Mask requirements

Yes, everyone is currently required to wear a mask on the bus and at sites: https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/coronavirus-faq

Lorrie, a lot can change by 2023, but there are no guarantees. As a matter of perspective there are those who would not go on a tour if people weren’t wearing masks.

I have been informed by RS that current masking and testing protocols will continue for all 2022 tours. I am hopeful that in 2023 RS and other tour operators will get out of the Covid control business and let all travelers manage their own health and make their own decisions about Covid and other health precautions.

I’m sure RS tours sets the policy for their busses but they also have to follow local laws. That is, if a country requires masks in sights then you will have to wear one there even if the tour doesn’t require it on the bus. So also look out for country or more local regulations.

@simplgolf. On a group tour the actions of every individual impact the experience and health of all tour members. That is why there are expectations for behavior and health practices that are clearly defined for participants in advance. You still have an individual choice, travel in agreement with those conditions or choose to travel differently.

Nobody can predict with any certainty what will happen next month, never mind next year.

The current policy today is: Masks are required on the bus, and also required in some sites per local laws and regulations. Masks are officially also "strongly encouraged elsewhere, especially indoors."

Here's what the Tour FAQ says about mask policy:

Will I need to wear a mask on tour and what kind?

On RSE tours, we require tour members to wear a medical grade (N95, KN95 or KF94) mask while traveling on the bus and when social
distancing is not possible. Please pack along medical grade masks and
note that you may also need to wear masks outdoors at times.

See https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-help/tours-faq

More relevant details here, too:

Please see our Tour Conditions. COVID-19 Waiver, and Health and Safety Pledge for the full details.

Kind of like asking if it will be rainy in Germany next May, 2023
No one knows the answer.

Lorrie, when my best of England trip for fall of 2020 was cancelled, I thought, good…. I don’t want to travel to England in a pandemic. When I rebooked in 2021 for fall of 2022, I said to my travel companions “I won’t travel to Europe if I have to wear masks on the plane or on the tour”. I naively thought that would all be behind us.

I considered postponing the trip once again, until we got the “all clear”, but now realize some other virus, war, or any other event out of my control could make travelling next year even more dicey.

As much as I’m Covid fatigued like the rest of the world, I’m taking all the precautions I can, and forging ahead to enjoy my RS tour masked the whole way. Would I rather not wear masks? You bet, but the risk of reinfection (I tested positive the beginning of May), or even worse, passing it on to my tour mates, will keep me following all the rules.

When reading the reviews, the mask wearing doesn’t seem to be much of problem. People are enjoying their tours, even with the mask policy.

In many Asian cultures, even prior to COVID, most persons with a cold or similar contagious illness would routinely wear a mask in public.

I've cleaned out many posts. This is still not a pandemic forum. Keep it about the OP's question please.