Anyone been to / going to Greek islands?

[Twobigsapphires]

Due to holiday on Greek Island in 2 weeks. Really anxiety inducing, anyone in the area boat or can offer reassurance?

[name6785]

Far far too hot. And really poor sanitary conditions. Gave up going there a few years ago. Cancel if it's an option.

The 5 star resort we are going to (and have been to before) is spotless thanks very much, what a bigoted comment to make.

[E11lover]

We’re both double vaccinated and due to go to Lefkada in a couple of weeks, but currently wavering.

Our thoughts so far:

People who’ve been over to Greece so far and talked about great experiences on half empty planes weren’t travelling during UK school hols - so unfortunately that is likely to change by the time we go.

With positive cases increasing enormously in the UK (and likely to be exponentially higher by the time we go) the chances of being close to someone on the flight over who tests positive on arrival is getting much higher - which could mean being asked to quarantine no matter how careful we are leading up to departure.

We’d be travelling with 2 young kids. Our appetite for risk if we were going on our own would be much higher, but I have no idea how we would cope quarantining as a family of 4. It is really hard to find information on what the facilities would be like or what rules would apply, but I doubt it would be much fun.

It’s so hard to make an accurate assessment of the risk without more information to go on, but it feels like if we decide to take a gamble and it goes wrong… it goes very wrong!

[VanillaSpiceCandle]

@Viviennemary

Greece is stressful enough in August without adding Covid to the mix. Far far too hot. And really poor sanitary conditions. Gave up going there a few years ago. Cancel if it's an option.

Got to assume you’ve never really travelled much. It’s really not true in any way and actually a very rude thing to say about an entire country.

I’m in Crete now. It’s been incredible. We bought the Amber plus tests because we ordered before the guidance changed but it was very easy. Just annoying they had to be dropped off at a TUI office before we went and our closest one wasn’t taking them.

Quickest I’ve ever been through an airport. It’s very quiet here especially outside the resorts so definitely go and eat out/go for drinks outside the resorts. We’re all inclusive but have gone out every day.

We were too nervous to go anywhere, even the UK last year but this is so worth it.

[Greeceplease]

@Viviennemary

Greece is stressful enough in August without adding Covid to the mix. Far far too hot. And really poor sanitary conditions. Gave up going there a few years ago. Cancel if it's an option.

Go to Greece every year and love it - can't relate to your comments at all

[GrealishHairband]

I’ll be keeping this thread on my watch list but with 4 weeks to go before we’re due to fly I suspect no matter how well prepared we are we won’t be able to get on that plane. So close and yet so far.

[99victoria]

@Viviennemary
If you gave up going there years ago then you really don't have anything significant or useful to add to the discussion do you?

[FoodieToo]

Sorry to sound stupid but I thought if you were double vaccinated that no isolation / testing was required to enter Greece ?
I am interested because although we live in Ireland we always fly through the UK as get much better choice/ value and we have flights booked to Greece ( for later in the year ).
Thank you for any clarification.

[99victoria]

If you are double-vaccinated you don't need proof of any test to go to Greece. They were doing random tests on arrivals but since cases have increased in the UK they are now testing all uk arrivals at the airport. We felt it was fair enough really

[Greeceplease]

@FoodieToo

Sorry to sound stupid but I thought if you were double vaccinated that no isolation / testing was required to enter Greece ?
I am interested because although we live in Ireland we always fly through the UK as get much better choice/ value and we have flights booked to Greece ( for later in the year ).
Thank you for any clarification.

My understanding from reading on here is that if double jabbed you don't need a test on the way out but do need to have pre-booked a PCR test to take place within two days of your return. You need to put info from that booking onto the Passenger Locator form you have to fill in for both outward and return journeys. .

[LostFrog]

I think we have accepted that it won’t be quite the holiday we booked, but i would still rather be there than here right now. We live on the coast in the south west and it is already heaving everywhere, the roads and supermarkets are all rammed, there is litter everywhere and schools haven’t even broken up yet! I am not massively worried about catching it before we go since cases are still low around here. Looking forward to being somewhere air conditioned right now! 32 degrees in the office today and I am dying.

[poshme]

@Greeceplease
Going out: everyone age 11 & over needs to provide proof of negative test within 48 hours (LFT) or 72 hours (PCR) OR double vaccinated OR Proof of recovery from covid.
AND complete Greek PLF

Coming back: all 11 and over need a predeparture test in resort (LFT) AND to have booked day 2 tests for everyone 5 and over AND to complete a UK PLF.
then do PCR for all ages 5 and over on or before day 2.

[poshme]

@FoodieToo if you are double jabbed you don't need a test before you go, but I've heard they might LFT on arrival in Greece.

[Twobigsapphires]

Wow, loads of responses! Jet 2 cancelled our holiday yesterday, half gutted, half relieved. Due to rising numbers they said. I’m guessing it’s putting people off.

I’d spoke to someone on the Jet 2 chat the day about what happens if someone tests positive on the plane and they said it would depend on how close they were as to whether you would have to quarantine.

[NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy]

Just cancelled our holiday to Corfu. Not because I'm anxious but because for 2 (double jabbed) adults + 3 kids the tests were costing £650 all together, so just can't afford it now

[poshme]

@Twobigsapphires

[name6785]

@NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy how is that the case? Are the kids over 12? Our testing is only going to cost £80 for 2 vaxxed adults and 2 children.

[poshme]

@name6785 that's cheap!

Surely that's the cost of 4 LFT to come back?
Where are you getting day 2 PCRs and LFTs on way out so cheaply?

[name6785]

@poshme it's 4 x PCR and 4 x LFT, Tui £20pp green package. (Green because we are double vaxxed and because the kids don't need PCRs so just buying them for the LFTs).

[GrealishHairband]

I’m well confused as to what package I need to book through Tui for testing to Greece with two Vaxxed adults and 2 under 18’s. Plus don’t want to book and pay just yet as likely to change in which case we’ll cancel/postpone and I expect it’s the kind of thing you don’t get a refund for easily if at all.

[name6785]

@GrealishHairband I'm assuming you'd need to treat the teens as unvaxxed adults and purchase the amber package for them, though I don't think they need to isolate? (Could be completely wrong just what I'm assuming).

[poshme]

If your kids are over 4 they need PCRs

[poshme]

@GrealishHairband my post further down explains what you need for Greece

[poshme]

[quote poshme]@Greeceplease
Going out: everyone age 11 & over needs to provide proof of negative test within 48 hours (LFT) or 72 hours (PCR) OR double vaccinated OR Proof of recovery from covid.
AND complete Greek PLF

Coming back: all 11 and over need a predeparture test in resort (LFT) AND to have booked day 2 tests for everyone 5 and over AND to complete a UK PLF.
then do PCR for all ages 5 and over on or before day 2.
[/quote]
@GrealishHairband this one

[Anjelika]

Hang on I thought if kids were under 12 they DON'T need to test before flying out to Greece. But upthread someone is saying it's 11 and above that need to. I need to recheck!!

[name6785]

@poshme nope just LFTs for under 11s.