2021 / 2022 season - bookings and cancellation policies

a148pro

Thought it might be an idea for people to post whether they have booked, are they doing it DIY / package and what the cancellation policy with each (flights and accommodation if DIY)

Personally, I'm going to hang on - I am very confident of foreign Summer travel this year (in fact I've booked - Ryanair offering one free change but you still have to travel before the end of October, accommodation offering free cancellation until two weeks beforehand)

But I think Winter travel is going to be a bit more risky. Despite certain quarters not wanting to emphasise this, this virus is also seasonal and there may be concerns about vaccine efficacy arising in Winter as some will be at least six months down the road by then. Plus our health service will probably be back on the rack with flu if nothing else and if our overlords are allowed continue to perpetuate their zero-risk patronise-the-entire-nation approach we may see further restrictions. Particularly if they once again don't bother increasing capacity.

I'm happy to book last minute in general so happy to hang on for the moment. Also think very early trip in late November or early December might be a sweet spot prior to any restrictions.

But if I was booking a family trip and had good cancellation policy I'd definitely consider.

So please post what people are doing and what kind of policies they've encountered.

A1Son

Definitely shop around and ask the relevant questions if you are doing it DIY.

A lot of places are offering 0% down to reserve and a 100% money back guarantee if travel is restricted during your chosen week of winter 2021/2022 due to Covid-19.

There was a lot of interest recently from English skiers after the announcement from the UK govt. about reopening in June. A ramping up of the vaccine rollout EU wide will help to restore confidence in booking both summer and winter breaks.

a148pro

A1Son wrote: »

A lot of places are offering 0% down to reserve and a 100% money back guarantee if travel is restricted during your chosen week of winter 2021/2022 due to Covid-19.

What I'd be interested to know is if this covers restrictions by the Irish govt as opposed to the area that you're travelling to. Because I actually think the Irish govt are going to be the main obstacle here.

A1Son

Personally our cancellation policy will cover any Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Taking a payment for a service we cannot provide doesn't sit right. Guests unable to travel due to some government travel advice/restrictions surely warrants a full refund.
Speaking with other accommodation providers, a full refund is the general consensus. But who should be responsible for the refund, insurance companies, governments or the accom. providers?

Ask each accommodation provider (if doing a DIY booking) about their cancellation policy. Most have needed to adjust these and the flexibility going forward is definitely there.

random_banter

Have booked an apartment through booking.com for a week in Tignes, the cancellation policy is 100% back if you cancel 60 days in advance. That one is in December so will make a decision in October about it. No flights yet, will sort those closer to the time.

For a January-March trip, will be aiming for a package in Austria or France, but not willing to commit right now. So perhaps again in October/November when we have a better sense of things, we will see what is available then.

That's our strategy anyway

prunudo

As the 21/22 tour op emails start ramping up, what is the consensus about the prospects of how winter sports will pan out?

Still early days but starting to look into a trip next Feb or Mar. I presume the best plan just to book with a company that has a good cancellation policy in place. No risk once they give a refund.

a148pro

I think its over, but the capacity of our entire society to behave irrationally given the total absence of proper discourse in our media probably shouldn't be underestimated. I do think hospitals are going to come under ridiculous pressure this year, mainly due to 18 months of lockdown, but it seems hard to see how that pressure could be linked with foreign travel, although it is low hanging fruit in terms of finger pointing

No harm in booking if there's a good cancellation policy. Do bear in mind that Austria are, bizarrely, limiting travel to people who people who had their second jab relatively recently. I also read that Switzerland, which actually remained open for skiing throughout the pandemic, is talking about some restrictions into January due to hospital problems and limited vaccination uptake.

prunudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117892428#Comment_117892428

Thanks for that. Thats interesting about Austria, something to watch out for as a lot of the resorts we'd be looking at are there.

a148pro

Well check that up - I saw a media report to that effect, will be interesting to see how it develops

Ideally people would post any developments or experiences here as they happen. I'm going to aim for an early trip if conditions are good in one of the glacier resorts, just to hedge against restrictions preventing more later on

The problems are potentially two - fold - Ireland has the highest rates in Europe and other countries often have significantly lower vaccination rates than we have so those are two unhelpful trends

Billy Mays

Updates on Austria can be found here

https://www.austria.info/en/service-and-facts/coronavirus-information

prunudo

Just for those that didn't open that link, one of the interesting things is that FFP2 masks are required for cable cars. The entry and test criteria will change but I'd imagine that one could stay in place.

a148pro

Also looks like they've extended it to 365 days from your second vax so should be ok for most people this year, although a lot of medical staff like their skiing and would have got vaxxed early so some may get caught out. I would hope that idea will fall by the wayside in due course, but....

slightybonkers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117893531#Comment_117893531

Hi All,

Having just booked a trip to the Tyrol for New Year last week, I was reviewing the entry requirements on the above link.

There are some updates in from this week.

Notable changes - COVID tests (both PCR and antigen) are no longer valid as "entry tests". So to ski you must have prof of vaccination or recovery. Also, time post 2nd vaccination has been reduced from 12 months to 9 months

It's a changing situation in Austria, as it is here and in other countries, so keep checking the the official websites folks....

highpath

Also ,

Informed by the hotel in Austria that those who got the one shot J&J/Janssen vaccine will have to show proof of a booster if arriving after 03.01.2022. Bit unfair to be putting the one shot vaccine in a different category. Currently no facility in Ireland to avail of a booster...Have one of our group in this category. Wonder what we can do?

a148pro

That's really frustrating. Have you booked already? Could they get a jab up north or something?

a148pro

PS do I win a prize for my 16th march post above? A cantankerous prick prize maybe, but a prize nonetheless?

"But I think Winter travel is going to be a bit more risky. Despite certain quarters not wanting to emphasise this, this virus is also seasonal and there may be concerns about vaccine efficacy arising in Winter as some will be at least six months down the road by then. Plus our health service will probably be back on the rack with flu if nothing else and if our overlords are allowed continue to perpetuate their zero-risk patronise-the-entire-nation approach we may see further restrictions. Particularly if they once again don't bother increasing capacity."

If people haven't booked yet I think this might be the year to branch out to more libertarian places. Switzerland (about to have a referendum on corona passes, but might get scuppered this winter by low vax rate), Spain or Andorra, Scandanavia or the States. I think the States might be best bet as they're probably through their delta wave and are ideologically opposed to economic damage, particularly in red states.

I'd be a bit worried that France and Italy, and maybe Spain have low numbers now but they just might not have caught the wave yet.

Bulgaria but you'd prob have to being a ventilator with you...

highpath

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118199983#Comment_118199983

That is a good crystal ball that you have.

Yes you win a prize. All expenses paid trip to Austria for a week , flights leaving Wednesday 24th November, ......

In relation to booking, yeah booked last March. Have three families so wanted to ensure the hotel we wanted. Anyway , with booster vaccines ramping up we should be ok vaccine wise.

slightybonkers

Austria will not recognise the Astrazenica vaccine for entry to ski lifts, hotels, etc......

Thankfully no one in my group received AstraZ!!