There will be no normal international holibobs before September. And then it will require PCR both ways and vax.
Damn I should be Prime Minister - this is easy.
Those people can go swivel, they should know the risks as it’s blatantly obvious with even the most basic of research. There will be lots of them come September, crying that it’s unfair that their kids can’t go back to school etc all because of their ‘right’ to have a holiday abroad.
Wait till they see the queues at the “all other countries” passport desk. 😀
They’re in for a world of pain.
Wait till they see the queues at the “all other countries” passport desk. 😀
They’re in for a world of pain.
I'll be one of them, but it will be totes funny!
EDIT- Untill Chantelle from Burnley has a ruckus with security. then it's not so much fun.
I’ll be one of them, but it will be totes funny!
As the last tweet on a humorous Twitter thread I read said, “oh and your Irish mate, he’s in arrivals having a pint and he’ll see you in half an hour...” 😀
I rolled my booking from last summer forward to this year, it was all paid for so long ago it feels like a free holiday now as I would usually be putting the money aside now.
I'm optimistic it might happen, I've had my first jab of the vaccine, kids will be being tested for school, wife is due a jab soon. If the chance is there to get away then I will take it. If not then it will get rolled forwards to 2022
I'm pretty much in the position as Steve-G - holiday rolled over from last summer - not sure if it'll be possible or not (Road-trip to Lake Garda) i'm going to wait and see how things are looking late April/early May and make a decision at that point.
We should be able to roll it over again so no issues.
My wife has had the first Jab, and at 48 i'm hoping i should be done in April/May so that may not be a barrier, however I've got absolutely no intention of £800+ on testing for a family of 4 so that might be the deciding factor.
Posted this in the main thread but it's equally applicable here:
So the plan to put arrivals in Quarantine Hotels is going as planned then: (from the Guardian Live feed)
Around 99% of daily arrivals in the UK are not going into hotel quarantine, MPs have been told.
The home affairs select committee were told by the Border Force director general, Paul Lincoln, that there are around 14,000 to 15,000 people arriving in the UK through all ports each day, of which around 150 a day are going into mandatory hotel quarantine. There are currently about 1,100 to 1,200 people in total in hotels since the requirement was introduced 10 days ago.
British and Irish nationals or UK residents arriving from a list of 33 countries are now required to book a 10-day quarantine package costing £1,750 per adult. Lincoln told the MPs that Public Health England are due to publish a figure on the proportion of Covid cases believed to be coming into the country from overseas. He said previously it was estimated to be 0.5% of domestic cases but he understood it was now significantly lower.
The chair of the committee, Yvette Cooper, asked what the compliance rate was for the 99% of arrivals who were required to quarantine at home. Lincoln said the latest assessment by the police is around 85%.
Defending the whole policy, the home secretary, Priti Patel, said nearly 8,000 sample calls were taking place every day to ensure travellers were self isolating. “I would like to put this in wider context of the measures in place, this is a layered approach,” she said. She went on:
“People are now familiar with the testing prior to travel, passenger locator form, all the measures put in place to give assurance … this is all about managing the risk.”
1% of arrivals in the hotels, the rest being trusted to isolate at home with a check-up phone call? They need to get this whole system running smoothly before the hoardes go on their hollibobs.
British and Irish nationals or UK residents arriving from a list of 33 countries are now required to book a 10-day quarantine package costing £1,750 per adult.
what are the red list countries? perhaps it is a sufficient deterent to stop them coming at all. given the amount of warning they had, likely most people in those countries either got in before the hotels went live, or have decided to delay their journey home.
what are the red list countries?
Currently:
Angola
Argentina
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Burundi
Cape Verde
Chile
Colombia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ecuador
Eswatini
French Guiana
Guyana
Lesotho
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Namibia
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores)
Rwanda
Seychelles
South Africa
Suriname
Tanzania
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Uruguay
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Aside from Portugal, I don't imgaine theres a huge amount of traffic.
Still sitting waiting patiently/impatiently to see what the next 3-4 weeks brings in terms of our trip to Portugal.
The infection and deaths are dropping massively in Europe but there does seem to be concerns of following infections.
Then you get this
As we reported earlier, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has been speaking during a visit to a Covid testing facility in Glasgow.
Asked about travel restrictions, Hancock says he hopes as lockdowns are lifted across the UK people will be able to travel between the different nations.
"I'm confident because of the vaccine we will be able to make that progress and then be able to, all of us, to travel freely wherever we are within these islands," he says.
"I've said before that I'm optimistic for a great British summer and I'm now more optimistic about having a great British summer than I have been at any time, thanks to the speed and the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout."
He adds the travel rules for Scotland are a matter for the Scottish government.
Which very much gives the implication that the Gov are seeing Europe as a no-go.
Matt Hancock has lied his way through quite a bit of the pandemic so wouldnt necessarily take what he says at face value!
that the Gov are seeing Europe as a no-go
Its not just their choice, other may not want us dirty Brits in for a bit. They'll be balancing the cost of UK Tourism income with our propensity to over populate beaches and get pissed in large sweaty groups before puking and dancing in the streets.
Its not just their choice, other may not want us dirty Brits in for a bit.
GThats fine with me if thats the rules put in place. At the moment i'd just like to know.
They’ll be balancing the cost of UK Tourism income with our propensity to over populate beaches and get pissed in large sweaty groups before puking and dancing in the streets.
You'd think after nearly half a century of cheap package holidays, Spain and Portugal would have that cost / benefit calculation nailed.
You’d think after nearly half a century of cheap package holidays, Spain and Portugal would have that cost / benefit calculation nailed.
Now theyll have to factor in cost of associated covid surge etc
Realistically its going to be carnage
After a year of being cooped up in lockdown, the country is desperate for a holiday, the smaller your house, the more densely populated your local area, makes it even more so.
But those areas the most deprived & they can less afford the extra costs that will be required... Testing fees, vaccine passport & possible post holiday quarantine
Where as better off can both better absorb cost of those extras & more likely to be able to wfh during a post holiday quarantine..
On top of that many UK sites already booked out and this will force up prices at home, not to mention means a quiet get away to the beach/lakes will mean queues of traffic....
Government will be balancing risks with damage to holiday firms (even holidays abroad bring in UK revenue & employ UK staff)
On top of that many UK sites already booked out and this will force up prices at home
I had a quick look at a campsite I have been to before and to pitch my tent on a square of grass this coming July is listed at £81 a night. A couple of years ago I paid £48 a night which I thought was expensive back then. I have said it before but I think this summer will be spent close to home. I have had plenty of holidays over the past 10 years so I won't feel cheated if I don't have one this year.
Tunnel booked for 25 june, its on a flexible ticket so ill just move it, i'll keep the van packed & ready to go soon as im able
I'm expecting to do very little trade abroad this year. The chance of getting straight into EU without 10 to 14 days isolation on arrival is too great. We may be able to get into southern Italy, Valencia and Portugal for quarter 4 but we're not holding our breath.
Had a useful chat with the organiser of our late-July trip to the French Pyrenees (Sportive Breaks).
They expect a government update April 12th which will spell out the UK government's approach to foreign travel.
They also expect that trips will be able to resume in June, and are optimistic about our trip in July.
They obviously can't speak for foreign governments so that remains up in the air.
They did concede that if, e.g. a costly restriction still remained such as £1750 10 day quarantine in hotels, then they would probably cancel trips.
The grey area is perhaps the cost of a negative test certificate or similar.
This is positive from the perspective that trip might still go ahead.
Less positive is that if restrictions have eased enough that airlines and tour organisers can still offer trips then likelihood of full refunds if e.g. you just don't fancy it because of risk or remaining low level restrictions, then cost is on you.
Personally I'm not really sure I fancy it, but right now that looks like it could cost me £500 in cancelled flights and non-refundable deposits, so is a tricky one.
By the looks of it South West will be rammed full of staycationing grockles this year.
Yay! Please come and breath all over us.
Ouch
lookd like holidays will be available only to the well off
https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/03/uk-seaside-accommodation-prices-surge-for-summer-dates/
Bugger, I'm booking my Cairngorms trip now!
They did concede that if, e.g. a costly restriction still remained such as £1750 10 day quarantine in hotels, then they would probably cancel trips.
Mmmm so they'll take the hit if guests are able to travel, but have to quarantine in hotels on return.
I'm not sure I'd believe them.
Wishful thinking, but I also doubt it. I've a sneaky feeling that Boris will panic at his advisor's rhetoric and will move the goalposts again, delaying the exit strategy.
Maybe back end of 2021, or early 2022
Mmmm so they’ll take the hit if guests are able to travel, but have to quarantine in hotels on return. I’m not sure I’d believe them.
I think they also have staff that travel back and forth, so they'd get hit with the same costs and wouldn't be able to pass them on to anyone.
But you're right, I don't think any of us would commit if the hotel quarantine restriction HADN'T been lifted.
Frankly I'm sort of hoping enough restrictions stay in place that it makes sense not to go and so that we might stand some sort of a chance of getting flight money back or transferred. I'm on a weird sort of fence where I don't just want to cancel without good reason (letting mates down, losing some flight money) but equally I'd sort of be glad if the whole thing just got postponed or cancelled.
I feel that pain 100%
we've moved our 2020 cyprus booking that was moved to 2021 to sept 2022. Despite the headlines today that something won't happens and travel will again be restricted
I'm still optimistic on this side of the channel. If the vaccination programme goes to plan the pressure will be off the hospitals in Europe and I think we'll be let of the leash again as we were last year. As we approach the first anniversary of the first wave the numbers in hospitals are running at levels below that first wave. Several million people have acquired antibodies, a few million more have been vaccinated and the number is rising, Spring is on its way.
The question is whether the borders will be open to British tourists. Their cash will be very welcome but will they be able to get home without an expensive hotel quarantine? Is Boris prepared to piss people off just to piss of the European tourist industry? Are European countries prepared to forego revenue just to raise a digit to Boris?
Those questions can't be answered at the minute so the answer is to just book the parts of the holiday that are likely to be overbooked and make up the rest as you go along. Book a couple of ferry crossings and leave it at that. There's always accomodation in ski resorts, they've enough beds to cope with the ski season and there are never that many reservations in Summer - a last minute booking in Les Arcs/La Plagne is a cert.
I’ve a sneaky feeling that Boris will panic at his advisor’s rhetoric and will move the goalposts again, delaying the exit strategy.
I've never met the illustrious Mr.Johnson.
From what I hear, he shouldn't be taken too seriously.
Which is an obvious concern, as he's allegedly in charge of an entire nation.
We've got a track day (motorbike) in Jerez at the end of May, which I think will be very touch and go and have re-booked last years trip to Chatel for the end of July, which I'm more optimistic about, time will tell.......
Family (not immediate i should add, I find the idea horrific) have had Cunard cruises postponed from 2020. They get on-board credit for keeping their money invested rather than refunded.
But surely with all these postponed holidays beyond one year, the companies are eventually going to collapse from lack of turnover? Do the Atol things still protect the consumer?
Theres now another additional form to fill out: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/declaration-travel-government-exit-permit-b1813070.html
Little miss cloudnine has the opportunity to compete at a world championships in Denmark on August 1st..
It's one of those opportunities that don't come along all that often. I'm torn between being sensible or just crossing everything and trying to go..
So.. Denmark in August.. yay / nay
Little miss cloudnine has the opportunity to compete at a world championships in Denmark on August 1st..
It’s one of those opportunities that don’t come along all that often. I’m torn between being sensible or just crossing everything and trying to go..So.. Denmark in August.. yay / nay
Yay.
LittleMissMC should have been at Eurogym this July in Iceland, delayed from last year but it's been cancelled. They don't get chances like this too often. Luckily she got to go to Austria in 2019.
August I'd say yes.
I'm thinking about Gibraltar.
Beach and they speak the lingo.
Beach and they speak the lingo.
So does Skegness but not sure I fancy that either....
I'm still waiting on the 27th May. With infection rates and death rates as they are, the fear of me getting the CV19 from a holiday trip has almost turned into something irrelevant in my mind. Sure i MAY get it, but i may get it going to the supermarket here..
My main concern is with the viability of the trip now. Mostly in terms of restricions in terms of finance and freedom i guess. We've sat down and weighed it up, if it costs us £500 more than it was, we'll swallow that cost. But the 10 days isolation we can't accept. All of this assumes of course that on the 17th May that they predict flights will be allowed, they actually are and don't require a vaccination passport.
But it's all still very much unknown for us at the moment, which is kinda irritating. I'd like someone to just "yes/no" and we know we're going or not. But i understand that's not entirely possible.
Doesn't look like the EU will be a great destination this year, somewhat behind the curve in the vaccinations stakes, Italy going back into lockdown due to a third wave.
Remember that at this stage last year the pandemic was only just getting started. With treatments & vaccines now available the tail of the graph should look very different this year.
I read that BBC article this morning. Fair enough if you really want to go abroad this year, but expect the situation and rules to keep changing at short notice, and don't complain if you face a big ladt minute cost and/or inconvenience.
Still not sure what we're doing about our trip yet.
Portugal is looking good on cases etc, but Europe in places, mmmm not so much. Will that move over into Portugal, I dunno yet.
We've got 4 weeks to decide what we're doing both as a family and as a group.
I'm not sure any of the family will be vaccinated, but most of the group have had at least their first jab. But won't have had their 2nd.
I'm still not seeing a massive risk in an infection context, but cost and risk of being stuck is a concern.
but Europe in places, mmmm not so much.
Something of an understatement there!
Europe looks like much of it is heading downhill now.
