• Home
  • About Evelyn Kanter
  • Evelyn Kanter’s Books & Apps
  • Evelyn Kanter In The News
  • Workshops
  • NYC Travel Guru

Evelyn Kanter ecoXplorer

green living, smart spending

  • Green Hotels
  • Green Cars
    • Best Cars under $20,000
    • Test Drives
    • Diesel Cars
    • Electric Cars
    • Hybrid Cars
    • Hydrogen Fuel Cell
    • Luxury Drives
  • Travel Deals
    • Free
    • Budget Travel
    • Discount Tickets
  • Xplore More
    • Safety and Health
    • How To
    • Five Best
    • Travel Pioneers
    • Motorcycles
    • Vintage Cars
  • Scam Alert
  • Where to Go Next
    • Historic Travel
    • Epic Adventures
    • National Parks
Home » What You Need to Know to Cancel a Trip to Dominican Republic

What You Need to Know to Cancel a Trip to Dominican Republic

1 Comment

how to get a hotel room upgradeThe headlines about Americans dying under mysterious circumstances while on vacation in the Dominican Republic is prompting many cancellations of scheduled trips.

Tourism is down by more than 70% since the deaths became front page news.

Here’s what you need to know if you have reservations for an upcoming getaway to the DR, whether you’ve made arrangements yourself of through a travel agent.

According to a survey conducted by the American Society of Travel Advisors, nearly 60% of travel agents have canceled trips to the DR for U.S. clients since mid-June, and some large public events are being cancelled, too.

Entertainer Rick Springfield has canceled an upcoming concert in Punta Cana out of heath concerns.

how to score a free airline upgradeAirlines Waive Fees for Cancellations and Changes

Airlines are waiving fees for cancellations or route changes.

Delta is allowing travelers with tickets through mid-August to or from Punta Cana to change their flights without penalty. But there is some fine print:

You remain responsible for the difference between the original flight fee and booking to another date or destination, and rescheduled travel must be  on or before Nov. 20. with travel starting no later than that date.

If you cancel entirely, you have the option of putting the value toward a new ticket, which would need to start within a year of the original date of the original ticket issue.  Also, for cancellations, a change fee as well as the difference in fare would apply.

JetBlue is waiving fees for travelers to change or cancel flights. Those who cancel will not have to pay a cancellation fee and will get a credit for future trips.

American, United and Southwest told the Washington Post they are working with customers on a case-by-case basis, including issuing credit good for one year.

US Government Health Alerts

The US govnernment Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues traveler advisories for just about every country on the planet.

While the CDC is not reporting on the mysterious deaths of travelers in the DR, it is reporting incidences of rabies in in Punta Cana.

hotel cancellation policies

Hotel Cancellation Policies

Hotel cancellation policies vary widely.  Depending how far in advance you cancel, it could cost your deposit, a fee equal to one night’s stay, the full amount, or nothing at all.

This is what Hard Rock Punta Cana has on its website about cancellations:

Depends on your cancellation policy described in your confirmation letter. If your reservation was refundable or nonrefundable.

It also depends on whether it is an international chain such as Hilton or Marriott, and whether you are a member of their customer loyalty program.

national preparedness month_ecoxplorerTravel Insurance

Simply, never leave home without travel insurance.  Many tour operators require travel insurance, to protect them, and to protect you.

Depending on your policy, you can cancel a trip for any reason, including for personal safety fears.

Squaremouth, which compares travel insurance policies, reports a 24 percent increase in travelers insuring trips to the country since news of the deaths came out.

And 113 percent more travelers have bought upgrades that let them cancel a trip for any reason, spokeswoman Jenna Hummer told the Washington Post.

“Any reason” coverage allows you to get as much as 75 percent of their money back if you cancel, even without such typical refund triggers as  a terrorist attack or mandatory evacuation for an impending volcano or other serious weather event.

Read my article on travel insurance basics here on ecoXplorer.

bioluminescent bay puerto ricoAlternative Destinations

Travel & Leisure reports that while bookings for the Dominican Republic were stalling, bookings for other Caribbean islands increased. Bookings to Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Aruba are up 26.0 percent, 44.5 percent, and 31.3 percent respectively.

Discover Puerto Rico, the Island’s marketing organization, reports that tourism is the strongest it’s ever been, as the island rebounds from the devastation of Hurricane Maria. The Island has received 1.67M visitors across the San Juan, Ponce, and Aguadilla airports in the first four months of 2019, the highest number of airport arrivals in the January-April timeframe in the Island’s history.

In addition to multiple flights, which means competitive air fares, Puerto Rico does not require a US Passport to visit. 

One of my favorite spots in Puerto Rico is Bioluminsecent Bay, where you can glow like an angel while you snorkel with tiny algae that light up like fireflies, off Vieques.

It’s one of the few bioluminescent bays in the world, and an absolute “must do” for any ecoXplorer.

Thanks for visiting ecoXplorer. Stay up to date with the latest news about green travel, green cars, smart spending and frugal living by subscribing. It's free. RSS feed.
Welcome back to exoXplorer. Stay up to date with the latest news about green travel, green cars and smart spending by subscribing. It's free. RSS feed.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Posts:

  • 22 Things to Do in New York State This Spring
  • Caribbean Resort Update After Hurricane Irma
  • 24 Best Historic Golf Courses in USA
  • Covid Costs World Tourism Economy $4 Trillion
  • UNESCO Adds 23 Biosphere Eco Sites Around the World
  • What New Travel Restrictions to Cuba Mean

Filed Under: How To, Travel Tips Tagged With: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Travel Insurance

What do you think? We value your comments and love hearing from you.Cancel reply

Most Popular Recent Posts

  • Scam Alert: Kars4Kids Car Donation Charity
    Scam Alert: Kars4Kids Car Donation Charity
  • 2 Reasons to Avoid Jimmy John's
    2 Reasons to Avoid Jimmy John's
  • NYC Guide: Best Things to Do Through October 31
    NYC Guide: Best Things to Do Through October 31
  • Scam Alert: Mideast Peace Charities
    Scam Alert: Mideast Peace Charities
  • Where to Stream FREE Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur Services
    Where to Stream FREE Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur Services
  • Lamborghini Stretch Limousine for Rent
    Lamborghini Stretch Limousine for Rent
  • NYC Guide: Airport Transportation
    NYC Guide: Airport Transportation
  • Free Hotel Rooms for Cancer Patients & Caregivers
    Free Hotel Rooms for Cancer Patients & Caregivers
  • Fast Food Deals, New Menu Items Through November
    Fast Food Deals, New Menu Items Through November
  • Best 2023 Car Interiors Under $50,000
    Best 2023 Car Interiors Under $50,000

ecoXplorer is your guide to smart spending and eco-friendly living

ecoXplorer is published by Evelyn Kanter, a journalist with 20+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter and guidebook and smartphone app author – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.

Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA), and is a past Board Member of a prestigious professional group for travel journalists.

Evelyn Kanter is Editor of SeniorsSkiing, which focuses on the 50+ outdoor enthusiast.

Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com or evelyn@evelynkanter.com.

Search ecoXplorer by category

© 2010-2023 EcoXplorer by Evelyn Kanter. All articles and photos are protected by US (C) Copyright laws. Any unauthorized copying is strictly prohibited. Plus, it’s just not nice.

  • Home
  • About Evelyn Kanter
  • Evelyn Kanter’s Books & Apps
  • Evelyn Kanter In The News
  • Workshops
  • NYC Travel Guru

ecoXplorer.com is an independent information service which is compensated by advertisers and sponsors. This site includes some links to other websites which are compensated for by our sponsors when you click them.

 

Loading Comments...