So, I got a message from my travel agent today that Trafalgar had some "options" for me. I freaked out that perhaps my Best of Italy tour was cancelled. I couldn't get ahold of my travel agent, which made it worse. I have learned they want us to move our trip to the next day. I guess there are not enough people on the October 10th Best of Italy. My trip is a guaranteed departure though. Hopefully everything will work out okay. It took a lot of work on my travel agents part to have my best friend and I fly together on the international flight (we live in different states - Massachusetts and Florida). I will agree to switch as long as my friend and I get to travel together.

Maida ~ Are you saying that your 'guaranteed departure' has been cancelled? We did hear of a few cancelled earlier in the year but thought all that was done with.

If there is only one day difference in your tour departure date why not leave your flights exactly as they are? I presume you are flying into Rome, yes? So that would give you an extra day to explore there, perhaps that would be better than changing all the flights.

Just a suggestion & sorry that you have had this hassle.

quote:

Originally posted by Maida:
So, I got a message from my travel agent today that Trafalgar had some "options" for me. I freaked out that perhaps my Best of Italy tour was cancelled. I couldn't get ahold of my travel agent, which made it worse. I have learned they want us to move our trip to the next day. I guess there are not enough people on the October 10th Best of Italy. My trip is a guaranteed departure though. Hopefully everything will work out okay. It took a lot of work on my travel agents part to have my best friend and I fly together on the international flight (we live in different states - Massachusetts and Florida). I will agree to switch as long as my friend and I get to travel together.

Maida ~ I am sorry to hear you are being mucked around, although I don't think one day is too much of a big deal. I would however try to get Trafalgar to pay for the extra nights accommodation.

Dimpz and Missie,
The plan right now, if Trafalgar will go along with it, is to keep our departure date, have Trafalgar pay for an extra night at the hotel in Rome, and have Trafalgar pay the fee to change our return flights. It is conditional though. My friend and I must fly home together! Since we live in different states, that is one of the highlights of traveling together. A 10 hour flight is much better with your best friend!

I have been told my trip is not cancelled, b/c it is a guaranteed departure, but it looks like they are trying to move people from my trip to the next day. I was just freaked out by the call from my travel agent offering "options". I thought that had to mean our tour was cancelled.

Anyway, I am keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out, as I would love an extra day in Rome!

Maida

quote:

Originally posted by Maida:
I have been told my trip is not cancelled, b/c it is a guaranteed departure, but it looks like they are trying to move people from my trip to the next day.

So if your trip is not cancelled what if you refuse to move to the next day? What are the options then?

Please do let us know the outcome of this scenario as I have honestly never heard of a trip not being cancelled but people being asked to move dates??????

An extra day in Rome would certainly be a treat

A little brief history is in order here...

Last April, just before payment was due for my Italy Belissimo (IB from now on to save typing) was due, my ta e mailed me my tour was cancelled (despite the fact it was a guaranteed departure) and Trafalgar was offering me June 4th departure...I do my own airlines and also set up some activities after the tour...

To make a long story short, eventually I went along with it, had to change some plans post tour, had to change the airfare (the penalty was $200 but the fare for the weekday departure was $235 less so a net savings of $35 there), Trafalgar gave me $50 coupon for the optionals and so it wasn't too bad.

However, we had long discussions here as to why if the tour was cancelled, it was never removed from the dates and rates part of the web site listing the IB tour dates and rates and the word guaranteed departure was replaced by please call, which is what they usually use when a tour is full. Suspicious, right.

When I joined the tour (the June 4 IB), I was shocked to find there were only 29 people on the tour and nobody else had been moved from my tour (one couple was moved from a different tour which they also claimed was cancelled)..in other words am I to believe that my Friday evening June 6 IB tour was so underscribed that only three or four people had booked it???? Also strange, eh.

I now believe, not that it really matters as this point as every thing else worked out and certainly a smaller tour is better than a jammed tour, that Trafalgar did not cancel the June 6 departure, I bet it went but they tried to move a couple of people to fill out the previous tour.

Can't prove it, don't really care at this point but the story here rekindls my suspicions.

Maiia: Sorry to hear that Trafalgar has messed up your travel plans but an extra day in Rome is a bonus as long as Trafalgar pays for the hotel. About returning home. If you have to pay to have your return flts changed then Trafalgar should also pay for that expense. About travelling together on your return trip I wouldn't be too upset if you have to travel seperately. You and your friend have by then already spent a considerable of time together and an 9hr flt home without each other is not the worse thing that can happen. I know from experience as I have flown to and from Europe on Trafalgar tours 6times as a single and have met some wonderful interesting seat parteners on my flts to and from from trips. By the way I'm 73almost 74 and a widow who loves to travel and if I can't find a friend or family member to go with me on my trips then I go alone. Purvis

quote:

Originally posted by MATHA531:

Can't prove it, don't really care at this point but the story here rekindls my suspicions.

Matha ~ .......& suspiciously this sounds like the same scenario.

Not a very honest way to do business, although in your case you certainly lucked out. 29 on the coach is bliss, I once had 27 on a tour & it was great.

If Trafalgar can fill or almost fill both tours and none are cancelled then that is a good business move.

I believe Trafalgar are doing everything possible to keep tours operating and not cancel GD.

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
If Trafalgar can fill or almost fill both tours and none are cancelled then that is a good business move.

I believe Trafalgar are doing everything possible to keep tours operating and not cancel GD.

Of course Missie...unless you're the one who has to try to re-arrange everything you did on the basis of having a "guaranteed" departure.

Like I said, ultimately it meant I had to pay for 2 additional nights in Europe which were spent in Munich which meant I spent 5 nights in Munich rather than the 3 but I must confess I had a very enjoyable time in Munich and made good use of the extra 2 days and the hotel I found wasn't all that bad or expensive so like I said on the whole, it wasn't a catastrophic change for me and everything worked out.

But they had no way of knowing it when, and again I can't prove it one way or another, they "cancelled" my original tour and put me on another!

MATHA: You`re scaring me to death here. How much notice were you given of the proposed change? My next tour departs in 36 days and I haven`t heard anythihng, but the GD designation disappeared from the web site weeks ago and was replaced by Please Call. TT has told me twice that the tour is a go but I am still a bit skeptical. I booked my own air and it would be impossible to get Business class seats at this late date for the same price. I take a dim view of shuffling the passengers around like this.

Caitie...

You're almost certainly fine...it happened to me just before final payment was due, about give or take a couple of days, 60 days out so relax and enjoy your trip.

MATHA: I certainly hope so. If they try to switch me at this late date, I won`t be a happy camper. A girl needs time to put other ducks in a row!

quote:

Originally posted by MATHA531:

.....unless you're the one who has to try to re-arrange everything you did on the basis of having a "guaranteed" departure.

Matha ~ Exactly! I think that is the main thing that is not always appreciated. Not all of us arrive at the departure city the day before the tour starts nor leave the day after a tour finishes. As Caitie says you need time to make other arrangements & often times it is just not convenient.

quote:

Originally posted by MATHA531:

quote:

Originally posted by Missie:
If Trafalgar can fill or almost fill both tours and none are cancelled then that is a good business move.

I believe Trafalgar are doing everything possible to keep tours operating and not cancel GD.

Of course Missie...unless you're the one who has to try to re-arrange everything you did on the basis of having a "guaranteed" departure.

Like I said, ultimately it meant I had to pay for 2 additional nights in Europe which were spent in Munich which meant I spent 5 nights in Munich rather than the 3 but I must confess I had a very enjoyable time in Munich and made good use of the extra 2 days and the hotel I found wasn't all that bad or expensive so like I said on the whole, it wasn't a catastrophic change for me and everything worked out.

But they had no way of knowing it when, and again I can't prove it one way or another, they "cancelled" my original tour and put me on another!

Matha ~ We all need to look at the bigger picture, some countries economies are in a mess, many more including Australia are entering the mess. In the next twelve months I suspect more tours will be cancelled, I just feel Trafalgar are trying their best for all concerned.