Traveling to the Caribbean during hurricane season can save you money while enjoying fewer crowds. Mid-April to mid-December is considered off-season in the Caribbean, and six of those months are during hurricane season.

If you’re willing to take a risk on the weather cooperating, you could experience a great vacation for a lot less money. Lodging, transportation, and island activities are substantially lower during hurricane season, and you may also find discounted airfare.

When is hurricane season?

Hurricane season is from June 1 through November 30. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “Activity peaks from mid-August through mid-October because of various factors such as warmer water and air temperatures and increased moisture.” The biggest threat of a hurricane in the Caribbean is in September.

Islands that experience fewer hurricanes

Islands that are south of the hurricane belt typically experience fewer hurricanes. The ABC islands – Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao haven’t had a hurricane in years. Other islands with fewer hurricanes are Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, and Grenada.

Purchase travel insurance:

Be prepared with travel insurance. Weather is unpredictable, and hurricanes can quickly shift direction. If your vacation starts to go south (so to speak), you can protect against financial losses by purchasing travel insurance.

There is one caveat. Travel insurance must be purchased before a hurricane has been named or starts to form. Once it is a named hurricane, you can no longer purchase coverage (or at least not full coverage). Insurance companies view a named hurricane as a foreseeable event.

Trip Cancellation insurance covers the cancellation of a trip for unforeseen (covered) reasons. Find out exactly what is or is not covered and what is required for filing a claim. Keep all receipts and documentation. You will be reimbursed for expenses paid if you cannot reach your destination because of a canceled flight or lodging.

Some insurance policies offer compensation if there’s a NOAA-issued travel warning. This added option allows you to cancel your trip even if the airlines or your hotel/resort have not issued a cancellation. If you don’t want to be on vacation when a storm hits, this would be a good policy to check out. Hotels and resorts oftentimes remain open during a hurricane.

For helpful information on purchasing travel insurance during hurricane season (along with a list of providers), go to InsureMyTrip.com or Squaremouth.com.

If you’d prefer to cancel your trip if conditions are unfavorable, look into a “Cancel for Any Reason” policy. Again, be sure to know what the policy covers and the allowable reasons for cancellation. When it comes to insurance, “cancel for any reason” does not include “every” reason. There are stipulations.

Trip Interruption insurance covers expenses for returning home early or rerouting to another location. It will reimburse you for the added costs involved if you cannot reach your final destination due to a storm or other reasons.

Trip Delay insurance covers expenses for additional transportation costs, meals, and lodging if your flight is delayed.

Airlines and cruise lines offer travel insurance for an additional cost when you purchase your trip. However, you can oftentimes find better coverage at a lower cost with an outside travel insurance company. It’s worth investigating other options.

What if a hurricane hits while on vacation?

If you have travel insurance, contact your travel insurance provider. They will initiate a claim and will provide you with important information on what to do and how to get back home safely.

Hotels and businesses in hurricane-prone areas are prepared for hurricanes. They’ve experienced them and know what to expect. Before booking your reservations, get specifics on the hotel or resort’s hurricane plan. Ask about their cancellation policy and if they have a  generator in case the power goes out.

Many properties have hurricane policies in place that may or may not favor their guests. Some properties waive the cancellation fee if you decide to leave early, while others may offer a certificate or voucher for the unused nights. The downside is that these vouchers often must be used by a specified date, making them useless if you cannot use them.

If you cannot reach your destination because of a flight cancellation or a mandatory evacuation, you may be able to rebook at a later date or cancel your reservations entirely without a penalty.

You will also want to know (in advance) the game plan if there is a government-issued evacuation. Will transportation be provided to the airport (if the airport is open) or to a local shelter? Public transportation oftentimes shuts down during a hurricane. Find out what the evacuation entails.

There are times when you may be forced to ride out the storm in the hotel. You may be moved to a safer location on the property (away from windows) and have to hunker down until the storm passes. If you remain in your room, keep your drapes closed and stay far away from windows. If the wind breaks the glass, the drapes will help contain it.

Be prepared by stocking up on supplies. Purchase extra batteries, bottled water, flashlights, a first aid kit, unscented candles and matches, and food (that doesn’t require refrigeration or cooking) that will last a few days. Include items like canned meat, peanut butter, bread, protein bars, nuts, tuna fish, apples, etc. Pick up some fun games to help pass the time.

Be sure to have extra cash since ATMs may not be working. Put important documents like your passport, insurance policy, and birth certificate in a waterproof container, along with any medications, and keep it with you.

Ensure your computer, laptop, and phone are fully charged, and fill your rental car with gas. You may lose cell service during a hurricane in the Caribbean. Even if you cannot make a call, you may still be able to text. Preserve your battery life by turning off Wi-Fi search, dimming the background lighting on your phone, and closing unnecessary apps. Set your phone to receive emergency weather alerts through a weather app.

Notify friends and family of where you are and keep them updated. That’ll go a long way in reducing their anxiety about your safety.

Taking a cruise during hurricane season:

If you are planning a cruise during hurricane season, be prepared for possible changes in your itinerary. Cruise lines try to avoid canceling cruises by making adjustments to the itinerary.

The ports of call may be changed or eliminated, and the departure/return dates may be altered. The cruise could end up being shortened or extended. The ship may even leave a day earlier than the original departure date in anticipation of a port closure. With Hurricane Dorian, Carnival was scheduled to depart on a Sunday but changed the departure to Saturday night.

Cruise ships have also been forced to wait at sea until the home port opens back up, or they could drop passengers off at an alternate port. These changes can wreak havoc on your flight plans and make for a disappointing cruise experience if you are not prepared ahead of time.

When cruising during hurricane season, planning to arrive the day before your cruise ship is scheduled to depart is especially important. Flight delays and cancellations due to adverse weather conditions have caused many cruisers to miss their cruise ship’s embarkation.

Purchase travel insurance

Purchasing travel insurance is a necessity when embarking on a cruise. If you must cancel or change your flights to fit the cruise ship’s new itinerary, travel insurance will cover the added expenses or reimburse you for losses. If there is a delay and you have added hotel and food expenses, travel delay insurance will cover these costs. 

To receive coverage, you must purchase the insurance before the storm has formed and officially named.

Cruise cancellations and itinerary alterations

If the cruise line cancels your entire cruise, you will generally receive a refund. However, if you decide to cancel your cruise because of the weather conditions and changes in the itinerary, you will not receive a refund. You will lose the money you spent on the cruise.

There are exceptions. If the cruise line has to make significant alterations to the itinerary, it may possibly offer a credit toward a future cruise, but there may be stipulations and a limited time frame in which to use the credit.

Generally, passengers are not compensated for storm-related changes in a cruise ship’s itinerary. If a port of call is skipped, you should receive an onboard credit for any port charges and shore excursions you paid for through the cruise line. If you booked your shore excursion independently (outside the cruise line), you will be responsible for canceling it and requesting a refund. Some shore excursion operators will give you a refund, while others do not allow for cancellations and may refuse. Before booking an individual tour, find out what the cancellation policy is.

Even if a port of call is not canceled, the cruise ship can make last-minute changes to the arrival and departure times from a port of call. These changes could conflict with your tour schedule. You must be on time when returning to your cruise ship. If the tour is not set up through the cruise line, the ship will leave without you.

Cruise ships can outrun or bypass hurricanes and try to stay far enough away to avoid turbulence. If the cruise ship has to skirt the edges of the storm, it may result in passengers experiencing rough seas. Be sure to pack some remedies to ward off seasickness.

By knowing what to plan for in advance, you can enjoy your vacation — even if it’s during hurricane season.