Taking a One Day Trip? Don’t Book Anything Non-Refundable!
You know that boat cruise I had decided at the last minute (4 hours before my flight was cancelled) to book for my day in Alaska? The one I was so proud about packing sensibly for?
You guessed it! It was non-refundable. Well, it was partially refundable, but the price of having secured a seat for 4 hours before needing to cancel was 30% of the original price. Ouch. I should have waited til I made it to my second connection to call and book.
It turns out they were willing to reassign my ticket to another date in the future. (Guess what Jeanne — we’re taking a glacier cruise on our mileage run next month) But that wasn’t how I’d originally wanted to spend that visit.
And I knew better than to make a non-refundable reservation, especially when it came to Alaska. I’d booked my bus tour through Denali for two days after I was supposed to land, which was a good choice since the flight out was cancelled and I didn’t arrive til the next day. On my last one day trip out there I waited to book my flightseeing tour over Mt McKinley til the morning of.
Whenever possible I try to book on points or rates that allow cancellations up until the afternoon of check in. I even waited to book my spa appointments for the first day in Bangkok until I was in the Hong Kong lounge a few hours from boarding my flight.
Does not booking in advance mean you might miss out on something cool during a short trip? Yes. But it also means you won’t be out a bunch of money if your travel plans get delayed.
It all comes down to how risk adverse you are.
What bothers you more? Not getting to have a cool experience or potentially losing your investment?
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Heels First is the travels and tribulations of two twenty-something frequent fliers jumping into the world of travel. Join Keri and Jeanne as they tackle mileage runs, elite status, and of course–the perfect travel accessories.
Whelp, looks like I’m going on a glacier cruise!
Keri, I feel for you! I know the feeling you had. And a mere “ouch” doesn’t cut it. You know, I’ve never been to Alaska as I am a lover of all things Asian! Thank you for this post and if you ever want to get out of the cold and into the hot, humid and extreme heat of Asia, why not try TravelRepublic.co.uk. they will probably give you an experience unlike what you’ve had. Thanks again, Keri!
Great tip! I’ve booked a one-day trip to Glasgow via Travel Republic. Your experience made me contact TR again if they offer refunds. Thank you. P.S. Your glacier cruise is awesome.
I love Scotland though it’s been at least 5 years since I’ve been there. Hope you have an amazing (and uneventful) trip!