Egypt - Level 4

[Magnum_PI]

Today (Jan 18), the US CDC moved Egypt from Level 3 up to Level 4. Holding my breath here, because the State Department tends to follow the CDC's lead.

I hope I'm getting ahead of myself here, but if ABD cancels I think we'll just take the refund after 23 months of trying to go.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-4/coronavirus-egypt
EDIT: A few hours later, the State Department now also has Egypt at Level 4. Dang.

 

[sayhello]

Today (Jan 18), the US CDC moved Egypt from Level 3 up to Level 4. Holding my breath here, because the State Department tends to follow the CDC's lead.

I hope I'm getting ahead of myself here, but if ABD cancels I think we'll just take the refund after 23 months of trying to go.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-4/coronavirus-egypt

Fingers and toes crossed for you!

Sayhello

 

[Magnum_PI]

Fingers and toes crossed for you!

Sayhello

Thank you, Sayhello! Much appreciated.

 

[Magnum_PI]

Well now that the State Dept also has Egypt at Level 4, I suspect a cancellation is in our future. The trip start date is Feb 15 (28 days from now), but our flight is scheduled for Feb 13 through ABD.

If anyone has experience with ABD refunds after PIF, how do they handle them? Just send everything back to your credit card? Hoping my CC will be willing to move it into my back account if so since it's quite a large amount. Sigh... Stuff I wish I wasn't having to think about...!

 

[Mathmagicland]

Well now that the State Dept also has Egypt at Level 4, I suspect a cancellation is in our future. The trip start date is Feb 15 (28 days from now), but our flight is scheduled for Feb 13 through ABD.

If anyone has experience with ABD refunds after PIF, how do they handle them? Just send everything back to your credit card? Hoping my CC will be willing to move it into my back account if so since it's quite a large amount. Sigh... Stuff I wish I wasn't having to think about...!

When I’ve had AbD cancel trips, they have refunded back to original form of payments. So as long as your card is still good, you’ll see the credit there. While AbD said up to 30 days, I had the credit back within a week.

Re your CC company & the refund, it might take a phone call but they should send any excess credit over current balance back to your bank. Mine did that with a large AbD refund in 2020 but I did have to call them as it is not automatic.

 

[neurosx1983]

Yes you’ll get a refund in a lump sum back to credit card. I used AMEX and it took a few days. By the way you were smart to book air with ABD!

 

[Magnum_PI]

Yes you’ll get a refund in a lump sum back to credit card. I used AMEX and it took a few days. By the way you were smart to book air with ABD!

The only reason we booked through them was knowing that if abd canceled, they could refund the airfare. Kind of unfortunate to have to potentially take advantage of that, though..!

They haven’t canceled yet, but I’m sure we’ll be hearing within a week or so,

And thanks to everyone for the refund info!

 

[Magnum_PI]

I'm also curious if they'll refund us the money we spent purchasing a travel insurance policy through ABD, but I sincerely doubt it. I'll update if I get a cancellation call in the coming days!

 

[CaliKris]

I'm also curious if they'll refund us the money we spent purchasing a travel insurance policy through ABD, but I sincerely doubt it. I'll update if I get a cancellation call in the coming days!

In the past, ABD has refunded us in full for the air, trip cost, and vacation protection plan (insurance) booked through ABD. They will refund back to your cc creating a huge negative balance.

 

[Magnum_PI]

In the past, ABD has refunded us in full for the air, trip cost, and vacation protection plan (insurance) booked through ABD. They will refund back to your cc creating a huge negative balance.

Good to know they've refunded vacation protection in the past! And yep, should be interesting to deal with that negative balance lol...

 

[CaliKris]

Good to know they've refunded vacation protection in the past! And yep, should be interesting to deal with that negative balance lol...

Our travel agent says ABD has not made the call yet. He expects an answer by the end of the week. I will keep you posted! Please let me know if you hear anything as well.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Good to know they've refunded vacation protection in the past! And yep, should be interesting to deal with that negative balance lol...

Just and FYI is you can request a check from your card company. I've done this before with large balances. One time I had a negative balance on a card for a long time and they did it automatically. Maybe two billing cycles?
I hope you guys get to go!

 

[Magnum_PI]

Our travel agent says ABD has not made the call yet. He expects an answer by the end of the week. I will keep you posted! Please let me know if you hear anything as well.

Interesting! Please do let us know if you hear more, and I'll of course post here if I hear anything new.

 

[disneytwincesses]

If ABD cancels your trip do they offer you an alternative like moving your trip for the same price to another date, or giving you 125% for future credit (like they did the cruises). I am going to be a bit miffed if they offer to move to another date but I have to pay a higher price since I have been moved and moved and moved for two years now.

 

[Mathmagicland]

If ABD cancels your trip do they offer you an alternative like moving your trip for the same price to another date, or giving you 125% for future credit (like they did the cruises). I am going to be a bit miffed if they offer to move to another date but I have to pay a higher price since I have been moved and moved and moved for two years now.

I’ve never seen AbD offer 125% credit when trips have been cancelled. What they have offered has varied and differed depending on the timing of the cancelled trips. For example, when my October 2021 New Zealand was cancelled, they offered a NZ rebooking in the same travel season (which meant NZ trips through March 2022) at the same price I’d booked October, but if I moved to NZ in the fall 2022-March 2023 season or any other destination, I would pay prevailing rates. For other cancellations, I’ve been offered a discount of $400-$500 off another eligible trip if I booked within 45 days of cancellations notification. Discount Eligibility might be based on trip type (ie expedition cruises were not eligible ) or whether it was a regular vs a short escape.

 

[Magnum_PI]

Our travel agent says ABD has not made the call yet. He expects an answer by the end of the week. I will keep you posted! Please let me know if you hear anything as well.

Not much of an update, but I did call ABD yesterday afternoon to ask if the trip was still on and the vacationista leveled with me and said "we don't know". I asked when they expected to know, and she said "later today [now yesterday] or tomorrow [now today]" that they'd start reaching out to people if there is an update.

It sounds like there's some uncertainty. I will say though, in the past, I've only ever heard "yes, trip is still on" when I asked that type of question. That's just another anecdote, though.

As of writing this, the Feb Egypt dates are still showing on the website - although they're unavailable for booking. Ostensibly because it's so close to the departure dates, though - so I'm not reading anything into that.

 

[CaliKris]

Not much of an update, but I did call ABD yesterday afternoon to ask if the trip was still on and the vacationista leveled with me and said "we don't know". I asked when they expected to know, and she said "later today [now yesterday] or tomorrow [now today]" that they'd start reaching out to people if there is an update.

It sounds like there's some uncertainty. I will say though, in the past, I've only ever heard "yes, trip is still on" when I asked that type of question. That's just another anecdote, though.

As of writing this, the Feb Egypt dates are still showing on the website - although they're unavailable for booking. Ostensibly because it's so close to the departure dates, though - so I'm not reading anything into that.

Thanks for the update! We are leaving in 3 1/2 weeks, so it would be nice to know this week. The response you received sounds similar to the one our travel agent received. Unfortunately, I am thinking the trip will be cancelled, but mostly I would just like them to make the call (yea or nay). We are celebrating a milestone birthday and would like to book a last minute domestic trip instead (once we know the call).

 

[Magnum_PI]

Thanks for the update! We are leaving in 3 1/2 weeks, so it would be nice to know this week. The response you received sounds similar to the one our travel agent received. Unfortunately, I am thinking the trip will be cancelled, but mostly I would just like them to make the call (yea or nay). We are celebrating a milestone birthday and would like to book a last minute domestic trip instead (once we know the call).

We're in a similar position! I'm holding off on purchases I was planning for the trip (better walking shoes, more travel vaccines, etc) and it would be nice to know what's going on so we can make other plans. Fingers crossed for something definitive by the end of the week.

 

[Grifdog22]

We're in a similar position! I'm holding off on purchases I was planning for the trip (better walking shoes, more travel vaccines, etc) and it would be nice to know what's going on so we can make other plans. Fingers crossed for something definitive by the end of the week.

I would not put off getting the travel vaccines if you are 3 1/2 weeks away from planned departure. They take awhile to take effect and build up the necessary immunities and sometimes there is a bad reaction, which you want resolved before your trip. Really hope your trip goes!

 

[Magnum_PI]

I would not put off getting the travel vaccines if you are 3 1/2 weeks away from planned departure. They take awhile to take effect and build up the necessary immunities and sometimes there is a bad reaction, which you want resolved before your trip. Really hope your trip goes!

Don't worry, I promise won't! But it would be great to be able to cancel that appointment and save a few hundred bucks haha. We went and got our first batch of vaccines about two weeks ago, but I'll need another booster for one of them before we leave. I have the appointment, but would prefer to cancel if it isn't needed.