As the worst of Hurricane Irma departed Antigua and Barbuda's reef-ringed beaches early Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Gaston Browne boasted that “no other country in the Caribbean would have been as well prepared as we were.”

With massive evacuations expected for parts of southern Florida as Hurricane Irma approaches, people hoping to flee the Sunshine State ahead of the powerful storm may be finding it's not only a challenge but expensive.

Initial observations from Four Seasons Resort Nevis, the islands largest resort, reports that the resort is in excellent shape and all areas are generally dry.

Antigua has successfully coped with Hurricane Irma, defying the worst predictions of disaster. There was no loss of life.

Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. all tumbled in Tuesday trading as Hurricane Irma threatened to do to the hub of the cruise industry what Harvey did to the nation’s oil and gas capital last week.

Tourists are being urged to leave Florida Key West and some Caribbean islands as one of the most ferocious hurricanes ever to hit the region gathers strength.