ABD cancelled our trip, What are my real options???

I definitely think ABD should refund your deposit if you can't find a suitable replacement. I hate that they "hold" it for you for another trip. What if you don't want to go on another trip with them? They cancelled the trip, they should refund you in full.
As Rapunzellover said, they definitely will get a refund if they decide to completely cancel. ABD is pretty much obligated to do this, since *they* cancelled the trip. They can't refuse to provide something that was purchased and not give a refund. They only hold you deposit if *you* cancel the trip.

Sayhello
 
Can you share Carpenta? some names?
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As Calfan and AquamarineSteph have posted there are a number of other companies. We have traveled with Tauck Bridges as well as National Geographic Family and I cannot recommend both enough. Wonderful trips as well as sometimes better hotels and itineraries than ABD. Branch out especially when you were treated so poorly in a business aspect.
 
This situation is super frustrating and i am sorry it happened. Several people have said you can get your airfare fees back only if you booked with ABD. That is not what the contract says. It says that if your trip is cancelled by ABD for low numbers they will compensate you for airline fees you incur within reason. It's not restricted to fares purchased through ABD.

So if none of the other ABDs work for you, I would tell them that and firmly demand a refund of all out of pocket expenses.

ETA: Here is the relevant language from the ABD contract (aka legally enforceable agreement governing your rights and ABD's obligation). My understanding from the OP's post is that ABD is not able to re-book him on the same trip, so the alternative of refund including airfare cancellation fees is available to him. It doesn't matter whether he has insurance, credit card coverage, etc. It is ABD's obligation to fix this.

"We and tour operator reserve the right to cancel a trip at any time prior to its commencement for any reason, including if there are too few Guests, or the quality of the trip or the safety of the Guests would, in our opinion, be compromised, such as may result from unforeseen circumstances (acts of God) or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control. If we cancel your trip prior to its commencement because there are too few Guests: (i) we will attempt to re-book you on another departure of the same itinerary, subject to availability, and we will bear any reasonable airline re-booking charges; however, if we are unable to rebook you, we will issue a full refund of your vacation package price and Plan (unless you have filed a claim); and (ii) if you booked airfare through us, we will issue a full refund of your airfare; and (iii) if you did not book airfare through us, we will reimburse you for your reasonable out-of-pocket (subject to proof) airline cancellation charges or, in the case of bookings using frequent flier miles, a reasonable cancellation service fee, provided you have exercised best efforts to mitigate such charges/fees; and (iv) the aforesaid payments and/or rebooking by us shall constitute a full settlement."
 
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If they cancelled your trip and you are out monies, I feel they should cover and make you whole. Including covering costs on airfare for your ABD that you booked.

Did you have trip insurance?
 
Another idea if you booked airfare on your own, outside of ABD, is to see if your credit card has automatic travel insurance. Many do these days. If that's the case, you may be able to book a refund through them. I am so sorry this happened to you.

I have also not been thrilled with the booking process and lack of information regarding our Iceland trip. I'm sure the trip itself will be great, but compared to our trip booking experience with Backroads, it's fallen far short.
 
If I were you, I would go to Washington DC on my own, and book a good local guide. It sounds like there should be some really good ones who should be free.
 


If they cancelled your trip and you are out monies, I feel they should cover and make you whole. Including covering costs on airfare for your ABD that you booked.

Did you have trip insurance?
Most trip insurance will not cover cancellation of your trip by the provider, because they *do* expect the provider to make you whole.

It would be different for *default* of the provider, ie, if they went out of business. But ABD obviously doesn't fall into that category.

Sayhello
 
Most trip insurance will not cover cancellation of your trip by the provider, because they *do* expect the provider to make you whole.

It would be different for *default* of the provider, ie, if they went out of business. But ABD obviously doesn't fall into that category.

Sayhello
It would cover the airfare. Just the same as if you were to cancel the trip. Yet turn the page and the operator cancel it. Depends on the insurance.

Yet. It does not sound as if they are working with the airfare as Disney should.
 
Hi All,

I have been off the DIS Grid for a while, and now I need some advice. Last Week, ABD called a wrong number to tell us our July Philadelphia/Washington adventure. We booked it almost a year ago.

I called them 2 days ago to make my final payment, which they gladly accepted.

Yesterday, I got an email saying that I needed to call them, I was then told that my adventure has been cancelled.

Because of work, I need to plan my vacations a year out. ABD will absorb some fees if I book another ABD. In my timeframe, they have 5 possibilities: 1. NYC Long weekend, all about Frozen (13 YO DS will not allow that to happen). There is a California ABD, but we are going on a DVC Member cruise right after that, so logistically it won’t work… then there is that whole mirror breaking thing with behind the scenes tour. The last three are all in Europe; they are all an upcharge of over $10,000 plus airfare. We are also at a point where Air and ABD is a lot more expensive than when I booked, and flights to Europe are a lot more expensive as well…

Emotionally, we have been putting this off until DD had a school unit on the government, DW was in tears... She had been planning this for over 3 years as our first ABD; Now she says she will never go on one. I am looking at rates and they are all way up. I don’t think ABD will actually do anything for us… I think it will also be a slow process to get our refund… DS is sad and a little shocked.

So, if I might ask of the community… What are my options?

:badpc: OhanaFamily...
PS, does the DIS still have a travel Agency and how do I get in touch with them?
Get your refund and, following the ABD itinerary, plan your own trip to DC for the same dates. Stay in a great hotel. Use public transportation and taxis, sign up for tours, see the sights, and most likely you’ll save half the cost.
 
I'm not Carpenta, but look at National Geographic Adventures or Expeditions (they have family trips), Austin Adventures (family trips), Thomson Family Adventures, Natural Habitat (although pricier than ABD). We have traveled with both Austin Adventures (Winter Yellowstone Family Adventure) and Thomson (Wonders of China). We're doing the Peru Family trip with Nat Geo this summer.
Nice. Thanks!
 
It would cover the airfare. Just the same as if you were to cancel the trip. Yet turn the page and the operator cancel it. Depends on the insurance.
Not unless you have cancel for any reason coverage, which most policies don't have unless you pay a lot extra. Look at the policy. Most policies do NOT cover cancellation by the provider.

Sayhello
 
We had insurance BUT the insurance said our out of pocket air fare charges is one of the items not covered(of course). SO, we were out $600.00 change fees when ABD cancels our trip with 60 days to go WITH OUT NO REAL EXPLANATION! Never got any reason even though it was 36 people full. You take a big gamble if you book outside ABD is the lesson learned so "fore warned is fore armed".
 
Several people have said you can get your airfare fees back only if you booked with ABD. That is not what the contract says. It says that if your trip is cancelled by ABD for low numbers they will compensate you for airline fees you incur within reason. It's not restricted to fares purchased through ABD.

This is not entirely correct:

1. Fees within reason will be covered, if you rebook after cancellation. This applies to all air, not just ABD purchased.

2. Not rebooking is where you'll get screwed. If you do not rebook, and say, change companies for another trip, then ABD will not be responsible for change fees unless you booked through them.

3. If you decide to just forget everything and not do a trip at all, at any time, you WILL NOT get your air money back unless you booked through ABD. They will not refund you money that you never gave them.

This is what I was told was the air policy when my Germany trip was cancelled and I switched to Scotland.
 
This is not entirely correct:

1. Fees within reason will be covered, if you rebook after cancellation. This applies to all air, not just ABD purchased.

2. Not rebooking is where you'll get screwed. If you do not rebook, and say, change companies for another trip, then ABD will not be responsible for change fees unless you booked through them.

3. If you decide to just forget everything and not do a trip at all, at any time, you WILL NOT get your air money back unless you booked through ABD. They will not refund you money that you never gave them.

This is what I was told was the air policy when my Germany trip was cancelled and I switched to Scotland.

".........and THIS is why we search out other vendors........
 
".........and THIS is why we search out other vendors........

Um... Not sure about #1 and 2, but no vendor is going to give you #3. No company is going to refund you money you did not pay them. Period. This is why these companies offer their own air. ABD warns you, so you know the risks. Also, insurance for most other vendors is better.
 
It says very clearly in the contract that if ABD cannot rebook you on the same itinerary, then you are entitled to a refund of your airfare cancellation fees. My understanding is that the OP cannot rebook the same trip, so refund of fees is available.

If ABD isn't honoring the terms of its own contract, then it's opening itself up to legal issues. There's actually another tour operator currently facing a class action suit for not handling cancellations correctly.
 
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The money we spent was in reference to ABD trip. We must schedule our. Vacations 1 1/2 years in advance. Just because ABD says they can book us on another trip does not mean we have the ability to conform to their schedule. They broke the promise and should reimburse expenses.
 
It says very clearly in the contract that if ABD cannot rebook you on the same itinerary, then you are entitled to a refund of your airfare cancellation fees. My understanding is that the OP cannot rebook the same trip, so refund of fees is available.

If ABD isn't honoring the terms of its own contract, then it's opening itself up to legal issues. There's actually another tour operator currently facing a class action suit for not handling cancellations correctly.

It says very clearly? Nope. It says nothing of the sort. It says it will cover "reasonable" cancelation fees. Not the same as a complete refund, and reasonable is quite up to debate. It also says that they will attempt to rebook and that the reimbursement is if they cannot rebook you. It says nothing about if they can rebook but you choose not to be rebooked.

Example. ABD cancels. Air isn't through them. I say, "screw it. No trip." What can ABD do to get me my air fare back? Nothing. They are not attached to the reservation.
Another example: ABD cancels. Air isn't through them. You say, "Screw it, I'll use Tauck." ABD says, "okay, you are choosing to keep your air, as far as we know, so we don't have to cover your change fees when you rebook with Tauck." And of course that's the only thing they can do because until you book with Tauck you aren't changing your air. And naturally, since you moved on to another vendor when ABD could have rebooked or reserved (for next year) your trip, ABD isn't to blame for you incurring those change fees. You could have avoided them by rebooking with ABD or reserving for next year.

Look, this sucks, but I have yet to see that any other vendor would handle a cancelation differently. Sure, some have better insurance policies, and a lot of other vendors simply don't cancel, but still....

And which vendor is getting a class action suit? And what did they do wrong with cancelations? Cause I'm sure it wasn't this.
 
This is one of my biggest issues with ABD these days, along with group size, i.e., the lack of guaranteed departures when a stated minimum number of guests have booked a particular departure. We almost never pay for our air. We use airline miles to help make an already expensive trip more affordable, so we would never book our air through ABD. With miles, there is a fee that airlines charge to get the miles redeposited into your account, so all of the miles used aren't at risk, but it would still leave a really bad taste in my mouth to have to pay even $150 or $200 a person to get my miles back. So much easier to deal with the air and the risk of cancellation with companies that tell you well ahead of time that your departure is a go based on a minimum number booked (and some, like Thomson, guarantee from the first booking) so you can go ahead and book air.
 

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