These are crazy times. Life is not going on as we know it. Instead, it's being put on hold as we wait out the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. That includes work, school, socializing, and yes, vacations.
With President Trump's announcement last night to suspend travel from Europe into the United States (remember, this excludes U.S. citizens, permanent residents and most family members of U.S. citizens), coupled with the announcements from several cruise lines suspending their service (Virgin Voyages being the latest), and then followed by a travel advisory from the U.S. government to reconsider international travel, it's understandable to reach for the CANCEL button on your upcoming trip.
But as with cancellations during a so-called “normal” day, cancelling your hotel stays, flights, rentals, and tickets isn't an easy task. Policies vary from company to company and have stipulations based on time of travel, when you booked and how you booked.
Below is a list that Trips + Giggles has compiled of company policies to keep you informed. As you can imagine, it's ever-changing as the world continues to navigate this crisis.
Whether to travel or not is 100 percent your decision. If your trip is next month, you might want to wait another week to see how things play out. If your trip is this weekend, then a cancellation is probably the best move. If you're torn and don't know what to do, it's always better to be safe and travel when there's no fear.
Have any questions? Send an email! Or a DM on Instagram. As a luxury travel advisor, there's a steady stream of resources and information hitting my inbox and I'd love to help.
This information is ever-changing and we'll be updating as best as we can. Feel free to send us any new information you may have come across!
CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL CANCELLATION POLICIES
As of April 21, 2020; 11:28 am PDT
**HOTELS**
Here's a list of some of the cancellations/waivers being offerd by hotel and resort companies. Remember, if you booked through a travel website such as Expedia or Hotels.com or Hotwire, you must contact them, NOT the hotel. The hotel won't be able to help you with a room you booked on Expedia. On that note, here is a link to cancelling travel booked with Expedia.
ACCOR HOTELS: You may not be familiar with the name Accor but you've most likely heard of many of their brands such as Fairmont Hotels, Sofitel SLS Hotels, Novotel, and more. The company is not issuing refunds as of March 15, but they will allow changes or cancellations for guests traveling to or from affected Asian countries and Italy through March 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020. Guests traveling from Italy and who booked travel before March 9, 2020 for stays through April 3, 2020 can postpone travel through December 31, 2020. Update: Accor changed their policy to allow all guests with a non-flexible rate for stays before April 30, 2020 to change their stays without penalty. Update, March 23: Accor is now allowing guests with stays booked at hotels in regions or countries affected by government-issued travel restrictions, to cancel their reservation without penalty by contacting the hotel directly.
AMRESORTS: The all-inclusive resort operator, which includes family-friendly Dreams Resorts, is offering guests an option to “Move the Date, Keep the Rate” where guests can change the date of their stay to anytime between now and December 22, 2020. They can even change it to another AMResorts property within the same brand in a different destination. Full refunds however are not looking likely.
BELMOND HOTELS & RESORTS: The luxury hotel (and trains) company is waiving cancellation fees and refunding prepaid deposits for stays through April 30, 2020 for guests who have traveled from or via Mainland China, South Korea, Iran, or Italy and guests travelling from any country with reservations at Belmond hotels in Italy or Asia.
COMO HOTELS & RESORTS: Another luxury hotel company (we loves the Como hotels in Miami and London) is allowing guests to postpone their trip for a late date up to six months. If you've made a deposit for one hotel but want to switch to another, you can do so. The company will also allow refunds for stays if requests are made before September 30. For any new bookings or stays before December 31, 2020, you can change or cancel your reservation free of charge.
DISNEYLAND AND DISNEY WORLD HOTELS: The park will close on March 14 and its on-property resorts—Grand Californian, Paradise Pier, and Disneyland Hotel–will also close beginning on March 16. The closure is set to last for the rest of the month. Disney will work with guests to provide refunds for those with hotel stays during this time. Update: Disney World is closing too but their hotels will remain open. Update again: Disney World will close their hotels on March 20 until the end of the month.
FOUR SEASON HOTELS: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts is waiving cancellation fees until March 31 for guests traveling to any Four Seasons property in the Asia Pacific region and Italy. Cancellation fees are also waived until March 31 for those traveling from Italy, South Korea, China (including the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau), and Taiwan to any Four Seasons property around the world. Update: Four Seasons has waived cancellation fees for all new and existing reservations worldwide.
HILTON: Hilton, and all of its brands of hotels, is waiving change fees and offering full refunds for regions affected by government-issued travel restrictions. Any existing reservations, even those marked as “non-cancellable” that are scheduled for arrival before April 30, 2020 can be changed or cancelled up to 24 hour before check-in time. Any reservation that you book from now through April 30, 2020, even those marked as “non-cancellable”, can be changed or cancelled up to 24 hours before your scheduled arrival.
HOXTON HOTELS: This boutique hotel company is allowing guests to cancel reservations at any time.
HYATT HOTELS: Hyatt and its many brand of hotels is waiving cancellation fees for stays through March 31, 2020 for the following: Guests residing in Greater China, South Korea, Japan and Italy with reservations at Hyatt hotels globally and guests with reservations at Hyatt hotels in Greater China, South Korea, Japan and Italy. World of Hyatt, the brand's loyalty program, is now offering 10,000 World of Hyatt Bonus Points compensation in lieu of their non-refundable or Advance Purchase rate stay to use toward future travel at any 900+ hotels across 17 brands globally. These reservations must have been made before March 8, 2020 for travel through June 2020. You will need to opt for the points 48 hours before your stay. If you're not a member, you can enroll now. Update: Hyatt has revised its cancellation policy. Anyone with existing reservations for travel between March 14 and April 30 can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before the stay. This includes Advance Purchase Rate reservations. Any future stay made between March 13 and April 30, 2020 (for any future travel date) can be cancelled or changed at no charge up to 24 hours before arrival. The above policy for advance purchase rates booked before March 8 still stands.
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS: The global hotel brand which includes Kimpton, Holiday Inn and Regent Hotels, is waiving fees for existing and new bookings at ALL hotels for stays between March 9 and April 30.
LOEWS HOTELS: Loews Hotels, and their resorts at Universal Orlando which are open even though the parks are closed, is waiving cancellation fees for existing and new reservations for stays through and including April 30, 2020. This includes any pre-paid and non-refundable reservations.
MARRIOTT HOTELS: The world's largest hotel company, and all its many brands like Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Westin, Edition, and Residence Inn, has issued a new statement on March 11 regarding cancellations. They will waive cancellation fees for hotel stays through March 31 in most of Asia Pacific, Italy and a good portion of the Middle East along with Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Update: Marriott has revised the policy on March 13. Guests with existing individual reservations, including reservations with pre-paid rates that are typically more restrictive, can be cancelled or changed without charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival as long as the change or cancellation is made by April 30, 2020. For guests making new individual reservations between today and April 30, 2020, these reservations can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before scheduled arrival date.
MGM RESORTS: If you were planning a trip to Las Vegas between now and April 30, 2020, you can cancel or rebook your stay at MGM Resorts without any fees. This policy goes for other MGM Resorts around the U.S.
RADISSON HOTEL GROUP: The worldwide hotel and resort company is allowing existing reservations made prior to April 1, 2020 for stays until June 30, 2020 to be modified without charge, subject to availablity and/or any rate differences. They are also allowing free cancellations unless a deposit has already been paid. Then they will credit you the full amount to redeem at the same hotel until March 31, 2020. For all reservations made from now through June 30 for any future arrival date at any RHG hotel worldwide, guests can modify the reservation up to 24 hours before arrival date. Any modifications are subject to availability and/or any rate differences. Guests can also cancel these future reservations without charge up to 24 hours before arrival date. This includes reservations on advanced purchase rates described as noncancelable. But if a deposit has been paid, the amount will be refunded to the credit card used (or maybe in the form of vouchers or credit, where required by local regulations.)
ROSEWOOD HOTELS: The luxury hotel company with several properties in Asia but quite a few here in the U.S. too has announced a 24-hour cancellation policy with no fees for reservations booked by April 30, 2020 for stays through September 30, 2020. For reservations booked before March 13, 2020, guests can rebook their stay without a fee for up to 12 months and any deposits already placed will be applied to future reservations. They are also waiving cancellation fees through April 30, 2020 for guests with stays booked in Asia Pacific region and Europe (excluding U.K.). They are also waiving fees for any guests from Europe (excluding U.K. and Ireland), Iran, South Korea and Asia Pacific region.
SANDALS RESORTS: The all-inclusive parent company of the family-friendly Beaches brand is touting the fact that as of March 12, no coronavirus cases have been detected in any of the countries where they have location.
VIRGIN HOTELS: Virgin Hotels in San Francisco, Chicago, and Dallas will waive deposits for hotel stays through April 30 for guest(s) traveling from countries with a Level 2 or Level 3 designation from the CDC. For the latest listing please visit the CDC Travel Information website.
WYNDHAM HOTELS: The Wyndham brands, which include Howard Johnson, Ramada and Days Inn, are allowing guests traveling to or from Greater China, South Korea or Italy with reservations through March 31, 2020 to have their cancellation or change penalties waived. Guests who are prohibited from traveling to their booked hotel under applicable law will have their cancellation or change penalties waived on direct bookings. Globally, for existing direct bookings, all properties are required to accommodate non-cancellable rate reservation changes if the request is received at least 48 hours prior to arrival and the same number of room nights or more are booked for a future stay.
**VACATION RENTALS**
AIRBNB: The home-rental company is only offering cancellations for reservations booked in “impacted” countries and for those who cannot complete their trip because of official travel restrictions. Update: Airbnb revised their cancellation policy on March 14. Existing reservations made on or before March 14, 2020 for stays and Airbnb Experiences with a check-in date of April 14, 2020, or earlier, and with at least one night occurring between March 14, 2020, and April 14, 2020, are covered. Guests who cancel will receive a full refund, and hosts will be able to cancel without charge or impact to their Superhost status. The host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual to reservations made after March 14, 2020, and to existing reservations made on or before March 14, 2020 with check-in dates after April 14, 2020.
VRBO: Refunds and cancellations are made based on the homeowner's existing cancellation policies. If a refund due to coronavirus concerns is issued by a homeowner to a traveler, VRBO says they will also refund the traveler service fee.
**AIRLINES**
THE POINTS GUY is the best place to look at all the cancellation and change policies being enacted by the airlines right now. FORBES has a comprehensive list as well. Of course, if you already have an airplane ticket and need to figure out what to do about it, go to your airline's website and beging there. (Chances are, they've already emailed you anyways.) With the No European Travel directive issued last night, today (March 12) is an insanely busy day for airline call centers. Which is why we recommend following up on Twitter as airline's are usually very responsive to users there.
**CRUISES**
CRUISE CRITIC is a great resource to keep up with what cruise lines are doing currently. As you can imagine, cruises have been hit especially hard. Already, Princess cruise ships and Viking ocean and river cruises have paused all sailings for a month. Regarding cancellation policies, these are a little trickier to navigate. Most cruises require full deposits well before you sail so in most cases, cancelling your trip will earn you full credit to use on a future sailing. But not a refund. Read the updated list of cruise cancellation and modifcation policies from Cruise Critic here.
This information is ever-changing and we'll be updating as best as we can. Feel free to send us any new information you may have come across!
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