Hurricanes happen all summer long.
Please know that Katrina was a SUPER storm and that most hurricanes are big windy rainstorms rather than the devastation you all saw on CNN in 2005. In any event, as travelers your concern should be your own safety and the safe coverage of your out of pocket expenses for your trip to Miami or outbound cruises.
If you have booked a hotel on Miami Beach, there could be an evacuation ordered and your hotel must evacuate all tourists for the duration of the storm. This means you will have to leave the Beach for your own safety. Some hotels will work to find you a safe place to stay. Some will not. Generally, a low grade hurricane will only affect the area for 24 hours. But this is Mother Nature, so the duration and severity of any storm are unknowns... However, hurricanes do not pop up out of nowhere. You can generally see, track the progress, and plan for liklihoods up to 7 days in advance. The science behind predicting hurricane paths gets better by the year
If you are visiting South Florida or the Caribbean, the best months to travel are between November and July. The most severe storm threat occurs from August to October.
If you intend to visit Miami:
Get trip insurance...
You can do this at any time until you actually board that first flight outbound.
Call and be certain the coverage includes trip interruption. Many companies provide coverage only if a flight is delayed by more than 24 hours or if the hotel is uninhabitable. Contact your Miami hotel directly (write down the person's full name and title) and ask specific information on the hotel's hurricane contingency plan.
Every hotel is going to have it's own policy. Higher end hotels will offer you a refund if your stay is interrupted or if you have to cancel without penalty if you can not make the trip in the first place. Try to choose hotels that have a same day cancelation policy.
Some major credit cards like AmEx offer optional trip coverage ONLY if you buy your tickets utilizing that card. Call your credit card company NOW and ask about travel insurance and their refund policy in the event of cancellation as well. Confirm the EXTENT of the coverage they offer...
Trip Insurance is peace of mind... it is WORTH it!
Things to do before your trip to South Florida:
Keep an eye on www.weather.com
Get information on trip insurance that specifically covers hurricane related emergency expenses.
Contact your credit card company to find out about coverage and refund policies on travel purchased with their card. AmEx does cover travel if you use some of their cards but you should ask about your needs directly.
Contact your Florida hotel to find out about hurricane plans and policies for evacuation, cancellation fees etc.
Contact your airline (and cruise line) to find out about changes and cancellations, contact your cruise line to see if your trip will be re-routed due to the path of the storm. Verify change and cancellation fees.
Be certain you leave emergency contact information with folks back home. Cell phone and general telephone service will be interrupted and people will be concerned about you. Designate a point person you can contact via e-mail or telephone to let everyone know your status.
Be Safe!
