Coronavirus putting you off booking

joebob

We are in ho chi min at the moment and the majority of people are wearing masks in hotels bars restaurants markets museums. I think if you are careful and use hand sanitizer try and avoid contact with handrails doors etc and use your common sense you will be fine. 

Ngozi

Doesn't put me off travelling at all, though I doubt we'll see any price decreases in flights or lower VISA costs etc... for China, I am a traveller who looks to benefit from certain events, be it natural or not.

peachyprice

We're going to the Maldives in May, whilst I have no worries at all about my holiday, they have banned all Chinese nationals and flights,  I'm a little concerned about connecting in DXB  with is being such a busy hub and with many flights from the far east arriving.  Thankfully it's a short connection time!
If I were booking now I would look seriously at the direct BA flight instead. 

gettingtheresometime

maman said:

I agree about taking FCO advice and considering your own general health. 
I wanted to post because my experience of Chinese is very different to the OP. I live a few hundred yards from a hall of residence which is mostly full of Chinese students. In my experience they are immaculately clean, beautifully dressed and many of them habitually wear face masks (because of air pollution?). Of course, they will be the children of very wealthy Chinese (to be able to afford large fees and living costs) but they've given me a very positive impression.

Even before this outbreak OH made the comment that he thought the wearing of face masks were generally a daily thing for the Chinese, probably as you say as they are used to dealing with air pollution.

Off to the US in a fortnight's time & again in April. 

I'm then heading off to Europe for a month in June.

Avril55

We have recently cancelled a package holiday due to cruising into Hong Kong. We did not feel we could take our young son to this risky area and have lost the cost of the cruise (deemed as ‘no problem’ by the cruise company) although BA were fantastic and refunded our flights. In the time we should have travelled the situation has got worse and the cruise has infact been redirected. Does anyone have any advice on our rights to cancel, reclaim any of the money, where we may be able to start? Thanks in advance!

Ganga

Avril55 said:

We have recently cancelled a package holiday due to cruising into Hong Kong. We did not feel we could take our young son to this risky area and have lost the cost of the cruise (deemed as ‘no problem’ by the cruise company) although BA were fantastic and refunded our flights. In the time we should have travelled the situation has got worse and the cruise has infact been redirected. Does anyone have any advice on our rights to cancel, reclaim any of the money, where we may be able to start? Thanks in advance!

Why not re-contact the cruise company and see if they will either let you take the cruise or re-book you for another one.

badger09

badger09 said:

NO
I'm flying to Australia next week on 2 planes full of different nationalities, all of whom could have some sort of virus.
Then on a cruise ship around New Zealand - again with multiple nationalities & potential contagious/infectious diseases.

At the end of March I'll be on another cruise ship - with mostly brits, some of whom will not have my high standards of personal hygiene. And again in November.

I will visit my son in Hong Kong at least once this year, despite the ongoing protests and threat of coronavirus, as I have done every year since he started working there in 2012.

I may also travel elsewhere.

I may not have many years left when I'm still able to travel long haul, so, in short short, unless FO advises against travel to certain destinations, I will not live my life based on what if  ....??. 

Thought I'd update with details from email just received from princess Cruises

"CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL ADVISORY We're monitoring the situation with the coronavirus that originated in mainland China, and our medical experts are working with global health authorities. As a precaution, anyone who has traveled from or through mainland China, Macau or Hong Kong (including airport transits), or has had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) within 14 days of the start of this cruise will not be allowed to board the ship. If this applies to you or your client, please contact us with proof of this travel for a full refund of the amount paid to Princess Cruises. All guests will also be subject to pre- boarding health reporting and enhanced screening at check-in. Due to changing circumstances, it is possible that authorities in the countries on your cruise may change their entry requirements on short notice. Please check all entry requirements prior to your arrival to the ship to ensure you are not impacted. Guest passports will be scanned to verify compliance. False responses on forms will result in immediate debark at the next opportunity, and you may face legal consequences. We may change requirements to safeguard guests and crew. Thank you for your attention to this notification."

We fly to Sydney tomorrow then cruise around NZ from 24th. I was in HK in early December.

iwb100

Clearly next month or so its probably tough to travel to Asia or China specifically. BUT by October this thing will be all over the world or forgotten about. By May it will. Nobody will stop this virus spreading eventually worldwide and frankly its a matter of weeks not months. I'd not be put off from booking trips May onwards and think its ridiculous if anyone is. You'll be as likely to get it at home by then as you will anywhere else. 

PompeyPete

joebob said:

We are in ho chi min at the moment and the majority of people are wearing masks in hotels bars restaurants markets museums. I think if you are careful and use hand sanitizer try and avoid contact with handrails doors etc and use your common sense you will be fine. 

Par for the course in Saigon [and Hanoi].....air and traffic pollution is there 24/7.

badger09

badger09 said:

badger09 said:

NO
I'm flying to Australia next week on 2 planes full of different nationalities, all of whom could have some sort of virus.
Then on a cruise ship around New Zealand - again with multiple nationalities & potential contagious/infectious diseases.

At the end of March I'll be on another cruise ship - with mostly brits, some of whom will not have my high standards of personal hygiene. And again in November.

I will visit my son in Hong Kong at least once this year, despite the ongoing protests and threat of coronavirus, as I have done every year since he started working there in 2012.

I may also travel elsewhere.

I may not have many years left when I'm still able to travel long haul, so, in short short, unless FO advises against travel to certain destinations, I will not live my life based on what if  ....??. 

Thought I'd update with details from email just received from princess Cruises

"CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL ADVISORY We're monitoring the situation with the coronavirus that originated in mainland China, and our medical experts are working with global health authorities. As a precaution, anyone who has traveled from or through mainland China, Macau or Hong Kong (including airport transits), or has had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) within 14 days of the start of this cruise will not be allowed to board the ship. If this applies to you or your client, please contact us with proof of this travel for a full refund of the amount paid to Princess Cruises. All guests will also be subject to pre- boarding health reporting and enhanced screening at check-in. Due to changing circumstances, it is possible that authorities in the countries on your cruise may change their entry requirements on short notice. Please check all entry requirements prior to your arrival to the ship to ensure you are not impacted. Guest passports will be scanned to verify compliance. False responses on forms will result in immediate debark at the next opportunity, and you may face legal consequences. We may change requirements to safeguard guests and crew. Thank you for your attention to this notification."

We fly to Sydney tomorrow then cruise around NZ from 24th. I was in HK in early December.

Thought I'd update, even though the progress of the virus has changed everything and apologies if I'm repeating stuff but haven't yet had time to read whole board.

Our trip went without any hitches. Australian Public Health came on board Ruby Princess on our return from NZ on 8th March. Several passengers had reported cold/flu like symptoms but Dr & PHA cleared everyone for disembarkation after about 3 hours. Such a relief, and we were probably one of the last cruise ships allowed to dock in NZ.

Cruise booked with Fred Olsen due to depart 29 March was cancelled by FOC on 13th. They've offered either full refund (no timescale) or 25% extra if we change to another cruise currently on sale. As we already have another FOC cruise booked for November, we're leaning towards the refund.

I don't want to book anything else before the November cruise and can't visit my son in HK. We're both over 70 with some underlying health conditions so staying at home and hoping we all get through this.