Good news on the European front

[DCGuy64]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/eu-vaccine-travel-passports/2021/05/03/4fc0281c-a8f2-11eb-a8a7-5f45ddcdf364_story.html

 

The gist of the article (it may be behind a paywall) is that the European countries are working on a proposal to allow vaccinated non-EU citizens entry into the 27-member bloc.

Here's an excerpt:

"Europe would grant fully vaccinated people and their children the chance to visit, regardless of the coronavirus outbreak levels in their countries. Non-vaccinated citizens of non-European countries would be allowed to visit as the health situation improves in their countries."

 

And it may be in place by the end of this month, in some countries. Another excerpt:

"Europe’s internally-focused effort to ease travel restrictions among E.U. countries has put less emphasis on vaccinations, partly to avoid perceptions that the vaccine is being mandated. Instead, it would set up a secure system for travelers to prove either that they had been vaccinated, that they had a recent negative coronavirus test or that they had recovered from the disease itself, conferring immunity for at least some time.

A version of that system is expected to be running in the biggest E.U. countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, by the end of May."

This at least seems like good news for people hoping to cruise in Europe this summer.

[Ashland]

Good news for some...But too much uncertainty for us to take a British Isles cruise July 30th.

 

[Jimbo]

19 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/eu-vaccine-travel-passports/2021/05/03/4fc0281c-a8f2-11eb-a8a7-5f45ddcdf364_story.html

 

 

"Europe would grant fully vaccinated people and their children the chance to visit, regardless of the coronavirus outbreak levels in their countries. Non-vaccinated citizens of non-European countries would be allowed to visit as the health situation improves in their countries."

 

 

This at least seems like good news for people hoping to cruise in Europe this summer.

Not enough good news for us, We will not be on Harmony September 23rd.  Way to many people(with unknown issues) will be in the country around us to feel comfortable. I high lighted the above sentences that don't sound like a good situation to be walking in and around us while visiting Europe.

[DCGuy64]

Just now, Jimbo said:

Not enough good news for us, We will not be on Harmony September 23rd.  Way to many people(with unknown issues) will be in the country around us to feel comfortable. I high lighted the above sentences that don't sound like a good situation to be walking in and around us while visiting Europe.

Thanks, Jimbo, I can always count on you. 😆

[Jimbo]

Just now, DCGuy64 said:

Thanks, Jimbo, I can always count on you. 😆

No problem, anytime ! I'm not going to Europe for the 1st time under these conditions. Waited this long to see Europe, I can wait another year .

[DCGuy64]

5 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

No problem, anytime ! I'm not going to Europe for the 1st time under these conditions. Waited this long to see Europe, I can wait another year .

Sounds like the right decision for you, sir. My wife and I are looking forward to seeing Europe again this summer if this all works out.

[Jimbo]

1 minute ago, DCGuy64 said:

Sounds like the right decision for you, sir. My wife and I are looking forward to seeing Europe again this summer if this all works out.

Wish you luck, my wife and I were looking forward to it also but in much better conditions down the road in the foreseeable future, rather then the way is looks now.

[DCGuy64]

3 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Wish you luck, my wife and I were looking forward to it also but in much better conditions down the road in the foreseeable future, rather then the way is looks now.

Thanks! 

[Summer35]

In most countries the hotels are still closed and in Germany I think they will not open before June or July

[DCGuy64]

We are cruising, so won't be using a hotel, but even so, the article I posted makes it pretty clear Europe is hoping/expecting to be open this summer. We have a cruise booked but it doesn't sail until the end of August. I wasn't very optimistic until recently and this article is good news for us. I hope it's good news for others, too.

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, DCGuy64 said:

We are cruising, so won't be using a hotel, but even so, the article I posted makes it pretty clear Europe is hoping/expecting to be open this summer. We have a cruise booked but it doesn't sail until the end of August. I wasn't very optimistic until recently and this article is good news for us. I hope it's good news for others, too.

So flying in day of sail out?   Best of luck to you...enjoy your cruise.

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, Ashland said:

So flying in day of sail out?   Best of luck to you...enjoy your cruise.

UK hotels are planned to open on 17 May, but as UK is not in the EU, different entry rules may apply.

[DCGuy64]

4 minutes ago, Ashland said:

So flying in day of sail out?   Best of luck to you...enjoy your cruise.

Actually, no. We have 1 night booked (day before cruise), but it's in Denmark, not Germany. I was responding to the person who suggested that hotels in Germany will be closed, which BTW I doubt will be the case by end of August, anyway. But in any case, that person's advice doesn't apply to our particular situation. In fact, Denmark is making good headway with their Coronapas.

 

[JABTPS]

My group is also going to join the Europe crowd this fall.  The first cruises will help prove the plan ( we hope) and then thinking that crowds will be considerably lower than normal years, so site seeing will be less crowded.  Also, our Mom will join us for her last chance to see Europe.  At 82 and still has good health, another year is risky not knowing what could happen.  We already lost 2 years for her trip.

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, JABTPS said:

My group is also going to join the Europe crowd this fall.  The first cruises will help prove the plan ( we hope) and then thinking that crowds will be considerably lower than normal years, so site seeing will be less crowded.  Also, our Mom will join us for her last chance to see Europe.  At 82 and still has good health, another year is risky not knowing what could happen.  We already lost 2 years for her trip.

That's wonderful about taking your Mom to Europe, what a nice thing to do. 😊

[JABTPS]

Also, how is living in fear of the virus, living?  My parents missed 2 years of their retirement (in their 90's) and are just existing.... no visitors, no family, no meals in dining room, no social gathering, no seeing great grandchildren recently born,  no hope...  Think of those who have suffered the most!

[Ashland]

44 minutes ago, JABTPS said:

Also, how is living in fear of the virus, living?  My parents missed 2 years of their retirement (in their 90's) and are just existing.... no visitors, no family, no meals in dining room, no social gathering, no seeing great grandchildren recently born,  no hope...  Think of those who have suffered the most!

Unfortunately we've all had to make sacrifices during this pandemic. Living through it is better than the alternative.

[SeaHunt]

3 hours ago, zap99 said:

UK hotels are planned to open on 17 May

 

@zap99 I hope this happens and also want to give UK residents a big "congratulations!" on reaching the milestone below! 😁

 

"Britain has recorded just one Covid death, with infection levels falling to the lowest levels since last September, latest official figures show."

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-covid-face-masks-lockdown-vaccine-holiday-cases/ 

[sgmn]

Thank you @SeaHunt it's been a long hard winter and now with over 50% of population vaccinated with at least 1 jab,  hopefully we can keep rates down. Its a holiday weekend here so that may skew the figures slightly but our figures have been consistently downward and are often in single digit

 

Here's another link 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/e8ca8d06-ac42-11eb-bda6-057976012425?shareToken=3e7777640c05c59d142634836b028674

[Sunshine3601]

6 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Wish you luck, my wife and I were looking forward to it also but in much better conditions down the road in the foreseeable future, rather then the way is looks now.

Plus there is no way I want to wear a mask for approx 8 hr international flight.  I get antsy after a couple hours on a plane, mask would make me bonkers.  I'm fine wearing for work and errands but not on a long flight.

[Fabulous97]

On 5/3/2021 at 7:41 PM, Ashland said:

Good news for some...But too much uncertainty for us to take a British Isles cruise July 30th.

 

British Isle Cruises from Southampton etc are only available to UK residents, unless that changes in the future.

[Daithi2021]

European countries liable to slap a 15 day hotel quarantine on new arrivals with very little notice.  So you fly in and you get bussed straight to the prison, sorry, the hotel and you pay €2000 for the privilege of staying in your room for 14 days.

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, Fabulous97 said:

British Isle Cruises from Southampton etc are only available to UK residents, unless that changes in the future.

Mine was to sail out of Amsterdam...nothing has been changed or restricted yet on this particular itinerary/cruise.

 

However just before FPD I opted to move my NRD to a sailing in 2023 as I am completely booked up for 2022.

[ace2542]

On 5/3/2021 at 7:38 PM, DCGuy64 said:

The gist of the article (it may be behind a paywall) is that the European countries are working on a proposal to allow vaccinated non-EU citizens entry into the 27-member bloc.

Here's an excerpt:

"Europe would grant fully vaccinated people and their children the chance to visit

FWIW you do know that for reasons I am not entirely sure of there are 4 EU Member States within that 27 member bloc that are NOT on your Visa Waiver Program and whose younger and even older people sometimes struggle to travel to the United States again FWIW.

[ace2542]

On 5/4/2021 at 2:10 AM, sgmn said:

Thank you @SeaHunt it's been a long hard winter and now with over 50% of population vaccinated with at least 1 jab,  hopefully we can keep rates down. Its a holiday weekend here so that may skew the figures slightly but our figures have been consistently downward and are often in single digit

 

Here's another link 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/e8ca8d06-ac42-11eb-bda6-057976012425?shareToken=3e7777640c05c59d142634836b028674

And there are still 900 deaths a day almost in America. Their deaths seem to be increasing again.