Macross

I decided to leave a message on USAA's comment section after someone else complained about not hearing from the travel insurance company. They replied back that it would be taken care of since they were picked by USAA for travel. Two hours later I get an email that it is being refunded to my credit card. Yay, no voucher.

Nelson

Glad to hear USAA travel insurance came through, even if via a somewhat roundabout method to make it happen.

schmerl

Hopefully you never get ill while traveling abroad and need repatriation. The costs are astounding. A good medical travel insurance policy is a wonderful thing.

sassy27

Well now I am in a disagreement with Expedia and 1 non refundable room that was booked for the end of May. They never contacted me and I could only find a phone number. I had previously canceled the 2nd non refundable room at the same hotel with no problem and was fully refunded. However the first room they are giving me a run around and the hotel website says refunds on all stays booked until May 31. Go figure.

Melnq8

sassy -

Expedia just contacted me three days ago regarding a non-refundable hotel that was booked for six nights in early May. Both they and the hotel had told me twice previously that my only recourse was to re-book the hotel for a later date (and both gave me different dates).

I'd told the hotel I'd be cancelling, but had not officially hit the cancel button on Expedia's site as I didn't know how they would apply the hotel credit. Then, out of the blue, Expedia sent me this e-mail:

We know you may be rethinking your travel plans in light of the rapidly changing situation around COVID-19. We are reaching out to you about your package booking to share options we’ve recently made available to help travelers. If some components of your trip have already been cancelled, please know this does not mean your entire package has been cancelled. You will still need to cancel any remaining elements individually. If you wish to cancel your booking, please carefully review the details below regarding the current reimbursement you may be able to receive if you act within the timeframe indicated below. If your package includes: • Accommodation: you are eligible to cancel and receive a refund • Airfare: you are eligible to cancel, and you may receive a credit with the airline for future flights, or a refund • Car: you are eligible to cancel and receive a refund • Activity: you are able to cancel and you may be eligible to receive a refund To cancel, please follow the link below at least 24 hours before your reservation date or your penalty cancellation window begins, whichever is sooner. You can find out if you have a penalty cancellation window by going to our site and checking your itinerary.

So, I hit the cancel button on the hotel and lo' and behold, I was given a full refund, on a non-refundable hotel.

Was your hotel booking part of a package? If so, you might be hearing from Expedia - they didn't contact me until a week prior to the scheduled trip. As your hotel booking is for later in May, they may contact you a few weeks down the road.

sassy27

Mel I so wish that was my case but I don't trust Expedia. Here is what has happened up to this point:

Both my mom and I had non refundable rooms. I got her trip insurance due to her condition. I didn't fir myself because really if I could go now I would. As soon as I saw the hotel giving refunds, I tried canceling my mom's room first. Their website all indicated me as losing but I found a form and filled it out. She got refunded yet they never told me but that is what her booking says today.

So yesterday go through it all again but couldn't find that form so I called. The lady sounded nice but wasn't budging saying I was only due a voucher. I said when I cancel it says I get $0 back. She then asked me a bunch of questions. No I can't get into the country. I am not canceling the hotel did as their website says closed until after my dates. She said she would give it to a manager as no one has contacted me and I told her my mom got fully refunded. I then got 2 text messages and then an email saying to use that link for a voucher.

I don't want the voucher the hotel is closed until 31MAY2020 my dates are 23MAY2020 -26MAY2020. I'm afraid to hit the cancel button. As I'm not canceling they wont let me in. I also sent an email to the hotel and they just said keep trying Expedia. I then tried the chat and what a joke. I was told wait time 26 mins after waiting 40 mins I pinged them back and was told sorry technical difficulties try back in an hour. Yeah ok as I'm doing this while I work.

I am not sure if I should try the form that I used for my mom. You can't add anything it only says cancel, your name, email, phone number and itinerary number. It also clearly says it's not a guarantee you will get anything. I am happy to take an Expedia credit or even a hotel credit I just don't want one for that location only. So what to do?

Melnq8

sassy -

What a mess. In my case the hotel wasn't closed, but because yours is, IMO they absolutely owe you a full refund.

If I were you, I'd dispute the charge on my credit card, and then and only then, hit the cancel button. It might give you a refund anyway, in which case you can then close the dispute.

sassy27

Mel thanks as just having someone neutral helps to make sure I am not being unreasonable.

I am going to try that form as I found it by googling. I just don't want to use their links as it makes it seem like I made the decision to cancel but didn't. The hotel is closed until June 1st and not accepting any bookings for May. I think Expedia tells their customer service to just offer the voucher without knowing the full details. I will see what happens and post back in case anyone else is in this situation.

Wm

Fodors cancelled our Baltic cruise for June. As I would expect, the entire amount is to be refunded. They offered quite an incentive to rebook for next year, but I declined not knowing how all this stuff will play out. United Airlines provided a Travel Certificate that is good until Apr 2022. I booked a non-refundable ticket on Norwegian Air, the flight is yet to be cancelled so I may have to eat that expense of $291. I booked a non-refundable rate for the Rival Hotel in Stockholm. Due to circumstances they are very graciously refunding the entire amount. The staff at the Rival were so nice. And last, but not least, our trip insurance through Allianz would have had to be used by March 2021. I contacted our travel agent and requested an extension. Allianz agreed to extend the deadline for usage of the policy for 1,075 days. It pay to ask!

Curious how all you travelers are approaching future travel plans.

Wm

I'm understanding that travel insurance would not cover this situation.

Melnq8

Fodors cancelled our Baltic cruise for June.

Fodors?

IME travel insurance was of no use - pathogens are excluded.

aliced

Got all back except for $150 for our September cruise on Azamara. No plans for cruising again anytime soon, the lines really messed up on protocol (WSJ today's issue 5/2). No plans at all. If I'm going to be stuck anywhere, it's going to be here in our comfortable home!

zebec

We just yesterday got the final receipts necessary for our Insurance to refund the whole godforsaken mess. We'd booked 7 different hotels, apartments and villas, plus a pair of train journeys, in addition to flights. God's sense of humour that this of all our trips, would become so entangled with differing (and also shifting) cancellation policies.

Best Wishes for all of you as you move forward with your own refunds.
I am done. The end.

Wm

Gracious, my brain must be on quarantine! That's Tauck Tours, not Fodors!

funkmonkey

So, my family was supposed to fly to Johannesburg on Jun. 9 for a few days in George and then back to J'Burg for 5 days in Kruger. Flights from US to SAfrica were booked through CheapoAir on Jet Blue/South Africa Airways- non-refundable; safari with a local safari vendor; roundtrip airline between J'Burg and George through Kulula and a car rental in George.

1. As soon as the quarantine and travel restrictions started to take shape, my tour vendor responded and after a few twists, granted me a 2-year extension on the safari - 2 days in the public section in Kruger and 3 on a private reserve. This was good news.
2. Car rental company gave me a refund right away - amazing.
3. Submitted a request to cancel flights with CheapoAir and just received an acknowledgement last week that they have my request and shall process it in turn.
4. The problem - and I'd like to hear from others - is Kulula. They are granting just a 1-year extension. Based on how Ebola fared in Africa and the rapid growth of Covid there plus the poor health infrastructure, chances are dim that anyone will be willing to travel to SAfrica for a safari in 2021. I've tried twice with Kulula and just this morning I was told that any re-reservations must be through Kulula and not via any of their partners. Big problem - I have $550 with them that seem to be going down the drain.

Any suggestions on how to deal with Kulula? Anyone else struggled with them?
My son suggests laying on a guilt-trip via a phone call - but then again one only talks to service representatives.

Thanks.

F

mlgb

Is it worth trying the credit card dispute on Kulula?

Macross

Virgin Atlantic cancelled this morning but wants to give vouchers. I checked flyer talk and seems everyone is going to their credit cards now. We did use Chase Sapphire Reserve so time to make that yearly fee pay for itself. I can see everyone trying to book flights with vouchers a year from now. Not fun.

yestravel

US airlines are required by law to give refunds. Also any companies fling into the US are covered by this. As of now, my understanding is the EU has the same requirement. Of course getting the $ is another issue. I would keep pushing for a refund. I am waiting for a refund from a small French airline. They agreed to the refund but said it would take a few weeks. Its been 2 and no refund yet.

funkmonkey -- I don't know anything about the company you are having a problem with but in a similar situation for more $ my
DiL was being refused a refund for a rental in Mexico. She kept at it with them and finally they sent her the refund, but it took many emails and phone conversations to get it. Good luck!

funkmonkey

Unfortunately even my Chase Sapphire won't afford me a dispute call.

surfmom

So I thought I'd update my list of who we were waiting on.

- Finnair: flight cancelled and refund requested 3/13 for early April flights. After MULTIPLE phone calls, today (5/15) I finally got a refund. wooohooo!

- Norwegian Air: flight cancelled/ refund requested 3/19 for early April flights. Refund received 4/30.

- Royal Air Maroc: flight cancelled 4/10. Call center shut down, must email. After many many many emails... which they continue to offer me a voucher in spite of EU261 and their website, I disputed this with my credit card on 4/27.

- Lufthansa: Flight on 3/10 was cancelled. Awaiting refund. Disputed with credit card on 5/10.


A few points to share: if you dispute with your credit card, you have 60 days from the date of purchase to dispute the charge. If it is a service - like a flight or a tour operator - you have 60 days from the date of the flight or the tour to dispute it. Pay close attention to those dates. I called my credit card on day 60 and asked "the airline says i'm going to get a full refund. Today is the last day of the 60 day dispute. What should I do?" They advised me to dispute it to protect my rights.

... to be continued ...