freedc
Contributor
Hi friends,
Is there a typical way that dive resorts handle last minute cancellations due to justified medical reasons?
The day before my flight to the Philippines I had an upsetting visit with the doctor where they said I was not medically cleared to fly, so I had to cancel my flight. (I had an ear infection a couple weeks ago and I thought I was out of the woods, but they found hearing loss and wanted to treat it aggressively).
Next came the awful process of trying to deal with logistics of a last-minute cancellation. After much time on the phone and online, the airline granted a medical exception and is refunding me my airfare. My work-arranged ground transport is supposedly going to be credited back and my work-related hotel stay was cancelled without charges.
The dive resort, however, would not give a refund even with the doctor's letter and the fact that I canceled less than 24 hours after making the reservation. (I reserved two nights before I was to leave because it was low season and I didn't anticipate being grounded).
The best they offered was a credit good for up to a year and the right to transfer it to a friend or family member. I don't see any feasible way for me to get back to Philippines so I guess I have to find someone else to recover the ~$500.
Is this the norm, to not offer a refund in a justified medical situation? The package was clearly listed as nonrefundable, and I made and canceled the reservation very close to the check-in date (about 5 days), so they don't *have* to issue a refund. I sympathize with owners trying not to lose money, but this one room I reserved was off the market for less than a day and it was the low season with probably most rooms available, so I don't think they missed out on any bookings. I just came here to see if this is normal customer service.
Thanks
Is there a typical way that dive resorts handle last minute cancellations due to justified medical reasons?
The day before my flight to the Philippines I had an upsetting visit with the doctor where they said I was not medically cleared to fly, so I had to cancel my flight. (I had an ear infection a couple weeks ago and I thought I was out of the woods, but they found hearing loss and wanted to treat it aggressively).
Next came the awful process of trying to deal with logistics of a last-minute cancellation. After much time on the phone and online, the airline granted a medical exception and is refunding me my airfare. My work-arranged ground transport is supposedly going to be credited back and my work-related hotel stay was cancelled without charges.
The dive resort, however, would not give a refund even with the doctor's letter and the fact that I canceled less than 24 hours after making the reservation. (I reserved two nights before I was to leave because it was low season and I didn't anticipate being grounded).
The best they offered was a credit good for up to a year and the right to transfer it to a friend or family member. I don't see any feasible way for me to get back to Philippines so I guess I have to find someone else to recover the ~$500.
Is this the norm, to not offer a refund in a justified medical situation? The package was clearly listed as nonrefundable, and I made and canceled the reservation very close to the check-in date (about 5 days), so they don't *have* to issue a refund. I sympathize with owners trying not to lose money, but this one room I reserved was off the market for less than a day and it was the low season with probably most rooms available, so I don't think they missed out on any bookings. I just came here to see if this is normal customer service.
Thanks