Last Updated October 20, 2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
This page is updated as needed as we monitor the ever-changing Coronavirus situation.
We are now accepting bookings for trips starting January 2021 in Cuba! (If you want to visit during the winter holidays in December 2020, please contact us for possibilities.) The country has been closed to tourism until recently and is only now slowly and cautiously starting to open. Cuba has done an admirable job in containing the Coronavirus with very few cases on the island. They have been conservative in opening their borders and are just now considering the commencement of flights from the US and other countries. American Airlines, Jet Blue and others are ready and waiting to resume flights.
We are proud to have already developed our own COVID-19 mitigation and operation plan and will use this as our guideline for any trips that we operate in Cuba.
Our sister company, ROW Adventures, completed a successful whitewater rafting season in the Pacific Northwest of the USA using similar COVID-19 protocols. We are proud to report that we operated over 50 trips lasting from 3 to 6 days, serving nearly 700 guests. To our knowledge, our COVID-19 mitigation was a success and none of our staff nor guests contracted the Coronavirus on our trips. While travel does have inherent risks related to COVID-19, our experience has been positive thus far.
Effective Sept 3, 2020 - All guests making new reservations for travel on any of our Cuba Unbound trips are required to purchase CFAR (cancel for any reason) Travel Insurance to protect their investment and ours. In the ever-changing world of COVID-19 where national, state and local regulations are unpredictable, this insurance protects 75% of your trip price if you cancel for any reason or we are unable to perform the trip. The 25% of the trip price that is not covered may be applied to a future trip credit to be used in 2021 or 2022.
Should you refuse this insurance, you may opt to sign a document stating the refusal and acknowledging that there will be no refund nor credit given should you have to cancel, or should we be unable to perform the trip.
No cash refunds will be issued for any reason whatsoever. As a company we cannot afford to purchase food and trip supplies, hire guides, commit to transportation needs, and prepare for trips and then refund trip fees when events cause people to cancel, or us to cancel, for reasons that may be beyond everyone’s control.
Please understand there will be no exceptions to our policy.
FAQ’s Specific to the Current Coronavirus Situation
Are you still operating your trips?
Yes, we hope to be operating our tours in Cuba starting in January 2021.
Will travel insurance protect my vacation investment?
We will not be able to offer any refunds or credits outside of our standard terms and conditions. Because of the ever-changing pandemic situation, we require all guests to purchase CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) travel insurance, as noted above. This coverage must be purchased within 21 days of paying your initial deposit.
You can learn more about coverage as it relates to the Coronavirus here.
What if I am unable to travel at the time of my trip departure due to a travel ban, or restrictions imposed by federal, state or local government authorities?
In some cases, there might be 100% coverage available through travel insurance. However, the required CFAR Travel Insurance will, at a minimum, cover 75% of your tour fee regardless of the reason for cancellation, as noted above.
What if Cuba Unbound cancels or postpones my trip?
If we choose to cancel or postpone a trip, or we have no choice and must do so due to closure by a federal, state or local authority, governmental intervention, and we do not provide an alternate trip*, you can file a claim with the CFAR Travel Insurance for a refund, as noted above.
* We reserve the right to offer an alternate trip or itinerary that matches the date and gateway city of the original trip. Should you choose not to participate, this is treated as a cancellation.
If I cancel or change my departure, or Cuba Unbound cancels my trip, will Cuba Unbound cover my costs for pre or post-trip flights, car rentals, hotels or other associated trip expenses?
In the event of any cancellation or rescheduled trip, you are responsible for cancellation or change fees related to rental cars, pre or post-trip flights, hotels, etc.
What should I do if I’m booked on a trip but health concerns make me wonder if I should travel?
If you are unsure whether to travel due to health concerns, we recommend you consult with your physician. This is another reason we require the purchase of CFAR (Cancel for any Reason) insurance.
Please email your Adventure Consultant, or gives us a call at 1-208-770-3359 if you have any questions about the policies specific to your trip and the area(s) you are visiting. Ultimately, if we do not cancel a trip, the decision to travel is up to you.
Book with Confidence
To confirm your trip, a deposit is required within 72 hours of making your reservation. Your deposit is fully refundable up to 10 days after you book when you sign up 10 days or more before final payment due date (does not apply to Private or Custom Trips). If you book and pay after the final balance due date, all monies paid are non-refundable.
Please understand that because the COVID-19 situation is changing daily and unpredictable, we reserve the right to change these policies without prior notice due to the unpredictable nature of the global pandemic.
Operational Changes During the Coronavirus Pandemic
To learn more about our policies regarding screen and attendance on our trips, sanitary precautions and other COVID-19 related questions, please see our COVID-19 Operations and Mitigation Plan.
