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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To decide my husband and his sister are nuts?

178 replies

Rosebel · 31/12/2020 00:10

SIL phones today (before BJ announcement) and says how nice it would be to go away as a family once Covid is under control.
My husband agrees with her and then they proceed to discuss going away in April next year. My SIL says she'll look for some deals online.
When my husband tells me this I said they're mad. I'd love to think everything will be normal by April but isn't it unrealistic? I told him he'd better make sure if she books something we're guaranteed a refund if we can't go. He got moody saying I'm being miserable for not wanting to go on holiday and that with the new vaccine of course things will be normal.
I text my SIL (as my husband obviously wasn't going to) saying lovely idea but make sure we can get a refund just incase. She hasn't replied two hours later so she's probably on a mood too.
Surely it's really unreasonable to plan anything for 2021 yet?
YABU it's fine to plan a holiday
YANBU don't plan anything yet

OP posts:
MaryLeeOnHigh · 31/12/2020 07:03

There's nothing miserable about being realistic. I can't imagine either your husband or his sister would be too happy to lose money through booking something that isn't refundable.

WestSideBoom · 31/12/2020 07:32

Perhaps she didn't reply because she was thinking 'well obviously I am only going to book something where we can get a refund if it's cancelled'.

Bluntness100 · 31/12/2020 07:34

I think April is too soon. It might be fine by then, and if they get the vulnerable done by end of February as is the plan it likely will open everything up, but I’d not be betting the cost of a holiday on it.

GenerallyCoping · 31/12/2020 07:49

I have booked, and had cancelled, various holidays during this whole period. Next (UK) break booked for June and next overseas break booked for November. I am hoping both will go ahead.

I don’t think either of you are being unreasonable. It is ok to book and it is ok to be aware it might not go ahead as planned. Most packages come with Covid cancellation insurance but I have also taken out travel insurance on booking too...

diamondpony80 · 31/12/2020 07:49

I’m going to plan a holiday for later in the year (prob Aug/Sept) but definitely will want it to be refundable. April will come round very quickly and I doubt things will be “normal” or ok by then. Better is the best we can hope for that soon in the year. Of course you’d want a holiday to be refundable though.

Standrewsschool · 31/12/2020 07:49

Uk. Holiday - possibly. Abroad - no.

supersonicginandtonic · 31/12/2020 07:52

I have holidays booked for April, May, August and October. All were moved from last year. I'm keeping the open mind that we can always move them again if we need too but admit it is nice having something to look forward to and feel optimistic about.

Romeocorner · 31/12/2020 08:09

I booked a cruise in April 2019; for March 2020, which was obviously cancelled. Rescheduled for March 2021. Travel agent called yesterday to say it’s cancelled again. The authorities are refusing to let ships dock at the ports. It’s rubbish

Redcherries · 31/12/2020 08:12

I have holidays booked for Jan (this one will be moved for the fourth time) March (flights currently cancelled but waiting to speak to ba to rebook) April, this one was meant to be June last year for my 40th, will move again if needed, and June.

We’ve been shuffling them as needed and it’s no big deal. I don’t think it hurts to be optimistic but realistic, I think you’re right to ensure anything can be refunded or rebooked but having something to look forward too is quite a powerful tool.

CheeseIsMyVice · 31/12/2020 08:14

We are tentatively looking at October for a holiday this year. I think it’ll be the first feasible time, but I’m not booking anything just yet.

notanothertakeaway · 31/12/2020 08:17

We have booked a UK holiday house for July 2020, fully refundable

I wouldn't book an overseas trip just now

MargosKaftan · 31/12/2020 08:18

A holiday in April is perfectly possible. We don't need everyone to be vaccinated, we need the people who are high risk to be vaccinated to get some normality.

And yes, lots of people are on holiday today, lots of people went away last summer.

I would put money on people going away at February half term and there being angry threads on here about them being irresponsible. Short of another mutant virus, April should be achievable, but get good insurance/check it is possible to cancel.

rookiemere · 31/12/2020 08:22

Sheesh some people are absolute doom merchants.
I think booking a holiday abroad in April would be a bit frisky, but UK may well be possible. Vaccination will have been rolled out to a reasonable number by then and although social distancing, masks and some restrictions will be in place for a long time, I suspect they will be keen to get the economy started again.

NotQuiteUsual · 31/12/2020 08:26

We just booked a week away in July. We know it's optimistic, but if it is normalish by then the prices will skyrocket and we won't be able to afford anything. Plus the company we're booking through gives you a 120% voucher if your booking gets canceled. So it's a bit of a gamble, but we needed something to look forward to.

But anyone booking anything without being prepared for the likely possibility it could get cancelled is being daft.

DrManhattan · 31/12/2020 08:29

@OverTheRainbow88
But are we all going to be vaccinated? Surely once that has happened the virus will have mutated making the first vaccination redundant?

Pootle40 · 31/12/2020 08:33

I'm with your husband and SIL on this one. Also researching holidays - granted for July-as I need to believe it will be possible to get me through this utterly shite time

Bakeachocolatecake2day · 31/12/2020 08:34

I would book a uk holiday and make sure it's cancellable....

TessApricot · 31/12/2020 08:39

Looking at Instagram there are so many z listers on holiday right now (Dubai and Maldives) so I’m sure there’s somewhere that will let you in in April. However, for me I don’t want to book a holiday that will be ruined by anxiety about whether we can actually go or not in the lead up. I keep on looking at holidays for the summer online (plus we have travel vouchers to use from last year’s cancelled trip) as it makes me feel better for a little bit - it’s like when I browse right move looking at houses I can’t afford. 😭

Lovemusic33 · 31/12/2020 08:51

I’m hoping to be able to holiday in the uk by May but that will be self contained in our Campervan like we did last summer, I’m guessing we will still be restricted to 6 people so no going on holiday with others and I won’t be risking booking a holiday abroad.

lovelemoncurd · 31/12/2020 08:53

@DrManhattan your obviously not a medical doctor are you?

thedancingbear · 31/12/2020 08:54

But are we all going to be vaccinated? Surely once that has happened the virus will have mutated making the first vaccination redundant?

No. Coronaviruses mutate relatively slowly compared to eg. the virus that causes flu, and it's very likely the existing vaccine will be effective against such mutations.

I don't think booking for this summer is nuts at all (though April feels a bit tight). things aren't going to be completely normal for a while, but many of us were able to get away last summer, and with the vaccines, the situation this year will hopefully a be a lot better.

Sportsnight · 31/12/2020 08:56

I wouldn’t expect a “normal” holiday (esp a package one) but an Airbnb break where you can keep fairly isolated, might be ok. I’m thinking about Paris in April. Eurostar is running flexible tickets you can change any time, Airbnb have a good cancellation policy. I genuinely wouldn’t mind a pretty restricted time (no restaurants or museums, say but a change of scene). We did similar in August (within the UK, supermarket delivery to the holiday house, no eating out, lots of walks and beaches) so I might tentatively book something for next year. The difficulty might be going with another family, in the same house?

DHdweller · 31/12/2020 08:57

Both got zero grasp on reality

Ilovenewyear · 31/12/2020 09:02

I’ve got a UK based break booked for June (for myself!) but I made sure everything I booked is fully refundable up to the week before and I haven’t booked the transport because this isn’t. I’ll have to pay a bit more closer to the time but I’d rather that then lose the full amount.

I think April is unrealistically optimistic.

thedancingbear · 31/12/2020 09:07

^I’ve got a UK based break booked for June (for myself!) but I made sure everything I booked is fully refundable up to the week before and I haven’t booked the transport because this isn’t. I’ll have to pay a bit more closer to the time but I’d rather that then lose the full amount.

I think April is unrealistically optimistic.^

So six months is probably fine but four months is obviously unrealistic? I'd love to see your maths on this