Italy Closed to Visitors till Years End

[steamboats]

7 hours ago, MADflyer said:

This article is based off of an article that does appear in Italy's La Repubblica a well respected 'traditional' newspaper. It is certainly not known as a source of 'fake news' 

 

https://rep.repubblica.it/pwa/intervista/2020/04/24/news/il_turismo_riapro_siti_e_musei_bonus_anche_per_gli_stabilimenti_no_al_plexigass_in_spiaggia_-254834719/

 

Unfortunately the article is hidden behind a paywall ... so not accessible for the public.

 

Without reading the original source it´s not really possible to say whether the minister only tells his personal opinion. I haven´t heard anything here in Germany about Italy not allowing tourists til the end of the year.

 

Austria wants to open up for Germans... Croatia wants to open up. Turkey wants to follow as well. Regarding Italy the German media is talking about the glass boxes on the beach. And that Itlay first wants to open tourism for Italians. But nothing about a lock down for all foreign tourists for the rest of the year.

 

Oktoberfest is mid September and 6 million people cramped together is something totally different than regular tourism...

 

steamboats

Edited April 27, 2020 by steamboats

[crazyank]

1 hour ago, steamboats said:

Without reading the original source it´s not really possible to say whether the minister only tells his personal opinion. I haven´t heard anything here in Germany about Italy not allowing tourists til the end of the year.

watching Italian news in English.  The Minister was stating his opinion about a possibilty.

[Bobal]

5 hours ago, Coralc said:

Spain is also closed until Christmas/the end of the year for tourism, according to recent reports.

 

Link please. (But not if it's the speculative piece in the football newspaper La Marca, which has been shared a few times on these boards)

[twins_to_alaska]

8 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

Too late to dispute with CC for us as it's been well over 60 days. 

 

Mine lets dispute 180 days from date of purchase. They just opened up dispute and made adjustment for one at 182 days on Friday.

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by twins_to_alaska

[mek]

6 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Right now it is just becoming official, up until this point it was purely speculation that some of Europe would not be open this season.  Even right now it is not all of Europe that is confirmed to be closed.

 

There is no reason to think that Royal won’t do exactly as it did with Alaska when it was announced that the Canadian ports would be closed until July 1st.  It took a couple weeks however Royal did cancel those sailings more than 30 days in advance as they had confirmation that the ports would be closed.  

They also canceled NE cruises way before 30 days that started in Montreal.  I was booked on the 6/7 Empress sailing and received notification about 4 weeks ago and was offered a full refund or a 125% FCC>

Edited April 27, 2020 by mek

[MADflyer]

7 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

 

 

Without reading the original source it´s not really possible to say whether the minister only tells his personal opinion. I haven´t heard anything here in Germany about Italy not allowing tourists til the end of the year.

 

 

Here is the same story picked up by the Russian media outlet if that is trusted source.....  

 

https://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/351241-italia-fronteras-cerradas-turistas-hasta-fin-ano 

 

Italia mantendrá sus fronteras cerradas hasta finales de año para los turistas de otros países, afirmó el ministro de Bienes Culturales y Turismo Dario Fraceschini en una entrevista para el diario La Repubblica el 25 de abril.

 

Google translate : 

Italy will keep its borders closed until the end of the year for tourists from other countries, said the Minister of Cultural Property and Tourism Dario Fraceschini in an interview for the daily La Repubblica on April 25. The dates of the restart of tourism for foreigners in Italy will depend on the epidemiological trend and the States' own choice. "International tourism this year will not come. Hence the 'Vacation in Italy' plan for a large investment in domestic tourism," said the official.

[MADflyer]

5 hours ago, Bobal said:

 

Link please. (But not if it's the speculative piece in the football newspaper La Marca, which has been shared a few times on these boards)

There are literally 100s of sources concerning the situation with Spanish international tourism and the likelihood that the restrictions will stay in place until the end of the year. The sources in English would be more limited. 

 

One: 

https://www.abc.es/economia/abci-paralisis-turismo-hasta-final-costara-mas-124000-millones-sector-202004200137_noticia.html

 

Google Translate: The paralysis of tourism until the end of the year 
will cost more than 124,000 million to the sector

Edited April 27, 2020 by MADflyer

[John&LaLa]

[zonacruiser25]

12 hours ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

We would cancel now but have a NRD for b2b GS. When we booked we thought the only reason we might cancel was due to a health issue that would be covered by Insurance. How times have changed. If we could get a refund and not an FCC we'd cancel now. Hoping to know more by final payment date. 

We are in the NRD arena also.  I would love to see RCCL offer to make NDF into FCC and then take remaining deposit as a refund or 125% FCC.  No one wants to see RCCL go bankrupt and I hope they would not select this option for their financial survival.  Survival will depend on loyal passengers returning and hopefully in large numbers.  We have enjoyed over 45 cruises and are moving into our time in life where we are looking forward to increasing our cruise activity.  Life has a funny way to throw curve balls.  Cruising will be back and we will be on a ship as soon as practical.  Hopeful that RCCL steps up and treats passengers as the valuable asserts that we are.   

[steamboats]

2 hours ago, MADflyer said:

Here is the same story picked up by the Russian media outlet if that is trusted source..... 

 

We were able to access the La Repubblica and he was talking about the slow reopening of the country for tourism... first for Italians only. But there´s no fixed "we don´t open for foreign tourists til the end of the year" as stated in the article from Pakistan.

 

steamboats

[MADflyer]

3 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

We were able to access the La Repubblica and he was talking about the slow reopening of the country for tourism... first for Italians only. But there´s no fixed "we don´t open for foreign tourists til the end of the year" as stated in the article from Pakistan.

 

steamboats

All media sources are just picking up on what was presented in the 'physical' La Repubblica Sunday from the interview on Saturday. There is a lot of travel between Pakistan and Italy and that is why the article would have been of interest there, just as much as it was in Russia. 

 

He does state in the article in La Repubblic on Sunday that the final decision will be up to the State (Government) based on the science and their own choice, but that there would be no international travel 'this year'. The focus early on would be on domestic tourism. This thought is very much in line with what is being discussed in Spain. 

[Billy Baltic]

The situation is unpredictable. It’s still only April. If numbers continue to drop off there will be enormous pressure to salvage some tourism revenue from the latter part of the year. If there is wave after wave there may be no international  leisure travel in 2021 either. 

[MADflyer]

While not directly related, it does show the trend developing. 

 

Norwegian Airlines has just presented a plan for survival that will be based on having no international flights until 2021.

 

They are working with the Norwegian government and the plan involves getting concessions from creditors. 

[fla33023]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Wow, please enlighten me. Are there people under all of those umbrellas? 

[drlucy12]

21 minutes ago, MADflyer said:

While not directly related, it does show the trend developing. 

 

Norwegian Airlines has just presented a plan for survival that will be based on having no international flights until 2021.

 

They are working with the Norwegian government and the plan involves getting concessions from creditors. 

Unfortunately, Norwegian Air was having financial trouble last year before COVID 19 hit.  The virus worsened the situation.  I am not sure they will survive now.  

[MADflyer]

2 minutes ago, drlucy12 said:

Unfortunately, Norwegian Air was having financial trouble last year before COVID 19 hit.  The virus worsened the situation.  I am not sure they will survive now.  

Many airlines will fail. 

 

What was interesting was that their 'attempt' to survive involves not flying ANY international flights until summer of 2021 and thus the relation to this topic. They do not see even attempting to fly in 2020 as an option and that is somewhat amazing. 

[drlucy12]

5 minutes ago, MADflyer said:

Many airlines will fail. 

 

What was interesting was that their 'attempt' to survive involves not flying ANY international flights until summer of 2021 and thus the relation to this topic. They do not see even attempting to fly in 2020 as an option and that is somewhat amazing. 

Travel in the future will be significantly different.  I agree - many airlines will fail, along with hotels, restaurants, etc.  It would be nice to have a crystal ball at this point.   If the demand returns for international flights, their strategy may change but all speculation right now.  

[bigeck]

Another feed

https://pavlus.com/pavlus-blog/coronavirus-updates-italy-is-keeping-country-closed-to-tourism-til-2021/?fbclid=IwAR11mosG4VPXU1yhe5TRZWbVzU7DXjLE89SBmQDbqvM8m1xz-iLsG8JYJx8

[bigeck]

30 minutes ago, drlucy12 said:

Unfortunately, Norwegian Air was having financial trouble last year before COVID 19 hit.  The virus worsened the situation.  I am not sure they will survive now.  

Norwegian Air are in the process of getting a bail out from the Norwegian government

[zekekelso]

1 hour ago, Billy Baltic said:

The situation is unpredictable. It’s still only April. If numbers continue to drop off there will be enormous pressure to salvage some tourism revenue from the latter part of the year. If there is wave after wave there may be no international  leisure travel in 2021 either. 

 

Unfortunately, cruisers are pretty lousy tourists from a revenue standpoint. And from a public health standpoint. I agree the situation is unpredictable, but even if things open up for foreign tourists, cruise dockings will be the last thing to open. 

[MADflyer]

Just now, bigeck said:

Norwegian Air are in the process of getting a bail out from the Norwegian government

 

Yes, the bailout terms are what they are presenting today. It will be interesting if they are successful by next week. Still interesting that they see no reason to even attempt to restart successful routes until summer of 2021. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/27/norwegian-air-says-most-of-fleet-will-stay-grounded-until-2021-due-to-coronavirus

[suzyluvs2cruise]

12 minutes ago, bigeck said:

Another feed

https://pavlus.com/pavlus-blog/coronavirus-updates-italy-is-keeping-country-closed-to-tourism-til-2021/?fbclid=IwAR11mosG4VPXU1yhe5TRZWbVzU7DXjLE89SBmQDbqvM8m1xz-iLsG8JYJx8

 

Thanks for sharing. What, if anything, are you hearing about UK cruise ports? We're booked on Pursuit for the British Isles July 6. Already had The Open cancelled so I'm not optimistic the cruise will even sail. 

[drlucy12]

Just now, zekekelso said:

 

Unfortunately, cruisers are pretty lousy tourists from a revenue standpoint. And from a public health standpoint. I agree the situation is unpredictable, but even if things open up for foreign tourists, cruise dockings will be the last thing to open. 

Will the countries open to "land" tours before cruising? That would definitely be more beneficial for them from a financial perspective because the tourists would stay in a city for 3 or 4 days and book a hotel, eat in restaurants, etc.  A tourist from a cruise ship is only in a port for 6 to 8 hours.  I am not knocking cruise ships, but it will be interesting to see what the EU does over the next few months.  

[bigeck]

5 minutes ago, MADflyer said:

 

Yes, the bailout terms are what they are presenting today. It will be interesting if they are successful by next week. Still interesting that they see no reason to even attempt to restart successful routes until summer of 2021. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/27/norwegian-air-says-most-of-fleet-will-stay-grounded-until-2021-due-to-coronavirus

All the shops opened in Alesund and Norway is almost out of lockdown. Looks like the Fjords and Baltics will be first

[bigeck]

6 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

Thanks for sharing. What, if anything, are you hearing about UK cruise ports? We're booked on Pursuit for the British Isles July 6. Already had The Open cancelled so I'm not optimistic the cruise will even sail. 

I doubt it. Not even playing golf here. Still in lockdown and no flights in or out of Edinburgh. Gatwick shut a terminal last week. 

I'm on Anthem Ta from Southampton but doubt that will go