On RS tour now, got Covid (5/13/22)

I"m sorry you are infected and off the tour.

I'm not sure how knowing the positivity rate of a particular tour helps. Different dates, places, and groups of people on each individual tour don't tell you about another, later tour.

RS is doing some reporting about tours here.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/on-the-road-reports

Can you bring the tours forward? You have around 90 days when you're unlikely to get reinfected (assuming no new variants) .

We just got Covid from our first overseas trip - and frankly I'm relieved as we are due for a big trip starting with the USA and t cruise in July - at least we have a good chance now of testing negative and getting on the cruise and into the USA!

According to that link 2.4% of people on the tour last week caught covid, the week before that it was 1.37 and the week before that it was 1.2%. Too small of a sample size to determine if it is getting worse, but worth watching.

So sorry to hear of your illness, thank you for posting your experience. Did the hotel let you stay on for the isolation period?

RS is refunding the rest of the tour for both of us.

That must have been welcome news, and can surely reduce the stress of having to make an insurance claim. Glad to hear that RS insurance company helped you with logistics, another poster on the Forum reported they did not receive help from the RS insurance in finding lodging. Please keep us posted on your progress to recovery.

jdill7, good to know you both are weathering the situation as well as can be expected.

I wonder if the French have the right idea? COVID could it's unlimited variants could be with us for years like the flu and other viruses. C'est la vie may seem crude, but at some point what are we going to do?

Simple Math? Statistics are never quite so simple….. I used to have an entire unit for my high school students where we examined how the same data set can be presented in different ways for opposing purposes.

The key issue here is think about the meaning. Those percentages mean that for every 100 people on tour around 2-3 people of those 100 tested positive. That is consistent. The tour report also shared that they had many tours with everyone negative and a few tours with larger numbers (up to 10 on one tour). I believe that they are being transparent and appreciative their reports.

I am sorry for the OP and for everyone who has experienced this.

Anyone traveling right now, whether on a tour or not, needs to be prepared for the possibility of a positive Covid test impacting your plans. Plan for the worst, hope for the best, and if this is too stress inducing, postpone travel.

Estimated prophet: They all show a negative test to join the tour, test as needed, and then everyone planning on returning to US immediately after tour tests at the end.

In the OP’s case, testing positive on day 3, it is quite likely that her exposure happened prior to joining the tour.

"In the OP’s case, testing positive on day 3, it is quite likely that her exposure happened prior to joining the tour."

Yes, this. Thank you, Carol, for pointing this out.

jdill, so very sorry you have tested positive and that you are in isolation instead of on your lovely tour. I hope you and your DH recover quickly and can enjoy some time on your own.

“According to that link 2.4% of people on the tour last week caught Covid”.

If you want the full statistics, remember that this is 2.4% of the population of RS travelers who tested. The whole population of people on RS tours are not getting tested. Within the whole population of RS travelers - many plan to stay in Europe for a few days-to-weeks afterwards and would not be taking their official Covid test until after they have finished their extra days. They could actually be positive while with the tour, also - just didn’t know it, yet.

I hope your quarantine room at least comes with a balcony view as you recuperate! Wishing you good health!

Sorry to hear of your situation.

We can argue statistics all night but it means absolutely nothing. Look at the big picture. Most European countries have decided to treat Covid as an endemic rather than a pandemic. Masks are not required. If testing positive in some places even quarantine is not required.

With no more masks and few Covid rules, it was inevitable that the rates of Covid would increase. Anyone can get it--even those wearing masks. And anyone can spread it, even those without symptoms.

Of course, for Americans trying to get home that all important negative test is the key. The

If you are truly afraid of getting Covid or really concerned about having to be delayed on your return, this may still not be the time to travel. The virus isn't going away anytime soon. Having insurance and dealing with reputable companies is key. And kudos to RS tours for refunding part of your tour payment even though it was not their fault you tested positive.

The RS Tour Reports clearly describe testing guides and drivers. They have had guides test positive who were removed from the tours and replaced with another guide. Bus drivers and guides are also tested.

Like several have said, know your risk and make a decision. Prepare for the worst. Hope for the best. Life is for living.

Relying on RS statistics is a fools errand. Not because of RS, but because you really know nothing about the test group.

On any given tour there may be a group of friends/family. Or a large subset that came to Europe ahead of time. Or a subset ....

This isn't scientific, but the most I can glean from a report that "2% tested positive" is that 2% tested positive.

Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Thanks to all who commented. I have this further to say. Yes, I was somewhat prepared to stay longer with medications, but that’s it. My bad. I wasn’t prepared for so many on our tour to test positive. Yes, we did have 2 (I think) positive-asymptomatics. After the first tested, we were all encouraged to test ourselves on the 3rd and 4th day after the first person. Covid quirky happenings were that many spouses of positives continue to test negative, including my own spouse. And we were unmasked around each other much of the time and all night. Covid is quixotic. I did not enjoy climbing onto the bus to get to the next hotel (2 hours away) after I tested positive. It is tough being a pariah, though I understand it. Our tour experience has changed dramatically. We have slowed down, more appreciate the views and the lovely weather here in Greece, look at flowers and buildings—not artifacts, restaurant tables, and bar tops. That is the good part. Finally, about statistics. Of course I realize that statistics for one tour do not predict the next. But if we look at trend lines, that CAN be helpful in judging risk—and whether we want to accept a perceived risk. Thank you to the first person who responded with the link to the RS page giving those trends, even as non-comprehensive as I would like. I had been unable to use my Covid-addled brain to find that page. I am not a statistician, but I think seeing trends could help me with the decision whether or not to travel this fall. No, I don’t have the option to move the trip up, even if RS has an opening on the tour at this time of year, which I doubt. My spouse (a real scientist) believes this wave will have passed and people will be smarter by fall. Those trends could indicate whether his intuition is correct. Overall I am not completely unhappy but we have friends on this tour for whom this was #14 with RS who are very uneasy and unlikely to travel again for another year or so. Even a 2.4% risk for them is not worth it. Being on a tour when you’re waiting for the next one or two or 5 people to test positive is VERY stressful. I don’t remember much of the last day we were with the tour and we’ve spent over $10,000 to get here and see Greece and beyond. Now, we’ll do our own thing since we’re kicked off the tour. NOT MAD, just making lemonade from lemons as they say. I would just like more information before the next tour to see if the trends are going up. Thank you all.

A PS to my post above. It is day four and I’m 90% better than yesterday. Three days of a severe cold, constant sneezing, slight fever, headache, clogged sinuses and fatigue. Then, voila. I feel almost human. Praise the Lord and vaccines.

“I did not enjoy climbing onto the bus to get to the next hotel (2 hours away) after I tested positive“

Jdill, just trying to understand your statement. You tested positive, then you got back on the RS tour bus?

My spouse (a real scientist) believes this wave will have passed and people will be smarter by fall.

Yes, this wave will definitely have passed by Fall. Waves seem to come every few months, so check your calendar (it's May...). There could be (probably will be?) another wave in the Fall (in the Fall, people go inside more). A LOT of people will travel this summer, waves often follow holiday/travel periods.

If your spouse really thinks people will be "smarter" in the Fall, I'd like to see some evidence to back that up (people getting smarter about anything does not align with what I see).

Jdill I am so sorry for your experience. Your story has been extremely difficult to follow. I can only assume that when you are not feeling well that posting information on the forum is difficult to do clearly. I am glad that you are starting to feel better.

Here is where I am confused.
You say you were the second person on the tour to test positive after one who tested pretour and then list "3 others in Kardamyli plus significant others." Just not sure what to make of this math.

Then you stated that knowing you were positive you rode the tour bus. This was perplexing to us because it didn't seem to follow RS tour policy. Had you informed your guide of your positive test at that point?

I want to make sure that you have had an official test that shows you are positive besides the home test. You will need that for insurance claims or a certificate of recovery if necessary.

Donna, that is what I understand from her statement. What were they (RS) supposed to do? Leave her stranded on a highway? If you choose to travel, you take the risk! The whole quarantine thing is a joke. They are no covid police making you stay in a hotel room. Do you really think at this point that 100% of people are doing that? Um, no. On the RS website, if you have no symptoms, you do not have to quarantine. We didn’t. My husband tested positive and we were unable to join the tour. Even if he had symptoms and should quarantine, we would have been unable to. There simply were no hotels that had a vacancy for all the nights we needed. We had to change hotels, a lot. He had no symptoms and I tested negative many times. Go figure. At this point, you have either had covid or you will get it.

jdill7, I am so sorry you tested positive and have been ill! Glad you are feeling better.

I will be on the RS Greece tour that begins on May 23 so am interested in better understanding what happened:
One person tested positive in Athens on the first day so left the tour then?
You were the second person to test positive?
Then three more tested positive?
In addition, three people who didn't test positive opted to leave the tour?
Are you in Kardymyli now? Will you return to Athens by bus after you recover?

Again, I'm so sorry you contracted COV-19 and wish you a speedy recovery.

Tammy, I read the OPs statement to say they were moving from one hotel to go to another hotel 2 hours away. I didn’t think they were testing somewhere along the highway :) I just assumed she’d stay at the first hotel, not continue on the bus with the RS tour. I’m sure lots of people are wandering around after testing positive (hopefully masked). The whole thing is stressful.

I think people need a reality check and stop and think “is traveling in Europe on a bus with a bunch of people right now really worth the risk of not being able to get home?” Covid is very real and people are still catching it. Please don’t think that wearing that KN95 is going to totally protect you because it’s not! This is happening because as stated by the OP, tour members are obviously not taking the appropriate measures and isolating themselves immediately from others when they know they have tested positive and as on our tour, members were not immediately getting tested when they started experiencing cold symptoms and getting on that bus anyway and consequently and most probably, infecting others. I was able to get home but my husband is still stuck in Milan because of a positive test. This has destroyed any pleasure received from the incredible sights we experienced on our tour as it’s become hell trying to get him out of Italy and home.

Tammy, I’m assuming you weren’t in Italy because you have to quarantine and yes, the hotel is very aware of your movements.

I think that your expectation of 'Covid stats" is unrealistic and would provide no useful information. It's not your tour so it's not relevant to your experience.

I think that the solution is to not do tours now if that's a concern which it may

@ Margie. I don't think that it is bus travel or even tour travel that puts people at risk. It is the act of traveling itself. No matter how one travels, there is a risk of a positive test and possible consequences. I know that this has been very difficult for you and your husband and I am extremely sorry for the stress it is putting you under.

Your husband needs to test negative or get a certificate of recovery. Do you have a plan in place for the certificate of recovery? Can we help you in any way?

jdill....glad you are feeling better.

I've posted on this board a few times about my recent tour (non-RS) in Greece. It ended three weeks ago. Return tests were administered. Seven of the fourteen tour members, plus the tour director, tested positive. One person had slight symptoms and everyone else had no symptoms. We were required to wear masks at all times when together as a group except when we were outside and when we were eating.

Kicking people off the bus is good for your psychology. There were others on the coach who didn't have symptoms and didn't have to test. Just because a person doesn't have symptoms doesn't mean they don't have Covid. They could have it and spread it.

Travel today has extra risks. Be aware.

Sorry your got Covid. These posts are both informative and stressful for me. Safe travels everyone.

Sorry to hear that and happy that you get to quarantine in Greece! And that your hotel is okay with this.

However, saying that there is nothing we can do about Covid is wrong. It's not rocket science that now that mask mandates are gone from most countries and even in my educated city, 90% of the people don't wear masks inside or out., that Covid is one the rise. Saying there's nothing we can do is wrong. People don't want to do what it takes and stay home and mask. As a daughter of public health workers, there's a story no one wants to hear and a lot of people with Covid still have long term symptoms.

Everyone still needs to be aware of the risks.

OP ... I kind of liked the one sentence when you said "Not Mad ..." Seems like you are just venting and I can certainly appreciate your need to vent.

Hope you find something pleasant even when the journey is difficult.

I’m sorry you developed Covid. It is definitely something to think about when deciding to travel.
I’m curious about how careful tour members are when out in crowded spaces inside and outside. Did they all wear masks and correctly? Are they wearing the required type of masks? How long are masks off when eating together? Are group meals outside? I also wonder how compliant tour members are with masking on free time? It makes no sense to mask on the bus only to take them off for several hours to eat at group meals.

We have two tours this September and early October, and I’m hoping that RS considers how non compliance during free time,etc. and switch to eating outside with a bit of spacing.

Did you eat inside while on free time or before the tour started? Did you wear a good mask outside all the time if others were around?

I know, a lot of questions but the difference with wearing surgical masks vs 95’s and 94’s is a lot as well as walking in a crowded plaza with mask off.
From what I’m reading on this forum, I just wonder how careful people really are.
If we decide to go, we will be wearing appropriate masks all the time and probably won’t be eating indoors.

Diane, if you are the Diane that was in our zoom meeting, I believe you work in health care? And you have seen all the terrible things covid has wrought, so I don’t blame you at all, but I do sense your anxiety level is quite high in regards to covid. People are not being careful in general, even on my recent RS tour Best Of Paris, compliance is not 100%, especially towards the end of the tour. If my anxiety level was as high as yours seems to be, I would cancel those tours. You will likely be stressed the entire time, especially when you see how lax most folks are.

We have two tours this September and early October, and I’m hoping
that RS considers how non compliance during free time,etc. and switch
to eating outside with a bit of spacing.

The RS staff and leadership are not idiots. Their business depends on making this all work. If enough people are getting COVID while on vacation in Europe, then they are back to the dark days of no-travel or no-tours as we saw in 2020-2021. You can bet that they are keeping track of the statistics for their tours, and things generally in Europe (I'm happy to see they are now posting some stats about how many tour members tested positive, on their weekly updates). I hope they continue to do that.

If "too many" people are getting COVID on their tours, they can adjust some things accordingly (how closely they watch customers on the bus, how strictly they enforce the requirements, adjusting space between diners, etc.) -- at least they can do some of that up to a point. (And tour members can either help, or sabotage their efforts, by being more careful when they are outside the direct view of their guide). But if infection rates keep going up generally across Europe, there's only so much they can do. If people "declare victory" and just shrug and catch COVID, at some point restrictions will be mandated. That's not in sight right now, but it could happen. Lets hope it doesn't, but everyone can do their part to try to ensure it doesn't.

Diane, my recent trip to London was an eye opener. No one is taking covid precautions there any longer. I am assuming that this is the trend throughout Europe to various degrees. I had to accept that the only person that I could reasonably expect to take covid precautions was me. If the fact that people will not be taking precautions off of the tour, and maybe some struggling on the tour, is going to be upsetting to you, you may want to think about if this is the right time to travel for you or not.

Expect a plane full of people with very little masking. You will hear at least one cough throughout the flight. Long lines for immigration with no spacing and no masking. You get the idea. It just continues on from there.

I understand the position of those who have stopped with the precautions. They are treating this as an endemic and a positive test doesn't have the far reaching consequences on their daily lives (beyond health issues) that it does for a tourist.

"* I’m hoping that RS ....snip.... switch to eating outside with a bit of spacing.*"

I am sorry but I just do not think that is reasonable to consider in Europe. I just got back from a month in France, Belgium and Netherlands. Restaurants were packed indoors and in Paris, outdoors as well. There are probably few opportunities for a full tour group to be able to eat outside and if there are restaurants that can accommodate that and the weather to do it comfortably, the tables are going to be close together. I'll also add that it seemed in many places that they, like the US, were having problems with staffing.

For meals on your own you can certainly try to make this happen, particularly if you eat when restaurants first open in the evening. Otherwise you will be sitting on full terraces or in full dining rooms.

Just to add a dose of realism - just came back from a week in Fiji - with Covid. We ate outside all the time - we were outside all the time except 2 short bus rides - its the tropics everything is outside. It wasn't crowded - we weren't danicng with masses, no museums, no indoor activities . Still got Covid no idea how. Covid is just a travel risk you need to manage now.

Just back from a Week in Portugal tour (not RS). My husband and I got Covid and left the tour as soon as we tested positive. The tour company was no help, had to navigate everything ourselves. Very mild cases. I guess we were lucky that we just stayed at our hotel and it was on a nice beach, but we were supposed to stay in our room. No one is wearing masks, we ended up being lax while traveling and on tour. While we were on the tour, we ate with the tour group, indoor dining, and sat on the busses w/o masks. 9 out of 24 tested positive. If you test positive on your home test while traveling, get an official letter that you have Covid. Then it's 10 days to get out with a Certificate of Recovery. We purchased insurance, and I just submitted my claim today. Information is very hard to come by, but I won't travel with this negative test required to get back in not the US. You always think it won't happen to you. The worse thing was being stuck, and we were hardly sick, and not knowing what to do. Very tricky to figure out.

If my anxiety level was as high as yours seems to be, I would cancel those tours. You will likely be stressed the entire time, especially when you see how lax most folks are.

This is something to think about. If all you can do during your travels is worry about Covid, focus on what other people are doing about Covid, wondering if any cough, sniffle or sneeze is Covid, will you have a good time? Will you be able to lower your anxiety level enough to enjoy yourself or will you be obsessed with not getting the illness.

It might be wise for some, even though you really want to travel, to stay home. I'm not trying to be nasty. I really think that for some staying home may be the wise thing to do for now.

I reaize that I could get Covid at any time. It's a gamble considering mask rules where I've been and where I'm going are lax. Perhaps because it's only been a little over four months since I got my booster that I haven't gotten Covid so far.

We hear people who say they wore their masks, didnt congregate with others and took precautions yet still came down with Covid. No one has the answer. No one has a foolproof method of staying safe outside of never leaving your home nor coming in contact with anyone.

But if at the present time your anxiety is really high over Covid, it may be time to postpone your plans. Europe isnt going anywhere. And I have a feeling RS will be offering tours for years to come.

Diveloonie. Yep I’m the one, retired supervisor from Disease Control and Prevention. I’m just trying to get a sense of how tour mates mask when outside on crowded sidewalks and squares and if those testing positive throw caution to the wind while away from the group.
I know what I will do if we decide to go. My problem is my husband. He has a medical condition that could be a problem as his disease progresses. Right now his doctor said he could go with judicious use of N95/94 and me watching him like a hawk, so to speak.
It’s also bothersome that Covid prevention precautions are being discontinued in many places. If only people weren’t so against wearing a mask.
We bought cancel for any reason insurance so I’m not concerned about monetary losses. I was hoping the spike in Europe would die down. I think that is wishful thinking.

To answer Carol, Diane, and others’ questions, if I can. The first person to test positive was the morning of the beginning of the tour. They self-tested, reported to RS tour guide who got them a doctor, separated the spouse to another room (still continues to test negative to this day) and set out the protocol for the quarantine. My spouse and I were with them on the flight to Athens and one day on our own in Athens. That person was immediately off the tour but spouse continued with the rest of us.

On Day 4 of the tour I felt ill midway on a bus ride to our next stay while in a museum. I isolated myself from the hoards of people as best I could (yes, we all wore masks on the bus and off) and when the museum tour was over the RS guide had my spouse and I double-mask and sit in the back of the bus, directing everyone else to move up giving us 3 rows of empty seats. If she had kicked me off the bus at that point I would have had no hotel, no access to services, etc. It was a 2 hour ride with one stop at a facility. I used the handicap bathroom (a one person facility) and followed all precautions. I got on the bus first each time. One other couple reported they tested negative that morning but were getting a cold.

We got to Kardamyli and the guide got my spouse a separate room. The guide was encouraging everyone else to self test, even getting self-tests for them at the pharmacy. Three more tested positive at this point, one of them the person who said they were just getting a cold. So I believe there are 4 of us in Kardamyli who are positive. All spouses elected to stay with their sick partners in some in separate rooms. My spouse has been having meals with some of the others who continue to all test negative. When the bus left this town, all connection to RS tour ended. Thank goodness I have my spouse to get me supplies and food, when I get hungry.

Before she left, the tour guide arranged for a doctor to visit me (very good, educated in Chicago and Florida, great English) who confirmed the diagnosis and told me things to do like temp check, O2 level check (spouse bought one at the pharmacy) and she gave me her business card (one side in English—she is used to dealing with many nationalities who vacation here) and told me I could call or email her any time especially if I felt worse or my oxygen got lower than 95. All in line with my own doctor’s recommendations. She said that on day 5, if my symptoms have gone, I am unlikely to infect anyone and she will return to examine me and retest. At that point, I will be free to leave and travel on, but keeping all preventive protocol. Which I will do.

RS’s Travel Guard insurance wrote me, then called me on the phone. Sympathetic and helpful. RS wrote me and offered travel advice on the phone or email if I wish, but harder to reach them as the time difference is almost impossible to manage. I called at exactly 7 pm our time here and their phones were already busy. By the time they got my voicemail, it was undoubtedly the early morning here and I was fast asleep.

My own insurance, to whom I have to prove my diagnosis and all my charges so I get reimbursed has been less helpful. RS will refund our tour costs from the day I left the tour. My travel insurance rejects home tests (no PCRs here) but I hope they will accept the doctor’s letter spelling out my diagnosis with her official stamp on it. I think she has done this before. The timeline is important if I’m to recover our expenses for hotel and food, and further travel.

The doctor encouraged me to get outside and walk when and if I felt good enough which I did yesterday. But Covid has me in its grip again today and I have no energy. Tomorrow she comes back to retest and hopefully release me. I hope this answers most questions and the narrative is helpful to someone. I have been keeping a diary.

Dear JDill,

Thank you for clarifying the timeline and the bus explanation. It makes so much more sense now. I am sorry that you are going through this.

A few thoughts came to mind as I read that we could learn from your experience. One was that we should be sure to have a proctored home test kit with us so that one could get that “official” test required by airlines, insurance, and certificate of recovery no matter the location or circumstances.

The other is that RS Tours should consider having a dedicated phone line or email that is provided to tour members who have tested positive so that they are not in the same phone scrum as everyone else. Perhaps one staff member who works the “night shift” to be available on European time.

I hope that your recovery continues and your husband continues to test negative. Hang in there.

jdill7, I'm sorry that your trip has taken an unfortunate turn, and hope that you are recovering. My husband and I were on the first RS Greece tour of the year in March and had mild cases of Covid after our return to the US. We suspect that crowding on airport trains and buses was the the source of our infection. While we were on the tour itself we religiously wore masks, but I think our social distancing was even more important in preventing infection. There were only 11 of us plus 2 guides on the bus, and at that time indoor venues such as museums and restaurants were limiting the number of people who could be in a room at one time. We were often moved along in museum exhibits. I'm curious how many people were on your tour?

JDill, thank you so, so much for taking time to write the specifics details. This is extremely helpful to me as I prepare to fly to Athens on Friday and begin the RS tour on Monday.

One more question: will you travel from Kardymyli to Athens by bus?

Best wishes for you to feel better.

To “Carol now retired”: yes, carry those proctored tests for getting back into the USA. And a big thumbs up for the suggestion about a separate 24/7 line for RS. Although his travel insurance (Travel Guard? From AIG) has been purchased for the purpose of making travel and medical arrangements for all his customers so he might say call them, that’s why it’s provided at no extra charge. I’m sure the cost is built into the cost of the tours. They are available 24/7 for medical and travel assistance. In fact, they just called me to see how I’m doing so very responsive. To “Susan D”: in the beginning I believe our tour had 26. It is now down to 12. (Not all of them were positive. Three left out of fear of testing positive and all the others either had tested + or had a spouse who tested + and they left the tour together to quarantine). To “Elizabeth from Tennessee”: we are renting a car for €360 to drive ourselves from Kardamyli to Athens airport via Natplio. Our friend didn’t want to drive so he hired a driver to take him in one day from Natplio to downtown Athens for €350. My spouse wants to drive, the other did not. Fingers crossed for us. We were warned in an all caps email from RS to NOT try to drive in Athens but drive directly to the airport instead. We want to salvage something from the rest of our time by stopping in Natplio for two days. I’m hoping we made the right decision. We had this trip on the calendar with the same friends for 2020. Covid interfered then. And it seems Covid has struck again, though in a different way, to cancel our plans. It could be worse—at least we have a vaccine. Tomorrow the doctor comes and I’ll see what she says. I will still be positive, but able to get out of quarantine. Still wearing a mask and social distancing.

Jdill, thanks for the extra information. The physician sounds awesome and fingers crossed she releases you. I'm glad you got out in the sunshine the other day for some natural Vit D!

Jdill7, thank you for sharing the details to give us a better idea of preparation, especially with the discussion to bring some proctored tests.

I hope you are able to fully enjoy those last few vacation days!

Hi jdill, your posts have been helpful to many people this week, thank you. Glad to hear you are feeling better and have good medical care. Hope you are able to salvage some happy memories from your trip to Greece. Best wishes!

My husband and I were on the same tour with jdill7. We both got Covid. We think we got it on the plane coming over or at an airport. Passengers on the plane were not required to wear masks, although we did except for eating. The first night in Athens I had night sweats which continued for the next few days. I did not associate the night sweats with Covid and I felt fine. On the third day of the tour I developed a cough and runny nose. I thought I had a cold. I had a Covid test which was negative. Ok, I thought, I have a cold. I tested again in Kardamyli and was positive. My husband tested negative, but was positive the next day. His symptoms were mild - slight cough and tiredness.

We have quarantined here in Kardamyli and expect to be able to leave for Athens tomorrow. If you have to quarantine, you could not ask for a better place. The hotel owners have been great, bringing us breakfast every morning. We have a kitchenette and have been able to prepare our other meals. We have a lovely balcony with a gorgeous view.

The doctor who verified that we had Covid said we could walk around outside as long as we did not go into shops or restaurants. It was nice to get out. The weather has been gorgeous.

This was our 11th RS tour and it may be our last trip to Europe, although my husband is not so sure. We have loved every tour, but because of our ages, 75 and 79, we don’t want to risk exposure again.
Our guide, Iris, had been very helpful in all of this. We are sad that we could not complete the tour.

Dear Fran, I am glad you are on the mend. If you first started having symptoms the first night of your trip, it is very likely that your exposure was before your airplane travel....

Thank you all for your contributions to this discussion. I'm looking into travel insurance and would like to know more about the non-covered costs associated with getting COVID while on a RS tour. JDILL7: what is the financial loss you anticipate? RS will reimburse (pro rated) the cost of the tour, so I wouldn't include that. What is the cost for a doctor to make a couple of visits to the hotel? Medications? Food? Hotel rooms (of course it depends on location)? Etc. I'm using frequent flyer miles, so I will incur minimal costs to change flights, if that is required.

Thank you everyone who contributed to this thread. I have been watching with interest. I will be on the June 6th RS Greece tour.
Covid is not keeping me home. I am going knowing full well the consequences if I were to get Covid. I got boosted in early April and I am hoping that does something! I am taking your advice jdill7 and preparing for the worst case scenario.
I am so sorry for your experience jdill7. I hope you are feeling better.

To answer some questions. The doctor from Kalamata (who lives in Kardamyli) charges 100 euro per house call. She just returned this morning on her way to work and gave me the all clear to fly with a signed, stamped letter stating the case. By the time I leave for the USA it will be 10 days out so I’m confident in that test result. If it still goes positive, I have the documentation from the doctor.

In the meantime I will continue health safety measures, wearing a mask all the time except when we are clearly out in the open and no one is around.

Other expenses include hotel here (we are paying for two rooms to protect my spouse) which was 75E per night (RS price), food is whatever you want to spend. If you are by yourself with no one to purchase for you and in such a small town, you have to rely on hotel staff for food. Luckily I have my spouse and a room with a small kitchenette. My friend in Athens had room service every day and they treated her well. I’m sure her out of pocket costs will rival mine. She has been out of quarantine for two or three days now.

We are not changing our flight in any way and will continue on with our trip to Santorini and London. I’m hoping the drive to Athens is uneventful—I’m rather anxious about it. We could have splurged and engaged a driver/taxi, but we want to stop along the way in Nafplio instead of heading straight to Athens. Our RS tour guide Iris has reserved a room for us (as if we’d still be on the tour) at the origin hotel. We can’t join in the farewell dinner or meet them, but we may see them in the rooftop bar and raise our glasses. I do regret not getting to know more fellow travelers—a large part of the RS experience in my opinion.

Good morning jdill7,

Thank you for your thorough and candid posts regarding your Covid experience in Greece. I am happy to hear that you are on the mend.

Wishing you the very best as you continue your travels in Greece and London.

Thank you for sharing your experience with Covid while on tour. This is so helpful and a poignant reminder to all travelers to expect the unexpected. We won't stop traveling, at least to Europe. Rick Steve's tours are the best, a travel partner that does the walk and the talk. Kudos to him for allowing his travelers to share their experiences for the benefit of other travelers.

“Kudos to him for allowing his travelers to share their experiences for the benefit of other travelers.”

Totally agree. I have learned so much from this forum and the info shared by other travelers. Not thrilled about traveling in Covid times, but at least we can do it with eyes wide open! Thank you!

jdill7, Thank you so much for sharing your experience. While this certainly wasn’t the experience you were hoping for in Greece, I hope the rest of your trip goes smoothly and makes up for this ”detour”. Best wishes for your future travels.

To OP and others who have tested positive while out of the US…so sorry to hear you are going through this. But as others have said, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. We are one of those who tested positive while traveling outside of the US and the stress associated with getting home was not fun. We will continue to travel in the US (leaving for a trip soon), but will not travel outside the US until the testing requirement is lifted. We are also one of those who were vaccinated, boosted, masked, very careful and do not know how we contracted Covid. We were lucky to have mild cases and one month out feel well, no long term effects thus far (still keeping our fingers crossed about that). Each day I am hearing more and more people I know getting covid, but the reassuring news is that they are reporting mild cases. The risk of covid is certainly out there and I know we can get it again (and probably will). This is part of everyone’s life now and I know people have different risk tolerances. I wish the best to everyone in their decision making regarding travel, not an easy task these days for sure.

Thanks for posting this information. We recently dealt with a round of COVID in the family (like others, we have NO idea how we got it, are double vaxed and boosted and wear masks) and are scheduled for an RS Tour in October. Our COVID experience was not a mild version, but thankfully not serious enough for a hospital stay either. A lot to think about. Hardest thing is not knowing what things will be like in October. Sorry you missed the tour - we did Greece in 2019.

I just found your post and all the other responses. I hope you and your husband are now in the comfort of your home or at least on your way. We are scheduled for our Adriatic Tour in the fall. Last year, when Hawaii had strict guidelines for tourists and their residents and airlines still required masks, we traveled to Oahu and didn't get Covid. This month, we vacationed in Maui but no more restrictions except for indoor masking (unless eating/drinking). We ended up with Covid. I had very mild symptoms and recovered within five days My husband had mild symptoms but has not been able to get rid of his cough even after 10 days. Suddenly, we don't feel so confident about traveling outside of the US. and have second thoughts. After following your posts and from the others, we most likely will postpone our trip. We don't want to get Covid again and be stuck. Thank you and others for your detailed experiences and thoughts.

Hi,
I just finished the RS Portugal tour on Saturday. We started out with 21 on the tour and by the last day, our numbers dwindled to 12. Five people tested positive and 4 spouses isolated with their partners. Miraculously, I have not tested positive….. yet.

Great post. Very informative. Thank you for sharing your experience. No doubt will help many others navigate the new normal.

I have been tracking replies to my original post as we made our way on our own through Europe and the UK. After Covid, I developed a secondary illness probably due to my bout with Covid and being somewhat run down. Laryngitis, head cold, sinus issues, but continued to test negative for Covid after day 9. We saw various folks as we traveled to Santorini who were on our RS Greece tour and they reported that the tour group ended up numbering just 12. Three people left out of fear of catching Covid and the rest were either infected or a spouse of someone quarantined.

Many questions will be answered in the coming weeks. For instance, RS will refund ME the part of the tour I missed, but will they refund my spouse's portion? I could not have easily quarantined by myself in a small Greek village without him buying groceries, negotiating my room care, getting me out of town when I got well, etc. And would RS really expect a spouse to continue on the tour and leave their spouse behind? I hope not! Second, how will my trip interruption/illness insurance treat my husband's expenses as he cared for me? Surely his expenses should be paid for as well. When we arrived in Kardamyli, the tour director got him a separate room, but some spouses had to stay in the same room, masked and separated as much as possible, from their spouse. To get ourselves out of remote Greece and back to Athens where the next leg of our journey was planned (after I recovered), we chose to rent a car. Surely my insurance will pay for all rental costs, including gas, food and lodging along the trip. These are all things that I will have to work out in the coming weeks as I try to recover the financial portion of the trip I lost.

And these are all issues that travelers need to think about and plan for if they decide to travel during Covid times. We are not yet out of the woods, folks. We need to plan for and adjust to the "new normal."

Finally, I appreciate all those who posted well wishes and kind thoughts--and thought-provoking questions. ~jdill7

There has been a great deal of interest on the forum regarding how well travel insurance claims have processed. I know people would appreciate a follow up on the travel insurance/claim process. I do encourage you to start a new thread with that information.

I decided to reread my policy and see how many of the things you pointed out would be covered under trip interruption. Any tour costs that were not already refunded by the provider, lodging costs, and transportation to be able to continue the trip were all included for myself or my travel companion. Food was not.

At any rate, people will be interested in how this plays out. I think the important thing is to report on whether the insurance company paid for the items that it agreed to pay for in your policy, versus did it pay for everything that you wanted it to.

As someone who has had to use travel insurance in the past, I would strongly recommend anyone else reading this if you are going to do something like rent a car call your insurance company in advance. Because the surely they will pay for statement makes me very nervous. They may not consider that a valid expense. You need to be figuring this out concurrently. We didn’t have any problems, this was several years ago and they paid for everything we expect them to but we also didn’t incur expenses that might have been considered unusual . As a matter fact they flew the injured person home with a nurse in attendance in business class so it turned out perfect but I would really recommend you be talking to them concurrently not post. I was on the phone call phone with the insurance company within 24 hours of the person taking the fall