Hello everyone, we thought it would be a good idea to take the most frequently asked questions from our Facebook page and answer them here. We hope this helps to answer some of your questions. We will be updating this page regularly throughout the evacuation.
Last updated 9/19/11 11:30am
Are you phones working and is your office open?
Our Avon office is open and accepting check-ins for reservations in Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras. Our phones are working but we have limited staff to answer the calls. Please be patient with us.
Why can’t we get through on your phone number?
We have phone service but very few people to answer calls. Please be patient with us.
We were supposed to check in to a home in the tri-village the weekend of September 17th, what should we do?
Dare County supplied the official notice that there will be no visitor access to Rodanthe, Waves or Salvo until “sometime after 9/29/11”. We have forwarded this notice onto the travel insurance company so that they may begin to process your claims for the week of September 17/18. Please contact Travel Guard directly at 1-877-254-8842 with any questions you may have about this process.
We were supposed to check in to a home in Avon the weekend of September 17th, what should we do?
Dare County opened the villages of Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras via ferry from Swan Quarter or Cedar Island through Ocracoke to the Hatteras Village ferry dock starting at 7:00am September 15th. Our Avon office is open for check-ins.
For those who purchased travel insurance, since the ferry was available this week to get you to your rental and it was not your “original mode of transportation” you may file a claim with Travel Guard. We have forwarded the official notice to the travel insurance company so that they may begin to process your claims for the week of September 17/18. Please contact Travel Guard directly at 1-877-254-8842 with any questions you may have about this process.
We were supposed to check in to a home in the tri-village the weekend of September 24th, what should we do?
Dare County supplied the official notice that there will be no visitor access to Rodanthe, Waves or Salvo until “sometime after 9/29/11”.
We realize that guests who have reservations for stays more than 30 days from the evacuation order are not able to process their insurance claims. If you have a reservation in Rodanthe, Waves or Salvo for the week of 9/24 and have purchased travel insurance, we are trying to find ways to help and are providing answers as we get them. If you did not purchase travel insurance, we do understand your disappointment but we cannot offer any refunds or other accommodations.
We were supposed to check in to our home the weekend of September 24th, what should we do?
Dare County opened the villages of Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras to visitors via ferry from Swan Quarter or Cedar Island through Ocracoke to the Hatteras Village ferry dock starting at 7:00am September 15th. Our Avon office is open for your check-in.
For those of you who intend to come for vacation, ferry reservations are required for a portion of the trip. Whether or not you purchased travel insurance, we encourage you to keep watching for openings on the ferry for both your arrival and departure. Reservations could open at any point and we don’t want you to miss your opportunity to come. Call 1-800-293-3779 (press 2) or online at www.ncferry.org.
Please call us at 1-800-237-1138 when you make your ferry reservation so that we may prepare your home.
We have a vacation home in the tri-village, can we switch to a home in the open part of the island, Avon, Frisco, Buxton or Hatteras?
We do not have the ability to transfer funds to another reservation in a southern home and we have very few undamaged homes with availability. Since final damage reports are still in process we won’t know if it will be in rental condition until the last minute and don’t want to offer you any false hope.
Can I switch my week for another week in the future?
If you have a reservation in Rodanthe, Waves or Salvo for the week of 9/24 and have purchased travel insurance, we are trying to find ways to help and are providing answers as we get them. If you did not purchase travel insurance, we do understand your disappointment but we cannot offer any refunds or other accommodations.
If you have a reservation for Avon, Buxton, Frisco or Hatteras, whether or not you purchased travel insurance, we encourage you to keep watching for openings on the ferry. Reservations could open at any point and we don’t want you to miss your opportunity to come. We have noted your request and do appreciate your patience with us.
When will we know whether we should expect to come for our vacation scheduled after this week?
At this point we don’t know when the road work will be complete or how long the access to Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo will be restricted beyond 9/29/11. As soon as we have an idea we will contact any guests whose vacations will be affected.
How do I know if the home I have rented is damaged?
We are still assessing the condition of the homes for habitability and will notify you prior to your check-in date if your home will not be habitable for your vacation.
How long will it take to repair Highway 12?
Unfortunately we don’t know how long it will take to restore access to the island by NC-12, and we wait along with you for information from Dare County and NCDOT. Currently, NCDOT has stated that the road should be repaired by the first week in October, depending on weather conditions. We are hopeful that the road will be repaired quickly. While Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo remain closed until “sometime after 9/29/11”, there is currently access to Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras via ferry from Swan Quarter through Ocracoke.
Do you have information on what to expect from the ferry service?
This link contains all of the faq’s regarding the ferry access: http://www.ncdot.gov/download/transit/ferry/app_reservation_faq.pdf
We heard that the evacuation was lifted.
Dare County opened access to Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras to visitors on 9/15/11 via ferry service from Swan Quarter or Cedar Island through Ocracoke to the Hatteras Village ferry docks. Access to Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo is still restricted at this time. Further announcements will be made by NCDOT when the road is complete and/or ferry service is available for residents and visitors.
Can we be moved to a home not on Hatteras Island?
We only manage homes on Hatteras Island. If your home sustained significant damage, we will call your leaseholder to discuss options. In this case, no news is good news.
Are any companies in the northern beaches offering flexibility to reserve an alternate vacation home since we cannot come to Hatteras Island?
Yes, some companies in the northern beaches are working with our guests to find alternative vacation plans These companies are not associated with Surf or Sound Realty and you will need to make a new reservation with them:
Resort Realty 800-458-3830
Seaside Realty (866) 884-0267
Joe Lamb Jr. 800-552-6257
Carolina Designs 800-368-3825
Twiddy (866) 457-1190
Village Realty 877-546-5362
Paramount Destinations 866-753-3045
Will we get a refund for our vacation?
We understand the frustration and disappointment that this causes our guests, but we do not offer refunds for hurricanes. This is our published policy and always has been. However, we do offer travel insurance for this reason. Our guests with insurance who had reservations for vacations between 8/20 and 9/18 have been able to file claims with the insurance company for refunds.
We realize that guests who have reservations for stays more than 30 days from the evacuation order are not able to process their insurance claims. If you have a reservation in Rodanthe, Waves or Salvo for the week of 9/24 and have purchased travel insurance, we are trying to find ways to help and are providing answers as we get them. If you did not purchase travel insurance, we do understand your disappointment but we cannot offer any refunds or other accommodations.
If you have a reservation for Avon, Buxton, Frisco or Hatteras, whether or not you purchased travel insurance, we encourage you to keep watching for openings on the ferry. Reservations could open at any point and we don’t want you to miss your opportunity to come.
For ferry reservations call 1-800-293-3779 (press 2) or reserve online at www.ncferry.org. Please call us at 1-800-237-1138 when you make your ferry reservation so that we may prepare your home.
We purchased travel insurance, but Travel Guard is telling us that our vacation falls outside of the 30 day window. What does this mean for our vacation?
We realize that guests who have reservations for stays more than 30 days from the evacuation order are not able to process their insurance claims. If you have a reservation in Rodanthe, Waves or Salvo for the week of 9/24 and have purchased travel insurance, we are trying to find ways to help and are providing answers as we get them. If you did not purchase travel insurance, we do understand your disappointment but we cannot offer any refunds or other accommodations. If you have a reservation for Avon, Buxton, Frisco or Hatteras, whether or not you purchased travel insurance, we encourage you to keep watching for openings on the ferry. Reservations could open at any point and we don’t want you to miss your opportunity to come.
Where can we get official documentation of the evacuation?
Check www.darenc.com for official announcements from Dare County. Click here for the mandatory evacuation order.
What if we miss some of our vacation due to the evacuation and impassable road?
If you have purchased travel insurance, you should call Travel Guard directly to start your claim. The number is 1-877-254-8842. They have all of the official documentation they need to start your claim. You can also find official evacuation notices at www.darenc.com.
Can we purchase travel insurance now if we haven’t already?
The insurance company will not cover Hurricane Irene if you did not purchase coverage before it became a named storm.
Do we need a policy number to file an insurance claim and how do we get one?
You don’t need a policy number to file your claim. Simply call Travel Guard at 1-877-254-8842 and give them your reservation number found on your lease or your confirmation email.
What if we are scheduled to make our final payment this week?
We understand that there is uncertainty about access to the island and your rental home for your scheduled vacation. However, you have a lease confirming your reservation and you have a legal obligation to make the payment. Our Avon office is open and mail service is working. If you need to make arrangements for payment please give us a call at 1-800-237-1138 or send us an email with your situation so that we may note your reservation and reply to you accordingly.