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Travel Updates including Covid-19

Home Travel Updates including Covid-19

Travel Updates including Covid-19

At Discover the World we ensure that you are looked after every step of the way with your safety and wellbeing our top priority. Rest assured that we operate our trips in accordance with advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), monitoring their ongoing guidance along with the advice from Public Health England and the World Health Organisation.

If you have any concerns about a destination you are thinking of booking or have already booked to travel with us please talk to our travel experts and we will offer advice and do all we can to help you to ensure minimal disruption to your travel. To give you additional peace of mind we have adapted our booking policy to be as flexible as possible.

We are with you every step of the way

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Flexibility Promise

Our Flexibility Promise has been designed to provide a cushion around uncertainty giving you the reassurance to book.

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Expert support

From 24/7 holiday support to full financial protection with ATOL, ABTOT and ABTA bonding, when you book with us, you are in safe, experienced hands.

Is my holiday going to take place as planned?

Should the UK FCDO advise against travel or should they or the local destination government impose severe restrictions on movement within a country that we are operating to, we will be in touch with our customers to discuss and advise as to whether we will need to amend itineraries or cancel trips as needed. We will provide alternative holidays or change your departure date if possible.

Requirements for international leisure travel have generally returned to those pre-Covid-19 pandemic, but may vary by country in terms of vaccination status. If you are vaccinated, there are no restrictions to Discover the World destinations, but if you are not vaccinated please refer to the FCDO website.

What happens if I choose to postpone, change or cancel my trip?

  1. Postponing travel: please speak to your travel specialist as soon as possible before your final balance is due and they will advise whether it will be possible to postpone your trip to a later date. If so, we will not charge you an administration fee and we will work with our suppliers to minimise costs wherever possible. If we can make the changes you may be required to pay additional costs if the price of your new travel dates differ due to rate differences. Equally, if the cost of your postponed trip, we will refund you the difference.
    If you need to postpone your trip after you have paid your final balance and longer than 14 days prior to departure we will do what we can to assist.
    Important note: You will need to update your travel insurer regarding any change to your travel dates.
  2. Transferring your booking to someone else: You can transfer your existing booking to another person suggested by you (subject to agreement by our suppliers), by giving us notice in writing as soon as possible prior to departure. The replacement traveller must satisfy and fulfil any conditions that apply to the holiday, and all costs of the original booking, and both you and the new traveller are responsible for paying all costs we incur before the transfer can be made by us. We will not charge an administration fee but we will need to pass on any costs which our suppliers impose
  3. Cancellation: If you choose to cancel your holiday for any reason, our standard booking conditions apply, however, if you wish to make changes we will still do everything we can to assist you. Your balance remains payable as per our standard booking conditions. Failure to pay the balance without giving notice of the intention to cancel will mean that normal cancellation terms are applied.
    If you are unable to travel having tested positive for Covid-19, we will in the first instance refer you to your travel insurance to claim a refund. You should ensure that you have appropriate travel insurance in place accordingly. We can recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that provides extensive Covid-19 cover for medical, cancellation and curtailment.

 

How will I know if my travel plans are going to be affected?

We continue to monitor the World Health Organisation, Public Health England, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and ABTA guidance on a daily basis for all of the destinations that we visit, and we will contact our customers in departure date order if the government advice is against travel and as a consequence requires alterations to their holiday.

 

What will happen if Discover the World has to cancel or make a significant change to my holiday as a result of Covid-19?

If we are forced to cancel your holiday or make a significant change to your travel arrangements we will if possible make alternative holiday arrangements for you or amend your departure date depending on your individual arrangements. If the only alternative is to cancel your holiday you will in the first instance need to contact your insurance company regarding a refund. If however, they will not provide you with a refund we will refund all monies paid.

We have found that many insurers fully appreciate the enormity of the situation facing travel companies and are taking a more flexible approach to cancellation claims in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, over and above their usual standard policy.

 

Will I be covered by my travel insurance if I decide to cancel?

This will depend on the terms of your policy. You should contact your travel insurance provider to check what cover is provided in your circumstances. We can recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that provides extensive Covid-19 cover for medical, cancellation and curtailment.

 

Entry information for Discover the World destinations at a glance:

  • Iceland: All travellers may enter Iceland without a test or quarantine. 
  • Norway & Svalbard: All travellers may enter Norway and Svalbard without a test or quarantine.
  • Greenland & Denmark: All travellers may enter Greenland and Denmark without a test or quarantine.
  • Finland: All travellers may enter Finland without a test or quarantine.
  • Sweden: All travellers may enter enter Sweden without a test or quarantine.
  • Canada: All travellers may enter Canada without a test or quarantine.
  • USA: Fully vaccinated travellers from the UK can enter the USA, including Alaska, without a test or quarantine.
  • Australia: Fully vaccinated travellers from the UK can enter Australia without a test or quarantine.
  • New Zealand: Fully vaccinated travellers from the UK can enter New Zealand without a test or quarantine.
  • Antarctica: Most passengers depart on voyages to Antarctica from either Argentina or Chile, both of which are open to fully-vaccinated travellers without the need to test or quarantine.

For more information