High Season in the Caribbean

Wow - almost February already? The past few months have flown by for me and my family as we welcomed a new addition on November 17th - a beautiful baby boy. Combine the baby "busy-ness" with the rush of last-minute high season clients and I have not been able to update my blog... but I am back! I thought I would open 2008 with a posting about what High Season really means in the Caribbean. High Season officially begins on December 15 and traditionally goes until April 15, with a few villas & hotels stretching high season all the way until May 1.

High Season covers all the holidays of Christmas, New Years, President's Day, Valentines, and Easter. The week between Christmas & New Years is THE most popular week for Caribbean travel. During this week, airfare sells out almost immediately and you will be hard pressed to find a seat less for than $1000/per person if you wait to book. Hotels do not sell out as quickly as their lengthy nightly minimums of 7, 10 or 14 nights weed out any quick trips. Most hotels require only 7 nights during this time, but some of the more exclusive hotels require 10 or 14. Surprisingly, they don't have a problem filling all their rooms by early fall.

Moving on... the next most popular week is President's Week. Having never lived in the Northeast, I learned quickly that many NE schools are closed this week and therefore it is the perfect time for a winter warm-up trip to the sunny Caribbean shores. The 3rd most popular week is Spring Break. Luckily for all of us in the industry, these dates vary around the country - but most breaks fall into either the second or third weeks of March or the first week of April. (This year I was surprised to learn that some schools are closed April 19 to 26. These folks will luck out by being able to enjoy their break at Low Season rates!)

What is the Caribbean like during high season? Fun, fun, fun!!! All of the restaurants and bars are open - as opposed to many being closed for a few months every fall. Live music is easy to come by as most establishments pack their entertainment schedule with events every night. The beaches are lively and sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone to make sure you secure beach loungers or palapas for your crew! And the number one reason High Season in the Caribbean is so amazing? It is WARM and you will likely be leaving much colder temps behind...