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October 7, 2021 departure Adriatic Treasures
Is anyone else on this tour? My sister in law and I are debating whether we should postpone. I'm not too concerned about the actual travel but wonder if some sites will be closed unexpectedly. We're also pondering what we would do if we tested positive despite being vaccinated. Yes, we have insurance but would that cover us?
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It's a decision only you can make and the situation can change a lot between now and then. If you're worried that your preferred date next year might sell out then you might want to decide now, otherwise I'd give it at least until the beginning or middle of Sep. Tauck is being very flexible with rebooking. I note that like most tours, the price goes up next year. You may not get a response from a fellow travelers here - very few actually participate in the forum. You might also monitor the Rick Steves travel forum. Though he canceled all his 2021 tours, there are a lot of independent travelers and people who live in Europe that participate in that forum so you get more info and actual experiences from people there.
I'm scheduled to be on this tour in September. If Tauck doesn't cancel, I'll have to see what the Covid situation is at the time, and decide whether I'm comfortable traveling. Fortunately, I have Tauck's insurance, so will be able to apply the tour cost to future trips if I cancel. That's one of the things that I love about Tauck.
Right now, I think the US is getting more dangerous than Europe.
As far as being treated for Covid, your Tauck insurance does not cover it, you need extra insurance.
We were suppose to take this tour in 2020 but we haven’t rebooked it.
British -- I understand that the Tauck insurance doesn't cover Covid treatment or time spent in quarantine.
If you go on a Tauck tour in Europe, everyone will be vaccinated. In the U.S. around 60% are vaccinated. If you are vaccinated your chances of getting covid are small. If you are in a group where everyone is vaccinated, your chances of getting covid are ‘really’ small. The two weeks we just spent on a boat where ‘everyone’ was vaccinated were safer than being home in our small town. In any case we ‘launch’ again in 14 days.
Any suggestion as to insurance that would cover quarantine?
MCD: I believe Tauck is still honoring its very flexible cancellation policy with or without insurance. "No Change Fees – Any Tauck, any time. If your 2021 plans do change any time up until the day of departure, your full deposit (or tour payment) can be applied to a future Tauck journey of your choice."
I'm not concerned about Tauck, but I know that it will be difficult to deal with the airfare side of the trip.
The rules sometimes differ from airline to airline, but we have gotten total refunds for all of our canceled airfares … five of them. In many cases if the flight times vary by more than two hours, you can get a refund instead of a voucher. The flight schedules are changing all the time. Just watch your flights and then ‘pounce’. That being said, I would travel rather than voluntarily cancel. Our trip last month was great, and we are looking forward to leaving again in two weeks.
Did Tauck require you to wear a mask on the bus? At indoor sites? Outdoor sites? Restaurants?
They originally said yes, but then they said they would adhere to local rules. It could change several times over before you go or the day you go, who knows anymore!
I’m not concerned about the Covid risk, just the positive testing in another country and all the messing around with rules and itinerary before you go or when you arrive that might cause disappointment. If a major site that was supposed to be on an itinerary might get missed out, I personally might be really disappointed. Everyone has to decide what is right for them.
If I test post here or somewhere else, my main concern is passing it on to my young, unvaccinated grandchildren. I’d never forgive myself if they were really ill with it.
Unfortunately the airlines have limited their schedules and seemingly consolidating flights. I have a flight to West Palm Beach in late September that has been changed 3 times. When I booked in June, there were about 10 direct flights from Newark —now there are 3!
I will begin my airline search for Lisbon flights in a few weeks but judging from the options available now, I will only be able to find a flight for points with 2 stops 🤪. I’m hoping this improves🤞