Trip cancelled by travel agency
 

I sent in a depost for a trip to Israel last Monday. The lady from the travel agency called me today, and said the trip had been cancelled due to less than 20 people signing up, " because of the airlines" The brochure which was made available in March at church clearly states the last day to register is June 11th for a September 11th trip. Does anyone have any insight as to what may be going on? I am sooo disappointed. Thanks Jennifer

insufficient people signing up for the tour renders it unprofitable for the operator to run, so cancel. Avoid that operator in future and make sure you get every last dime back... I guess there was small print in your brochure that indemnified the operator against just such an event, sorry for you it seems.

Actually, you are better off that they cancelled so soon, because it gives you a chance to find another trip. You still have time plan something. Don't let this spoil your vacation!

What a shame, and 6/weeks before the cut-off date. However, as ann mentions, you have more than sufficient time to plan your own trip, whether independently or with a group.

Many of the major tour operators (mid-priced range) offer both Jewish and Christian (or combo of both) itineraries.

Is the price of flights included? The price of fuel is up, and most likely, the agency cannot raise the price after it had been published, but they have the right to cancel the trips.

Something similar happened to me on a cruise. I got an e-mail telling the price of fuel is $100 additional, so I have an option to pay or to get my deposit back.

The difference is, the cruises are not american businesses, they can add additional charge(s).

Find another tour for the same dates, there are plenty around! You will meet many nice people and have fun in Israel!

kecsmom, I took a tour with Gate 1 last year and it was great. Our group was about half Christian and half Jewish. I made a point of choosing a tour with mixed faiths because I wanted to see both the Christian and Jewish sites, as well as hearing all points of view.

For me, one of the best things about Gate 1 is they offered us a chance to take an optional tour of Bethlehem. This is something not all tour companies do, but if you are a Christian I urge you not to miss Bethlehem regardless of which tour you take. Do not worry that Bethlehem is in the West Bank, it's perfectly safe.