Summer holidays 2020

[anonymous-user]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Just because your hotel in Rhodes isn’t opening doesn’t mean “holidays won’t be much fun this year at all” for others, or do you mean just your holidays won’t be fun? Bookings are going through the roof at the moment for holidays so people are definitely keen and willing to book and get away to places that will take British holidaymakers.

[anonymous-user]

El stovey said:

Just because your hotel in Rhodes isn’t opening doesn’t mean “holidays won’t be much fun this year at all” for others, or do you mean just your holidays won’t be fun? Bookings are going through the roof at the moment for holidays so people are definitely keen and willing to book and get away to places that will take British holidaymakers.

Probably a bit of both was more for info I guess, I was under the impression that barring some social distancing many places would be back to normal (ISH) but talking to a guy I've known for years who is writing off a whole season and seems to suggest a lot of the island will be the same maybe they aren't gonna be as fun as we thought

I'm desperate to get away, everything we had booked this year has been cancelled but I just don't know if it's going to be at all worth it this season

[fridaypassion]

Well despite me being a truly hopeless optimist our holiday with Tui to Corfu was cancelled. All flights to the 11th were cancelled and we were due to go from Manchester to corfu on the 12th the route is one of the ones they will be operating so we had everything crossed but not meant to be

Other than a ring trip in October it will be the first year in my adult life not to have had a holiday. First World problems and that but makes you value travel more.

Not sure if we can be bothered booking something uk as everywhere will be rammed.

[anonymous-user]

The Greeks are only allowing brits in after the 15th July now I think.

It’s a pretty difficult situation for everyone with the U.K. government still dragging their heels as most of the rest of Europe opens up on the 1st July.

Imagine trying to restart and plan your operations as an airline or holiday company with this kind of clarity from government.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advi...

“On Monday the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said both restrictions will be eased. It is expected they will be lifted for some countries from next Monday, 6 July.

Mr Shapps said: “I will announce further details including a full list of the countries and territories from which arriving passengers will be exempted from self-isolation requirements later this week.”

[NDA]

El stovey said:

Imagine trying to restart and plan your operations as an airline or holiday company with this kind of clarity from government.

Almost impossible. Not just at the departure end - but the arrivals end too... if you run a hotel somewhere, how on earth do you prepare?

I've simply cancelled everything this year, a holiday in France (scheduled for next week and booked in January) and a long weekend in Italy. I have put the cash into my son's birthday present as he's had a pretty tough time (A Level year).

There is also the spectre of 'second spikes' too - not sure I would want to be locked down in another country.

[Silverage]

I’m going to write this year off now for hols and double-down next year to make up for it.

As someone said upthread, it will be odd as it will be the first year I’ve not been away but in the overall scheme of things I think we’ll cope.

[kingston12]

NDA said:

There is also the spectre of 'second spikes' too - not sure I would want to be locked down in another country.

That’s the part that worries me. All of the governments seem to be all over the place with their response, so who really knows what they will do going forward?

If I had my own place in France I could drive to and stay there in the event of restrictions then I’d consider it, otherwise regrettably not for now.

[Robertj21a]

I think many of us abandoned all hope of a holiday this year some time ago. At least it got the mindset adjusted early on !

Here's to 2021...

[anonymous-user]

Robertj21a said:

I think many of us abandoned all hope of a holiday this year some time ago. At least it got the mindset adjusted early on !

Here's to 2021...

I hadn't so a bit gutted, was the very last thing we had booked for this year that hadn't yet been hit, as others have said I'm counting myself lucky its just first world problems now looking at Staycations will make the best of it

[DoubleSix]

Well perhaps...

But i can’t find a good reason to cancel our plans (France 17th July).

- Flights are on
- campsite is open and fully functional (pool, local restaurants)
- insurance available (with Covid exclusions)
- no health conditions amongst family

Short of a second spike and some crazy action on behalf of governments I can’t see me cancelling and sitting at home...

[Robertj21a]

DoubleSix said:

Well perhaps...

But i can’t find a good reason to cancel our plans (France 17th July).

- Flights are on
- campsite is open and fully functional (pool, local restaurants)
- insurance available (with Covid exclusions)
- no health conditions amongst family

Short of a second spike and some crazy action on behalf of governments I can’t see me cancelling and sitting at home...

Might depend on where you live. If it's Leicester (or, shortly, Bradford, Rochdale, parts of London ?) you may find you can't make non-essential travel.

[DoubleSix]

Robertj21a said:

DoubleSix said:

Well perhaps...

But i can’t find a good reason to cancel our plans (France 17th July).

- Flights are on
- campsite is open and fully functional (pool, local restaurants)
- insurance available (with Covid exclusions)
- no health conditions amongst family

Short of a second spike and some crazy action on behalf of governments I can’t see me cancelling and sitting at home...

Might depend on where you live. If it's Leicester (or, shortly, Bradford, Rochdale, parts of London ?) you may find you can't make non-essential travel.

Within 5 mins of writing my post I had an email from easyJet saying flights were cancelled

Fml

[R33FAL]

I have booked flights for summer holidays next year but waiting on how things develop before booking accommodation.

AirBNB terms and conditions re: COV-19 are so bad, not sure how anybody is booking through them at the moment. If you cancel you are fully exposed to the land-lords terms and conditions and usually, that means loss of 50% + fees. Ridiculous

[croyde]

DoubleSix said:

Within 5 mins of writing my post I had an email from easyJet saying flights were cancelled

Fml

Oh fek! Sorry fella

Did they say why?

[PushedDover]

El stovey said:

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Just because your hotel in Rhodes isn’t opening doesn’t mean “holidays won’t be much fun this year at all” for others, or do you mean just your holidays won’t be fun? Bookings are going through the roof at the moment for holidays so people are definitely keen and willing to book and get away to places that will take British holidaymakers.

As with Keyser,

The holidays would not be the same, and ergo not return the VFM for me / us.
Neilson Beachclub is ALL about the kids mucking around, painting each other, and the very minimum of social distancing whilst licking each others faces.
Neilson emailed us in May I think offering 'last minute flex / cancellation options - up to 72hrs before the flight, or bouncing a year.

I can not see a way that hotels will offer anything remotely fun this year. And I suspect for many easy to stay mothballed than take the hit of half arse, full costs, low returns.

[DoubleSix]

croyde said:

DoubleSix said:

Within 5 mins of writing my post I had an email from easyJet saying flights were cancelled

Fml

Oh fek! Sorry fella

Did they say why?

Nope. No detail us such, bit weird as we had an email a couple of days ago saying flight number had changed to accommodate reconfigured aircraft... guess not!

F*** it. I’ve booked FlexiPlus tickets via Eurotunnel so the dream can live on for now!!

I agree with those on hotel or resort based holidays I think the experience would be a bit grim... but we go out of our way to avoid that stuff anyway and have booked a remote little campsite in rural France on the Dordogne... so as long as the the local boulangerie is open I think the experience will be much as it was before... i hope so anyway, we all need a break.

Edited by DoubleSix on Wednesday 1st July 18:13

[ro250]

Had 4 hotel bookings in the US for August, all non-refundable through Expedia. To Expedia's credit (and the hotel chains probably more so), I called Expedia and asked about refunds and they called each hotel to check if they'd refund us and they all said yes so refunds are now being processed

As they were all big name hotel groups which had implemented flexible policies they are happy to refund although as I'd booked through Expedia I was worried we'd be told no.

Now if BA will hurry up and cancel my flight I won't be out of pocket at all.

[fiatpower]

ro250 said:

Had 4 hotel bookings in the US for August, all non-refundable through Expedia. To Expedia's credit (and the hotel chains probably more so), I called Expedia and asked about refunds and they called each hotel to check if they'd refund us and they all said yes so refunds are now being processed

As they were all big name hotel groups which had implemented flexible policies they are happy to refund although as I'd booked through Expedia I was worried we'd be told no.

Now if BA will hurry up and cancel my flight I won't be out of pocket at all.

I had 3 hotels booked in the US on non-refundable bookings, tried to cancel them with mixed results.One of them (Hyatt at LAX) refunded me no problem, The second (Radisson in NY) said no initially but have referred me to head office so fingers crossed and the 3rd one I haven't heard from yet (small motel place outside Yosemite). If i'm honest I wasn't all that fussed as they are covered under travel insurance but it is just less hassle to get direct from the hotel. Thinking my internal US flights are going to have to be claimed off insurance. I booked with Gotogate who aren't answering emails or phones calls and Alaska airlines (who my flight is with) just refer me to Gotogate.

I think my summer holiday will consist of DIY, gardening and maybe the odd day trip to somewhere nicer than Birmingham (not hard). I was tempted to try and book somewhere in France but even if we drive I don't want the risk of getting stuck over there or worse being hospitalised with COVID which insurance won't cover. Don't think it's worth the risk at all, we'll just wait until next year by which time hopefully things will have died down.

[ro250]

fiatpower said:

I had 3 hotels booked in the US on non-refundable bookings, tried to cancel them with mixed results.One of them (Hyatt at LAX) refunded me no problem, The second (Radisson in NY) said no initially but have referred me to head office so fingers crossed and the 3rd one I haven't heard from yet (small motel place outside Yosemite). If i'm honest I wasn't all that fussed as they are covered under travel insurance but it is just less hassle to get direct from the hotel. Thinking my internal US flights are going to have to be claimed off insurance. I booked with Gotogate who aren't answering emails or phones calls and Alaska airlines (who my flight is with) just refer me to Gotogate.

I think my summer holiday will consist of DIY, gardening and maybe the odd day trip to somewhere nicer than Birmingham (not hard). I was tempted to try and book somewhere in France but even if we drive I don't want the risk of getting stuck over there or worse being hospitalised with COVID which insurance won't cover. Don't think it's worth the risk at all, we'll just wait until next year by which time hopefully things will have died down.

I'm normally on top of things like insurance but I still don't know whether I'd have been covered. e.g the hotels are open so don't know if I could have claimed.
Thankfully won't need to claim now anyway.

2 of mine were Radisson group hotels and both agreed to refund if that helps to know.

[fiatpower]

ro250 said:

2 of mine were Radisson group hotels and both agreed to refund if that helps to know.

That is interesting! I'll use that as some leverage if they say no.