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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to book a summer holiday because of Covid-19

55 replies

Bridgeofpies · 28/02/2020 14:27

First of all I realise there really are bigger issues and this is a very first world problem to even be considering holiday, but humour me!

We were waiting to book a family summer holiday until we heard about DH work commitments and salary. Now we know that we can afford a holiday I am not sure if it’s worth booking anything as it seems like we could be in the middle of a serious pandemic by then! DH thinks I am overreacting and we should just book!

We had planned to drive to the south of France and do a Eurocamp type holiday but I don’t know if it’s worth booking now. Or maybe wait and see how it is nearer the summer?! I don’t want to get stranded or find we can’t go because of quarantine / lock down. Plus a campsite with a load of kids running around from all over Europe is likely to be a good place to catch something I reckon...

What is everyone else doing? Is it business as usual? Are you booking / have you booked a holiday?

AIBU to put off booking until May or June when we can see what’s happening?

OP posts:
PureAlchemy · 28/02/2020 14:37

Personally I’d wait until nearer the time.

I know someone who was due to be going on holiday within the next week or so to an area that’s now affected, they’ve had to cancel because of this, and they’ve said that it looks like they’re not going to be able to get the whole holiday costs reimbursed by their insurance.

Mintjulia · 28/02/2020 14:52

I haven’t booked anything yet. I’m less worried about travelling and more about needing every day holiday I can spare if the govt decides to close schools.

Greggers2017 · 28/02/2020 14:54

We've booked to go to Cavallino, which is on the Adriatic coast near Venice. That's a eurocamp holiday and booked for May half term. We've not heard anything yet in regards to what will happen.

SpottedOnMN · 28/02/2020 15:17

I've been having similar thoughts. I tend to book flights and AirBNB separately and I can't see how it would work if we got quarantined.

welshpolarbear · 28/02/2020 15:20

I think we'll wait and see. Insurance companies don't cover stuff like this and I'm guessing anyone taking out insurance from now either wouldn't be covered or would have to pay a ridiculous amount to be covered

timeforawine · 28/02/2020 15:22

I'm booked for May, Aug and Nov and plan on doing them all, unless of course advise at that time is no travel at all.

ceeveebee · 28/02/2020 15:26

I’ve booked a hotel in August but it’s cancellable/pay when arrive. Not booking any flights yet though

We are supposed to be going skiing at Easter, all booked and paid for.

We have an annual insurance policy. We are covered if our holiday gets cancelled due to a travel ban (ie if the government advise not to travel to that country), but not if we choose not to go.

Crazycrazylady · 28/02/2020 15:29

We're going to Malaga in two weeks time, All paid for and we're going.
I'm in Berlin in April with some elderly relatives and more worried about that but i think it will be everywhere at that stage anyway so not much difference versus going and staying at home.

DrinkSangriaInThePark · 28/02/2020 15:34

The summer is 4 months away and virus season will be well over by then, I'd hope! Sunshine, fresh air, people not cooped up together all day usually means viruses stop spreading so effectively and start to die off. We have booked 5 weeks in Portugal from end of June and I'm not worried at the moment...

DrinkSangriaInThePark · 28/02/2020 15:41

Having said that, if I hadn't already booked, I probably wouldn't book a holiday right now Wink

Cuddling57 · 28/02/2020 15:48

I've already booked a holiday for August. Not worried about that.
However, I was going to book for April Spain but have been put off so far. I don't want to be worried about cancellation, being stuck in another country or being treated in hospital in another country.

Cuddling57 · 28/02/2020 15:49

I wonder if holidays are cheap at the moment if people aren't booking?

Parker231 · 28/02/2020 15:51

Everything is booked - long and short haul holidays. We will be going unless FCO says not to.

Original poster
Bridgeofpies · 28/02/2020 16:09

Thank you all for your comments.

I think if I had already booked something I would think que sera sera and at this point I wouldn’t change anything. It’s just because I am looking at holidays and then flick over to the news and it seems like another country is being shut down / hotel quarantined. I know it’s still relatively small numbers of people affected at the moment but it has the potential to spiral and even if it doesn’t the measures being used to contain it could well ruin a holiday.

Maybe something that can be cancelled without too much penalty is the way to go (if it exists)! At least we aren’t planning on flying - that would be a big expense that we wouldn’t necessarily get back!

I normally really enjoy the process of researching and planning our family holiday and I look forward to it all year. This is spoiling that for me! (Again first world problem I know)

OP posts:
HairyFloppins · 28/02/2020 16:12

We're booked for the end of August to the USA. All of our accommodation is cancellable and we could reschedule the flights. I am not booking anything else at the moment.

alittleprivacy · 28/02/2020 16:17

I wouldn’t book now. If it was booked already I’d probably go, but there really isn’t a lot to lose by waiting.

Hingeandbracket · 28/02/2020 16:43

UK holiday already booked.

Frazzled2207 · 28/02/2020 17:41

I'd wait and see. We've already booked ours. Crunch time will be in a few weeks when we have to pay the balance. Though it there is a general shut down I would expect most of my money back.

I'm not making any plane further ahead than next week currently. Which is probably overly prudent.

ineedaholidaynow · 28/02/2020 17:47

PP makes a good point about having to save some holiday just in case schools have to close for a bit.

10storeylovesong · 28/02/2020 18:07

I'm supposed to be taking my DS7 and DS2 traveling to Sweden in April. Budget flight and hostel. No idea how that will work if things get cancelled. I doubt I'd get the money back from the hostel, which actually wasn't cheap!!

faracrossthepond · 28/02/2020 18:08

Another thread to hide!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 28/02/2020 18:13

I definitely wouldn’t book anything right now.

I’d watch and wait.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 28/02/2020 18:21

I'm in the watch and wait camp. Would your holiday insurance cover you? My eldest was asked a month ago to work on a PR project in Netherlands/Germany around Easter and the whole thing has just been cancelled/postponed with the virus publicly given as the reason. Mind you they are a PR company so they probably worried more about the look of it, or potential lack of attendees than any reality

LilyJade · 28/02/2020 18:28

My sister & me have booked & paid for an end of June 10 day holiday to Crete; flights & hotel booked separately.
I'm not worried.

Look, Flu is just as deadly as coronavirus. We've had several youngish patients die of flu in our hospital over the past two years.
Actually I had an older patient who died from chicken pox, it was scary.
Then there are community acquired pneumonia, meningitis & sepsis which kill & maim 1000s & 1000s of people in this country alone.
I could go on....

The upsetting thing is that many deaths from diseases are preventable by vaccines but people don't bother to have them done or need to pay for them & don't want to or can't afford it.
If a vaccine for coronavirus was available tomorrow you can bet that it would be the same!

EliK · 28/02/2020 18:38

Definitely wait and see. I already booked one before everything kicked off but I don't know whether to pay off the balance or not yet.