Latest Travel FAQ's for COVID-19

At Whitney World Travel our goal is to provide our clients with the latest in travel news and tips-- and today a big travel focus is of course COVID-19! Below we have compiled a number of questions we are hearing from our clients as they travel. If you have any additional questions please contact our team today for answers!
​

Updated March 15, 2020​

1. Should I be worried about the Coronavirus for my vacation?
At this time we are only seeing travel advisories related to China, South Korea, Iran and the recent closing of travel to Europe.
We also know that Princess Cruise Lines has announced a ceasing of operation for 60 days.

However, whether you decide to travel now is really a personal decision for what you feel is best for your family. We advise speaking with your family’s preferred medical professional to get their opinion and determining if any member of your family may fall into the high-risk category.
 
2. Does vacation insurance cover Coronavirus?
Typical travel insurance policies do not cover pandemics. What they will typically cover is monetary loss due to trip disruption or cancelation due from the travel provider canceling all or portions of your trip. Some policies may also cover medical issues related to your trip. At Whitney World Travel we are not insurance brokers or representatives, so we can not comment on exact policy terms or coverage for specific incidents. We do have several trusted vendors we can refer you to if you have specific policy questions and of course we do always recommend travel insurance for all trips!

​3. If my trip/cruise in canceled, will I get a refund?
Each of our vendors is handling cancelations after final payment or during travel differently. We have seen some cruise companies refund a portion of the trip and provide a future cruise credit in addition to covering all costs related to getting back home. One of our main vendors is offering expaned travel insurance. We have had some hotels refuse to waive cancelation policies if they are not physically located in an area with a state of emergency declared, regardless of where the client is coming from. This will be a case-by-case basis, but your Travel Advisor will vigorously work with your travel supplier to push for the largest compensation possible.

Below is an example policy published by one of our top vendors-- Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

4. What notable closures do we know about to date?

There have been a number and here is a quick sampling:

• Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has announced 30-day pause to all US operations.
• Princess Cruises has suspended global operations for 60 days
• Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line will be closed March 14th through the end of the month, 
  
• Norwegian Cruise Line will cease operations March 13th through April 11th 
• AmaWaterways is suspending their river cruise fleet through April 25th

As we said before, this is a dynamic situation so please check with your Travel Advisor to ensure the latest closure information!

4. Can my trip be postponed and when should I travel? 
The ability to postpone your trip will really depend on where, when and with who you are booked. Most cruise lines have introduced very liberal re-booking policies, but those are for future cruise credits not a refund. Most airlines have also opened up the ability to re-book without fees, but again they will not offer refunds at this point.
 
When you should travel is really up to you. We are currently re-booking most cruise clients for the 2021 cruise season because their re-booking window generally goes to the end of 2021. Airlines will have a shorter window.
 
The one unknown for postponing is really resorts. If a resort is not located in an area impacted by COVID-19 you should not expect they will depart from their normal cancelation policy.
 
 
5. Is my airline issuing waivers? 
Most major airlines are now offering the ability to re-book without change fees. How exactly that impacts you will depend on your airline, dates and specific fare.

Below is the current waiver being issued by United Airlines-- and most US domestic carriers are very similar.

6. Where should I look for travel advisories? 
In all instances we recommend reviewing the State Departments Travel Advisory website -- this will not only advise you on COVID-19, but any other situation impacting international travel for US citizens.
 
For more specific information related to COVID-19, we recommend visiting the CDC website. 
 
7. What extra precautions should I take while traveling? Ie: pack 2 weeks of Meds for cruises or other trips, etc.  
Overall some great tips for fighting potential infection are as follows:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Specific to traveling we have a few additional recommendations:

• Wipe down surfaces you will touch when traveling—for instance your airplane or train seat when first getting onboard
• Pack two weeks of any medications you might have in your carry-on travel
• Try and keep a 5 foot distance from anyone you see coughing or sneezing
• Regularly wash your hands AND use hand sanitizer—they actually do very different things, so both are important
• Follow specific travel advisories for where you are traveling

 
8. Can I change my trip to another location entirely? Italy to Hawaii for example?
This will be dependent on a number of issues—so speak with your Whitney World Travel team member to find the right answer for your specific circumstances.

9. What if I have travel to a country impacted by COVID-19 and identified by our Federal Government?

We have to look to the experts here! Below is guidance from the CDC.