreds/thousands of dollars is GET THE INSURANCE. Your travel agent should provide you with some options to look at, but if they didn't...
CLICK BELOW:
(Don't worry it's just a FREE Quote for travel insurance, don't make it weird)
I fully endorse the PRO PLAN as a way to go. I mean don't listen to me, I just had clients book a $3000 vacation and Beryl came knocking.
SPOILER ALERT!!!: They didn't lose a dime on their trip.
Hurricanes cannot just affect your travel plans and wallet, they can affect the quality of trip you have.
I went to Destin, Florida a week before Hurricane Laura hit, and when I say it was like swimming in a Jellyfish Tank, because the storm had them all moving to one spot. That spot was unfortunately Crab Island, (if you've been to Destin you know) and my husband got stung about 22 times. (No, I didn't do the thing that makes the stinging stop).
The only good part in that story was we got our money's worth on the very expensive pontoon boat rental, because we were stuck on it. I already have a fear of something getting me in the ocean.
Now, without scaring anyone into NOT booking the trip because they might have to do the thing that makes the Jellyfish sting stop (YOU KNOW), I would save the locations that are out of the path of coming in contact with Hurricanes. It's why Europe is such a popular spot in the summer, mountain trips for hiking, and pretty much avoiding the Gulf of Mexico into the Caribbean for the time being.
If you just simply can't avoid going, GET THE INSURANCE, pay attention to booking details (checking if you're paying attention), and maybe suggest a location where MILTON (proposed Hurricane name for 2024) can't mess up your hard-earned vacation. Above all else my number one piece of advice....
TAKE THE TRIP
-Samantha Cooley
Worth The Miles Travel
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