TRAVEL IN A PANDEMIC

It’s mid-summer 2021 and you’re about to travel. This is your first trip in more than a year and you’ve spent more than ever on that special vacation. Before you take that trip, consider these important things.

1) “Pack your patience” – words of a wise travel professional friend – you will need every bit of it. Cancun airport, for example, has been wall-to-wall people and it is taking hours to get through immigration.
2) Be understanding – staff is limited all over the world. There is no difference in another state or country. Limited staff means limited service so if the dishes don’t get picked up quick enough or there’s reduced housekeeping or something else, let it go.
3) Wear that mask. We are still in a worldwide Pandemic. That has not changed, and airlines (and some other places) require masks. If you’re not going to follow the rules, don’t travel.
4) If there is seaweed in the water and on the beach, it’s no one’s fault. Seaweed is a natural phenomenon, and your travel agent can’t predict it.
5) Read your paperwork. If you get somewhere and you don’t know what to do, read your paperwork. If you didn’t bring it, look it up in your email or text your travel agent. Don’t stand or walk around the airport getting madder and madder when you could be at your resort relaxing.
6) Don’t complain if you didn’t purchase private transfers and you must ride with a vehicle full of people. You made it there by flying in a tube full of people. This is no different.
7) Use your words with the resort staff but do it nicely. Speak your thoughts to the staff if something is not to your liking. If it’s something big and it’s not corrected contact your travel agent. If you purchased ocean view and you’re looking at the pool/garden/building next door, look to your left and right and over the trees to see if you see any of the ocean before you complain.
On the other hand, if you wait until you return to tell your travel agent, nothing can be done so text them if there’s an issue.
8) If the buffet is not as big as you normally see at resorts, remember this is a Pandemic and food is not being left out for everyone to touch, etc. If something isn’t good or you’re looking for another option, ask.
9) If you find yourself at a resort where you need dinner reservations and you can’t get in anywhere, speak to a manager or text your travel agent. Some places that have never required reservations are now requiring them and may forget to tell you at check-in.
10) If your return transfer doesn’t pick you at the scheduled time for the airport, call the number in your paperwork. Talk to the manager and ask for help. As a last resort, pay for the cab to get to the airport on time and let your travel agent know. Some transfer companies are finding themselves with limited staff and traffic causes them to run behind. It’s better to get to the airport on time than to miss your flight.
11) Check and double-check your flights. Some airlines are finding that they don’t have the staff to operate planned flights and canceling at the last minute (even the same day). If your flight is canceled and you don’t accept the new flight, you may find yourself without one until you do. It’s all automated. Also, if the airline tells you that you don’t have a flight and your travel agent scammed you (turn on your phone’s video), call your travel agent. Travel agents can get this glitch fixed but it may take a while and you may miss your flight. Again – patience.
12) Buy insurance. The US is still requiring travelers who leave the country to test negative to return – even with vaccinations. If you test positive (which has been happening to a small number of people), you will be staying at the resort, in your room, for 14 days. Most of the time, this will be at your expense.
If you slip by the pool and break your ankle, you will need insurance. Most countries require payment upfront when you get to the hospital. Your medical insurance does not cover you outside of the US.
13) Check the Covid requirements for your destination and double-check them on the day before you leave and the day of travel. These requirements change daily. A couple was on a plane seated across from a friend headed to Hawaii. The couple did not check the requirements which stated they had to upload their negative Covid test results prior to departure from the mainland. When they landed, they pleaded with the Hawaiian officials but rules are rules. They were put into quarantine for the entirety of their trip and then returned to the mainland. They lost their vacation investment because they didn’t have insurance that covered this mistake.

These are just a few considerations based on actual events and complaints. The cost of travel is as high as ever and you expect a certain level of service and quality that you may not get right now. If this is a problem for you, don’t travel. If you can roll with the punches and need to get away, make sure you pack that patience!

For help with your travel plans now or in future years, call us. We’re here to help every step of the way. If you want to be added to our email list for travel destination information and specials, drop your email.