Norwegian Escape - Hurricane Matthew

[Lido_Deck]

it's that way with every airline because of the booking systems that the airlines use.

if a segment isn't traveled on, it auto cancels the entire ticket.

 

That's one reason why I always book my outbound and return as separate tickets. Besides, if you want to change either one it is much easier.

[eatdrinkfly]

That's one reason why I always book my outbound and return as separate tickets. Besides, if you want to change either one it is much easier.

 

yup, it's smart to do that if you anticipate trouble.

might cost an extra few dollars in taxes, but for USA/Canada flights they're priced per direction anyways, so it's minimal (if any) difference.

 

can't do that for flights overseas though.

[Lido_Deck]

yup, it's smart to do that if you anticipate trouble.

might cost an extra few dollars in taxes, but for USA/Canada flights they're priced per direction anyways, so it's minimal (if any) difference.

 

can't do that for flights overseas though.

 

No difference at all for domestic flights.

[drdoct]

I just spoke to an employee at the Pilot travel center in Punta Gorda. He said they have plenty of gas and said I shouldn't have any problem on the west side in finding it. Punta Gorda was where I was planning on filling up anyway so that helps me in planning. And maybe it will help someone else out too. I will have my wife post any hazards or problems we see to try and help out anyone who may be behind us so we can all get to the ship and begin our vacations.

Edited October 7, 2016 by drdoct

[CZB1962]

UPDATE

 

We stayed in Tipton GA last night and left there about 10 AM. We hit some rain about 1-2 hours in that was fairly strong. I have driven in worse though.

 

Gas was sold out at the first station we stopped at but one just down the road at the same exit still had regular. I brought a six gallon can that I filled in GA but it down not look like I will need it.

 

We have a room at a Marriott Courtyard for tonight and they said we can leave the car there and they suggested a Uber or Lyft ride.

 

We should be in Miami around 6:30 tonight.

 

All in all everything has worked out better than anticipated.

[jg1007]

In my opinion, a dumb and dangerous thing to say. Hurricanes are notorious for doing exactly opposite what experts say. If a Cat 4 storm is anywhere near you, have a tank full of gas, a couple days of food packed, a exit route planned and watch the radar carefully. Born and raised in Tampa, I saw all kinds of crazy twists and turns. Elena comes to mind!

No need for insults. This was based on news reports I have been watching non stop for three days. Hurricanes don't take sharp left turns and when I wrote that, the hurricane was already north of us. As I write this it is a beautiful day from palm beach south, just as all of the meteorologists predicted. Good day.

 

Sent from my SM-N930V using Forums mobile app

Edited October 7, 2016 by jg1007

[BermudaBound2014]

just want to chime in on the mention that "your return tickets should still be good."...

this is 100% not correct. the airline will cancel your return if you miss your first flight. so do NOT rely on having a return ticket if you don't notify them in advance.

You need to actually cancel off the first segments of your flight to keep your ticket valid. if you no-show on a flight, the rest of the ticket auto-cancels.

 

 

 

Follow advice above, eatdrinkfly is 100% correct. Been like this for quite a long time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TNCruzer56]

No need for insults. This was based on news reports I have been watching non stop for three days. Hurricanes don't take sharp left turns and when I wrote that, the hurricane was already north of us. As I write this it is a beautiful day from palm beach south, just as all of the meteorologists predicted. Good day.

 

Sent from my SM-N930V using Forums mobile app

No insult implied-I lived in the Tampa Bay area for 33 years and only Donna came through. People became complacent. I even surfed Elena when it was a cat 5 not too far off Pinellas County years ago. The waves were that good. A Cat 4 storm anywhere near you is a dangerous thing and should be taken very serious until it is 100s of miles away. It`s the "bulletproof" people (yes I thought I was one, once) that are killed and put 1st responders in peril. In hilly East Tennessee they will call for a trace of snow and we get 6". Backpackers die EVERY year from exposure in the Mountains traveling based on inaccurate forecasts. Even now with all this great super weather technology!

As for your hurricanes don`t take sharp turns, we only have to look back a few years at Wilma -Sharp left and 2 hard right turns:

I am glad you all are safe and fear for the Jax peeps and even you guys if this storm makes the big loop around that some are predicting and comes back your way.

Bottom Line, be smart be prepared and don`t trust all weather forecasts...especially if you decisions are responsible for other lives.

[jg1007]

No insult implied-I lived in the Tampa Bay area for 33 years and only Donna came through. People became complacent. I even surfed Elena when it was a cat 5 not too far off Pinellas County years ago. The waves were that good. A Cat 4 storm anywhere near you is a dangerous thing and should be taken very serious until it is 100s of miles away. It`s the "bulletproof" people (yes I thought I was one, once) that are killed and put 1st responders in peril. In hilly East Tennessee they will call for a trace of snow and we get 6". Backpackers die EVERY year from exposure in the Mountains traveling based on inaccurate forecasts. Even now with all this great super weather technology!

As for your hurricanes don`t take sharp turns, we only have to look back a few years at Wilma -Sharp left and 2 hard right turns:

I am glad you all are safe and fear for the Jax peeps and even you guys if this storm makes the big loop around that some are predicting and comes back your way.

Bottom Line, be smart be prepared and don`t trust all weather forecasts...especially if you decisions are responsible for other lives.

Honestly you are being quite silly. When I wrote my original post, the hurricane was at the level of Boca Raton. For it to have hit palm beach broward or Miami, it would have had to go against all the models, stopped in its tracks and gone south west. So let's be real. I was accurate in my assessment that at the time of writing, palm beach south was not going to be hit by hurricane force winds, and did was not dumb or dangerous. I lived through Andrew as well as every other hurricane after that. No one including me was suggesting not to prepare or suggesting anything remotely dumb or dangerous. Your comment was unwarranted. If you think I was being dumb or dangerous then so were all of the meteorologists at the time who were saying the same thing. It is really not necessary to be insulting when someone is simply stating the facts.

 

Sent from my SM-N930V using Forums mobile app

[TNCruzer56]

Case in point-Hurricane Betsy-Your belief that they can`t or won`t do the impossible:

it would have had to go against all the models, stopped in its tracks and gone south west.

What if Matty had done this and you and your family were stuck?

EOC!

[Deptacon]

If anyone is driving down on the west side (Tampa/alligator alley way), please post what you are seeing. We plan on leaving Atlanta tomorrow morning around 3am to drive down straight since there are no hotels now.

 

If you could help by posting some things I would greatly appreciate it.

 

1. Biggest thing I am worried about is GAS along I-75 in Florida. Right now I'm figuring filling up in Valdosta and making it down to Ft. Myers area before filling up again. However I won't let it get below half a tank if possible before refilling if I see there will be trouble getting gas in FL.

 

2. The other thing is just sheer volume of traffic. I'm hoping by leaving early and hitting Florida around 7ish, that I can avoid a lot of that since hopefully people will be staying and eating before getting on the road back to home. I know I would if I was in a safe hotel.

 

Also, any advice on good parking for $10/day or so would be appreciated. To everyone, have a safe travel down. If you're the praying type we could sure use them too. This is looking doable now that we know where the storm will be on our trip.

 

 

We just drove 75 today, took turnpike down through orlando just now. No need for you take 75 all the way down to alligator alley. Gas was not an issue.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[stickbow]

I just spoke to an employee at the Pilot travel center in Punta Gorda. He said they have plenty of gas and said I shouldn't have any problem on the west side in finding it. Punta Gorda was where I was planning on filling up anyway so that helps me in planning. And maybe it will help someone else out too. I will have my wife post any hazards or problems we see to try and help out anyone who may be behind us so we can all get to the ship and begin our vacations.

 

We are driving down to Miami on Sunday. Thanks for the updates!

[stickbow]

We just drove 75 today, took turnpike down through orlando just now. No need for you take 75 all the way down to alligator alley. Gas was not an issue.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Good to hear!! We are planning on the turnpike on Sunday.

[drdoct]

Just made it through the normal florida turnpike way and all was clear. No traffic until miami

[stickbow]

good to hear! now you can relax and enjoy the trip!