Emily

[kathy miller]

Well, I have learned a lot about trip insurance with this adventure. the state department issued a request that US folks leave the caymans while the getting is good. There is a hurricane watch as of 11:00 pm last night, and speculation that she will be a catagory 4 (caymen net news) As far as I know this morning, the airlines have not yet enacted their storm policy which allows you to change flights without fees and additional charges. we are not going down until Monday and paying the fees--don't want to risk a major hurricane. Watcher-check your policy on cancellation--ours won't reimburse until there is a 48 hour cancellation of common carrier service, which, in your case as well as ours, means that they expect you to fly into an area in the path of a major hurricane as long as the planes are still flying. Then they don't cover evacutation when you need to go, and too bad if you spend half your vacation in a hurricane shelter! don't you love insurance companies??

Prayers to all in Emily's path. Caymans haven't recovered from Ivan yet--I can't imagine dreading this year's hurricane season.

 

[CBulla]

What an interesting Hurricane. For the first weekend in a LONG time its not raining or storming or under storm warning here and I'm doing a workshop that keeps me inside :lol: how ironic!

I hope the folks in the Caymans are keeping the heads down, its definitely going to be a wild ride!

 

[DandyDon]

Kathy, I am relived to learn that you are not on a plane into the storm, but I am amazed that the airline would still fly you there (which one please?) as well as that your trip insurance carrier doesn't intend to pay for trip delays (which one again please?).

This morning's advisories include...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 135 MPH...215 KM/HR...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES EMILY A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. HOWEVER...SATELLITE IMAGES SUGGEST
THAT EMILY MAY HAVE WEAKENED A LITTLE DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS. A
RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WILL CHECK THE INTENSITY SHORTLY.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES... 65 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 140 MILES...220 KM.

Omg, 135 mph winds on the path, 74 mph outward 40 miles, 40 mph outward 140 miles with rain flying sideways. I guess that's hurricane party stuff to Florida folks, but to this high desert dweller - not something I'd want to see first hand.

 

[halocline]

I see that the latest predictions have been modified to focus the storm directly on my hotel room in Cozumel; I'm supposed to arrive Tuesday afternoon. We'll see......

 

[saf_25]

Why do I think this is a conspiracy to screw up my Honduras trip scheduled for Friday?
Rick

Rick,
What resort are you staying at? We're heading to Cocoview tonight - maybe we'll see you there!

 

[scububa]

I see that the latest predictions have been modified to focus the storm directly on my hotel room in Cozumel; I'm supposed to arrive Tuesday afternoon. We'll see......

That should be good news When do they pinpoint it four days out?

 

[DocIndyDiver]

Looks like DandyDon's link has it going barely north of Cozumel. That's better but, Grand Cayman is in for another good wack (northeast side of storm). NOAA has it doing a left turn before Texas, ya right. Look out Texas.

 

[DandyDon]

I see that the latest predictions have been modified to focus the storm directly on my hotel room in Cozumel; I'm supposed to arrive Tuesday afternoon. We'll see......

When do they pinpoint it four days out?

When, or where...?

The NHC of NOAA currently expects it to go more over Cancun than Cozumel, altho there will be little difference. Good luck friends in both places. Four days from now - Tuesday, NHC thinks it'll have already passed the Yucatan and be in the Gulf building power from that warm water. Could be a really bad lady by the time she comes ashore around the Rio Grande Valley...!! Of course, she could also drift north or south of that line.

For latest update on predictions: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

I had some conversations with my usual trip insurance company and usual airline this morning and learned a few things that may be helpful down the line for me. In hopes they may be helpful to others now, I'll try to share them here...

The insurance company would pay if I was prevented from traveling and incurred losses, which is the way it should be. If they paid only because I changed my mind about going, the premiums would be ridiculous. For example, Continental is still planning on flying to Grand Cayman and Roatan tomorrow - subject to change.

The insurance company would pay if an airline didn't fly as scheduled, and the airline was covered. I use Travel Safe as they cover all airlines.

If I have the good sense to not go to Grand Cayman tomorrow, or even didn't want to risk flying into Roatan tomorrow (does RTB even have instrument landing possibilities for a thunderstorm?), the insurance company is not going to pay for optional losses - it all depends on the airline.

HERE'S THE BIG ONE, THO: If I was booked on either, and didn't want to go, Continental would not charge me for changing!! NEXT BIG ONE: Then, if my Atlantic Air flight connecting to Utila was canceled and I couldn't get a refund, Travel Safe would pay for that.

All this does sound pretty reasonable to me, and reassuring. I am wondering if other ailines are allowing free changing..??

 

[dive1627]

We were scheduled to leave for Belize (Ambergris Caye) tomorrow morning.
Gladly, our flight was booked with Continental Airlines.
From their website:

" Hurricane Emily

Due to Hurricane Emily, Continental is allowing the option to reschedule or reroute your travel once, without a penalty, if you are ticketed to/from/through one of the cities listed below for travel between Thursday, July 14, 2005 and Monday, July 18, 2005. Travel must be re-scheduled or re-issued by July 18, 2005:

Belize City, Belize (BZE)
Cancun, Mexico (CUN)
Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico (CME)
Cozumel, Mexico (CZM)
Grand Cayman Island, Cayman Islands (GCM)
Kingston, Jamaica (KIN)
Merida, Mexico (MID)
Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ)
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic (POP)
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ)
Roatan, Honduras (RTB)
San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP)
Santiago, Dominican Republic (STI)
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ)


Travel must be completed by the original validity dates specified on ticket. Changes must be confirmed in the same booking class as the original ticket. Please contact Continental reservations for assistance. "

We called to postpone it for a week with no problem at all (no charge for that).
Check your airline website.

Hotel reservation - directly with Banana Beach Resort. People there were very understanding and we had no problem to re-schedule our stay for a week (no charge).
Dive operations - the same (Amigos and Protech).

No insurance purchased for any of those reservations.

We are hoping all the best for the people during "Emily".

 

[DandyDon]

From the NHC...

AT 5 PM AST...2100 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS HAS
ISSUED A HURRICANE WARNING FOR ALL OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF JAMAICA.

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.