AIBU to consider booking a European holiday for May 2021?

[Theegghashatched]

BIG BIRTHDAY and always wanted to travel to Slovenia, Lake Bled.

Covid has hit and life is so unpredictable at the moment, it is hard to know where we will be in 6/7 months time and I am not sure whether I am being overly optimistic considering a birthday break next year!

Has anyone else booked a break for next year? What are your thoughts?

I suppose worst case scenario I could cancel the accommodation with no fees, but the choice of flights is unsurprisingly low and there are very few options available.

YANBU to book, but be very prepared for it not to go ahead. Even countries that will let us in might have strict entry requirements, so you would have to also be prepared to pay an extra £1-200 per person for testing too. If you can afford it I'd book, it will give you something to look forward to.

I'd book to have something lovely to look forward to but don't be surprised if it gets cancelled.

DH and I went on a Much Better Adventures jaunt to Bled last year and had an ace time. It's a beautiful place.

I have holidays booked for February (booked pre Covid) and July. Not so hopeful for February but I think by the summer we'll be ok!

By May it all could be possible, there may well be vaccines. I think I would be tempted to book of it was refundable, saying that as someone who has not fancied flying anywhere during the pandemic so far I just am hopeful things could be better by May

I have a big birthday next year too.

I’ve hooked to go to Palma with my friends in May. I only half expect it to go ahead, tbh.

We’ve also booked New York for August with my family. I don’t expect that to go ahead at all. We’ve just paid a deposit of around £150 so far, & the balance is not due until end of May (I think).

I reckoned I could afford to lose the deposit, if it still turns out to be too risky.

I’ve made these plans, but know perfectly well,things won’t be back to ‘normal’ for a very long time!

We've got a short break to Tenerife in March. Flights can be changed and the hotel doesn't have to be paid until a couple of days before so it feels good to have something in the diary.

I have booked Spain for July! Self catering villa which is free cancellation up to a few weeks before, very cheap flights with BA. I can't cancel the flights but can change the date - I'm fine with that. No way would I have booked flights with Ryanair though.........they were a nightmare to get a refund from this year!!!!

I am quite surprised at the responses, I was anticipating responses saying I was being unreasonable!

It looks like I can fly with Lufthansa and they are allowing us to change the flights for free until the end of the year so that is promising! I have never flown there before so not sure whether the costs are more expensive than normal? UK - Slovenia incl 1 stop is circa £170.

For anyone who has been before, does this seem a reasonable price?

@zatarontoast thank you, very good point about the testing costs!!!

We had my mother's 70th birthday holiday cancelled - we had booked the MOST amazing villa with private chef etc in Spain, but had to cancel.

We have rebooked for next year, but in France, so we can drive and don't have to worry about flying anywhere. The villa is cancellable up until the week before and the eurotunnel are doing 24 hour cancellations, so we figured it was safe to at least book. Fingers crossed we can go!

Not unreasonable but perhaps a tad optimistic?

You are not unreasonable to book it - who knows what will happen next year.

I agree I am probably being a tad optimistic!

I know there has been suggestions that Covid is likely a seasonal disease so perhaps as we go into spring/summer the transmission rates decrease! (I sound so selfish talking about holidays, I work in a reactive team dealing with covid so it is something that is on my mind daily!)