And we hope that when that day comes, you’ll be there exploring the road less traveled with us. Updating will allow you to accept Terms and Conditions, make online payments, read our itineraries, and view Dates and Prices. The small-group and cruising company has been recognized nationally. They’re not. Although we may not be able to get out there and travel the world just yet, it doesn’t mean we can’t imagine the wonderful experiences that are to come again. I told them that I had a medical condition and did not know when — or if — I would be able to travel, and asked whether they were just going to keep my $17,500 if I couldn’t travel by the end of 2021. We hope you are finding your own peace during these uncertain days as well. The ad blocker plugin on your browser may not allow you to view everything on this page. The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has all but halted travel around the globe. canceled the tour because of Covid-19, which was a relief. We are either rebooking travelers on another trip or providing a refund.” Since mid-March, she said, O.A.T. We have done this for the safety of our travelers, our Trip Experience Leaders, and our regional staff. A. T.: In a follow-up note a few weeks ago, you said that you feel the company provides a “good travel service.” But, you wrote, “pushing all the risk of uncertainty onto the client by refusing a refund makes me fearful to ever do business with O.A.T. Chairman & Vice Chairman Airlines are sidestepping refund regulations established by the United States Transportation Department and the European Union, betting that negative press (and even class-action lawsuits) are still preferable to negative-balance bank accounts. In Hawaii, consumers have the right to a cash refund (minus previously disclosed cancellation fees) within two weeks of requesting one. Coronavirus Updates All Trips Suspended Through April 30, 2021 Land and cruise payments, and travel insurance if selected, will automatically be applied as a future travel credit. We are postponing departures of ALL of our trips through the end of December 2020. Question of the Month. Then our columnist intervened with the Boston-based tour operator Overseas Adventure Travel. was no longer offering refunds. - Peter Drucker, author and educator. As Chairman and Vice Chairman of Grand Circle for more than 30 years, we have weathered many storms. Worldwide Discovery at Extraordinary Value Since 1958. Alaskan Discovery: Denali National Park & the Kenai Fjords; New! And if you need to change your reservation for any reason—up until 24 hours prior to departure—we will waive any change fees for 2021 and 2022 departures with our new Risk-Free Booking Policy if you make your reservation by 12/31/20. The world’s largest cruise line by passenger capacity, Royal Caribbean, has eased its cancellation penalties dramatically during the coronavirus outbreak to allow passengers to postpone trips. You have stood by us through every crisis we’ve faced. Grand Circle pricing tends to be cheaper on a per diem basis but its ships aren't the new shiny things that Viking's are either. Grand Circle Corporation provides 85+ international small group adventures by land and sea for Americans 50 and older. Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprise of travel companies including Overseas Adventure Travel, Grand Circle Travel, Grand Circle Cruise Line, and Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises. The travel and tourism industry has taken hit after hit since the coronavirus outbreak began in January. The company notified me of the cancellation and offered either a credit for rebooking or a full refund that would have included airfare. If you have a booked trip during this suspension period, please rest assured that you have a Future Travel Credit automatically available to you for the ful… Debi Chalik listened in horror as Vice President Mike Pence announced at a news conference that 21 passengers aboard the Grand Princess had tested positive for coronavirus. We also understand that many of you are hesitant to make new travel plans right now—which is why we want to do everything we can to help you feel more comfortable planning your future trips. Read on for up-to-date travel info on global destinations, ways you can help stop the spread of COVID-19, and tools and resources for staying abreast of this ever-changing situation. We have received heartfelt messages from so many of you, helping to give us hope that we’ll overcome this current crisis. O.A.T. One Company Refused to Refund Travelers More Than $100,000. Paul Goldstein, a travel industry veteran and co-owner of Kicheche Safari Camps in Kenya, said: “With their obsession over Covid-19 rates, they have written off the whole continent of Africa. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting 59 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States. Coronavirus: After weeks of quarantine and 3 dead, Grand Princess sets sail again Coronavirus-stricken cruise ship returns to sea after a month at port in SF Bay We hope that you also continue dreaming about the day when we can freely explore this big, beautiful world again. The Great National Parks: Yellowstone, Grand Teton & Mount Rushmore; New! In reality, many of these statutes are seldom enforced. In fact, we guarantee you have the flexibility to make changes to your plans—no matter what the reason. We offer the best value for solo travelers in the industry, guaranteed. We recommend upgrading your browser—simply click the button below and follow the instructions that will appear. 49 were here. Travel Trivia The world is a weird and wonderful place. Worldwide Discovery at Extraordinary Value Since 1958. 88% of our travelers are making their vacations their own with optional trip extensions, air upgrade preferences, and more. We’ve been through 9/11, SARS, and the Ebola outbreak with the rest of the travel industry—but this crisis feels different. Grand Circle Tours New! We’ve been challenged in … “The folks in our hotel and lodging industry have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic as folks have reduced their travel this year to help stop the spread of the virus,” said Gov. Read about how this O.A.T. We’ve been challenged in new ways, both mentally and financially. Each month, we ask our readers to answer a travel-related question. It comes as a cleaner, who worked at Brisbane’s inner-city Hotel Grand Chancellor, where four recent coronavirus cases have been detected in quarantine, contracted the UK strain of the virus. It’s not hard to surmise, just by reading your email, what happened at O.A.T. You raise an important point. The ad blocker plugin on your browser may not allow you to view everything on this page. Announcing 2022 departures of Grand Circle River Cruises and Vacations. Impressions of Italy: The Amalfi Coast & Tuscany, Hidden Gems of the Dalmatian Coast & Greece, The Aegean Islands, Athens & Ephesus by Small Ship, Cruising the Adriatic: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Mediterranean Cultures & Islands: A Voyage from Barcelona to Athens, The Aegean & Mediterranean: A Voyage from Athens to Jerusalem & the Greek Islands, Italian Coastal Odyssey: Hidden Italy, Sicily & Malta, Italy’s Western Coast & Islands: A Voyage from Rome to Valletta, Undiscovered Adriatic: Eastern Italy, Venice, Puglia & Malta, Fjord Cruise & Lapland: Norway, Finland & the Arctic, Maritime Jewels of the British Isles & Ireland, Suez Canal Crossing: Israel, Egypt, Jordan & the Red Sea, The Canadian Maritimes: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Prince Edward Island, Discover South America: Chile, Argentina & Uruguay, To be eligible for the benefits of this policy, reservations must be made by 12/31/20, Under our Risk-Free Booking Policy, you can move your departure date for any reason—, If you are not ready to reschedule to another departure, you will receive a future trip credit worth the full amount already paid that can be used through the end of 2022, This policy is combinable with other savings opportunities. Insight Vacations. There are more than 110,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus … If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to travel@nytimes.com. Alaskan Discovery: Denali National Park & the Kenai Fjords, Antarctic Circle Expedition: Journey through Antarctica, Panama Canal Cruise & Panama: A Continent Divided, Oceans United, New! The ad blocker plugin on your browser may not allow you to view everything on this page. This is the third Tripped Up column in a row that addresses the issue of refunds. But that hasn’t caused us to lose sight of who we are as a company and how to best serve our travelers—who are, and always will be, our top priority. Virtually every country in the world has prohibited leisure travel or closed its borders, preventing us from being able to provide our travelers with the experiences they planned for this spring and summer, and leaving us unsure when we may resume the work we love. Overseas Adventure Travel. 736 were here. As Chairman and Vice Chairman of Grand Circle for more than 30 years, we have weathered many storms. All reservations made by 12/31/20 are eligible for this policy. Grand Circle advised me to take the travel insurance insuring me that for any reason something happen on the trip or I had to cancel the trip I would receive a refund. 100 years of travel experience and industry partnerships. Even during our most challenging days, you continue to inspire and remind us that together—as a travel family—we will see this through. We hope this new policy helps you begin to move forward with the travel plans you may have been dreaming of making. And all of our trips featuring China and Hong Kong have been cancelled in 2020 and 2021. Sarah Firshein is a Brooklyn-based travel writer. Grand Circle's three travel brands are Grand Circle Travel (est. In Illinois, the Travel Promotion Consumer Protection Act was created in the 1980s to safeguard against travel scams that promise too-good-to-be-true deals. Shortly after I booked the trip I had to cancel the trip due to family matters. COVID-19 is a known and rapidly-evolving global pandemic that is impacting travel worldwide, with continued spread and impacts expected. No. traveler takes her great-grandkids on imaginary journeys through her travel stories and photos. We called Grand Circle Travel and were advised to file a claim in order to get a refund less a service fee. For that reason, we will continue sharing information and inspiration about destinations around the world.