New Zealand October & November 2021 departures cancelled

[Mathmagicland]

Got a voicemail last week from AbD re “significant changes to the itinerary” & to call them back. Asked them to send the changes via email, no response. Called today to learn “significant” means the trip has been cancelled. I guess that qualifies as a significant change.

If I rebook New Zealand for the 2021-22 season, one of the remaining departures with space through 3/31/22, they will honor the price of my original booking. I still want to do this trip, just have to figure out what dates might work out around other things. It looks like they’ve added a 3/31 departure to help accommodate the cancellations as there’s currently only 2 booked on that one.

 

[Grifdog22]

Got a voicemail last week from AbD re “significant changes to the itinerary” & to call them back. Asked them to send the changes via email, no response. Called today to learn “significant” means the trip has been cancelled. I guess that qualifies as a significant change.

If I rebook New Zealand for the 2021-22 season, one of the remaining departures with space through 3/31/22, they will honor the price of my original booking. I still want to do this trip, just have to figure out what dates might work out around other things. It looks like they’ve added a 3/31 departure to help accommodate the cancellations as there’s currently only 2 booked on that one.

When our Poland trip for September 2021 gave us the message of "significant changes to the itinerary" and I called in, Gabby did not off or agree to honor the price of my original booking. She offered a refund or a transfer to another trip in 2022 at the prevailing rates. We already have two trips set for 2022 One of them is the October 2022 New Zealand. I hope you'll go to NZ, it look like a good trip. As to my old trip - we asked for a partial refund and put some of it toward the 2022 trips. It may be awhile, or never, before things return to normal. We deliberately chose the October trip as that should give another 16 months for things to settle down, as Australia is heading back into a limited lockdown according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

 

[2-pointdoe]

We are on a December New Zealand trip (booked from our egypt cancelation) with airfare booked. Honestly we will probably NOT roll it into another ABD if cancelled.

DD is almost 14 and the NEED for traveling with other children just won't be there next year. Our planned line up of places to see at certain ages has gotten derailed and since she will be big enough to travel with a a back pack by next year and we could do a lot more trips at a lower price point.

 

[Mathmagicland]

Gabby did not off or agree to honor the price of my original booking. She offered a refund or a transfer to another trip in 2022 at the prevailing rates.

I only get the original NZ pricing if I rebook NZ for remaining 2021 thru March 22 departures, same adventure year. If I go to fall/winter of 2022 or spring of 23, or move the deposit to any other adventure currently available, i will pay prevailing rates.

 

[abdgeek]

Got a voicemail last week from AbD re “significant changes to the itinerary” & to call them back. Asked them to send the changes via email, no response. Called today to learn “significant” means the trip has been cancelled. I guess that qualifies as a significant change.

If I rebook New Zealand for the 2021-22 season, one of the remaining departures with space through 3/31/22, they will honor the price of my original booking. I still want to do this trip, just have to figure out what dates might work out around other things. It looks like they’ve added a 3/31 departure to help accommodate the cancellations as there’s currently only 2 booked on that one.

Sorry to hear your NZ trip got cancelled. Early on, NZ said it wouldn’t reopen until February/March 2022 for travel. I know ABD is hoping they’ll open earlier, but who knows at this point. If you’re still interested in going, my recommendation is to push the date as late into March 2022 as possible. If for some reason that trip doesn’t go, one would hope ABD would allow you to move the trip to 2023. I moved my 2020 ABD Danube River Cruise from 2020 to 2021 and finally to NZ ABD December 2022 when it got cancelled again this year. I really hope NZ will be open by then. Good luck!

 

[Mathmagicland]

Sorry to hear your NZ trip got cancelled. Early on, NZ said it wouldn’t reopen until February/March 2022 for travel. I know ABD is hoping they’ll open earlier, but who knows at this point. If you’re still interested in going, my recommendation is to push the date as late into March 2022 as possible. If for some reason that trip doesn’t go, one would hope ABD would allow you to move the trip to 2023. I moved my 2020 ABD Danube River Cruise from 2020 to 2021 and finally to NZ ABD December 2022 when it got cancelled again this year. I really hope NZ will be open by then. Good luck!

Thanks, good suggestions. I haven’t really been expecting Oct NZ fo go forward, but am surprised AbD has canceled it 100 days out as usually their cancellations are closer to or after PIF date. I’d love to go in March (or February) but have a potential conflict with other non-Disney rescheduled travel. I’ve got some questions in to AbD re how they are handling Yes answers to their current pre-travel questionnaire of any travel within 14 days of trip start, in the event that question is still being asked next year & what’s been OK to travel AbD. That will help me decide which future date to gamble with next.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Ds and I are on a March, 2022 ABD NZ trip. I figure we have a 50/50 chance of the trip going with the current situation in AU and the impact it could have on NZ. The deposit was moved from our October, 2020 Egypt trip. I will PIF and play chicken with ABD on cancelling the trip as I do not want to move to another trip. If they agree to hold the price I might consider moving the date, but that will depend on whether or not they change the itinerary. I really, really like the current itinerary and have put a lot of effort into booking Australia before and after the trip. Gosh I really want this trip to go. I realize there is a possiblity that we could be one of the first ABD NZ departures as things currently stand.

 

[Cousin Orville]

At least they're starting to cancel this trip earlier. We have December trip booked and will likely move our deposit to a different trip. We have Egypt booked in the spring and SE Asia Dec 2022. Both of which are more likely to go than NZ. NZ recently paused their travel agreement with Australia and raised their covid alert level when a covid+ Australian traveler arrived in the country. It's reading the tea leaves, but in light of NZ's policies, I don't see any travel to NZ until next summer.

 

[ImprovGal]

At least they're starting to cancel this trip earlier. We have December trip booked and will likely move our deposit to a different trip. We have Egypt booked in the spring and SE Asia Dec 2022. Both of which are more likely to go than NZ. NZ recently paused their travel agreement with Australia and raised their covid alert level when a covid+ Australian traveler arrived in the country. It's reading the tea leaves, but in light of NZ's policies, I don't see any travel to NZ until next summer.

Agreed. I'm booked for January 2022, but am feeling less and less likely that this trip will actually happen. NZ has been using its geographical isolation rather than vaccination to control outbreaks.

 

[Eastridge]

NZ claims to have secured enough Pfizer doses for all adults and will start vaccinating people under 65 starting the end of July.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work...d-19-getting-vaccine/covid-19-vaccine-rollout
But when will they reopen to visitors? I wonder if the Fall 2022 trips will be the actual inaugural ABD NZ trips…

 

[EllinK]

We were booked for Dec. Looks like it is highly unlikely that the trip will go. I've contacted our Dreams Unlimited TA to cancel but have not heard back from him.

 

[KEK1]

NZ claims to have secured enough Pfizer doses for all adults and will start vaccinating people under 65 starting the end of July.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work...d-19-getting-vaccine/covid-19-vaccine-rollout
But when will they reopen to visitors? I wonder if the Fall 2022 trips will be the actual inaugural ABD NZ trips…

Also who knows how long it will take them to roll the vacc out..I'm in Australia and its ridiculous how slow they are being compared to you guys overseas. We are using lockdowns instead.
Its varying on a week by week bases which state has been locked down so therefore can't travel (interstate). I definitely would not be planning here this year.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I read this short quote on FT last night. If NZ holds tight to their current plans it doesn't seem very likely that my March, 2022 trip will be able to go . I just can't fathom their borders still being closed to tourists in March, so we shall see how things progress. I don't know when I could re-book since I had to book our flights (on points) as soon as the window opened, which was 355 days prior to departure.

"At his weekly press conference updating progress on the vaccination roll out today, Hipkins essentially slapped another padlock on the border gate, warning people requirements for isolation will stay the same at least until the end of the year and likely beyond that. "I'm still working on the basis that certainly for this year people will be in MIQ (mandatory hotel quarantine) for 14 days probably into early next year as well but we haven't made any firm decisions about that," Hipkins said. That means double vaccinated people returning to New Zealand will still need to snare a spot in MIQ and stay there the full 14 days.

However, Hipkins said as vaccination rates increase other options could be considered. "Longer term and again I don't want to put a timeframe on this but it might include things like alternative isolation options like people isolating at home when they come into the country. "But that's a way away it's not going to happen this year I don't think and certainly in the early part of next year I'd imagine that things are going to continue in much the same way as they are now," Hipkins said." (Hipkins is the COVID-19 Response Minister).

 

[sayhello]

I read this short quote on FT last night. If NZ holds tight to their current plans it doesn't seem very likely that my March, 2022 trip will be able to go . I just can't fathom their borders still being closed to tourists in March, so we shall see how things progress. I don't know when I could re-book since I had to book our flights (on points) as soon as the window opened, which was 355 days prior to departure.

"At his weekly press conference updating progress on the vaccination roll out today, Hipkins essentially slapped another padlock on the border gate, warning people requirements for isolation will stay the same at least until the end of the year and likely beyond that. "I'm still working on the basis that certainly for this year people will be in MIQ (mandatory hotel quarantine) for 14 days probably into early next year as well but we haven't made any firm decisions about that," Hipkins said. That means double vaccinated people returning to New Zealand will still need to snare a spot in MIQ and stay there the full 14 days.

However, Hipkins said as vaccination rates increase other options could be considered. "Longer term and again I don't want to put a timeframe on this but it might include things like alternative isolation options like people isolating at home when they come into the country. "But that's a way away it's not going to happen this year I don't think and certainly in the early part of next year I'd imagine that things are going to continue in much the same way as they are now," Hipkins said." (Hipkins is the COVID-19 Response Minister).

FT?

This is so sad. Understandable, but so sad.

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

FT?

This is so sad. Understandable, but so sad.

Sayhello

FT = FlyerTalkdotcom.

 

[Mathmagicland]

I read this short quote on FT last night. If NZ holds tight to their current plans it doesn't seem very likely that my March, 2022 trip will be able to go . I just can't fathom their borders still being closed to tourists in March, so we shall see how things progress. I don't know when I could re-book since I had to book our flights (on points) as soon as the window opened, which was 355 days prior to departure.

"At his weekly press conference updating progress on the vaccination roll out today, Hipkins essentially slapped another padlock on the border gate, warning people requirements for isolation will stay the same at least until the end of the year and likely beyond that. "I'm still working on the basis that certainly for this year people will be in MIQ (mandatory hotel quarantine) for 14 days probably into early next year as well but we haven't made any firm decisions about that," Hipkins said. That means double vaccinated people returning to New Zealand will still need to snare a spot in MIQ and stay there the full 14 days.

However, Hipkins said as vaccination rates increase other options could be considered. "Longer term and again I don't want to put a timeframe on this but it might include things like alternative isolation options like people isolating at home when they come into the country. "But that's a way away it's not going to happen this year I don't think and certainly in the early part of next year I'd imagine that things are going to continue in much the same way as they are now," Hipkins said." (Hipkins is the COVID-19 Response Minister).

Thanks for posting this; I’ve been trying to keep up there & hadn’t yet seen it. I haven’t yet decided which early 2022 date to rebook, but I’m not really that hopeful anything NZ will go until maybe Q4 of next year.

 

[ImprovGal]

I read this short quote on FT last night. If NZ holds tight to their current plans it doesn't seem very likely that my March, 2022 trip will be able to go . I just can't fathom their borders still being closed to tourists in March, so we shall see how things progress. I don't know when I could re-book since I had to book our flights (on points) as soon as the window opened, which was 355 days prior to departure.

"At his weekly press conference updating progress on the vaccination roll out today, Hipkins essentially slapped another padlock on the border gate, warning people requirements for isolation will stay the same at least until the end of the year and likely beyond that. "I'm still working on the basis that certainly for this year people will be in MIQ (mandatory hotel quarantine) for 14 days probably into early next year as well but we haven't made any firm decisions about that," Hipkins said. That means double vaccinated people returning to New Zealand will still need to snare a spot in MIQ and stay there the full 14 days.

However, Hipkins said as vaccination rates increase other options could be considered. "Longer term and again I don't want to put a timeframe on this but it might include things like alternative isolation options like people isolating at home when they come into the country. "But that's a way away it's not going to happen this year I don't think and certainly in the early part of next year I'd imagine that things are going to continue in much the same way as they are now," Hipkins said." (Hipkins is the COVID-19 Response Minister).

Thanks for posting that. i read FT, but hadn't specifically looked for updates recently. Perhaps I'll try for 1/2023.

 

[Cousin Orville]

I read this short quote on FT last night. If NZ holds tight to their current plans it doesn't seem very likely that my March, 2022 trip will be able to go . I just can't fathom their borders still being closed to tourists in March, so we shall see how things progress. I don't know when I could re-book since I had to book our flights (on points) as soon as the window opened, which was 355 days prior to departure.

"At his weekly press conference updating progress on the vaccination roll out today, Hipkins essentially slapped another padlock on the border gate, warning people requirements for isolation will stay the same at least until the end of the year and likely beyond that. "I'm still working on the basis that certainly for this year people will be in MIQ (mandatory hotel quarantine) for 14 days probably into early next year as well but we haven't made any firm decisions about that," Hipkins said. That means double vaccinated people returning to New Zealand will still need to snare a spot in MIQ and stay there the full 14 days.

However, Hipkins said as vaccination rates increase other options could be considered. "Longer term and again I don't want to put a timeframe on this but it might include things like alternative isolation options like people isolating at home when they come into the country. "But that's a way away it's not going to happen this year I don't think and certainly in the early part of next year I'd imagine that things are going to continue in much the same way as they are now," Hipkins said." (Hipkins is the COVID-19 Response Minister).

Thanks for the update. We're waiting for our December ABD to be cancelled. Looking at doing Southern Spain on our own.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Thanks for the update. We're waiting for our December ABD to be cancelled. Looking at doing Southern Spain on our own.

I am confused as to why ABD hasn't gone ahead and cancelled the December trip since we know the border will still be closed to tourism until at least spring, most likely summer 2022. It is holding you back from booking another trip and I don't think that's how you should treat customers. Hopefully they will cancel soon so that you can book Southern Spain. If our March trip is cancelled I will probably look at booking NZ in December, 2023 so that dd can come with us on her Christmas / NY break.

 

[Cousin Orville]

I am confused as to why ABD hasn't gone ahead and cancelled the December trip since we know the border will still be closed to tourism until at least spring, most likely summer 2022. It is holding you back from booking another trip and I don't think that's how you should treat customers. Hopefully they will cancel soon so that you can book Southern Spain. If our March trip is cancelled I will probably look at booking NZ in December, 2023 so that dd can come with us on her Christmas / NY break.

Yeah, it seems pretty clear at this point NZ will not be open for a while. I'm honestly not too concerned. We'll book Spain (or wherever) once we finalize our plans. I'll likely just be transferring our NZ downpayment to Egypt in April. We have SE Asia in Dec 2022. I'm really hoping that goes. SURELY ABD will be traveling extensively by then! At this point, I probably won't book another NZ trip until I actually see ABD complete a trip in NZ. I'm going to take a wild guess and say NZ may be the last country on earth to reopen for group tours.