Travel hopes for 2022

[foxcreek9]

Does anyone have recent experience with EU border crossings? I'm leaving for Germany next week (can't believe I'm typing this) and have a trip to Malta from Munich booked. Looks like Malta will be happy with my vaccine card. I'm debating about a short jaunt to Melk, Austria or Strasbourg, France. Is my US vaccine card enough? Are there backups at train stations and airports to check these things? I believe I also need to download some sort of Big Brother app that lets the EU track you. Oh, yeah- and a SIM card so my phone works over there.

I'm squared away with UA (my carrier to and from Munich)- passport uploaded, vaccine info to be uploaded 48 hours prior, I have 2 COVID tests ordered form a link on their site for entry back into USA.

Not sure this is recent enough, we were in eastern France, western Germany, and Belgium last Sept/Oct. did not have an app, very few issues with our vaccine cards, except in Strasbourg, where none of the museums would let us in. We were able to visit their cathedral and other churches.

 

[athena53]

Not sure this is recent enough, we were in eastern France, western Germany, and Belgium last Sept/Oct. did not have an app, very few issues with our vaccine cards, except in Strasbourg, where none of the museums would let us in. We were able to visit their cathedral and other churches.

Thanks- that's helpful I'm mostly interested in the Cathedral anyway but will do some research on the other places. I just got some KN95 masks, which are required for Neuschwanstein Castle.

 

[explanade]

Thanks- that's helpful I'm mostly interested in the Cathedral anyway but will do some research on the other places. I just got some KN95 masks, which are required for Neuschwanstein Castle.

Your mileage may vary but if you have limited time, I would hike up to Marienbrucke for views of the castle with a very scenic backdrop than walk through the interiors.

There are some beautiful terraces and grand rooms inside but I don’t think there is particularly important art or artifacts, like you’d find in some churches in Italy which happen to have say a Caravaggio painting.

First time I went it was a tour so I went inside, didn’t have time to make it to Marienbrucke. Next time, I just visited Marienbrucke, didn’t go inside. Got a ton of great pictures on the path as well as at the bridge, which was packed.

Also liked views around the lake below and the surrounding plains. Nearby Fussen is suppose to be a nice place too.

Hmm, just checked, Google Maps says Marienbrucke is temporarily closed …

 

[skyking1]

We pulled the trigger today and booked the flight to the UK in August. I opted for premium economy.
It was good to get it secured early, the shorter flight durations with convenient times were getting scarce. We are 12 hours of travel both ways.

 

[Scrapr]

Looking hard at Paris & Ireland in September. Have 15 or 16 Google Flight alerts.Every night at about 10:30 pm Google lets me know about a price change. And I spend an hour looking at possibilities. Have ID a tour for Ireland. Plus we will spend some time looking for my partners ancestral home area. After 2 trips to Paris cancelled I'm hoping the 3rd time is the charm

Prices popped up about a month ago. I'm seeing some settling but no big drops...yet

 

[gayl]

Just got back Sunday with only 1 more cruise to go this year:
August 30th in London, board ship September 2nd, cruise to NY, then fly back home. Almost all covered with FCC (I pay 73c)

Next year's airfare is more than the cruise. Will Hong Kong even be open??

 

[explanade]

Just got back Sunday with only 1 more cruise to go this year:
August 30th in London, board ship September 2nd, cruise to NY, then fly back home. Almost all covered with FCC (I pay 73c)

Next year's airfare is more than the cruise. Will Hong Kong even be open??

Before their outbreak, HK talked about opening up to the world in June.

Not sure if that's still going to happen.

They may be influenced by what happens or will happen with Shanghai, which is a growing problem.


If there's an outbreak on a ship, Asian ports are not likely to let passengers disembark.

 

[skyking1]

I'd like to book a canal boat for a week on the UK trip, but I will have to let that one soak a while.

 

[athena53]

Your mileage may vary but if you have limited time, I would hike up to Marienbrucke for views of the castle with a very scenic backdrop than walk through the interiors.

<snip>

Hmm, just checked, Google Maps says Marienbrucke is temporarily closed …

Darn, that sounded like a great idea till your last sentence! I'm slow on hills these days but could handle one at my own pace. Will probably visit Neuschwanstein anyway and allow a lot of time for walking around even with the bridge closed.

 

[gayl]

Before their outbreak, HK talked about opening up to the world in June.



Not sure if that's still going to happen.



They may be influenced by what happens or will happen with Shanghai, which is a growing problem.





If there's an outbreak on a ship, Asian ports are not likely to let passengers disembark.

Flights into Sydney out of HK are around 3k. Rt Sydney is just 1k. So thinking either ship won't go to HK or HK will fully open and prices will come down to more realistic levels.

 

[explanade]

Darn, that sounded like a great idea till your last sentence! I'm slow on hills these days but could handle one at my own pace. Will probably visit Neuschwanstein anyway and allow a lot of time for walking around even with the bridge closed.

I'd have to think it's a mistake. It's all outdoors so not sure why it would be closed.


OK, checked the website, it's closed for renovation. That's too bad.

https://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/tourist/index.htm


Here is what the view from Marienbrucke looks like.

 

[Bamaman]

We're still hoping my wife will be able to go with 10 year old Brynley and me to London on 5/25. We're later flying down to Athens to do a 7 day cruise--ending in Venice area.

Pneumonia got to her 5 weeks ago and she's been on Bipap ever since--and oxygen. Blew all the Co2 out of her, however.

Upon our return, she undergoes a 2 day back surgery replacing 4 discs.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

^^^ Best wishes for your DW's recovery and hope she can get to enjoy that trip!

 

[gayl]

Just added a return to Alaska via the new Discovery Princess yesterday. Its in 7 weeks and is only $1200 & balance of my FCC. Hope these balconies are as good as the Majestic Princess ones ...

 

[yakers]

In Portugal right now, wonderful place, US$ doing well Vs the euro, nice people good food great wine. Wish the US would end PCR test to reenter

 

[tulak]

In Portugal right now, wonderful place, US$ doing well Vs the euro, nice people good food great wine. Wish the US would end PCR test to reenter

At least if you get stuck in Europe, it’ll be cheaper!

I’m hoping for the same. I’m currently in Europe and have more Europe trips planned over the next few months. I realize that there’s a chance I won’t make it back to the US. I guess there are worse places to be stuck.

 

[explanade]

In Portugal right now, wonderful place, US$ doing well Vs the euro, nice people good food great wine. Wish the US would end PCR test to reenter

You only need a rapid antigen test, taken the day before your return.

Many pharmacies offer it though they may need an appointment.

You can ask the tourist office or maybe your hotel.

Another option, the airports seem to offer testing, but you probably shouldn't do it on the same day as your departure.

It would mean an extra trip to the airport.

 

[bltkmt]

In Portugal right now, wonderful place, US$ doing well Vs the euro, nice people good food great wine. Wish the US would end PCR test to reenter

We leave next Wednesday for Munich, Florence, Rome and Lisbon - 25 day trip. I have not heard anything about a PCR test required to return to the US?

 

[explanade]

We leave next Wednesday for Munich, Florence, Rome and Lisbon - 25 day trip. I have not heard anything about a PCR test required to return to the US?

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/testing-international-air-travelers.html


It used to be 3 days but they shortened it to 1 day before departure of your first flight returning to the US.

They changed it either in response to Delta or Omicron variant.

You will have to get a rapid antigen test, which are offered at many European pharmacies and some airports.

They're typically 20-30€.

Or alternatively, you can get a video proctored tests, which consists of a Binax Now test along with an app that lets you do a video chat with a proctor who will instruct and witness you taking the test.

Then if you pass, they will validate the test results.

You can purchase these test kits bundled with the video proctoring from here as well:

https://www.emed.com/airline-travel

A package of 6 test kits costs $150 plus you pay shipping and they average about $30-35. It's theoretically more convenient than getting an appointment and tested at a European pharmacy but last summer, there were reports of huge demands so people were waiting hours and hours to get a video chat going.


There is a lot of lobbying of the administration to eliminate this requirement.

But if they're not going to require masks on a long international flight, maybe it's not so bad that people have to be tested to board flights back across the ocean to the US.

 

[athena53]

I'm at ORD about to head to Munich. My 2 COVID tests are packed in my checked bag. Definitely a lot more hoops to jump through since I last left the country- uploaded vaccine info to United, another app for my trip to Malta and setting up the app for the proctored COVID test- not to mention the insurance policy I bought to cover possible quarantine (limit of $2,500 but it's something). Still, it feels SO good to be heading to Europe again even with mild trepidations about the test at the end of the road. I'd be very happy if they eliminated that requirement before I came home.

 

[explanade]

I'm at ORD about to head to Munich. My 2 COVID tests are packed in my checked bag. Definitely a lot more hoops to jump through since I last left the country- uploaded vaccine info to United, another app for my trip to Malta and setting up the app for the proctored COVID test- not to mention the insurance policy I bought to cover possible quarantine (limit of $2,500 but it's something). Still, it feels SO good to be heading to Europe again even with mild trepidations about the test at the end of the road. I'd be very happy if they eliminated that requirement before I came home.

This page seems to show that you don't need a negative test result if you have full vaccination, which is 2 shots.

https://www.germany.info/us-en/covid-19/2321562


Which insurance coverage did you get? I contacted some insurers and it appears to get any kind of coverage, you have to have a doctor order you into quarantine.

So if you test positive before return and you either self-quarantine or public health officials put you into quarantine, then insurance may not cover it.

Well without a negative test, you are suppose to be denied boarding to the US. So you have no choice but to quarantine and wait until you can get a negative test.

 

[Sunset]

I'm at ORD about to head to Munich. My 2 COVID tests are packed in my checked bag. Definitely a lot more hoops to jump through since I last left the country- uploaded vaccine info to United, another app for my trip to Malta and setting up the app for the proctored COVID test- not to mention the insurance policy I bought to cover possible quarantine (limit of $2,500 but it's something). Still, it feels SO good to be heading to Europe again even with mild trepidations about the test at the end of the road. I'd be very happy if they eliminated that requirement before I came home.

Sounds exciting.
Just curious to know, to decide what to do later:
How much did the insurance cost to cover quarantine, and was it separate insurance and from where ?

 

[tulak]

I flew to Europe through London a few days ago. I was asked for proof of vaccination and no test required. I believe this is true for most European countries, even though last I read, Portugal still wanted a negative covid test from US travelers. Reciprocity, or something like that.

For getting back to the US, you could fly to Canada and then cross the land border. Canada does not require a covid test.

 

[explanade]

I flew to Europe through London a few days ago. I was asked for proof of vaccination and no test required. I believe this is true for most European countries, even though last I read, Portugal still wanted a negative covid test from US travelers. Reciprocity, or something like that.

For getting back to the US, you could fly to Canada and then cross the land border. Canada does not require a covid test.

I was in Portugal in April. They did not ask to see a negative test, even though that is their policy for Americans. They did check my CDC card showing 4 shots.

But the bigger problem is that in Lisbon, it took about 2 hours to get through immigration, a huge crowd and they had only a couple of booths checking non EU passports.


As for the Canada idea, honestly it's just easier to get a test at a pharmacy.

 

[tulak]

I was in Portugal in April. They did not ask to see a negative test, even though that is their policy for Americans. They did check my CDC card showing 4 shots.



But the bigger problem is that in Lisbon, it took about 2 hours to get through immigration, a huge crowd and they had only a couple of booths checking non EU passports.





As for the Canada idea, honestly it's just easier to get a test at a pharmacy.

That’s good to know. I’m headed to Portugal in June. Luckily I have an EU passport, so hopefully immigration will be a breeze.

As for Canada, I agree testing is easier, but what do you do if it comes back positive? Of course you shouldn’t travel, but we all know that you can test positive longer than you’re infectious.