This rescheduled yoga vacation is a real stretch

Erin Parisi’s tour operator postpones her yoga retreat after the outbreak. Does she have to accept the rescheduled trip? And if she doesn’t, will she lose most of her money?

  • By Wire Service
  • Sunday, May 16, 2021 1:30am
  • Life

Q: In late 2019, I put a $500 deposit on a yoga retreat in Costa Rica. I paid the balance of $2,550 a few weeks later. These payments were made to International Yoga, a tour operator that specializes in yoga retreats.

In March 2020, I received an email from International Yoga explaining that the retreat was being canceled and rescheduled to April 10-17, 2021.

I’m a public school teacher and can only take vacation time during scheduled school breaks. The company did not schedule the retreat for the same week as 2020, which would have worked for me. It was rescheduled to the week before.

International Yoga refused to refund my money. They are offering a $500 credit to a future retreat, so that means I’m losing $2,550. Can you help me get my money back? — Erin Parisi, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

A: If your tour operator cancels your vacation, you should receive a full refund. But that’s not always how it goes.

Have a look at the terms and conditions of your purchase. It says all payments to International Yoga are “non-refundable & non-transferable.” And while it does say there are exceptions — for example, International Yoga offers a refund for a retreat canceled because of low enrollment — the contract clearly favors your tour operator.

State regulation, however, favors you. Under Massachusetts state law, a tour operator must offer a refund when it cancels a trip. You could have complained to the attorney general. The form can be found at: www.mass.gov/how-to/file-a-consumer-complaint. (Note: This applies to you because you live in Massachusetts. You wouldn’t be covered if you reside in a different state.)

Still, as I review the correspondence between you and International Yoga, it’s obvious the company is in a tight spot. Apparently it didn’t have the money to cover refunds and asked customers like you for understanding. Giving them a chance to reschedule was the right thing to do.

I had an interesting correspondence with the owner of International Yoga. She suggested that I should be advocating for small businesses hurt by the pandemic. I agree with her that small businesses need someone to advocate for them. But they already do in the form of local organizations and national trade groups. Small businesses also have access to lawyers who can help them during a difficult time like this. Consumers like you have limited options. And that’s why my advocacy team and I are here.

I contacted International Yoga on your behalf. It agreed to offer you a full credit, which you can use toward any future trip. You accepted.

Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers resolve their problems. Elliott’s latest book is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler” (National Geographic). Contact him at elliott.org/help or chris@elliott.org.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Photo courtesy of Kristi Nebel
Folk duo Steve and Kristi Nebel will be among the musical acts performing at the Edmonds Arts Festival, which takes place Friday through Sunday.
Photo courtesy of Kristi Nebel
Folk duo Steve and Kristi Nebel will be among the musical acts performing at the Edmonds Arts Festival, which takes place Friday through Sunday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

Audi SQ8 Wows In Motion Or At Rest. Photo provided by Audi America MediaCenter.
2025 Audi SQ8 Is A Luxury, Hot Rod, SUV

500 Horsepower and 4.0-Second, 0-To-60 MPH Speed

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Ellis Johnson, 16, left, and brother Garrett Johnson, 13, take a breather after trying to find enough water to skim board on without sinking into the sand during opening day of Jetty Island on Friday, July 5, 2019 in Everett, Wash. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Epic ways to spice up your summer

Your ultimate guide to adventure, fun and reader-approved favorites!

Everett High School graduate Gwen Bundy high fives students at her former grade school Whittier Elementary during their grad walk on Thursday, June 12, 2018 in Everett, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Literally the best’: Grads celebrated at Everett elementary school

Children at Whittier Elementary cheered on local high school graduates as part of an annual tradition.

A bear rests in a tree in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. (U.S. Forest Service)
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest transitioning to cashless collections on June 21

The Forest Service urges visitors to download the app and set up payments before venturing out to trailheads and recreation sites.

The 2025 Jeep Gladiator pickup, in one of its more outrageous colors (Provided by Jeep).
2025 Jeep Gladiator is a true truck

The only 4x4 pickup with open-air abilities, Gladiator is more than a Wrangler with a bed.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.