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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Pre booked "Amber" list holidays. Are you going?

198 replies

Piptastic · 07/05/2021 23:34

Just that really.

If you have an existing booking for a holiday to an "Amber" country, in the next few months, are you going to go?

I've got one booked and just curious what everyone has decided after todays announcement.

OP posts:
tinytemper66 · 08/05/2021 13:13

Tui cancelled my holiday to Sorrento in August last month. Unsure if it was the flights or the hotel availability. It was booked in 2019 for 2020. Now move it to 2022.
Won't be going abroad this year now

LittleBearPad · 08/05/2021 13:21

@Piptastic

What's everyone's thoughts on the guidance "you SHOULD NOT travel to an Amber destination for LEISURE purposes"

I take that as should not but you can, so long as you are prepared to isolate on return and do all the tests etc.

We are booked to go to Mexico at the end of May and we really really want to go, and it seems we CAN. WWYD?

I’d check your travel insurance. If there’s government advice against travelling to Mexico it’s likely insurance won’t be valid.

Will Mexico let you in is the other question.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 08/05/2021 14:28

We are trying to work out what to do about our travelling trip across France in august. Happy to jump through the hoops - but how on earth do you sort out a covid test there to come back?

Tal45 · 08/05/2021 19:04

Last year we 'should not' have gone to Spain in the summer according to government advice, we went, it was wonderful, we quarantined after and we'll be going again this year unless it goes on the red list.

JFCO · 08/05/2021 20:20

Does anybody think we will be 'green' to them by then or we will have to quarantine for 10-14 days when we land at holiday destination? Also, all those tests' costs quickly ramps up.
I genuinely think all this 'system' is to discourage people to travel, thus, lessening carbon footprint:(

Thunderpunt · 09/05/2021 07:23

Italy have announced that from May 15th compulsion quarantine will be abolished for those coming from EU/UK and Israel.... another step closer for us to see family this year...

Thunderpunt · 09/05/2021 07:24

*compulsory

zafferana · 09/05/2021 07:48

otherwise we will be back in tiers in the winter

@mrsrobin that really shouldn't be the case, unless a variant emerges that can evade the current crop of vaccines PLUS the boosters that are going to be given to >50s from Sept.

By late July everyone in the UK >18 will have been offered at least one dose (and many will be fully vaccinated) and they're talking about rolling out the jab to 12-18 year olds from Sept too, which would quash the cases in secondaries.

zafferana · 09/05/2021 07:51

thus, lessening carbon footprint

Er, the Conservatives' green credentials aren't exactly great - it's much more likely that they're trying to put us off travelling because they don't want to import more 'variants of concern'.

mrsnec · 09/05/2021 07:57

My parents were due to visit us in Cyprus in mid May. I haven't seen them in nearly 2 years now. They've changed their flights to October now just to be on the safe side.

They could come over now but there are still restrictions in place and our figures are still high so it's sensible to wait another few months. Easyjet have changed their flights but not refunded any of the booking fees so that's a bit annoying.

traumatisednoodle · 09/05/2021 08:02

My parents were due to visit us in Cyprus in mid May. I haven't seen them in nearly 2 years now. They've changed their flights to October now just to be on the safe side

I would caution against this. It is extremely unlikely that cases will be lower in October than they are now.

traumatisednoodle · 09/05/2021 08:03

Sorry just seen that you are in Cyprus.

missfliss · 09/05/2021 08:16

Was due to fly to menorca on May 29th.

Thought we were going to have to battle TUI for a refund rather than exchange to new holiday. Spain isn't admitting UK tourists until June so wasn't only an amber issue.

Happily they cancelled yesterday so we get our money back in full.

Halloweenrainbow · 09/05/2021 08:38

What happens if a test comes back positive? Just hoping people are prepared for sudden change of plans/quarantine/expenses etc.

userxx · 09/05/2021 08:39

@missfliss Do you know what date in June Spain is reopening?

blueangel19 · 09/05/2021 09:07

Some hotels in Spain are not opening until June which is why they are cancelling. I had one cancelled for this reason. However, my friends over there think it would be ok to travel when UK allows on May 17th. They left the emergency state last night so pay attention to the updates in the next few days. I imagine the foreign office page will update on this on May 17th. Still says it is illegal to travel abroad.

missfliss · 09/05/2021 10:40

@userxx - all the searches I've pulled up have been disappointingly non specific.
I think Spain is opening for EU tourism earlier, but non EU countries including UK it just says June.
I've seen some suggestions that early June ( ie after May 31st) but no real dates.

Frustrating

Lucaslucas1612 · 09/05/2021 10:53

We have Majorca booked for the end of July directly through the hotel and easy jet flights. We have free cancellation. I am waiting to see what happens until 6 weeks before and hoping they get moved to the green list. Not sure where I would get the relevant tests from though, especially on the way back as not booked through a big travel company. If it's still amber we will have to see as I have a weekend away when we get back booked within the 10 days isolation period. Could cross our fingers and hope we're ok after the 5 days test.

userxx · 09/05/2021 11:29

@missfliss thanks for that, it's so frustrating!! I can't go anyway as it's amber so will more than likely lose the flights if it goes ahead.

99victoria · 09/05/2021 11:32

@Halloweenrainbow

My OH and I were discussing this. On the very, very small chance that we tested positive before returning home (we will both have had our 2 vaccinations) we will just suck it up and stay in Greece. There are worse places to spend an extra 10 days
(and yes, we realise that we will have to pay for it!)

ScarletZebra · 09/05/2021 13:11

We are booked to go to the US in late August (not Disney). We are still hoping to go but everything has free cancellation until a week or so before, and the flights until late July.

It does annoy me that every announcement on TV or the papers about holidays goes on about Europe, as if nobody ever goes anywhere else. Not only that, there is a blanket amber on the US, without recognising that every state is likely to be in a different place regarding infection levels and vaccination status. It could be that Florida is bad but elsewhere is OK. The places we are due to visit have low rates and high vax, so should be fine.

YoutubeZoom · 09/05/2021 13:32

We are booked to go to an Amber list country for holiday and life admin in August. We can quarantine in the UK, but will not have the time to quarantine there. I am hoping they will lift quarantine requirements for EURO 2020. If not, I would still have to go.

YoutubeZoom · 09/05/2021 13:35

@ScarletZebra It is probably to do with reciprocity. travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/united-kingdom-travel-advisory.html

MissyB1 · 09/05/2021 13:38

We are booked to go to Greece (Skopelos) in July. We have every intention of going.

ScarletZebra · 09/05/2021 14:02

[quote YoutubeZoom]@ScarletZebra It is probably to do with reciprocity. travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/united-kingdom-travel-advisory.html[/quote]
Ah, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the link.