Trip Cancellation :-(

[kbmartin]

Hey guys, just thought I would post an update. My DH and I are very likely cancelling our trip to TDR and Tokyo in early April. We are truly freaked out about the coronavirus threat level being moved up to 2. I have asthma; with this pre-existing condition, it just makes us so much more nervous. In addition, I'm a teacher, and the thought of bringing it home and to school is a real nightmare. We don't feel that we can justify spending this much money to have to worry every time we accidentally touch our faces, grab on to a railing as we walk down some stairs, etc. - stuff you would normally never think twice about. Going to Japan is a dream trip for us, and we want to just be able to enjoy ourselves without paranoia.

It sounds like we're going to be able to cancel our flight and get all of our money back, so now we just need to work on our hotel stay at TDR (we booked during the Hilton flash sale, meaning it's considered non-refundable... but so was our airfare, and we managed that...).

We're going to try to do this again next year for Spring Break once I analyze the dates and be sure there's no crazy holiday in Japan during that time (like Golden Week!). I don't think I would change anything about our planned itinerary, but there are some things I would do differently next time. I don't think I would book ANA Economy again, as they are so strict about changes/cancellation - I'd probably stick with an American airline. It hasn't been easy to communicate with them over the phone, and their website isn't always easy to navigate when I need help/information about something. I also might work with a travel agent for flight, accommodations, and perhaps travel insurance, as I could never really wrap my head around that and all the "loopholes." I have been driving myself crazy all week with trying to figure out how different travel insurance agencies could help in a dire situation like contracting the coronavirus.

I'm so, so disappointed, but I think we're making the right choice. I hope so. No way to know - not like I have a crystal ball to know how everything will be in April. However, it's not like we don't have anything else to look forward to - we are taking a family vacation to Maui in June, which is another bucket list trip for us. And again, we'll still get to Japan eventually - I'll hold on to all my info so I can re-use it someday and maybe can continue getting better at Japanese for the time being. And... now we won't have to be sad about just barely missing the Beauty and the Beast area... Sigh. Just trying to look on the bright side...

Anyway, hope you didn't mind me venting. Just figured this forum would understand and hopefully provide some support. I'll still be around to help with everything I learned over the past year... and I should have a new trip to Tokyo planned soon! Arigato gozaimasu, minna, for all of your assistance as I worked on this trip.

 

[yankee3366]

Honestly, that's probably the best option. I live here in Tokyo and events are getting cancelled and venues closing left and right all of the sudden. I expect it will get worse over the next couple of months before it gets better.
Luckily if you wait a year or so, you may be able to enjoy all the new additions.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I hope you'll be able to get the hotel refund sorted out. If the reservations number doesn't work, then call the hotel directly.

 

[LovesTimone]

Sorry for you guys...

We are going in November 2020... I am hoping and praying that this is all done and over with... We have our flight paid for we are flying Delta for the whole trip, and we are sky miles members... We have put our hotel reservations on hold as of right now, and if somethings come's out to good to pass up.. I will book the refundable rate for sure...We are just in that wait and see mode right now...

Some acquaintances that we know... have planned to mark all 3 parks off their list - Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo off this summer... a 4 week trip - Just going to Shanghai and Hong Kong for the parks - just doing the parks... then to Tokyo Disney resort, and sight seeing in Tokyo and some of the Olympics before heading home... They have everything on hold as of right now... except air fare... which is going to be a nightmare if they have to cancel and deal with all those flights... 6 different flights with 4 different airlines...

 

[scrump]

You made the right choice. You wouldn't enjoy yourselves if you went anyway, then really, what's the point, right? Better to wait as you are doing, after this has all died down. I hope you get your money back for the hotel. I have been in situations with Hilton before and they have been reasonable, so I wish you the same luck.

I'm monitoring closely because we have a July/August trip booked during the Olympics. At this point, the health scare part of it is a concern, but I'm more keyed into the possibility of flights back to the US getting banned while we're over there, and then we're stuck.

 

[sdchickie]

I'm in the same boat as you, Trip scheduled for the first 2 weeks of May. I already had to postpone the China and HK part of my trip to next year (I was supposed to be leaving for all 3 Asia castles next week) but the airline would only let me reschedule it until May keeping my same fare so I decided just to do Tokyo. Now it seems I might have to postpone again if it starts getting bad there. It sucks to have to keep rearranging your plans, but hopefully we'll both get there eventually.

 

[MKTokyo]

You made the right choice. We also cancelled our upcoming trip to China. The parks can wait. Protecting your health cannot. We already have to live here Why take additional chances? But we have our case of N95s & will just try to muddle through.

Even if you don’t get the virus, there is still the possibility of dealing with cancelled flights, quarantine, and also the troubling fact that it seems you can carry the virus to others without being infected by it yourself.

You will enjoy your trip much more in the future.

 

[Linkura]

I will probably also cancel for early April. Please let me know how you fare cancelling your Hilton Flash Sale reservation, as I am also booked via that.

Stinks that our trips are likely down the tubes, but safety and health is priority #1.

 

[DLgal]

You actually lucked out on booking ANA, as I suspect they are more willing to refund flights since they know the situation there. We have tickets booked through United for May and as of now, they are only refunding China flights. So, I have to hope that they will extend that to Japan soon. If they do announce that, I'm almost 100% sure I'm going to cancel too. I just am too worried about it to enjoy the trip.

We will get there eventually, just probably not this year.

 

[Wendy98]

I was supposed to run the Tokyo Marathon this Sunday. It was canceled last Monday for all but elites. I canceled my entire trip— no sense leaving my family for a week just to sightsee. Delta was great— gave me my miles back and paid upgrade. Hotels were easily refunded since they were still in eligible period. I lost a little money for some little things, but nothing major.

I will try this again next year. We have a deferral for next year but must pay the registration again. I have accepted it, but still so, so sad. I was looking so forward to this trip and race.

 

[wishing4PA]

As much as I hate that you had to cancel, between the timing and your asthma, I think that was a "no brainer." I like your more time to study Japanese attitude! I tried to treat it the same way when we got pushed from April to June. But it seemed SO much longer to wait.
And now I'm back in wait and see mode for June.

 

[Sarahboo]

I am so sorry that you had to cancel your trip. I'm sure it's disappointing, and I hope you have a fantastic trip when you're able to get there at a later date!

 

[kbmartin]

You guys are all so kind. Thank you so much for the positive thoughts!

 

[Linkura]

You guys are all so kind. Thank you so much for the positive thoughts!

Any luck cancelling the "nonrefundable" Hilton reservation? Please let me know what happens.

 

[scrump]

I was supposed to run the Tokyo Marathon this Sunday. It was canceled last Monday for all but elites. I canceled my entire trip— no sense leaving my family for a week just to sightsee. Delta was great— gave me my miles back and paid upgrade. Hotels were easily refunded since they were still in eligible period. I lost a little money for some little things, but nothing major.

I will try this again next year. We have a deferral for next year but must pay the registration again. I have accepted it, but still so, so sad. I was looking so forward to this trip and race.

Couldn't let this go unnoticed - SO cool that you were going to run that race. You must have trained really hard. Sucks that you have to pay the registration again, but good luck next year!

 

[kbmartin]

I will probably also cancel for early April. Please let me know how you fare cancelling your Hilton Flash Sale reservation, as I am also booked via that.

Stinks that our trips are likely down the tubes, but safety and health is priority #1.

Whoops, I thought I posted this earlier, but I guess not!

Hey, I remember discussing the flash sale with you and being so excited about it! I will absolutely let you know what happens with Hilton. My DH is REALLY good at arguing about things like this, thankfully, because I tend to be quite a pushover. I will let you know exactly what we say to them, how they respond, etc. and pass on the info to you. I think having a doctor's note is going to be a HUGE help in this situation, so you might want to look into that!

 

[Linkura]

Whoops, I thought I posted this earlier, but I guess not!

Hey, I remember discussing the flash sale with you and being so excited about it! I will absolutely let you know what happens with Hilton. My DH is REALLY good at arguing about things like this, thankfully, because I tend to be quite a pushover. I will let you know exactly what we say to them, how they respond, etc. and pass on the info to you. I think having a doctor's note is going to be a HUGE help in this situation, so you might want to look into that!

Thank you so much! I'm pretty sure I can get a doctor's note if need be. I am susceptible to colds becoming sinus infections due to my terrible allergies.

 

[Linkura]

My trip is donezo as well. I had a meeting with my boss today about other stuff so I decided to remind him about the trip and reiterate that it’s Japan, but that it’s very likely I won’t go. He said that if I go I gotta do a 2-week quarantine after, understandable. I would be scared to death of infecting my coworkers as it is. So that’s the nail in the coffin. Gonna wait to cancel flight and hotel at least until I hear from kbmartin about how she did getting a refund or the CDC goes to a level 3 warning, whichever’s first.

 

[scrump]

My trip is donezo as well. I had a meeting with my boss today about other stuff so I decided to remind him about the trip and reiterate that it’s Japan, but that it’s very likely I won’t go. He said that if I go I gotta do a 2-week quarantine after, understandable. I would be scared to death of infecting my coworkers as it is. So that’s the nail in the coffin. Gonna wait to cancel flight and hotel at least until I hear from kbmartin about how she did getting a refund or the CDC goes to a level 3 warning, whichever’s first.

The quarantine possibility is something that had occurred to me, but I have been waiting to approach my firm about it - I was going to give it another month or two (my trip is July/August). Seeing it for the first time here makes me realize how real this is fast becoming.

 

[Linkura]

The quarantine possibility is something that had occurred to me, but I have been waiting to approach my firm about it - I was going to give it another month or two (my trip is July/August). Seeing it for the first time here makes me realize how real this is fast becoming.

Yeah I would definitely wait in your case. Since mine is in less than 6 weeks I thought I would just breach the subject now.