Holiday Abroad in May Booked: What to do?

We were planning to see our Son in Australia for Easter but after a family conference we have postponed. Couldn’t bear to take something to them or bring something back to my family here. Feeling sad but feel we made right decision.

Maggiemay2, I agree with you really. We will go, but push it back. The Virologists think, based on the evidence available from China that, handled properly in a society, this virus should rise and fall within 6 months or so.

Curveygran, many flights are refundable. Has he checked?

oscaro11 have you reported your symptoms to your gp?

We booked a Mediterranean cruise for June for our 40th wedding anniversary. The deposit was relatively small but the balance was due last week. My husband has health issues and we had 3 stops in Italy. So we cancelled and lost our deposit. As another cruise ship is on lockdown today outside USA I have no regrets.

Just returned from 11 nights in canaries on Monday. Absolutely Fine while there but now have a sore throat and streaming cold which I believe I caught on the plane back. I think the airports, planes and the coach transfer to the resort are the places to catch things.

Why would booking by credit card lead to a refund? It certainly gives protection against faulty or not provided goods and services, but unless the foreign office advises against travel (and Johnson indicated they probably won’t do that), then the service is available.

I don 't think I will actually cancel my June holiday just yet.
Anything could happen and it might still be ok.

Stella , I think he might postpone, but the situation might be even worse by then . He’s already paid for the tickets too .....

Please everyone do not travel, the peak of this virus has not yet been reached and you do not want to end up a long way from home quarantined or even worse. This has now been declared a pandemic. Think of your health ahead of cancellation fees. You are all worth more than that xx

Curvygran, could your son delay the trip by 5 or 6 months?

Our Christmas present to our grandchildren is a trip to London during the Easter holidays. Hotel booked with no free cancellation as we have never had a problem before and train tickets booked. Perhaps next Christmas it will be back to the toys under the tree!

We are booked to go to Italy end of June. Balance due to be paid in a week. A lot of money. ATOL protected. Reputable company. But in a dilemma whether to pay or lose deposit.

I certainly wouldn’t cancel anything I’ve heard lots of reports it will disappear as quick as it came. You have 8 weeks to go and by most accounts you will be ok. Don’t worry and don’t cancel.

I’m booked to go to Cuba in May, will still go unless we are advised otherwise ....

I'm booked to go to Tenerife in June, but suspect it will not now happen! I booked on a credit card so hopefully will be reimbursed, and it's with a big travel company (Tui).
Perhaps they will give us the option to re-book when the Corona crisis is over?

Same as Teetime and all booked and paid for, a very special
Anniversary at that time and we really want to go.
DH has all the medical conditions that would be very much at risk, so we will just sit back and wait to see how things work out.
Paid by credit card, so if the government advise going to certain countries, should be able to recoup at least some of the money.

We live in a small Spanish village so don't really do crowds. However we travel a lot. UK then Cyprus in early May. It makes sense to plan for the worst and hope for the best. I'll pack as usual but make sure my kindle is full. I'll take loads of knitting. I'll take enough extra meds for 3 weeks. I'll wash my hands a lot , as usual, and wash my nose out with warm saline. If it's not one virus it's another, so I'll be careful but not much stops me.

Re Geneva airport, Gagajo, it was also the most blatant rip-off for a small bottle of water I’ve ever encountered - and I’ve been through dozens of airports.

Thank you J52 . That’s what I was thinking, far more likely to catch it from a supermarket trolley .

We are booked on a short cruise (4 days) in early May and are not sure what to do. However we are now in France and will continue to travel here regularly, as we usually do, but we travel by ferry.

curveygran I would not worry about your family visit and enjoy their visit.
Your just as likely to get the virus from someone here, by then if it spreads as predicted.

We are flying to the South of France in Mid May and have every intention of going, unless the flight is cancelled or the area is closed to tourists.
We have however, postponed trips to other places due to their outbreaks of the virus. Fortunately we were in the final stages of planning the trips, but hadn’t started the booking process.

I too would like some thoughts from others- my son and 2yr old daughter are booked to visit us from Australia in April . They’re changing planes in Dubai . DS is concerned that he might bring the virus with him and give it to us oldies ( late 60’s)
I haven’t seen them for a year and am very very much in a quandary as to what to advise him to do .Ultimately it’ll be his decision of course. What would You do if you were me ?

Elaine1, agreed re business class. I was just grasping at straws. Regarding flights. It depends, some are non-refundable, some are refundable except for a relatively small admin fee. Fortunately, my flights to Johannesburg were booked with avios (airmiles) and are refundable (with a £70 each admin fee) up to 24 hours before departure.

I emailed the safari lodge this evening, explaining the situation (they apparently have no cases in South Africa), including age, pre-existing health issues etc. I said that I didn’t want a refund, just to push back the dates, asking if, in the circumstances, they would allow a deferment until the virus flattened out, without charging me a penalty. They might go for it, since all of the travel industry are suffering from cancellations and lack of bookings in the situation. I’ll lose money on the internal flights and other bits, but better to push it all back 5/6 months - max I’m guessing. The more I think about it, the more I (and my usually carefree husband) think negotiating airports and flights is a bad idea at this time.

I’m due to fly back from Sydney in 2 weeks. Concerned? Yes.

DD1 & family going to Paris while SiL runs the Marathon; unless advised otherwise they’ll still go even if the marathon is cancelled. Worried? Yes.

DD3 & family flying to Nepal in 3 weeks Going unless BA cancel flights. Worried? Yes. I already was (dgc’s 7&10) Now? extremely ...