According to my talk with Tauck they were in quarantine on L’Austral for five to seven days then went home. You don’t need a PCR to come home, just an antigen test. L’Austral is now back in Antarctica. Dealing with the local government was apparently a bit of a trial.
Susan's concerned that we will not be able to get back to the US and see the dogs.
I'm not worried very much about it but would like to allay her concerns by actually knowing what will happen if we: 1. get COVID while on the tour (i.e. your Antarctica tour), or 2. test positive before getting on our flight home. Tauck assures me that we will be put up in the last hotel we stay in (Le Meurice isn't a bad "jail" to be locked into) and our insurance and/or Tauck will pay the bill for the hotel and meals. I wonder if they will put an ankle bracelet on me. Even though Le Meurice "jail" wouldn't such a horrible place, I fear being "detained" in a room with a woman having a panic attack over the dogs (yes, I love them too) might force me to escape for a bit. British....this is all said in jest, so don't go ballistic. .
I am more concerned about the Russian presence on the Ukrainian border and what that could lead to. I figured the French might have already surrendered by now. I like to think that I have already fought in all the wars I am going to, at my age. Hoo-rah. Semper Fi and Semper Fortis.
It looks like this is being sent to Tauck purgatory, as well. No sense of humor or they don't want me to know what happens when someone gets COVID on a trip. How insensitive.....
ndvb
I don't think the dogs will miss you. They look like they are all set, and just need a pilot and a chef.
Yes, let's keep the Ukranians in our prayers. We've met many of them working on cruise ships and they are wonderful people.
Semper Fi.
That's what I need......a pilot and a chef. I don't think the dogs will give us a thought...they'll be in doggy day care and stay with the owner of the doggy day care at her home (and sleep in her bed). It is Susan who will miss them. They are her velcro dogs, bless all their hearts.
ndvb: I think it is impossible to predict exactly what protocol you might encounter. The rules change almost daily. I think our Le Lyrial ‘positives’ were treated very well. I’m going to be intentionally obtuse as possible on this subject, but I think it is quite possible that ‘we’ the Tauck group brought the covid onboard, or were at least one of the sources. We have done three ‘pandemic’ trips, two on Ponant and one on Windstar. There were no positives on the first two trips, although I know we had at least two people who had previously had covid on the “Star Breeze”. I know the Tauck group on “Le Lyrial” had at least one person who had been in ‘very’ close contact with someone who had covid, and they chose to continue the trip anyway … and subsequently got covid. I have talked with Tauck about this, and the person I talked with said that they would not have continued the trip under those circumstances, but Tauck had no protocol in place to prevent that from happening. So now setting ‘obtuse’ aside, if you are planning on a Tauck trip, or any ‘group’ trip, and you have been in recent close contact with someone who has tested positive … cancel the trip. Please don’t continue the trip and expose others unnecessarily.
SeaLord and NVBD, I hope we can all remain good sports on this subject. I thought you guys were not concerned about Covid, but now you seem to have changed your minds. I think you better call me BritMask from now on, The whole point of my concern is getting it from others on the tour. That’s how it went round out last tour as none of us had any contact with locals who were not wearing masks.
And of course, my other point is, when you sign the Tauck pledge, you sign that you will wear a mask when instructed by the TD and some are not on my tour. It makes it so difficult for the TD, it’s just so shameful to put him in this situation.
Of course I could ‘tip’ people to wear masks like you do to get better service SeaLord😂😂
I haven’t changed my mind on COVID. Nor on masks. I’m just concerned about the procedure if someone gets it. How do these crazy governments officially handle it and Tauck too.
wilccat - not sure why the LOL. i was serious. If I were on a tour with mask non-compliance, and the TD was unwilling to act, I'd call HQ. Especially for a US tour. I believe the Federal mandate for masks on public trnsportation includes chartered buses, but I may be wrong on that. Even so, Tauck is supposed to provide for a safe environment.
I’m afraid British … sorry BritMask … actually known around here as BritDoublleMask … is reading too much between the lines. The thing that drew my attention first was the fact that the ‘group’ who had one of their number test positive ‘before’ the trip began, were wearing masks like crazy … even at the table where we were all dining together. Everyone else had masks off while dining, but one small group had masks on much of the time while eating. I thought that was at least different from what I had experienced on other trips. And, on our trip everyone that I observed was obeying the mask protocols. The Ponant people were not shy about correcting the occasional slip up, which I did ‘witness’ a few times. As mentioned earlier, we were ‘permitted’ to wear masks ashore in Antarctica, but it was not encouraged do to potential damage to the environment … masks left behind on the ground … like all over the streets where we live.
I don’t tip to ‘get’ better service. I tip early the people who are ‘offering’ better service … then they own me. (;-)
Loved my Marine Grunts. You are correct, they took care of me and made my life as safe as possible. I'd take a bullet for any of them....oh yea...and I did. It was a long time ago but I still have great feelings for all of them. I was in the bush as well, then flew medivacs when I got out of the hospital. Best job I ever had!!!
Tauck does not establish the charge for COVID testing; the lab/country does. For comparison purposes, we were charged 35 euros each when we departed Portugal last fall. Regarding the forms, there should be a drop-down menu or country flag to select for the English language. If not, you'll have to contact Tauck. Good luck.
On our tour to the Balkans last Sept., we had to be tested before entering Italy on the last full day of the tour. That test covered those of us who left Venice for the US at the end of the tour. We were not charged for the test.
CATSOOS, On the return from our Normandy trip, Tauck arranged for the test at the hotel and we paid the provider (a registered nurse) 40 Euros cash each. He did the antigen test and sent the results via email that afternoon.
Our tests we done the same way on the same French tour as taxare's. A couple of weeks prior at the end of our Swiss tour the TD handled it by making appointments for tests at a local Lucerne test site a short walk from the hotel. We paid in euros.cash in France but I think at the Swiss site they could use credit cards. We weren't tested there because we were going to France next and it wasn't required.
AlanS. I paid 150.00 US on December 6th in Cairo. U.S. had just changed the rules from 3 days prior to 24 hours prior to departure. We all needed expedited results the evening of the Farewell dinner. The craziest part was no one asked for my results. Not in Cairo, not in London and not upon entering the U.S. 😳🙃
In my home state (CO), there hasn't been a statewide mask mandate for many months. Counties in the Denver metro and ski resort areas had their own mask mandates, all of which are now over.
I'm currently in NYC. Masks required pretty much everywhere. In restaurants, they check ID and Vax card. That was never done in CO. What a difference a state makes!
I guess that explains why some of us are more cautious, it depends on what rules are where we live
All I can tell you, on my recently finished tour, a good number of people, even a doctor, failed to wear masks on the bus, which remains a Tauck requirement for which we sign we wiill follow at the start of the tour. The TD dis his best, but they just ignored him. I was frankly just disgusted by their inconsiderate behavior.
Comments
According to my talk with Tauck they were in quarantine on L’Austral for five to seven days then went home. You don’t need a PCR to come home, just an antigen test. L’Austral is now back in Antarctica. Dealing with the local government was apparently a bit of a trial.
Which local government.....Argentina or in the US?
Sealord.
Susan's concerned that we will not be able to get back to the US and see the dogs.
I am more concerned about the Russian presence on the Ukrainian border and what that could lead to. I figured the French might have already surrendered by now.
I like to think that I have already fought in all the wars I am going to, at my age. 
Hoo-rah. Semper Fi and Semper Fortis.
It looks like this is being sent to Tauck purgatory, as well. No sense of humor or they don't want me to know what happens when someone gets COVID on a trip. How insensitive.....
ndvb
I don't think the dogs will miss you. They look like they are all set, and just need a pilot and a chef.
Yes, let's keep the Ukranians in our prayers. We've met many of them working on cruise ships and they are wonderful people.
Semper Fi.
That's what I need......a pilot and a chef. I don't think the dogs will give us a thought...they'll be in doggy day care and stay with the owner of the doggy day care at her home (and sleep in her bed). It is Susan who will miss them. They are her velcro dogs, bless all their hearts.
ndvb: I think it is impossible to predict exactly what protocol you might encounter. The rules change almost daily. I think our Le Lyrial ‘positives’ were treated very well. I’m going to be intentionally obtuse as possible on this subject, but I think it is quite possible that ‘we’ the Tauck group brought the covid onboard, or were at least one of the sources. We have done three ‘pandemic’ trips, two on Ponant and one on Windstar. There were no positives on the first two trips, although I know we had at least two people who had previously had covid on the “Star Breeze”. I know the Tauck group on “Le Lyrial” had at least one person who had been in ‘very’ close contact with someone who had covid, and they chose to continue the trip anyway … and subsequently got covid. I have talked with Tauck about this, and the person I talked with said that they would not have continued the trip under those circumstances, but Tauck had no protocol in place to prevent that from happening. So now setting ‘obtuse’ aside, if you are planning on a Tauck trip, or any ‘group’ trip, and you have been in recent close contact with someone who has tested positive … cancel the trip. Please don’t continue the trip and expose others unnecessarily.
No close contact, as of yet. Good advice though. Thanks for the info.
SeaLord and NVBD, I hope we can all remain good sports on this subject. I thought you guys were not concerned about Covid, but now you seem to have changed your minds. I think you better call me BritMask from now on, The whole point of my concern is getting it from others on the tour. That’s how it went round out last tour as none of us had any contact with locals who were not wearing masks.
And of course, my other point is, when you sign the Tauck pledge, you sign that you will wear a mask when instructed by the TD and some are not on my tour. It makes it so difficult for the TD, it’s just so shameful to put him in this situation.
Of course I could ‘tip’ people to wear masks like you do to get better service SeaLord😂😂
I haven’t changed my mind on COVID. Nor on masks. I’m just concerned about the procedure if someone gets it. How do these crazy governments officially handle it and Tauck too.
NDVB.......... Semper Fi to you, Sir
British - have you called Tauck HQ on the mask non-compliance issue?
wilccat - not sure why the LOL. i was serious. If I were on a tour with mask non-compliance, and the TD was unwilling to act, I'd call HQ. Especially for a US tour. I believe the Federal mandate for masks on public trnsportation includes chartered buses, but I may be wrong on that. Even so, Tauck is supposed to provide for a safe environment.
I’m afraid British … sorry BritMask … actually known around here as BritDoublleMask … is reading too much between the lines. The thing that drew my attention first was the fact that the ‘group’ who had one of their number test positive ‘before’ the trip began, were wearing masks like crazy … even at the table where we were all dining together. Everyone else had masks off while dining, but one small group had masks on much of the time while eating. I thought that was at least different from what I had experienced on other trips. And, on our trip everyone that I observed was obeying the mask protocols. The Ponant people were not shy about correcting the occasional slip up, which I did ‘witness’ a few times. As mentioned earlier, we were ‘permitted’ to wear masks ashore in Antarctica, but it was not encouraged do to potential damage to the environment … masks left behind on the ground … like all over the streets where we live.
I don’t tip to ‘get’ better service. I tip early the people who are ‘offering’ better service … then they own me. (;-)
wildcat03....Semper Fi and Semper Fortis to you, as well. Fleet Marine Corp Navy Corpsman here.
NDVB...I was a.Marine grunt, lived in the bush. Had a corpsman with us. He was our most protected. Kept him safe at all times
Loved my Marine Grunts. You are correct, they took care of me and made my life as safe as possible. I'd take a bullet for any of them....oh yea...and I did. It was a long time ago but I still have great feelings for all of them. I was in the bush as well, then flew medivacs when I got out of the hospital. Best job I ever had!!!
Who is “we?” I don’t think any of us are students at State College of ______.
Just read the communication documents how much does Tauck charge for return to US Covid tests? Also the health forms are in French
CATSOOS,
Tauck does not establish the charge for COVID testing; the lab/country does. For comparison purposes, we were charged 35 euros each when we departed Portugal last fall. Regarding the forms, there should be a drop-down menu or country flag to select for the English language. If not, you'll have to contact Tauck. Good luck.
I believe I read somewhere (a post or PM from mil?) it cost $124 p/p in Cairo.
CORRECTION: I found my notes. a few weeks ago a Tauck agent told me the exit test in Cairo was $140 p/p.
So bottom line, it depends on the tour end country and medical people contracted to administer the test.
On our tour to the Balkans last Sept., we had to be tested before entering Italy on the last full day of the tour. That test covered those of us who left Venice for the US at the end of the tour. We were not charged for the test.
CATSOOS, On the return from our Normandy trip, Tauck arranged for the test at the hotel and we paid the provider (a registered nurse) 40 Euros cash each. He did the antigen test and sent the results via email that afternoon.
Our tests we done the same way on the same French tour as taxare's. A couple of weeks prior at the end of our Swiss tour the TD handled it by making appointments for tests at a local Lucerne test site a short walk from the hotel. We paid in euros.cash in France but I think at the Swiss site they could use credit cards. We weren't tested there because we were going to France next and it wasn't required.
AlanS. I paid 150.00 US on December 6th in Cairo. U.S. had just changed the rules from 3 days prior to 24 hours prior to departure. We all needed expedited results the evening of the Farewell dinner. The craziest part was no one asked for my results. Not in Cairo, not in London and not upon entering the U.S. 😳🙃
In my home state (CO), there hasn't been a statewide mask mandate for many months. Counties in the Denver metro and ski resort areas had their own mask mandates, all of which are now over.
I'm currently in NYC. Masks required pretty much everywhere. In restaurants, they check ID and Vax card. That was never done in CO. What a difference a state makes!
I guess that explains why some of us are more cautious, it depends on what rules are where we live
All I can tell you, on my recently finished tour, a good number of people, even a doctor, failed to wear masks on the bus, which remains a Tauck requirement for which we sign we wiill follow at the start of the tour. The TD dis his best, but they just ignored him. I was frankly just disgusted by their inconsiderate behavior.