What a mess :-)

Hello again, Calvin.

Short answer is nobody knows, but my expectation is unlikely.

The UK is in various lockdowns in the 4 nations. Today they extended the furlough plan for 5 months for people who can't work because of Covid. That ends - if it ends about the time of your trip.

England full lockdown until the first week of December, very likely to be extended beyond.

Scotland and Northern Ireland in their own lockdowns, Wales in a fire-break ending just before England if it is allowed to end.

Germany and France are in their own version of second wave shutdowns too.

On the other hand, perhaps they will be relaxed by then. Just don't know.

Sorry I can't be more upbeat or optimistic.

Does anyone have any feeling as to whether we will be able to make this trip next year?

April of next year would, in my view, border on a miracle.

Calvin,
We have a safari in Africa in July next year and expect to go.
We postponed it from this year.

Expectations are somewhat optimistic, there should be a vaccine available by Spring. No guarantees.
Our trip is nowhere near as expensive as yours, so less risk.

If cruise lines are shut down all of next year, they will likely go bankrupt. The pressure to open up will be strong. Still, governments will have to balance the health risk against the shutdown business and health issues.

If I knew what was going to happen next year, I'd be a very, very rich person.

April? I jut cancelled April and May cruise plans..with MSC who is sort of the poster child for cruising with covid plans. Given the typical age of Cunard cruisers, that could result in very sick people quickly. I work in a Microbiology lab, and certainly the opinions I trust say no cruising until well after vaccine.
To be honest, as optimistic as I am, and a Canadian with more countries accessible, I would not undertake complicated travel plans before late 2021 and certainly not pre-book more than a couple of months ahead.
If you really want to replicate the same trip, would be better to delay until 2022, but it wouldn't hurt to have some fun, shorter ideas researched that you can book and execute with very short notice....to take advantage or windows of opportunity.

Hi Calvin. We cancelled our May trip to London/Dublin outright and don’t know when we will go. Our September trip to Croatia/Paris we pushed back to 2021. Luckily we only had a B&B and small ship cruise booked, with only a deposit of €400 on the cruise. If the virus is still around and there is no vaccine, I think we will have bigger problems to worry about, not just our travels. How long countries can stay locked down with no tourists and no money circulating is anyone’s guess. From what I am reading, not many small businesses can hang on too much longer. I am trying very hard to be optimistic and keep myself and husband busy since we are not working. I am grateful we don’t have to worry about finances, just keeping healthy. That said, everyone needs something to look forward to and keep them going. We have September. But, we are not going to book anything else till there is more information, hopefully after the new year. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Calvin,

I certainly don't have a Crystal Ball, but I very much doubt that travel is going to be possible before next summer at the earliest (just a guess of course). These are some of the reasons for that (IMO).....

We're only about seven weeks from "next year" and the Covid-19 situation has been becoming much more severe just about everywhere. That's true even here in B.C. where we reached an unprecedented record of new cases today, surpassing anything that we saw in the "first wave". Many European countries have now re-established lockdowns, and I believe the one in the U.K. that started in the last day or so is for a minimum of one month. Further lockdowns throughout Europe could follow if the virus can't be brought under control. The second lockdown could be the "final nail" for many businesses including hotels and other tourist facilities, and some won't be re-opening.

This is one bright spot on the horizon - https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-vaccine-britain-1.5789215 . There are sometimes a few "unknowns" with new vaccines, but it does look hopeful.

If I were planning the type of trip that you described, I'd be monitoring the situation on a regular basis, but not making any firm travel plans. When the situation looked like it was steadily improving, I'd probably start booking some of the hotels, transportation, etc., but not too far in advance. I would not be making any bookings with non-refundable deposits.

Good luck!

My opinion, from Italy, is that for next Spring there are little chances to travel abroad in the most of European countries. Is very possible that lockdown and closures will be eased, but not to allow free movement of tourists. I hope I am wrong.
A great thing is that now there are easy and quite cheap methods to check if you are affected: you are planning a long holiday, so you can afford to lose some days waiting the result of a swab: if you are negative probably after that you will be free to travel.

Wow Calvin, that's quite a predicament. If it is controlled enough in Europe by your dates, and if you are coming from a country that attempts and succeeds in controlling the virus, like Canada, you may be able to enter these countries by April. But, you could have a 2-week isolation period in each unless a testing protocol is in place. This guess about the future is based on last summer's border situation. Another wildcard is the ship. Will it be sailing from a US port by then? So there are a lot of factors working against a trip, but my crystal ball says it doesn't know.

I've seen a few news stories about places extending their mask mandates to April and May of next year. As much as I wish this would clear up and I could do my cancelled trip to Scotland in May 2021, I am pessimistic right now. I'll hold a faint hope for next autumn. I can't be optimistic anymore regarding travel - it's too heartbreaking for me.

THANK YOU !!

Nicole, Ricky, Bets, Ken, Barbara, Maria - Canada, France, U.S. and Italy............The forum never disappoints.
I waited six months to ask the question - and - we have a unanimous consensus.
Based on your comments - I am cancelling the QM2 sailing 25 April - the month in England and Ireland - the AIRB&B reservations in both places - and focusing on air travel to Florence June 1st. Even that may have to be postponed - but - perhaps a climate for a better decision will exist after the first of the year.
My friends in Florence are describing a heartbreaking scenario with all tourist related businesses.. Many small shops, restaurants, singers, dancers, artists, chefs, waitresses and waiters, models, trucking companies, and service industries of every description closing. Families without an income and the effect that is having on the elderly and the children.
Again - thank you for your insight and common courtesy.
Bon Voyage.
Calvin

Sorry to say but I don't really think April of next year has much of a prayer. I had a trip for this September that I have rebooked for next September and I am seriously starting to worry about it. I use the BBC web site for a news source and looking at what is happening in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark etc. is not a pretty sight. Since my supply of 'next years' is getting short, I hope I'm wrong but it really looks pretty dicey from here.

I am sad, too, about not being able to travel. It is even hard to travel withing the US now since cases are rising again.

Calvin, thanks for giving us your updated considerations. It is difficult all over the globe for the tourist industries. Consider the countries where social welfare and social services are virtually none. Africa comes to mind. Some countries have an average income of $2 a day but when that dries up, there is nothing to draw on.
However, perhaps some of those services in Florence could be supported by virtual classes, of even straight out donations.
But back to travel, straight to Florence may be much more feasible particularly if you have friends there to advise or assist in the event that quarantine is still a thing to deal with.
Good luck.