WITH no end to the coronavirus crisis in sight, many are wondering whether summer holidays will go ahead.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) currently advises against all non-essential travel anywhere.
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This advice runs until April 15 but the travel ban may be extended, so don’t assume travel after this date will go ahead.
However, if YOU don’t want to go abroad this summer, don’t assume you’ll be able to get your money back just yet.
The experts at Which? Travel answer all the questions you are asking, from should I rebook my holiday or cancel the cruise to should I take out travel insurance.
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WHEN should I rebook my cancelled holiday?
Hold off until April 15 at the earliest, as the FCO advice will have been updated by then and the situation might be clearer.
If you need to commit to new travel dates sooner than that, the later in the year you’re able to book for, the more likely the holiday is to go ahead.
If you’re in a category that’s vulnerable to coronavirus, it’s likely to be longer before you’re safe to travel.
If you’ve been given travel vouchers instead of a refund, you may want to spend them sooner rather than later, as you may not be able to get your money back if the provider goes bust.
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I’VE booked a package holiday for this summer – should I cancel?
Hold off cancelling your booking now, as you’ll almost certainly have to pay cancellation fees and you won’t be able to claim this back on your travel insurance.
You could see if your travel provider will let you cancel without a penalty but this is unlikely unless you are in a high-risk group.
Should your holiday not go ahead, you’ll be entitled to a refund but bear in mind many travel agents are currently offering travel vouchers rather than full refunds.
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WHAT if I haven’t paid for the holiday in full yet?
If you’re paying for a package holiday in instalments, you may not want to continue paying off the balance, especially if you’re due to travel in the next two or three months.
But unless you’ve only paid the deposit — and it’s so little you’re willing to lose it — you should probably continue to pay your instalments, or you’ll lose what you have paid and forfeit protection under the package holiday protection scheme.
That’s important because it’s what will protect your money should your holiday provider go bust between now and your travel date. If you cancel now you’ll lose your deposit and any instalments you’ve already paid.
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I HAVE flights booked for the summer – what should I do?
If you have flights booked for after April 15, you won’t be able to cancel these yet without incurring a fee.
You may be able to amend the date of your journey for free if you paid for a flexi ticket and some airlines are also offering vouchers for flights that are yet to be cancelled.
Amending your travel dates or accepting credit vouchers is only worth doing if you’re sure you’ll want to take the trip at some point in the next year. If the FCO extends its travel ban, you will be entitled to a refund.
If you cancel, you will lose some or all of the money you paid for the flights. If the airline cancels, you should get your money back.
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I’VE accommodation-only booked for summer – what happens?
If the hotel or villa is open and you don’t show up you will probably have to pay for the room, even if the Government advice is not to travel and you have no way of getting there because your flights were cancelled.
Check your travel insurance as you may be covered for any loss. If you’re not covered, contact the hotel as you may be able to postpone your booking to a later date.
If the accommodation you’re due to stay in is closed you should be able to get your money back — provided it stays in business.
If you cancel, how much it will cost you depends on the terms and conditions of the party you booked through. If you used a site such as booking.com you may be able to cancel for free.
If you’re still hoping to go on the holiday and have already paid, keep your booking for now but check the cancellation policy and the terms of your travel insurance.
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I HAVE a cruise booked for this summer – what happens?
Most cruise lines are planning to restart sailing in either April or early May, so yours will probably go ahead as things stand.
You’re unlikely to get a refund if you don’t want to go but it’s worth asking and you may be able to postpone the trip by up to two years.
If you’re booked to sail with Cunard or P&O before August 31 you can postpone your voyage up until 48 hours before departure, in which case you’ll receive credit to use up to March 2022.
SHOULD I take out travel insurance?
Yes. But bear in mind if you buy a policy now for a holiday this summer, it may not cover you for any claims that are related to coronavirus.
Always take out insurance at the time you book a trip.
