G Adventures, the popular tour operator specializing in adventure travel, announced Friday night it is suspending all tours effective Monday, March 16, and running through April 30, due to the worldwide spread of the coronavirus now known as COVID-19.
In addition, Tauck has made the same decision, halting tours and cruises between March 17 and April 14.
"G Adventures has taken the difficult but necessary decision to suspend all tours departing between 16 March and 30 April 2020," the company said in a statement. "The safety and security of our travelers and staff is our top priority and this is a precautionary measure to protect our people at this time."
G Adventures has established itself in this travel niche, offering tours ranging from the Galapagos Islands to the ancient cities of Peru and the Andes Mountains.
Any traveler already booked on a tour between March 16 and April 30 will be eligible for a 110 percent travel credit of all land services, including pre- or post-nights and transfers, which can be used on any tour departing within the next two years. G Adventures will be proactively notifying all travelers regarding their tour suspension and are advising travelers with flight bookings to contact their insurance and air provider directly for details on refunds or relaxed cancellations policies.
Any tours already in operation or due to depart before March 16 will run as scheduled.
Select itineraries will be disrupted and G Adventures will notify these travelers to offer a pro-rata travel credit for the remainder of their tour.
"We understand that some travelers may have the desire to return home early so we are offering travelers the option to either continue with their tour as planned or to leave the tour early with a pro-rata travel credit for the remaining days of the land portion of their trip," the company said.
Travelers and agents with questions are asked to contact G Adventures' sales team.
Tauck said that the evolving restrictions and closures of popular attractions, museums and restaurants due to the virus "threaten our ability to deliver the kinds of enriching and engaging experiences our guests expect from Tauck. Additionally, the mood of the country (and indeed, the world) has changed. Sporting events have been canceled, schools are closing, and organizations everywhere are making changes to limit or eliminate gatherings. At this time, we would all benefit from the opportunity to pause and take a breath."
Accordingly, Tauck has decided to stop operating its scheduled tours and cruises effective Tuesday, March 17 through April 14.
Anyone scheduled to travel between these dates, Tauck will be reaching out to you directly in the coming days. If you are scheduled to travel between April 14, 2020, and June 30, 2020, the company has altered policies. For bookings paid in full, any guests who wish to cancel their booking will have ALL cancel fees (including Guest or Cruise Protection Product premiums) issued back to them in the form of a travel credit to be used on any 2020-2021 Tauck journey. Airline change fees will not be covered for guests who voluntarily cancel.
For bookings not paid in full, final payment for guests booked on these tours is now due 30 days prior to departure. Any guest who cancels after making the final payment will have ALL cancel fees (including Guest or Cruise Protection Product premiums) issued back to them in the form of a travel credit to be used on any 2020-2021 Tauck journey. Airline change fees will not be covered for guests who voluntarily cancel.
If Tauck cancels your journey, guests booked on a trip where the cancellation is initiated by Tauck will have all tour/cruise costs returned in the original form of payment. (Any Guest Protection Product/Cruise Protection Product premiums will be kept on account by Tauck for future use.) For guests with Tauck-booked air, Tauck will cover all airline change fees. For guests with non-Tauck air, Tauck will cover airline change fees up to $250 per person.
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