EU opens borders but not for the US

[Pauline]

Announced today. I don’t know what to say about this. I think the US still bans travelers from the EU. Per capita deaths in the US are not much different from the UK, and the UK is allowed into the EU, but I think new cases are on the rise in the US but are not (yet?) in the UK.

New York Times - E.U. Formalizes Reopening, Barring Travelers From U.S.
The bloc will allow visitors from 15 countries, but the United States, Brazil and Russia were among the notable absences from the safe list.

E.U. Formalizes Reopening, Barring Travelers From U.S. (Published 2020)

The bloc will allow visitors from 15 countries, but the United States, Brazil and Russia were among the notable absences from the safe list.

www.nytimes.com

 

[BryanS]

The UK is only allowed since Brexit isn't final until the last day of 2020

 

[CaWino]

Nobody should be surprised by the EU banning travelers from USA. It was predicted by Frommer's in their article of 4/20/2020. The Coronavirus is out of control in the USA, caused by a lack of federal leadership, inconsistent state to state guidelines, trying to re-open too soon, politicization of wearing a mask, general non-compliance with CDC guidelines by certain segments of the populace, corporate greed & irresponsibility (American Airline booking full cabins) etc.

Globally, there are 10,302,867 cases and the USA has 25% of those at 2,638,086 and rising, with 128,103 deaths. By contrast, the U.K. has had 3% of global total at 312,654 cases , with 43,730 deaths. Some in the USA are in denial that there is a problem, but these numbers suggest otherwise. Thankfully, the majority no longer consider CV-19 a "Hoax".

This isn't going to end anytime soon. I don't think there will be any travel from USA to EU through at least the end of 2020 and possibly longer. There are promising preliminary reports on the development of a vaccine but that is still about a year away, possibly slightly sooner as a very best case scenario. Distribution of the vaccine is another "Kettle of fish" that will need more attention to detail than we have demonstrated thus far in trying to control CV-19. Sorry, "Off my soapbox".

 

[joe]

The whole issue of international flights and tourism is going to be very messy for quite a while. Things are changing constantly, and some of the European countries that have just come out of lockdown, will soon experience the second outbursts and waves that are characterizing some countries that exited their lockdowns earlier. More reason to postpone travel, if one is keen on having a close-to-normal experience. I'd risk a trip today only if I were going to some secluded place. It's depressing enough just going into town where you live.

 

[NoSpin]

Our trip to Cape Town and then a safari in Kruger for April was cancelled. Our travel agent said we should be good for September, not. Now she's looking at next April, but frankly from all I am reading South Africa is in trouble and I don't want to have to go to a hospital there. I looked at medical evac insurance and all the companies exclude covid-19 as a covered reason.

We were attending the Ferrari Club annual meeting in Mont Tremblant Canada at the end of July and that was cancelled. We had great rates at the Fairmont so I told them to hold our reservations because we would go anyway. Then Canada bans US tourists until at least July 21. So that is scratched.

We have an apartment reserved in Rome for Christmas and it isn't looking good.

Well my wife has always said we need to see more of the USA and I guess we'll have to. We went to Orlando at the end of May because things were opening up there compared to Massachusetts. Now they're closing things back down again. And BTW, we were in first class and American gave us nothing, no food , no drink, and the Admirals Club was closed.

We're going to Nashville on Thursday for a week. My wife booked us for the Grand Ole Opry on July 7 and then got an email that they are cancelling all but Saturday performances. So she booked for July 4th. Two days later they emailed and said they were cancelling all performances. I actually wasn't disappointed, being in a 4000 seat auditorium was outside my comfort level.

I "liked" both CaWino (1st two paragraphs) and Joe's posts. They are spot on.

 

[Andrew]

It's reported that Croatia (in the EU but not Schengen) is open to U.S. travelers who take the right steps: https://www.total-croatia-news.com/travel/44757-paperwork . Apparently without a mandatory quarantine but it "could" happen. It's tempting to go and claim our Slow Europe prize stay if they'll have us, but I certainly hesitate. We're borderline with some risk factors; although we live in a rural area in the state with the best recent COVID numbers, we'd worry about being exposed on the trip. Then how would we be viewed as coming from the U.S., what travelers' health insurance would cover COVID, how the rules might change between booking and the trip, etc.

 

[SMJ]

As Canadians, it seems we are ok to go to Europe; but would we get the right coverage on travel insurance, have to isolate for 14 days on return home, and possible there on arrival as well depending on where we go, and if there was a new outbreak where we had traveled to: would we get stuck there?
So...for now...we are enjoying our own back yard!
(Plus: the idea of being on a plane right now....eeugh.)

 

[NoSpin]

Speaking of travel insurance, when our South Africa trip was still on I looked into medical evacuation insurance. I looked at two well know providers and both specifically excluded covid-19 from coverage.

I understand now some insurers have special covid policies. This article may be helpful.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/21/travel-insurer-launches-overseas-covid-19-domestic-road-trip-coverage.html

 

[Denis]

Latvia is opened for EU members and Jurmala city (Baltic sea) looks like a very safe place.

 

[Allen]

Would also now consider a trip to Croatia and environs end of August, especially if it seemed at all plausible that stopping in a ‘reopened to Americans’ Italy on way back in early September would be possible. But EU/Italian resistance to opening anytime this summer to US tourists seems to be (understandably and appropriately) hardening, not softening. Coming to terms that a trip to Italy next spring is a much more realistic hope.

 

[Andrew]

Croatia now requires (from outside the EU) a negative PCR test done within 48 hours before arrival; it would be very difficult to have it done to have results in hand before departure. On the Total Croatia News site, there is discussion about how it's working in practice.

Maybe this goes more with another thread, but after cancelling an award trip on Iberia on March 18, the last part of the points were credited yesterday. Now in theory we have the points and miles in two programs that were to be used for Italy and Croatia that now can be used just for Croatia.

 

[Pauline]

I just read an article about Americans traveling to Ireland. I thought US visitors could not get into EU countries but it seems like they only have to promise to quarantine for 14 days. Some Irish hotels and restaurants are refusing service to Americans who have traveled there but not quarantined.

How can you prove that you have quarantined? Perhaps by showing your date of entry?

Ireland offers a hundred thousand welcomes – unless you’re American

Hotels and restaurants are turning away US guests, citing high Covid-19 rates and lax quarantine. Some fear this will backfire

www.theguardian.com