When to give up being optimistic and cancel March 2021 trip?

[CanadianKrista]

We were going to reschedule for 2021, but at this point we've all but decided 2022 will be a big travel year. We have a cruise booked for March break, and will likely do our Disney/Universal trip in August 2022.

 

[mshanson3121]

I booked flights, put a deposit on a villa, bought park tickets 6+ months ago for a trip over Manitoba's Spring break 2021. My sister is a teacher so she only gets the 1 week off. I could probably get 2 weeks off for quarantine after return and both the teenagers we were going to bring can do online school. But, that's probably a bad idea.

At what point do you think I need to give up being optimistic and should get to trying to get refunds and travel credits? I appreciate the opinions.

Now. There is 0 chance of anything being back to normal by then unfortunately.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I personally wouldn’t cancel but it’s what you feel comfortable doing. What feels right for one person doesn’t mean it will for another. We have April and September booked and will not be cancelling unless the parks close again but that’s us. Whatever you choose to do the parks will still be there and just that more planning to do.

 

[FinnFogg]

Have you tried contacting WestJet recently? I read an article, I feel like just a short while ago, where WestJet was suppose to have finally given in and starting giving actual refunds back to people instead of travel credit.

I spent 2 hours on hold with Westjet re this just yesterday. We had flights booked to Hawaii Dec 27-Jan 4, and I received a notification that our flights had been cancelled and we were rescheduled on flights for Dec26-Jan 5. As our original flights were cancelled, I expected that we would be eligible for a refund. Westjet was very clear that that was NOT the case and that a refund would ONLY apply if our flights are cancelled AND they are unable to offer us any alternative flights (even if they are days apart), and EVEN THEN they are not actually processing the refunds now but expect to in the coming months. In other words, the ‘big’ Westjet announcement last month was very misleading.

 

[MamaLema]

We are in the same boat as the posters above. We cancelled our August flights in June, two weeks before WJ cancelled We cancelled our Oct flights in July, again three or four weeks later WJ cancelled. So eventhough the flights no longer existed,we are stuck with travel bank credit due to us pulling the trigger to cancel before WJ. It sucks

Well that’s disappointing. We cancelled our LA trip in June and we were hoping to get money back. Now I see it was WJ’s way to advertise themselves as being a good company and caring about people.

 

[Carolynleanne]

I hear you. It really really sucks. And I'm a travel agent We've now cancelled three trips and have A LOT of WestJet credits. Thankfully they're good for two years and as soon as we can, we'll be traveling again. Our Spring 2021 was suppose to be Scotland, so that one was recently cancelled. We've got a cruise booked for Summer Alaskan 2021 and I'm pretty skeptical about that as well. I feel like 2022 is a safe bet at this point.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Not to be the eternal pessimist, but it wasn’t long after Thanksgiving that our numbers started to significantly trend in the wrong direction.

With US Thanksgiving, followed by Xmas on both sides of the border, it’s hard for me not to think that by the end of January the numbers are going to be astronomical in both countries. I’m not a gambler, but if I had to lay money down, I’d bet on March being hard lockdowns versus open-border travel.

Sorry to be such a buzzkill... I really, really hope I’m wrong.

 

[Carolynleanne]

I am HOPING (hoping, hoping, hoping) that we'll start to see things BEGIN to get under control around May of next year.

 

[Chickinvic]

I booked flights, put a deposit on a villa, bought park tickets 6+ months ago for a trip over Manitoba's Spring break 2021. My sister is a teacher so she only gets the 1 week off. I could probably get 2 weeks off for quarantine after return and both the teenagers we were going to bring can do online school. But, that's probably a bad idea.

At what point do you think I need to give up being optimistic and should get to trying to get refunds and travel credits? I appreciate the opinions.

Now. If it were me, I wouldn't do it. Their situation down there is out of control.

 

[Chickinvic]

Not to be the eternal pessimist, but it wasn’t long after Thanksgiving that our numbers started to significantly trend in the wrong direction.

With US Thanksgiving, followed by Xmas on both sides of the border, it’s hard for me not to think that by the end of January the numbers are going to be astronomical in both countries. I’m not a gambler, but if I had to lay money down, I’d bet on March being hard lockdowns versus open-border travel.

Sorry to be such a buzzkill... I really, really hope I’m wrong.

I agree about the US, but I doubt they will be astronomical here in Canada. More than currently, probably, but astronomical - I highly doubt that. We've handled it a lot better than the US.

 

[quandrea]

I agree about the US, but I doubt they will be astronomical here in Canada. More than currently, probably, but astronomical - I highly doubt that. We've handled it a lot better than the US.

We are not doing better than the US at this point. Our modelling shows that we are on an equally poor or worse trajectory than the states.

 

[Chickinvic]

We are not doing better than the US at this point. Our modelling shows that we are on an equally poor or worse trajectory than the states.

Please show me your data.

 

[Canadian Girl]

I cancelled our WDW trip at March Break. I can't see how flights will be safe then and I can't quarantine 2 weeks when home. I also see a lot of Americans claiming they are never getting the vaccine. Right now I do not feel safe as I am older and my teenaged daughter refuses to go as she has asthma.

 

[damo]

We are not doing better than the US at this point. Our modelling shows that we are on an equally poor or worse trajectory than the states.

Population of USA is 8.8 times the population of Canada.

In the last 24 hours... Canada -- 6115 new cases. The USA ---155,216..... that is 25 times higher.

Total reported cases... Canada--302,000 and 11K deaths. USA approx 11 million and 245K deaths...that is 36 times higher for cases and 22 times higher for deaths.

So at this point we are doing better. Who knows what it will look like when it is all said and done.

https://covid19.who.int/region/amro/country/ushttps://covid19.who.int/region/amro/country/ca

 

[Maddysdaddy]

I can only speak to Alberta, but from Oct 17 to Nov 17, the province went from under 3000 active cases to over 10,000 active cases - and that's with the gov't elimination of asymptomatic testing occurring over that period, so it's probably fair to assume that the numbers are actually higher than that.

Thanksgiving day, the province was at just under 2,600 active cases and the curve was essentially flat. Two weeks later, we were over 4,700 active cases. Two weeks after that, we were at just under 8,100 active cases, and eight days after that, we're over 10,000 and rising.

Are we in as bad a position as the US? Thankfully no, but things are accelerating in the wrong direction and it's seems reasonable to think that if people treat Xmas like they treated Thanksgiving, we're in for a world of hurt in 2021.

 

[toesmom]

We cancelled fully planned March Break trip specifically due to 14 day mandatory quarantine upon return. I don't see that going away any time soon.

 

[grantclaire]

Cancelling March 21 will be our 4 th trip cancelled ! Will have 5000.00 in Westjet credits.

 

[Sue M]

I spent 2 hours on hold with Westjet re this just yesterday. We had flights booked to Hawaii Dec 27-Jan 4, and I received a notification that our flights had been cancelled and we were rescheduled on flights for Dec26-Jan 5. As our original flights were cancelled, I expected that we would be eligible for a refund. Westjet was very clear that that was NOT the case and that a refund would ONLY apply if our flights are cancelled AND they are unable to offer us any alternative flights (even if they are days apart), and EVEN THEN they are not actually processing the refunds now but expect to in the coming months. In other words, the ‘big’ Westjet announcement last month was very misleading.

That’s BS. I had flights on Alaska and they canceled the flight we had and put us on another. That was several hours difference. We got a full refund. Our Canadian airlines are treating us unfairly. Being on the west coast I have better options with Alaska Airlines. It’s just a commuter flight to SeaTac then non stop to MCO. And the best thing is their customer service, plus I get to go thru US customs here at YVR.

 

[Sue M]

I booked flights, put a deposit on a villa, bought park tickets 6+ months ago for a trip over Manitoba's Spring break 2021. My sister is a teacher so she only gets the 1 week off. I could probably get 2 weeks off for quarantine after return and both the teenagers we were going to bring can do online school. But, that's probably a bad idea.

At what point do you think I need to give up being optimistic and should get to trying to get refunds and travel credits? I appreciate the opinions.

I’m a bad one to speak to, but I’m leaving for Universal a week from tomorrow. I’m meeting up with my friend from California. Due to flight changes I’m now flying in the night before her. We always get separate rooms, but more important during these times.
I’d still consider the trip with you and the kids. I’m sorta in the same situation with our Aug trip, me and daughter. If we are still quarantined for 2 weeks after trip then my daughter can’t go. I’m hoping with vaccine on the horizon quarantine rules may change. Or more provinces roll out airport testing like Alberta and quarantine will only be days not weeks.

 

[40ariel]

I am still optimistic that March or April 2021 could be a possibility for travel, but I haven't booked anything so that is easy for me to say

*We will not be travelling if there is a still a global travel advisory.