EU Canada yes, USA no.

[Oville]

Interesting that Canada is welcomed back to the EU but not Americans.

[Langley Cruisers]

Canada has done a better job of managing the pandemic and our cases and number of deaths are much lower than the US. You can Google it - you'll understand the reason for this decision by the EU.

[mom says]

32 minutes ago, Oville said:

Interesting that Canada is welcomed back to the EU but not Americans.

Why would this come as a surprise to anyone who has kept current with world affairs in recent months? Plus, it's been heavily discussed on multiple threads on several CC boards in the last week.

[Blackduck59]

I wonder if we can keep this thread civil. The other one got rather heated and ridiculous at times.

I think Canadians know why this has happened and I believe the vast majority of Americans do as well (although I will not presume to speak for anyone but myself)

Canada as a Nation took notice fairly early on and politics took a distant back seat to science. What was remarkable was that our Prime Minister took the mantel and lead, giving informative briefings and answering questions as required. We in BC have Dr. Bonny Henry who gave factual and concise briefings always stressing calm and kindness.

So if we can keep this calm and kind then we should continue the discussion, if not we should just let this die before it is closed and removed like the last one.

 

[edunava]

Good morning from Barcelona.

 

Totally in agreement with your comments, I also think that the issue should not be considered further.
We all know that the United States has not managed the pandemic well, that is the reality, although some want to find absurd excuses.

 

Health and happiness for everyone.

[upwarduk]

Unless you are on the list of 15 approved countries by the EU Council - and even then, check your own country’s regulations of traveling aboard and re-entry requirements:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/06/30/council-agrees-to-start-lifting-travel-restrictions-for-residents-of-some-third-countries/

 

I have seen speculation that Apex will start cruises from Barcelona after September 15th,  but Spain is not welcoming cruise ships.

[Fly and Sail]

I wonder why this isn't dependent on reciprocity.

 

EU included Canada on the clearance list yet Canada apparently doesn't welcome EU citizens, let alone without quarantine.

[hcat]

2 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Unless you are on the list of 15 approved countries by the EU Council - and even then, check your own country’s regulations of traveling aboard and re-entry requirements:
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/06/30/council-agrees-to-start-lifting-travel-restrictions-for-residents-of-some-third-countries/

 

I have seen speculation that Apex will start cruises from Barcelona after September 15th,  but Spain is not welcoming cruise ships.

We thought Spain had many Covid cases..perhaps now under control!

E.U. may be a good place to  "test the waters "  🤗  for a re- start. 

 

We plan  to stay close to home ( NY)   until more is known about cruising conditions, if and when things start up again.  We have plans for Fla in Nov but not for a cruise and have some hope that our Jan 2021  out of Tampa on Connie will actually sail. Won't be surprised if it does not.

[Doubt It]

4 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

I wonder why this isn't dependent on reciprocity.

 

EU included Canada on the clearance list yet Canada apparently doesn't welcome EU citizens, let alone without quarantine.

 

Good catch there Fly and Sail. 

 

The EU item is pure politics.

[sanger727]

Opening up borders to countries that have the virus under control (aka, not the US), makes about the most of sense of anything I've heard. What continues to not make sense to me is thinking that a cruise ship with thousands of people can load up in the US and be welcomed in another country that is self contained and has the virus under control. 

[Fouremco]

10 hours ago, Oville said:

Interesting that Canada is welcomed back to the EU but not Americans.

This might help you understand:

 

[TeeRick]

I am in the US and completely understand the EU's position as of today.  It would be reckless to let Americans travel there with the way the infection rate is going in our country. But the EU will presumably review every two weeks.

[Wine-O]

It's the EU's loss.  Their tourist industry will take years to recover.  Meanwhile, back here in the U.S., you can't sustain an economy if you stay in lock down.  Deal with it, like we dealt with the flu that killed thousands.  Take the normal precautions you did with the flu outbreak.  Go ahead and flame, but you're not going to change my mine.  🍷

[upwarduk]

4 hours ago, hcat said:

We thought Spain had many Covid cases..perhaps now under control!

E.U. may be a good place to  "test the waters "  🤗  for a re- start. 

 

They did, but they also had a VERY strict lock down, with military style policing on the streets.

Since opening the beaches, they have marked them out in Social distancing bubbles.

[RickT]

I understand the economics of opening your borders, but until Covid is eradicated or a vaccine  is found I’m not sure why you would.  Where I live we haven’t had a new case in a week but IMHO that’s no reason to think we are in the clear.

 

So, while the EU is open I don’t think I’ll be traveling there anytime soon.

Edited July 1, 2020 by RickT

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, RickT said:

I understand the economics of opening your borders, but until Covid is eradicated or a virus is found I’m not sure why you would.  Where I live we haven’t had a new case in a week but IMHO that’s no reason to think we are in the clear.

 

So, while the EU is open I don’t think I’ll be traveling there anytime soon.

In my US state (PA) the virus has been under control to a large extent after 4 months of restrictions and we are going forward in phased re-openings.  We are as a whole very compliant with masks and other CDC guidelines from what I observe even now.  But I personally am concerned about leaving PA and even driving to other US states where the virus is accelerating and compliance to mask wearing is taken less seriously.  That is within the US and I am an American citizen.  No surprise that the EU and other countries like Canada will not ease restrictions on Americans.  Sad but very understandable.

[ECCruise]

9 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

In my US state (PA) the virus has been under control to a large extent after 4 months of restrictions and we are going forward in phased re-openings.  We are as a whole very compliant with masks and other CDC guidelines from what I observe even now.  But I personally am concerned about leaving PA and even driving to other US states where the virus is accelerating and compliance to mask wearing is taken less seriously.  That is within the US and I am an American citizen.  No surprise that the EU and other countries like Canada will not ease restrictions on Americans.  Sad but very understandable.

I feel your pain.

We are in a small area of NC that has been very compliant over the last 4 months and the moderate COVID incidences here generally reflects that.

Our problem is that our area is a huge tourism mecca (12 Million annual visitors.  Magnet city is only 85,000 population).  Now that they have opened hotel occupancy to 100% (over 10,000 rooms) the tourists are flooding back. Huge percentage from FL and SC. Result?  Tourists nose to tail on city streets, very few with masks, although supposedly they are required indoors. 

We won't even visit our own downtown let alone travel to other areas.  

[Cruising89143]

26 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

I feel your pain.

We are in a small area of NC that has been very compliant over the last 4 months and the moderate COVID incidences here generally reflects that.

Our problem is that our area is a huge tourism mecca (12 Million annual visitors.  Magnet city is only 85,000 population).  Now that they have opened hotel occupancy to 100% (over 10,000 rooms) the tourists are flooding back. Huge percentage from FL and SC. Result?  Tourists nose to tail on city streets, very few with masks, although supposedly they are required indoors. 

We won't even visit our own downtown let alone travel to other areas.  

Happy Canada Day to our friends north of us. 🙂
 

The EU response is not a surprise and I agree 100%. Like you we are a huge tourist area. We were under control until Memorial Day weekend when we started to open back up. A few weeks later short term rentals opened. We have a huge amount of those here. People from other places poured in. Most would not follow the mandatory mask rule in businesses or the six foot social distancing rules. Unfortunately it was the younger set thumbing their nose at the safety policies. Now we’re starting to close up some businesses again. Our Governor is going to implement more strict guidelines again today. It’s needed. 
 

I will be surprised if we see any ships sailing from the U.S until the second quarter of 2021. 

[Jeremiah1212]

After taking a vacation in mid-2016 that was nearly ruined by martini fueled political discussion that you literally could not get away from...I think not cruising may be a nice reprieve from endless discussion from the endless amount of infectious disease experts, statistical engineers and political aficionado's 🙂

Edited July 1, 2020 by Jeremiah1212

[TeeRick]

31 minutes ago, ECCruise said:

I feel your pain.

We are in a small area of NC that has been very compliant over the last 4 months and the moderate COVID incidences here generally reflects that.

Our problem is that our area is a huge tourism mecca (12 Million annual visitors.  Magnet city is only 85,000 population).  Now that they have opened hotel occupancy to 100% (over 10,000 rooms) the tourists are flooding back. Huge percentage from FL and SC. Result?  Tourists nose to tail on city streets, very few with masks, although supposedly they are required indoors. 

We won't even visit our own downtown let alone travel to other areas.  

We enjoy Asheville and like to go on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the autumn.  We have a gift certificate for a stay at the Biltmore.  We were hoping to use it this October.  Not sure now!

[ECCruise]

1 minute ago, TeeRick said:

We enjoy Asheville and like to go on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the autumn.  We have a gift certificate for a stay at the Biltmore.  We were hoping to use it this October.  Not sure now!

It may be fine then. Or we still may be in Phase 2. 😳

Just driving around town and seeing the apparent lack of concern by the crowds of tourists gives me concern about cruising. 

[Wine-O]

5 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

We enjoy Asheville and like to go on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the autumn.  We have a gift certificate for a stay at the Biltmore.  We were hoping to use it this October.  Not sure now!

Biltmore is open pretty much open now with some limited hours.  It should be fully operational by October.  Just stay away from downtown Asheville.  It's full of hippies and homeless, like going back to the Woodstock days.  Sierra Nevada Brewing, restaurant and taproom very much worth a visit.  🍷

[Bo1953]

31 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

After taking a vacation in mid-2016 that was nearly ruined by martini fueled political discussion that you literally could not get away from...I think not cruising may be a nice reprieve from endless discussion from the endless amount of infectious disease experts, statistical engineers and political aficionado's 🙂

j -  LOL, I cannot imagine the reason to leave the discussion!

 

You mean to say that they are not 'licensed' in their respective fields to discuss???

 

Oh yes, we have a few of those types here on CC, too...

 

bon voyage

[ECCruise]

4 minutes ago, Wine-O said:

Biltmore is open pretty much open now with some limited hours.  It should be fully operational by October.  Just stay away from downtown Asheville.  It's full of hippies and homeless, like going back to the Woodstock days.  Sierra Nevada Brewing, restaurant and taproom very much worth a visit.  🍷

Thanks for your comment that has no relation to reality.  First, as season pass holders at the BIltmore, don't even think of coming without a reservation.  And make them a week or 2 in advance.  No one knows what the process will be like in October.

Yes, there are hipsters in downtown.  Yes, there are some homeless.  Like every town.  Even Myrtle Beach, where you had to have an ordinance to ban homeless from the parks.

In the middle of the tourist season, the average tourist is white, about 65-70 years of age, overweight, wearing high dollar shorts and dress shoes.  From SC, FL, TN and GA.  First they go to the Biltmore, then wander around town trying to get reservations at Curate (6 week wait, good luck) then go to Sierra Nevada.  And never even get a whiff of the attraction of WNC.

[Blackduck59]

9 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

I wonder why this isn't dependent on reciprocity.

 

EU included Canada on the clearance list yet Canada apparently doesn't welcome EU citizens, let alone without quarantine.

 

I'm not sure when the border will open without quarantine. I think we are sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place almost literally. For the safety of the citizens on both sides of the border we must keep our normally open border with the US closed. Unfortunately even with the best efforts of the many millions of Americans that have taken this seriously there are also millions who do not. So it become a very hot political potato if we would open our border to the EU yet keep it closed for non essential (tourist) travel from our closest neighbour, even though we still maintain essential trade.

So do we open our border to the EU and the other nations on the "list" but remain closed to the US? Imagine the ensuing name calling if we did