International travelers - PIF date before travel restrictions are suspended - what would you do?

[Docmum]

Hi, I have a question, regarding especially the international travelers - I would like to have your idea on the above mentioned subject, as I suppose, yome of you are in the sam boat (pun intended .... )

Our PIF for our Merrytime cruise is July 31st - as of now - due to the Corona pandemic - the US borders are closed. Furthermore, our country has prolonged its travel warning for 160 countries worldwide, including the US, until August 31st so far.
We are now discussing, what to do: PIF as planned on July 31st and hope, borders will be open by Nov. 2020, travel warnings will be suspended but still take the chance, that it will come differently and we can`t travel and lose the whole amount of money ? Or cancel the cruise on PIF because of this uncertainty ? Or maybe ask DCL to extend the PIF (I don`t know, if that would be a possibility at all!).

It is really hard to decide for us, so I appreciate any opinions on this matter.

We are also dealing with the issue of travel insurance, as some insurances ( e.g. the one we usually have) don`t cover any pandemic-related cases - so we need to check on that as well.

 

[gismo1554]

So I had same dilemma last month for my October cruise (which ended up being cancelled anyway). I went with the pay as if I could travel I would but I did have insurance that would cover it so that made me feel safer. Disney wouldn't extend PIF date for our cruise so we had to just go with it and hope for the best. Its a tough one though and I guess its one of those that I would go with your gut. Also remember if given enough notice Disney are pretty good at allowing you to move to a later cruise even if they can't refund you.

 

[stsomewhere]

We had a PIF on June 6 for cruise leaving October 2 from Dover. Since the UK has implemented the 14 day quarantine on 6/8 for unspecified time, it made our travel plans impossible. There were too many unknowns. We decided to cancel and then DCL canceled it on 6/8. I know that someone from my cruise lives in Canada and has a do not travel advisory. They called Disney to ask if the borders were closed would they be able to receive refund. DCL told them No. With the travel restrictions and social distancing, even if DCL sailed..our family decided that it was not worth it if there was no shows, character meets, deck parties, etc. ( DCL has not announced any of the changed needed on the cruiseline)

 

[starry_solo]

I would cancel before the PIF date

 

[bcwife76]

I'm in Canada and have a cruise booked for mid October. The CAN US border is closed til June 21 but will 100% be extended til July 21 and who knows after that....our PIF date is July 14 so I need to cancel by then. Just waiting to see if DCL cancels on us first. We are not taking a chance and paying, having the cruise actually sail and.we can't get to it. Plus, we can't get health coverage due to the Pandemic right now.

 

[spacecanada]

If conditions to safely travel aren't met on PIF date, I would cancel. No question. Yes, a lot can happen between PIF and your sail date, but it's not worth it because if the cruise sails without you, it's a total loss, even with most insurance policies. The only exception would be if the Disney Vacation Protection Plan would cover that situation. You'd have to call and ask specifically about that. At least then if you miss the ship you'll get credits.

 

[gotomu212]

We went through this back in March for a June cruise (that we’d be on right now). Our decision was to cancel. We figured PIF and be out $11k if we can’t travel, or cancel now things suddenly change and it’s safe pay $1k more to rebook (at the time that’s how much the cruise had increased). I was more comfortable taking a risk on potentially paying $1k more than taking a hit of $11k.

 

[MotherKnowsBest]

I would 100% cancel. It's very nerve wracking to have all of that money tied up and no idea if you can go and if you can't go, if you can get a refund. We went through it with the Hawaiian cruise that was cancelled in May.

We now how zero vacations planned and are going to keep it that way until we are certain we can actually go (and feel comfortable doing so!).

 

[otten]

Even if the border restriction lifts, I don’t see them removing the 14 day self isolation requirement anytime soon. I would cancel before PIF because on the off chance you could get to the cruise you’d then have to isolate at home for 2 weeks upon returning.

 

[otten]

Here’s the other thing, this forum is made up of many diehard fans who will be ready to sail when Disney is but that’s really only a small part of the cruise market. Cruise lines are going to have to get consumer confidence back once sailing resumes which is going to take time. If it turns out you can sail there will probably be deals.

 

[SG131]

Maybe give it another month, but if nothing has changed with restrictions I'd definitely cancel before the PIF date. That's just too much money to risk.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

We went through this back in March for a June cruise (that we’d be on right now). Our decision was to cancel. We figured PIF and be out $11k if we can’t travel, or cancel now things suddenly change and it’s safe pay $1k more to rebook (at the time that’s how much the cruise had increased). I was more comfortable taking a risk on potentially paying $1k more than taking a hit of $11k.

100% this. I was so excited to get a free upgrade to concierge for my October cruise due to the Magic's drydock. I booked that room with our OBB 10% off discount too, and also got OBC from both DCL and my travel agency. Now, to rebook the same cruise next year in the same room, I'll have to pay the year-over-year increase plus the upgrade to concierge if we still want it, losing all OBB discounts and DCL's OBC as well. But I would still rather do that than tie up the PIF cost, as I currently live outside of the US and have no idea if I would be able to make it to the port on my sail date should DCL decide to go forward with the cruise. The 125% credit would be nice, but it's too much of a gamble for our situation.

 

[ahen]

I've had 2 cruises cancelled this year. I would cancel before the PIF date so you don't lose the money, its too much to lose. We booked Iceland for next year on opening day and I don't know if that will go right now. I do know I am not buying any airfare anytime soon, and I doubt I pay Disney any more money till April 1 which is our PIF date, and only if I think we are going to be able to go

 

[JM23457]

In your shoes (assuming you don't have cancel for any reason insurance) I would cancel on July 31st if DCL hasn't yet clarified the situation.

I do expect more clarity on fall trips by the end of July, though. I wouldn't bail until PIF at least.

 

[monkeydawn]

Even if there is an announced border opening before your PIF, I'd have little faith that the border would 100% stay open. I expect one of two things as this drags on, borders will stay closed to non essential travel or we will see openings and then re closings depending on how particular areas are doing.