France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

fdevine

SusanC10 wrote: »

We are booked for late June after moving our Booking from 2020.
I am hopeful that we will be able to go.
Moved our Eurocamp Booking so didn't pay anything apart from the €99 we had paid as a Deposit. Used Credit with IF so again haven't actually paid them any money.
Any money we paid was paid in 2019.
The Kids know we are booked but also know it may end up that we don't go. But I am trying to stay positive.

In exactly the same position. Extra €50 for IF deposit but everything else was just pushed forward 12 months.

Remaining as positive as the evolving sitution allows, with everything crossed.

Will gladly pay for private PCR testing prior to departure if it means we can get away.

SusanC10

fdevine wrote: »

Will gladly pay for private PCR testing prior to departure if it means we can get away.

We have started to put away some money for tests - it would mean €800 - €1,000 extra for the 4 of us if required both directions.

kindalen

SusanC10 wrote: »

We have started to put away some money for tests - it would mean €800 - €1,000 extra for the 4 of us if required both directions.

The Boots COVID-19 PCR Testing Service costs €139, hopefully costs come down. In France I think it costs 54euro. I'd pay for testing both ways too. Worth it if things improve.

Quazzie

Are children exempt from the vaccine/test requirement?

fdevine

Quazzie wrote: »

Are children exempt from the vaccine/test requirement?

Under 11s are exempt AFAIK

SusanC10

fdevine wrote: »

Under 11s are exempt AFAIK

Ours both older than that so.

josip

Do people think that France will still require a PCR test during the height of the holiday season in July and August?
Even with their reticence for the vaccine, I would expect things to be substantially improved there by then.
I can't see the PCR requirement lasting beyond the end of April for any European country to be honest.

SusanC10

I hope that things are much better by June but I hoped that we might get away within Ireland at Easter but I can't see that happening now tbh.
So, we have decided to budget for tests and if we don't need them, then add it to the spending pot !

Tigerandahalf

Interesting last few posts re kids and vaccines/PCR tests.

Has anyone an official link re under 11s not needing a vaccine/test to travel?

It would be handy for us but seems a bit mad at the same time.

We would be flying and am still worried about going in the summer. I am just worried whether the test will cover us for definite going in and out. The flights/ferries will still run so you could be seriously out of pocket.

Our flights are booked for May still and I haven't changed them yet as I am hoping the numbers could be low enough to travel then with the traffic light system etc.

Personally I think it could be safer to travel then as early in the season.

The uncertainty is a bit of a pain but what can one do.

josip

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Interesting last few posts re kids and vaccines/PCR tests.

Has anyone an official link re under 11s not needing a vaccine/test to travel?

It would be handy for us but seems a bit mad at the same time.

We would be flying and am still worried about going in the summer. I am just worried whether the test will cover us for definite going in and out. The flights/ferries will still run so you could be seriously out of pocket.

Our flights are booked for May still and I haven't changed them yet as I am hoping the numbers could be low enough to travel then with the traffic light system etc.

Personally I think it could be safer to travel then as early in the season.

The uncertainty is a bit of a pain but what can one do.

https://www.dfa.ie/travel/travel-advice/a-z-list-of-countries/france/

Tigerandahalf

All I can see on that article is -

'Anyone over age 11 arriving from a country outside the European Area should also present proof of a negative PCR test result undertaken within 72 hours of travel. '

There doesn't seem to be any info re EU citizens entering fellow countries other than there being no restrictions other than a nightly curfew. That site seems to be outdated.

Thanks anyway.

My big worry with this is that things will open up for a while and then a newer strain will spread that the vaccine can't combat. Then we are back to square 1.

Maximus_1

murphym7 wrote: »

Took the gamble yesterday, although not a huge gamble as I used the vouchers from SIBLU and Brittany Ferries, it just cost me €20. Last week July for 2 weeks. I am hoping the situation is a lot better by then. I really want my young lad to have a nice holiday this summer, he's been brilliant throughout 2020, never grumbled and just got on with it.

Yeah be great to get away. We're the same paying with vouchers and can cancel so house money basically. Would need a crystal ball to know whether it'll be possible though. End of June for us it's very unlikely any of us will be vaccinated by then unless things speed up. I see the talk of PCR tests going and returning in the thread. Interesting albeit expensive. What would be especially expensive I imagine is a positive test before returning and being stuck in France! Arrghh!

average_runner

SusanC10 wrote: »

We have started to put away some money for tests - it would mean €800 - €1,000 extra for the 4 of us if required both directions.

IF we need tests then there be massive restrictions on the campsites like last year. Times for the pool etc. Not sure if i could be bothered with that.


First 2 weeks of July for us but will book a holiday at home also.


Plan to do a few more camping adventures with the kids, achill island, Connemarra etc

Maximus_1

average_runner wrote: »

IF we need tests then there be massive restrictions on the campsites like last year. Times for the pool etc. Not sure if i could be bothered with that.


First 2 weeks of July for us but will book a holiday at home also.


Plan to do a few more camping adventures with the kids, achill island, Connemarra etc

Agree yea. If lots of restrictions don't think we would bother. Just wait until 2022

ShamoBuc

Maximus_1 wrote: »

Agree yea. If lots of restrictions don't think we would bother. Just wait until 2022

We said last year that we would have to wait until 2021.
We are going this Summer unless another bad wave occurs. The thought of Bbq, beach, weather etc is getting us through the winter. Dont mind if there are still a few restrictions about. Vaccinations are going to ramp up too over the next 6 months. Hopefully things will be a lot brighter.
6 months is a long time. 12 months ago it was Covid who?

SusanC10

Question on Eurocamp if anyone knows.

We moved our 2020 Holiday Deposit to 2021. €99. That is all we have paid. The holiday itself is different - different Country, Campsites etc. We need to pay the Balance 6 weeks before travel so mid-May.

Was talking to a friend last night who also booked with Eurocamp and she says that Eurocamp's flexible booking etc is not available to people who moved their Holidays from 2020. Looked on the website and yes it excludes us. But the T&Cs attached to my Booking only reflect the new flexible T&Cs.

So, if we can't go at the end of June, what happens ? How were Eurocamp in 2020 with Refunds etc for people who had paid in full ? Will be reluctant to pay Eurocamp the Balance without the flexible booking.

amor3

Re-booked the ferry for this year, 2020 holiday moved to 2021!
Just need to get onto Siblu to book the mobile.

Anyone book through Siblu this year yet? Wondering if there has been a price increase!

Jpm123

We rebooked with siblu for this year and found the prices the same if not a little bit cheaper

54and56

amor3 wrote: »

Re-booked the ferry for this year, 2020 holiday moved to 2021!
Just need to get onto Siblu to book the mobile.

Anyone book through Siblu this year yet? Wondering if there has been a price increase!

Rebooked with Siblu La Reserve and pricing was virtually identical to 2020.

amor3

54and56 wrote: »

Rebooked with Siblu La Reserve and pricing was virtually identical to 2020.

Brilliant, great to hear that, thanks..

ffarrell7

I honestly don't care how much it costs me.... Not a chance of me holidaying in Ireland for my usual three weeks holidays as I always spend them abroad...... 90% of time in France or Corsica.

Too much crappy weather and inflated accommodation prices in Ireland .

In France, Spain etc you have the weather, the food, wine, and excellent facilities for children especially in France.

fdevine

Maximus_1 wrote: »

Agree yea. If lots of restrictions don't think we would bother. Just wait until 2022

Having had three days in Cork in 2020 instead of our planned two weeks in France I now know for certain where I'd rather be facing restrictions.

IRELAND: Four to a hotel room with no outdoor space & a view overlooking the carpark

FRANCE: Three bedrooms, own kitchen, deck, parkland setting, lots of space & fresh air

IRELAND: Prebook time slots for breakfast & dinner. Book 24 hours in advance for c.40 minutes in the small indoor pool or drive to a remote beach with few facilities

FRANCE: Own kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Option for BBQ. If pools are restricted choose from scores of beaches

Plan for 2021 is that if we can travel we will travel. It might be a slightly different holiday to the one we would ideally have liked but it'll be better than another staycation

MizMix

Couldn't agree more fdevine. We also went to Cork- it was nice but found the hotel depressing (3 nights) and we had two nights in a campsite booked and had to leave after the first night due to a storm in the middle of the summer!! Spent an absolute fortune and came home exhausted.

I am worried though- rebooked our flights months back and stupidly didn't pay the extra for flexi fare. My husband should be vaccinated by then though (higher risk due to medication for an autoimmune disease). I'm still hopeful though and hoping despite the UK variant that the seemingly seasonal nature means some sort of normality during the summer months (the virus declined dramatically last summer). More than happy to pay for testing and put up with restrictions in france- quite easy to do so in a campsite setting versus a hotel.

loyatemu

fdevine wrote: »

Having had three days in Cork in 2020 instead of our planned two weeks in France I now know for certain where I'd rather be facing restrictions.

IRELAND: Four to a hotel room with no outdoor space & a view overlooking the carpark

FRANCE: Three bedrooms, own kitchen, deck, parkland setting, lots of space & fresh air

IRELAND: Prebook time slots for breakfast & dinner. Book 24 hours in advance for c.40 minutes in the small indoor pool or drive to a remote beach with few facilities

FRANCE: Own kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Option for BBQ. If pools are restricted choose from scores of beaches

Plan for 2021 is that if we can travel we will travel. It might be a slightly different holiday to the one we would ideally have liked but it'll be better than another staycation

you're comparing a single room in a hotel in Ireland with self-catering in France. There's plenty of self-catering options here as well.

MizMix

Loyatemu- we ended up in a hotel as we could not find any airbnb or self catering option at the time (August). We managed to get a pod in a glamping site (due to a cancellation) for just two nights of our 5 night stay- which ended up being cut short as just after we arrived there was a red weather warning. In August.

fdevine

loyatemu wrote: »

you're comparing a single room in a hotel in Ireland with self-catering in France. There's plenty of self-catering options here as well.

Simply, comparing what we ended up with versus what we had planned.

Of course there are plenty of self catering properties available, but they were mostly in short supply at the time.

beggars_bush

MizMix wrote: »

Loyatemu- we ended up in a hotel as we could not find any airbnb or self catering option at the time (August). We managed to get a pod in a glamping site (due to a cancellation) for just two nights of our 5 night stay- which ended up being cut short as just after we arrived there was a red weather warning. In August.

I remember being in a self catering csmpsite in France, in July and there was snow and hail. Roads were actually closed

Another summer we were rained out of it in June

MorganIRL

fdevine wrote: »

Having had three days in Cork in 2020 instead of our planned two weeks in France I now know for certain where I'd rather be facing restrictions.

IRELAND: Four to a hotel room with no outdoor space & a view overlooking the carpark

FRANCE: Three bedrooms, own kitchen, deck, parkland setting, lots of space & fresh air

IRELAND: Prebook time slots for breakfast & dinner. Book 24 hours in advance for c.40 minutes in the small indoor pool or drive to a remote beach with few facilities

FRANCE: Own kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Option for BBQ. If pools are restricted choose from scores of beaches

Plan for 2021 is that if we can travel we will travel. It might be a slightly different holiday to the one we would ideally have liked but it'll be better than another staycation

Spent our 2 weeks this year in Kerry instead of the Loire valley in August versus July.. Admittedly we have a caravan and had a great experience using some of the things you attribute to a France holiday. We have booked for France this year again staying in a mobile home as we have done for the last 7 yrs except last yr and hope to follow through, but we will be taking long weekends in Ireland when things open up in our caravan. 2a 3k exploring what we have here, maybe not the weather but we have the clothes for Irish weather :-)

Deeman83

ShamoBuc wrote: »

We said last year that we would have to wait until 2021.
We are going this Summer unless another bad wave occurs. The thought of Bbq, beach, weather etc is getting us through the winter. Dont mind if there are still a few restrictions about. Vaccinations are going to ramp up too over the next 6 months. Hopefully things will be a lot brighter.
6 months is a long time. 12 months ago it was Covid who?

We are the same. I would expect it to more difficult to postpone pre booked ferries and campsites this time and expect full refunds/postponements etc.

We will go to France even with restrictions and hassle.
Lets hope the COVID rate plummets across Europe with the drier and warmer weather, similar to last summer.

average_runner

amor3 wrote: »

Re-booked the ferry for this year, 2020 holiday moved to 2021!
Just need to get onto Siblu to book the mobile.

Anyone book through Siblu this year yet? Wondering if there has been a price increase!

We booked with them. Same deal as the year before.