KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As airports look empty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some travelers are eager to fly while others are still in the process of canceling or rescheduling their trips.
Jill Olson, a cruise blogger, said her family had a Mediterranean cruise booked, leaving on May 27 near Rome, Italy.
She and her family were looking forward to their nine-day cruise. Olson told 41 Action News her daughter is graduating high school and her son is finishing his junior year of college. Th trip was one of the last they'd be able to schedule together as a family.
“This was kind of that one little opportunity where the four of us as our family, and then we added my brother-in-law and sister-in-law were going to join us," Olson said.
Olson recently canceled the flights and is now waiting on Royal Caribbean to cancel the cruise.
Joanne Weeks at Acendas Travel in Mission, Kansas, told 41 Action News that waiting is the best thing travelers can do right now.
“They’re the ones that have canceled it and it’s not on you; you’re getting the option of refunds or future travel credits," Weeks said.
Most travel insurance policies don't cover pandemics. Weeks said companies have to announce they're canceling trips in order for travelers to see a full refund.
“Any type of refund, we’re telling people at least 90 days," Weeks said.
If you want to reschedule your trip, there could be some perks. Olson said her children will be seeing a full refund, but she and her husband are choosing a different option.
“My husband and I will take that future cruise credit, and what they’re typically offering is more than 100%, so for people who cruise often, there’s a benefit to that," Olson said.
As people are busy navigating the disruption in their plans, some are taking advantage of some pretty inexpensive deals.
“The summer and even into fall, the pricing is phenomenal," Weeks said.
While you can find some good deals on flights right now, travel agencies are anticipating it won't last long. Weeks said travel in 2021 is expected to be more expensive than 2019.
