Summer Trip in Shambles

[Talent312]

First, Oberammergau postponed it's Passion Play to 2022.
Then, our tour operator for a week in Switzerland cancelled.
We're left with tickets on Delta (6/12-7/5) - fees not yet waived.

I guess we could cobble something together, if we're allowed to go.
They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.... but it won't be easy.

 

[pianodinosaur]

We have scheduled a trip to Europe almost a year in advance. Or plan is to fly into Rome and spend five days at the Hilton Rome Cavalie. Then we embark on a nine day Greek Island Cruise. United Airlines, Hilton, and Royal Caribbean have posted their policies regarding the Corona virus epidemic. They have all advised me to wait and see what happens. This may all be over by August. If not, we should be able to reschedule, obtain a refund, o a credit towards future trips. I had to cancel a trip to San Antonio this week due to Covid-19. Hilton Honors gave me back all my points immediately.

We gave a trip scheduled for late May to the Palm Beaches in Florida. United would have given me a complete refund if the flight were prior to April 20, 2020. Since the flight will be in May, I was advised to wait and see what happens. Interval International has been much more difficult to deal with. The trip insurance does no cover cancellations due to epidemics according to the website. However, I also purchased Esure, so we can retrade up to three times if needed.

Eureka Springs, Arkansa, has an excellent passion play. Unfortunately, we did not have time to see it because we were. Only there a few hours as a side trip from Branson.

 

[nerodog]

First, Oberammergau postponed it's Passion Play to 2022.
Then, our tour operator for a week in Switzerland cancelled.
We're left with tickets on Delta (6/12-7/5) - fees not yet waived.

I guess we could cobble something together, if we're allowed to go.
They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.... but it won't be easy.

Come to Portugal...Lisbon is a great city and lots if places to visit nearby. Lots of timeshare in Algarve !

 

[beejaybee]

Come to Portugal...Lisbon is a great city and lots if places to visit nearby. Lots of timeshare in Algarve !

Our 8/23 cruise is scheduled for a port stop in Lisbon. I've booked a private tour to Sintra that day, since my DH & I have previously visited the city in addition to a wonderful timeshare week at Four Seasons Vilamoura in the Algarve. Doubt that the cruise will be a go. As Talent312 has posted, perhaps we can cobble something together out of our flights booked to CPH to start the cruise, an EasyJet flight from cruise end out of BCN to Bordeaux (could forgo that flight as cost was negligible) and our return home from CDG after a week at Royal Regency.

Barb

 

[elaine]

we're canceling 9/1 trip with 4 sets of friends to Italy. Booked on FF miles. Will keep tickets for now. Hoping AA waives redeposit fee. Friends were about to book $$$ tickets to join us. Luckily, they held off. good luck. I bet Delta will extend fee waivers.

 

[jehb2]

I canceled my beautiful Europe vacation: Belgium, Paris, Tuscany, Rome, Greece. On a positive note AA refunded my non-refundable ticket (even though travel is in the summer) they refunded fees for my FF tickets and waived the fees to redeposit my miles. 3/5 Airbnbs gave me 100% refund. No refund on the European train tickets. I was pretty surprised that I got back most of my money. Of the remaining funds I’ll get back 75% because I bought cancel for any reason. I feel very fortunate. On the down side I spent at least a year and a half possibly 2 planning this trip with my husband and kids. Sometimes I think I won’t don’t it again. But I probably will.

 

[Luanne]

Even staying home our summer is in a shambles. There are three huge markets held in Santa Fe over the summer months: Spanish Market, International Folk Art Market and Indian Market. As of yesterday they were all cancelled, will not be postponed.

 

[Monykalyn]

our France trip for May - 4 years in planning as a high school graduation trip- was pushed into June-now officially cancelled. I deliberately didn't take advantage of rescheduling the mid-May flights in hopes that they would be 1-cancelled outright so I can get a refund 2-If not cancelled then way closer to date I would have changed them if it seemed like we could go. With all this uncertainty we ultimately decided to postpone for another year. So many disappointments for my middle kid's senior year ending. Hoping we can do a last minute vacation sometime this summer somewhere if restrictions are able to be safely lifted, before she heads off to college.

Even staying home our summer is in a shambles. There are three huge markets held in Santa Fe over the summer months: Spanish Market, International Folk Art Market and Indian Market. As of yesterday they were all cancelled, will not be postponed.

Oh gosh I am so sorry!
Does anyone else think it is premature to start cancelling things for July right now??

 

[Luanne]

our France trip for May - 4 years in planning as a high school graduation trip- was pushed into June-now officially cancelled. I deliberately didn't take advantage of rescheduling the mid-May flights in hopes that they would be 1-cancelled outright so I can get a refund 2-If not cancelled then way closer to date I would have changed them if it seemed like we could go. With all this uncertainty we ultimately decided to postpone for another year. So many disappointments for my middle kid's senior year ending. Hoping we can do a last minute vacation sometime this summer somewhere if restrictions are able to be safely lifted, before she heads off to college.

Oh gosh I am so sorry!
Does anyone else think it is premature to start cancelling things for July right now??

No. These events I'm talking about take a LOT of planning. And even if things might be getting "back to normal" is it a good idea to have a lot of people converge on one area?

 

[Monykalyn]

No. These events I'm talking about take a LOT of planning. And even if things might be getting "back to normal" is it a good idea to have a lot of people converge on one area?

Yeah and I wonder if vendors etc had started cancelling as well. I hope they are able to come back next year and bring the toursim dollars as well.
At some point we are going to have to not be afraid of groups of people again. We just don't know when that is.

 

[elaine]

update--canceled 9/1 trip to Italy. AA now waiving FF miles redeposit fee for flights thru 9/30. So, recheck Delta fee waivers.
(lots of planning for the past year--I practically know street maps/hotels/train schedules by heart).

 

[mav]

I personally haven't cancelled anything, and I have quite a few trips booked, all in Europe and England. Just saw a blurb from a travel blogger that said France and the head of the E.U. is thinking of closing their borders to all except Schengen countries until September 1st. A few of the Schengen countries say that even some of the other Schengen they don't want coming in. I have been afraid for the last 5 days that a lot of countries would not let the USA in because of all the cases here. I told my husband that as long as I can get into Bavaria, Germany I will be happy but that is moving away further . They are a Schengen country. The U.S.A and some other areas of the world were on the list that they are looking at as being a potential problem if their citizens start rolling in... I am just sitting tight and letting everything play out.

 

[bnoble]

I have been afraid for the last 5 days that a lot of countries would not let the USA in because of all the cases here.

If I was making decisions about borders, the US is one of the last countries I'd take travelers from, because the testing here is so woefully inadequate.

 

[Talent312]

update--canceled 9/1 trip to Italy. AA now waiving FF miles redeposit fee for flights thru 9/30. So, recheck Delta fee waivers...

Delta is still only waiving cancel/change fees thru _May_. However...
I wrote Customer Care (complaints/comments) and got a "this time only" waiver.

I know what you mean about the amount of planning that goes into Euro trips.
I bought maps, non-refundable train ticktes, printed tram schedules, and had
six different hotel bookings (none prepaid). I dunno if any of that is worth saving.
.

 

[mav]

If I was making decisions about borders, the US is one of the last countries I'd take travelers from, because the testing here is so woefully inadequate.

I agree with you, Brian, that's why the dread has been with me. It seems to be close to reality. If I was a Schengen country I wouldn't want us either.This would be the first summer in so many years I can't even remember when I didn't go to Bavaria in the summer.

 

[HDiaz1]

So far I had to cancel my California trip which was for later this month. Received a full refund on everything including my airfare (American Airlines)

I had to cancel my Puerto Vallarta trip for Memorial Day week. Received refund on flights (southwest) waiting for RCI (have to wait until 30 days prior to check in)

and I just canceled my reservation for the big island for June. waiting on Delta to see if they’ll waive fees. I booked my flight using Delta skymiles and I pre-paid for my car rental through Priceline which looks like I will not get a refund on or any type of credit for it

 

[Luanne]

I pre-paid for my car rental through Priceline which looks like I will not get a refund on or any type of credit for it.

This is exactly why I do not ever pre-pay for car rental. I have in the past, but since I now use AutoSlash I rely on them to find me the lowest prices.

Be sure when you cancel your RCI reservation that you use the specific link for COVID-19 cancellations or you call. I made the mistake of cancelling using the normal method and didn't see a credit for my exchange fee. I was able to get it straightened out, but it took an additional phone call and time.

 

[R.J.C.]

I agree with you, Brian, that's why the dread has been with me. It seems to be close to reality. If I was a Schengen country I wouldn't want us either.This would be the first summer in so many years I can't even remember when I didn't go to Bavaria in the summer.

What is a "Schengen" country? My wife is German and never heard of this term.

 

[mav]

Schengen Area - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

What area in Germany is she from? I have been to over 40 countries, many of them multiple times, and Bavaria Germany is my favorite on the planet. I call it my adopted country, and when I enter or exit Germany I always tell them they should make me an honorary citizen, I come so often and for so many years. I call Bavaria in the summer my paradise on earth

 

[R.J.C.]

Schengen Area - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

What area in Germany is she from? I have been to over 40 countries, many of them multiple times, and Bavaria Germany is my favorite on the planet. I call it my adopted country, and when I enter or exit Germany I always tell them they should make me an honorary citizen, I come so often and for so many years. I call Bavaria in the summer my paradise on earth

Heiligenmoschel. A small village about 20km north of Kaiserslautern in Rheinland Pfalz. I have to say while Barvaria is beautiful, I prefer the Schwarzwald myself.

I was stationed in the Netherlands and travelling back and forth to Germany monthly when the border crossings were removed in 1995 (that was weird) but I had still never heard of this term. Thanks for providing the article.

 

[mav]

I looked the village and it does look lovely. Actually we have been to many areas and spots in Germany and all are unique and lovely in their way. If the boarders into Germany are open this summer we will be off and running. When the planes is approaching the Munich airport I swear the mountains and villages of Bavaria are saying " she's back" , "Willkommen, Maria, we have been waiting for you"