Keep canceled tours and cruises from costing you

As part of a trip to South America, Stephen and Donna Bower booked a six-night cruise for about $3,440. But several days before the spring trip, the American couple received an e-mail message saying that the ship's Chilean operator, Skorpios, had canceled the cruise because too few passengers had signed up.

Though the Bowers were offered a full refund, they had to pay the penalties for changing airfare and canceling hotel rooms at the last minute. With few options, they decided to take a shorter Skorpios cruise, which operated out of a different port, in lieu of the refund. While the company tossed in a picnic, the Bowers lost a day of cruising, not to mention more than $500.

As tour operators cancel trips amid soft bookings, travelers are paying the price. But it's possible to avoid getting stiffed if you understand the system.

Operators set dates and prices as much as 18 months ahead so they can be printed in brochures. Before the economy tanked, this wasn't much of a gamble. Tour operators didn't have to worry about finding enough paying customers to cover costs. With demand outpacing supply, trips filled up fast and travelers were trained to book early.

But the recession has changed all that. Besides taking fewer trips, travelers are holding out for last-minute deals. This is forcing tour operators to cancel more trips.

Tour operators are protected by fine print that basically says: We reserve the right to cancel any trip because of low enrollment. Consumers, on the other hand, face a double standard. While companies are free to cancel anytime, customers who want to back out are usually offered zero refund.

So how do you protect yourself from being bumped from a tour?

Talk numbers. Don't be afraid to specifically ask the tour operator about the reliability of the departure date.

How many people have signed up so far? What is the minimum number you need for the trip to go? When will the company decide if the trip must be canceled? And how soon will you be notified?

Look for so-called guaranteed tours. These trips, offered by many companies, are guaranteed to take place no matter how many sign up, though this year fewer tours seem to be guaranteed.

Trafalgar Tours is offering about 15 percent fewer trips that come with some form of reassurance this year compared with 2008. Globus and Cosmos are guaranteeing about 60 percent of all trips.

Hold off on airline tickets. To avoid change fees or cancellation penalties, wait until you have more assurance that the trip is a go before booking airline tickets.

The same goes for hotels, though many will let you cancel without penalty several days beforehand.

Look for tiered-pricing tours. Some companies, including Mountain Travel Sobek and Wilderness Travel, offer trips with prices that vary depending on how many people sign up. While such trips can get expensive if too few people book, they are also less likely to be canceled.