Caribbean travel, hurricane season: Part 2 (More deals!)

Are you feeling lucky? You don't have to be Clint Eastwood to ask that question about Caribbean vacations during hurricane season. Sure, the vast majority of travelers who head to the Caribbean in the peak storm months of September and October never encounter a problem (I was on a Caribbean cruise last October, and the only time I got wet was when I jumped in the pool). But there's always the possibility--and let's be real, the floods in Pakistan and record heat in Russia have shown this to be a particularly volatile year, weather-wise--that you could get stuck in a storm.

Watersports in Punta Cana (photo by Ed Yourdon)

Or you could score an amazing deal. As I noted in an earlier blog, all of the major chain hotels are throwing impressive sales for the fall months (you can scroll down in this blog to read about those). As expected, travel packagers, those companies that bundle together airfares and hotels at discounted rates, are also getting in on the act.

One of the best promotions I've seen so far is the The Early Fall Sale from Vacation Travel Mart (www.vacmart.com). Covering the cheaper destinations in the Caribbean (Cancun, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica) and a handful of pricier islands (Aruba, Grand Cayman) the sale is good for the months of September and October, and includes a number of all-inclusive resorts in its offerings. Some examples of its deals. Please note that taxes are extra, and prices are per person based on double occupancy (single occupancy rates will be higher):

• Allegro Playacar, Mayan Riviera: An all-inclusive resort, right on the beach, with two pools, tennis , courts, a kids club and more. Rates start at $338 for airfare, 6 nights hotel, all meals and drinks, and many activities. That low price is from Miami, but there are good deals from other gateways including Toronto ($522), Dallas/Fort Worth ($460), Chicago ($430).
• Bavaro Princess All Suites, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: A bit more of a deluxe all-inclusive, with seven on-site restaurants to pick from and an all-suite layout, the Princess is still affordable in fall. A six-night stay with airfare goes from as little as $506 from Miami, $572 from Toronto, $588 from Chicago and New York City, $704 from San Francisco.

Those are just two of the many, many promotions they're currently featuring. Head to the website (link above) for a complete list.