If the thought of traveling to the Caribbean during hurricane season makes you nervous, travel packagers are no doubt aware of that, proffering incentives, packages, and otherwise tantalizing specials to get you to swallow that fear. Some companies, such as Cheap Caribbean, have devised an insurance plan called "Free Your Mind," whereby you are allowed to cancel or change your trip once if there's a hurricane danger. Jamaica remains popular with travelers, and a good place to start your information gathering is the Jamaican Tourism Board (tel. 800/233-4582; www.visitjamaica.com), which has information about the Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest (www.reggaesumfest.com) which starts in a couple of days (July 16-22) in Montego Bay.
Air Jamaica (tel. 800/523-5585; www.airjamaica.com) is running a fare sale between cities in the United States and Jamaica. Kingston-New York and Montego Bay-New York routes are on sale from $230 for travel August 15-Demceber 15; the purchase deadline is December 15. Other sales are valid through December 13. Sample fares include Chicago-Kingston and Chicago-Montego Bay, both priced from $348.
Air Jamaica Vacations (tel. 800/568-3247; www.airjamaicavacations.com) is offering Jake's Jamaica Resort, a boutique resort starting from $619 per person including airfare for three nights from New York-JFK, Newark, Atlanta, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Orlando. The hotel is comprised of 25 cottages in a private beach setting on Treasure Beach on Calabash Bay, on Jamaica's South Coast. You must act quickly: the booking deadline is July 14 based on travel August 19-December 14.
Air Jamaica also offers less expensive options called "Super-Inclusive" packages starting from $559 per person for three nights at Starfish Trelawny Beach Resort, with the same departure cities included in this price structure. Trips include round-trip airfare, three nights' accommodations, all meals, snacks and cocktails, airport-hotel transfers, land and non-motorized sports, and all hotel taxes, services and gratuities. The same deadline of July 14 applies for booking, valid for the same travel period as the Jake's special. Other properties, some more luxurious, are also available, such as the Grand Lido Negril Resort and Spa, from $1,199 per person.
If you want to travel for more than a three nights' stay, Cheap Caribbean (tel. 800/915-2322; www.cheapcaribbean.com) is www.eleisurelink.com) might be able to beat the Air Jamaica Vacations' rate for this same resort, Starfish Trelawny. Case in point: The company is offering three nights accommodations, all meals, drinks, round-trip transfers and of course round-trip airfare, from Ft. Lauderdale for a low $399, for travel through July 31 based on availability. Other cities are competitively priced, and this company's deal includes departure cities such as Washington, D.C. from $549 or Tampa/Orlando from $459, but New York-La Guardia is priced at $679, more expensive than Air Jamaica's offer.
Rockhouse Hotel (tel. 876/957-4373; www.rockhousehotel.com), located on the top of a cliff of Pristine Cover in Negril, is the type of resort that is budget-minded only in price and manages to offer privacy to guests. With a restaurant, spa, and daily yoga classes available to guests, and thatched roof villas with private bathing decks as the accommodations, the hotel's standard rooms are priced from an affordable $95 per night in summer (which runs until December 15) and $125 in winter (December 15-April 15), based on availability. Travelers with children should take note that the resort restricts its accommodations to those over the age of 12.
Rose Hall Resort and Country Club in Montego Bay (tel. 866/831-1313; www.rosehallresort.com) has an all-inclusive rate priced from $249 per night and a summer special, with rates on select available dates from $119 per night. In a previous incarnation, the 400-acre resort was a sugar plantation, and it's now home to a championship golf course, pools, waterfalls, a water park, and other activities. The resort's web site guarantee's the lowest rates.
Vacation Travel Mart (tel. 800/288-1435; www.vacmart.com) is offering a special inclusive of airfare from Miami from a mere $339 for a three-night package at the economy-rated Montego Bay's Doctor's Cove). Some blackout dates may apply and the price is based on double occupancy. The property is not located on the beach, but just across the street -- which most likely accounts for the low price. Booking deadline is July 31 for weekday travel now through August 31.
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