Covid-19 (coronavirus) Updates - Liveaboard Cancellation Policy

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Dive and Cruise

Registered
Messages
33
Reaction score
13
Location
Worldwide
# of dives
5000 - ∞
Dear divers,

It's an unfortunate moment right now due to the coronavirus, countries across the globe are closing their borders, restricting travel and locking down cities. Across the world, as the number of cases steadily climbs and nations impose ever more stringent restrictions on movement. As divers, the past few weeks/months have been of much uncertainty and concern for all of us. Most divers planed liveaboard trips long time ahead, it's a pity that some of us may have to face some cancellation challenges.

As agents, we understand both liveaboard companies situation, as well as our clients. We all know that liveaboard compnaies need to cover costs and they have their own terms, conditions & policies. However, most of the trustable companies has took good actions for this special period, and provide special terms for rescheduling or cancellations. With some great examples aside, there are of course some stingy ones that seems only care how much money will be keeping in their pockets.

Everyone should understand that anyone choosing not to travel due to fear of the outbreak is subject to normal cancellation terms. (if the liveaboard companies do not have any special cancellation terms due to the Covid-19).

To help you and others to have a clear view on liveaboard cancellations during this special coronavirus period, we are publishing some news we received from different partners. I hope the following updates could help you.

We will try to keep this post updated every 24hrs, to give everyone the latest update.
If you ever received any updates about Liveaboard Cancellation Policy during the Covid-19 period, please drop your updates here for others too!

DiveAssure
Official Announcement : You would need to have purchased your DiveAssure travel plan prior to January 24, 2020, to be eligible for Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption due to COVID-19. Additionally, coverage must have been purchased 30 days prior to a travel warning being issued. Any claim arising from Corona virus may not be covered if the policy was purchased or the trip was arranged on or after January 24, 2020. Members are not eligible for Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption coverage if the purchase date of their plan is January 24, 2020 or later.

:scubadiver::scubadiver::scubadiver::scubadiver::scubadiver:

Worldwide

Aggressor Fleet

Official Announcement : If your adventure is delayed by the travel restrictions or consider yourself elderly or have health issues and are scheduled to travel from March 16th through April 11th, we are offering a travel voucher to return back to that destination, no questions asked, for up to one year. Just get with your travel agent, dive shop or our Adventure Planner to request your voucher. We will update this timeline if the restrictions are not lifted by then.

Blue O Two (Master Fleet, Siren Fleet, WWDAS)
Official Announcement : If your country of residence releases governmental restrictions banning travel to your final holiday destination, If your final destination country releases governmental restrictions banning visitors from your country of residence from entering the country, We will then be happy to honour all monies paid and move your booking to a later date. If you have made a package booking with us including flights, we will contact you to discuss alternative travel options. If you have arranged your own flights, you will need to rearrange your travel to meet the liveaboard and notify us of the new details. If any of our upcoming guests are diagnosed with a confirmed case of Covid-19, we ask that you contact us as soon as possible with medical evidence from your doctor, We will then be happy to honour all monies paid and move your booking to a later date.

Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet
Official Announcement : Most of our scheduled departures are running on schedule. If you are scheduled to travel with an Explorer Ventures Fleet vessel through the end of April 2020, you'll be receiving an email from us with the details. For those traveling from May onwards, we ask for your patience. It’s simply too early to tell what the situation will be, but our goal remains to show you the best dive vacation you’ve had, as quickly as we can!

Emperor Fleet
Official Announcement : If travel restrictions are implemented by your local, Egyptian, Maldivian or Indonesian governments due to COVID 19 (Corona virus) causing you to be unable to travel then the following will apply: 1.Any new booking that is made for travel between 10 March and 30 April is affected you will be allowed to cancel and get a full refund; 2. Any new booking that is made for travel between 01 May and 30 June is affected you will be allowed to cancel or be rebooked free of charge up to 14 days before arrival.

Dune Fleet
Official Announcement :
For all new bookings during 10th March 2020 - 31st October 2020 :
0% will be charged if you cancel more than 45 days before your trip
50% will be charged if you cancel between 44 and 31 days prior to arrival
100% will be charged if you cancel 30 days or less before your trip
For all current bookings already made :
• For those unable to travel due to Indonesian government bans, we will offer the chance to reschedule to a future Dune Aurora Cruise, valid for 12 months from original trip date, non-transferable, not to be combined with another offer, subject to availability. (New trip price must be less than or equal to original trip booking. If the new trip is of greater value the balance must be collected in full at the time of rescheduling)
• This offer is applicable for those who have made at least one deposit payment.
• Anyone choosing not to travel due to fear of the outbreak is subject to normal cancellation terms.

Solitude Liveaboards & Resorts
Official Announcement : Bookings that were made directly with us, you will be contacted by our reservations team and for bookings that are made through a booking agent, we will be contacting you through your booking agent. We like to thank you for your patience and understanding that we are doing our due diligence prior to making any recourse options.

Mexico

Nautilus Liveaboards
Official Announcement : We ask that any divers scheduled to join one of our trips that have recently travelled to affected regions and are experiencing any flu-like symptoms, to please contact us. If travel is not advised, we will waive any cancellation fees and rebook you onto a later trip without charge.

The Pelagic Fleet (Solmar V & Socorro Vortex)
Official Announcement : If any of our divers are scheduled to join one of our trips have recently travelled to affected regions and are experiencing any type of flu-like symptoms, please contact us immediately. If travel is not advised, we will waive any cancellation fees and rebook you onto any available future trip without charge.

Rocio Del Mar & Quino El Guardian Liveaboard
Official Announcement : Should you arrive at the boat with a cough, fever, or flu-like symptoms, you may be denied boarding for the health and safety of the other passengers and crew. We will be happy to provide you documentation for your travel insurance provider. Should you not have travel insurance and we deny you boarding, we will provide you with the opportunity to return on another trip in the next twelve months.

Philippines

Discovery Fleet
Official Announcement : If you inform us that you will be cancelling your reservation 60 days or more before your scheduled departure for Tubbataha, we will give you a credit note for the trip at 100% value (dive package only); If you inform us 31 days to 59 days before your scheduled trip, we will give you 50% credit note of your dive package; If you inform us 30 days or less before the scheduled trip, this will be considered a no show and any payments will be forfeited. Credit notes or trip credit can be applied to any trip after the travel ban is lifted, it can also be transferred to another person. Credit notes will be honored for 1 year after the travel restrictions are lifted. (Only suitable for some country's residents)

Atlantis Dive Resorts and Liveaboards
Official Announcement : As the Philippine government closed the Philippines several days ago and introduced a myriad of internal travel restrictions as well. We will rescheduling reservations affected by the closure. If you have questions on how this affects your future reservation please contact your travel professional or an Atlantis representative. Atlantis is committed to doing everything we can to assist our extended family during this trying period.


The list here is not finished yet. We will keep trying update for latest informations and more partners.

Stay Safe so you can Dive Safe!!
 
Dear divers,

It's an unfortunate moment right now due to the coronavirus, countries across the globe are closing their borders, restricting travel and locking down cities. Across the world, as the number of cases steadily climbs and nations impose ever more stringent restrictions on movement. As divers, the past few weeks/months have been of much uncertainty and concern for all of us. Most divers planed liveaboard trips long time ahead, it's a pity that some of us may have to face some cancellation challenges.

We received update from DiveAssure Insurance informing that DiveAssure is no longer covering cancellation for all "newly issued Dive&Travel Policies" due to COVID19 that is affecting the destination or origin or transiting ports. So, please do contact DiveAssure to verify if your insurance is "newly purchased" or not, as there is no specific timeline.

As agents, we understand both liveaboard companies situation, as well as our clients. We all know that liveaboard compnaies need to cover costs and they have their own terms, conditions & policies. However, most of the trustable companies has took good actions for this special period, and provide special terms for rescheduling or cancellations. With some great examples aside, there are of course some stingy ones that seems only care how much money will be keeping in their pockets.

Everyone should understand that anyone choosing not to travel due to fear of the outbreak is subject to normal cancellation terms (if the liveaboard companies do not have any special cancellation terms due to the Covid-19).

To help you and others to have a clear view on liveaboard cancellations during this special coronavirus period, we are publishing some news we received from different partners. I hope the following updates could help you.


Aggressor Fleet :
Unfortunately, they provided answers as "We do not screenshot for the coronavirus. We leave this up to the airlines, customs, and governmental officials. We cannot honor the request to move trip to a later date. Management is standing firm on cancellation policies." Even if we told them that we have groups coming from Wuhan city. Even if we told them that due to the travel bans, our clients can not be able to reach the destinations. Their reply stay the same.

Blue O Two (includes Master Fleet, Siren Fleet)
At the moment, we didn't receive any official announcement yet. However, we did reached out to them for our clients. And their answer is "We will review it again closer to the departure date (our clients trip is in June 2020 - Individual Bookings), and if the travel bans still continues, of course we would allow the guests to move the trips to another date".

Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet
Official Announcement : Most of our scheduled departures are running on schedule. If you are scheduled to travel with an Explorer Ventures Fleet vessel through the end of April 2020, you'll be receiving an email from us with the details. For those traveling from May onwards, we ask for your patience. It’s simply too early to tell what the situation will be, but our goal remains to show you the best dive vacation you’ve had, as quickly as we can!

Emperor Fleet
Official Announcement : We decided to temporarily amend our cancellation conditions. For all new bookings, the following applies with immediate effect: If travel restrictions are implemented by your local, Egyptian, Maldivian or Indonesian governments due to COVID 19 (Corona virus) causing you to be unable to travel then the following will apply: 1.Any new booking that is made for travel between 10 March and 30 April is affected you will be allowed to cancel and get a full refund; 2. Any new booking that is made for travel between 01 May and 30 June is affected you will be allowed to cancel or be rebooked free of charge up to 14 days before arrival.

Nautilus Liveaboards (Mexico)
Official Announcement : We ask that any divers scheduled to join one of our trips that have recently travelled to affected regions in China and are experiencing any flu-like symptoms, to please contact us. If travel is not advised, we will waive any cancellation fees and rebook you onto a later trip without charge.

Dune Fleet
Official Announcement :
For all new bookings during 10th March 2020 - 31st October 2020 :
0% will be charged if you cancel more than 45 days before your trip
50% will be charged if you cancel between 44 and 31 days prior to arrival
100% will be charged if you cancel 30 days or less before your trip
For all current bookings already made :
• For those unable to travel due to Indonesian government bans, we will offer the chance to reschedule to a future Dune Aurora Cruise, valid for 12 months from original trip date, non-transferable, not to be combined with another offer, subject to availability. (New trip price must be less than or equal to original trip booking. If the new trip is of greater value the balance must be collected in full at the time of rescheduling)
• This offer is applicable for those who have made at least one deposit payment.
• Anyone choosing not to travel due to fear of the outbreak is subject to normal cancellation terms.

The Pelagic Fleet (Solmar V & Socorro Vortex)
Official Announcement : If any of our divers are scheduled to join one of our trips have recently travelled to affected regions and are experiencing any type of flu-like symptoms, please contact us immediately. If travel is not advised, we will waive any cancellation fees and rebook you onto any available future trip without charge.

Rocio Del Mar & Quino el Guardian Liveaboard
Official Announcement : We are closely monitoring travel and cleaning recommendations by the World Health Organization as well as staying in contact with other dive and travel agencies and practices. Should you arrive at the boat with a cough, fever, or flu-like symptoms, you may be denied boarding for the health and safety of the other passengers and crew. We will be happy to provide you documentation for your travel insurance provider. Should you not have travel insurance and we deny you boarding, we will provide you with the opportunity to return on another trip in the next twelve months.

Discovery Fleet (Philippines)
Official Announcement : If you inform us that you will be cancelling your reservation 60 days or more before your scheduled departure for Tubbataha, we will give you a credit note for the trip at 100% value (dive package only); If you inform us 31 days to 59 days before your scheduled trip, we will give you 50% credit note of your dive package; If you inform us 30 days or less before the scheduled trip, this will be considered a no show and any payments will be forfeited. Credit notes or trip credit can be applied to any trip after the travel ban is lifted, it can also be transferred to another person. Credit notes will be honored for 1 year after the travel restrictions are lifted. (Only suitable for some country's residents)

Solitude Liveaboards & Resorts
Official Announcement : Bookings that were made directly with us, you will be contacted by our reservations team and for bookings that are made through a booking agent, we will be contacting you through your booking agent. The pandemic may have created the current restrictions on travel but it is also understandable and necessary to contain the spread, an outcome that is causing anxiety over your paid holidays and we are fully aware of that anxiety and empathise with you. We like to thank you for your patience and understanding that we are doing our due diligence prior to making any recourse options.

The list here is not finished yet. We will keep trying update for latest informations and more partners.
If you ever received any updates about Liveaboard Cancellation Policy during the Covid-19 period, please drop your updates here for others too!

Stay Safe!!
Thanks - yet another reason to avoid the Agressor Fleet!
 
Thanks - yet another reason to avoid the Agressor Fleet!

I don’t like to bash any business, but the contrast between their statement and the others’ is stark.
 
err. cross posting, sorry for confusion. From aggressor home page:

If your adventure is delayed by the travel restrictions or consider yourself elderly or have health issues and are scheduled to travel from March 16th through April 11th, we are offering a travel voucher to return back to that destination, no questions asked, for up to one year. Just get with your travel agent, dive shop or our Adventure Planner to request your voucher. We will update this timeline if the restrictions are not lifted by then.

https://www.aggressor.com/pages/special-message
 
err. cross posting, sorry for confusion. From aggressor home page:

If your adventure is delayed by the travel restrictions or consider yourself elderly or have health issues and are scheduled to travel from March 16th through April 11th, we are offering a travel voucher to return back to that destination, no questions asked, for up to one year. Just get with your travel agent, dive shop or our Adventure Planner to request your voucher. We will update this timeline if the restrictions are not lifted by then.

https://www.aggressor.com/pages/special-message
That’s more reasonable - thanks for posting!
 
@Dive and Cruise , consider updating your post with Aggressor’s now-official announcement.
 
Perfect! I just saw this page too! Thank god Aggressor finally took actions!!! We will update the post! Thanks
 
Perfect! I just saw this page too! Thank god Aggressor finally took actions!!! We will update the post! Thanks
Thanks for keeping us updated. The flow of information from some LOBs has not been good so posts like yours are a real service to the dive community.
 

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