Guidance request - USA to Amsterdam, May 2022 British Isles cruise - COVID requirements

[bubbapk1]

Our plan is to fly to Amsterdam 3 days early to visit the city, then cruise around the British Isles, return then travel to Belgium for two days, then return to Amsterdam and fly home. Tracking all the requirements has become a fulltime task, and I am not sure if I have all the right data. We are both fully vaccinated. Here are my questions and assumptions:

• Flight from USA to Amsterdam: COVID test within 48 hours of departure
• Upon arrival, is there a quarantine? This would cause us to bail out as we cannot take any more time.....
• Since we are there 3 days early, do I need to arrange to have another test prior to boarding the cruise? If so, recommendations? I was going to to do the at-home test, but we will be overseas.....
• Would I need another test after the cruise to travel to Belgium?
• Return flight: I think we need another test to come home....

Any advice on the best way to handle this? I know it is 280 days from now, but trying to plan for the worst. I realize things could get better by then. Hoping things can't get worse....

[MustBCruzn]

I feel your pain. We love cruising out of Amsterdam and always spend several day pre and post cruise to enjoy the area. We are booked on the Apex for May but due to exactly those concerns, we've decided to move it to a 2023 sailing once the new itineraries come out. Hope all goes well for you.

[kwokpot]

I think it's way, way to early to be thinking about the covid requirements. I have a b2b in in Europe in May into June that ends in a different country (Barcelona to Dover) and I haven't even booked flights yet (too early since Transatlantic flight schedules haven't really been fully implemented for next year, soo airfares are expensive at the movement).

Best advice is to continually monitor how each country is handling things. But you're not doing yourself any favor by worrying about Covid requirements now for a cruise in May, it's just too early.

[the penguins]

1 hour ago, bubbapk1 said:

Our plan is to fly to Amsterdam 3 days early to visit the city, then cruise around the British Isles, return then travel to Belgium for two days, then return to Amsterdam and fly home. Tracking all the requirements has become a fulltime task, and I am not sure if I have all the right data. We are both fully vaccinated. Here are my questions and assumptions:

• Flight from USA to Amsterdam: COVID test within 48 hours of departure
• Upon arrival, is there a quarantine? This would cause us to bail out as we cannot take any more time.....
• Since we are there 3 days early, do I need to arrange to have another test prior to boarding the cruise? If so, recommendations? I was going to to do the at-home test, but we will be overseas.....
• Would I need another test after the cruise to travel to Belgium?
• Return flight: I think we need another test to come home....

Any advice on the best way to handle this? I know it is 280 days from now, but trying to plan for the worst. I realize things could get better by then. Hoping things can't get worse....

Just make sure every part is cancellable - just one "hiccup" and the whole thing falls apart. Also would you be able to get insurance cover. If you are stressing already 2023 seems a much better get for anything other than a straight out and back.

[Jeremiah1212]

I would absolutely not spend any time worrying about this 8 months away. Make fully refundable travel plans and wait until close to departure date. 

[Fouremco]

I love planning and doing all the research before a cruise, but predicting the answers to all of your questions is a bit like being asked for a weather forecast for your cruise. I could probably dig up some long term projections, but in the end they'd be of little use. 

 

Your questions show that you are giving thought to the issues that you will face. A great start, but now find official websites that will provide the information you are seeking, based on today's circumstances. For example, this Netherlands government's website provides detailed information on the COVID-related entry requirements for travellers from abroad. Bookmark and monitor it going forward:

https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad

[Denny01]

As an example of changes, a while ago The Netherlands stated even fully vaccinated US citizens/travelers from US had to quarantine when arriving, but then a week or so later, rescinded the quarantine for fully vaccinated. 

 

Fully depends on how we get through the next 8months of this Pandemic of the Unvaccinated and how it impacts all of us. 

 

By the way, we LOVE Amsterdam and your plans are fantastic, and I’d stick with them until you see major changes that adversely impact what you would accept. We stayed in a very nice smaller hotel right next to the park with the Rijksmuseum and Van Goth museums. The JL No76, one of the Vondel Hotels. Excellent and we got the Amsterdam City Card to use the trams, and discounts. 

 

You’ll need to book the museums on line. You can’t go up and get tickets, only on line and also through the Card. At least that was 2019, back when we were all traveling!

 

Enjoy!

 

den

[Lady Arwen]

We had a Baltics booked for May 2022 and we cancelled and rebooked a different itinerary for mid October 2022.  Hoping that in one year, things will have improved and some restrictions and protocols will be eased or even eliminated.

[Turtles06]

12 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Your questions show that you are giving thought to the issues that you will face. A great start, but now find official websites that will provide the information you are seeking, based on today's circumstances. For example, this Netherlands government's website provides detailed information on the COVID-related entry requirements for travellers from abroad. Bookmark and monitor it going forward:

https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad

 

How sad to see the U.S. on the list of "very high risk" countries.  And yet fully vaxxed Americans who travel to any of the "safe" countries still need to have a negative test within 3 days of flying back to the U.S.     ☹️

[Alakegirl]

To put this in perspective, look at how different things were eight months ago. Eight months from now, it could all look very different again.

[Fouremco]

9 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

How sad to see the U.S. on the list of "very high risk" countries.  And yet fully vaxxed Americans who travel to any of the "safe" countries still need to have a negative test within 3 days of flying back to the U.S.     ☹️

Fully vaccinated residents of the designated "safe" countries have to be tested to fly into the US. If there is concern that anyone travelling to the US from a safe country might still carry and transmit the virus, presumably the rationale for the test, I guess it's logical to apply the test requirement to Americans and foreigners alike.

[bubbapk1]

23 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

How sad to see the U.S. on the list of "very high risk" countries.  And yet fully vaxxed Americans who travel to any of the "safe" countries still need to have a negative test within 3 days of flying back to the U.S.     ☹️

Thanks for the info..... I checked the site and they still have the quarantine requirement. However, other searches say that the quarantine requirement expired on Sept 22. Wondering what is real.... but I'll wait a bit before worrying.

[bubbapk1]

Just now, bubbapk1 said:

Thanks for the info..... I checked the site and they still have the quarantine requirement. However, other searches say that the quarantine requirement expired on Sept 22. Wondering what is real.... but I'll wait a bit before worrying.

actually I was trying to quote Fouremco :) 

[Turtles06]

7 minutes ago, bubbapk1 said:

actually I was trying to quote Fouremco 🙂

 Yes, I was about to decline the credit and give it to the person who deserves it!

[Turtles06]

10 minutes ago, bubbapk1 said:

Thanks for the info..... I checked the site and they still have the quarantine requirement. However, other searches say that the quarantine requirement expired on Sept 22. Wondering what is real.... but I'll wait a bit before worrying.

 

This is from the same site to which @Fouremco linked, and it says this regarding quarantine for people coming from very high risk countries:

 

https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/checklist-entry/from-outside-the-eu

 

2. Mandatory quarantine

Self-quarantaine is mandatory if you travel/return to the Netherlands after staying in very high risk countries. You must always be able to show a completed, printed and signed quarantine declaration if you travel from a very high risk country. You may be fined if you do not have a quarantine declaration or if you do not comply with the mandatory quarantine requirement. There are exemptions to the mandatory quarantine requirement. From 22 September onwards fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to self-quarantine upon travelling from a very high risk area.

[bubbapk1]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

This is from the same site to which @Fouremco linked, and it says this regarding quarantine for people coming from very high risk countries:

 

https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/checklist-entry/from-outside-the-eu

 

2. Mandatory quarantine

Self-quarantaine is mandatory if you travel/return to the Netherlands after staying in very high risk countries. You must always be able to show a completed, printed and signed quarantine declaration if you travel from a very high risk country. You may be fined if you do not have a quarantine declaration or if you do not comply with the mandatory quarantine requirement. There are exemptions to the mandatory quarantine requirement. From 22 September onwards fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to self-quarantine upon travelling from a very high risk area.

Right, saw that. So why have the words above that? The paragraph start with Self-quarantine is mandatory.....  if the part in bold is what the rule is, they should delete the 1st portion that talks about it being mandatory.... Its almost as if they haven't rescinded the quarantine requirement, but hoped to.

 

Edited September 30, 2021 by bubbapk1

[Turtles06]

16 minutes ago, bubbapk1 said:

Right, saw that. So why have the words above that? The paragraph start with Self-quarantine is mandatory.....  if the part in bold is what the rule is, they should delete the 1st portion that talks about it being mandatory.... Its almost as if they haven't rescinded the quarantine requirement, but hoped to.

 

 

The post Sept. 22 exemption from the mandatory quarantine is only for fully vaccinated travelers, as it plainly says. There's nothing indicating rescission of the quarantine requirement for anyone else.

[Roger88]

Just now, Turtles06 said:

 

The post Sept. 22 exemption from the mandatory quarantine is only for fully vaccinated travelers, as it plainly says. There's nothing indicating rescission of the quarantine requirement for anyone else.

I have been in quarantine twice already. I cant call it a great experience. First time I have been locked up on board without a chance of leaving my cabin. Second time I had to stay at home as I had fever and most likely was almost dying of shortness of breath.. Be carefull people, value your life and life of others. Stay at home or whereever you are if you feel sick 

[dutchclogs]

The self isolation quarantine has been dropped*. However,  this is for now and may or may not be applicable next year. I would definitely check cancellation clauses in all the elements of your travel plans.

* for the fully vaccinated. 

Edited September 30, 2021 by dutchclogs

[LGW59]

21 minutes ago, bubbapk1 said:

Right, saw that. So why have the words above that? The paragraph start with Self-quarantine is mandatory.....  if the part in bold is what the rule is, they should delete the 1st portion that talks about it being mandatory.... Its almost as if they haven't rescinded the quarantine requirement, but hoped to.

 

You are asking about a cruise that is 280 days from now.  What applies today, tomorrow and in 8-9 months from now…going to be wait and see.  Check back in July 2022.  🙄