Coronavirus - Travel impacts II

[dixter]

watched the cruise ships in Galveston Island this past weekend.. met one of the guys working a cruise boat at the store.. he was buying food for the 12 man crew... they don't stay at the port and go out a few miles and then back in port for more food... they had the lights on each of the patios on and made a sign from them... they spelt out " We Will Be Back " with a heart on each side of the ship...

 

[ivinsfan]

Very bad news for people still stuck on cruise ships. Carnival said there were still 6,000 passengers still stranded in the water.



The Zaandam of Holland America is seeking permit to dock at a Florida port. It carries 4 bodies, 9 tested positive, and 190 with symptoms. The Coral Princess is also heading to Florida with many passengers tested positive for flu, and having flu-like symptoms.

Officials are debating whether to allow the ships to dock for humanitarian reasons.

Stories like this make me think that cruising companies will suffer from this for a long, long time, maybe forever. Shame on the cruise lines for not shutting down after the first outbreak on their ships. They might have killed their entire industry.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I don’t understand why anyone got on the ships knowing we were in the midst of the virus.

 

[NW-Bound]

People planned for the trips many months in advance, and hoped for the best, not wanting to lose their money. I think the cruise lines are more at fault for not cancelling, and refunding the money or issuing credit. As it turns out, I am sure cruise lines now regret that they did not do the above, because it now costs them horrendous amounts of money to arrange for supply, medical care, quarantine, etc...

I am not an avid cruiser, having made just 3 trips in my life, but I was thinking that this would be something I will do in my 70s, when I am too old and tired to do independent traveling. It's still a lot more relaxing than taking land tours, and get roused out of bed early each morning to board a doggone bus. On a ship, I can sleep in, sitting on the balcony watching something, go eat whenever I feel like it.

Oh well. In 10 years, all of this will pass, and there will be cruises again. I hope so.

 

[Sunsuze]

Delta Refund

DH and I had direct flights to Cancun booked on Delta for a 50th birthday trip departing this weekend. We decided weeks ago not to make the trip, but hoped Delta would cancel the flight so we could request a refund, and the airlines are so overwhelmed they don’t want you to call until 72 hours before your trip anyway, so we waited.

We received notice on Monday that our direct flights were cancelled and we were rebooked onto connecting flights. I called today (72 hours before our flight) and in the voice-prompt system asked for “refund request” and was directed to call the Delta Refund Request Line (800-847-0578).

I was on hold on the refund request line only 15 minutes or so before being connected to an agent and a full refund was processed with no trouble at all. The miles were redeposited almost immediately - the credit card refund will take longer, but I’m perfectly okay with that. ?

 

[dixter]

I was told or read that the DOT regulations requires airlines to offer refunds if asked... but if you don't ask they can also offer vouchers or re-schedules... I have a few flights scheduled for later this year...

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I was told or read that the DOT regulations requires airlines to offer refunds if asked... but if you don't ask they can also offer vouchers or re-schedules... I have a few flights scheduled for later this year...

Do you have a citation or link for that? I know they have to offer you a refund IF your flight is cancelled, but they may offer you a voucher instead.

 

[sengsational]

American Just Called Me

My flight was scheduled for tomorrow at 1:25PM and I got a call just now, so slightly under 24 hours before the scheduled departure to Ecuador (which shut-down flights a long time ago).

During this brief call, the agent told me my flight was cancelled and that they were offering to move it for free to any date before December 31, 2020 (I think that's the date, but I wasn't listening, because I wanted the money). But the rep followed with "or we can refund to your credit card", and I said "refund!". She said "ok" and that was it.

Weeks ago, after the flight was cancelled, I called to get my money back, but the phone lines were jammed, couldn't get through, so I put a dispute on the original charge.

Now I'm headed to the credit card site to see if I can "call off the dogs" with my dispute.

 

[Independent]

Stories like this make me think that cruising companies will suffer from this for a long, long time, maybe forever. Shame on the cruise lines for not shutting down after the first outbreak on their ships. They might have killed their entire industry.

They haven't killed the industry. The ships have already been built, it's more profitable to sail them than to scrap them. This may put a hold on new ships and force them to unload some older ships. They might even go through bankruptcy, but somebody will be sailing again.

In 2019, CCL had $3 billion in profits on $20 billion in revenue. The profits are after $2 billion in amortization. It seems that somebody can make that business work.

Suppose I catch the virus sometime this year and recover like most people do (even most 72 year-olds), feeling back to normal by the end of the year,
and knowing I've got temporary immunity. I'll be looking to "get away to someplace warm". If my daughter is still in the mood to cruise, I expect I'd go with her.

Many millions of Americans will be survivors by next winter. Those who can afford it will be looking to travel again.

 

[Freedom56]

My flight was scheduled for tomorrow at 1:25PM and I got a call just now, so slightly under 24 hours before the scheduled departure to Ecuador (which shut-down flights a long time ago).

During this brief call, the agent told me my flight was cancelled and that they were offering to move it for free to any date before December 31, 2020 (I think that's the date, but I wasn't listening, because I wanted the money). But the rep followed with "or we can refund to your credit card", and I said "refund!". She said "ok" and that was it.

Weeks ago, after the flight was cancelled, I called to get my money back, but the phone lines were jammed, couldn't get through, so I put a dispute on the original charge.

Now I'm headed to the credit card site to see if I can "call off the dogs" with my dispute.

Good! As I posted before, per NTSB rules, if an airline cancels flight, they have to offer you a full refund to the method of payment. My particular flight on Virgin Atlantic in May has been grounded/cancelled and so has the connecting flight from London to Geneva Switzerland on British Airways. I know that 72 hours before the flight if that doesn't change (I don't see why it would), I get a full refund (about $5000 for the two tickets).

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Great to hear, sengsational. BA operates two flights a day on the route I'm ticketed on, and they've cancelled the one I'm NOT on for as far as I can check their schedule, so I may have to take a voucher. But I'm very good at playing chicken, I can wait.

 

[Chuckanut]

A friend had a flight to a South American country (Bolivia?). About a week before the flight the country made it quite clear that they would not admit anybody from certain countries, including the USA. But the airline did not cancel the flight which left from Los Angeles.

My friend booked the flight on a South American airline using a site that specializes in cheap trips. Needless to say it was a very inexpensive ticket. But, it turned out to be one of the most expensive flights he ever bought since he went nowhere. The travel service won't do anything to help him out. The airline's response was "Well, we did operate the flight. It's not our problem if the country won't let you in. To Bad, So Sad."

 

[Chuckanut]

I understand the cruise lines are exempt form the Federal help because most of their ships are registered in foreign countries.

Why would they they register ships in another country ?

If they owned a ship registered in the USA would the Feds help out just that ship?

 

[Nemo2]

Why would they they register ships in another country ?

Regulations, taxes, hiring practices?

(I recall, almost 60 years ago when for a short time I drove truck picking up goods at the Melbourne, Australia, docks, that a substantial number of freighters were registered in Monrovia, Liberia......don't know if that's still the case.)

 

[Ready]

I understand the cruise lines are exempt form the Federal help because most of their ships are registered in foreign countries.

Why would they they register ships in another country ?

If they owned a ship registered in the USA would the Feds help out just that ship?

By registering the ships in far away countries they are able to avoid being subject to US labor laws, which would never allow workers to be subject to 7 day a week 14 hour work days with no overtime or time off. The people who work on cruise ships are one step above slave labor. They come from poor countries and they are desperate for work. The US would never allow this but because the ships are foreign registered there is nothing they can do about it.

 

[Chuckanut]

By registering the ships in far away countries they are able to avoid being subject to US labor laws, which would never allow workers to be subject to 7 day a week 14 hour work days with no overtime or time off. The people who work on cruise ships are one step above slave labor. They come from poor countries and they are desperate for work. The US would never allow this but because the ships are foreign registered there is nothing they can do about it.

So, in regards to this current crisis, the Cruise Lines essentially chose to take a chance. Since much of the Federal rescue is aimed at preserving good American jobs (or so we are told), I guess bailing them out would not be a high priority. I am assuming (there's that dangerous word again) that American citizens make up a small percentage of a cruise lines total employees.

 

[sengsational]

Great to hear, sengsational. BA operates two flights a day on the route I'm ticketed on, and they've cancelled the one I'm NOT on for as far as I can check their schedule, so I may have to take a voucher. But I'm very good at playing chicken, I can wait.

You can get a pretty good feel for if a future flight is going to operate or not based on how much it's been flying lately.

https://travel.stackexchange.com/qu...n-arrival-and-departure-times-of-a-particular

 

[audreyh1]

Really? That does not sound like "Cancel for any reason" to me. Not that I am arguing with you. I do see this as another part of the Lawyer's Full Employment Act. I wonder what the settlement will be?

The language in my not CFAR trip insurance specifically excluded pandemics.

 

[Nemo2]

I am assuming (there's that dangerous word again) that American citizens make up a small percentage of a cruise lines total employees.

Almost infinitesimal from my limited observation.

 

[Ready]

So, in regards to this current crisis, the Cruise Lines essentially chose to take a chance. Since much of the Federal rescue is aimed at preserving good American jobs (or so we are told), I guess bailing them out would not be a high priority. I am assuming (there's that dangerous word again) that American citizens make up a small percentage of a cruise lines total employees.

Correct. Americans work at their corporate headquarters, typically in Florida. And sometimes the cruise ship director is American. But that’s about it. No American would ever work for the pay and hours offered to cruise ship workers.

 

[Sunset]

My host said no problem.
Airbnb emailed me, and said full refund back to CC

So did mine

This is making me wish I had booked AirBnb for our London stays, as currently they say no refund.

 

[NW-Bound]

On the cruises I took more than 20 years ago, the wine stewardesses were American. Same with the cabin attendants. The waiter on one cruise was French. The waiter on another cruise was from Montenegro.

In the recent cruise I took 2 years ago, the crew was mostly Filipinos and Indonesian.

 

[Chuckanut]

The language in my not CFAR trip insurance specifically excluded pandemics.

What the big print promises, the fine print takes away.

 

[Lagniappe]

I was planning to spend the month of August in Edinburgh. I got a notice today that the Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe Festival and the Book Festival are all cancelled this year. I was quite surprised that they are canceling events four months out.

I had already booked an Airbnb for the month, and a business class flight. I have a feeling it will be a while before I know if I will get anything back from either of these. The Royal Military Tattoo has already emailed to say they are processing a refund of my tickets.

 

[Scrapr]

Has anyone successfully gotten a refund from a cancelled Virgin Atlantic flight? I have a direct flight to London scheduled for 5/31 that I hope they will cancel so I can get my money back.

Lucky Dude

They just canceled my April 15 flight (SFO-LHR). They are not making it easy to get a refund. Easy to find the link to keep your credit open or rebook (until April 30 I think) I haven't gone down any rabbit trails yet. I'm probably going to look on Flyer Talk to see if anyone has had any luck