Should You Cancel Your Honeymoon Due To Coronavirus? Here’s Everything You Need To Know

With over 94,000 people infected and at least 3,280 killed, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread panic across the globe. Thirty cases have been confirmed within India, including the three, who have recovered. Amidst the outbreak, the worst hit is the travel industry. Travellers are panicking as they wonder what this outbreak means when it comes to their personal safety. Well, can you blame them? There are lots of honeymooners too, who are now left in the lurch. ‘To go or not to go for your honeymoon’ is the question. While you might be going crazy with all the ‘whats’, ‘hows’, ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, we are trying our best to address all your concerns. 

The Current Situation

With the number of infected cases increasing every day, the situation is pretty scary. While the medical authorities around the globe are trying to bring the situation under control, we don’t have any vaccine available yet. The biggest problem with this virus is that we do not have much information about how exactly it spreads. What we know is that it mostly spreads through person-to-person contact within a 2-metre radius. Coronavirus has an incubation period of 14 days after which it actually starts to show the symptoms. Therefore, it’s better to maintain a safe distance from others and keep washing your hands at regular intervals.

Honeymoon Diaries – To Travel Or Not

TBH, we strongly recommend you to postpone your honeymoon! Considering the situation, postponing it, especially if you haven’t made the bookings, is definitely the way to go. But if you’ve made the bookings already, it depends on where you’re travelling. If you’ve planned your honeymoon to any of the countries that have a travel advisory against them, it’s advisable to cancel. It’s best to avoid a cruise too in such a situation.

If you are planning to make your bookings now, we recommend booking fully refundable air tickets and hotels so that you can save your losses. Don’t forget to get travel insurance too. 

Destinations To Avoid

Honestly, there is a long list of places that you should totally avoid travelling to. This might be disheartening but trust us, prevention is better than cure.

There are four levels of advisory listed by the US State Department website: 

Level 1: Blue: Exercise normal precautions

Level 2: Yellow: Exercise increased precautions

Level 3: Orange: Reconsider travel

Level 4: Red: Do not travel 

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Here are the countries that have Level 3 and Level 4 advisories against them, and you should definitely avoid them: 

• China 
• Iran
• Italy
• Mongolia 
• South Korea
• Japan
• Hong Kong 

Other countries with confirmed cases of Coronavirus are: 

• Finland 
• Denmark
• France
• Switzerland
• Dubai 
• Bahrain
• Qatar
• Jordan 
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Australia
• New Zealand
• UK
• US
• Indonesia
• Vietnam
• Malaysia 

The Financial Losses

Well, we hate to say this, but if you’ve already made your bookings, there is a possibility that you might have to incur some loss at your hands. 

• If you booked your trip through a travel agent, they might be able to shift the whole trip to some other date with minimal monetary loss. If they aren’t willing to refund, you can also take a credit and plan another vacation later this year. 
• Did you get travel insurance? Well, if you did, then there is a teeny tiny possibility that you will be able to claim a refund. You will have to take this up with your insurance agent.
• Usually, one should consider the money gone if they didn’t book a refundable air ticket. However, several airlines like KLM, Air France and Lufthansa are offering full refunds to the customers due to the outbreak. Many hotel chains like Hyatt, Hilton & Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts are refunding the money too. So check with your airlines and hotel regarding the refund. 

Destinations You Can Still Consider

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If you still want to go for your honeymoon, there are a few destinations that you can still consider. 

• Maldives
• Kenya
• Mauritius
• Seychelles 
• South Africa
• Myanmar
• Botswana 

Precautions To Take While You’re Travelling

If you do plan to travel, here are some coronavirus precautions to keep yourself safe. 

• Wash your hands as often as possible. 
• Do not touch your eyes, mouth or nose without washing your hands.
• Prefer to use bottled water. 
• Don’t spread rumours to avoid panic. 
• Keep a safe distance from people who have a cold or cough. 
• Cover your nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing. 
• Carry your own towels, so you don’t have to share. 
• See a doctor if you feel any of the symptoms of the virus. 
• Wear N95 masks.

We hope this helps. Stay safe, guys!

Featured Image: Instagram: Ramit Batra Photography