River Cruisers: How Are Things Where YOU Are?

[notamermaid]

Decisions, decisions and advisories - from authorities. You will know this: https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-europe-business-health-travel-9c0f10f0af7e4d7fab63d6d8d4ed844c

 

Now the CDC is saying this, "due to a high level of Covid-19": https://www.dw.com/en/us-raises-covid-risk-level-for-travel-to-germany-8-other-countries/a-59036468

 

Decisions on Christmas markets have basically been made as the stallholders are recruited latest in Summer usually. So you can read the dates online already and some have posted alterations to procedure. But not all small places will have made their decisions. Let us just say that the major tourist destinations should be fine (hopefully). Looking good for now.

 

Well, some small place just couldn't wait till November or December with its market, so they have already had it - at a weekend in August!  And apparently not for the first time this early. No idea where this is in North-Rhine Westphalia, but the people evidently much enjoyed it: https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/erster-weihnachtsmarkt-100.html

 

notamermaid

 

 

[gnome12]

33 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

Well, some small place just couldn't wait till November or December with its market, so they have already had it - at a weekend in August!  And apparently not for the first time this early. No idea where this is in North-Rhine Westphalia, but the people evidently much enjoyed it: https://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/erster-weihnachtsmarkt-100.html

I guess that it is the equivalent of what we sometimes have here; Christmas in July promotions.

[notamermaid]

A situation update from this river cruising country which is finally sailed through again in abundance. Right, no 26 is here. That is the official paper that informs us of restrictions in Rhineland-Palatinate issue number 26 - the name by the way is Coronavirus-Bekämpfungsverordnung. It will come into effect on 12 September and I will not attempt to explain it, as I have not read everything and bits of what I have read I do not understand...

 

Okay I will give it a try: In short, let us say I think I have learned that incidence rate and hospitalisation are now connected, with a new figure indicating entry in a danger bracket which leads to different, very detailed restrictions which differ partly depending on a rate of vaccinated and unvaccinated people attending. I know that this makes you as river cruisers none the wiser.

 

Even shorter: hopping on a ship in Germany with only vaccinated passengers and crew looks possible for the rest of the year. If I interpret it correctly.

 

Other counties are very similar but there are differences that will remain, again I think they do not affect vaccinated people. The new regulations reflect the fact that now over 61 percent of the German population is fully vaccinated but we need to keep measures in place due to rising levels mainly among the population under 50 (and there especially the pressure on schools).

 

Switzerland is doing worse so they have just dropped their more liberal way of going through the Summer, you can probably see more restrictions from this weekend and policies that are closer to German measures.

 

Among the mad world and variety of going through this from "do not watch the sunset" to "celebrate in this massive funfair" we are somewhere in between in Germany, trying to negotiate through a general election. But enough of that as politicians across the spectrum seem to agree that there will be no lockdown for everyone in autumn or winter. So, as a fully vaccinated river cruiser you are much welcome to cruise on Rhine, Moselle, etc. It also looks good for crowd controlled Christmas markets.

 

But expect a slightly different experience from 2019, we are not going back to normal any time soon.

 

On a lighter note: I got this "shock" at the supermarket the other day. Spekulatius* are on display on the shelves!! This year the feeling is a bit worse, not just "oh dear, it will be winter soon" but "oh dear, where has the year been? Where was summer? What on earth have I been doing for the last eight months??"

 

Which means, if you like gingerbread you can skip the guided tour and pop into a supermarket (look out for REWE or EDEKA signs) to fill your bags now, in sunshine, at 24 Celsius.

 

notamermaid

 

*German thin Christmas gingerbread in the shape of human or animal figures

 

[notamermaid]

If you are interested and have not seen this yet, here is the webpage with the measures in Switzerland (note that I misread a different page, the new stuff takes effect on Monday not the weekend, which I had stated earlier) with an update to be released on the 13th it says: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/massnahmen-des-bundes.html

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

So, Switzerland's measures have come into force.

 

Here in Germany, our coronavirus test centres are busy. On Saturday I walked past one at 10 in the morning and there was a queue of about 30 people outside. You could have thought they are queuing up for buying something that comes under heading "while stocks last" or to get free beer, if they had not all been wearing masks (as far as I could ascertain in a few seconds).

 

It is the season of wine festivals and a couple will have taken place in a small format. It is not that you cannot have crowds, you can have controlled crowds.

 

Crowds - that brings me to Christmas markets. It still is looking good on the Rhine at least for some. A regional newspaper has listed the confirmed dates (sorry, lots of ads): https://www.24rhein.de/rheinland-nrw/weihnachtsmarkt-2021-nrw-koeln-duesseldorf-bonn-duisburg-termine-ueberblick-corona-regeln-90977658.html

 

A few indoor events have tried out implementing 2G, that means you can only get in if you have been vaccinated or have recovered, so should you want to enjoy nightlife in Germany on your cruise, remember to always carry your vaccination card, just in case you stumble upon such a club.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

Festivals - many cancellations. I have mentioned it here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2771435-rhine-water-levels-2021-and-similar-topics/page/6/#comments

 

 

On the Moselle the big wine festival at Bernkastel-Kues has also been cancelled as, again, this would be an uncontrolled, too big a crowd. This means the 300m street festival was turned into a 72 kilometre road festival! There is no way the locals will not celebrate their wine. It was a 72 kilometre route of coordinated events spread over four days at the beginning of September.

 

This is the scenario you are likely to find everywhere you travel around here, small several events instead of one big one. Suits me, I have also taken part in such an open air event and loved it, no full beer hall benches and queuing up for a soft drink with people breathing down my neck. Give me controlled crowds everywhere please.

 

Which reminds me. @steamboats If you are around and not busy: I know we are both not so unhappy about Oktoberfest not happening, how are the serious fans doing? Has Munich staged small events to make up for that (I know there is no alternative in the eyes of the fans, of course). The 2G rule has been tried out with your party goers as well? One club in Münster did but nevertheless had over 40 infections (a proper nightclub with perfect health and safety measures).

 

I reckon the situation is similar in the Danube towns, but have not looked in detail at what events they may have that are attractive for river cruisers.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

[steamboats]

15 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Which reminds me. @steamboats If you are around and not busy: I know we are both not so unhappy about Oktoberfest not happening, how are the serious fans doing? Has Munich staged small events to make up for that (I know there is no alternative in the eyes of the fans, of course). The 2G rule has been tried out with your party goers as well?

 

Actually I don´t mind... I haven´t been on the Oktoberfest for a couple of years. We had the "Summer in the city" for a couple of weeks where several booths were set up as well as a ferris wheel and more but that lasted only for August as we had the IAA Mobility trade show last week. There will be an Oktoberfest in several restaurants all over town.

 

No, clubs are not open yet. We think about somewhen in October and under the 3G rules with PCR-test.

 

steamboats

[steamboats]

Just read in the news that they want do have an Oktoberfest in 2022 with 2G (fully vaccinated or proof of infection not older than 6 months).

 

steamboats

[Canal archive]

I wonder if there will be an acceptance of booster jabs.