Travel Changes?

[lovetotravel]

Nothing like the last minute. I feel so bad for those who flew out already. I hope they can get flights back easily.

Things are changing rapidly. The only way the cases are going is up. What did ABD expect? A miracle? Poor people en route. We need a flexible cancel policy ASAP now to the summer.

 

[neurosx1983]

The lady at ABD operations said that trumps speech was what made them cancel. She said they were fully intending on going ahead with it until that.

 

[lovetotravel]

The lady at ABD operations said that trumps speech was what made them cancel. She said they were fully intending on going ahead with it until that.

Ridiculous. CDC Level 3 Europe, CDC Level 2 Global. Is this finally enough for ABD to cancel all trips for 30 days minimum?

ABD is not the only one loosing money. We all are in insurance, deposits, flights, pre trips, etc. We are all suffering.

 

[lovetotravel]

Global Level 3 Health Advisory – Reconsider Travel

Global Health Advisory
March 11, 2020
Level 3: Reconsider Travel

The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to reconsider travel abroad due to the global impact of COVID-19. Many areas throughout the world are now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice.
———
It just makes sense to cancel all ABD trips for the time being no matter where the destination, no exception.

 

[Sakura1017]

For those scheduled to travel in the next 30 days in Europe, my travel agent just spoke to ABD and we will be receiving an email tomorrow outlining our options.

I hope they give everyone REFUNDS, and not travel credit to be taken within the next year either. Now that a travel ban is in place it's not anyone's fault that we can't travel.

 

[lovetotravel]

Viking suspends all cruises, including river cruises until May 1st!

https://thepointsguy.com/news/cruise-line-viking-suspends-operations-worldwide-due-to-coronavirus/
Looking forward to ABDs decisions today!!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

We leave England today, and I'm relieved the travel restrictions didn't include the UK but not looking forward to Heathrow. I think it's going to be a mess.

My husband has been asked to work from home by his business since we've been traveling (even to the UK). He was planning to do this as much as possible, but it's something else to think about with travel in these uncertain times.

I reiterate my comments from earlier and hope that people aren't still trying to defend ABD has having their client's best interest in mind with these asinine decisions they've been making. It's inexcusable. It has been very clear on this side of the pond that this was not the time to travel to Europe, and that this thing was not going away. Clearly ABD's refund policies/cancellations have been motivated by $$.

To this point, I actually received an email from a much smaller travel program through a university offering to refund any deposits/fees for trips planned the rest of the YEAR if people were feeling uncertain about travel. They didn't cancel all trips, but gave people the peace of mind option to cancel if they wanted. That is customer service. I have a trip planned with them in October that I'm debating about. It's in a part of the world that I wouldn't want to get stuck in if the virus is still around or re-emerges next fall without a vaccine in place.

I hope at least with this most recent developments that those of you involved in trips over the next couple months get full refunds from ABD. I feel so badly for ABDers now in a travel nightmare to get home for trips that weren't cancelled in time and should have been. Very badly done ABD.

 

[lovetotravel]

“Ignore your customers and they’ll go away”

Airbnb also ignoring customers, hope ABD adopts flexible policy ASAP.

...Smart companies strive to protect their reputations, especially when bad things happen outside their control, said Micah Solomon, a customer service expert and author of the book Ignore Your Customers And They’ll Go Away. “This crisis is going to be over sometime,” he said, and when it’s over “you still want to be the go-to place for guests.”...
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...guests-refunds-amid-virus-cancellation-frenzy

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I am going to call both Quark and Scott Dunn today. Hopefully with the CDC Level 3 warning in place I will be able to get a full refund. Our Arctic cruise leaves from Oslo; our Russia / N. Europe trip requires transit through Switzerland (to get to St. Petersburg) and extensive travel through Norway. I cannot fathom how they cannot refund my money with these restrictions in place -- it would be unconscionable.

Below is the response from Scott Dunn. Suffice it to say I am not happy; when I checked this morning Norway was a Level 3:

We have been following the updates but they do not affect the countries you are visiting. The State Department advise has only changed for European Union countries within the Shenzhen zone. Russia and Norway haven’t changed.

The situation is evolving constantly and there is a chance something will change between now in May. With this in mind I recommend we take the ‘wait-and-see’ approach. At the moment if you cancel neither yours or our insurance will cover it and you stand to lose everything but your deposit. If anything changes we will advise you right away.

I really do understand your concern and rest assured we are doing everything possible to help our guests. However, this is an unprecedented situation which is changing quickly hence we cannot act until we have official advice.

Let me know if you have any questions in the meantime.

 

[lovetotravel]

All Princess cruise cancelled until May 10:
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/12/car...-operations-for-60-days-over-coronavirus.html

 

[dolewhipdreams]

I hadn't seen this mentioned so I wanted to chime in- the official statement from Homeland Security says that the Europe flight ban does not apply to "legal permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation."

So Americans who were already in Europe when the ban was called will still be able to come home. My family is there on a trip to Finland & Estonia right now. They will have to cut their trip short but they will be able to come back to the States. What we don't know is if they'll be asked to self-quarantine when they return. They live in a fairly rural part of the Midwest, but the college campus about 15 miles away from them has already cancelled in-person classes so the area is kind of on high alert.

Here's the full official statement if anyone hasn't read it: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/03/11...-f-wolf-s-statement-presidential-proclamation

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

I hadn't seen this mentioned so I wanted to chime in- the official statement from Homeland Security says that the Europe flight ban does not apply to "legal permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation."

So Americans who were already in Europe when the ban was called will still be able to come home. My family is there on a trip to Finland & Estonia right now. They will have to cut their trip short but they will be able to come back to the States. What we don't know is if they'll be asked to self-quarantine when they return. They live in a fairly rural part of the Midwest, but the college campus about 15 miles away from them has already cancelled in-person classes so the area is kind of on high alert.

Here's the full official statement if anyone hasn't read it: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/03/11...-f-wolf-s-statement-presidential-proclamation

Based on comments I’ve seen from Pence, they will be required to self-quarantine. Of course things are ever changing, but that’s what I heard this morning. Apparently, there are limited arrival airports as well. No idea how it will work in practice.

 

[disneyholic family]

I am going to call both Quark and Scott Dunn today. Hopefully with the CDC Level 3 warning in place I will be able to get a full refund. Our Arctic cruise leaves from Oslo; our Russia / N. Europe trip requires transit through Switzerland (to get to St. Petersburg) and extensive travel through Norway. I cannot fathom how they cannot refund my money with these restrictions in place -- it would be unconscionable.

Below is the response from Scott Dunn. Suffice it to say I am not happy; when I checked this morning Norway was a Level 3:

We have been following the updates but they do not affect the countries you are visiting. The State Department advise has only changed for European Union countries within the Shenzhen zone. Russia and Norway haven’t changed.

The situation is evolving constantly and there is a chance something will change between now in May. With this in mind I recommend we take the ‘wait-and-see’ approach. At the moment if you cancel neither yours or our insurance will cover it and you stand to lose everything but your deposit. If anything changes we will advise you right away.

I really do understand your concern and rest assured we are doing everything possible to help our guests. However, this is an unprecedented situation which is changing quickly hence we cannot act until we have official advice.

Let me know if you have any questions in the meantime.

***
Norway is right up there with the rest of Europe. As of yesterday, the number of confirmed cases was 703 with high daily increases.
As for Russia, they lie through their teeth. You have no way of knowing what their numbers are

I hadn't seen this mentioned so I wanted to chime in- the official statement from Homeland Security says that the Europe flight ban does not apply to "legal permanent residents, (generally) immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and other individuals who are identified in the proclamation."

So Americans who were already in Europe when the ban was called will still be able to come home. My family is there on a trip to Finland & Estonia right now. They will have to cut their trip short but they will be able to come back to the States. What we don't know is if they'll be asked to self-quarantine when they return. They live in a fairly rural part of the Midwest, but the college campus about 15 miles away from them has already cancelled in-person classes so the area is kind of on high alert.

Here's the full official statement if anyone hasn't read it: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/03/11...-f-wolf-s-statement-presidential-proclamation

logic says they must self quarantine.
.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

As I've mentioned, I have two deposits with ABD currently with PIFs coming up in late March and late April. At this point, I am inclined to park these deposits. Given how they handled the March 13 UK/France ABD, I have zero faith they are prioritizing guest safety and well-being. I really wish I had never booked with them in the first place. After I figure out what to do with these deposits, unless they come out, very soon, with some grand gesture toward guests who are booked within the next 60 days or so, I will never book with them again.

 

[2Gma]

“Ignore your customers and they’ll go away”

Airbnb also ignoring customers, hope ABD adopts flexible policy ASAP.

VRBO is also ignoring customers. Yesterday when I called they told me the only thing they could offer was FOR ME to contact the VRBO owner regarding a refund but the choice to refund was up to the owner. (of course the owner is not refunding) After asking to speak to someone else regarding the situation they were only to refund my service fee of $251 for a $4000 reservation and told me they would be "hanging up on me because this call was unproductive." I have loved booking Vrbo's for 10 years, never again!!

Maybe we should start a "list of bad/good customer service thread" throughout this ordeal so we can refer back to when considering who to book travel with when this is all over.

 

[lovetotravel]

VRBO is also ignoring customers. Yesterday when I called they told me the only thing they could offer was FOR ME to contact the VRBO owner regarding a refund but the choice to refund was up to the owner. (of course the owner is not refunding) After asking to speak to someone else regarding the situation they were only to refund my service fee of $251 for a $4000 reservation and told me they would be "hanging up on me because this call was unproductive." I have loved booking Vrbo's for 10 years, never again!!

Maybe we should start a "list of bad/good customer service thread" throughout this ordeal so we can refer back to when considering who to book travel with when this is all over.

I’d be happy to contribute to list of good/bad travel customer service!

 

[BrerNashville]

We start our costa rica ABD trip saturday (3/14). I assume we fall in the Australia bucket -- if it's not the Schengen area, no refunds?

 

[Cliffside]

As I've mentioned, I have two deposits with ABD currently with PIFs coming up in late March and late April. At this point, I am inclined to park these deposits. Given how they handled the March 13 UK/France ABD, I have zero faith they are prioritizing guest safety and well-being. I really wish I had never booked with them in the first place. After I figure out what to do with these deposits, unless they come out, very soon, with some grand gesture toward guests who are booked within the next 60 days or so, I will never book with them again.

Has anyone spoken to them this morning. Unfortunately my PIF was literally a week after things got to critical mass. I also have no faith that they will do the right thing based on not cancelling the 3/13 England/France adventure or at least changing the cancellation policies so people felt like they were given no option but to go or lose a large amount of money.
I keep going back and forth if I should just cancel and get my 50% cash back.

 

[JEJ]

I am confused. Multiple people have posted about "finally getting" ABD to move their deposits off of their current trip before PIF date, and having it to use for a year. That's ABD's normal policy. Before PIF date, the deposit can be "parked" and has to be moved to another trip within a year. What am I missing here? Do people actually mean their entire PIF payment to ABD? Sorry, but as I said, I'm confused now.

Sayhello

When I took my first ABD a few years ago, this was the unofficial policy, although it is contradicted by the actual terms and conditions, and I got no pushback when I moved my deposit. I tried to park my deposit this year, a week or so ago, before my paid in full date and was flatly and repeatedly told no, and had the terms and conditions repeatedly cited to me. Only after we escalated to a supervisor (and after spending probably 6-7 additional hours on the phone and on hold) did ABD relent and give us a placeholder date. It was unreal, and contrary to the high level of customer service I have received from Disney and ABD in the past.

 

[lovetotravel]

We start our costa rica ABD trip saturday (3/14). I assume we fall in the Australia bucket -- if it's not the Schengen area, no refunds?

Have you called? It’s a global CDC Level 2 and global US Dept of State Level 3.