A dream vacation has been ruined for one pregnant couple. The Zika virus outbreak may cost them thousands of dollars.
This year was supposed to be a big year for Soledad Holman. She's 18 weeks pregnant with her second baby, and for the first time she and her husband saved enough money for a dream cruise vacation.
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However, the Zika virus has spread to every one of her sailing destinations.
"I'm not going to put in a risk my baby," said Holman in a Skype interview in Chile.
Soledad and her husband live in Chile, but her mom has been trying to help her from West Palm Beach. Norwegian Cruise Line is telling them they can only give them a voucher that is good for two years. The problem is that they already have a 2-year-old and have another baby on the way.
"We don't know where we are going to be in two years. I think it's very unfair," added Holman.
The couple said they will lose $2,500. The first time cruisers said they didn't know about travel insurance. Now, they have a flight booked to Miami to visit her mom in West Palm Beach, but no cruise to board.
"They will still come to visit. The problem for them is that like they say ‘Mom we can’t do anything because we don’t have money,’" said Marisol Whitlock, Soledad's mother.
Norwegian Cruise Line has offered changes to the itinerary, but almost every destination has a Zika outbreak and other trip options are outside the dates that Soledad and her husband can take off work.
"I really don’t want to cancel this trip, but it’s my baby. It’s very difficult for us," she added.
WPTV reached out to the European travel agency that Holman used to book the trip. An important tip for all travelers in the next few months -- purchase travel insurance in case you have to cancel at the last minute.
