Considering Canceling Group Vacation After Last-Minute Bail?

A 28-year-old woman planned a beach vacation like it was a full-time job, and then history repeated itself. Last year, two friends, Jess and Alex, bailed a day before the trip, leaving her scrambling to cover their costs, and she still feels the financial sting.

This time around, she already booked the dates, accommodation, and activities, and she was the one keeping the whole thing on track. But a week before the getaway, Jess and Alex drop the same bomb again, blaming work commitments and suddenly declaring they cannot make it. Now she’s faced with a choice: eat the loss again or cancel and rebook for later when everyone can commit.

The beach is still on the calendar, but the damage is already done.

Original Post

I (28F) have been planning a group vacation with my friends for months. We decided on a beach getaway, and everyone was excited.

We all agreed on dates, accommodation, and activities, and I took the lead in booking everything. For background, last year we planned a similar trip, but two of my friends (Jess and Alex) bailed just a day before.

It left me scrambling to cover their shares, and I ended up losing a significant amount of money. Now, a week before our upcoming vacation, Jess and Alex tell me they can't make it due to work commitments.

I'm frustrated because it feels like a repeat of last time. I understand work is important, but I wish they had communicated earlier.

I'm considering canceling the trip and rebooking for a later date when everyone can commit. I don't want to go through the stress and financial strain of last-minute changes again.

So AITA for wanting to cancel our group vacation after they bailed on our last trip last minute?

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This is the same kind of mess as the in-laws bailing last minute, and whether they should still pay.

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That last-minute “we can’t go” from Jess and Alex last year is still haunting her wallet, and it’s happening again.

She’s not just mad, she’s stuck because she already handled the bookings for the whole group vacation.

When Jess and Alex say “work” a week before the trip, it turns a planned getaway into another scramble to cover their shares.

So now the question is whether canceling and rebooking saves her from another repeat, or blows up the group dynamic even more.

How would you handle this situation? Let us know in the comments.

If Jess and Alex can bail twice, the vacation might be the one thing OP should cancel.

Read why one person debated covering their best friend’s last-minute non-refundable trip costs.