Another Italy one

[Toybox88]

I know there's already a similar thread but just wanted to put up my own as it's slightly different as I've already booked it!
I've booked a week in Lake Garda for myself and my 2 children in the first week of April. So it's northern Italy! How freaked out should I be?
I don't have travel insurance. I know I should have taken it out and obviously regret I didn't. I assume if I take it out now I won't be covered..
I paid for flights and hotel separately myself. We are/were so looking forward to it.
I suppose it's just a case of wait and see but I can't see the situation improving so soon...
If we go, they'll have 10 days before they're back at school so we could do our own quarantine. But I can't see us going... I don't know what to do. It was a big holiday and cost over a grand.

Lake Garda is not as far north as the affected area. Where do you fly into? Buy insurance now.

I fly into Verona.
Oh yes I will definitely have travel insurance if I go, but it's not going to allow me to cancel my flight and get my money back is it?
We were actually supposed to be staying in the gardaland hotel. I assume gardaland will close down if this gets worse anyway. It feels surreal.

Advice here.
Italy travel advice: can you cancel over coronavirus?

www.theguardian.com/money/2020/feb/25/italy-travel-advice-cancel-coronavirus-airlines-insurers-refunds-holidays?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard
If you take insurance out after it's a known issue you probably won't be covered (sorry). If your flights are cancelled you will be refunded by the airline. Insurance does not cover you for not going because you are concerned, it covers you if you are told not to travel.

You can still take insurance but generally only covers you if FCO advice goes to at least avoid all but essential travel to where you are going. Just deciding not to go due to coronavirus isn't covered some coronavirus issues are covered if not declared a pandemic but not sure if you are refused flights due to a temperature or put in lockdown and miss flights home that's covered. It might be but quite a few unknowns.

I'ld just keep watching and review, we've got Asian holiday booked and doing the same, veering towards cancelling and taking the loss.

Did you pay by credit card? If so your credit card company may cover you on payments over £100.

Personally, I wouldn't go.

Wait and see how the situation develops and take a view on it then. If any of you going on the trip are older or have pre-existing medical conditions then it’s a more serious concern (but far less if you don’t). We’re going the end of May so later than you. If we’re going to cancel then it will be at the very last minute and we will talk the airline and hotel about the possibility of rearranging dates first of all (I’d rather take a small rather than large hit!). My DP travel 5-6 times a year but due to one or the other’s health often rearrange flights and hotels for a small(ish) cost and that might be a better option for you than a complete cancellation. Unless the Foreign Office advises against travel to Italy, none of us are getting our money back!

I would just keep waiting and seeing unless can get money back now in which case I would cancel - situation is quite fast moving atm and the number of cases in UK could also alter. Think they are starting mass testing here. We are in similar situation for Asia trip in August, half refundable, half not, way thinks currently are looks like could turn into holiday from hell where get stuck in a quarantine / lockdown plus I have a lowered immune system. It's really not clear what travel insurance will pay for if say you get put in lockdown and miss flights etc or get refused boarding for a temperature - quite possibly nothing. Just hope they find a vaccine soon. I think chances of getting virus are miniscule but chance of being caught in chaos surrounding it are much higher.

Yeah it's the risk of chaos alright. And the self isolation when we come home.
Ugh I'm so disappointed. Was really really looking forward to it.
I'll hold off for a while and see what happens. I'll look into how much it would cost to change flight dates in a couple of weeks I suppose. Maybe hotels will change dates too. Or maybe they'll shut down in which case I assume they'll refund. One hotel I booked directly. The other through an agency which say no refund... can't believe it. I booked in Dec before any of this came about. And I didn't use credit card unfortunately.

I don't think credit cards are paying out either. Some people have found non-refundable hotels etc have refunded so worth asking but totally at their discretion, think it's normally no but quite variable - people booking not directly with airlines / hotels and going through third party agencies seemed to be having more trouble often. We've got £2.4k of non-refundable, I'm waiting until a month before then reviewing and in future I'm booking refundable hotels.

Will be interesting to see what happens with school Italy trips too - DD is due to go to Italy for a week in June, could be another £900 lost though hopefully things will have improved by then. It's the first time her friend who is 14 has been abroad and their family struggled to raise cash so hope they do go.

Credit Card companies and Travel Insurers won't pay out unless the Foreign Office advice changes to no travel and they will have too. Our trip to Italy is my 50th birthday present from DH so won't be the best start to the new decade if the situation doesn't improve! For the first time ever am hoping Trump is right (!) and the whole thing goes away when the weather gets warmer!

Bit it's warm in plenty of places where the virus is spreading so that might be a vain hope!

Yep! The orange one is probably talking bollocks again!

The only thing that would put me off going (apart from official advice obviously) would be the worry that we would get quarantined in our rooms in a hotel. That would be an absolute nightmare with kids.

You just have to watch and wait, how disappointing for you. Looking forward to your holidays is a big part of the fun.

I know 🙁 who would have guessed this when I booked!
Yeah I had thought of the getting quarantined in the hotel. Or else maybe the return flight being cancelled and not being allowed home! I suppose another couple of weeks will make it clearer. Can't believe it.
I feel like I'd go if official advice are allowing it but only if it's looking like they're not going to change their minds while we are in Italy!

Completely get your worry. We’re also due to go to lake Garda end May/beg June although we’re going on train (stop off in Paris for day/night). Have only paid deposit so far and my lovely travel agent has extended time before we have to pay full amount til 30/3. Really hoping things improve. We’ve been looking forward to the trip for so long, would be gutted if couldn’t go. It’s wondering whether to take the risk of going if it continues to be an area not in lockdown but Coronavirus continues to spread. It’s hard sitting with the uncertainty and not knowing isn’t it?

Yes. I'd be hoping that by the time you're due to fly it'll be under control although you never know...
Incidentally what a lovely way to go. Train. The kids would love that

Yes we’ve been told by quite a few people how lovely the train journey is as you go through Switzerland too. So looking forward to it so very much hope things are improving by then. Fingers crossed for you @Toybox88- really hope you get there.