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Post by *Di* on Jun 26, 2020 10:44:40 GMT
Okay.... now we should have been there right now and we didn't re-book as a lot of you are aware we also go to Australia to visit our daughter and hubby... we have luckily managed (though missed last year 2019) to go to Skiathos AND Aus as both of us still working (hubby about to retire, Im part time but may have to give up as arthritis etc affecting me big time) but knew/know one of the destinations has to be given up and it cannot be visiting our daughter, we were there just before Christmas last luckily and we usually get over every 2 years... anyway earlier this year I almost wished we hadn't booked Skiathos this year as one or two personal problems were causing me much anxiety and I just didn't feel like going, odd I know.... but then the pandemic hit and we all know the rest don't we?...sooooo it has hit me very hard knowing we cannot go and whats even harder, Im unsure where we can travel to even next year. It would normally be Australia, but other family members (esp son in laws) need their time to go over, or them to pop over back here to see a new and only nephew on his side, who they ALL should have been meeting up in a lovely resort on Greek mainland paid for by daughters inlaws, so they were flying back to Greece for that but Australia cancelled international travel...normally we book Aus flights as soon as they come out for the end of the year, November time, book about February but as the situation stands I feel that a vaccine will have to be in place for all before they allow internationals into Aus and we personally feel we should wait anyway till there is one. Insurance for Aus is expensive enough as hubby has to declare his heart attack so that bumps the premiums up, imagine how much Covid insurance is going to cost even if available?... anyway, as much as Ive stated we cannot go to Skiathos AND Aus anymore, Im wondering now what is possible. If I manage to SAVE really hard, see how the situation pans out with Covid, realise sadly that Aus isn't on next year for us, do any of you think I could get a booking for Skiathos waiting while say next Spring to book? My main choice will always be Troulos, Ive seen some high prices when Ive looked earlier this week and it's very expensive for end of June, I would only go end of June/early July too.....I do like to book in advance and look forward and countdown, but that isn't an option right now and if the Covid kicks in again, it might affect any decisions anyway But realistically would any of you think you/I could get a booking leaving it as late as 3/4 months beforehand?... probably limited choice huh and everyone wanting to go who missed out this year. I suppose in the end it's going to be a case of wait and see?
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Jun 26, 2020 11:38:18 GMT
My personal view, and I've stated it elsewhere, is this.
While we have the virus as is, there'll still be social distancing. That probably means next year as well as this.
I wouldn't want to go to Skiathos and have to queue for a table for 2 hours, or not be able to get a sun longer most days.
If you go to book a late holiday, and can't because it's full, then it wouldn't have been a pleasant experience anyway.
Just my opinion.
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Post by balddave on Jun 26, 2020 11:38:21 GMT
This is a difficult one, lots of people have transferred their cancellations from this year over to next, so I guess availability may already be somewhat limited. I would certainly check out your choice of accommodation and dates, just to give yourself a better understanding of the situation. Hopefully the situation will have massively improved next year, but again no guarantees.
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Post by dennisn on Jun 26, 2020 11:41:13 GMT
Oh Di, how difficult for you. We are fortunate in that we only have the one problem, namely getting back to Skiathos, we don't have an Australia situation.
My advice is simply to wait and see, whilst at the same time saving hard. For both destinations, hope for an end to Covid 19 by way of vaccine and restriction free travel. And hope that by then the airlines will be making special offers of huge discounts.
Actually, that's not advice, it's my simple hope you that you achieve both destinations next year, preferably with good discounts.
Our easy decisions were made as follows. For today's arrival, I switched to next year on 27th March, as TUI offered changing without amendment fee (but without the 20% discounts they subsequently offered). Obviously I made a brilliant forecast that today's holiday wouldn't happen, so I'm very smug. We pondered for a while over the next date, September this year. Eventually at the end of May we decided to swap that one over too, on the basis that we weren't confident of September travel and virus situation and fearing that if we left it until TUI offered fee-free changes, maybe everybody else would have already booked our dates and accommodation. Cost us an amendment fee £200 - I tried arguing that it's supposed to be £50 each, but the call handler said that's what comes up, so I dropped the call and did it online, but with exactly the same cost!! I'll be trying my argument again with TUI later on as the dust settles.
Sorry I'm no help, Di. Personally I think it's touch and go whether a vaccine is available by June next year - even if one does come forth, I guess we're all several million down the queue for getting it!
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Jun 26, 2020 11:45:52 GMT
It's a real head-scratcher.
Lots of people may have lost their jobs, or gone part time, or being furloughed and lost 20% of their income (+ overtime?). They may have planned to go next year, but now won't.
Many people who are vulnerable won't take the risk.
Many who aren't vulnerable won't take the risk.
But on the other hand, lots of people have, apparently, saved a lot of money due to the lock down. No haircuts. No meals out. No need to buy clothes. No pub (and drinking at home is far cheaper). If furloughed and on 100% wage, no transport costs, or pack up.
They've had their holiday cancelled, and transferred it to next year. Or maybe they don't go every year, and haven't booked anything for 2020, but after such a rubbish year they're determined to go in 2021.
So there are all sorts of reasons that resorts may be half empty, and lots of other reasons they'll be packed. Maybe one will have more impact than the other, or maybe they'll cancel each other out.
Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets.
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Post by yorkshiremouth on Jun 26, 2020 11:51:17 GMT
Dennis, your thoughts on the vaccine are ones I largely share. In April there was talk of 12-18 months, so the earliest is April 2021, and then they have to get it out there. And even then, I think I remember from the flu jab that it's not to be trusted as effective until 3 or 4 weeks after you get it (could be wrong there). However, there is a possibility of getting one earlier: www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53061288One litre can make a million doses! This may well not happen, but at least it's a possibility.
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Post by bvrc on Jun 26, 2020 12:28:46 GMT
And further to this the vaccine manufacturing facility will not open until 2021, it’s about 4 miles away from me. Construction has started!
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Post by dennisn on Jun 26, 2020 13:01:45 GMT
Apparently the 1 litre one doesn’t need a factory to be built.
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Post by bvrc on Jun 26, 2020 15:01:51 GMT
For quality assurance, licensing, registration and a plethora of other regulations, mass production will probably have to wait until the national facility is operational. Smaller scale productions may happen at specialised facilities for isolated populations, or where mini outbreaks sporadically happen in the future but mass vaccination on the scale of annual influenza jabs will be a huge effort, and only a dedicated facility could cope with the demands of that. Production of the vaccine (should they get one) is the easy bit, it’s the governance around it that’s the labour intensive bit.
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Post by dennisn on Jun 26, 2020 20:07:41 GMT
The one litre million doses version apparently will not need a factory, but as I said before, I don’t know how many million will be in front of us in the queue. Vera’s daughter didn’t get intensive care and pressurised oxygen etc, so her Covid 19 left pneumonia in its wake and now another month off pending ECG and MRI. I imagine Boris will be further forward in the queue than her and many more of us. Vote Boris and jump the queue!
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Post by katet on Jun 27, 2020 17:24:08 GMT
It is a tricky decision, Di, but my thoughts are that if you hold your nerve you just may be lucky and get the accommodation you want in Troulos. If it's all booked out you are then faced with the choice of trying another resort - or even staying in town, where there's a much bigger choice of accommodation. You never know, you might be a convert! We were always pretty much stuck on Koukounaries, and while we still love it there we also loved staying in town. It's a different type of holiday - but equally enjoyable, in my view.
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Post by *Di* on Jun 27, 2020 17:52:44 GMT
It is a tricky decision, Di, but my thoughts are that if you hold your nerve you just may be lucky and get the accommodation you want in Troulos. If it's all booked out you are then faced with the choice of trying another resort - or even staying in town, where there's a much bigger choice of accommodation. You never know, you might be a convert! We were always pretty much stuck on Koukounaries, and while we still love it there we also loved staying in town. It's a different type of holiday - but equally enjoyable, in my view. Oh I think I would stay anywhere Kate if I could go and the choice was limited, we always save for a jimny the whole holiday (money already being secreted away, just in case lol) but the 2 reasons we truly prefer Troulos is the array of places to eat and a nice walkabout day/night if we want, then at the end of the night even if we had to stay elsewhere we would park the car up if we have been into town and enjoy drinks in the Boudouriani bar, that is a must, its the only time hubby ever drinks, on an evening on holiday, so no driving back, no buses to catch, I particularly feel closed in on a packed bus though I know lots love the experience lol... BUT will see how it pans out, staying in town isn't off the cards by a long shot.... Oh I do hope we get there xx
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Post by katet on Jun 27, 2020 18:00:16 GMT
I hope you do, too!!! xx
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Post by cariad23 on Jun 28, 2020 11:03:47 GMT
HiHi DI, we knew we wanted to go to skiathos next year, and thought the prices had gone up alot, probably because tui are offering 20% off if you transfer. we wanted just to book an east mids flight and angeliki hotel but flights with luggage coming in at over £1100. a lot of places that were once reasonable now over £900 each Places seemed to be booking up for mid june as so many people switching to next year who might not have booked for next year until much later this year. So after much studying of TA and asking questions on here settled on villa maria , a day after booking it went up £70 each, and is now sold out as only a small place, so i,m glad we booked. Its nice to have something definite to look forward too. I noticed that oasis a place we love and have been to twice was £840 when we first looked now £1000 as rooms selling out fast. I dont think there will be any bargains to be had next year so i would say book now before choice is very limited. I looked at jet 2 but none of the accommodation appealed and only Birm flights, which means an hours drive and usually roadworks, parking or taxi costs , and east mids nearby costing us nothing as can get a lift. I hope that you get to Australia too ,it must be hard to have your children so far away. My relatives facetimes most days to feel closer to their son as after years of going for 5-6 weeks cant face that long flight anymore because of health issues
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Post by *Di* on Jun 28, 2020 11:47:07 GMT
I think I saw your post on fb re Villa Maria yes it is really lovely we stayed there once and we found we could have drinks at Boudouriani bar around the corner in the evenings so that started our love affair with that place. I tested TUI with Boudouriani the other day and nothing for June/July.. Im going to have to leave it till next year and pray we can get somewhere in Troulos, we like Morfia too and would stay in Christakis also, Christos who owns it is such a lovely guy. As long as we can pop round to Boudouriani we will be happy. Ive resigned to fact Aus wont be happening next year but maybe after Christmas 2021... a lot depends on so much, especially Covid vaccination. We are so afraid of the virus and my hubby’s heart was badly damages after his heart attack one factor is Covid is even more dangerous to him but he has made a good recovery. Im so pleased you got into VM.. the family are so lovely.. one day we had been all around the island and our jimny was particularly dirty, we came down to go to town in it for the evening and Angela was hosing it down for us after she had finished watering the garden 🙂💙
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