Cancellation of Rick Steves Tours to Spain Beginning Through March 27 -- AND MORE

This cancellation should be extended through to end of April. This is not resolving in two weeks.

Thank you for this update. I guess we have to wait another week for the next announcement from RST if we want to qualify for a refund. It will come, but it is difficult to wait day by day. We are under a Level 3 travel advisory (avoid non-essential travel for 30 days). I had hoped RST would have followed that guideline this morning instead of only addressing the next 2 weeks. It will not be resolved in 14 days, but I know it must be a huge amount of work to cancel everything associated with so many tours in two countries and perhaps they really only can work in two week increments. I am resigned we will be canceled. If not, it is going to be a last minute, whirlwind packing spree!

I agree all travel restrictions should be through the end of April. End of March doesn’t make any sense.

It has to do with the dates the museums and other attractions are being closed by the Spanish government, according to the link on the RS home page: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/coronavirus-faq

In the current crisis, not travelling as a medical act supersedes travelling as a political act.

I've just received word that all tours are cancelled through April 15. A moderator can change the title of the thread or start a new one, if they so wish.

The FAQ webpage hasn't been updated yet, so I'll hold off on updating the thread title for now. Obviously, I do not object if the webmaster wants to go ahead and make the change on the basis of not-yet-public information.

Edited to add: The Coronavirus FAQ page has now been updated to include additional cancellations: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/coronavirus-faq

Our flight to Spain first part of April was canceled per RST today. This is the update posted now on the front page:

"We are canceling all of our tours with start dates through April 19, 2020 and will provide 100% refunds within two weeks, in compliance with the law. We will be in direct contact with all affected tour members to provide more details." They will be sending us a refund check within 15 days.

We were able to book the same tour in September. Most fall dates are turning, "WAITLISTED" now. Travelinsured allows us to modify/change the coverage dates online. Now to deal with American Airlines/Iberia for credit and (hopefully) waived change fees.

In my opinion the cancellations should extend to the end of May. The Covid-19 problems will not be resolved anytime soon. Even if there is some good news in the next 30 days, most people will still not travel. Imagine the announcement that Spain is not in shutdown, you travel there and then there is a spike in the virus and travel restrictions start again. To RS, just cancel the trips and let the chips fall where they will. In the future I will be taking RS tours but not in the next 90 days.

GUESSING the dates might align with the US ban on European travel dates. I will be absolutely shocked if that ban is not extended, and then guessing (again,key word) the RS organization will wiggle the dates accordingly.