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?

From the videos I’ve seen, they split couples in the quarantine hotels if one of them is negative.
Frankly I’d be hoping to be split up, DP would be an absolute nightmare not being able to get back to work, I wouldn’t fancy his chances if we had to spend 10 days in a room together

Hoping to go to Crete in August. DH and I (both double jabbed) will be doing LFTs for our own reference the day before we fly. If on the off-chance they are positive, I'd rather know at that point than flying all the way to crete, testing positive on arrival (or on the return preflight LFT) and ending up in a quarantine hotel! It just seems common sense to do it that way round even though we are double jabbed.

@BlackLambAndGreyFalcon

Hoping to go to Crete in August. DH and I (both double jabbed) will be doing LFTs for our own reference the day before we fly. If on the off-chance they are positive, I'd rather know at that point than flying all the way to crete, testing positive on arrival (or on the return preflight LFT) and ending up in a quarantine hotel! It just seems common sense to do it that way round even though we are double jabbed.

I'm hoping everyone has your attitude! I certainly will as I've just had covid so extra paranoid about testing positive.. I'm hoping in my case the proof of recent infection will offset a lingering positive test.. but I don't have much faith in that

Interested to know if any of you ladies have recommendations for where to stay in the Chania region of Crete? We've booked for September! the BA sale was too tempting

It is a tense time isn't it.
We are due to fly out to Zakynthos in 10 days.
Me, DH and 3dc.

I'm double jabbed, Dh has had one. (But had covid back in March so I think he will be okay for the 180 day rule)
DC I have one teen and two under 12.

Reading about the amber plus lists this morning has made me nervous and the timings of all the tests are stressing me out.
Also everytime I get an email from TUI my heart sinks.

@Carrotcakeforbreakfast

It is a tense time isn't it. We are due to fly out to Zakynthos in 10 days. Me, DH and 3dc.

I'm double jabbed, Dh has had one. (But had covid back in March so I think he will be okay for the 180 day rule)
DC I have one teen and two under 12.

Reading about the amber plus lists this morning has made me nervous and the timings of all the tests are stressing me out.
Also everytime I get an email from TUI my heart sinks.

We are in a very similar position, although both DH and I double jabbed. We have a 12 and 7 year old and I read testing things daily and every time I think I understand, realise I probably don't! Have also seen the news today and feel a bit sick...

Can I ask for someone to reassure me here / and help me work this out the website seems to say that a PCR test needs to be done 72 hours before.

But if this changes to 48......

Then if I fly at 8.30 am on a Friday arriving 1.00pm in Greece - what is the time period for me to have the test done in the UK

is it timed from the time the test was taken, or when given results?

I have booked a test for Wednesday at 10.30.

We took a 7am flight out of Birmingham this morning (Tui) to Heraklion. Airport was pretty quite, no major queues but a bit of a delay in boarding due to staff shortages (they didn't have enough people to move the steps to the plane). Cabin crew were delightful and everyone wore masks at all times.

Arrived at Heraklion, whisked through with no testing (that we saw) or additional checks. We went from getting off the plane to Elounda (private transfer) in 1.5hrs. The taxi driver did say that we had arrived at a good time, as a couple of hours beforehand Heraklion airport and outside was "chaos" with hundreds of people. So maybe we were just lucky! We did tip him €20 and he said "Thank you so much - this means a lot. It's been a difficult year here", so I am pleased that we are contributing financially to this lovely corner of the world.

Hotel pretty quiet but staff very welcoming and everyone wears masks in the inside areas, but nothing else feels much different or weird.

No regrets so far, I'm by the pool with a Cosmo and DD is already off swimming and making friends.

Fingers crossed for a smooth return!

We are in a very similar position, although both DH and I double jabbed. We have a 12 and 7 year old and I read testing things daily and every time I think I understand, realise I probably don't! Have also seen the news today and feel a bit sick...

Hopefully the testing is helping keep the cases out and we both get our holiday.

Question about ferry testing requirements.

Does anyone know what test would be required if you have already been in mainland Greece for over 48 hours before you take a ferry to an island? 18yo DS is only single vaccinated but the PCR test taken to allow him to fly will be more than 72 hours old by then.

Not quite clear on the requirements in this case? I have emailed the ferry company but wondering if anyone has come accross this.

Thanks.

@iwantavuvezela I'm confusing myself over timings too. And worrying that I will forget something crucial.

@ShiteheadRevisited that's good to hear as we are flying from Birmingham too.
Also sipping a cocktail by the pool is what I'm really looking forward to. Enjoy that Cosmo!

In Greece at the moment and everything is absolutely fine. We arrived last week. There's a bit of admin fuff before you fly. Complete the PLF, get your vaccine pass arrange rapid tests for the kids (adults in our household are double jabbed-otherwise rapid tests for everyone). We did Qured ones-self administered with online supervision by Qured. Upload all docs for BA to verify. BA then checked again everything at Heathrow.

We were not tested on arrival in Athens. Friends of ours on different flights were.

Both airports were very safe. We tend to go to the airport 3+ hours in advance and didn't queue at all. Our suitcases were unloaded before we even got off the plane, so we grabbed and went.

Not been on the ferry yet, but the one we take for an island at the Cyclades is usually very orderly.

Make sure you put in FFP2 masks on for the flight. Everyone around us wore masks and in Greece more so (bar the odd elderly person who wears it below the nose).

Avoid the party and hence covid prone islands like Mykonos and Paros and you'll be fine.

So kids over 12 but under 18 need a fit to fly certificate is that right? No one else does if they’re double jabbed? Trying to navigate the gov.Uk website and just getting more confused.

To those who have asked about timings of tests and ferry tests. Double jabbed do not need to test before going to Greece or boarding a ferry. Everyone else needs either a PCR within 72 hours from arrival in Greece or a rapid test within 48 hours from arrival. (NB arrival not departure from the UK) In practical terms a rapid test the day before (with a fit to fly certificate) will do. (As matters currently stand).
For the ferry a self test will do for the non double jabbed (including kids), teenagers). You can fill a self declaration form for the self tests, although asking the ferry company won't hurt. We brought some NHS LFT Tests with us and also bought some from a local pharmacy.

You also need to complete a plf/pre-boarding declaration before going on a ferry. The coastguard will check those together with your ID.

Try also the travel.gov.gr website for up to date advice. No tests are currently needed for the under 12s.

Can I please ask, is a home LFT adequate for the return to the UK?

We are not flying with a tour group and going to a remote island. So would find it difficult to get a return pre-test.

We are travelling as a family of 4.

• 2 fully vaccinated adults
• a 12-Year old
• an 8-year old

So I think I have to get:

1 PCR For the 12-year old to enter Greece
4 LFT pre-tests to return to UK and board the flight
4 pre-booked PCRs for day 2 of arrival in UK

Is that right?

Thank you!

We’re off to Greece tomorrow. Feeling very anxious and won’t relax until we reach our holiday house (Assuming we get there!)

Will update you… wish me luck

@magsbagsfags The 12 year old needs a rapid test the day before flying to Greece. Also needs an LFT self test for the ferry. The NHS one will possibly do, but buy one locally too.

The adults need their covid passes. The 8 year old is fine.

For the return as a minimum you need rapid tests for everyone (not sure about the 8 year old as mine are older) or PCRs meeting the specs of the UK government. We prebought Qured rapid ones and have them with us to do but you can do them locally as well. The NHS ones are NOT accepted.
Also PCRS For day 2.

Good luck,@PlumpCushion .... do update .....

@hampsteadmum thank you! I have read and re-read the gov website.

Wishing you and all the other an event free trip!

We nearly cancelled many times - but think we will go... if they rules don't change tonight!

@hampsteadmum - thanks - although the Blue Star Ferries seem to say that over 18s who are single vaccinated will need negative antigen (rapid) test which I think is different from a self-test??

And is a self-test the same as a lateral flow?? Gahhh so much info.

www.bluestarferries.com/en-gb/news/2021/transport-of-passengers-by-ferry-measures-instructions

We arrived on Kefalonia late last night. All adults were tested on arrival (LFT, nose only). Left the airport and had a text less than an hour later saying was negative. Hotel does temperature checks at breakfast and people are often conscientious re masks but otherwise all is normal and quite empty ... my sense is the price of the testing is offset by lower hotel price, all feels cheaper than normal and Id imagine you could book last minute. I was v anxious before and now we are here am so glad we came ...

Just came across this ... the rates really are incredibly low on most of the islands twitter.com/TWMCLtd/status/1419385489417703424?s=20

Is anyone thinking about switching their holiday to somewhere else for fear of Greece becoming amber plus?
I had a look on TUI for alternatives in Croatia, Madeira or Malta but the hotels don’t look anywhere near as nice as the one we’re going to in Greece so a bit unsure now.

We are headed to Zante in 9 days. I’m so paranoid about avoiding covid now, and still not convinced it’s actually going to happen and we will get this holiday. We have decided if it goes amber plus we’ll go anyway and quarantine after - assuming flights etc still go.

Like everyone on here I’ve found the processes and testing hard to get my head around. We are 2 adults and 3 DC, but my eldest DC is fully vaccinated, as are we. My middle child is 14 - so requires LFT 48 hours before arrival. My youngest is 4 so needs nothing. We are travelling with TUI so I have purchased the chronomics test packages for 4 of us on return plus the 1 LFT for middle DC pre departure.

PLF done (and received already so printed hard copy)
Covid vaccination passes downloaded to our phones and printed.

Will take some of our own LFTs with us just in case. DH and I are testing regularly for work anyway, may as well carry on. What am I missing? I think I must be missing something