Italy Travel - Question

alienuk

Many thanks for reading my query! 
I booked Italy holiday for easter weekend with a touring company and paid the advance amount.  Due to prevailing conditions, I checked with them on the available options. 
They provided few alternate options to upgrade / downgrade the tour which i am not interested. 
The other option is to lose 50% of the advance amount I paid initially. 
The touring company say that unless FCO issues a warning against all non-essential travel to italy, they will goahead with the tour.  
Wouldn't have mind an adventure to Italy if I was a stag traveller or even couple but  am travelling with 2 children one of whom had pneumonia when he was little. 
Whilst i understand that sacrificing 50% of the tour cost is the option looking sensible, I would like forum members views if there are any options available for me explore so I can save some money? 
Thanks in advance for your suggestions. 

bradders1983

Time to get all these threads merged now, this section of the forum is becoming overrun with them.

814man

Which part of Italy are you going to, its a big country.  How about just seeing what the experts say and follow the FCO guidance?  I dont get how anyone would ever consider it sensible to sacrifice 50%.

Pollycat

bradders1983 said:

Time to get all these threads merged now, this section of the forum is becoming overrun with them.

Before the new forum was introduced, you could see who the board guides for each board were at the bottom of each board.

I can't see that now (but maybe it's just me).

So how/who can we ask for these threads to be merged?

Caz3121

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/
have a read of the "No FCO warning in place? DON'T expect a refund if you cancel" section

eDicky

bradders1983 said:

Time to get all these threads merged now, this section of the forum is becoming overrun with them.

How about replacing the "Vulcano Travel Chaos" sub-board with one for Coronavirus..?

Pollycat

Caz3121 said:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/
have a read of the "No FCO warning in place? DON'T expect a refund if you cancel" section

Good advice.

The OP says they are travelling at Easter - only 6 weeks away.

They've not said who they've booked with but I've had a quick look at TUI cancellation policy (as an example only).

Period Before Departure When Notice Of Cancellation Is Received/ Percentage Of Total Booking Price

70 days or more (Loss of deposit)

69 - 57 days = 30%

56 - 43 days = 50%

42 - 29 days = 70%

28 - 15 days = 90%

14 - 0 days = 100%

So they'd lose 50% of the total cost of the holiday (under TUI).

The OP says they'd lose 50% of the advance amount he's paid.

I'd get the cancellation amount in writing (if not done already) just in case there's been a misunderstanding.

Depending when the OP is travelling over Easter and when they last spoke to the holiday company, they may find the information given is out of date and they've moved from one cancellation band to another. e.g. 50% to 70% under TUI.

Of course, the OP doesn't say if the tour goes anywhere near the region mentioned by FCO.

If I'd booked  a tour of Sicily (for example) I'd be packing my guide books (but I might worry about Etna erupting...)

bradders1983

eDicky said:

bradders1983 said:

Time to get all these threads merged now, this section of the forum is becoming overrun with them.

How about replacing the "Vulcano Travel Chaos" sub-board with one for Coronavirus..?

Or get rid of the Crown Currency Exchange one.

bagand96

eDicky said:

bradders1983 said:

Time to get all these threads merged now, this section of the forum is becoming overrun with them.

How about replacing the "Vulcano Travel Chaos" sub-board with one for Coronavirus..?

Exactly what I thought... surely it could just be renamed and move the threads to there....

Misslayed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6108155/board-guides-list#latest