New quarantine requirements in Netherlands??

[Psoque]

8 minutes ago, Roz said:

@Psoque, thank you for your detailed response.  Yes, the lack of tests is due to TN's status as #1 in the country for new Covid cases.  With a shortage of tests and test appts., going on a river cruise isn't  a high priority in the medical community here.  Tauck already indicated in the info they emailed me that I'm on my own in Amsterdam as far as finding a test site,  but Tauck requires one to board.  At the end of the cruise Tauck provides a test for an extra fee.  I assume United will accept it but I don't know how to verify that.  I'll check to see if possibly the Nashville airport offers tests.  

I also did some reading about the proctored do-it-yourself antigen test that is available for purchase.  My understanding that it can be used to re-enter US, so that might be a convenient option for that purpose, for your final test before flying home.

[terry&mike]

We were able to make an appointment with a private same day PCR test results company for the day before we left home. It cost $159 pp, but got us through boarding international flight, transmitting London, and check in at the hotel in Lisbon. 
The test that AMA gave, for 20 euros pp got us from Portugal to France and on board the ship here. 
The test that Scenic is giving out today for free will get us back to the US. 
We brought along 6 of the Abbott tests for back up, but haven’t needed them. 
We have also seen several places a person could get tested along the way. 

[explorette]

Completed our Rhine Getaway river cruise on Viking, September 10-19. Some info that may or may not be helpful.

 

We had booked a pre-cruise extension in Amsterdam, which of course was canceled. While originally told the boat would dock in Emmerich, Germany instead of Amsterdam, Viking actually was able to dock in Amsterdam and allowed to take passengers directly from the airport to the dock and leave that evening. We found this out on the bus, thinking we were being taken to Emmerich and glad to find out we didn't have to go that far. Unfortunately, this must have been a last minute change, as some passengers who were traveling on their own before the cruise went to Emmerich and then found out they had to be in Amsterdam. My understanding is that Netherlands has rescinded their restrictions for U.S. visitors as of 9/22. This is anecdotal so check to be sure.

 

Masks required on the ship when moving around; if sitting down in the lounge or in your room, or at meals, no masks required. Also Germany only allows surgical masks or the more professional type, can't remember what they are called. No homemade or cloth masks or scarves. Viking provides packets of the surgical type in the rooms. Of course, that may have changed, but that was the case on this cruise.

 

The first days of the cruise in Amsterdam and Kinderdijk were switched to a stop in Dusseldorf. 

 

The rest of the cruise was as scheduled, including our two-day extension in Lucerne. We were spit-tested everyday on the boat, no big deal, actually kind of reassuring.

 

While we were cruising, Switzerland changed their rules, requiring a test and a QR code to be inside any buildings. Outside dining was okay, but anything we wanted to do inside required this code. So, while in Switzerland, we all had to go to a testing center, get a nose swab and then an email with the result and QR code available within an hour or so, if we wanted to do anything indoors. Just another glitch that required taking time out to wait in line for this. My understanding is that as of today (9/20) they no longer require this; but check into it to be sure.

 

The U.S. requires a 72 hour test for entry back into the U.S. The last test on the ship taken 9/17 was sufficient for this and the printout with results was delivered by Viking to our hotel. 

 

I'm trying to remember if we ever had to show our vaccination cards. I think we may have had to once. We did have to show our negative test results at our U.S. departure airport and then when we departed Zurich. No one ever looked at our CDC declaration page. We never knew exactly what document was going to be required at any given stage of travel. It seemed kind of random. I think the countries we traveled through were still working out exactly what they wanted. So by now, things have probably changed again. 

 

Hope this is helpful, although the experience of someone traveling now or in the next few months may be entirely different.

 

Otherwise it was a fun cruise, weather was good, fellow passengers were great (only 53; apparently there were supposed to be 70 more, who canceled), service over the top, and the Pearls of Switzerland excursion was amazing (post cruise extension option). Our favorites also included the Cologne Beer tour, the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress above Koblenz, Strasbourg, and Colmar. 

 

Given the stress of never knowing if you were quite in compliance with all the rules, as they kept changing and were different from country to country, or if for some reason your test turns up negative at some point and how that would be handled (never happened), I may not attempt another such trip until 2023 - assuming things have normalized and/or rules become more consistent and are communicated more effectively.

 

 

 

[NavyCruiser]

Thanks Explorette for your detailed review & update.  Great that you were able to cruise safely.

 

So I've just contacted Viking Air Plus dept, & changed our flight into Amsterdam back to orig arriving 2 days earlier than embarkation day on mid Nov.   Although Viking kept trying to charge us for $100, $300, $500 for various change/rebooking fees, I kept him going back to his supervisor a few times to have all 3 of us couples to make the flight changes without any penalties, fees, nor charges, since I kept reminding them that Viking auto changed our flights to comply with the Netherland's regulations, & now that reg has been reversed, Viking should waive all change fees to rebook to to orig plans to arrive early, as we're very uncomfortable with arriving same embarkation day in a foreign country.  Viking made the changes for all of us with no extra fees.  🙂

Thanks everyone for updates of the constantly changing rules/regulations...

Edited September 20, 2021 by NavyCruiser

[Psoque]

I'm not exactly sure how I ask the moderators to do this, but I wonder if it would be a good idea to close this thread for more comments when the short-lived quarantine mandate in the Netherlands ends on September 22?  Having this thread open beyond that date would make it confusing.

Edited September 21, 2021 by Psoque
made it better

[Host Kat]

2 hours ago, Psoque said:

I'm not exactly sure how I ask the moderators to do this, but I wonder if it would be a good idea to close this thread for more comments when the short-lived quarantine mandate in the Netherlands ends on September 22?  Having this thread open beyond that date would make it confusing.

 

Howdy @Psoque  

 

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[Loreto]

We transited through AMS Amsterdam yesterday from the US.  Quarantine forms were collected by flight attendants prior to landing.  At passport control our health forms were never asked for, or proof of vaccination cards. Passport control was quick and easy, well organized as we headed for our connecting flight to Zurich.  Lots of walking and some walkways were out of order .

in Switzerland the contact tracing forms were never asked for either.

[notamermaid]

@Loreto So you have arrived safely in Switzerland with everything going smoothly so far. Great to hear. I hope you have a lovely trip on "my" river. ☺️

 

notamermaid

 

[Loreto]

Thank you! Tomorrow is the big day when we transfer to Basel and the ImageryII. Only 15cabins booked so a small group of passengers.

[ncmom1]

Will be curious is you were able to just use your vaccine card to eat in the restaurants in Basel instead of needing a Swiss Covid Passport.  Seems like that is the policy until October 10th?  We are only in Basel for one day so doesn't seem worth the effort to get the covid passport/certificate.

 

[Baldo99]

Yes, would love to hear some feedback from very recent travelers to Switzerland regarding the news that they will not accept US vaccination cards for restaurants, museums, etc.

[Psoque]

Now that the "new" mandatory quarantine order in the Netherlands has expired as of September 22, I suggest that we close this particular thread to new comments.  I suggest that people start a new thread with their own topics.  I think keeping this thread open with the current title would only invite confusion.