Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

AIBU to cancel holiday?

481 replies

Nostrings457 · 29/02/2020 07:59

Booked to go to Malta in May - holiday balance is due tomorrow (over 6k). Travelling with young children and 1 aduly is aged 65+

Malta has no coronavirus cases currently but who knows what will happen between now and May. I dont want to pay the balance and then risk trying to claim off insurance if we dont go.

I suppose its more a what would you do than aibu?

(I know the risk is so low, influenza kills more people etc.. but i dont want to end up in quarantine with 3 young kids somewhere either)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
BeyondMyWits · 29/02/2020 08:36

there are no confirmed cases in Florida. 150 people are being monitored, 15 have been tested and were negative.

Sallycinammonbangsthedruminthe · 29/02/2020 08:37

OP I am going to Tenerife in August and unless the FCO says dont go then I will be going! If I were you I would go and have fun If we lived our lives with what ifs and buts we would drive ourselfs crazy. What if you caught measles there or got run over by a bus or what if you broke your leg? Anything can happen to us at anytime we just dont know...I would take all reasonable precautions as you ususally would and carry on. I know a virus is different from a broken leg I am not being lame by stating that just trying to reach some perspective....

Mamato2gorgeousboys · 29/02/2020 08:38

In your shoes op, I would cancel and lose the deposit. I think it’s going to get a hell of a lot worse in the next few months. If everything is fine, you can always book a last minute getaway.

SkaLaLand · 29/02/2020 08:39

Six grand for Malta? You've been robbed!

Greydove28 · 29/02/2020 08:39

I would definitely go op. Think you are over reacting

rookiemere · 29/02/2020 08:41

It's the elderly person and young DCs that would give me pause for thought. I'm due to ski in France mid March with friends and I'm definitely going unless FCO say no. But it's just me to worry about and I can work from home if I have to afterwards and have just topped up insurance for all eventualities.

My DPs are refusing to let me visit them since we were in Austria in Feb - they are mid 80s so are right to take this much more seriously as prognosis if they catch it is not good.

Fruitsaladjelly · 29/02/2020 08:48

I’d go, I went To Vegas during Chinese New Year, and am due to go to Disneyland Paris and Austria in March. Children are only getting it mildly, most adults only get it mildly and getting it is a huge if anyway. Compared to the worlds population the number of cases are like a single pebble on a beach. May marks the end of flu season.

Nanamilly · 29/02/2020 08:50

I’ve cancelled two trips within the last few days. One of them was to Italy with my young teenage. grandchildren and the other was to the UK.

I’ve done it because I want to go and know we/I could get back again as planned and right now it’s not certain we would. For now we’ll stay where we are.

I’m not bothered about the money I paid up front for football matches and a few excursions. It’s very little to lose compared to being stuck somewhere.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 29/02/2020 08:51

Whilst I wouldn’t book anything up now, I’d go if I’d already booked.

idontlike789 · 29/02/2020 08:52

I'm going away in May all paid for so can't cancel and I'm not putting my life on hold. Unless told not to travel and in that case I have insurance .

WhentheDealGoesDown · 29/02/2020 08:52

Have you checked the date which is the last one that you lose the balance. With my hollday it looks like balance is due 12 weeks before but you can cancel and only lose the deposit up to 70 days before which is less that 12 weeks, after that it is a rising scale of loss.

luckylavender · 29/02/2020 08:53

@chattylass - the US doesn't have nearly that amount if cases in total.

luckylavender · 29/02/2020 08:53

of cases

Coffeepot72 · 29/02/2020 08:54

We are due to go to a Greek island in June, not a package deal but flights with BA, which already paid for, and we have booked direct with the hotel, we don’t need to pay hotel bill until we get there, but the booking details state we can cancel up to two weeks before arrival. They took my credit card details when I made the reservation,

My worry is that the FCO may still be saying Greece is OK, but that it will look too iffy to take the risk, and then where does that leave us?

I suspect that by June the situation should be a lot clearer over whether travel is ok this summer or not

MrsStrangerThing · 29/02/2020 08:54

Depends on how much you would lose by cancelling. If it is a small amount, it may well be worth cancelling and booking something for far cheaper once things have settled down a bit.

uggmum · 29/02/2020 08:55

I've just paid the balance on a holiday to Mauritius.
I'm also going to Rome, Amsterdam, New York and Nice.
I think it's unlikely that there would be a travel ban. With simple precautions you can reduce the risk of catching it.

GreyishDays · 29/02/2020 08:56

I’d also wait till you absolutely need to pay the balance and see if it’s a bit clearer then.

Taciturn · 29/02/2020 08:56

Rather than cancel, can you speak to the operator and negotiate an extension on the payment deadline. I would think this is possible under the circumstances and am certain they would prefer this to outright cancellation.

Branleuse · 29/02/2020 08:57

Id go. My mums there right now. There havent been any cases in malta.
Use sensible precautions. You're no more likely to catch it there than here, and sunshine and saltwater boost the immune system.

pelirocco123 · 29/02/2020 08:57

I am due to have a weekend away next week .we arent going because my mum is very ill in hospital touch and go ..even if she was stable I wouldnt take the risk (slight ) of either bringing something back or worse being quarantined and not be able to be with her

And I am the very last person to worry about anything

Snugglemonster84 · 29/02/2020 08:57

We go to our long awaited disneyworld florida holiday in 6 weeks. Cost 8k. Everything booked, all extras paid for, airport hotel, taxis, dog kennels etc.

We have no option to cancel as all paid. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. I'm not nervous about catching the virus we are a low risk group, but i don't want to be quarantined or what ever.

Coffeepot72 · 29/02/2020 08:59

snuggle monster the quarantine worries me too, I don’t fancy landing in the uk after a perfectly normal holiday, to be put in quarantine for 2 weeks

Wuzzle85 · 29/02/2020 09:05

I would still pay to go and just make sure I have good travel insurance. May is a few months away and a lot can change in that time. I suspect that by then we will have cases originating here anyway and will have had quite a large number of cases. I suspect we will have moved on from trying to quarantine to protect from it in the way which is been done at the moment. Also it will be summer and hopefully this will reduce the spread. There is a lot of unknowns so there is no right way but like I said if it was me I would book, have good travel insurance and make my decision closer to the time.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 29/02/2020 09:06

It's just too much of a developing situation to know what to do, without panic it's a fact that travelling abroad is a risk looking at what's happening in Tenerife. It's the quarantine that would bother me more than the worry about catching it.

I would just lose the deposit if full payment is due tomorrow and cancel. Give it another month then hopefully the picture will be clearer and rebook then.

Fruitsaladjelly · 29/02/2020 09:08

This was on another thread the other day re Italy ...I found it measured and helpful

AIBU to cancel holiday?