Options? UPDATE

[WishUponAStarryNight]

I’ve reached out to my TA, but I was hoping this group might be able to provide some insight.

I was scheduled for the Danube sailing and Budapest short escape last summer. Convinced that the situation would be resolved by now, I foolishly moved my reservation to an early July trip this year after the 2020 trip was canceled. As of last week, only 6 are booked on the short escape and 34 on the sailing- so not looking good, even if Europe opens up. Here’s my dilemma:

My son wants to try out for his baseball all-star team. As one of the few pitchers, he’s got a very good chance of making the team. The tournament is scheduled for the week of our rescheduled trip. From my point of view, it’s more likely he’ll make the team than it is that the trip will go.

Notwithstanding what I may or may not be able to recover via travel insurance, what are my options via ABD? Can I move the reservations to a placeholder? Can I switch to a different trip/ date? I moved to this year for no additional $$$, so I don’t know if switching trips will require additional funds. I don’t love the placeholder idea because if the trips are eventually canceled, I’d rather get the refund.

Are there other options I haven’t thought of? Any recent experiences regarding how (un)reasonable ABD has been lately? I just don’t see how the trip goes and I’m concerned that I’m going to be forced to make a decision before ABD does.

Thanks for your help!

 

[sayhello]

Are you Paid in Full, or do you still just have a deposit down? The answer may be different depending on the answer to that. ABD will almost always allow you to switch a deposit to another trip one time, and the COVID cancellations do not count as a "switch" for that. So you should at the least be able to do that.

If you are Paid in Full, I really encourage you to talk to ABD. From what I've heard, their decisions on changing previously cancelled reservations have really depended on the details from case to case.

I so hate having to play chicken with ABD. It really sucks.

Also, and you may already know this, but unless you have "Cancel for any Reason" coverage on your trip insurance, it won't help you in this case. Not for COVID-19 or for you cancelling for your son's baseball team. If you don't have it, the only thing it would likely cover would be if anyone in your travel party actually caught COVID-19. The only exception would probably be if you bought the insurance through ABD, as they currently have "Cancel for any reason" coverage above and beyond the trip insurance, and will give you a 75% credit for your non-refundable trip costs if the insurance turns you down on your claim.

Adventures by Disney has enhanced the Vacation Protection Plan with the addition of our Cancel For Any Reason Travel Credit Feature. Available at any time up until departure, if you need to cancel for a reason not covered under the terms of the Vacation Protection Plan, Adventures by Disney will provide a travel credit equal to 75% of the pre-paid non-refundable cancellation fees so that you may travel at a later date. Please note that our Cancel For Any Reason Travel Credit Feature as well our basic Travel Insurance is not available for the following products:

• Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition Cruise
• Galapagos Islands Expedition Cruise
• Buenos Aires Escape

Sayhello

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

Are you Paid in Full, or do you still just have a deposit down? The answer may be different depending on the answer to that. ABD will almost always allow you to switch a deposit to another trip one time, and the COVID cancellations do not count as a "switch" for that. So you should at the least be able to do that.

If you are Paid in Full, I really encourage you to talk to ABD. From what I've heard, their decisions on changing previously cancelled reservations have really depended on the details from case to case.

I so hate having to play chicken with ABD. It really sucks.

Also, and you may already know this, but unless you have "Cancel for any Reason" coverage on your trip insurance, it won't help you in this case. Not for COVID-19 or for you cancelling for your son's baseball team. If you don't have it, the only thing it would likely cover would be if anyone in your travel party actually caught COVID-19. The only exception would probably be if you bought the insurance through ABD, as they currently have "Cancel for any reason" coverage above and beyond the trip insurance, and will give you a 75% credit for your non-refundable trip costs if the insurance turns you down on your claim.

Adventures by Disney has enhanced the Vacation Protection Plan with the addition of our Cancel For Any Reason Travel Credit Feature. Available at any time up until departure, if you need to cancel for a reason not covered under the terms of the Vacation Protection Plan, Adventures by Disney will provide a travel credit equal to 75% of the pre-paid non-refundable cancellation fees so that you may travel at a later date. Please note that our Cancel For Any Reason Travel Credit Feature as well our basic Travel Insurance is not available for the following products:

• Antarctica & Patagonia Expedition Cruise
• Galapagos Islands Expedition Cruise
• Buenos Aires Escape

Sayhello

Thanks. We were paid in full over a year ago, which makes this that much more frustrating. I’m not sure I’m going to have any options, unfortunately. I may have to cancel and recover what I can from the insurance. It is cancel for any reason, but not 100% recoverable. I guess I can play chicken and see who blinks first, but it won’t do anything to convince me to give ABD another chance. Hopefully, my TA can come through.

 

[sayhello]

Thanks. We were paid in full over a year ago, which makes this that much more frustrating. I’m not sure I’m going to have any options, unfortunately. I may have to cancel and recover what I can from the insurance. It is cancel for any reason, but not 100% recoverable. I guess I can play chicken and see who blinks first, but it won’t do anything to convince me to give ABD another chance. Hopefully, my TA can come through.

Yes, Cancel for Any Reason coverage is rarely 100%, it's usually around 70 - 75%.

Also, just because you have Paid in Full does not necessarily mean you are at the 100% penalty for cancelling. The penalties for trips not under the special COVID policies (currently only through end of May, I believe) are, according to this table in the ABD FAQ, by trip Commencement Date, not Paid in Full status or date. Since you're at least 94 days out (if your trip was July 1st) you'd fall in the 50% cancellation fee category.

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
120 days or more	Deposit per Guest
119-90 days	50% of vacation package price per Guest
89-46 days	75% of vacation package price per Guest
45 days or less	100% of vacation package price per Gues

At least that would be my argument. ABD may have other feelings about if this applies to a previously cancelled trip or not.

Sayhello

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I would definitely play chicken with them. Much of Europe is under a lockdown right now. There is very little chance a July river cruise will go. We are on an October ABD river cruise and I don’t think that will go. You have absolutely nothing to gain by doing anything right now, and canceling to take a penalty encourages ABD to continue with this horrible practice of delaying cancellations as long as possible. I’d try to just put it out of your mind for a while if you can Good luck to your son!

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

I would definitely play chicken with them. Much of Europe is under a lockdown right now. There is very little chance a July river cruise will go. We are on an October ABD river cruise and I don’t think that will go. You have absolutely nothing to gain by doing anything right now, and canceling to take a penalty encourages ABD to continue with this horrible practice of delaying cancellations as long as possible. I’d try to just put it out of your mind for a while if you can Good luck to your son!

Thank you. I think you’re right. I just wish ABD would acknowledge that these trips can’t go.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Thank you. I think you’re right. I just wish ABD would acknowledge that these trips can’t go.

Me too!

 

[abdgeek]

I’ve reached out to my TA, but I was hoping this group might be able to provide some insight.

I was scheduled for the Danube sailing and Budapest short escape last summer. Convinced that the situation would be resolved by now, I foolishly moved my reservation to an early July trip this year after the 2020 trip was canceled. As of last week, only 6 are booked on the short escape and 34 on the sailing- so not looking good, even if Europe opens up. Here’s my dilemma:

My son wants to try out for his baseball all-star team. As one of the few pitchers, he’s got a very good chance of making the team. The tournament is scheduled for the week of our rescheduled trip. From my point of view, it’s more likely he’ll make the team than it is that the trip will go.

Notwithstanding what I may or may not be able to recover via travel insurance, what are my options via ABD? Can I move the reservations to a placeholder? Can I switch to a different trip/ date? I moved to this year for no additional $$$, so I don’t know if switching trips will require additional funds. I don’t love the placeholder idea because if the trips are eventually canceled, I’d rather get the refund.

Are there other options I haven’t thought of? Any recent experiences regarding how (un)reasonable ABD has been lately? I just don’t see how the trip goes and I’m concerned that I’m going to be forced to make a decision before ABD does.

Thanks for your help!

I am in a similar situation as you and am on the same two trips as you. The only difference is that I used DVC points to book my trip and moved it from 2020 to 2021 when it was canceled last year due to COVID. I am 99% sure that the trip won’t happen, but have been continually watching the AmaWaterways website for cancellation of the River Cruises. They have currently canceled them through May 31st, but are only canceling them about 45 days out. That means we should know by mid-April if the June river cruises have been canceled. Hopefully, we will know by mid May whether the July ones have been canceled.

To be proactive, I called DVC when the 2022 River Cruise itineraries came out to switch to one of those. I was told I couldn’t do so and that I would be within the “penalty“ phase if I did. ABD actually sent me an email saying they needed my flight information. Since I booked my flight last year using the credit from my previous ticket, I gave it to them but continued to reiterate that I was waiting for the trip to be canceled.

in the case of the river cruises, I understand that ABD may not be able to be as proactive as they could because AmaWaterways has the boat. However, I don’t like this game of chicken and waiting. I just hope ABD doesn’t put me in a situation where I have to decide whether to lose my points if they don’t cancel the trip or travel internationally when I don’t think it’s safe to do so. I wish I had listened to my sister when she said traveling internationally in 2021 was not going to be feasible. Maybe we’ll have better luck in 2022.

 

[Woodview]

Have you booked your flights , yourselves , If Yes then it could be cancelled because of travel restrictions . ?

The chances of river cruising of any cruise co is slim this year .

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

Have you booked your flights , yourselves , If Yes then it could be cancelled because of travel restrictions . ?

The chances of river cruising of any cruise co is slim this year .

No flights yet. I haven’t had enough confidence that the trip will go to even consider looking for flights.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

I’m happy and honestly surprised to report that, according to my TA, ABD has agreed to refund both trips (Short Escape and river cruise) in full! This was a trip we booked in 2019 for 2020 and pushed out to 2021 last April. Neither adventure is a “new” reservation under ABD’s policies. I guess it’s being reviewed on a “case by case” basis, or as I call it, “call and ask.” I don’t love that approach, but I’m glad that I should be refunded in full within the next 30 days.