Cancellation and reschedule questions to ask

Before you pay, ask four things in writing: what you get back if you cancel, what a date change costs, who decides when a supplier cancels, and when each deadline falls. Clear answers turn a nervous booking into a calm one. Vague answers are a reason to pause.

This page sits within our booking responsibility guide, which covers who does what across a whole trip.

What should you ask about cancelling?

Start with the plainest question: if I cancel, what do I get back, and by when? Ask for the answer per item, because a hotel, a driver and a ferry seat can each follow different rules.

Ask which dates trigger a change in the refund. A cancellation made well before departure is treated differently from one made close to it, so the calendar matters more than the amount.

Ask how the refund is paid, in what currency and how long it takes to reach you. A promise without a method is not much of a promise.

What should you ask about rescheduling?

Ask whether you can move your dates instead of cancelling, and whether a move counts as a new booking. Ask if a fee applies and whether the new dates must fall in a set window.

School holidays and public holidays are the hardest dates to move. If your trip falls in one, ask what happens if the dates you want are full.

What should you ask when someone else cancels?

Flights get retimed, ferries are delayed by weather and drivers fall ill. Ask what the agency does in each case: replace the service, refund it or offer a credit.

Our guide to refunds and rebooking after a disruption covers who to contact on the day.

How do you keep the answers useful?

Put the questions in one message and ask for a written reply, not a voice note. Save the reply with your booking confirmation.

If the reply points to terms and conditions, read them or ask for a plain summary. Our guide to reading package terms in plain language helps with the wording.

A short checklist to copy

• What do I get back if I cancel, per item?
• Which dates change the refund?
• Can I move my dates, and what does it cost?
• What happens if a supplier cancels or retimes?
• How and when is a refund paid?
• Is the answer written in my confirmation?

Use the checklist alongside the questions to ask before paying a deposit. Together they cover most of what you need before money changes hands.

Keep your own notes of the date you asked and who answered. If anything is unclear, ask again until it is plain, since a calm question now is easier than a difficult conversation later.