Dealing with disappointment after planned honeymoon cancelled

[Margot9]

I’m getting married in September and we had originally planned our honeymoon in Japan in October. We’ve been planning it for about two years and it’s something we’ve both been really excited about for a long time. It was going to be our first big long-haul trip together and we’d put a lot of thought into the itinerary, including things like staying in a traditional ryokan, visiting different regions and experiencing as much as we could.

Due to the current situation with travel and rising flight costs/ uncertainty, we’ve decided it’s probably not realistic to go ahead with that trip and are now looking at alternatives in Europe instead, like South Italy or Tenerife. Our second choice was the Maldives but DP thinks that will have to same travel issues as Japan.

I completely understand the reasons for changing plans but I’m finding it hard emotionally because Japan felt like a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us and I was really looking forward to it. I think I’m struggling with the disappointment of letting go of something we’d been building up for so long, even though I know we’ll still have a lovely honeymoon wherever we go.

Has anyone else dealt with having to change honeymoon plans quite late on? Can anyone recommend a nice European honeymoon destination?

Goodness…. That seems rather OTT. 2 years planning and then just abort. Have you lost any money?

Have you already booked some/all of it given it's only 5 months away? I'm not sure why you can't still go and if the flights are going via conflict areas, they can be changed. Not really sure why you'd need to cancel a once in a lifetime trip.

So it hasn’t been cancelled you are choosing not to book it?

Or has it been booked?

Not clear

I would still go to Japan

we are looking at taking teens to Japan next summer

A friend of mine is on holiday in Japan now .

No money lost. The plan was to book flights around this time but the flight prices have shot up and fiancé doesn’t think they’ll come down. He is worried by the news reports of the airlines running out of fuel etc and wants to go for the safe option. I would like to wait and see what happens but the situation doesn’t seem to be going well.

2 years of planning and nothing actually booked?

Either way - seems like a gross over reaction to me

If you’ve booked it then the price is set surely? That seems a rather extreme reaction that I can’t really get my head round to be honest.

My partner works in Asia a lot and he really struggled to get back from Hong Kong 4 weeks ago. A Cathay Pacific return ticket is now almost £3k per person compared to £1k 6 weeks ago. Asia and Australia routes are all very booked up now.

They haven't booked flts yet.

Just seen update. Flights go up closer to the date - that’s normal. Best prices are when they’re first released about 11 months before. We noticed the same re Canada. I can’t believe you’ve planned such a big holiday and left booking to the last minute. Bonkers.

So when you said 2 years of planning.... What exactly did you plan if you haven't booked anything? 😐

How about Venice lovely city

Flights to Tokyo and back mid sept are £1174 per person on sky scanner - which seems standard to my recollection of researching trips to Japan so how much were you expecting it to be?

What on earth? I don’t understand why you would cancel this trip. My DD and her boyfriend booked flights to Japan and Malaysia about a month ago. They are going in June. They couldn’t book it earlier because it’s complicated with his work.

Looks like you and fiance have spent two years chatting about your honeymoon but booking Nada.

And now your fiance has got cold feet about spending on flights (that if he’d booked before he’d have got for much cheaper)

correct?

I've just booked a trip to Japan for next month - I think you'll be fine. Just get it booked and figure it out later.

Ok so if you have a budget and booking goes over that you can’t go.

If it’s still possible I think you would regret not taking the chance.

Any flight could be cancelled.

But you both have to be happy with the decision.

We came back from the Maldives on Wednesday and it was fine. It wasn’t up everyone’s street to go now but it was our choice and we didn’t regret it. To cancel such an amazing honeymoon trip seems wild, can you not reconsider or perhaps book the flights in a few months at least?

Honestly a low key holiday as a honeymoon is probably better then an amazing trip 6-12 months later when you will be stressed.

Our second choice was the Maldives but DP thinks that will have to same travel issues as Japan.

?!?! I'm so confused. What's the "travel issues" with the Maldives (or Japan for that matter)?

I have relatives travelling Japan currently. Our neighbour and her family have just got back from 2 weeks in India. No issues whatsoever?

Apart from the fact there are currently disrupted / cancelled flights I can't really see what he's worrying about? It's 6 months off....

Due to the current situation with travel and rising flight costs/ uncertainty

This doesn't make any sense to me. If Japan is your dream trip, do it!

Mainly because the airlines are saying they only have jet fuel for 4 weeks. So we could book but if the flights get cancelled due to lack of fuel, we can’t go. We also have noticed the flights we were watching have gone to £2k per person which is out of our budget.

The pair of you sound so risk averse that you’ll probably end up having one night in a b&b down the road from you for your honeymoon

Talking about your honeymoon for 2 years but doing nothing beyond hot air!!

Well yeah that was foolish of you....

Re the airlines, won't happen. Just fearmongering as per usual. Also if you think that then why are you looking at Italy or Tenerife?! Those planes will require fuel too!

As someone who has recently had a big holiday cancelled because of the travel situation and ended up going to the canaries instead I can 100% say that Japan is not comparable to Tenerife!

I would really recommend looking at going to Japan with a reputable travel agent. We've used Trailfinders for big trips and I can't recommend them highly enough. They can give up to date advice on flights and also give you the benefit of a bespoke itinerary with the peace of mind that you get from a package holiday.