The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: The 585 on August 29, 2019, 09:13:44 AM
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My wife and I have an upcoming week long vacation scheduled for this Saturday, 8/31 through Saturday 9/7. We'll be staying in Folly Beach South Carolina, just outside of Charleston. We've had this vacation scheduled since the winter time, and this dang hurricane is making me worried.
We're booked for a small AirBNB cottage one block away from the ocean. Would you guys do anything to change your plans? It looks like it'll hit further south, but I'm still worried that the entire week may be a total washout because of it. Advice appreciated!
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The cancellation policy and ability/inconvenience/cost to get to your destination are the keys. For instance, if you can either get a full refund due to weather or at least a credit to use at a different time coupled with being able to change your flights for free, have trip insurance, or live close enough it's not an issue are major considerations.
I'm in a similar boat travel-wise in dealing with Dorian but because flights are free to change and there is a hurricane policy for a full refund, I'm not too worried about it. If it works, I'll go. If not, I'll go some other time.
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Well, if it actually hits, you def don’t want to be there (even if it doesn’t direct hit, when I lived in GA through Michael, our area was fine, but we still suffered through power outages and had to boil water for a week before the all clear - things that would def spoil a vacation). I’d be clear on cancellation policies/ ability to change dates, etc, and play it by ear. This is a hurricane with a very wide track right now, so no telling what it will actually do.
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Are you familiar with the National Hurricane Center (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/) website? Studying it might help you lock in your personal risk levels for vacationing in Charleston. As you can see from the wind probs (https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIAPWSAT5+shtml/292045.shtml?) page, the probability of winds > 34k at Charleston is 9% cumulative. Additionally, the spaghetti models (http://hurricanes.ral.ucar.edu/realtime/plots/northatlantic/2019/al052019/track_late/aal05_2019082918_track_late.png) have the eye tracking further and further south.
For as much as someone else's opinion matters - I do hurricane response for a living, and I'd got to Charleston without any qualms. We are staging far, far south of Charleston.
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Thanks for the comments! I'm still trying to get clarification, but it looks like the refund is only 50%, minus the first day AND service fees. So I'd only be getting about 30% back which makes us lean towards still going and taking our chances. We'll be driving there so flights aren't an issue.
Sam, thanks for the resources. My fear is that the most recent models have it hitting florida, then curving north towards GA/SC. But it's definitely reassuring to hear your opinion that I'm not crazy for still going!
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GO! By the time it would get up there it would be the end of your vacation so go and enjoy yourself.
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I would go
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Thanks guys!! Makes me feel much better about deciding to still go. I'm sure things will be fine and we'll still have a great time!
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Thanks guys!! Makes me feel much better about deciding to still go. I'm sure things will be fine and we'll still have a great time!
I agree with going (I'm in Tampa). You can always leave a little early if it seems like things are going to get bad. This storm is a slow one.
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Thanks guys!! Makes me feel much better about deciding to still go. I'm sure things will be fine and we'll still have a great time!
I agree with going (I'm in Tampa). You can always leave a little early if it seems like things are going to get bad. This storm is a slow one.
Thanks! You're right, leaving early is always an option. That 10 day forecast is daunting though.. :0