Travel hopes 2021

[Out of Steam]

Are we or aren't we cruising*

We might take an Alaska cruise at some point, because it offers opportunities to see places that are otherwise inaccessible, simply accepting that it is a high-risk activity.

I have trouble imagining taking a cruise anywhere else. On-ship confinement in the event of a disease outbreak would be my biggest concern.

 

[brett]

We might take an Alaska cruise at some point, because it offers opportunities to see places that are otherwise inaccessible, simply accepting that it is a high-risk activity.

I have trouble imagining taking a cruise anywhere else. On-ship confinement in the event of a disease outbreak would be my biggest concern.

That is where we are. Not interested in floating around if ports happen to close. Not interested in cruise line only excursions.

Not interested in paying well above the odds just to get on a cruise ship.

Absolutely do not want to be stuck on the SS Covid even if we have had our jabs.

We have other travel options that are just as attractive to us. I do understand the predicament of those whose travel is limited to a large extent by cruising. Fortunately we are in a different position.

I doubt whether we consider, let alone shop, for a cruise until late 2022 or more likely well into 2023. Lot of nice words from the cruise line however IMHO it has been clear from their past actions that they place their profitability above the health and well being of their customers.

 

[audreyh1]

We might take an Alaska cruise at some point, because it offers opportunities to see places that are otherwise inaccessible, simply accepting that it is a high-risk activity.

I have trouble imagining taking a cruise anywhere else. On-ship confinement in the event of a disease outbreak would be my biggest concern.

Well the requirements now with cruise ships leaving US ports of 98% of crew fully vaccinated, and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, if you are vaccinated, seems like risks are super small.

On-ship confinement - maybe for those not vaccinated.

Not that we cruise at all. But we might for certain trips in the future. It would be small ship though, not large ocean liner cruising.

 

[harllee]

I guess travel works both ways. Relatives in Europe have been contacting us to visit us in Florida or Southern California. Normally we get one or two visits per year but we already have four requests for the this year starting in September.

Maybe all your European relatives can come to the US and get vaccinated, seems like we have plenty of vaccine now.

 

[harllee]

For those of you interested in Alaska. One of our best trips ever was driving to Alaska in our motorhome via the Alaskan Highway. Then we spent the summer touring all over Alaska. Then we put the motorhome on the Alaskan ferry at Haines and then toured the Inside Passage on the ferry and got off at every stop. So we saw all the Inside Passage areas you cannot drive to. We ended our ferry trip at Prince Rupert BC and then drove home across the Canadian Rockies. What a trip. We were in Alaska 3 months and then it took us 3 weeks to do the ferry trip so total of about 4 months plus the time it took to drive across the US. We spent a whole week inside Denali National Park. I guess now you cannot drive across Canada but you could fly from the US and rent an RV in Anchorage.

 

[Freedom56]

Maybe all your European relatives can come to the US and get vaccinated, seems like we have plenty of vaccine now.

My in-laws have been were vaccinated before us but they don't travel overseas any longer. My SIL who is 47 is scheduled for her first dose at the end of May. I expect all who want vaccines in Western Europe will be vaccinated by August.

 

[Palmtree]

Currently watching the sunset over the water in Belize. We flew down from the states a few days ago.
After shutting down all resorts, car rentals and restaurants for around 8 months, Belize finally opened up to double vac tourists earlier this year. They are taking it very seriously. You are supposedly required to wear a mask anywhere in public. Even walking down the street or driving in your own car. As tourists we are generally given a pass. But we had to download an app 3 days before travel that tracks our movement. Also show vac cards plus pass a pre-screening upon arrival. The app is useless as we turned our phone off day 1. It sounds worse than it is. Been here only a few days and already drank good cuban rum, hiked in a rain forest, rapelled a waterfall, and swam after dark in a bioluminescent lagoon.

 

[Sunset]

For those of you interested in Alaska. One of our best trips ever was driving to Alaska in our motorhome via the Alaskan Highway. Then we spent the summer touring all over Alaska. Then we put the motorhome on the Alaskan ferry at Haines and then toured the Inside Passage on the ferry and got off at every stop. So we saw all the Inside Passage areas you cannot drive to. We ended our ferry trip at Prince Rupert BC and then drove home across the Canadian Rockies. What a trip. We were in Alaska 3 months and then it took us 3 weeks to do the ferry trip so total of about 4 months plus the time it took to drive across the US. We spent a whole week inside Denali National Park. I guess now you cannot drive across Canada but you could fly from the US and rent an RV in Anchorage.

Did you drive the RV off the ferry at the various stops, or just walk around and get back on the ferry ?

 

[harllee]

Did you drive the RV off the ferry at the various stops, or just walk around and get back on the ferry ?

We drove the RV off the ferry at each stop. All the islands have some sort of campground and we stayed several days at each stop. We made the ferry reservation months ahead and when we made the reservations we specified all the stops. So it took us about 2-3 weeks to complete the ferry trip. It was expensive, I am remembering a couple thousand dollars and this was back in 2005. We had good knees and backs then and hiked everywhere. Also took our kayak and did a lot of kayaking. Saw much wildlife -hundreds of bears (some too close in my opinion), moose, wolves, etc. We have many stories. A great adventure.

 

[Freedom56]

For those of you interested in Alaska. One of our best trips ever was driving to Alaska in our motorhome via the Alaskan Highway. Then we spent the summer touring all over Alaska. Then we put the motorhome on the Alaskan ferry at Haines and then toured the Inside Passage on the ferry and got off at every stop. So we saw all the Inside Passage areas you cannot drive to. We ended our ferry trip at Prince Rupert BC and then drove home across the Canadian Rockies. What a trip. We were in Alaska 3 months and then it took us 3 weeks to do the ferry trip so total of about 4 months plus the time it took to drive across the US. We spent a whole week inside Denali National Park. I guess now you cannot drive across Canada but you could fly from the US and rent an RV in Anchorage.

We don't own a motor home but I just looked at Alaska today for travel in August. We were last there in June 2018. However prices have become ridiculous. Airfares are okay. Rental cars are nowhere to be found from the end of June through the end of August. Hotel prices are ridiculous given that most hotels and B&Bs in Alaska are total dives relative to the rest of the US. We stayed at the Alyeska Resort last time which was a pretty nice place but we paid $200 per night including taxes and fees and now they want $330 per night plus tax and resort fees or about $420 per night. Without a car, it becomes impossible to go to places of interest. I realize they need to make up for last year but, doubling prices is not the way to do it.

I then looked at Hawaii. We have been there about 9 times but the last time was in 2006. Hotels prices have shot up to the point where it's better to wait and see if travel to Europe opens up later this summer.

 

[Scrapr]

I'm looking for flights from LAX to Europe on Business Class for September/October. Virgin Atlantic and British Airways have indicated that regular passenger service is expected to resume mid-May 2021. I can't see it happening until June or July.

I am watching fares for SFO-LHR in December. I cancelled a trip in April last year, same locations. The fares for December are very close to what they were for that trip. I had lined up the trip in late October of 2019. This is Virgin Atlantic Upper class. My plan is to use EuroStar to get over to the Continent. I am more & more optimistic for December

 

[Freedom56]

I am watching fares for SFO-LHR in December. I cancelled a trip in April last year, same locations. The fares for December are very close to what they were for that trip. I had lined up the trip in late October of 2019. This is Virgin Atlantic Upper class. My plan is to use EuroStar to get over to the Continent. I am more & more optimistic for December

I hope you got a full refund from Virgin. It took me four months to get my full refund. My trip was for May 23, 2020 just after the lockdowns and then the airlines cancelled my flights. I paid $2489 for each return ticket from LAX to LHR on VA Upper Class and LHR to GVA on BA Business Class. The flight from Swiss Airlines was $3800 from LAX to GVA via ZRH and this year they are even lower than VA. VA has also revamped its upper class with much better seating. As soon as they open up to American tourists, I'm going to book.

 

[1242Vintage]

Just came through the Cancun airport on way home to California. What a zoo! Travel is booming back.

There’s a new form (new to us anyway) you have to do before flying in Mexico to self-certify you aren’t sick. Causing quite a back up approaching security at the airport. Since we are traveling with 95 y.o. FIL and wife is walking with a cane post knee replacement, a very nice young Mexican Federal Security officer took pity on us, filled them out for us and walked us through the crowd. It was awesome. Slipped him a $20 on the sly with a big appreciative thank you.

Going back in early December for a week with wife, brother and Sis-in-Law.

 

[1242Vintage]

Currently watching the sunset over the water in Belize. We flew down from the states a few days ago.

What local area of Belize and perhaps insight on hotels or resorts?

We are from California and Just came back home from Riviera Maya Mexico last night. Go there a couple times a year and looking for new territory to explore.

Thx.

 

[Involuntary Retiree]

Well, we had some frequent flyer miles that have been burning a hole in our pocket for awhile, so we booked (cancelable/changeable) flights to and from LHR (London), leaving in late August and returning home mid-Octoberish. Not sure if we'll stay in the UK, though, because we can head anywhere that is open and interesting. We haven't yet traveled in the UK, so, if things are open and not super expensive, we'll probably stay in England, Scotland and Ireland. Fingers crossed.

 

[1242Vintage]

Fortunately I’m grounded for the trip coming up later this month.

We live in CA and youngest daughter is graduating university in Maryland this month and will be starting a nursing job … in the middle of the country somewhere … yet to be determined. And my Mom who also lives in CA but cannot travel alone wants to go to Kansas City to visit with her sister.

So my lovely wife volunteered fo this. Fly from CA to KC with Mom and get Mom to her sisters house. Then the next day hop on a plane from KC to Baltimore to daughters apartment. Meet the movers there to pack up daughters stuff and get that trucked to Madison Wisconsin where our son lives. Then Wife and Daughter will road trip in daughters car to Minnesota to drop daughter and the car at boyfriends parents for safe keeping while daughter continues job hunting. Then wife hops a plane to KC to meet up with Mom. And the next day back to the KC airport where wife and Mom fly home to California.

I’m so glad I’m not involved in this journey.

 

[explanade]

Well I booked a business class ticket to Europe in late August. Prices were going up so I grabbed it.

We shall see what happens.

 

[FreeBear]

In a few weeks, we're renting another RV to go to the Grand Canyon for a couple of days. Then we've got another 7 day RV trip in the fall to Arches or Bryce.

 

[oiseux]

Well I booked a business class ticket to Europe in late August. Prices were going up so I grabbed it.

We shall see what happens.

We did too! The prices were only slightly above premium economy..

 

[grasshopper]

We are cancelling our Italian Dolomite trip. Biggest reason is we want to be able to see people smiling.

Still have our Greece trip 2022 as a go. Instead of delaying our Italy trip, we just feel that another year of age is pushing a strenuous 10 days of hiking for us.

Greece should be a walk in the park compared to the Dolomite's.

We have a housesitter/petsitter booked, I think I will buy some snow chains and hit some Sierra foothills wineries, drive up the central valley and cross over to Nevada. Ms G has never been to that part of the world.

 

[explanade]

Some of the Greek islands have a lot of up and down terrain. Those stunning houses hugging the cliffs require going up and down stairs to navigate.

For instance, that long hike on Santorini between Oia and Fira, is not level.

Not as strenuous though as climbing several hundred meters though.

 

[Koolau]

Still just praying we'll get to travel to the old homestead back in the midwest - before the winter comes. Haven't been back to see folks for 2 years now. 2 new grand kids never seen in person. Bummer. YMMV

 

[Involuntary Retiree]

Still just praying we'll get to travel to the old homestead back in the midwest - before the winter comes. Haven't been back to see folks for 2 years now. 2 new grand kids never seen in person. Bummer. YMMV

I'm so sorry, Koolau, that you haven't seen/held new grandchildren. Makes me really sad.


We have friends who are US citizens but are expats in Spain who have been in the US multiple times since lockdowns were implemented everywhere.



It seems that expats from Europe have been able to travel to and from the US fairly easily where Hawaii residents/US citizens haven't had the same opportunities. Is that your view?

 

[Koolau]

I'm so sorry, Koolau, that you haven't seen/held new grandchildren. Makes me really sad.


We have friends who are US citizens but are expats in Spain who have been in the US multiple times since lockdowns were implemented everywhere.



It seems that expats from Europe have been able to travel to and from the US fairly easily where Hawaii residents/US citizens haven't had the same opportunities. Is that your view?

Thanks for your sentiment. I DO often thank God for Zoom! It's an amazing technology that has made the pandemic a bit more bearable. I thank God for the vaccine as well. I really think things will soon open up when we either reach heard immunity OR the various "powers that be" figure a way to let us document that we are "clean." Heh, heh, I've had to have two of the up-you-nose-and-into-the-brain tests to simply allow me to go for "procedures" just within our local hospital. I guess I'd do that if required to fly - but am hopeful the vaccine "passport" will come to fruition. YMMV

 

[tulak]

Flew for the first time in 1.5 years. That’s probably the longest I haven’t flown in many decades.

Visiting Mexico (PV) and enjoying the warm weather. I have a full summer of travel planned. I’ll leave for a month long road trip at the end of May and plan to visit Europe end of August. Europe is a little easier, since that’s visiting family and I don’t have to deal with travel restrictions. Even though it looks like those might ease up over the next month or two.

I’m half tempted to fly business. Right now it’s about $2150, which is a deal. Economy is around $1500 for the same dates. But I can’t get myself to BTD, especially since it’d be 2 tickets. I’m waiting for the price of economy tickets to drop. One of these days…