Should we cancel our holiday to Greece????

[Merse]

Just wondering if it will be utter chaos with shut banks, no food in shops, presumably no petrol etc. Does anyone have a view? Anyone out there now able to advise?

I came back from Crete on Saturday. If I hadn't been watching the news, I'd have had no clue that anything was going on. There were no queues at cash points. The shops were fully stocked. Everyone was just going about their business or holidaying as normal.

We did take plenty of cash with us, so we didn't need to rely on getting hold of cash out there.

I'm in one of the Greek Islands right now and everything is totally normal . The banks are due to open again tomorrow but the cash machines have been working for all of the last week . Shops, petrol stations, tourist attractions, - everything fine

We are having a great holiday - fab weather , friendly people , great food, beautiful country . Don't even think of cancelling . Just bring cash

We are due to go on 26th and I have been a bit nervous but have been reassured by posts from lovely MNetters out there/just come back! Lots of scaremongering going on, I think. Spoke to our travel agent on Saturday who said: we really would not send you out there if there was no food to be bought!

But we are taking all our spending money in cash - fortunately we have good travel insurance which covers us up to £1,100 so a bit more than that in Euros.

Our friends have just come back from 2 weeks in Greece and were totally clueless about all of the coverage here, they hadnt noticed any difference from every other year they've been!

I think the hype is media based and not the reality.

Enjoy your holiday but take cash as a precaution.

Really helpful input - thanks all. Someone on the radio was talking about real risk of Greece falling into anarchy this morning which was got me hot and bothered. Of course they need our money - and am keen to give it to them! But not if whole place grinds to a halt. Will watch news carefully, but input from MNers on the ground is invaluable and hopefully situ is being over-hyped.

I think there is a very real risk of civil unrest in the cities. Not so much in the rural areas, but if the banking system stays closed there must be a knock on effect for the rural parts.

You definitely need to take cash. I might take some sterling too.

It depends, of course, on your travel insurance as well. I know that if we cancel, we will lose all our money and can't afford that! Unless FCO advice is only essential travel to the area, you are unlikely to get your money back.

We are in same boat on insurance, but if all Hell breaks out then would just have to kiss goodbye to the hols I guess. Hopefully it won't come to that. Gather Cameron about to form some group to advice Brits living in Greece and/or planning to holiday there imminently.

to ADVISE even….

I have checked my insurance against FCO advice, and we do have cover for end supplier failure and civil unrest which is what they recommend. Am most worried about food/petrol though as we are self-catering. Everything else including excursions has already been paid for.

Please continue with your holiday. The mainland is where you see your news coverage since Athens is the Capital, and Greeks do have it tough, but mm its business as usual for Tourists. The Greeks need your money and you will be made more than welcome and not notice the problems living in Greece face, as opposed to Holidaying. Take all of your money, split it between your travellers, and be mindful of respecting local Greeks and their position at the moment; so don't go bragging about your money. As far as fuel is concerned, Airlines will not be running out, if they couldn't refuel in Greece they'd be ensuring they can get there and back and doubling up. Enjoy your holiday, Yasoo.

I have no intention of cancelling my holiday to Greece. I will be taking my euros with me and I am looking forward to my trip

I'm still on one of the islands and everything is as normal . We watched George Osborne on the TV going on about consulate assistance to tourists etc and can only assume they are trying to talk up a crisis .

Tourism is one of the main sources of income in the islands and I can assure you that the Greeks will do NOTHING to upset that . They are wonderful hospitable people and it's a beautiful country - please come !

I got back from Skiathos a few days ago. We had a wonderful holiday and wouldn't have known anything was going on if we hadn't watched the news or discussed it with the locals. The coverage in the UK tabloids is a disgrace in its coverage - mass exaggeration and indeed actual lies at times from what I've seen. There were no issues with money, food or petrol shortages, riots, etc etc. and I know from posts on TripAdvisor that other islands are the same.

Athens has problems, of course, which will get worse but if you are going to the islands you won't notice any difference as they have their own micro economy. Take cash (the locals need the ATMS more than you do) and use the room safe. I have never in 30+ years of going there, paid for anything other than my accommodation with a card. It is a much more cash-based economy than ours, and I pay for everything else with cash. (No problem using 50 eur notes either.)

Oh and if you really want to help, go s/c, not the dreaded AI.

I'm going back in September too!

Of course its cash based in Greece. Tax avoidance is a national pastime!!! Hence some of the problems now. I think you have to go, OP and hope that now the Greeks are coming up with a plan regarding their debt repayments and restructuring their economy, you might be ok. My newspaper says the Greeks have blinked first, so it will be interesting to see what deal can be done.