Travel Changes?

[lovetotravel]

Well we are in Australia- the trip is scheduled to go forward on the 13th. We get an email after arriving that we can re book trip. Our vacationista manager didn’t even know the reschedule option applied. When we told him he said he would verify.

He said the that there were only 13 people on our trip out of 30+ ( the cancelled) and that those people were already here like us. And that they would go forward.

We are trying to decide what to do. Australia is now just canceling large events but pretty hard to enjoy the trip witj everything swirling.
Since we are are here, we don’t k own if we should just go forward since we would likely self isolate anyway upon return or if we are being crazy with all the evolving issues to be so far from getting home and whether we can even enjoy the trip with the increasing hysteria.
Trying to figure out what to do.

Positive: Less cases than US, less crowds

Negative: I would just be worried that you would be stuck there and not get home. Things will only get worse as the trip goes on. I have family that is stuck in Asia and can't come home. Flights are constantly changing and being cancelled.

 

[Grifdog22]

Well we are in Australia- the trip is scheduled to go forward on the 13th. We get an email after arriving that we can re book trip. Our vacationista manager didn’t even know the reschedule option applied. When we told him he said he would verify.

He said the that there were only 13 people on our trip out of 30+ ( the cancelled) and that those people were already here like us. And that they would go forward.

We are trying to decide what to do. Australia is now just canceling large events but pretty hard to enjoy the trip witj everything swirling.
Since we are are here, we don’t k own if we should just go forward since we would likely self isolate anyway upon return or if we are being crazy with all the evolving issues to be so far from getting home and whether we can even enjoy the trip with the increasing hysteria.
Trying to figure out what to do.

You have to do what works best for you and your family. Having taken the Australia trip, if we were in your shoes we would proceed. There is little in this trip that is a large group setting, and frankly the trip is so amazing as to be distracting from problems beyond our individual ability to resolve. Unless Trump's new "announcement" in an hour changes things, I think it would be very unlikely you would have to isolate from Australia upon your return. I wish I were where you are now. Three days ago my twin DD were told not to return to college from spring break. This afternoon the public schools here closed. My staff can't be here because of no childcare, and things are falling apart and we can't do a thing about it. I would truly love the joy of Australia right now...and just thinking about it brings the first smile I've had all week.

Good luck to you. Geez, an ABD Australia trip with 13. Wow oh wow.

 

[lovetotravel]

You have to do what works best for you and your family. Having taken the Australia trip, if we were in your shoes we would proceed. There is little in this trip that is a large group setting, and frankly the trip is so amazing as to be distracting from problems beyond our individual ability to resolve. Unless Trump's new "announcement" in an hour changes things, I think it would be very unlikely you would have to isolate from Australia upon your return. I wish I were where you are now. Three days ago my twin DD were told not to return to college from spring break. This afternoon the public schools here closed. My staff can't be here because of no childcare, and things are falling apart and we can't do a thing about it. I would truly love the joy of Australia right now...and just thinking about it brings the first smile I've had all week.

Good luck to you. Geez, an ABD Australia trip with 13. Wow oh wow.

I can agree with this from a trip perspective. Things aren't entirely better at home. Just monitor your flights very closely. NYTimes had an article where people paid $5000 for a ticket to get home.

 

[Rapunzellover]

Pdsgator- I would head immediately home from Australia. There's to be a state of emergency declared today for the entire US. Get on a plane or you may very well get stuck.

 

[lovetotravel]

Pdsgator- I would head immediately home from Australia. There's to be a state of emergency declared today for the entire US. Get on a plane or you may very well get stuck.

I can't even imagine what that announcement would entail! Fighting for last seats on a plane home would be horrific. There's not much options to get home from so far away. @pdsgator Please keep us updated on your status!

 

[Networth]

Pdsgator- I would head immediately home from Australia. There's to be a state of emergency declared today for the entire US. Get on a plane or you may very well get stuck.

Americans have always be allowed back to the homeland. Likely, under a mandatory quarantine, but the government won’t refuse a citizen re-entry.

 

[Grifdog22]

I can agree with this from a trip perspective. Things aren't entirely better at home. Just monitor your flights very closely. NYTimes had an article where people paid $5000 for a ticket to get home.

There certainly was a mad rush to beat the deadline Trump imposed, only to discover it didn't apply. I would think Disney can get you almost anywhere.

 

[lovetotravel]

Americans have always be allowed back to the homeland. Likely, under a mandatory quarantine, but the government won’t refuse a citizen re-entry.

Allowed back yes, but I have family stuck in Asia with no flights. They have been trying to get home for weeks. There are no flights available and they are stuck there in a lock down in that country.

 

[Networth]

Allowed back yes, but I have family stuck in Asia with no flights. They have been trying to get home for weeks. There are no flights available and they are stuck there in a lock down in that country.

That is awful, have they reached out to the Embassy?

 

[lovetotravel]

That is awful, have they reached out to the Embassy?

Good idea, I will check. There are no flights so that it the main issue.

 

[Rapunzellover]

Americans have always be allowed back to the homeland. Likely, under a mandatory quarantine, but the government won’t refuse a citizen re-entry.

If they cancel flights, it's not about being allowed reentry.
My CA school just went remote, and this is unprecedented. I would not take chances.

 

[Networth]

If they cancel flights, it's not about being allowed reentry.
My CA school just went remote, and this is unprecedented. I would not take chances.

The state department can charter flights or get you access to military flights in an emergency.

 

[Rapunzellover]

The state department can charter flights or get you access to military flights in an emergency.

You're assuming a lot with that.

 

[disneyholic family]

Oh my god - 250 people died in italy today of coronavirus. The largest one day death toll.
I cry for them. That's what we're trying to avoid.
250 people in one day.
bringing the total dead in italy to 1,266

as for confirmed cases in italy...
the total as of today is 17,600 with 2,547 new cases today..

editing to add on France and the UK:
France's total confirmed cases as of today are 3,661 (an increase of 785 today)
In the UK, total confirmed cases as of today are 798 (an increase of 208 today)
.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Oh my god - 250 people died in italy today of coronavirus. The largest one day death toll.
I cry for them. That's what we're trying to avoid.
250 people in one day.
bringing the total dead in italy to 1,266

as for confirmed cases in italy...
the total as of today is 17,600 with 2,547 new cases today..

editing to add on France and the UK:
France's total confirmed cases as of today are 3,661 (an increase of 785 today)
In the UK, total confirmed cases as of today are 798 (an increase of 208 today)
.

Italy's numbers today are staggering. Hard to fathom. I am so sad for them.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Oh my god - 250 people died in italy today of coronavirus. The largest one day death toll.
I cry for them. That's what we're trying to avoid.
250 people in one day.
bringing the total dead in italy to 1,266

as for confirmed cases in italy...
the total as of today is 17,600 with 2,547 new cases today..

editing to add on France and the UK:
France's total confirmed cases as of today are 3,661 (an increase of 785 today)
In the UK, total confirmed cases as of today are 798 (an increase of 208 today)
.

The images coming out from Italy on the news when we were in London was heartbreaking. My heart goes out to them. So so horrible.

 

[gotomu212]

Americans have always be allowed back to the homeland. Likely, under a mandatory quarantine, but the government won’t refuse a citizen re-entry.

Just want to comment that my husband was stuck abroad on 9/11, and the borders were closed and citizens were not allowed entry. He was not able to get a flight for 18 days. So guaranteed entry into the homeland is not a thing.

The lack of flights is very real, and even when you get State Dept evacuations seating is very limited, they take awhile to organize, and the tickets are outrageous. It’s one thing to do a evac from a particular hotspot (like after the Japanese tsunami or in a sudden outbreak of war) arranging an evac from hundreds of different cities is unimaginable.

In a situation like this it would not be surprising for people to get stuck abroad with very long delays in securing return flights. We are in very uncharted waters and things are evolving on a day to day basis.

 

[lovetotravel]

Just want to comment that my husband was stuck abroad on 9/11, and the borders were closed and citizens were not allowed entry. He was not able to get a flight for 18 days. So guaranteed entry into the homeland is not a thing.

The lack of flights is very real, and even when you get State Dept evacuations seating is very limited, they take awhile to organize, and the tickets are outrageous. It’s one thing to do a evac from a particular hotspot (like after the Japanese tsunami or in a sudden outbreak of war) arranging an evac from hundreds of different cities is unimaginable.

In a situation like this it would not be surprising for people to get stuck abroad with very long delays in securing return flights. We are in very uncharted waters and things are evolving on a day to day basis.

Agree. Additionally when foreign countries put themselves in a lockdown, they shut the airport down and you really can't get out, which is now the case.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

It's being reported that Spain is to shut down on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...mpose-nationwide-lockdown-draft-idUSKBN2110LE How long ago was it that ABD was waffling on these trips? I'm still furious over their handling of this. It was obvious to me as soon as I arrived in the UK 2 weeks ago that things were exploding.

 

[Cliffside]

It's being reported that Spain is to shut down on Monday. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...mpose-nationwide-lockdown-draft-idUSKBN2110LE How long ago was it that ABD was waffling on these trips? I'm still furious over their handling of this. It was obvious to me as soon as I arrived in the UK 2 weeks ago that things were exploding.

Not that long ago at all. I hope all that flew to the U.K. for the 3/13 England/France adventure are making it home safely.