Post here if your plans are changed due to Hurricane Dean & you would like help

Oh my God, this is horrible. I just read the news. I don't know if this has been posted yet but here's what I read:

Hurricane Dean underwent a good deal of strengthening on Friday and Friday night. Dean began the day as a category 2, 100-mile-per-hour hurricane; it ended the day at a category 4, 150-mile-per-hour major hurricane. Further strengthening is forecast over the next few days as Dean moves through the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.

As of 5 pm (Eastern time), Dean was located near 16.1 North, 70.2 West, which is about 455 miles east-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 165 miles south-southeast of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Maximum sustained winds are near 150 miles per hour. Dean is moving to the west-northwest near 18 miles per hour.

The outer periphery of Dean is impacting the southern coast of the island of Hispaniola (the island on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located) and Puerto Rico, but Dean will more forcibly impact Jamaica and the Cayman Islands Sunday and Monday. Dean could be the strongest hurricane to strike Jamaica since 1950. Stronger than Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 which was a category three when it crossed the island from end to end.

By Monday night and Tuesday, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico will feel impacts from Hurricane Dean. Resort areas of Cancun and Cozumel should be getting ready for this powerful hurricane.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the south coast of the Dominican Republic from Barahona west to the Haiti/Dominican Republic border. In Haiti, the warning runs from the border to Port-Au Prince.

A hurricane warning is now in effect for Jamaica.

A hurricane watch has been issued for the Cayman Islands.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the south coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano westward to Barahona, the coast of Haiti from Port-Au Prince north to the Haiti/Dominican Republic border and eastern Cuba, from the province of Camaguey eastward to the province of Guantanamo.

Remember that watches mean that conditions are possible within 36 hours; warnings mean that conditions are expected within 24 hours.

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I am so sad to hear this! To the girls whose weddings will be affected, I'm so sorry.

Does anyone know if they will evacuate Jamaica? Where will the people go?

I have been in contact with them all say and they have only been able to evacuate a certain amount..786 people are left there between their 4 resorts to weather this hurricane coming..

YES before I cancel for sure, I will wait until tomorrow to confirm the damage..Thanks girls for being so nice and willing, I appreciate this more than you know..

Thanks, yes the VP is updating hourly almost on the Couples Website as well...I anxiously await hearing any information..

Thanks for the other information on St Lucia, I will look into that shortly~

Trista ...

Check out the Rendezvous resort in St. Lucia and Cocobay Resort in Antigua. They were spared and they are intimate, AI resorts with Complimentary Weddings (at Rendezvous ... $700US at Cocobay).

Cocobay looks like its EXACTLY what you want, and it's only $260US per night per couple. The resort looks gorgeous!!!!

http://www.cocobayresort.com/antigua_hotel_home.htm

Here's the Rendezvous site (First AI boutique resort for couples only).

Rendezvous - All Inclusive Caribbean Couples Resort in St. Lucia

And this link lists Adult Only Resorts in the Caribbean.

Adult Only and Adult Oriented All Inclusive Vacation Resort Hotels

Thanks very much..I am looking into both those options with my better half..You are so nice to suggest these places to me and the second option is quite nice...I thank you very much for your kindness~

So the newest info now has Dean crashing into the Yucatan Peninsula as a category 5 with 160 mph winds. I didnt catch the day they expect Dean to make landfall..

I am a photographer willing to help if I can?

Trista, one of my good friends attended a wedding in St. Lucia and said it was one of the most amazingly beautiful places she had ever seen, so I think St. Lucia might be a good option, Jamiaca Air flies there, you might be able to change your flights (that is the airline you were taking I think) easily, they probably will be happy to keep your business rather than lose it.

Keep us updated, I am so sorry for your situation.

Christine..

Thanks, yes we have booked with Jamaica air, they are only offering travel credit at this time so if we want our money back on the flights, we have to go through insurance..WE bought travel insurance (thank God) but we have already obtained our refund for the resort room, which makes me so sad at this time, if we want money back for flight we are suppose to call tomorrow..

I am kinda waiting it out, I am watching and listening to a Jamaica radio station live feed to hear exactly what is going in minute by minute..I almost wonder if I should of waited until tomorrow to cancel the room? WE will see what happens tomorrow after the hit happens..

It will be difficult cause we have to cancel the wedding plans (with the resort) and also then cancel the photographer that we have already paid half deposit down for..

Thanks for your great advice on St. Lucia..I am looking into all options at this time, IF we could remain going to Jamaica that would be perfect but we will have to wait and see the damage..

Thanks to all of you that have offered to help, its so appreciated~

Trista, let me tell you from experience the airlines will do everything in their power to not refund airfare, my mom has had to go through so much to get money back from a trip that my cousin and grandmother were to take to Jamaica (for my original wedding plans) and it has been a nightmare, so if you can try to use the same airline you would save your self more headaches, because I know you are already going through a nightmare. I just looked at the couples message boards and there wasn't any new info, but the storm did start to split up right before it hit Jamaica, which is a sign of it weakening.

As for the photographer, is it a Jamaican photog or someone who could also go to St. Lucia or another island?