Will you travel? [Mod Note in Post #1 - Travel Discussion Only! Megathread]

addaword

Lundstram wrote: »

We are such a greedy country. I'd happily holiday in Ireland if I wasn't being ripped off at every turn.

Looking at a weekend away in August, I compared two nights in Galway and Liverpool:

Galway 4 star hotel (no breakfast included) €364 for two nights.

Liverpool 4 star hotel (breakfast included) €182 for two nights. Flights are €22 return.

Pint of Guinness in Galway €5 vs €3.90 in Liverpool.

Disgusting greed.

Your stay in Galway though will generate much more tax for the Irish government than the stay in Liverpool will for the crown. Do the patriotic thing, stay in Ireland.

Irishphotodesk

addaword wrote: »

Your stay in Galway though will generate much more tax for the Irish government than the stay in Liverpool will for the crown. Do the patriotic thing, stay in Ireland.

Tell Ireland to be patriotic and stop the multiple layers of taxation on people that wish to stay here but find value elsewhere, we priced a long weekend in Kerry a few years ago, it was cheaper to fly to the Canary Islands for 4 days than one night stay in a hotel in Kerry....we did price multiple nights in Kerry, then priced Galway, etc, after a while it just got boring.

Flights, accommodation and food for 4 days in Canary Islands was a fraction of the cost of just accommodation in Kerry or Galway for the weekend.

Why can’t hotels offer a staycation discount - for residents of the island to receive 20-25% discount? Or would they be accused of discrimination?

Benimar

This is why I’ve never had much time for staycations.

This is the typical approach they take. Their profits have taken a hit, so they are trying to make as much of it back in 2 months as possible, instead of offering competitive prices and trying to build a market for future years. Show people that staycations are competitively priced and that there is loads to do in Ireland (there is) and people might start staying in Ireland more often.

We made the decision months ago we weren’t leaving the country this year. We have now decided there won’t be a staycation either as we won’t pay twice the price we would pay for a foreign holiday.

faceman

Spain reopening its borders to EU nations on June 21st.

Dante7

faceman wrote: »

Spain reopening its borders to EU nations on June 21st.

No specific mention of the UK. Are they still considered part of the EU for this? I'd prefer if they weren't allowed travel.

smelly sock

I have no time for Staycationing in Ireland either as its expensive. But i think what needs to be highlighted are the cost of wages and running costs such as insurance and rent. In ireland they are sky high. Not so much in other countires or areas like the canaries. Its not all profit and greed.

At the same time we stopped off in a shop in Kerry last year to get lunch for the road.

4 chicken fillet rolls 4 bags of tayto, 2 coffees, 2 cokes and 4 waters. 47 euros.

That's why i wont holiday in Ireland ever.

faceman

Dante7 wrote: »

No specific mention of the UK. Are they still considered part of the EU for this? I'd prefer if they weren't allowed travel.

It’s a good question and remains an unknown. Yesterday the mayor of Benidorm specifically said they would welcome Brits from July 10th. EasyJet are recommencing Spanish flights from July 15th

Benimar

Dante7 wrote: »

No specific mention of the UK. Are they still considered part of the EU for this? I'd prefer if they weren't allowed travel.

No, they are no longer part of the EU

Tenzor07

Benimar wrote: »

No, they are no longer part of the EU

UK is considered part of the EU until they fully leave on the 31st of December this year.

addaword

Irishphotodesk wrote: »

Flights, accommodation and food for 4 days in Canary Islands was a fraction of the cost of just accommodation in Kerry or Galway for the weekend.

Is'nt Spain duty free though? Here hotels have to pay millions in tax each year. What goes around comes around. Our president is paid €252,000 per year. He holidayed in the canaries last January. In contrast, the Prime Minister of Spain is only paid €72,000 per year. If the government did not squander so much money our taxes, and the taxes the hotels collect and pay, would not need to be as high, and we could all better afford to stay in Ireland.

lainey_d_123

Dante7 wrote: »

No specific mention of the UK. Are they still considered part of the EU for this? I'd prefer if they weren't allowed travel.

This is what I'm wondering. I have an Irish passport but reside in London, so presumably will be treated as a British passenger. I'd like to see a friend in Spain at some point in July or August, but so far the government is advising against all but essential travel, including on the public transport I'd have to take to get to the airport. Not to mention the ridiculous 14 day quarantine imposed on returning passengers (talk about shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted...)

Very unsure what to do. Half the people I've asked are telling me to go ahead and enjoy it because we need to get back to normal sometime. The other half are saying they wouldn't risk it and to just suck it up and stay in London for the rest of the year.

Dante7

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

This is what I'm wondering. I have an Irish passport but reside in London, so presumably will be treated as a British passenger. I'd like to see a friend in Spain at some point in July or August, but so far the government is advising against all but essential travel, including on the public transport I'd have to take to get to the airport. Not to mention the ridiculous 14 day quarantine imposed on returning passengers (talk about shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted...)

Very unsure what to do. Half the people I've asked are telling me to go ahead and enjoy it because we need to get back to normal sometime. The other half are saying they wouldn't risk it and to just suck it up and stay in London for the rest of the year.

Ireland and UK allowed to travel to Spain from June 21st. Details in this article.

https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-06-14/spain-will-reopen-borders-to-eu-states-on-june-21-prime-minister-pedro-sanchez-tells-regional-chiefs.html

lainey_d_123

Dante7 wrote: »

Ireland and UK allowed to travel to Spain from June 21st. Details in this article.

https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-06-14/spain-will-reopen-borders-to-eu-states-on-june-21-prime-minister-pedro-sanchez-tells-regional-chiefs.html

Yep, I meant I wasn't sure how it would work on this side. Unless the government lift the travel advisory, quarantine and allow non-essential travel on public transport, I can't see there being many takers for flights to Spain, or anywhere. Just getting to the airport would technically be a breach of lockdown rules.

faceman

A memo was passed around cabinet to say Irish quarantine will be relaxed for some countries from June 29

Also aer lingus now have flights scheduled to Spain from July 1st

acequion

faceman wrote: »

A memo was passed around cabinet to say Irish quarantine will be relaxed for some countries from June 29

Also aer lingus now have flights scheduled to Spain from July 1st

Some but will it be Spain?

acequion

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

Yep, I meant I wasn't sure how it would work on this side. Unless the government lift the travel advisory, quarantine and allow non-essential travel on public transport, I can't see there being many takers for flights to Spain, or anywhere. Just getting to the airport would technically be a breach of lockdown rules.

Go lainey!! This might be the safest time as if there is a second wave we might all have to hunker back down. It's been a tough few months and if you feel you need this and ore or less have the chance, then do it. I certainly am.

lainey_d_123

acequion wrote: »

Go lainey!! This might be the safest time as if there is a second wave we might all have to hunker back down. It's been a tough few months and if you feel you need this and ore or less have the chance, then do it. I certainly am.

Yeah, that's the unknown, isn't it? Is it all going to be upwards from here, in which case it's better to keep waiting until it gets safer, or is this a brief respite before we're back to lockdown? It's so hard not knowing.

The airports are far emptier at the moment, so perhaps it would be better to go now than wait until it gets busy again.

How does the mask thing work? Are you supposed to wear them at the airport? How does that work for having your passport checked, which is usually done multiple times? Do you have to keep pulling it down or taking it off?

JoeExotic81

Does anyone know if a non EU resident visiting here would be treated in our public care system if they fell ill with Corona and weren't covered by their travel insurance?

Plumbthedepths

JoeExotic81 wrote: »

Does anyone know if a non EU resident visiting here would be treated in our public care system if they fell ill with Corona and weren't covered by their travel insurance?

Yes they would be treated and would be presented with a large bill afterwards.

silverharp

faceman wrote: »

A memo was passed around cabinet to say Irish quarantine will be relaxed for some countries from June 29

Also aer lingus now have flights scheduled to Spain from July 1st

as of this week though technically travelling in July would mean needing to quarantine after?
Im just trying to cancel our summer holiday at the moment (French Campsite) 2nd half of July so just want to give the cleanest reason.

stephenjmcd

silverharp wrote: »

as of this week though technically travelling in July would mean needing to quarantine after?
Im just trying to cancel our summer holiday at the moment (French Campsite) 2nd half of July so just want to give the cleanest reason.

Theres no mandatory quarantine here though, wherever you've booked should be flexible given the current situation but come July there won't be a reason not to travel, France opened back up to us today and all signs point towards our mandatory form filling being ditched in 2 weeks time.

Plumbthedepths

stephenjmcd wrote: »

Theres no mandatory quarantine here though, wherever you've booked should be flexible given the current situation but come July there won't be a reason not to travel, France opened back up to us today and all signs point towards our mandatory form filling being ditched in 2 weeks time.

Sure it was only mandatory to sign a form. The Guards might ring and then again they might not. Leaving your place of quarantine for essential reasons is allowed. Window dressing for the permanently fearful is the only purpose our quarantine serves.

silverharp

stephenjmcd wrote: »

Theres no mandatory quarantine here though, wherever you've booked should be flexible given the current situation but come July there won't be a reason not to travel, France opened back up to us today and all signs point towards our mandatory form filling being ditched in 2 weeks time.

Its an expensive holiday when you add up all the costs, my wife just thinks everything wont be just so, things we would have liked do do like train trips into Italy might not be possible and restaurants wont be normal etc.
We paid extra for cancellation thats a 3rd party insurance via the campsite.

lainey_d_123

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

Sure it was only mandatory to sign a form. The Guards might ring and then again they might not. Leaving your place of quarantine for essential reasons is allowed. Window dressing for the permanently fearful is the only purpose our quarantine serves.

Seems a bit odd indeed to have a quarantine if you're allowed to go out and do stuff. That's not quarantine. If you can go food shopping or for a walk, why can you not go and visit a friend?

MickeyLeari

silverharp wrote: »

Its an expensive holiday when you add up all the costs, my wife just thinks everything wont be just so, things we would have liked do do like train trips into Italy might not be possible and restaurants wont be normal etc.
We paid extra for cancellation thats a 3rd party insurance via the campsite.

Or it could be more pleasant. Less crowds. More comfortable trains. Things are ramping up again quickly so perhaps hold off until you have to make the call.

lainey_d_123

MickeyLeari wrote: »

Or it could be more pleasant. Less crowds. More comfortable trains. Things are ramping up again quickly so perhaps hold off until you have to make the call.

Italy in summer can be hellish with all the tourist hordes. It might actually be better if it were quieter because people were put off visiting. I make a habit of going to places off peak and have a way better time. Far better hotel rates, restaurants and bars not rammed full, trains and planes quieter.

If it might be like that, I'd actually be more keen on going, once it wasn't downright depressing and nothing open.

Micky 32

stephenjmcd wrote: »

Theres no mandatory quarantine here though, wherever you've booked should be flexible given the current situation but come July there won't be a reason not to travel, France opened back up to us today and all signs point towards our mandatory form filling being ditched in 2 weeks time.

Knowing Simon and co do you reckon they’ll remove the intimidating 14 day quarantine or just keep extending it like they did with the lockdown and probably run for months?

silverharp

Micky 32 wrote: »

Knowing Simon and co do you reckon they’ll remove the intimidating 14 day quarantine or just keep extending it like they did with the lockdown and probably run for months?

if they were getting bribes from the hotel industry here, they would want to make it less attractive to fly abroad this summer, put on the green jersey and all that

acequion

TBH I can't see them removing it until they absolutely have to.

This country is a dreadful nanny state and we saw Simon do everything in his power to turn non compliance with the 14 day quarantine into an offence. Disgraceful attitude to the ordinary decent people of the country especially when you consider the joke that is the apprehension of real law breakers / offenders in Ireland.

Leo, Simon and co want us here, they want us spending our money staycationing and plenty will try to guilt trip us into wearing the green jersey. They can try. :rolleyes:

It remains to be seen how many will travel and how those travellers [and I'll be one] will manage on return with this half baked self isolation /quarantine.

stephenjmcd

Micky 32 wrote: »

Knowing Simon and co do you reckon they’ll remove the intimidating 14 day quarantine or just keep extending it like they did with the lockdown and probably run for months?

Too much pressure coming on for it to go, even they won't want to to be the outlier in Europe and do more long term damage to the hospitality industry in terms of any potential tourist markets while you then have the aviation industry and the amount of jobs in it. It'll be a last minute decision as usual despite everyone knowing its coming but memo to cabinet last week suggested it would be gone for phase 3. Now it is due to lapse in 3 days time so we should know soon enough how long It'll be extended for. It'll be the cabinets last hurrah really now as Martin had continually said he wanted to cut 2m to 1m and get rid of the travel restrictions.

Quite simply come July when even a relatively small by normal standards amount of people start traveling, the state doesn't and won't have the resources to impose any sort of travel restrictions.