Podie

1 hour ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Great that Lois and others have cruises planned for Greece this summer.  Any reactions to the below article from this major U.S. newspaper?  Does anyone feel any sense of "risk" for doing these upcoming "adventures" to Europe and Greece?  Am I being too pessimistic in sharing this article and raising these questions/concerns?

 

From the New York Times Travel Section today to be published this weekend, they had this headline: “‘We Cannot Wait Until June’: Greece’s Reopening Gamble" with this sub-headline: "In easing its restrictions, the country, largely dependent on tourist dollars, has jumped ahead of a broader European Union plan to welcome visitors from outside the bloc.”

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “Greece has reopened to many overseas visitors,jumping ahead of most of its European neighbors in restarting tourism, even as the country’s hospitals remain full and more than three-quarters of Greeks are still unvaccinated.  It’s a big bet, but given the importance of tourism to the Greek economy — the sector accounts for one quarter of the country’s work force and more than 20 percent of gross domestic product — the country’s leaders are eager to roll out the welcome mat.  And although the U.S. State Department recently added Greece to its long list of countries with the designation 'Level 4: Do Not Travel.'  Greek officials maintain that — with social distancing measures and testing protocols, alongside the warming weather — tourism in the country will be safe, for visitors and residents alike.  In easing its border restrictions, Greece has jumped ahead of a broader European Union reopening. Among European Union members, Croatia and Cyprus have also already opened to vaccinated and Covid-negative tourists. President Emmanuel Macron of France announced last week that, if the country’s epidemiological situation allows, the country will open on June 9 to all non-European Union visitors, provided that they carry a 'health passport,' details of which have yet to be announced. Outside the European Union, but still within Europe, Iceland, Montenegro and Serbia have already taken steps to ease their border restrictions, including for American visitors.  According to the current rules, visitors arriving from the United States, the European Union, Britain, South Korea, Australia and a handful of other countries are now allowed quarantine-free entry into Greece, on the condition that travelers provide proof of Covid vaccination or a negative PCR test taken up to 72 hours before their arrival. Arriving visitors may also be subject to random, obligatory rapid tests at the airport; anyone with a positive result will be required to quarantine at a Greek hotel along with their traveling companions for at least 10 days, at the expense of the Greek government.”

 

Here is more from their highly-detailed reporting: "Greece has been in various stages of lockdown since November, with residents subject to a curfew and limits on movement within the country. Shops, schools and cultural institutions have been forced to close, while restaurants and bars have been limited to takeaway service only.  The restrictions gutted the lively cafe culture in Athens, where the past winter was even quieter than usual, said Georgia Nakou, a political and economic analyst for the media outlet MacroPolis. But compliance with the rules has slackened as the weather has warmed, and many Greeks have begun congregating in large numbers in the squares of central Athens. Everyone, it seems, is ready for a break."

 

Full story at:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/04/travel/greece-travel-covid-usa.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

 

Athens & Greece: Many visuals, details from two visits in a city with great history, culture and architecture.  Now at 38,377 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

Does anyone feel any sense of risk? I have been living in Hawaii for the past year and feel more at risk by all the tourists here (yes, tourism is booming in Hawaii) who refuse to abide by our mask orders. I am fully vaccinated and do feel some sense of relief (not invulnerability) knowing my immune system will at least recognize and fight Covid-19 if I'm exposed. I believe it's time to ease back into life. The tourists here in Hawaii have basically forced us to do that. Based on what I see here, a day visit to Santorini, Rhodes, and Israel, while traveling on a new ultra-clean ship, is a good way to break back into normalcy.

3 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hey stranger, good to see you again😃 hope you doing well!  Been a very long year (for all of us).

I think I recall you mentioning Bill a few years back.  Nice.  In touch with any of the old group?

I lost touch with all of them a long time ago.

Yes, most of us are on Facebook and keep in touch. Which Apex are you on? I moved to Hawaii a year ago when my Army daughter decided to finally have a baby, but I will be returning to Arizona in July.

I've been to Athens several times and my favorite hotel is Attalos. Very inexpensive (double room with balcony and breakfast is $125), great location, wonderful staff, newly remodeled, and a beautiful rooftop bar to watch the Acropolis light up at night.

On 4/20/2021 at 5:46 AM, Lois R said:

Hi folks🙂.......I booked a cruise out of Greece for July🙂 so now it is just a waiting game to see if we actually sail.  I know lots of people who think it is too soon but I am just so ready to get out of here!

I am fully vaxed and all guests/crew will be as well.  If it is ends up that the cruise cannot sail or the plane cannot fly? I won't lose anything......will just have a good size FCC to use up. 

Hi, Lois, long time no speak! This is the first time I've been on CC for quite a long time so it was funny seeing you here! I booked Apex out of Athens the day it became available. I'm on the July 31 cruise with my cruising partner Bill.

I booked the Apex out of Athens on July 31. I was on her sister ship, Edge, a year ago, and it was the most beautiful ship I've ever been on. Hoping this one really goes!

• I've been living in Hawaii for the past 11 months and things are wonderful here except the tourists are back (20,000 per day) and my solitude is shattered!

I am on the July 31st Apex cruise out of Athens and asked all these questions. Today I booked my flights to Greece on American Airlines. They, too, assured me that Americans will most likely be allowed in Greece starting April 8th.

I booked a July Apex cruise from Athens but as of right now, Americans are not allowed into Greece. So I'm not sure why Celebrity assumes all will be well by their first cruise from Greece slated for June!

Bernards has been around a long time and in my opinion it is the best tour company on the island.

On 1/20/2020 at 8:03 AM, blue_water said:

Meant to add they are one of the popular private charters, and you can find reviews in earlier threads on this forum and especially on Trip Advisor. There are excellent independent (shared) charters as well, but you are looking for a private charter, correct?

Thanks for your link. I joined a tour with OMM on my roll call, and I think we have Captain Rudy. 

I scuba dive in Belize regularly, and their barrier reef is the second longest in the world. But you have to reach snorkeling and dive sites by boat. When they built Harvest Caye and the ship channel, they tore up the reef and surrounding area so there is nothing nearby with any visibility whatsoever. Reef life is amazing if you get away from the area.

Don't be afraid to leave the tourist pier in Belize City. The cruiselines want you to be so you'll spend money inside! Yes, if you walk in town you will be approached by locals trying to sell you things - like most places in the Caribbean - but a pleasant "no, thank you" will suffice. I've found the Belizean people to be some of the friendliest in the Caribbean, and English is the official language since Belize used to be British Honduras.

Has anyone used this company? They get fantastic reviews on Trip Advisor but would love to hear from a cruiser's perspective. Thanks!

No worries, you'll be fine. And it's beautiful!

Because I didn't agree to the $9.95, I wasn't able to make reservations or use the messaging portion of it - which is free on every other cruiseline I've sailed on. All I could do was check the activity schedule and my account.

1 hour ago, esm54687 said:

The 9.95 is only for the text / call capabilities....... doing normal ship things such as reservations, etc is part of the free part. 

 

Are you absolutely positive NCL is now charging 9.95 for booking shows or reservations??? 

Two weeks ago on Joy I was surprised to discover that the "free app" cost $9.95 if you wanted to use it for booking shows or restaurants.

I was on NCL Joy 2 weeks ago. I carried on 2 bottles of wine and my cabinmate brought one bottle in her carry-on and put one in her checked luggage. None of us were asked to pay the corkage fee and her checked luggage came through just fine.

Two weeks ago on Joy I was surprised to discover that the "free app" cost $9.95 if you wanted to use it for booking shows or restaurants.

Well, this of course is just my opinion...just off NCL Joy. When I booked, I was indeed offered the "free" beverage package and needed to pay 20% upfront, about $140. My travel agent then mentioned if I was willing to book a "sailaway" mini-suite (NCL picks the cabin) rather than the one I was booking, I would save $240 per person (2 of us) on the cruise fare but would not get the drink package. So we saved $360 each by booking the sailaway cabin (which was lovely), and spent less than $150 each on drinks during our 7 days. It was a definite win for us!

This is the first cruise line I've been on that warns of a $15 corkage fee if we bring wine on board with us. Is this really enforced when we arrive at the pier? Or only if we bring wine to the dining room? Thanks!

We're all cruisers, on different ships.

19 hours ago, bostonfred said:

How is water and sand for swimming...we spend a lot of time in the water...

The water is lovely and there are snorkel sets, floats, water loungers, etc. to take whenever you want. There's a raft out a little way to jump off of, and a dock. There can be some seaweed in your first few feet but it's no big deal. Your reserved spot is your own area with correct number of chairs and usually a bed. They limit to 50 per day. The food is cooked in front of you and the bar is open all day. David is a gracious host and can't do enough for you. The sand is soft. It does take 20 minutes to get there, but the ride through town is interesting. It's the friendliest, most welcoming place I know of in Mexico.

I pick cruises with stops in Costa Maya JUST to spend the day at Maya Chan! It's that good! You need reservations.

I will be meeting a friend at Mazatlán terminal in 2 weeks. Is there a café in the terminal where we could arrange to meet them? It would be 9:30 am. Any other meeting suggestion in the terminal is welcome too.Thanks!

My friend is boarding HAL later this week and said they just changed the order of their ports again, bringing them into Mazatlán the same day as the enormous Joy.