In 2020 travel has been a lot of things — not good things, for the most part. With Covid-19 has come travel restrictions, cruise line suspensions, constantly changing policies, quarantines, isolation, businesses shut down, and frustratingly all under a blanket of uncertainty. So the question of when is the best time to book vacation in 2020 has been the most asked question.

Will you still be able to go on vacation in 2020? Depends on the type of vacation you want to take and where you want to go. A cruise? Not likely. A beach vacation somewhere in the Caribbean? You’ve got a better chance with that — in fact, I’ll just write it… a good chance. What about for 2021 going on vacation in 2021? In either case, whether you want to travel in 2020 or 2021, there are plenty of questions. What if the restrictions aren’t lifted or the ships not sailing? What if the vaccine isn’t ready and you’re nervous about going? There are obviously more questions than answers.

The best time to book vacation is now o’clock

Even with all the uncertainty, right now is the best time to book vacation whether you’re hoping to go somewhere in 2020 or planning for 2021 or even 2022.

• Flexible cancellation policies – depending on the fine print, there is very often no penalty to cancel right up until a week or two (or even less) before your vacation.
• It’s possible to choose a refund or future credit depending on the vendor and situation
• Future Credit bonuses – cruise lines and some resorts are offering a bonus of what you’ve paid toward your next vacation. In other words, if they cancel on you, you get more than you spent toward the next getaway.
• Prices and incentives are very attractive (but space is limited) – with travel in 2020 basically non-existent, hospitality businesses want to encourage guests to travel and are making it worthwhile to do so. However, with many people already rescheduling for next year and reduced capacity to make social distancing possible, cruises and resorts are selling out quickly.
• The suspensions into 2021 are coming quickly and once they do, your opportunity to book hoping to benefit from the Future Credit cancellation policies are going to be gone.

When you’re considering when is the best time to book vacation, taking into account all the uncertainty, unanswered questions, and changing policies, make sure you get help from a travel advisor. If you want unbiased advice, information, and assistance with your next vacation, use the contact form or visit JJTravelAssociates.com.