Is Coronavirus keeping you from booking liveaboard/overseas trips this year?

[uncfnp]

Not a direct answer since my first LOB will be in 2021 but if I were young (under 50) and healthy I would absolutely take advantage of any and all travel bargains, LOB or otherwise with the notable exceptions of China, S. Korea, much of Europe and Iran.

The greatest risk factor for serious illness with this novel coronavirus seems to be age (over 50/60 and increases with each added decade) especially with CVD, COPD, DM, HTN, CA.

 

[urbaneve71]

I have to say..... I have worked in the casino business for 26 years (as a table games dealer, floor supervisor and pit manager) and I have literally come into contact with everything under the sun. You would not believe just how nasty people really are when it comes to body hygiene. As dealers we are constantly touching money, chips and all the crap people leave on the table. I have dealt to people with open sores on their hands (and I couldn't turn them away). I cannot tell you how many times I would see a dealer put their fingers in their mouth or touch their face and BAM!!!! the whole damn casino is sick. I wash my hands every time I would go on break and I always keep my hands away from my mouth or eyes.

Best thing we could do is be clean, keep clean wash our hands and be keenly aware of those surrounding us. When customers would cough or sneeze across the table at me, I had no qualms about telling them to cover their mouth.

 

[CWK]

Not a direct answer since my first LOB will be in 2021 but if I were young (under 50) and healthy I would absolutely take advantage of any and all travel bargains, LOB or otherwise with the notable exceptions of China, S. Korea, much of Europe and Iran.

I worry about taking the virus back to friends and family who might not survive it. Having said this, I could very well get it without traveling.

 

[uncfnp]

I worry about taking the virus back to friends and family who might not survive it. Having said this, I could very well get it without traveling.

That is a very good point. And that probably applies to most of us.

 

[Dogbowl]

***Sigh***

A group of us were supposed to be going to Honolulu at the end of the month. As a group, we have decided to cancel. All of the airfare and hotel we purchased are non-refundable and there is no travel advisory to Honolulu so travel insurance will not apply. We have decided to take the loss instead of risk the uncertainty.

1 in the group was not concerned at all and was ready to go. 3 in the group were on the fence, still waiting to see what might happen closer to the trip date. 2 were ready to cancel outright. So as a group we decided to cancel.

Of course, this was a very personal decision, based on the circumstances of the members of our group. 1 person could be immunosuppressed due to underlying conditions. 2 had elderly and children at home which they were concerned that they could infect, if they got infected on the plane or wherever. 1 was a business owner who could not be quarantined for 2 weeks should that be required upon his return. 1 member has a long-distance relative who got infected but is "recovering" - this made it feel closer to home, so to speak. We are aware that there are currently no Covid19 cases in Honolulu.

Considering all the uncertainties, and the situation seeming to be getting worse and worse every day, with hotspots popping up without notice, we decided it was best if we canceled.

 

[uncfnp]

A completely different situation for me. I work in healthcare and wish I had a trip to a low risk region coming up (next is GC end of April). I know I will be at high risk when it moves closer to our area. And its on the way. A trip would actually put me at lower risk.

My 90 year old mother knows I will not be around once it hits here since even if I am not sick I may be a risk to her. I head there tomorrow to make sure she is stocked up on nonperishables. And as much spring work as I can get done around her house.

 

[LimitedSlip7]

Soooo... any good LOB travel deals you guys have seen that are still accessible from the US? Looking for some Corona deals!

 

[Marie13]

I’m in int’l shipping. An executive from our Italian agent comes to the US on a long trip every year visiting all our offices. He’s in northern Italy, but not in the closed off area. He said today he still plans on coming. One of the bigwigs at my company is now trying to talk the Italian guy into not coming! Geez.

 

[Stoo]

I purchased trip insurance

My son lives in Australia and he and some work mates booked two weeks of skiing in Japan that was set for a couple of from now. They were flying through Hong Kong on the way back.I belelieve they made the booking the third week in January, and they did by travel insurance.

So then all hell breaks lose, and they decide not to go. The airlines involved (as of last week anyway) said they couldn't help them beyond the usual fee to reschedule. They had rented an AirBnB and again, as of last week, AirBnB and the host both just said sorry... not our problem.

As a result, they filed a claim with the insurance company. And, you guessed it, the insurance declined coverage since the COVID-19 had already been named an "epidemic" or something at the time the flights were booked. My lad believes it was only named that in China at the time. Regardless, the insurance won't cover it as the epidemic was essentially a pre-existing condition.

The only upside is that two of the other three are his partners in their business. The reason they cancelled the trip is because they figured if they all got sick, the company would be screwed. As a result, they intend to have the company partially reimburse them.

Anyway, my point in all of this is that insurance is great, but make sure you're policy covers this specific situation. A pandemic isn't like a "business as usual flu". And as we all know, insurance companies exist to make their shareholders wealthy, not to pay out claims that can reasonably find a way to dodge.

 

[chillyinCanada]

My son lives in Australia and he and some work mates booked two weeks of skiing in Japan that was set for a couple of from now. They were flying through Hong Kong on the way back.I belelieve they made the booking the third week in January, and they did by travel insurance.

So then all hell breaks lose, and they decide not to go. The airlines involved (as of last week anyway) said they couldn't help them beyond the usual fee to reschedule. They had rented an AirBnB and again, as of last week, AirBnB and the host both just said sorry... not our problem.

As a result, they filed a claim with the insurance company. And, you guessed it, the insurance declined coverage since the COVID-19 had already been named an "epidemic" or something at the time the flights were booked. My lad believes it was only named that in China at the time. Regardless, the insurance won't cover it as the epidemic was essentially a pre-existing condition.

The only upside is that two of the other three are his partners in their business. The reason they cancelled the trip is because they figured if they all got sick, the company would be screwed. As a result, they intend to have the company partially reimburse them.

Anyway, my point in all of this is that insurance is great, but make sure you're policy covers this specific situation. A pandemic isn't like a "business as usual flu". And as we all know, insurance companies exist to make their shareholders wealthy, not to pay out claims that can reasonably find a way to dodge.

he should ask again