Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Has anyone cancelled a holiday due to bereavement?

65 replies

Destrs · 11/04/2025 06:57

DH was very very close to his DF. He was his world. He was a fantastic FIL and I, too was very close to him. His DF sadly passed away a month ago. He isnt coping well at all. The funeral was last week and he has been worse since.
He has been signed off work for an additional 6 weeks too.

We have a family holiday booked with easyJet in July and I really don't think DH will be in a fit mental state to go. He has already said he doesn't want to go anymore. I know it's a good few months away but I am not very hopeful. It is also DHs 40th birthday when we would have gone away so I know that will be difficult for him too.

It's our first holiday abroad and we have been saving for it for a good few years. It's nothing luxury but we really can't afford holidays ordinarily and did it for the kids. Fortunately, I haven't told the kids about it.

I would like to cancel the holiday but when going on the booking to try and cancel there is nothing on there to cancel for a death in the family. I'm not sure if I would even get a refund. Also the holiday is over 4 months from the death - I'm worried they would see that as too long a time. Do deaths need to occur more closer to the time of travel?

I am supporting DH as well as I can and feel rubbish thinking about money at such a time but unfortunately we are not in a financial position to let this type of amount be disregarded.

If anyone has any advice on experiencing similar, I would be really grateful.

OP posts:
Overthebow · 11/04/2025 07:01

Do you have travel insurance? It’d often be covered by that, but July is a while away so it will likely be too long. Your DH may also feel differently in a few months about the holiday.

MoreChocPls · 11/04/2025 07:01

Have you got travel insurance? Don’t think it will cover a cancellation so far after the event.

July is a few months away. What about your kids? Don’t get me wrong, it’s awful, but life has to go on.

ItTook9Years · 11/04/2025 07:03

Would depend on the terms of your travel insurance.

Buttonknot · 11/04/2025 07:03

I don't think you'll get a refund in these circumstances, so I would keep the booking and see how DH feels nearer the time.

jasflowers · 11/04/2025 07:05

Yes but my mum died just a few days before travel.

But i doubt very much i would have cancelled if the holiday was months away, my mum would have been very angry if i had & i doubt your FiL would want you and the children to miss out on this holiday either, you and your DH can honour him abroad.

I can personally recommend CRUSE if any of you need to talk to someone.

Dueanamechange2025 · 11/04/2025 07:05

You will definitely lose your deposit and maybe more now by cancelling direct with the holiday company. Insurance would normally cover this but I doubt they would cover it so far out as it’s not that you can’t go (ie caring for someone about to pass or dealing with the funeral etc), you may be better waiting until nearer the time and seeing if they will cover your DHs poor mental health. That said, sometimes getting out of the norm is exactly what you need to start moving past grief.

Tbrh · 11/04/2025 07:05

Hopefully he will feel better, its a long time away. I would just ignore it for now if you can't afford to lose the money (check if insurance can cover it, although I'm not sure if it would). Can I also suggest that your DH seeks some therapy as it sounds like he is in a bad way. He may be able to access this through his workplace. Hope it all works out Flowers

redphonecase · 11/04/2025 07:06

You need to check the Ts and Cs of your travel insurance

ClaredeBear · 11/04/2025 07:07

I’m sorry for your loss. We cancelled and we were covered by insurance but still took a really big hit financially. The big difference here is the close relative’s funeral was the day we were supposed to travel, not a few months later, so I’m not sure how you’ll get on there but hopefully in four month’s time you’ll all want a welcome break.

CagneyNYPD1 · 11/04/2025 07:09

I say this very, very gently…life is for the living. Grief is so very difficult and very personal. Losing my dad was the hardest thing I have ever gone through. But I had to get through it and keep going because of my own dc.

Don’t cancel the holiday unless you are certain you will get your money back. As a family, you all need something to look forward to.

Perhaps going back to the GP would be a wise move.

Highlights12 · 11/04/2025 07:10

Could you not re-schedule it, even to next year. You might have to pay but surely better than losing it.

outofofficeagain · 11/04/2025 07:10

If he’s been signed off work you may be able to claim but I doubt it.

July is still months away and I’m not sure ‘not feeling like it’ would qualify.

He may feel differently, but also, he’s not suddenly going to get over it. Learning to live with grief is hard but necessary and time, somewhere different with his family might be helpful. Also the pressure to ‘have a great time’ or ruin the holiday can make things worse so reassure him that however he is feeling will be OK.

crumblingschools · 11/04/2025 07:13

You may be able to claim but possibly only for DH, due to his mental health.

MsBette · 11/04/2025 07:14

Would you be able to go with the kids? It’s a few months away and you’ve all been through the bereavement. Even if he doesn’t want to go, I assume he’d understand you might feel differently and would enjoy the benefits of a well deserved holiday.

Original poster
Destrs · 11/04/2025 07:18

I really don't want to go without him and leave him on his own, on his birthday too. I was thinking to defer to the October half term or next year even.

OP posts:
MissScarletInTheBallroom · 11/04/2025 07:21

I'm sorry OP but there's absolutely no chance this will be covered by travel insurance.

July is still some way away. The best thing would be for you to get your DH some bereavement counselling as a matter of urgency. As others have said, life does go on, and I'm sure your late FIL wouldn't want his son to still be so overwhelmed with grief that you can't go on a family holiday four months later. Apart from anything else, if your husband can't handle a family holiday four months after the event, he will probably also be unable to cope with everyday life as the father of children too. That's just not sustainable. At some point he needs to be able to compartmentalise his grief so that your family life doesn't come to a complete standstill.

Facecream24 · 11/04/2025 07:22

Destrs · 11/04/2025 07:18

I really don't want to go without him and leave him on his own, on his birthday too. I was thinking to defer to the October half term or next year even.

I think moving it is different. You won’t get any money back to cancel but if you’re happy to move it, give them a call and see what they will do. There might be a small fee but at least you won’t lose any money.

SoftPillow · 11/04/2025 07:24

I’m so sorry for your loss

Yes, we have cancelled but it was a few days after the death. It was simple at that point and we weren’t out of pocket.

However I think at 4 months you’d struggle with a claim. You could use mental health concerns instead of he’s under dr care and off work.

I would, gently, try to make it happen however. And July is some time away, lots of improvement can be made by then and being somewhere new might have a positive impact

Motherknowsrest · 11/04/2025 07:25

This is a time when he probably would benefit from a holiday. It sounds like he needs bereavement support tbh. He can't stop living his life and certainly can't stop you and your dc's having a holiday.

hopeishere · 11/04/2025 07:28

We did but my mum was literally dying the day we were supposed to leave. I’d try and postpone it. July is months away though sos as suggested grief counselling might be a good idea.

minnienono · 11/04/2025 07:29

Honestly? By July things may be different. One month is very different to 4 months when grieving a parent. Until the funeral you are in a sort of limbo and only then can you start to learn the coping mechanism to accept they are gone. We went away 2 months after mil’s death and it was a good thing. Gently, life is for the living and however horrible it is to loose a parent, he needs to put his dc first. I would reassess in a month but I seriously doubt insurance would pay out 4 months after a death.

Dueanamechange2025 · 11/04/2025 07:30

Destrs · 11/04/2025 07:18

I really don't want to go without him and leave him on his own, on his birthday too. I was thinking to defer to the October half term or next year even.

You maybe able to move it for an admin fee more easily than cancel. Remember not all places are suitable for October half term.

HipHipWhoRay · 11/04/2025 07:33

I’m sorry to hear this. On travel insurance front- My dad died whilst we were on a family holiday, and wasn’t covered by our insurance despite the top line in policy suggesting it might be. When we submitted documents including his death certificate, they argued he’d died from a condition that he’d been diagnosed with 10 years earlier, so insurance tried to argue it was not unexpected (it was!). We didn’t have energy to argue the toss.

BendingSpoons · 11/04/2025 07:36

Is it an EasyJet holiday package? They have a price promise where apparently they will let you cancel with more than 4 weeks notice. You get your deposit back in credit vouchers and are refunded anything else you have paid. I believe you can only do it once per customer. I haven't done this. I would contact EasyJet and ask to do this. You could also work out how much notice you need to give.