Anyone getting worried about March Break Travel

[Camilo]

So they are only refunding fares of people who had somewhat reasonable warning that this was coming.. not people who had no clue when they booked? Gee thanks Wesjet.
And realistically who was booking a Westjet flight for March Break after the first of March? Good lord they charge thousands for those flights... the closer you get to travel the worse it gets. People with much more money than me I suppose.

So really this is a move to get people to KEEP BOOKING, knowing they will have some recourse. It does absolutely nothing for any other customer.

Yeap, I'm in the same boat with air Canada. Nothing for those who booked before this virus was announced... It sucks....

 

[ottawamom]

I am actively following this thread as I have a decision to make for a late April trip. I think everyone needs to take a breath and remember we have dealt with coronavirus in the past (not this one, that's true).

For the vast majority of people this will not be a serious illness, if they get it at all. Those who do travel, myself included, should not be visiting a vulnerable population upon return.

It is also a good idea to carefully watch yourself for symptoms upon return for 14 days. I think making non-symptomatic people restrict themselves to their homes is taking it a bit too far. Will we have to do this everytime we travel from here on in? The world isn't going to suddenly become virus free once this Covid-19 thing is over. Is this our new paranoid normal?

 

[gskywalker]

We are going March 16-25. We aren't cancelling. My only real worry is one of the 6 of us get a cold and they say we can't go on the plane to or fro. This trip is an offsight package through Sunwing Our trip in May with just my wife and I, on our first DVC trip, concerns me a little because our kids will be back here. I am however cancelling a humanitarian/ministry project I was going to be going on in May. We were going to build a well in Guatemala but I do not want to get stuck there if something happens.

 

[Frozen2014]

I see that West Jet is giving refunds (for a fee) for basic fare flights March trips. It's a start.

Thanks. We are flying Porter. DH called (waiting to get through for over 1hr!). They "refunded" but with $200 change fee per person (4 of us). Also we don't quite get a refund but the remaining cost (which is 400) can go towards another porter flight within a year. So if we rebook (which we have tentatively done), then at least not all lost. But if we don't keep the booking (i.e. if this goes on and on and cruising is still an issue end of year), then it cost us the addition of $800.

 

[gskywalker]

We also have my daughter's wish trip in December to go on a Disney cruise, praying that everything in the cruise industry will be ok by then.

 

[scorpsfan]

I think, unless Florida has a situation similar to what's going on in Italy right now, or the airline cancels our flight, or if the government recommends avoiding travel in the US, we'll be going. I just can't see Disney World closing it's doors entirely. They might ramp up their sanitization procedures or test everyone's forehead before entering but I can't see them actually closing (and if they did- for how long?!) We always take measures to disinfect stuff when we go away, like wiping down airplane areas and hotel rooms. Common sense as there's always germs everywhere, on most surfaces. It's something everyone should do anyway. I think we will be OK.

 

[Frozen2014]

I love cruising. To me, cruising is better than any other type of vacation, including all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean.

With that said, we have been to cruises 3 times so far. In two out of the 3 times, all my kids got sick while on the cruise.

The only time (out of the 3 cruises) this DID NOT happen was on a Disney Cruise in 2011. I'm not sure if it was just a coincidence, they got sick on the 2 Carnival cruises.

Canadian government recommended yesterday for people not to go on cruises in the next little while....

We feel the exact same way. It's our favorite vacation (that and Disney parks).

Ugh...sorry that your kids got sick on most of them.

Yeah...the Canadian recommendation and risk of a quarantine is what made us cancel. So sad.

 

[mshanson3121]

We also have my daughter's wish trip in December to go on a Disney cruise, praying that everything in the cruise industry will be ok by then.

It took China roughly two months for things to peak and start slowing down, so I think you should be fine by then.

 

[scorpsfan]

I like this article. Thought some might want a read:

https://thekingdominsider.com/the-m...GGEWIZ20Y5a6adZoJ-5Ux3YeF7TS8B2BX_jQVv7FqbbIM

 

[2Bnºoºt2B]

As mentioned before, circumstances can change quickly. Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Monday that she previously asked Canadians to “think twice” about going on cruise ships but she said that the agency is now officially recommending that Canadians avoid all travel on the ships due to the COVID-19 disease.

The same situation has unfolded in the United States : (CDC recommends travelers, particularly those with underlying health issues, defer all cruise ship travel worldwide) … (The State Department on Sunday advised Americans against traveling on cruise ships, warning that they presented a higher risk of coronavirus infection and made U.S. citizens vulnerable to possible international travel restrictions, including quarantines.) Shockingly, the White House overruled health officials at the CDC who wanted to recommend that elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines; instead they issued their own warnings urging caution while not specifically address flying.

In Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte decreed a partial quarantine over a swathe of Italy’s north region. Just over 24 hours later, he extended the measure to the entire country of 60 million people.

Containment is no longer the issue … mitigation is. Coronaviruses, can infect people of any age; however, older adults or individuals with pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, are more likely to become severely ill. So those who are young and healthy can feel they can travel with some sense of 'security' - the issue for the world though is the community spread of the coronavirus to those who are more vulnerable as symptoms do not appear until 2-10 days after infection. So a community may be safe until someone returns from elsewhere or abroad who unknowingly is carrying the coronavirus.

Will your travel insurance company now cover you if you still willingly go on a cruise despite the advice now of government agencies? Or if you travel while aware that you or others in your party have some underlying medical conditions? Will you be caught up somewhere where a quarantine is issued for a region even though you and your party are just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Consider the following statement from the U.S. State Department … “While the U.S. government has evacuated some cruise ship passengers in recent weeks, repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities"

We love to travel. Just like everyone else, we just have to decide for ourselves whether we can wait till later.

 

[mshanson3121]

Will your travel insurance company now cover you if you still willingly go on a cruise despite the advice now of government agencies?

Many insurers have stated there is NO coverage for any Canadian who travels internationally for any Covid related illness, since it falls under the epidemic/pandemic clause. Likewise, the government has said they will not be responsible for getting you transferred back home to a Canadian hospital. So, right now if you choose to travel, you basically must be prepared to potentially cover a very hefty medical bill, or say goodbye to your house, in the event you do get sick while away.

Of course, on the flip side of this, most people only travel for a week, and it has a fairly long incubation period, so chances are you'll be home before you show symptoms. But, for those planning longer trips, I would want to know exactly what I am/am not covered for, before I leave the country.

 

[gskywalker]

delete/found in other thread

 

[quandrea]

It took China roughly two months for things to peak and start slowing down, so I think you should be fine by then.

That’s with China taking extreme measures. Canada and the US have not taken comparable measures thus far.

 

[2Bnºoºt2B]

Many insurers have stated there is NO coverage for any Canadian who travels internationally for any Covid related illness, since it falls under the epidemic/pandemic clause. Likewise, the government has said they will not be responsible for getting you transferred back home to a Canadian hospital. So, right now if you choose to travel, you basically must be prepared to potentially cover a very hefty medical bill, or say goodbye to your house, in the event you do get sick while away.

Of course, on the flip side of this, most people only travel for a week, and it has a fairly long incubation period, so chances are you'll be home before you show symptoms. But, for those planning longer trips, I would want to know exactly what I am/am not covered for, before I leave the country.

Good to know! Our annual travel health insurance policy comes up for renewal later this year ... if this is the case, then staycation at home will be what we will be doing this year.

 

[quandrea]

As mentioned before, circumstances can change quickly. Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Monday that she previously asked Canadians to “think twice” about going on cruise ships but she said that the agency is now officially recommending that Canadians avoid all travel on the ships due to the COVID-19 disease.

The same situation has unfolded in the United States : (CDC recommends travelers, particularly those with underlying health issues, defer all cruise ship travel worldwide) … (The State Department on Sunday advised Americans against traveling on cruise ships, warning that they presented a higher risk of coronavirus infection and made U.S. citizens vulnerable to possible international travel restrictions, including quarantines.) Shockingly, the White House overruled health officials at the CDC who wanted to recommend that elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines; instead they issued their own warnings urging caution while not specifically address flying.

In Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte decreed a partial quarantine over a swathe of Italy’s north region. Just over 24 hours later, he extended the measure to the entire country of 60 million people.

Containment is no longer the issue … mitigation is. Coronaviruses, can infect people of any age; however, older adults or individuals with pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or asthma, are more likely to become severely ill. So those who are young and healthy can feel they can travel with some sense of 'security' - the issue for the world though is the community spread of the coronavirus to those who are more vulnerable as symptoms do not appear until 2-10 days after infection. So a community may be safe until someone returns from elsewhere or abroad who unknowingly is carrying the coronavirus.

This is why EVERYONE needs to stay home. You may be low risk, but by bringing it home and sharing your illness, you bring harm to the vulnerable and strain the health care system resources.

 

[quandrea]

Good to know! Our annual travel health insurance policy comes up for renewal later this year ... if this is the case, then staycation at home will be what we will be doing this year.

Very true. That trip to Newfoundland is looking good.

 

[clarker99]

Finally starting to get some real info leak out about what is happening. Italy is seeing case after case of COVID-19 causing 'bilateral interstitial pneumonia'. Given this info, no one will have enough mechanical ventilators to help every case that causes this type of pneumonia. This is why the R0 is around 3.5%.

The WHO and CDC know/knew this information and have really done a terrible job communicating what is ACTUALLY happening. Still not hearing it from mainstream media or any gov'ts.

 

[quandrea]

Finally starting to get some real info leak out about what is happening. Italy is seeing case after case of COVID-19 causing 'bilateral interstitial pneumonia'. Given this info, no one will have enough mechanical ventilators to help every case that causes this type of pneumonia. This is why the R0 is around 3.5%.

The WHO and CDC know/knew this information and have really done a terrible job communicating what is ACTUALLY happening. Still not hearing it from mainstream media or any gov'ts.

My husband is in an at risk group. He’s already had pneumonia, and once you’ve had it, you are forever vulnerable. He is also hypertensive and has asthma. I am terrified that he’s going to catch this bug before a vaccine is found. I am beyond angry that it’s not being taken more seriously. I think Italy is a cautionary tale to North America and I feel no one is taking heed. The selfishness I see in the world at large is truly disheartening. I wish governments would order significant shut downs to slow the spread. Schools, extracurriculars, sporting events, tourist areas, the works. It shouldn’t be business as usual.

 

[mshanson3121]

Finally starting to get some real info leak out about what is happening. Italy is seeing case after case of COVID-19 causing 'bilateral interstitial pneumonia'. Given this info, no one will have enough mechanical ventilators to help every case that causes this type of pneumonia. This is why the R0 is around 3.5%.

The WHO and CDC know/knew this information and have really done a terrible job communicating what is ACTUALLY happening. Still not hearing it from mainstream media or any gov'ts.

Um....I read this yesterday on mainstream media. CNN, CBC etc....

 

[bcwife76]

How exactly do the schools in NB KNOW that you have travelled outside of Canada? The honour system? yeah....ok.

As for us, 2 cases (both presumptive) in Hawaii vs 32 so far in BC. Oahu here we come!