Tauck Travel Requirements ? ?
The current requirements listed on the Tauck website do not include a negative covid test (in addition to being vaccinated) to enter Portugal but reading other websites I think this is incorrect. I followed Taucks link to the locator form that is required and delving deeper on the same website to the FAQs found this,
"Mandatory negative test is required, even for vaccinated people (or digital recovery certificate), for those who arrive in Portugal by:
Plane. Sanctions for airlines (20 thousand euros per untested person arriving in Portugal);"
When I looked at the U.S. Embassy website it said the same.
My cruise isn't until this fall but if your's is sooner you might want to check into this.
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I have found similar inconsistencies, not just between Tauck and the destination countries, but between the official country requirements and other sources like the airlines. There can be a lag in updating the various websites. As you know there are always sites on the web that are out of date on a lot of things. Frankly, I've been checking every day.
Tauck says we must get a PCR COVID test to depart Egypt. Egypt has no such exit requirement, but at least now the Tauck website acknowledges it is "required by the airlines." That isn't 100% true either. Maybe US carriers, but not Turkish Air, they have no such requirement. We still need a PCR or antigen test within a day to re-enter the US, so it might as well be a PCR test.
Not necessarily ….a PCR test is a bit dodgy if you have had a recent infection that you were not aware of because it could make that test positive.
Thanks folks for highlighting this. It's almost as much work organizing the Covid preparation for the trip as it was in planning the trip originally. But after two postponements, it's finally here in June and I, for one, am ready for it!
Any other potential road blocks you see? I'm all ears.
I think part of the confusion on this one is Spain doesn't require testing. Possibly if you take the West bound tour Portugal may allow you entry from Spain without testing. We're on the east bound direct from JFK to Lisbon so I hope this gets clarified or better yet testing dropped.
If anyone gets clarification from Tauck I'd be interested.
We did the westbound tour (Madrid to Lisbon) and no testing was required to enter Spain, nor was testing required to enter Portugal from Spain. Spain required a health affidavit to enter and the United States required a negative antigen test before returning home. Given the rise in cases in Western Europe, requirements can change quickly.
On a side note, Tauck is having a webinar 24 Mar at 1600 eastern time on Portuguese fado music with presentations by students of Coimbra University. I highly recommend viewing the webinar. You will visit the university on this tour. Coimbra is also a great place to by cork products.