Travel to Germany & The Netherlands

I was in the Netherlands last month, and the tests WERE free and available at multiple locations. That looks to be still the case: https://testenvoortoegang.org/

"The cost of the entry tests are currently paid for by the Dutch government. There are no costs for you as a visitor." (Under FAQ) I did my research before I travelled and booked my tests through this government sanctioned site.

As for the flight crew being strict about enforcing masking: GOOD!!!!! The only time I felt really unsafe on my trip to Amsterdam and Italy was coming home--at LGW, where about 1/3 of people, including people working there, weren't wearing masks, and on my flight home, where the crew was not enforcing the mask rule.

You are correct that travelling during this global pandemic is more challenging than it was previously. But travel for pleasure is a privilege, and if the cost of that privilege is getting vaccinated, getting tested, and wearing masks to help prevent the spread of the virus, then some of us are more than willing to do so. Those who aren't should definitely stay home.

The negative Covid tests to get on an airplane makes everyone feel safer. The masks over the face unless chewing or swallowing…is odd. Does the virus know when we’re eating?
I’m happy to wear my mask everywhere I go, whether I’m the US or on my trip. No problem for me w a mask on a plane, if the science says it reduces the spread of Covid. I’ve often wondered why Fauci announced that masks didn’t help because many people point to him when they don’t want to wear them. Especially across Europe.
With the extra costs of flying Coach Plus & COMFORT Coach, wooden forks & spoons is pitiful.
Food is no different than the cheaper seats.

Sounds to me like you have a good case for a refund or partial refund from your cruise provider.

I'm sure that the situations you experienced were as described. But the facts on the ground will likely not be the same for travelers who follow...

Don’t go to Germany...

Covid rules are being imposed area by area depending on numbers. AS of now, some parts of Germany are much less impacted than Baden-Württemberg, one of the states you spent a lot of time cruising through, especially in northern Germany.

Rheinland-Pfalz (the state just north of B-W and adjacent to the Rhine) isn't a cake walk. But some people may still want to travel there...

• Christmas markets are 2G so no Covid test is required.
• Restaurants and other indoor venues: No test or QR code is needed if you have your Covid Booster on your CDC card.
• A quick-test for entry into 2g+ environments for less than €80 in most places. How does €15 in 15 minutes sound?

https://15minutentest.de/de/en/mainz-test-centre

Cases, Hospitalizations and Deaths are surging in Germany and even more so in the Netherlands. You are certainly right that this is not a good time to visit those countries as they must take measures to protect themselves and visitors. Hospitalizations are the measure used to determine restrictions. I have been following them (thanks Azra) and they are changing day to day, state by state.

I have flown both coach and "Comfort +" on Delta. I felt there was more leg room in Comfort + but nothing makes that long flight across the Atlantic truly comfortable for this old body.

I suspect the wooden utensils are meant to be disposable (anti-Covid measure) and environmentally friendlier (not plastic).

We have a trip to Germany scheduled in April-May. I hope for everyone's sake the Covid surge has abated before then. If not, we will likely follow your advice and stay home.

I have thought that we might have lived through the "Great Age of Travel" before Covid and it may not happen again in my lifetime.

When I took the 4+ hour flight from London to Fuerteventura last month, we didn’t take our masks off at all, as we didn’t eat or drink onboard. Any longer a flight and we would have needed a drink.

There would probably be uproar if people were told on longer flights such as America to Europe that they couldn’t have refreshments, hence taking a mask off just whilst eating and drinking is the happy medium.

Bamboo cutlery is becoming more commonplace as it’s better for the environment than plastic and will help offset the carbon footprint of your flight. Presumably flight crews are not wanting to touch metal cutlery in the current climate, which is understandable.

I have only ever travelled in the “cheap seats at the back” so can’t comment on leg room.

Wood forks & spoons in coach because of Covid, but not for First or Business? Does the virus know what class we’re flying in or whether we are chewing & can take off the mask to drink a cocktail?
Restaurants in Basel, Riquewihr, Bonn & Cologne wouldn’t look at a US CDC Covid vaccination card. The QR code needed at all public places & without it everyone needs a negative test & QR code that expires after 48 hours. I’m happy with the precautions & think that those thinking of traveling should know how it is this week. It might ease up later.
The hotel manager in Amsterdam told me the Covid tests were not free for visitors. I’m only going by what I was told because I came home 5 days early, on a crowded flight w wooden forks. I couldn’t fly Business class because it was fully booked.

I got tested on the boat on 6 Dec for my flight back from AMS & that was with staff who came onboard in Amsterdam. The charge was €59

So you believe another country’s taxpayers should pay for your test so that you don’t have to pay for Covid testing on a leisure trip that you chose to make to their country?

Extrapolating then to guess that you would be perfectly fine for your tax dollars to go for paying the Covid tests for, say, a German tourist coming to the States ?

I'm sorry your trip wasn't all you wanted it to be. I'm sure it was a disappointment not to see the Christmas Markets you were expecting and you were probably somewhat hamstrung financially with the cruise line not cancelling the cruise. Care to share which cruise line you used?

Delta is my airline of choice and I do notice a difference in Comfort + over regular economy seats. If your seat didn't recline were you in the row before an exit row? They don't usually recline for safety reasons. I'm sorry this didn't work for you.

I hope you did see some things of interest and were able to enjoy some of the sights along the way. Anything interesting open?

Berry, thanks for telling it like it is with a detailed account of the countries from your perspective. I’m not sure why anyone would spend hard earned money to jump through these countries hoops either traveling independently or on a RS Tour. You describe incredibly limited activity choices.
Our recent two months (August and September) in Italy were awesome. Occasional mask requirements and CDC card checks were rare.
Let’s hope for better times ahead in the Germanic region.

Living in the NL, I can tell you that Antigen tests ARE free - through https://testenvoortoegang.org/... but these tests are specific to use for entry into dining, cafes, museums, etc. You are not allowed to use the https://testenvoortoegang.org/ tests for Travel. Even locals like myself have to pay to get a test & fly certificate so we can depart from the airport.

I am traveling this Friday to Italy (after being in the UK last week), so I had to coordinate and pay for a test tomorrow. I return next Friday at 1 PM and have scheduled a 4 PM test so I can fly to the USA the next day. Again, I have to pay for that test. So yes, tests are free to locals & tourists but in a limited manner. (This changed back in October; before then locals could get "travel tests" free - an incentive by the Dutch government). My tests were 39 euro each, about 2 blocks from my apartment.

I would also recommend NOT coming to the NL now as we are under a mini-lockdown. Currently, only grocery stores and pharmacies are open after 5 pm. Persons who do not hold an EU QR code do have to get tested to get a "temp-code" to be able to enter a restaurant, museums, etc. Granted, using the https://testenvoortoegang.org/ is easy - and free - for the access a tourist would want/need. Yet, it would be a daily requirement for most travelers.

As mentioned in Germany, likewise no one in the NL cares if you have a USA CDC vaccination card. If it's not an EU QR Code, it's simply not viable to them. Living here, as we fight the latest surge, I have no problem with that approach. That may seem rather "narrow-minded" but we're living through another lockdown, and dealing with the highest numbers we've ever seen in the NL --- even higher than before the vaccinations began.

No one is sure how long we will be in this mini-lockdown, or even if this mini-lockdown might become more restrictive. Until things clear up, there are other options in Europe - like Italy, where I'll be Friday. I would agree that it can be more stressful to travel now... and it does require far more preparation, planning, awareness, and flexibility, but it is viable, depending on your ultimate destination... and how they're trending.

I enjoy reading everyone’s input and as I stated, I’m simply recounting my recent experience in order to provide a bit more clarity for Americans thinking of traveling to the areas I just visited. As I understand it, these latest conditions resulted from the German, Belgium & Netherland’s government’s November decision to stop the most recent spread of Covid. Before the last week of November, things may have been more lax & as conditions warrant, I’m sure restrictions will be lifted.
I’m happy to hear that Italy looks good because I talked a friend into traveling there w me in late February. It’s a Catholic Church tour & my friend, who’s never been to Europe, is excited to see the Pope. I will watch these travel forums for the latest reports on experiences in Italy.

Because it’s such a beautiful country, I want the two weeks to be as perfect for her first travel there & everyone will be extremely disappointed if the Vatican were to be closed. In today’s climate, I realize that things can change in a nano second & just like my river cruise, we might not be able to cancel this organized tour. These are things we hadn’t had to think about before 2020. I just want to say safe travels to everyone who’s eager to take their hard earned money & start touring the world again. Get the cancellation insurance & be ready for the unexpected.

"Restaurants in Basel, Riquewihr, Bonn & Cologne wouldn’t look at a US CDC Covid vaccination card."

The current rules in Bonn and Cologne (which are in the same state) are covered by the same 2G rules that cover most of Germany right now. There is no current testing requirement. You need only a mask and proof of vaccination - which for Americans is the CDC card.

If they were open, what did these restaurants require for vax proof, exactly, if not the CDC card?

And since you got turned away in France (Riquewihr) too, what did their restaurants require?

What did you hear from the cruise officials about this apparent discrepancy between rule and practice?

I’ve often wondered why Fauci announced that masks didn’t help
because many people point to him when they don’t want to wear them.
Especially across Europe.

That statement on masking was well before the medical world, including Dr. Fauci, learned just how highly transmissible the virus was, and how many could be asymptomatic spreaders. It has been published many times when and how he changed that view as knowledge about the disease advanced. Knowledge is also still evolving as COVID mutates. (No politics intended)

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fauci-masks-no-longer-needed/

Sorry you didn't enjoy your flight but air travel has generally been a less-than-wonderful experience for many years, aside maybe from flying first or best business classes. We put up with it because it beats staying home, eh? 😉

As far as I know, you didn't go to Belgium on this trip? And unless the boat made a one-night stop in Nijmegen (looked to be on the itinerary), you didn't spend any time in the Netherlands other than flying out of Amsterdam? You mentioned in your TA posts that you cancelled your 4-5 day stay there after the cruise wrapped up.

I might advise spending considerable time researching your Feb. trip to Italy (e.g. any testing requirements; which attractions may require advanced, timed-entry reservations; hours which don't match what's in a guidebook; etc.) and be prepared to roll with any inconveniences that could occur with little notice. Change is the new normal in these strange days!

I have never been in a comfort + section of an aircraft that did not have 2-3 inches more legroom than regular coach. The recline and width is usually the same as regular coach. The wooden utensils are for recycling purposes.

If you paid for comfort + and did not receive it, you should contact the airline immediately.

I am sorry that a trip you were so looking forward to ended up being a disappointment!

PS. Is there any airline food that wouldn’t seem pretty bad after a week of food on a river cruise?😊

Hi, Berry. I'm sorry to hear that your travel was not the enriching, relaxing trip you hoped it would be. Travel can definitely be frustrating right now.

I'm a Delta guy, and the Delta soft product (e.g., meals) has definitely suffered during the pandemic. I agree with you that Delta Comfort Plus does not offer much of a premium experience over Main Cabin right now, and the seats still feel very tight despite the extra few inches of legroom. Alas, even the poor souls in Delta One/business class have to suffer... their entire meal is now brought on a single tray, instead of having the typical multi-course meal service. You should hear those folks complain on the Flyer Talk forum!

Bamboo cutlery is part of the airline's move toward a more eco-friendly enterprise. I read today that the business class pillows and accompanying Westin Heavenly blankets are being scrapped for pillows and blankets made from recycled plastic.

Unfortunately, bad-behaving passengers have put the airlines in a position where they have to be very heavy-handed in enforcing mask mandates -- like threatening prosecution of those who refuse to follow them -- which would never have to be threatened if passengers would just do the right thing and wear their masks.

Change is the new normal in these strange days!

I agree with Kathy. Flexibility is key to travel right now. If responding on the fly to change creates a lot of stress/anxiety, you probably are making a good decision to hold off on travel to Europe until RS resumes his tours.

One more little bit of advice? If you start new threads about your Italy trip, include ALL of the info, including WHEN you're planning to be there, if you're traveling alone or with a companion, where you intend to go, how long you intend to be there, what sorts of things you intend to see, etc. While you've been there before, you haven't been there during a pandemic. The more people know up front about your trip, the better they can help you. :O)

Also, the situation TODAY may not be the same two months from now. Museums that are open today may not be 6 weeks from now, and museums that don't currently require timed-entry tickets may do so in the near future. Restaurants hours and reservation requirements may change as well.

Thank you all for your responses!
It’s true, travel isn’t what it used to be, but I’m happy I have the great memories of how it was. While they were growing up, I took my two sons to Europe every chance I got, but that was before 2014. The travel industry has changed & so have the passengers.

Kathy, you’re right about the February trip to Italy. Research is needed to be done before signing up, and more research is needed to make a decision whether to postpone or cancel. Being an organized tour, cancelling it will get much harder, the closer I get to the 27th Feb. I read the disclaimer on the brochure & I see that without the added feature of “Cancel For Any Reason”…travelers need to be injured or ill to get out of the trip. They can then, expect to get “UP to 80%” refunded, even if they have the CFAR insurance. The inability to get out of it just because it feels unsafe to travel again, is not a valid reason to cancel. The tour companies cover themselves for all unforeseen events, such as a pandemics but the traveler is at their mercy, even w traveler’s insurance.

What tour with which company are you looking at taking?

You can go on a trip now only at your own risk, especially to Europe. Until the situation in the world improves, you can forget about a quiet holiday. Now anti-covid tests are strictly required everywhere, plus a bunch of medical certificates. To all this is added the limited movement around the city and in all kinds of establishments that are located in the same city. All this also affected me when I decided to go to Allgäu for a couple of days. The situation there is no better, but if you follow all the rules of quarantine, then the journey becomes a little calmer. If you decide to go somewhere, then I advise you to think about everything carefully and prepare for the trip in advance.

Interesting that you have posted this exact same complaint all over the forums on Trip Advisor.
Many of your complaints are not true. There are many markets in Germany going on and many of them are open, requiring nothing or at the most showing, you are vaccinated. The ones that were 2G+, offered free testing at the market.
Yes, masks are required in the cities, but this has been the case for well over a year and if you had done any research on the countries you were visiting, you would know this. Churches do NOT require anything to visit them and most of them are open if they are in large cities or a tourist city. 2G has also been a requirement in restaurants since a very long time. Looks like you left for vacation without doing any research at all.

Good for Delta requiring masks. Other airlines do the same, why should they be different?

This post is nothing but whiny, 1st World problems. Poor thing, having to eat with wooden utensils. Glad to hear you are staying home.

Your reviews on Trip Advisor are one negative complaint after another. You must be a joy to travel with.