Munich, Sazburg, Vienna--Leave March 24th Go? No Go?

I think non essential travel is a CDC suggestion. You might check with your airline for a refund or a credit to use at a later date.
As far as not fearing getting ill, think about not transmitting the virus to some who could die from it.
It looks like the Public Health Officials are looking at “Mitgation” because contact tracing is becoming impossible.

Go. Travel right now is great. Roll the dice and have fun!!!! I think you'll find when you leave the USA, and can't get the news, you will be fine.

If you get stranded--wow-- how great to be stranded on a Rick Steves tour! Woo hoo!!!

Travel.state.gov gave DE a level two warning meaning exercise increased caution and AT a level one meaning exercise normal precautions so I say yes.

I really think the situation has progressed to the point that potential travelers need to consider not only the risk to themselves but also the possible impact on people at their destination and people with whom they will interact back home after they return.

As of this moment, the Johns Hopkins Dashboard shows 554 cases in the US and 1040 (almost twice as many) in Germany. Germany is smaller than the state of California.

Germany and Austria are not currently high risk places, but why go now. Consider saving your money and time for later, when this virus settles down or there is a vaccine.

Hi, I would go later, but already have non refundable airline tickets...will be out some $$$ if we don’t go. And, and we are not on a RS tour.....we are on our own after planning with the major help of the RS guidebook! Thanks for the advice...will have to decide soon!!

Hi Karen-

As I recall, Rick S. said he is "wheels up" to Europe on Good Friday (10 April) this year. This is 2 weeks after your trip starts. And I doubt the Corona Virus situation will improve any during this 2 week period. And I believe your risk is not too high if you are under 50.
I would call the airline and ask what their policy is regarding non-refundable tickets when they (the airline) cancel the flight. Maybe they would put you on a list to volunteer to not fly (and at least give you credit for a future flight if they won't give you a refund) if they start to cancel flights similar to yours. If the flights are reduced, the airline would rather use your seat for a full fare customer than your NR fare. Don't take no for an answer- call back later. Sometimes the answer depends on which representative you talk to. Offer them some alternatives that are win-win for you & the airline.
Hopefully everything will work out and you go as presently scheduled. Have a great trip!!!

Well if you can move it to another part of the year (like October) --- my friend and I decided to move our flight (after a lovely 7.5 hour on hold with Lufthansa)--- anyways. We lost a small amount of money, mainly because the first hotel we booked was non-refundable (so $277 each but not bad for a huge expensive trip). Most plane carriers are being more forgiving now with the virus situation.

I think a bigger concern than getting sick is going somewhere then the country decides to shut down everything you planned on visiting. This was our primary issue. It is entirely unpredictable what the government will do - will they close museums, can you get food if restaurants are now all shut down, and grocery stores out of stock and you have no kitchen to cook in? Those are much larger concerns. If you can't eat anywhere good, and you can't visit the things you want to see, you'll just be hungry and annoyed. True you can go on a nice hike in those places, but you won't want to if you are starving. And being stuck in a hotel is not that fun.

I was quarantined in China in 2009 for the whole swine flu pandemic. 2 weeks in a hotel with 3 tv stations is torture. If you can reconsider or get your money back really try----

Rick may think that he has "wheels up" on April 10. That is within the POTUS "Europe travel ban". He's not going to Europe on April 10.

No one should plan trips to Europe for the next month. Because if you do, you will either lose money or be frustrated.

I would plan starting April 25 at the very earliest.

I think we're at the point now where traveling isn't even open to question anymore. The issue now is-do I go to the gym, church, the grocery store in the US?

I agree with cala, but Paul, you are wrong about the travel ban. There isn't one for US citizens. At least not yet; who knows when the European countries may start banning us.

Be prepared to have a lot of things closed, museums, galleries, tourist attractions, and events canceled.

You should be able to get some change or refund on flights at this point. Cancel what hotels you can and take the loss on anything else. I don't think it is wise at all to be traveling to Europe. I have family in the UK and they are all staying at home. Healthcare will be stretched. Borders are closing. Just try to unwind the trip as best you can and go some other time. I have a trip scheduled for July to Germany, and Austria and am already thinking I should start to unravel it.

Margaret

My husband wants us to make airline reservations for all future trips this month because reservations made in March on Delta can be changed without fees.

I was tempted to do something about flights for that reason, then I realized that--at least for some airlines--you get one free change and have to select your new dates at the same time you cancel th initial flights. So suppose I gamble on July (which I actually think is too early, by the way) and realize in June that it won't work. Will I be able to determine a safe date at that time? If I cannot, I'll eat the entire cost of the ticket, won't I?

Acraven mentioned that there were 1040 cases of Coronavirus on March 9th. There are over 4150 today. The number of cases has doubled twice in 5 days. We have plane reservations for 13 April but it is hard to even imagine the number of cases and the chaos that might await us if we go. BTW the number of confirmed cases in the US has also more than doubled twice over the same period. We would have to travel both directions with a significantly riskier group of fellow passengers.

Men/women are not only potential victims of the disease but also carriers. We can endanger not only ourselves but others. We are like mosquitos that can carry a deadly disease.

We are still trying to see some reasonable way to save part of our airfares but I suspect we will lose it all. We have cancelled all our hotels and lost nothing there. We can lose no more than we have already spent. It is likely gone in any case.

We believe our best plan is to live for another day in the future with vaccines and treatments for this disease. We can travel then.