No quarantine on returning from Amber countries coming soon

Thank you B9exchange I’m sure we will enjoy both holidays, but we are guaranteed to have lovely summer weather in Zakinthos in late September, which always makes me feel better.
Summerlove you’re right of course, but Zakinthos is already in amber, and so we’re quite happy to self isolate at home when we return if it’s still necessary. If it went to red, we would cancel. However I think there’s little chance of that happening, as the Greeks are aiming to fully vaccinate their island populations by this summer. I also checked on the insurance situation and there are five Greek islands where you are able to get holiday insurance, and Zakinthos is one of them. I’ve done my homework as far as possible, nothing in life is ever certain.

I think anyone planning a new holiday(or an old one pushed back) needs to be awards that rules can change in an instant.

This was always true, but now it happens

ExD

Oh dear, they moved the goalposts again.
Did you pay by card? Can you explore that route for a cash refund?
It'll be refunded to your card meaning you will have a card loaded with that amount, so you will have £xxx to spend on card bills until its used up.
So no actual cash in your pocket.

Right at the very beginning, I remember the PM and the scientists saying things could change suddenly. Did not anyone listen.

Like many others we booked our holiday in 2019 long before either we or the insurance companies had heard of the pandemic. Last year was put off to this year, we have had to defer now to 2022 as we couldn't hang on to see what will be announced on June 28th. It is the travel insurance that is the issue, when we renewed it obviously CV-19 wasn't covered. I suspect we could actually have gone now if FCO advice changes next month, which would mean we could get insurance, but there are limits as to how much uncertainty you can live with
Enjoy your holidays Maddy0ne, they sound lovely!

It depends where you’re going. We’ve booked a cottage on a farm in Somerset for a week. It’s quite isolated, only the farm and two holiday cottages, surrounded by countryside. Equally, our holiday in Zakinthos is not in a big hotel full of people, but an isolated holiday home, in a vineyard. I wouldn’t dream of going on a cruise or in a holiday hotel this year, you just have to consider where you can holiday reasonably safely. Plus we’re both double vaccinated and we both had Covid in the winter. I’m not worried at all about our holidays.

I agree that the sensible choice would not be to book a holiday during the pandemic but there will be people, like myself, who booked a holiday quite some time before it's arrival. In my case that was in May 2019 for May 2020 with the result that the May 2020 booking was carried forward to 2021 and now again to 2022.

Must be mad holidaying in this country first you have to sit in traffic for hours, then overcrowded and overpriced seaside towns, accomodation that is priced out of most people’s budget, and to top it all its cold and wet, o can’t wait for sunshine and sangria

I'm a bit confused. My understanding is that the need to get insurance is from when you book the holiday - not just before you go. So how long ago was the holiday booked? before covid was know about ? or if covid was a known factor then insurance which incl cancellation due to covid should have been taken out. Then a refund would have been given. It sounds harsh but it appears you broke the contract by cancelling - rather than speaking to the travel agent or the holiday company - so no refund is likely.

Ascot went ahead with crowds of people. Football went ahead with crowds of people. I’ll be just as safe, if not safer in my isolated villa in Zakinthos than at Ascot or a football. I’ve been fully vaccinated and I take care. I’ll be fine and highly unlikely to bring anything back with me. I’m happy to self isolate if necessary when we get back.

I agree with Theoddbird.
Who would risk going abroad just now. Madness is all around.
*Just thought I’d mention this - There is a little disk that can be bought on line to determine if there’s enough carbon dioxide in rooms. This will be ideal for teachers and office users. I know some schools are not keeping windows open as we are instructed by the health advisors. Precious pupils evidently get cold.

Blackcat3

The sensible approach would be don’t book a holiday in the midst of a PANDEMIC, then you won’t have to come on here and whinge about the problems that arise due to goalposts moving!

I agree Blackcat, we all need to accept things can change and will be different for at least a year. Prices, restrictions, availability etc.

My granddaughters aged 22 & 23 have their tests booked for 24th June but are booking several long weekends away over the summer and are quite happy with that. They say it is a great opportunity to explore their own country. I live in a Devon seaside town. In our little courtyard there are 3 lovely holiday homes with parking 200 yds from the beach and I was surprised one of them was empty last week!

The sensible approach would be don’t book a holiday in the midst of a PANDEMIC, then you won’t have to come on here and whinge about the problems that arise due to goalposts moving!

I just think we all need to be patient, holiday in UK and give things time to calm down! I won’t be taking any risks of booking overseas visits for this year! We go away quite a bit but holding fire until more are vaccinated and this new strain is under more control

I appreciate that we need to support the hospitality industry in this country but its been a bit frustrating to find a decent holiday cottage for a forthcoming holiday. We looked at some lodges where we have stayed in previous years, I understand that they need to recoup some losses but we were quoted over £3000 for a week when previously we paid in the region of £1400. They all seem very expensive. It’s annoying as if we could go abroad my niece lets us have her apartment in Spain for next to nothing and flights only £150 each. No competition if we could go!

Don't forget any restrictions that are lifted, can be reimposed by our power-crazy government at short notice. We have seen this happen many times during the past year.

Madness to leave the UK this year. Plus hospitality in our own country is desperate for support.

Maybe we won’t have to quarantine on return but many countries have travel restrictions still and will still want us to be tested, with a family that is expensive.
Yesterday I was chatting to my partners daughter with kids at secondary school, Covid is rife in local schools, far worse than last year. With a high proportion of the population in the UK vaccinated it probably won’t be a problem, other countries with less vaccination will be cautious about this Delta variant that we have.

That's good. They should be able to go off to uni double jabbed then.

It was announced on the evening news that people from age 18 can book their vaccine appointments from tomorrow. Hopefully that will make the problem re the younger members of society redundant fairly soon.

Ellianne

That would be a bit mean to the younger generation who won't be double jabbed until end of August/September. They are the ones who really need to go abroad in the summer.

I agree. It should Be everyone or no one. It’s not the younger people faults they weren’t eligible to get the vaccine at the same time.

Wait for your vaccine to protect the vulnerable so they can go on holiday.

It rankles

Personal thoughts only, but I don’t think we should be happening at all I d far rather get back to some kind of normality in this country and forget holidays outside U.K. until next year
Surely young people will be glad to get back to their festivals and holidays or days out in this country and leave the travelling for another year I know my grandkids who were expecting to go overseas will wait till they re fully vaccinated and will use this year to boost up the economy here
It all seems back to front to me but then it always has

B9exchange

I think BA must be Gransnet readers, they have just sent an email saying I will get my refund in a week or so! It will go back on my card, but as I will be using that card for our Scottish holiday, summer is looking up!

Good news!
My family had no such luck, just vouchers transferring over from year to year.

Yes, just a shame our adult children aren't due their second jab until the end of August, which with 2 being teachers means they can't go abroad. I guess that's life, but once again it does irritate me that younger people miss out. The children, all under 10s, will hopefully be just as happy holidaying in the UK weather permitting!

Children will be exempt according to the report. It will put pressure on the over 18s to get the jabs if they want a foreign holiday.