Summer holidays 2020

[DoubleSix]

ElectricSoup said:

omniflow said:

ElectricSoup said:

I booked a private villa in the South of France for mid-July back in October. Have been in two minds about whether it'll be possible to use it for several months now, but I think it looks increasingly likely today. I'll be driving there but haven't booked a crossing yet. Will get on the Eurotunnel website shortly.

I've just been on the Eurotunnel website and it's completely sold out for a return to the UK on Sunday 30th August. I'll either need to get the Ferry, or stay another night somewhere in Europe.

Availability is there for my dates, but it's 50 quid more each way than usual. Hey ho.

Are the FlexiPlus tickets really fully refundable? I've not used Eurotunnel before, what's the catch?

If they are indeed fully refundable what are the thoughts on just booking some as a backup the flights that easyJet is yet to confirm? Seems there's no apparent downside to booking a couple on the days we need to travel then having them refunded if flights go ahead (and we want to use the flights).

[Tonberry]

Arrived in Spain yesterday. Quieter than usual but still a few tourists about.

[EddieSteadyGo]

Tonberry said:

Arrived in Spain yesterday. Quieter than usual but still a few tourists about.

What is the mask wearing behaviour like?

[R33FAL]

We decided to do a UK road-trip for our summer holiday this year for the 1st time in like forever (its always typically some 10 hour+ flight away to somewhere).

Heading up to Scotland in August and staying at the Gleneagles hotel... really looking forward to it

[Tonberry]

Masks required in shops. Most people also wearing them in public but not compulsory.

[EddieSteadyGo]

Tonberry said:

Masks required in shops. Most people also wearing them in public but not compulsory.

Interesting - thanks.

[MiniMan64]

EddieSteadyGo said:

Tonberry said:

Masks required in shops. Most people also wearing them in public but not compulsory.

Interesting - thanks.

Does it make a difference?

[EddieSteadyGo]

MiniMan64 said:

EddieSteadyGo said:

Tonberry said:

Masks required in shops. Most people also wearing them in public but not compulsory.

Interesting - thanks.

Does it make a difference?

Difference to whom?

[survivalist]

ElectricSoup said:

Shnozz said:

ElectricSoup said:

I booked a private villa in the South of France for mid-July back in October. Have been in two minds about whether it'll be possible to use it for several months now, but I think it looks increasingly likely today. I'll be driving there but haven't booked a crossing yet. Will get on the Eurotunnel website shortly.

Doesn’t quarantine still apply in France (as well as in return)? Or are you thinking quarantining are the villa?

It's voluntary on the French side. But we'll be mainly "quarantining" at the villa, just pop out for food occasionally. Nothing more than we do here. But there, we will have a private swimming pool and great weather....

Quarantine still applies on return, I expect that to change soon, but even if it doesn't it's no hardship. We work from home, kids on school holidays, online groceries, no problem.

We are in the same boat. Doubt there will be quarantine in place by August.

[ClaphamGT3]

survivalist said:

We are in the same boat. Doubt there will be quarantine in place by August.

If the air bridge announcement is as planned on Monday, the quarantine on return from France will go then. I've already moved our return shuttle from the 17th to the 28th August

[wjwren]

Tui are useless. Well their indian call centre is. We rebooked and they accidentally cancelled it.

[MiniMan64]

We had a villa holiday booked for first two weeks of August and have cancelled although the EJ flights are still an issue.

The other half has been flat out for 4 months and is desperate to get some sun so we're thinking of pulling the trigger on at least 1 week in Turkey AI. We went last year and it was great, wasn't expecting to think about going back so soon!

[survivalist]

ClaphamGT3 said:

survivalist said:

We are in the same boat. Doubt there will be quarantine in place by August.

If the air bridge announcement is as planned on Monday, the quarantine on return from France will go then. I've already moved our return shuttle from the 17th to the 28th August

Annoyingly some friends who were due to join us have had their flights cancelled. They have re-booked but aren't sure the newly booked flights will go ahead either. They won’t contemplate driving so it’s a case of wait and see.

As I’m basically trapped at home anyway we’re considering going to Spain at the end of July and working from there. Pain of a car journey and I can’t work out from the various websites if there is free (non-quarantine) movement between France and Spain yet.

[matt21]

I'm here in UK with my girlfriend who is from the US, with a US passport. She has been in UK since mid May.

Have Ireland booked for mid July, but looks unlikely. Thinking of switching to a Euro road trip. If the air bridge exists will she have any problems getting to mainland Europe with a US passport, even if she has been in the UK for 2mths by that point?

[h8tax]

Just booked two weeks South of France from 19th August. Ryanair flights half normal price, used part of my credit from previously cancelled flights, all very smooth process.
Really looking forward to it, no concerns at all.

[Ben Jk]

We have 2.5 weeks booked at start of August in South of France (Argeles Sur Mer) with Alfresco (Eurocamp sister company). We are driving via ferry. Really not sure what to do and whether to bin it or go. We can cancel with zero losses.
Quarantine binned on return our side now from 6th so I assume France will repay the favour and bin their 14 day quarantine for Uk tourists?
Part of me thinks sod it lets go, but part of me wonders if the quality of the holiday may be impacted with restrictions etc. Is food shopping going to be a ball ache/will restaurants/bars still be shut/will places to visit be shut. We aren’t a sit by the pool/on the beach all day family. We like to get out and about. When spending £5k plus (I’m not a company director like most on here!!!!) I don’t really want to come home not feeling like it was a proper holiday!

Edited by Ben Jk on Saturday 27th June 11:12

[PHlL]

Ben Jk said:

We have 2.5 weeks booked at start of August in South of France (Argeles Sur Mer) with Alfresco (Eurocamp sister company). We are driving via tunnel. Really not sure what to do and whether to bin it or go. We can cancel with zero losses.
Quarantine binned on return our side now from 6th so I assume France will repay the favour and bin their 14 day quarantine for Uk tourists?
Part of me thinks sod it lets go, but part of me wonders if the quality of the holiday may be impacted with restrictions etc. When spending £5k plus (I’m not a company director ??) I don’t really want to come home not feeling like it was a proper holiday!

I'm also staying in the Roussillon area and plans are still firmly on. I'm hopeful France will reciprocate no quarantine which was the big obstacle.

I expect almost everything to be open, maybe with the odd queues here and there. A lot of the attractions we can do I suspect can be responsibility distanced, beach, caves, vineyards, lot of eating (restaurants near where we are will be are mostly outside anyway). The fact you are driving will make a huge difference as you've got the freedom to go where you want. That part of the coast isn't too busy, and you can always pop into Spain, go up to Narbonne etc.

The big one for me is I'll leave my work phone at home, and completely switch off. I don't want to hear anything covid or economy related. It's burying my head in the sand for two weeks, but is a welcome break in what has been the busiest working 4 months I can recall.

[Silverage]

Ben Jk said:

We have 2.5 weeks booked at start of August in South of France (Argeles Sur Mer) with Alfresco (Eurocamp sister company). We are driving via ferry. Really not sure what to do and whether to bin it or go. We can cancel with zero losses.
Quarantine binned on return our side now from 6th so I assume France will repay the favour and bin their 14 day quarantine for Uk tourists?
Part of me thinks sod it lets go, but part of me wonders if the quality of the holiday may be impacted with restrictions etc. Is food shopping going to be a ball ache/will restaurants/bars still be shut/will places to visit be shut. We aren’t a sit by the pool/on the beach all day family. We like to get out and about. When spending £5k plus (I’m not a company director like most on here!!!!) I don’t really want to come home not feeling like it was a proper holiday!

This is pretty much the situation we find ourselves in, except we have AI in Crete booked. That’s very much a sit round the pool and consume type of holiday, so I’m not interested in paying £5k for it to be endless queueing, social distancing, deep cleaning and sanitising. Obviously the flight side of it has already become more of a chore than ever with the masks, no food or drink and having to ask permission to go to the toilet.

I appreciate all these things may have to be in place for the holiday to run at all so I’m leaning towards giving it a miss this year.

[Matt..]

I cancelled my trip to the Dolomites in Italy for early August. Staying in mountain hut dorm rooms doesn't seem like the best idea!

[anonymous-user]

We've heard from a hotel owner in Rhodes that we were meant to be staying at, he's not opening at all this season says it's not worth it, apparently he reckons about 20% of stuff is opening

Looks like holidays won't be much fun this year at all, still gutted though and now have to have a battle with TUI