Archived Thread

NFT: San Juan, PR

John in Loudoun : 9/22/2017 10:50 am

We have a vacation planned for the last week of October for the wife's birthday. We weren't planning on doing much sightseeing outside of San Juan. I know we have people on this board who live in Puerto Rico or have family down there.

1. Do I cancel/reschedule my trip? The last thing I want to do is get in the way or the rebuilding or take resources away from the residents.

2. If San Juan is back in business, will the locals residents be upset seeing people trying to enjoy themselves while their trying to put their lives back together? Or do they want tourists for their businesses?

I'm not sure which direction to go with this...any info would be greatly appreciated.

You've gotta be kidding. Do you watch the news?

x meadowlander : 9/22/2017 11:07 am : link

Unless you're considering volunteering to help the survivors, Puerto Rico and the other islands wrecked by these hurricanes are the last places you'd consider for a vacation.

Puerto Rico is expected to be without power for MONTHS. Infrastructure has been destroyed.

Yeah...

NorwoodWideRight : 9/22/2017 11:13 am : link

You're not going to San Juan.

I have a cruise scheduled during the same week

NorwoodWideRight : 9/22/2017 11:14 am : link

and I 100% expect that we won't be going to any of the islands on our itinerary. Things are messed up in the Caribbean right now.

RE: I have a cruise scheduled during the same week

DanMetroMan : 9/22/2017 11:16 am : link

In comment 13610727 NorwoodWideRight said:

Quote:

and I 100% expect that we won't be going to any of the islands on our itinerary. Things are messed up in the Caribbean right now.

Updated cruise port situations
Link - ( New Window )

It's a literal disaster zone

Metnut : 9/22/2017 11:17 am : link

Probably not a good idea to vacation there.

If it's already booked and paid for

Bill in Del : 9/22/2017 11:20 am : link

You might be out of luck with trying to get a refund. Unless you bought insurance for the trip.

RE: RE: I have a cruise scheduled during the same week

NorwoodWideRight : 9/22/2017 11:26 am : link

In comment 13610731 DanMetroMan said:

Quote:

In comment 13610727 NorwoodWideRight said:

Quote:

and I 100% expect that we won't be going to any of the islands on our itinerary. Things are messed up in the Caribbean right now.

Updated cruise port situations Link - ( New Window )

Thanks for the link. That will come in handy. I already knew two of our ports were closed. I'm guessing they'll re-route us to western Caribbean, Belize or Cozumel, etc.

Dude...

Chris in Philly : 9/22/2017 11:34 am : link

PR might not even have any power back by then...

It's

AcidTest : 9/22/2017 11:36 am : link

going to be several months before power is restored to most of Puerto Rico. The island was annihilated.

PR is a no go zone except for relief efforts and families

dpinzow : 9/22/2017 11:43 am : link

of those affected living in the States for at least 3 months, at the very minimum

Save the money and donate to

spike : 9/22/2017 12:03 pm : link

PR relief efforts. Not red cross
Link from PR government site. United for Puerto Rico - ( New Window )

I think locals will be happy seeing tourists

cjac : 9/22/2017 12:04 pm : link

spending money there

It's going to be anarchy

Ronzo17 : 9/22/2017 12:08 pm : link

Dangerous. Curfews are being enforced. Wouldn't risk it.

There

DanMetroMan : 9/22/2017 12:10 pm : link

is no "decision" to be made. There is no Puerto Rico to visit (certainly not within 4-5 weeks). Sorry your planned vacation got fucked (I'd be bummed "why me?" despite everything going on over there like a dick) but at very best people won't be visiting PR for MONTHS.

Exactly why I'm glad I made

beatrixkiddo : 9/22/2017 12:10 pm : link

the decision to go somewhere outside the Hurricane belt for my Honeymoon this time of year.

Me and my wife are leaving for Curacao next week, we already had to postpone it a few months after our wedding due to work schedules, it would have sucked to have to do that again, especially when we are also in the process of trying to relocate.

Why anyone would schedule a Caribbean trip

Del Shofner : 9/22/2017 1:00 pm : link

in August through October has always eluded me. What's happened this year is exceptionally bad, of course, but the risk is there every year during those months.

Loudon County, VA

Maryland Giant : 9/22/2017 1:04 pm : link

Highest median household income in the nation ($119,000).

Say, can you tell me Senor? Does the Four Seasons have a generator? - ( New Window )

By all means, go.

Giants_ROK : 9/22/2017 1:21 pm : link

Just make sure to take a copy of this along.

"Hey Juan -

well...bye TC : 9/22/2017 1:28 pm : link

when youre done re-wiring the elcetrical grid, can I get some more ice in my Pina Colada please?"

Some of this seems undeservedly snarky to me

Bill L : 9/22/2017 1:46 pm : link

the guy seems to understand the issues well enough and asked a legitimate question about the best way to handle things.

RE: Some of this seems undeservedly snarky to me

Metnut : 9/22/2017 1:57 pm : link

In comment 13610913 Bill L said:

Quote:

the guy seems to understand the issues well enough and asked a legitimate question about the best way to handle things.

This is BBI. He asked a question and got a legitimate answer. The fact that he got 5X more snark along with that comes with the territory.

My wife is from PR

Beezer : 9/22/2017 2:48 pm : link

and has been in constant contact with friends and family over the past days. As bad as its being reported in the mainstream media, there's more. Without power, without a semblance of REAL law enforcement (I haven't been able to get a legit answer yet but we are told law enforcement officials are simply not present - guessing? They are helping people, but somewhat invisible as far as "law enforcement").

There's a lot of fear in many areas. PR of course is a wonderland for tourism. But it's also a shit hole in many areas with high crime. Now this, and nowhere for people to go.

It's bad, bad news. My wife is having a rough time knowing what her peeps are living through right now.

I'm most likely postponing or cancelling

John in Loudoun : 9/22/2017 4:30 pm : link

I do have trip insurance so financially its not really an issue.

For you guys with family down there, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Hope they remain safe and recover from this soon.

Thanks all for your input. Go Giants.

RE: Why anyone would schedule a Caribbean trip

Matt M. : 9/22/2017 4:50 pm : link

In comment 13610866 Del Shofner said:

Quote:

in August through October has always eluded me. What's happened this year is exceptionally bad, of course, but the risk is there every year during those months.

This is why we go to Aruba.Like Curacao, which is a sister island, it is outside the hurricane belt I the southwest corner of the Caribbean. They don't even get bit with rain when these storms ravage the northeastern Caribbean.

My wife's family

B in ALB : 9/22/2017 6:58 pm : link

Lives in Ponce. It's a serious disaster down there. No chance you want to go on a honeymoon there for at least 8-10 months.

Better to cancel and go at a later date. Maybe try to book something up stateside for the week instead.

And if you happened to book the St. Regis Bahia Beach - one of my favorite resorts in the world - it got absolutely smoked.

RE: Why anyone would schedule a Caribbean trip

MetsAreBack : 9/23/2017 11:24 am : link

In comment 13610866 Del Shofner said:

Quote:

in August through October has always eluded me. What's happened this year is exceptionally bad, of course, but the risk is there every year during those months.

I don't go then but resorts price accordingly for the poor weather risk / off peak / during school year season. Very affordable. And usually late October is ok. Just an unlucky year (to put it mildly)