For the past year, members of Cathy Kellogg’s large extended family have been pinching every penny for a cruise to Mexico.
Now, as the number of swine-flu cases mounts, the family doesn’t know whether to stay home or take the cruise May 10.
“We’ve been walking in circles all day, calling each other,” Kellogg said Monday. “We’re just looking for some unbiased information.”
At stake is a dream trip for Kellogg’s eight children and her grandchildren — 18 children under the age of 8, and 16 adults, most from 20 to 40 years old. All live in Colorado, with most calling Highlands Ranch home.
Some people have canceled travel plans to Mexico, some are going, some are going someplace else, and others are taking a wait-and-see attitude, said Andrea Shpall, president of Polk Majestic Travel Group in Denver.
“Everybody who is traveling to Mexico between now and the end of June called today,” Shpall said Monday. “They wanted to know what we recommended.”
Two passengers booked for a Yucatan Peninsula cruise canceled those reservations Monday, said Jean Maschinot, president of Bonnie Brae Travel.
“They were concerned about swine flu and knew there isn’t swine flu in the Caribbean, so now they’re booked for the Caribbean,” Maschinot said.
Shpall said her firm was telling travelers “to do what’s right for them,” pay attention to information and not make a decision until they have to.
Denver-based Frontier Airlines, with four daily nonstops to Mexico, has taken the same tack as other carriers that fly there.
Travel-change fees will be waived on tickets purchased before Monday, and the travel must be booked by May 6.
“We’re watching the travel advisories from the World Health Organization and the Department of Homeland Security really closely,” Frontier spokesman Steve Snyder said.
Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or aschrader@denverpost.com
