WEATHER BAD WEATHER FOR A BARGAIN VACATION

08-29-1999

CONSIDERING THAT HURRICANE BRET CUT A BROAD SWATH ACROSS SOUTH TEXAS LAST WEEK, THAT HURRICANE DENNIS IS MENACING THE EAST COAST THIS WEEKEND, AND THAT THREE OTHER NAMED TROPICAL STORMS ARE LINING UP ACROSS THE SOUTH ATLANTIC LIKE WIDGETS ON AN ASSEMBLY LINE, THIS MAY NOT BE THE IDEAL TIME TO PROMOTE THE POSSIBILITY OF PLANNING A CARIBBEAN VACATION FOR THE FALL. OR MAYBE IT IS.

Travelers who appreciate off-season bargains know that summer and fall can be a great time to visit traditional warm-weather destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. Average daily temperatures may be slightly higher during these seasons than in winter or spring, but the costs are lower and the beaches much less crowded.

An off-season vacation to sunny, southern climes can easily be 50 percent less expensive than a winter visit. One measure of this availability is the special $199 round trip, e-saver fares to Puerto Rico offered by US Airways this past week. Sign up online and you could have flown round trip to San Juan for up to a week. Similar bargains are likely to be available in the coming months.

But August through November is also when hurricane warnings are most frequently posted throughout southern climes.

Last year's hurricane season was the deadliest in 220 years, in large part because of Mitch's destructive Central American visit in October. And despite a slow start to the hurricane season this year, warmer-than-usual ocean waters indicate that much stormy weather is on tap.

Should the prospect of major storms deter you from taking advantage of vacation bargains? Yes, and no.

Anyone who has ever had a vacation evolve into an evacuation knows that steering a wide berth around a major storm is always a wise course.

The capriciousness of hurricanes introduces considerable luck into the equation, but smart travelers can improve their long-term odds of finding favorable weather by choosing the right time and location to visit.

 
For example, although hurricanes can occur almost any time, they are most common from mid-August through mid-October. Thus, trips planned for early summer or late fall are more likely to enjoy better weather.

Some places, such as the islands off South America's Caribbean coast, sheltered by the continent's bulk, lie out of the path of typical Atlantic hurricanes. They include Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Margarita, Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad, for example, gets hit by a major storm only once every 36 years, while is lands to the north suffer more frequently. Nassau in the Bahamas averages one storm every four years.

Also don't forget that although hurricanes can be huge, the Caribbean is much bigger. A storm that is hundreds of miles across can devastate islands one place while producing ideal weather elsewhere, even in its wake.

Location on a particular island can also be important. When given an option, select a resort that lies on an island's lee side, generally the coast that faces west, which is likely to be sheltered from most prevailing winds.

 
Don't be deterred from visiting places that have been struck by hurricanes in recent years. Mindful of vacation dollars, storm-struck locations heal quickly. Tourist areas in Honduras have already recovered from Mitch's devastation.
Cruises can be another good option, since with several days' warning ships can generally steer a course away from gathering storms.

While your cruise may not call on the ports listed in the itinerary, at least you'll have some kind of vacation.

Resorts handle refunds for storm-struck vacationers on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately, too many provide little or no assistance at all. Some promote hurricane guarantees. SuperClubs has "Guaranteed Getaways," which offers compensation for vacations disrupted by a hurricane. Sandals and Beaches Resorts go even one better. Their "Blue Chip Hurricane Guarantee" offers guests who have even one day of their vacation interrupted by a hurricane a free replacement vacation, including round-trip airfare. The replacement stay is for the same duration and room category as the originally booked trip and is valid for one year after the original vacation.

Or you can always buy trip interruption/cancellation insurance, offered by travel agents and trip organizers. This form of coverage provides financial compensation for lost deposits and other expenses suffered due to a range of vacation-altering mishaps, including bad weather, illness, missed connections, and airline strikes. But this form of insurance is expensive, averaging about 5 percent of the amount of the coverage, and can take a bite out of the savings realized by traveling off-season.

Another form of hurricane insur ance is to pack a flashlight and a few candles in your suitcase.

If your luck turns out bad and you happen to wind up someplace in the predicted path of a storm, you'll have to make the decision to leave or stay and ride out the storm. You can track a storm's progress on local radio weather channels or the National Hurricane Center's Web sites: www.nhc.noaa.gov or www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov.

In general, the wisest course of action is to follow the directions of local authorities. If they say evacuate, pack and go. Many coastal communities have action plans for hurricanes and will direct evacuees away from low-lying shore areas.

If you decide to stay put, fill the bathtub with drinking water, stock up on nonperishable food, avoid elevators, and stay away from windows, sky lights and glass sliding doors.

Chances are good that you'll be able to ride the storm out with no problems. Many vacationers who have been through a big blow report that it makes for vivid memories and great travel stories.

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