No win situation

[Mrs Soap]

I’ve put this on another thread but am kind of answering my own question here and thought it required a separate discussion...

 

so we depart marseille April 18th, prior to that we are traveling thru Croatia and France.

 

obviously we wouldn’t knowingly travel through quarantined area, but just say they were quarantined after we left and then MSC denies us boarding?

 

spoke to MSc they don’t as yet have a policy on refunds for this. We can’t cancel without losing our money, can only postpone trip to a later date. That doesn’t work for us due to flights accommodation etc that can’t be canceled.

 

spoke to travel insurance and although I paid for full comprehensive with cruise pack insurance 9months ago, any claims arising from an epidemic aren’t covered....

 

seriously have no idea what we would do??

 

has anybody heard of people being denied boarding? Or are people just not admitting to having been through certain areas?

[BermudaBound2014]

16 minutes ago, Mrs Soap said:

I’ve put this on another thread but am kind of answering my own question here and thought it required a separate discussion...

 

so we depart marseille April 18th, prior to that we are traveling thru Croatia and France.

 

obviously we wouldn’t knowingly travel through quarantined area, but just say they were quarantined after we left and then MSC denies us boarding?

 

spoke to MSc they don’t as yet have a policy on refunds for this. We can’t cancel without losing our money, can only postpone trip to a later date. That doesn’t work for us due to flights accommodation etc that can’t be canceled.

 

spoke to travel insurance and although I paid for full comprehensive with cruise pack insurance 9months ago, any claims arising from an epidemic aren’t covered....

 

seriously have no idea what we would do??

 

has anybody heard of people being denied boarding? Or are people just not admitting to having been through certain areas?

 

I was afraid of that, but at least you have that information now. This is all so dynamic, the more information you have, the better armed in crunch time. I honestly do not know the answers to your question, but wish you all the best. PS: was MSC going to allow you to postpone trip without any penalty? If so, that may be good information for others to have.

[Mrs Soap]

27 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I was afraid of that, but at least you have that information now. This is all so dynamic, the more information you have, the better armed in crunch time. I honestly do not know the answers to your question, but wish you all the best. PS: was MSC going to allow you to postpone trip without any penalty? If so, that may be good information for others to have.

Yes for a cruise to the same value within the next 12 months. No penalty.

unfortunately that doesn’t work for us at this time.

i really think MSc need a policy with regards to this. They would be aware that most insurance companies don’t cover claims due to an epidemic or pandemic. If they people are aware they wouldn’t be covered, they will just omit information from where they have travelled. I know that’s not the “right” thing to do but understandable in certain situations.

[ebonybee]

Thanks for the information on lack of insurance coverage in a pandemic.  Also, I think that’s generous of MSC.....

[blueslily]

You can change to a different cruise, after final payment, without any penalty? That's good! 

[Mrs Soap]

Sounds like if worst case scenario and people were refused that maybe the only option, they may offer you to move to another date, which still doesn’t help us but perhaps for others

[blueslily]

Oh, they are not allowing you to make the change right now? Before the sailing?

 

Are you also saying that all your lodging prior to the cruise in nonrefundable? 

 

Also, your flights may be nonrefundable, but for a fee, they allow you to makes changes? 

 

So, is it an option to skip the land travel before the cruise and just plan to go on the cruise? Or, just do land travel and skip the cruise part in April by moving to to a different date which MSC is allowing you to do for no cost. You can change your flight date in this scenario as well.

 

Sounds like there are some options if you are concerned about the possibility of not being allowed on the ship if you happen to visit an area that later has a status change. 

[Mrs Soap]

15 minutes ago, blueslily said:

Oh, they are not allowing you to make the change right now? Before the sailing?

 

Are you also saying that all your lodging prior to the cruise in nonrefundable? 

 

Also, your flights may be nonrefundable, but for a fee, they allow you to makes changes? 

 

So, is it an option to skip the land travel before the cruise and just plan to go on the cruise? Or, just do land travel and skip the cruise part in April by moving to to a different date which MSC is allowing you to do for no cost. You can change your flight date in this scenario as well.

 

Sounds like there are some options if you are concerned about the possibility of not being allowed on the ship if you happen to visit an area that later has a status change. 

Yes they would allow us to change now without penalty 

 

some accomodation ion is non refundable, approximately $2000

 

flights booked with frequent flyers, so possibly with a fee

 

big issue is our kids will be on a school trip to France the 2 weeks before the cruise, that’s why we are doing Croatia during that time, then meet the kids in Paris and do the cruise. So unless the school cancel as well..... it’s messy.

 

[blueslily]

Are the kids going on the cruise also or just doing a land visit in Paris? 

 

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get some clarity on the situation so the options will make sense of course.

 

The kids will be on a school trip with staff? Are you going on that trip with them as well or are you doing Croatia while they are exploring other places and you all just meet up in Paris? 

 

Good news is that this does not sound like this is a no win situation. Sounds like there are reasonable options to salvage the trip, maybe just different than originally planned. But, not horrible.

[Mrs Soap]

Ok so itinerary as it stands.

 

April 3rd girls fly out with school and teachers into Zurich, stay with a host family in a little town in France for a week, then go up to Paris with teachers for a week

 

we fly out same day but on a different flight booked with frequent flyer points, into Singapore and then onto Zagreb. We are doing a driving trip and then fly up to Paris April 15, meet the girls and take TGV to marseille to get on cruise April 18.

 

return to marseille April 25th, pick up car and drive back up to Paris (over 3days) to all fly home together.

 

this is all from Australia. Whole trip has been fairly pricey and honestly unless the majority was refunded we wouldn’t be able to just do another trip later for a postponed cruise....

[blueslily]

So, the big question you have is based on concern that if you have gone somewhere that later gets restricted, you cant get on the cruise. Sadly, no one will know that until it happens or whenever a restriction is announced.

 

So, based on your comfort level with risk taking and how much money you are willing to lose, you have the option of changing the cruise segment to a land segment and taking a cruise some other time that does not require another trip that is as expensive or go ahead with the current plan and stop reading all the stories everywhere that increases worry and anxiety. Or, you can keep the land segment and just change flights to go home after a few days in Paris with the kids and save taking a cruise for another time. That way, the loss is the change fee for the flights. You don't lose the accomodation costs before the cruise. The cruise cost isnt completely lost. I understand that you're saying that this trip is so expensive that you don't think you all can do another one in a year. But, I'm wondering since you can switch the cruise, if you can choose a cruise that will not cost you as much overall. The option to change in now without penalty is great.

 

Also, there is the option of just starting your part in Paris which may increase the likelihood that you will have less of a risk of being denied boarding on the ship. This would result in airline change cost and hopefully not all the nonrefundable hotels are before Paris. 

 

Booking nonrefundable accommodations for international travel is scary. I don't recommend it to anyone, even if it will save them a few dollars. 

 

Hopefully the change now without a fee offer for the cruise was offered in writing for you. 🙂

 

There are options. None are perfect. But maybe a break from the virus news and threads will help as well. It can trigger a lot of anxiety. 

[emmas gran]

I would hate to be in this position

 

Friends travelled to Sydney from UK to join a world cruise I think P&O, they were refused boarding as they had changed plane via Singapore. They were not very happy as the crew member (man) questioning them had no face mask was sat just across a desk and he admitted he was going back on the ship for the cruise. Therefore if they had any virus he was also very likely to get it--this was around 18/19th Feb.

[BermudaBound2014]

@emmas gran That is heartbreaking. Are they getting a full refund? P&O world cruises are much more cost effective than the mainstream lines, but that is still a huge chunk of change. Plus, if they were doing the full world they would have planned to be gone 114 days. I would be very disappointed 😞

[BermudaBound2014]

11 hours ago, Mrs Soap said:

April 3rd girls fly out with school and teachers into Zurich, stay with a host family in a little town in France for a week, then go up to Paris with teachers for a week

 

 

I'm not sure how it works in Australia, but in my neck of the woods here in the USA, our county schools are in the process of cancelling all overseas trips this year. The school system doesn't want the liability, not to mention parents aren't keen on sending their kids to Spain, alone, with the virus unknowns.

[mef_57]

I would be more concerned about boarding after transiting through Singapore within a 14 day window.  My suggestion would be to change your flight and forego precruise travel.  Though finding a flight that doesn't route via 'affected areas' may be tough.  I don't tend to try to project, but I wonder when Korea airports will become suspect...closing the door on yet another option.  Also, even if accommodation is nonrefundable (something I personally never book unless booked only a few days before arrival), you could ask for a refund given the circumstances.  

Also, what is the routing the girls are doing? 

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, mef_57 said:

I would be more concerned about boarding after transiting through Singapore within a 14 day window.  My suggestion would be to change your flight and forego precruise travel.  Though finding a flight that doesn't route via 'affected areas' may be tough.  I don't tend to try to project, but I wonder when Korea airports will become suspect...closing the door on yet another option.  Also, even if accommodation is nonrefundable (something I personally never book unless booked only a few days before arrival), you could ask for a refund given the circumstances.  

Also, what is the routing the girls are doing? 

 

I can't believe Korean airports aren't already suspect. Singapore is nothing in comparison. Heck, even Italy has surpassed Singapore by nearly 600%. The OP doesn't leave until April 18th, I would not recommend changing flights just yet. The situation is still too dynamic

[mef_57]

1 minute ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I can't believe Korean airports aren't already suspect. Singapore is nothing in comparison. Heck, even Italy has surpassed Singapore by nearly 600%. The OP doesn't leave until April 18th, I would not recommend changing flights just yet. The situation is still too dynamic

 

I don't tend to jump on things and recommend changes or cancellations as some fear driven folks do.  And, I see your point about some delay, however, on the flip side, I would like to think there still could be a 'win' side to this situation.  It might be pretty tart lemonade, but maybe something can be salvaged.  Part of the reason to consider an earlier alteration of plans, is flight availability and leverage for arguing a refund on a nonrefundable accommodation.  Cancelling lodging would allow them time to rebook, of course they could be stinky about it and do just that and keep the nonrefundable pay.  As I don't know what type of lodging, I can't suggest specifically.  I did have a situation in Barcelona that the host was able to rent 4 of the 5 nights I cancelled, and after I saw that and approached nicely, he gave me the money back on those 4 nights.  So it may happen.

I also understand that we have no idea what the itinerary changes may be, or what airports/countries that are fine now won't be fine next week, but alternate ideas can at least give more food for thought.

[BermudaBound2014]

@mef_57 I hope you didn't take my post as criticism :(. It was not intended as such. I do agree that a plan B is in order for the OP,, unfortunately, if I were in her shoes I'm not sure how I would go about planning since there are so many unknowns. I think it is quite possible the school trip will be cancelled (that is what schools are doing here in the USA).  If the school trip is cancelled, that will change the tenets of the entire trip. To the OP: has the school given you any thoughts yet?

[Mrs Soap]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

 

The girls go via Doha and we go via Singapore. At this point no restrictions to either with DFAT or MSC .

The school messaged yesterday to say they are having a meeting next week to make any decisions regarding the girls trip. I also have the feeling they will cancel.... if so the school has insurance and the kids will be covered (the significant money paid for them) so at least that’s something.

 

If that is the case, we will most likely cancel our trip as well. I’m then wondering if travel insurance will come to the party?  Being that we couldn’t then leave our kids at home on their own and the decision was taken away from us.

The cruise we could then postpone, but I would prefer a refund so as not locked into it has to be in the next 12 months.

 

we won’t lose too much on flights and I would obviously email the non refundable accommodations and appeal to their better nature.

 

so really I think I need to wait on the school and see what happens....all very stressful 

[Mrs Soap]

So latest is MSC will refuse boarding to those traveling through Singapore...which is us of course. Changing flights for us would be nigh on impossible...they are booked thru Qantas frequent flyers.....and where to do go through anyway? Hong Kong....no can do and even the Middle East is going to be a problem very shortly by the sounds of it.

 

So at this point I’m going to try to get a full refund....there are no travel restrictions for Singapore by any govt authorities so this is MSC decision...which of course is their boat=their call. But in my mind they need to completely refund....

thoughts?

[Homosassa]

5 minutes ago, Mrs Soap said:

 

 

So at this point I’m going to try to get a full refund....there are no travel restrictions for Singapore by any govt authorities so this is MSC decision...which of course is their boat=their call. But in my mind they need to completely refund....

thoughts?

It doesn't matter what any of us think; our thoughts won't make a difference in MSC's policy that they have about this situation.

 

And no, I don't know what that policy may be. The situation is fluid and companies are scrambling to play catch up with the daily changes.

[resistk]

I think MSC had better just call it all off for now.  Their ships are "flagged" because of the association with Italy. We also know from the Diamond Princesss fiasco that being quarantined on a  ship can be a death sentence for some folks.

[Markanddonna]

55 minutes ago, resistk said:

I think MSC had better just call it all off for now.  Their ships are "flagged" because of the association with Italy. We also know from the Diamond Princesss fiasco that being quarantined on a  ship can be a death sentence for some folks.

I thought about this also. So many of their upper level crew staff and officers are from Italy.  Have to say I feel sorry for them!

 

[travelberlin]

42 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

I thought about this also. So many of their upper level crew staff and officers are from Italy.  Have to say I feel sorry for them!

 

We are not so much concerned about officers and crew but about MSC passengers who are from Italy. Even if a cruise is sailing from USA going to Italy, there might be quite a few Italians doing the voyage. I am so worry about this! I love Italy, I like MSC ships, but this virus is a problem since we are not young anymore.

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

I thought about this also. So many of their upper level crew staff and officers are from Italy.  Have to say I feel sorry for them!

 

Seriously people?

 

What difference does it make if the officers are from Italy if the officers have not been in the quarantined areas or in contact with anyone from those areas.

 

It is like saying I should avoid the family owned Chinese restaurant down the street because the family are immigrants from China.