What if you CAN'T cancel your trip?

[CJK]

We're due to arrive in Orlando early Monday. Current reports are suggesting the hurricane may hit Florida on Tuesday. We are not eligible to get a refund or transfer on our flight or for our hotel (we booked through priceline). We'd only get a refund on our flight if our flight is grounded on Monday and we'd be bumped to a later flight in the week. Since the hurricane isn't set to strike until Tuesday, this isn't very likely. We're staying at a cheap motel just outside of WDW so the very idea of being stranded in our room is far from appealing. If we were staying in Disney, it may be a different story. I'd feel guilty taking resources (gas, water, ice, etc...) from Floridians.

Should we just swallow our $1000 loss and forget about going? I don't like that idea either. Yet, I feel guilty feeling this way considering what Floridians and all people in the Carribbean must be feeling. I just don't know what to do.

 

[Microcell]

Is it another gonna hit the entire state hurricane? I have not kept up on Ole Ivan. Could you be interested in going to Georgia or someplace north of the storm if it hits?

 

[auntpolly]

Oh, man, I feel for you. Did you talk to the hotel? Are you sure you can't use it fowards a future trip? Can't you pay the airline for just a ticket change? I don't know how priceline works, but these are very extenuating circumstances! Good luck!

 

[crazelion]

I would call priceline say that another hurricane is hitting Florida asking about getting my money back.

On biddingfortravel.com people is talking get refunds for there trips durning hurricane Frances and Charley.

I would call to see if I can get my money back because Florida is under evactions again.

 

[CJK]

thanks but I've talked to both priceline and the airline. Unless the flight is cancelled, I get no refund on the ticket. Priceline said we'd get no refund on the hotel unless our flight was cancelled. I've got no other choices. I guess I'm just playing the waiting game.

 

[tinaluis]

I know how you feel. We were in a similar predicament just before Hurricane Charley hit. Charley hit on Friday and we were scheduled to be in Orlando on Sunday for a three week vacation. We were starting our drive from Chicago on Saturday when a friend in the Orlando area called to say there was extensive damage in her neighborhood and we should check with our hotel to make sure they were operational. We tried getting through to the hotel with no luck. We called Priceline and they weren't authorized to issue refunds for Sunday arrivals -- only Saturday. If we blew the whole trip off we'd have been out $525 so we continued to drive. The more I thought about it the more crazy it was to continue driving, so I called and spoke to a Travel Services Supervisor, explained that we'd have to drive 22-24 hours to get there with three kids, and that we wanted to take our vacation as planned, but didn't want to arrive in Orlando only to find that the hotel was not operational. She agreed and authorized a refund. We made our trip later in the week but had to check out a day early because of Hurricane Frances. I spoke to my friend in Orlando again today and she said they're predicting Ivan will strike on Tuesday at about 2am. Personally, if Priceline refuses a refund, I'd make the trip, but that's just me. Good luck with your decision!

 

[auntpolly]

Sorry, this is probably stupid since I don't understant Priceline, but couldn't you talk directly to the hotel? Maybe they'd just give you a voucher for a future stay?

 

[leahannpen]

I am not familiar with PL, but can you see about just paying a minimal fee and changing your dates by a week or so? That way you aren't out all the money?

 

[CJK]

Thanks for the help everyone. With priceline, you bid on a hotel room and it may or may not get accepted by a hotel. If it does get accepted, you're charged immediately. Anyway, I did talk to priceline and they said they will not refund unless there is an ordered evacuation at the time of our trip (not before). I will try phoning the hotel today to see if they can do anything, but I'm not sure if that will work. The hotel is only a couple hundred dollars so it doesn't hurt us as much as the flight which is a few hundred dollars.

 

[aimee11621]

I think a call is in order again. Call the airline and hotel. Tell them they should make allowances for the hurricane.

The official term is "inclement weather". Not your fault or theirs.

Make a few more calls and talk to a supervisor.

good luck.. from a floridian

VACATIONERS PLEASE as much as it may hurt the tourism industry we will survive. Stay home!!!!

Please stay home and wait a week til this mess blows over. (pardon the pun)

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by CJK
Anyway, I did talk to priceline and they said they will not refund unless there is an ordered evacuation at the time of our trip (not before).

Wow! And people were so upset with the Yankees insensitivity over the hurricane . This seems very stinky to me -- looks like they'll make a lot of money on people's misery!

 

[auntpolly]

Originally posted by aimee11621
I think a call is in order again. Call the airline and hotel. Tell them they should make allowances for the hurricane.

Aimee is right! My husband travels alot for work and you wouldn't believe the stuff he gets done that they say can't be done! You need to be firm (not rude, but persistant.)
Be matter of fact. Don't take no for an answer. Maybe have your husband do it -- sigh -- unfortunately sometimes men get better results because people take them more seriously (even women -- which ticks me off).

 

[Deb in IA]

If Priceline doesn't cut you ANY slack, well, pretend you are a stormchaser, and make an adventure out of your trip!!

 

[leahannpen]

Originally posted by auntpolly
Don't take no for an answer.

I agree. Ask to speak to a supervisor, and be nice... mean will get you nowhere, I've learned. (Not that you'd be mean, but I've just noticed this in the past.)

Good luck!

 

[CJK]

Our charter airline WILL NOT BUDGE. Just got off the phone with them and our travel agent. As of today, they WILL fly on Monday and if we're not on the flight, we're out of luck. This is what I get for booking a charter airline Cancelling our priceline hotel really isn't the problem anymore.

 

[palmtreegirl]

When I just used Priceline there was an option to purchase travel insurance for 5.00 a night, can you still get that?

Don't stress too much yet because they aren't positive where the hurricanes heading, it just might miss the Orlando area all together.

 

[*Fantasia*]

How about not cancelling, but rescheduling your date? Instead of this coming Monday, how about coming in Friday or Sat, or whenever Ivan is out of Florida?

 

[CJK]

Thanks again everyone. Fantasia - I wish I could!! That's what I tried to do just now. USAir, Delta & Air Canada are allowing that with no penalty (probably more airlines too). I guess charter airlines just won't follow suit. Either I'm on that flight, or I'm out $700 (plus hotel if priceline won't budge either). How crazy is it, that if the hurricane comes a day sooner, they'd give me a refund.

 

[zakatak]

You said you wouldn't want to be stranded at the hotel. Can't you switch to something on-site? Allstars? Pop Century? At least then, you'd be at Disney.

Just a thought. I know you would lose the hotel money, but it would be better to be stranded on site then off.

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

We use Priceline alot for dh's work, and are using them for our flights out next week. One thing I've learned about them is to call and keep calling if there is a problem. Go up the chain of command. Another option you may have is looking into outside travel insurance. Most cost around $50 and can be purchased up till the day of travel and some of them (check carefully) allow full replacement cost for cancellation due to "acts of God." Call around and talk to the policy writers and find out if you can buy one that would allow you to cancel and get money back.