December 2020 trip to Europe

The trip will begin in Istanbul for several reasons.
1. Good flight cost
2. Turkey has no entry restrictions
3. I think the odds that Turkey will lock down are among the lowest in Europe
4. Istanbul is well connected to the rest of Europe and Asia providing a number of options if my prime destinations do lock down
5. Turkey would make a good vacation in and of itself if the other planned destinations do lock down
6. The Istanbul Airport does rapid COVID tests so we can meet the entrance requirements of the other destinations https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/covid-testing-in-the-istanbul-airport

My fall back for a worst cases scenario includes
1. If Turkish Air does not issue a voucher if I find the trip impossible I have CFAR Trip insurance (but they have issued vouchers in the past).
2. My hotels are all refundable alleviating that loss.
3. Booking nothing other than hotels and guides. The guides know the situation and do not require a deposit (although I offered, G-d knows they could use the money)
4. Cancel-For-Any-Reason (CFAR) trip Insurance but its extremely redundit because of the Turkish Air policy last time round offered vouchers, and because all of my hotels have a pretty wide cancelation window. Do keep in mind that these policies only pay 50% to 75% (depending on the company and the policy you buy) if you cancel without for other than customarily covered reasons. Having to quarantine upon arrival is not a customarily covered reason.
5. I have also purchased travel medical insurance that covers COVID. Be careful, many don’t.

Where
1. Fly to Istanbul (4 nights)
2. Fly to Podgorica, then drive north to do some sightseeing on the way to Dubrovnik (1 night)
3. Dubrovnik (4 nights)
4. Drive back through Montenegro (3 nights) then fly home from Podgroica through Istanbul (one night in Istanbul)

Lockdown Options
1. Stay in Turkey
2. Go to Ukraine or another Balkan state as most of the Balkan state are open as of today; as is Egypt and Morocco. All places on my bucket list.

Costs
1. Turkish Air isn’t any cheaper than it was pre-COVID, probably because they are booking all of their flights. The hotels however are pretty heavily discounted and the savings more than offsets the insurance costs.
^Cost: about $900 a ticket
2. I am using 3 different private guides (one for each country)
^Istanbul: 3 days of guide and airport transfers
^Montenegro: 3.5 days of guide and all ground transportation and airport transfers
^Dubrovnik: 2 morning tours and maybe one day outside the city
^Cost: about $800
3. Hotels (13 nights)
^Pretty nice hotels, the splurge was in Istanbul and a hotel inside the walls of Dubrovnik, but everything is heavily discounted.
^Cost: about $850
4. Insurance
^about $300

Return
1. COVID test the day after arrival in the US and again 4 days later
2. Plan next trip ……………….. or go to the hospital
There is a possibility of a trip for New Year, but that’s sort of up in the air. Then I have one planned for May (fishing) which is looking very good based on today’s news.

It sounds like a very well thought out trip.

What company did you purchase travel medical insurance through that covers COVID?

Go here and search out a policy that meets your needs: https://www.squaremouth.com/travel-insurance-quotes?aid=100&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7qP9BRCLARIsABDaZzjvIfwWx9yTXA3ZaHh-aeb1yyoLgiYd_UDPPabuX8fpPXK_clcNIwwaAi2GEALw_wcB

Sounds like a great trip. You have really planned well. I am especially impressed with 13 hotel stays for $700! Are they discounted because they have had lack of business? Or are they no frills? I am all for budget stays, myself!

Good luck, I hope all goes well (I won't be able to get the missus to go anywhere for a while). Where are you thinking of going in January?

Charlotte, that part of the world is less expensive to begin with.

But a little math error. Closer to $850. Thanks for making me recheck.

They are mostly 3 star hotels. Istanbul is a 4 star. Im not really sure how stars are awarded and by who. Two of the hotels I will be staying in, the one in Dubrovnik and one in the mountains of Montenegro I have stayed in before and in my book the rooms and quality are every bit 4 star. COVID drove the prices down a bit, its winter which drives the prices down as well; the big kicker was the generous cancellation policies due to COVID.

Sounds like a super trip. Dubrovnik is your most northerly spot. We were there Nov 3-4 in 2014. It was chilly but not cold. There were no crowds. Now, of course, there will be no crowding. It will be like touring in 1997.

James,
Looks like a great trip. We have been to all the places you plan to visit except Montenegro. Safe travels.

What about Croatia's current test/self-isolation requirements? According to the U.S. State Department, Americans aren't just free to enter Croatia. They have to have a test no older than 48 hours or get a test on arrival and self isolate for a few days.

WorldTraveler: Read above.

I guess what I could have clarified is that once into Montenegro that "currently" I can cross into Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina with out further tests. If that changes my guide has located a testing location with 4 hour turnaround in Montenegro

Paul-of-the-Frozen-North, thank you. I wish I could take my fly rod. The Hutchen should be running in a few weeks and we will have a few days in the mountains ... but it would bore my daughter to death.

hey hey JamesE
love your guts and glory adventure. we did a cruise stop in split croatia and loved it. it's so pretty there. haha about your daughter being bored with fly fishing, gotta have you both happy and not grumpy.
enjoy your fabulous trip and can't wait to hear back from you how it all went. love that you have plan B
ready if Plan A falls down the rabbit hole.
aloha

https://www.npr.org/2020/11/11/933952445/texas-surpasses-1-million-coronavirus-cases-according-to-johns-hopkins-university

Why risk taking the virus with you and becoming a vector in a place where health care is limited/ strained?

TravelingMom

Fair question, politely put.

I believe that it is inaccurate to judge the decisions of free republics by American norms. What is best here, probably isn't whats best in Bosnia. I suspect that through their democratic process they have weighed all the factors and have decided, for their particular and unique situation that the rules and procedures that they have established will provide the greatest overall good to their society. I would have to devote half of my life to trying to understand their society before I could begin to judge their actions.

I will only do this when welcomed to do so, to the letter of their law and in the best spirit of their laws. But thats how I have always traveled, this is nothing new.

Have a great time James, sounds great!

Thank you Susan!

From someone living in Europe, just in case it may prove useful to better decide about your trip:

• because of CoViD-19 restrictions THY has suspended most of its flights to European countries and most of the European vectors have suspended most of their flights to all countries, Turkey included - this means that the availability of flights over Europe currently is remarkably reduced and likely will continue to remain reduced at least until fall 2021

• Turkey, like most of the countries in Europe, currently demands that people wear masks everywhere, in open spaces included - in other words also when simply walking on the street; when living in a place maybe the fun aspect is not to take into consideration as much, but when visiting a place having to wear a mask even when simply walking on the street is maybe not the most fun activity to do

• Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro are 1) listed as red 2) they are in Europe but not in the European Union - this means that even if You do a snapshot test in any of them according to which You are SARS-CoV-2 negative, according to the rules of the European Union is very likely You will still not be allowed to cross the borders into any of the countries of the European Union; Dubrovnik is in the European Union territory, and according to the European Union rules valid for all countries in the European Union, is likely that as soon as entering Croatia the authorities will demand that You stay in quarantine for 14 days and monitored before being allowed to move around Croatia. Then, if You want to go from Croatia back to Bosnia and Herzegovina or Montenegro, simply for crossing the border as a tourist is likely that You will be demanded to stay in quarantine again for other 14 days because Croatia currently is listed as red (highly risky) and very likely will continue to be like this probably until February-April 2021

Adrian, first hand advice is always appreciated.

A lot can change as each country judges the pros and cons of tourism, but confirmed in the last 24 hours:

My flights to Istanbul and Podgorica are still on.

Montenegro requires a 24 hour COVID test which I get at the Istanbul airport.

Croatia requires a 72 hour COVID test if coming from the US, but not from Montenegro, but my Istanbul test will still be valid just in case.

Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro do not require a test when traveling between them; and Bosnia does allow non stop passage in any event. But if that changes I have located test labs or can drive the southern route and avoid Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Masks, to the same extent are required in my home town, so no big change there.

Most things of interest to a tourist are open in all four countries .... with masks and social distancing.

Other than my own tracking I have tourist agencies in each country confirming and reconfirming.

If things do change I have three options; 1) skip Dubrovnik and spend the time in Montenegro (I love Montenegro) 2) stay in Turkey which is a very acceptiable option or 3) stay home with a personal loss of about $300 (CFAR insurance cost).

So, admittedly, it's a $300 gamble.