Switzerland now on the UK quarantine list.
I'm just praying this changes in the next couple of weeks, otherwise my brother will have to come back to an empty house and grieve alone for two weeks ☹️ that's worst possible scenario but I just can't see a legal way around it just now.
Just wow. We thought we might look to Center Parks for October half term. However, their prices have gone up by 1/3 to £1500, the time reduce to late arrival/early depart Mon/Fri (so you get 3 actual days) and the Tropical pools have a max 2hr slot which you can book twice in your stay.
So thats £1500 & 2 swims over three days, doing your own cooking and having to pay for other activities on top. No thank you, thats ridiculous!
Glad we booked it earlier!. I'm sure I read that they have cut their occupancy right back, so I suppose price rises will follow, airlines doing the same, always have done.
I see BA are offering a week in Portugal for less than 200 quid....
Kryton57
Subscriber
Just wow. We thought we might look to Center Parks for October half term. However, their prices have gone up by 1/3 to £1500, the time reduce to late arrival/early depart Mon/Fri (so you get 3 actual days) and the Tropical pools have a max 2hr slot which you can book twice in your stay.
My wife's niece works at CP and she says you have to be out of your accommodation by 9AM on departure day!!!
My wife’s niece works at CP and she says you have to be out of your accommodation by 9AM on departure day!!!
Thats right, and you can't get in until 4pm on arrival, so you've now lost two days - arrival and departure day - of doing stuff even without a lodge. Its just too much, I think they've screwed themselves there.
I didn't think a centre parks holiday could get any shitter than it already sounded pre covid..i was wrong
I didn’t think a centre parks holiday could get any shitter than it already sounded pre covid..i was wrong
You have no idea how much I wanted to dislike it the first time we went, but it's brilliant.
I think they’ve screwed themselves there.
Nope, it'll still sell out.
You have no idea how much I wanted to dislike it the first time we went, but it’s brilliant.
I'm in this camp too, but an extra £600 for -2 days and lots of pool time less is too much to bear.
No massive fan of CP’s, but presume you can still use all the facilities on arrive/depart days? So it’s no different to previous when anyone sane would arrive early, use facilities all day and then check in late to avoid all car to lodge scrummage (and visa versa on leaving)?
No massive fan of CP’s, but presume you can still use all the facilities on arrive/depart days?
IIRC no, you can't do that any more, sadly. I'd imagine it'll be a condition of them opening up again, contact tracing etc, and limiting numbers in the place.
I’m in this camp too, but an extra £600 for -2 days and lots of pool time less is too much to bear.
Aye, I wouldn't pay that either tbh.
Timmys, as no beer says that’s no longer allowed, so there’s a big reduction in time spent vs cost.
I guess the entry queues must be massive as well if you can only get in at 4pm. Before people used to arrive in drips and drabs throughout the day.
with reported infection rates climbing across the EU, looks like any holidaying left might be topped and tailed by two weeks quarantine
quicker more accurate testing or vaccine then... by the end of the year, doubt it. 🙁
Timmys, as no beer says that’s no longer allowed, so there’s a big reduction in time spent vs cost.
Ah, gotcha. That is crap.
So... next Summer, what do we think?
We've spotted a few offers out there, not least one with free kids places and only £250 to lose if we cancel by June. Does Brexit add more caution? I suppose it does, but would you book a euro-holiday now for Summer '21?
I suppose it does, but would you book a euro-holiday now for Summer ’21?
Yes - lots of unknowns around covid and brexit but you have to stay positive and back that up with action. Ferry bookings being made today in the OTS house.
Our ferry and accommodation deposit from Netherlands 2020 hol has been moved til August - last week possible of school holidays. Not holding my breath.
No chance. By next summer I can't see more than 30-40% of having been vaccinated, doubt they'll have got to those of us just over 50 by then.
I can see a lot of people heading abroad as they couldn't go this year, mixing, coming back, restarting schools, heading off to uni, and another spike following again soon after. Not as severe, not as serious if more vulnerable people have been vaccinated, but another risk to me, and the NHS.
And I'm not even starting to include Brexit in my calculations.
I hope so, our Alps trip has been deferred from last year till the middle of July 21. I'll drive over if I think it's safer etc.
Sailing holiday in Greece booked again. Flights dirt cheap(BA £420 for all 4 ) & sailing company will hold over any booking to 2022 if we aren’t allowed to travel.
Last years Morzine was at great pain moved to July 2021, even more annoying as it looked like the season last year was well managed and we would have had a good time on quieter trails!
The only issue I can see if we are due to fly, who knows what conditions are placed on that and if having been vaccinated will be a requirement!
It's possible if you're already in the EU. But probable? Nobody knows. I'm in the Netherlands and they've just imposed a proper lockdown, as the numbers weren't coming down after the pubs and restaurants were closed about two months ago. So the schools are out early and homeschooling is restarting in early January. We aren't getting across a border until mid March at the earliest. Non essential shops are closed - so you can still get to the supermarket, grocer's, butcher's, etc, but flowers, toys, clothes? Nope. The bike shops are open, obviously, because it's the Netherlands, but only the workshop part. You're not buying yourself any bling for the foreseeable.
IIRC Germany and France have imposed similar measures to bring the numbers down. This isn't going away any time soon, and I'm expecting a worse 2021 than 2020.
The tourism industry in Austria predicts late July for mainland Europe. They predict 2022 for all other lands.
Hmmm a mix.
Ours would be a package holiday, with my concerns being:
A) despite the deposit, the price may rise
B) mixing, obvs but the place we are looking at (weve been twice before) has good covid based tripadvisor reviews
C) pandemic - in theory and historically an August holiday might be in low peak
D) mentally we all need a break / something to look forward to
E) mrs K is immune compromised and cant have the current vaccines - an alternate vaccine is on the way.
F) if by June is looks a disaster we can walk away and lose £250 only
G) Global lockdown fatigue may mean a higher baseline of cases than 2020 even.
We have Portimao for a 3 day trackday booked at the end of May. I'm less optimistic about it than i was previously. It could get VERY complex though as i've got 20 mates booked too, i think 75% of them would still be up for going, even now.... So i don't really know at the moment.
Worst case, at the moment we'd lose £500 deposit for the track stuff and £650 in flihgts, but i think most of that we'd actually get back as long as we decide at the right time.
We have Portimao for a 3 day trackday booked at the end of May. I’m less optimistic about it than i was previously. It could get VERY complex though as i’ve got 20 mates booked too, i think 75% of them would still be up for going, even now…. So i don’t really know at the moment.
Could be worse I am booked to go to Almeria for 4 days on track on the 16th of Jan 🙂 Still hoping stuff will be sorted. I work from home so the isolating is not a problem. I did that in Sept when I went.
Bazzer, I would suggest it isn’t happening, it might change, but currently looking like UK travel to EU is barred. Thank Brexit for uk falling out of scope of travel agreements
Raid Pyrenees booked late July.
It feels like a bit of a shoogly peg as there's a lot of links in the chain - flights, airport transfers, 6 hotels, daily baggage transfers, guides and roadside support. It feels like it would only take restrictions on any one aspect and the whole lot comes tumbling down.
My backup plan if the actual booked tour gets cancelled is to rock up and do it touring style, at least I have more flexibility that way but I'll miss my road bike up (and down) some of those climbs.
Backup backup plan is another Scottish tour, happily the gravel bike has opened my eyes to a lot more opportunities right on my doorstep so it's no big sacrifice. Already have a 4 day road bike tour and 5 day gravel tour in my back pocket ready for deployment! 😀
Could be worse I am booked to go to Almeria for 4 days on track on the 16th of Jan 🙂 Still hoping stuff will be sorted. I work from home so the isolating is not a problem. I did that in Sept when I went.
Negative PCR certificate less than 72hours old currently required for entry into Spain, along with the online form.
Thats if you can find a filghht that doesnt get cancelled.
New year, who knows, proof of vacination may well be required.
I'm still hoping for a pass for a week's skiing in Feb and somewhere warm next summer.
I'm 99.9% certain nether will happen and that I'll be staying within Scotland's borders for the next 18 months.
But we can hope
Negative PCR certificate less than 72hours old currently required for entry into Spain, along with the online form.
Thats if you can find a filghht that doesnt get cancelled.
New year, who knows, proof of vacination may well be required.
Yeah thats OK, however its all up in the air at the moment whats going to happen 1st of Jan
and I’m expecting a worse 2021 than 2020
The whole of 2021 will be worse than 2020?
Rationale?
Rationale? 2020 was very much a constant state of trial and error regards travel and socialising, with Europe opening and closing all over and at different times. We know more about the virus now and with the damage it's done I can see 2021 won't even 'start' until 75% of the population is vaccinated. The Dutch government has already said no foreign travel until mid March, and they don't have a vaccination programme started. Pretending that everything is fine or will work out hasn't worked.
The whole of 2021 will be worse than 2020?
Rationale?
Zombies 🙂
F) if by June is looks a disaster we can walk away and lose £250 only
That's the only 'pro" reason I can see on that list then.
Pretending that everything is fine or will work out hasn’t worked.
Indeed. I fully hope that 2021 will not be worse as regards death, illness and the economy… but for that to be the case, it is likely to worse in terms of travel opportunity across Europe, especially for us Brits, in the first half of the year.
Indeed. I fully hope that 2021 will not be worse as regards death, illness and the economy… but for that to be the case, it is likely to worse in terms of travel opportunity across Europe, especially for us Brits.
What happens when the spanish and greeks remember they need the british and german and scandinavian holidayers' money? Will they crack and open up, especially if they have vaccinated their old/vunerable?
with the damage it’s done I can see 2021 won’t even ‘start’ until 75% of the population is vaccinated.
I think you're being a little dramatic about it. 75% of the population isn't vaccinated for flu as an example. Once the number of at risk folk are vaccinated and then the admissions and deaths start to drop (hopefully) thats when it'll all open up.
The low risk population getting Covid won't be a reason to stop the economies opening up fully or we'll have a whole host of other issues on our hand if 2021 is worse.
The zombie answer is more credible as to why 2021 would be worse than 2020.
I genuinely hope that you're right. Like, I properly want to be wrong about this. I'm just realistic enough to suspect that I won't be.
I'm currently meant to be organising a summer Alpine trip for a relatively large group of us, a few of us have big birthdays to celebrate so there's lots of pressure to get something organised. I am seriously doubting we can go ahead in 2021 as I think restrictions will be too much and spoil any fun we can have. Might see if there's support for putting it off until 2022 instead.
Those of you thinking a skiing holiday or similar will be possible this winter I think are going to be disappointed. They may allow locals onto the slopes but from the UK? No chance.
I think you’re being a little dramatic about it. 75% of the population isn’t vaccinated for flu
COVID. is. not. the. flu. It's 10 times or more dangerous.
I expect that being a third country will see us excluded from mainland Europe for most of the holiday season. I expect that holidaying will require a proof that you are vaccinated and possibly a negative test on arrival with no movement out of the airport until the result is in.
The only issue I can see if we are due to fly, who knows what conditions are placed on that and if having been vaccinated will be a requirement!
if they put restrictions in, why do you think they'd only apply to flying?
We moved our road-trip to Lake Garda from Aug 2020 to the same dates 2021.
We're due to be away for around 19 nights stopping off in Switzerland on the way and France on the way back.
I've not booked the tunnel yet but everything else booked.
If its not possible we can either move it to 2022 (probably at minimal cost) or scrap it.
If we scrap it i'll be about £450 out of pocket - which i paid in late 2019 so it gone and forgotten already.
Do i think we'll actually go in 8 months time? i think there is more than 50% chance it'll be possible, but not much more than 50%....
'tis what is is... we've both stayed in our jobs and nobody close to us has died - we're already winning at COVID.
July onwards will be fine for your European holidays as long as you're not personally at high risk. Europe will be open to the uk and they will be actively encouraging us over as they will be desperate for a good season to recover losses from last year.
The only fly in the ointment i can see is will flights be very expensive due to the hammering those businesses have taken?
I'm assuming they can't change the cost of pre-booked flights, so in that case i'm ok personally as the flights were reasonable enough.
My concern is more getting on the plane rather than being able to afford it.
