On tour Covid testing
I understand that boat tours require Covid testing before embarkation. What triggers a Covid test on a Tauck land tour? We start ours a week from today and I’m curious.
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I understand that boat tours require Covid testing before embarkation. What triggers a Covid test on a Tauck land tour? We start ours a week from today and I’m curious.
Comments
We were on Romantic Germany in June. We did not have to test before starting the tour, but one couple had respiratory issues and tested negative. The TD told us that, I don’t know if they tested on their own or he had them do it. None of the rest of us had to test at all during the two weeks.
Although there were still testing requirements in place for entry into Israel when we were there in May, once two guests had symptoms mid-tour, they were required to test, came up positive, and left the tour to quarantine in the hotel. The rest of us were required to test daily for at least the next 5 days (most of us tested daily for 7 days). Tauck provided the test kits.
I don’t see anywhere on the Tauck site that you have to test before a river cruise, other than those under 12 who are not vaccinated. Does anyone have different info?
As far as I know, the only tour that requires testing now is the Princess cruise part of the Grand Alaska tour before you get on the ship. That’s why that tour is cause major headaches for Tauck.
I assume if anyone has Covid symptom that they can’t hide on a tour, they may be asked to test. If anyone is sniffling and says it’s allergies, Keep away from them. The ‘allergy’ person on our tour had Covid. Some people just get sniffles, forget fever, most don’t get fever anymore.
I know what’s required for my tour and the countries we’ll be in. I’m specifically wondering what triggers a Covid test in the “middle” of a land tour. People have talked about others on tour sniffling and coughing. At what point is a test required? And then if someone is a positive, is a daily test for the remaining guests a normal requirement?
Mike, I replied above about our recent land tour in Israel and Jordan and Tauck’s testing requirements via our TD once someone had tested positive mid-tour. We would test each morning, date the test, take a photo of the result and text it to our TD. I’m not sure how this is addressed on other land tours, but we felt comfortable with the protocol established/enforced by our TD.
Thanks, Jan.
These are somewhat difficult questions to answer on this venue. Your TD will brief you on the process and the options. I would not worry about it. Unless you get “sick” … something more than an occasional cough or sniffle you are not likely to get tested unless you request it.
The first week of our tour was a land tour. Two people tested positive after a few days and we never saw them again. We were not required to test at that point and would not have been if it had remained a land tour. But we had to test to get on the ship, at which point, I think it was nine more tested positive.
We recently returned from a Tauck tour in a "European region" that "moved on from Covid". There is still significant risk for Covid in group travel (25% ultimately tested positive in our group. Can't prove they all got it from the group but we were coughed on during a meal by a woman who claimed she only "had a cold", and later tested positive.) Few people will be "volunteering" themselves to get tested. Sadly, just getting people to put on a mask if they are coughing, sneezing or feeling cold-or flu-like would help a lot but no one is interested anymore. Be forewarned. Why it is that a tight-knit land travel group does not have the same regulations as a cruise ship is beyond me. Have your insurance and extended travel plans ready before you go, if you still decide to go, and understand that not everyone gets "minimal" Covid symptoms. Medical care overseas will not be the same as care at home. Perks for good travel behavior and a "team player" attitude should be considered.
as far as I know... no Covid cases in my group* and I can only tell.. because all 11 of them attended the activities... and if anyone had symptoms.. I would not know, because after day 3, I opted to keep my distance from the group.
Wan HI
Your final statement sounds very interesting......
" Perks for good travel behavior and a "team player" attitude should be considered."
good luck!
My remarks were simply to inform people that the risks are real and not low, and to be ready. The thing that surprised me was not that we got Covid, because we were actually prepared, but HOW we got Covid: someone who knew they were sick coughed on us. I was disappointed in my fellow travelers. I do feel that our case could have been prevented, but what do we do with people who are not team players? Appreciate your thoughts. If the majority feels we should let them be, I stand respectfully in the minority. I'm fully vaccinated (except #5) and I don't want to live in a bubble. I'm trying to find simple solutions that we can all live with to reduce respiratory illness while traveling in a small group. We cannot eliminate it completely. Requiring a person who clearly has a respiratory infection to at least put on a mask and sit a bit further away (if they refuse to leave) sounds reasonable to me. MIL no need for a giant laughing face. Thanks for being respectful.
Cathy's right. We have to do what we can to protect ourselves. I had Covid and didn't know it. A bit of a sore throat which I thought was a normal cold. After a couple of days, my wife insisted that I test for Covid and I was flabbergasted that it came out positive. I tested twice because I was sure there was a problem with the first test.
If I had been with you, I would have continued to do normal things, not even suspecting I was positive.
[Added note: my wife never came down with Covid, even though we were close for the first couple of days that I was positive,]
I did not even mention testing--we did not want to test ourselves if we were not symptomatic. I do indeed plan on protecting myself better in the future, including avoiding people who are clearly ill. One does not sign up for a group tour planning to be anti-social--quite the contrary! But I will if I have to be. There are other reasons to go.
I enjoyed reading this dialogue among you. We’re headed into year 3 of Covid. I am approaching my 70th year. I feel as young as I spring chicken but was ill for a year in the past when I was 55. One of you mentioned: life is just too short and how that rings true. Yes it certainly is. If ever you’ve been faced with thinking about your mortality, and putting things off such as travel for the perfect time, don’t. Enjoy your trips of a lifetime while you can. It’s never ever perfect. You can protect yourself on these trips just as you would going shopping, eating in a restaurant, getting together with friends. Some people are irresponsible knowing they don’t feel well and hacking, sneezing and coughing near you. So much has been shared on this topic snd it still is interesting. Enough said.
Did the bartender have a mask? Very very few around here in Northern California wear masks … except wait staff and bartenders, who virtually all wear masks. That’s how you can tell the customers from the employees in bars and restaurants. In any case one should expect to hear almost anything from someone sitting at a bar … good, bad, or ugly. (;-)
Cathy my reasons to keep the distance from the 11.. was other than Covid.
Easy to do, I would walk behind them or to a side… on the bus I would seat on the very back and at dinner time at the very end of the table . When you want to be away from the group , you find your ways.
Wan Hi
the giant face is not lack of respect for your posting or anyones opinions , it is simply that I have to laugh out the experience I just went through on my own tour…. Not pleasant at all.
So, your quote was perfect tittle for the situation .
Even cruise ships, when I last read about regulations, such as Princess will now allow up to 10% of passengers who are not vaccinated, first come, first served to get to 10% and no mask wearing. They are desperate to get passengers back. Will Tauck change it’s rules to allow non vaccinated customers, I don’t think it’s beyond the realm of possibility.
cathyandsteve Hi.
The situation was very uncomfortable and it wasn't the whole group, 2 couples were very friendly and polite.. the situation was created by "a" very Toxic individual .
Yes, I spend 2 years planning xtra activities (which save my sanity, because the people(guides and company owners) were Amazing- I have names if anyone wants them) I did pay $2K extra for traveling solo and regardless of the obvious withdraw ,the TD did not approach me to ask if I was okay... ( but did wrote a report stating,I had missed 2 activities- which is part of the reports they do on everyone.. ) but never ask me, why.. that it's NOT a good TD. much so.. when I was the target and part of my withdraw was to stop the situation and save his ass from a work-related problem.
Listen, I have done many! tours with Tauck and this is the first ever a situation like this has happen.. sure, I'm not going on any tour to make friends.. (which I do have come out with excellent friends that I do keep in contact regularly) but, Tauck is a high-end company, where the clientele supposedly has a high level of education and manners... well, supposedly. ](https://forums.tauck.com/resources/emoji/smile.png ":)")
thanks!
Yes, I’m 100% !
I’m not perfect, not and angel .. always good naughty and what you see it’s what you’ll get.…
Thanks for your kind words ..:)
Report to come soon
Admission to the Farewell Dinner usually requires a completed comment form. TDs will happily give you multiple forms if you need more space. I tend to cram comments into the margins &/or insert another page, and have emailed additional comments post-tour.
Admission to the farewell dinner requirements?
Never heard of any and definitely the form is not one.. you pay for the trip & includes welcome & farewell cocktails & dinner . The forms are basically a way for tauck to know any possible issues that should be fiixed on the program, hotels etc.. and the TD performance evaluation , by the way I did tip the TD