Need Advice- Bail On Belize Trip Due to Alex & Upcoming Unnamed Depression?

[isuchopper]

Hi All-

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for Belize on Monday morning (June 28th) for a two week trip. We're staying with Hamanasi for the first week, then heading out to Glover's. With the arrival of Alex and the NOAA website showing an unnamed depression forming off of P.R., we're thinking of bailing on our plans and diverting to Bonaire & Curacao for a redo of our honeymoon. This obviously leads to a few questions and we'd appreciate any and all advice:

1. If Alex dissipates and the depression off of P.R. doesn't come through, will the diving be affected? Will we see silty water or rough seas for the next week?

2. If this depression keeps coming, is our week on Glover's likely to be a bust? For us northerners, it would seem dangerous to hang out on that little island during a storm.

3. Is Alex bad enough that we should plan to get a car for the trip to Hamanasi instead of our booked flight on Tropic Air?

4. If we want to cancel our plans, do we have any hope of getting some of our money back from Hamanasi? They seem like great people, but we've paid in advance and technically are out of luck. Has anyone gotten resort credit in a situation like this in the past?


Thanks everyone. Happy bubbles.

Mike

 

[Gaz]

Hi All-

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for Belize on Monday morning (June 28th) for a two week trip. We're staying with Hamanasi for the first week, then heading out to Glover's. With the arrival of Alex and the NOAA website showing an unnamed depression forming off of P.R., we're thinking of bailing on our plans and diverting to Bonaire & Curacao for a redo of our honeymoon. This obviously leads to a few questions and we'd appreciate any and all advice:

1. If Alex dissipates and the depression off of P.R. doesn't come through, will the diving be affected? Will we see silty water or rough seas for the next week?

2. If this depression keeps coming, is our week on Glover's likely to be a bust? For us northerners, it would seem dangerous to hang out on that little island during a storm.

3. Is Alex bad enough that we should plan to get a car for the trip to Hamanasi instead of our booked flight on Tropic Air?

4. If we want to cancel our plans, do we have any hope of getting some of our money back from Hamanasi? They seem like great people, but we've paid in advance and technically are out of luck. Has anyone gotten resort credit in a situation like this in the past?


Thanks everyone. Happy bubbles.

Mike

Hi Mike

Tricky situation and I will try to give you the best advice from an x resort owners standpoint.

First and foremost this shows the importance of trip insurance during the summer months or any other month for that matter for unforseen circumstances.

1.) Tropical Storm Alex

As far as reports that are coming off Ambergris Caye Tropical Storm Alex has already passed with minimal to no damage to Ambergris Caye which is the northern most point of Belize however the outlook is still rainy and possible thunderstorms through wed next week but the main storm has passed..

Since Hamanasi is way south of that storm and the fact that it has already passed I dont think Alex is an issue as far as having valid reason to cancel as the storm will no longer be a threat to Belize.

Of course I can sympathize not wanting to go with rainy weather on the horizens but I dont think would not be a valid reason to cancel.

With regards to diving it may very well be stirred up and could be choppy but again the seas will start calming and its probably best to contact each resort you are staying and see what they say as they will not want guests there is there is any threat whatsover but again the main threat has passed and it will start calming down and clearing already.(For Hurricane Mitch and Keith I was diving 2 days after the storm)

As for Tropic Air no need to get a car Tropic will fly only if it is safe to do so.

As for refunds from Resorts with just a few days to go prior to arrival I am afraid not many resorts will consider refunding you especially if the storm has passed, theres no damage, and the resort is open for business as usual. In cases like this normally its trip insurance that would pay if the insurance company deemed it was dangerous for you to travel but I feel in this case its not dangerous to do so as all warnings threats have passed and been lifted.

Hamanasi are great people as you have said but as as far as a refund I think that is not likely but nor for any other resort in Belize however they may agree to a postponement of your trip.

Gaz

 

[mromero]

Hi All-

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for Belize on Monday morning (June 28th) for a two week trip. We're staying with Hamanasi for the first week, then heading out to Glover's. With the arrival of Alex and the NOAA website showing an unnamed depression forming off of P.R., we're thinking of bailing on our plans and diverting to Bonaire & Curacao for a redo of our honeymoon. This obviously leads to a few questions and we'd appreciate any and all advice: <SNIP>
Mike

Hi Mike. Alex wimped out and the All Clear was issued this morning by the National Emergency Management Organisation. The storm brought lots of rain but not much wind to Belize - apparently high winds were at the upper levels. A couple power lines fell down, some trees etc.

All flights are as scheduled and water taxis are resuming their runs to the islands as of 10am today.

As it is business as usual I doubt any resort would honor cancellation based on a storm that has passed. In Belmopan as I write this the sun is just peeping out but expect some rain for a couple days.

Driving to Placencia would allow you to see and enjoy more of the country but if it is raining take care especially on the Western Highway which can get slickery in bad weather.

 

[isuchopper]

Gaz-

Thanks for the quick reply. I hope that your leg is healing nicely- sorry to hear about your accident.

I'm glad to hear that these storms don't completely wreck diving for the week after they pass. When Jen and I first saw the conditions down there, all we could think about was a ruined week with Hamanasi and a cancelled week on Glovers. It's great to get some additional perspective on the storm.

Your point on travel insurance is well taken. My credit card is providing travel insurance, but my concern is that, as you say, the storm isn't currently bad enough to warrant a refund on our trip. I'll drop Hamanasi a line and see what they say about the current conditions & a potential postponement of the trip. Luckily, we were planning on a number of land-based activities with Hamanasi & the NOAA website has called off their prediction of a storm off of P.R. Maybe it will all work out...

Thanks again for the reply and advice.

- Mike

 

[peterbj7]

Alex was virtually a complete non-event. A bit of rain, winds briefly a bit higher than normal (expected to top out at between 45 and 60mph - I didn't measure), some power failures due to the wind (all our electricity cables are above ground) and that was that. A far cry from Dean a few years back when a friend's weather station recorded gusts of 160mph, and a lot of damage was done to docks and buildings on the sea, not by the high winds but by the high seas.

 

[isuchopper]

mromero-

Thanks for the note and the in-country perspective. The all clear from the NMEO and the fact that the airlines and boats are running is good news indeed. I'm glad to hear that the storm wasn't too bad on the ground and that it's starting to clear up. This will help us convince Jen's folks that I'm not dragging her to certain death.

If the weather is that clear, we'll probably stick with our flight with Tropic Air. Driving would be great, but I'm looking forward to getting in to Hamanasi as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Mike

P.S. Anyone else on the board with an in-country conditions update?

 

[isuchopper]

Peter-

Thanks for the info. Do you know how long it typically takes to repair the power lines? I've been trying to get a hold of Hamansi for a while now with no luck. We're traveling right now, so it may be my cell phone, but I'm curious is this might simply be due to downed phone lines.

Thanks again,

Mike

 

[mromero]

Peter-

Thanks for the info. Do you know how long it typically takes to repair the power lines? I've been trying to get a hold of Hamansi for a while now with no luck. We're traveling right now, so it may be my cell phone, but I'm curious is this might simply be due to downed phone lines.

Thanks again,

Mike

The few power lines that went down are fixed now. There is a lobster fest on in Placencia right now so everyone may be on the beach

Most folks use cell phones thus power lines would not affect telephone service. Have you emailed them?

 

[peterbj7]

Power was fully back to all parts of AC by shortly after daybreak.

 

[isuchopper]

Everybody-

Thanks for the multiple pings today. The easter gulf is looking clear and the weather around Hamanasi sounds groovy so we're good to go. We board in 40 minutes. Thanks again for all the updates.

Thanks,

Mike