How to Travel During the Coronavirus Outbreak
We’ve had a lot of clients concerned about the rising number of people affected with the Coronavirus this week, especially in Italy. Here’s what we learned:
The tour operators we work with around the world are exceptional. We had one couple arrive in Rome yesterday and were worried about traveling north to Florence to visit their granddaughter. We changed the lodging from Florence to Rome at a slight additional cost. From Rome, the couple are headed to Sicily, where so far, there has been only one reported case. So we can be flexible with the itinerary, depending on the location.
Airplanes will offer travel waivers if you wait long enough, instead of having to pay a change fee. This has already happened in Hong Kong, Seoul, and hopefully in Milan soon. Just this morning, JetBlue reported waiving the change fee on all flights booked for the next 4 months. But realize that JetBlue is primarily a domestic and Caribbean carrier, which hasn’t been hit hard by the virus yet.
Travel insurance does not cover Coronavirus unless you opt for the prohibitively expensive Cancel for Any Reason policy, which is often half the amount of the trip. Even after paying this exorbitant amount, they will only reimburse up to 75% of the trip, and in some states like New York, this policy can’t even be issued. We’re still firm believers in acquiring travel insurance to cover other aspects of your vacation, but we’re not big fans of the Cancel for Any Reason policy. Far more important is the cancellation policy offered by the tour operators, cruise lines, and outfitters we work with around the globe. They all have cut-off dates that you can cancel without penalty.
Book refundable lodging. If you have to cancel, you’re not penalized. This goes out to all you AirBnB lovers, which is often nonrefundable.
Don’t get caught up in the mass hysteria. Media is making this out to be the plague, but is it? Look at the numbers and it seems like the Coronavirus is less dangerous than the flu. That said, those who are elderly or have pre-existing medical conditions are the ones succumbing to the virus, so take extra special caution if you fit into that category. If you don’t fall into that category, this will be a good time to travel. You’ll have the rare opportunity to see Italy without the massive crowds. Not to mention you’re supporting a country that relies heavily on the tourism dollar and they’ll be incredibly grateful that you arrived on their shores. It reminds me of the time I went to Nairobi within a month of the mall bombing. Everyone was telling me not to go, only to have the Masai Mara and those lions and leopards to myself. One of my most memorable trips!
Maine will celebrate its 200th birthday in 2020 and there’s no better place to enjoy the festivities than on the mid-Maine coast in Rockland on July 3rd for the 
With Leap Day about to approach, hotels are coming up with fun deals. At Burlington’s 
Lisa and I spent time at the Boston Travel Show talking to Scott and Thistle Cone, owners of Discovery Bicycle Tours. My brother, Jim, and I biked with them in central Vermont when the outfitter was known as Bike Vermont. Still based in Woodstock, Vermont, but under new ownership, the company has expanded to Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia at a price point less than Backroads, more comparable with VBT. Groups are small, on average between 8 to 15 guests. We like their 
Just a friendly reminder to please remember to get your REAL ID as soon as you can. Americans will not be able to fly without a passport or REAL ID after 10/1/20, even on domestic flights. Lines will get longer and longer to acquire the REAL ID as we get closer to that 10/1 date. AAA members can head to their local office instead of heading to the RMV. Please remember to bring along the proper documents as 
Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches
Iceland has become increasingly popular in winter as more and more travelers try to check the Northern Lights off their wish list. While it’s certainly not a guarantee, you have a good bet to see the Aurora Borealis in the clear Iceland night sky. And you can’t beat the flight, 5 hours direct from the East Coast. We work with 
Head to Chile on December 14, 2020, and you’ll get to witness a total solar eclipse. Backroads is taking advantage of this opportunity to offer a special 
Starting May 8th, 
We receive, on average, 500-plus press releases a day telling us about all the new hotel openings, adventures, tours, cruise ships, art exhibitions, and much, much more in the world of travel. That’s in addition to all the travel publications that arrive via snail mail. Believe it or not, we actually skim every one of those emails and magazines to see if anything excites us. If it meets our discerning eye, we pass it on to you. Every January, we highlight