FAQ about upcoming trips

General Questions

Why is Life is Better Traveling or the supplier cancelling my trip?

Currently, there are travel bans on entering various countries.  If your departure dates are during the timeframe of the ban, your trip has been cancelled. 

What happens to me if my trip was cancelled, will I get a refund?

We are working with all suppliers to find out what penalties’ suppliers are imposing at this time.  Depending on the penalties, your entire trip may not be refunded.  We are asking that all trips departing after April 30, 2020 please wait before cancelling any of their trip as the cancellation penalties of many suppliers are changing daily. 

What are my non-refundables for the trip? 

Each supplier is carefully taking into consideration your hard-earned money, and many of them are waiving their change fees including, Life is Better Traveling.  Unfortunately, not all suppliers are waiving their fees and if we can figure out if they are not, we will let you know. 

We only put down a deposit. How would we go about cancelling now?

We are telling everyone who is traveling after April 30, 2020 to hold tight.  We know that this is a very tough time and you are worried about losing more money.  However, we are finding that suppliers are either giving full refunds or future travel credits with additional bonuses for those traveling in March and April.  Many of our suppliers currently still have their cancellation fees/penalties in effect for travel after April 30, 2020. 

We are seeing the supplier is offering to wave fees. Does this mean I get my full refund?

Many suppliers do have cancellation and change fees that they impose.  However, during this time they are waiving those fees to help minimize your loss.  This does not mean that you will get a full refund.  There still may be non-refundable components of your trip. 

What if the country I’m traveling to has a travel warning or advisory?

A warning or advisory issued by the State Department for any country is not a covered reason for trip cancellation or interruption when it comes to your travel protection coverage.

When will know if we should cancel our trip?

As each supplier is updating us daily with their changes, we are trying our best to let our clients know who are affected by these changes. Most suppliers are only looking at departure dates up to April 30, 2020.  If you have a departure date after April 30, 2020, we are asking that you please wait so we can see what the suppliers will be saying for your travel dates.

Can I just cancel, I am nervous?

Yes, you can cancel at any time, but you may incur penalties that include the loss of your hard-earned money. 

What should I do about my flights?

Most airlines have their COVID-19 related information clearly stated on their website.  You will be able to find out what they are doing in regards to refunds or eTickets (which is a voucher for a future flight) directly on their site. 

What if I purchased upgraded seats for my flights, can I get that money back?

You should be able to get the money back or applied to your future flight.  We recommend that you use your confirmation number for the airline and to log into your reservation.  Here you will be able to see the status of your flight and information about the seats.   


European Travel Questions

I was told that I have a voucher for future travel , when I use this by?

Depending on the supplier it is booked with, you will up until December 31, 2022 to do the travel.  Please contact your travel agent for the exact timeframes

How much is the voucher and what does it goes towards?

Depending on the supplier, your voucher will be of a certain amount that will be used to your future trip. 

What if my new trip costs more than the original trip?

If the new trip costs more than the original trip, then we will put the amount of the voucher towards the new trip and you just pay the difference. 

How do I use the E-Ticktes or vouchers for my flights?

If the vouchers are with one of our suppliers then we will book them through the supplier.  If the voucher was emailed directly to you, then you can use it at your discretion. 

Do I need to do the same itinerary as I had planned?

No, you do not need to do the same itinerary that you had planned originally.  You can increase or decrease the number of days of travel, as the places you go.

When do you recommend we reschedule our new trip?

Currently we are not recommending any new travel to Europe until after July 31, 2020.  We are recommending fall or next year.

When do you recommend we look at rebooking?

We are recommending that if you want to travel this fall, to contact us in June.  If you are thinking of traveling in 2021, to contact us in the fall. 


Walt Disney World Vacations

Disney cancelled my vacation, now what?

Disney did close their parks until further notice.  They did let us know that they are working with all bookings in April and May to get them changed.  Please contact your agent if you were to travel during April or May.

Is Disney offering anything for changing dates?

Yes, currently Disney is offering something to those who were to travel there in April or May.  Your travel agent can give you those options. 

What if I want to just cancel all together?

You can cancel.  If you are cancelling before final payment, you will get your $200 deposit on your package.  If you are cancelling during April or May you will get a refund. 

When is final payment now due?

Disney has changed their policy, and for some reservations the final payment date is 7 days prior to departure.  For other reservations, final payment is still 30 days prior to departure.   Talk with your travel agent if this applies to your final payment.    


Cruise Vacations

Can I get a full refund for my cruise?

Depending on your departure dates, yes.  Each cruise line has a different refund policy right now, so contact your travel agent to see how it applies to your reservation.

Do you recommend the refund or the Future Cruise Credit (FCC)?

That is up to you.  We are here to help implement the decision you make. 

How much is the FCC?

The FCC varies depending on which cruise line you are booked.  Contact your travel agent and they will be able to tell you the FCC amount.

What can I use my Future Cruise Credit (FCC) towards?

You can use it towards another cruise.  It does not have to the same cruise itinerary that you originally booked. 

Can I use my FCC with another cruise line?

No.  It has to be used with the same cruise line you originally booked. 

When do I need to make a decision to use my FCC?

Each cruise line has it’s own deadline for when you need to rebook.  Contact your travel agent and they can tell you. 

I hear the cruise lines are going under, is it smart to reschedule?

Until we hear further from any of the cruise lines, we are encouraging you to change dates if you wanted to take the FCC with the cruise line. 

 


Travel Protection Questions

Will travel protection cover me if I want to cancel due to COVID-19?

No.  Right now, no travel protection companies are allowing claims for “fear of COVID-19”.

If I have travel protection, can I put in a claim to get my money back?

Again, most travel protection companies are not covering COVID-19 related cancellations.  The only policy that you can possibly get reimbursement for cancelling is with a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) policy.  Your travel agent will be able to tell you if you purchased a CFAR policy. 

Can I upgrade to the Cancel For Any Reason Policy today?

No.  The CFAR policy needed to be purchased either 21 days from initial trip deposit, or if you booked your trip recently, the day you purchased the travel protection. 

What is the importance of travel protection then?

Life is Better Traveling always highly recommends travel protection for many reasons including medical coverage and trip coverage.  Since life is always unpredictable, if you would have to cancel your trip for a covered reason, the travel protection helps you recover a large amount of your trip due to these unforeseen circumstances.  For our clients who are traveling overseas, some medical coverages including Medicaid and Medicare do not provide coverage outside of the US.  When our clients have limited medical coverage, this can be very helpful.  So even thought COVID-19 may not be covered, we still recommended travel protection. 

Our two travel protection suppliers coverage on COVID-19

Travel Insured - https://www.travelinsured.com/news-resources/current-events/2020/02/27/coronavirus-faqs

Allianz - https://azcontent.us/alert/2019-novel-coronavirus

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