2021 holidays

[Applejack87]

Hi , are people actually booking holidays this year whether it be abroad or in the Uk ?

[SJaneS49]

We’ve got a 3 country trip booked back last August for this August as well as a couple of days in Edinburgh that I’ve had to rearrange 4 times.

I doubt at this point if we’ll be going on the 3 country trip - I think at best we’ll have to re-jig it to just one of the countries at best. But who knows? Won’t make a call on it till mid July when we’ve more of a clue what is and is not going to be sensible.

Right now, if we’d had nothing booked I would be holding off till the summer on booking both U.K. and international holidays.

[Frazzled2207]

We booked for May 2020 was moved to May 2021 and now august 2021. Chances of going are about 40% I think. However flights (originally very cheap) can be moved to next year as long as I do it a fortnight before and the accommodation is fully refundable up to 2 days before. So it doesn’t feel very risky from a money point of view. If it transpires in may/June that we can go abroad this summer then the chances of being able to afford to go given how the demand will skyrocket, will be about zero.
As long as you know where you are with cancellation/change policies I think it’s reasonable to book

We have also booked a self catering cottage for a week in June (uk). Booking conditions say if it’s
Not legal we get a refund. There wasn’t much choice left when I looked so clearly people are booking, esp for August

[notacooldad]

I'm not booking just yet.
I am going to see how everything is in the late summer and if I can book a Premier Inn, holiday express type of place anywhere.
I'm not overly desperate for a holiday as I was on holiday abroad in January, February and arly March of 2020. I had two weeks in Scotland in October so havent done so bad.

[astuz]

I am desperate for a holiday - I live for travelling/holidays/seeing the world, but I'm not booking anything yet. It's just too risky. We have money tied up with a cruise line from a cruise that got cancelled last July, so we could rebook using that money, but what if they say we all have to be vaccinated & we haven't been, or we can go but have to quarantine for 2 weeks, costing silly money? I don't think cruises are going to be running July/August TBH, so can't work up any enthusiasm to book it anyway.

I'm going to just see how the land lies the week before schools break up & we'll hopefully be able to go somewhere. A lot of people seem to be booking in the UK, so I'm thinking the usual holiday Islands in the Med might be reasonably priced, if we're allowed to go by then. Or just drive to somewhere in Europe if we're allowed (France, Germany, Austria Switzerland - anywhere South of here basically).

I'd love to go further afield - I really fancy a Safari in South Africa, but don't think that's going to happen. I also fancy California/Las Vegas, which might be a bit more of a possibility, but no way am I booking any of these things.

[Silkies]

Booked a week in UK for August but too uncertain at the moment for us to book abroad. Also got two in secondary and risk of close contact isolations means the only time we can book is last 4 weeks of school summer holidays when no chance will have to isolate and have to cancel last minute.

DH has been vaccinated once, atm think I am due for 1st in April but kids won't be vaccinated before this summer so that presumably may well mean last minute covid tests for them putting whole holiday at risk last minute. So may well stick to UK though would be good for DH to see his Mum in France if that's possible this year.

It's a shame and also last year the good weather in England was first two weeks of school holidays with lots of rain after that so not ideal but better than nothing. Last year we did UK first two weeks of summer holidays and had a lovely holiday and lovely weather, this year I suspect will be a week in the rain. We do at least have an indoor swimming pool, just hope they do same as last year where each family gets it for 1 to 2 hours per day so its not overrun by small children as we wouldn't be able to swim in it then, suspect they will as they were very covid aware.

[BG2015]

We're desperate for a holiday.

We've had 4 holidays cancelled since March 2020.

We have Kos booked (moved from 2020) for the last 2 weeks of August and also Cape Verde in October.

I've already had both my vaccinations and DP second one is due in April.

If we can go we will, if not we'll get refunds and either re-book or carry on house upgrades!

I think it's looking likely with Cyprus, Spain and Greece agreeing green corridors with the U.K. They are desperate for tourists to return.

[Ikeameatballs]

I am desperate to book! I’ll be vaccinated but dc and dp won’t be.

[BG2015]

I get the impression that DC will be allowed in with a negative PCR test 72 hours before.

That's what I'm hoping as my DC are coming to Kos with us, they're 18 and 21 so may have had their first dose but not their second

[Alfaix]

I really want to book something abroad too- maybe Crete.
DH and I should both have been vaccinated as we’ve both had dose 1, but DS8? Maybe testing?

[Stokey]

I've just booked Greece for 2 weeks in August. I'm assuming DH and I will both be vaccinated by then and children will be allowed to travel with negative tests. Otherwise no-one with kids will be able to go anywhere which will be a massive loss to the travel industry. Like BG2015 said, Greece and Cyprus look more likely. We made it to France last summer but feel like they're being less accommodating this year.

[zafferana]

Yeah, I agree that Spain, Greece and Cyprus are all looking good. Portugal are also in talks with the British govt. France looks impossible at the moment though and there's been no word on Italy or anywhere else in Europe.

We're due to go to the US in August and I'm feeling more hopeful than I was, mainly because both the UK's and the US's vaccine roll outs are going well and I know the airlines are lobbying hard to get the North Atlantic routes (their most profitable) back up and running asap.

[FoonySpucker]

We made it to France last summer but feel like they're being less accommodating this year.

Have you seen the current daily infection and death rates for France?

www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/france?tagparamdecoded=actu%2Fvideo_actu/

Many areas are being subject to targeted lockdowns.
There is a blanket 6pm curfew throughout the country.
All bars and restaurants are closed and have been since October. Absolutely no indication of when this might change.

It's not about being "less accommodating".

[Stokey]

I didn't know that @FoonySpucker. My impression from the press was that it was more to do with EU exit and France being less keen to open up travel corridors to non-EU citizens, but your point makes more sense.

[BG2015]

The vaccine situation in the EU is terrible. Those poor people at the mercy of their governments.

Love or hate Bojo at least he's got one thing right in this whole mess.

[FoonySpucker]

@Stokey

It's most definitely not a Brexit thing.

We live in an area that depends heavily on tourism over the summer and I am pretty sure that all of the people who rent out their properties/do the chageovers/run wedding venues/offer catering/work in the performing arts would absolutely love to welcome visitors.

A lot of the local restaurants have been offering a take away service to try and keep themselves ticking over, but the 6pm curfew has played havoc with that and how many of them manage to survive remains to be seen.

It is clear from many of the current holiday threads that a lot of people are under the impression that countries outside of the UK are more or less back to normal, but that is definitely not the case.

Also worth adding that masks are compulsory everywhere outside. No sauntering across the car park and reluctantly popping a mask on when you get inside the supermarket. The mask goes on before you open the car door.

I really hope that I can come back on this thread in a few weeks and say that everything has changed massively, but nobody here is very hopeful at the moment.

As @BG2015 says, the vaccine rollout is nothing like what is happening in the UK. Yes it is happening (and thankfully the advice about not using AZ vaccines for over 65s has now been reversed) but the French, on the whole, are quite averse to vaccines so it is likely that uptake will be low.

[Stokey]

Fingers crossed that things start improving soon @FoonySpucker. It sounds really tough.

[Silkies]

My husand's family are French and their vaccine rollout seems far slower than ours - his Mum lives alone in her 80s, very much wants the vaccine and has not been able to get it yet. It looks like its imminent but a couple of months behind here. Only a third of their healthcare workers are vaccinated. Whereas here all healthcare are vaccinated, my husband has been vaccinated and its moving at the third fastest rate in the world and on to the 55-60s with no health conditions.

[FoonySpucker]

@silkies

Several people that I know have had their vaccinations by registering at their local pharmacy. I am not sure if this applies to the over 65s, but it may be worth asking.

There is a website for booking appointments if you are eligible (and she certainly should be) It doesn't seem the easiest site to negotiate but it might be worth a go. It does say that the over 75s can now be vaccinated by their doctor and will be contacted, but I have seen that people are booking via the site. www.doctolib.fr/

Someone else local has said that they popped into to the doctor's on an unrelated matter (just to drop off a form) and the receptionist asked them if they wanted to book a vaccine appointment.

It all seems a bit hit and miss and different areas are taking different approaches. I hope your MIL can get something sorted soon.

@Stokey Thanks. It could be worse. All I want is the opportunity to see my children and grand-children (who don't live in France).

[Silkies]

Thanks Foony I just asked DH and he said he pointed that site out to her a week or so ago (she can't use internet much) and said he could book her appointment at a local hospital using it from here and he mentioned it also said GP so she said no to hospital and she was going to the GP but not sure if that's a quick option. Its very difficult as she's in her 80s alone and doesn't drive but she does have a sister thankfully not too far away who drives and is in her late 60s who would take her if needed. I think DH will just have to see if she can get GPs appointment next week and if not get her sister to drive her to hospital though his Mum can be very stubborn and she may insist on GP. Hope you can see your family soon - we aren't allowed over there atm and DH hasn't been able to see her since last Feburary (the grandchildren and I are previous October or so) - think there was a time in the summer we could have gone but DH was worried about taking covid over.

Though our French niece has had school since September over there which is 3 months more than mine have had in UK between lockdown and close contact school isolations (where almost whole year gets sent home with 1 case for 2 weeks) and they travelled to second home for Christmas with 2 families whereas we have not been allowed out of our village. Hopefully it will be back to more like normal before too long.

[lalafafa]

Ive moved our Xmas holiday to Easter and then again to Xmas 2021,i asked travel agent who called if kids would need to be vaccinated to travel by Xmas. She said she didn't know but did mention we'd probably need a Covid passport.

[FoonySpucker]

@Silkies I hope you manage to get something sorted. I had a quick look at that website and nearly threw my ipad through the window in frustration. Goodness knows how people are supposed to navigate it!!!

Things do seem to be progressing on the vaccine front though, so hopefully it will all fall into place soon.

My MIL is in the UK. My OH hasn't seen her for over a year. She is in her 90s and lives alone. I know he will be on the first available plane when restictions are lifted.

I hope you can manage to get over here safely soon.
We are all hoping for a more normal summer.

[NCTDN]

We're meant to be going to Austria this summer (carried over from last summer). I'm desperate to go but even if we're allowed, the rates over there may be too high.

[carrottopper]

We have our Tui holiday to Spain moved from last august to this august. Neither I of hubby have been vaccinated yet and we have 2 kids. Not much chance of us going is there?

[SJaneS49]

At this point, I don’t think so. I was hopeful until this week but with new lockdowns across Europe, variants spreading etc it does seem unlikely. I’m not going to cancel and re-book just yet and we will wait and see but I do have an internal ? about the potential bringing back of variants when our recovery programme is going pretty well.

We’ll call it mid July I think with the most likely route being cancelling and booking somewhere in the U.K. Knowing our luck, there won’t be many reasonably priced cottages left at that point!