Hurricane Season in the Caribbean: Weather Guarantees

What's your hurricane risk tolerance? Take this quick poll.

Hurricane Season in the Caribbean officially extends from June 1 to November 30; Caribbean storms affect not only the islands and Mexico's east coast but also parts of the US as well (including tourist mecca Orlando). August to October are peak months.

Many families happily holiday in these areas during these months, and benefit from "summer" (May to December) price discounts. Still there are weather worries: even if the chance of a direct hit is small, tropical storms can cloud the skies in a wide radius.

To encourage travelers, many resorts and holiday packagers offer weather guarantees. Here's a sample, below.* Some are included with your vacation purchase, some are plans that are purchased separately.

And all come with a fair share of fine print! Which may hold some surprises; read carefully. Also please note that these guarantees may change over time; clicking through to the web site will give you the latest info.

Alphabetical list:

• Apple Vacations
  A Weather Guarantee is included with the purchase of a Travel Security package; travelers get a free replacement vacation under certain conditions.

• Sandals / Beaches Blue Chip Hurricane Guarantee.
  Unfortunately, the Blue Chip Hurricane Guarantee -- which offered a replacement vacation-- has been discontinued.

• Club Med Hurricane Protection Program:
  In the case of Category One or higher hurricane-force winds, guests receive a Future Travel Certificate for the value of the land portion of their vacation for the number of affected days. The Certificate is good for a year, at a number of resorts. (Club Med also has a Total Peace of Mind Protection Plan, for purchase, for cancellations for any reason.)

• CheapCaribbean.com
  This vacation seller takes a welcome approach with its "Free Your Mind" travel protection program: "We at CheapCaribbean.com believe you shouldn't have to pay extra for important items such as travel insurance [or] a hurricane protection plan." Travelers get Travel Guard Insurance, with full refund, or re-schedule for no penalty, if a hurricane interrupts, delays, or cancels your trip. (You're also covered for other travel insurance items, too.)

• Expedia.com - Hassle-free Hurricane Promise
  If a hurricane watch or warning is issued for your destination, Expedia pledges to waive cancellation fees, advocate for you with their travel partners to waive their fees, and help you find new travel options. Expedia also has a Package Protection Plan for purchase: travelers can cancel or make changes for any reason.

• Funjet Vacations
  Funjet (vacation packager) has a "Fun For Sure" penalty waiver plan for purchase, for cancellation for any reason. This plan has hurricane coverage for July-October departures: guests receive money back for interrupted (displaced from your room for 24 hours or more during a Category 1 hurricane or higher) and unused nights, and certificates towards a future vacation within one year.

• Marriott’s Caribbean Travel Interruption Promise
  Available at 16 resorts in nine Caribbean and Mexican beach destinations. Full Refund, or Room Upgrade for Interrupted Travel Reservations: for guests with a non-refundable deposit, who are unable to travel to the Caribbean or Mexico hotel due to an airport or hotel closure during a hurricane. Complimentary Return Stay for Interrupted Vacations: for guests whose stay is interrupted by a hurricane which directly hits the property; complimentary three-night return stay valid for two years (with some conditions.)

• Palace Resorts
  Palace Resorts have properties in Mexico's Caribbean (Cancun and Mayan Riviera areas) and are expanding into the DR also. Hurricane Policy has some options for rebooking, relocating to other Palace properties, rescheduling, cancellation and no-shows.

• SuperClubs Super-Inclusive Resorts: No-Hurricane Guarantee.
  For on-property guests: if a hurricane strikes the resort, guests are reimbursed for the value of disrupted nights, and receive a voucher for a future stay for the same number of disrupted nights, for use during the same month the following year (excluding airfare.) For guests unable to arrive as scheduled: guests may arrive after the storm, either for same number of nights, or stay fewer nights and receive a voucher for future travel equal to the interrupted nights. Note that a couple of SuperClubs resorts aren't included in this Guarantee.

  SuperClubs also has a Sunshine Guarantee: for every day the sun doesn't show up, guests get a credit voucher equal to that day's room value, good for one year towards another SuperClubs vacation. (At each resort the Water Sports Director makes a daily "official Sunshine determination.")

• Travelocity
  This online booking site has a Travelocity Guarantee that's mainly a low-price guarantee but does include some pre-trip hurricane protection: if a hurricane makes travel to your destination unsafe, Travelocity will provide an opportunity to change plans and work with its travel partners to make changes at the most reasonable cost (to you).

A number of individual resorts also offer their own Hurricane Guarantees. Always read the fine print, so you know exactly what's being offered! For example: one visitor reports that, when a hurricane disrupted her vacation at a popular chain resort, guests were told that the weather guarantee only applied if the "eye of the storm" passed directly over the resort area.

Finally: for travelers to Orlando, Orlandoinfo.com -- the site of the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau-- lists an array of tropical weather guarantees for this top vacation spot including protection for theme park vacations.

* always check web sites for updates!