Cancelled/postponed trips due to COVID - please share your outcomes

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I got an email a couple weeks ago inviting me to send in the balance for my Raja Ampat trip for Jan 2021. If I didn't, I would lose my deposit, but if I did and it was canceled I could use the entire amount as a credit for a future trip. I decided to let it go since there are so many unknowns, and it was more of luxury trip costing 25% more than average. There hasn't been much activity on their Facebook page for the last 6 months so the boat is probably still sitting in dock.

How much was the deposit?
 
I got an email a couple weeks ago inviting me to send in the balance for my Raja Ampat trip for Jan 2021. If I didn't, I would lose my deposit, but if I did and it was canceled I could use the entire amount as a credit for a future trip. I decided to let it go since there are so many unknowns, and it was more of luxury trip costing 25% more than average. There hasn't been much activity on their Facebook page for the last 6 months so the boat is probably still sitting in dock.
Which boat?
 
The deposit was $2,200 for a $7,400 trip on the Arenui, Jan 5, 2021. I guess all those boats are trying to make the best of a lousy situation.
 
The deposit was $2,200 for a $7,400 trip on the Arenui, Jan 5, 2021. I guess all those boats are trying to make the best of a lousy situation.

They just want to be able to still be in business when travel begins again.

A rock and a hard place
 
The deposit was $2,200 for a $7,400 trip on the Arenui, Jan 5, 2021. I guess all those boats are trying to make the best of a lousy situation.

That doesn’t sound right. That’s a lot of money. They should be able to forward the deposit to future trip without requiring you paying off the balance.

I have several cancelled liveaboard trips in 2020 that I haven’t paid them full and they rescheduled my trips to 2021,
 
The deposit was $2,200 for a $7,400 trip on the Arenui, Jan 5, 2021. I guess all those boats are trying to make the best of a lousy situation.


Hmm expected as much. I think it’s a little soon to be demanding balance...maybe end of November. It’s a shame you couldn’t resell that one and I suspect it may not even sail... either way, you ar3nt the on.y person I know who had decided to play it safe and fold...
 
According to the contract they had their behinds covered in a situation like Covid and can keep the deposit (I can dig up the wording later), EXCEPT in the case that the boat cancels the trip, which they weren't going to do, or if the Indonesian government declares that no tourists will be allowed to enter the country Jan 2021 and beyond, in which case the boat would be force to cancel.

The only reason I was on the boat was to accompany friends, who had wives who wanted the massages and 5 star meals. I figured the balance was the same as a full booking on any other boat, any other time I wanted.

The trip credit if I paid in full, does not have an expiration date, which I thought was good.

Maybe that's all they wanted, to cash in the deposits. If you are not paying for staff, fuel or food I'd imagine the deposits would keep the bosses happy.
 
According to the contract they had their behinds covered in a situation like Covid and can keep the deposit (I can dig up the wording later), EXCEPT in the case that the boat cancels the trip, which they weren't going to do, or if the Indonesian government declares that no tourists will be allowed to enter the country Jan 2021 and beyond, in which case the boat would be force to cancel.

The only reason I was on the boat was to accompany friends, who had wives who wanted the massages and 5 star meals. I figured the balance was the same as a full booking on any other boat, any other time I wanted.

The trip credit if I paid in full, does not have an expiration date, which I thought was good.

Maybe that's all they wanted, to cash in the deposits. If you are not paying for staff, fuel or food I'd imagine the deposits would keep the bosses happy.

In Indonesia, there's a government requirement to keep staff. I'm not entirely sure how it works. It's something like "keep them on for X number of months" at full? 75%? salary, and eventually, what can be done. Perhaps I should ask Indah, it's likely that he knows.
 
According to the contract they had their behinds covered in a situation like Covid and can keep the deposit (I can dig up the wording later), EXCEPT in the case that the boat cancels the trip, which they weren't going to do, or if the Indonesian government declares that no tourists will be allowed to enter the country Jan 2021 and beyond, in which case the boat would be force to cancel.

The only reason I was on the boat was to accompany friends, who had wives who wanted the massages and 5 star meals. I figured the balance was the same as a full booking on any other boat, any other time I wanted.

The trip credit if I paid in full, does not have an expiration date, which I thought was good.

Maybe that's all they wanted, to cash in the deposits. If you are not paying for staff, fuel or food I'd imagine the deposits would keep the bosses happy.

Was the date they requested the balance payment the same date as the contract? I.E. the same number of days before the trip? I recall it being 30 days prior to the trip on arenui...but it was a long time ago..if it was the required date, then it’s fair enough I suppose.
 
Yes, the contract the balance was due 90 days out, which has been the case the past few liveaboards I've been on. If it were due 30 days before and a larger group cancels, the boat likely wouldn't be able to fill the spots, jeopardizing the trip for the other divers.
 
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