NO RS Tours for 2021

Yep, I just got his email. My dream of the week in Paris at Christmas 🎅 tour is gone. Probably for the best. Maybe in 2022!

Saw that email....just wondering if 2022 is looking likely at this point in the pandemic...I hate to think that he will have to shut stuff down again. I have 3 trips planned in the next 10 months with two in Mexico and a RS in May...starting to reconsider the October one at this point....we are having 50 cases (average) a day in our small community of about 200K....

I am hopeful that once the FDA fully approves covid vaccines, we're going to start seeing results and big changes for the better: public schools will be able to require all children who can be vaxxed, be vaxxed. Businesses, organizations, colleges, universities, etc. will be able to mandate vaccines, as well. This country tried the carrot, now it's time for the stick.

Hi Judy…I was signed up for 2021 Xmas tour as well. I was on this tour in 2018… it was fabulous and our guide, Rolinka has magic in making things happen.

I’m still planning on Xmas week to New Years Day anyway….going with a friend who has never been and meeting up with another from California.

I'm hoping 2022 will be the start of traveling. My company is mandating vaccination by September and we now all have to mask up again regardless of vaccinations. I agree it's time to get tough being nice didn't seem to work.

Yes, Heather, two major employers here in iowa announced mandates this week as well

Not unexpected.

Chris in Texas,
Rolinka was my guide on the Munich Salzberg Vienna tour in December 2019 and I agree she is a wonderful guide who made our trip magical. I may sign up for the 2022 Paris tour during Christmas week. It would be lovely if Rolinka was our guide!

I am hoping to hear that RS tours will mandate vaccines.

Rick’s not taking chances, for his customers and guides, and is still presumably financing the holdover until 2022. We’re still booked for individual travel in adept. and Oct., but watching the news and governmental changes to see if that’s feasible. The year 2020 sucked, and 2021 sucks just a bit less. Too bad for tour enrolees - there’s always next year, right?

I am hoping to hear that RS tours will mandate vaccines.

And until he does I’m not going. From a many tour RS alum.

Even if it were allowed, I can't imagine traveling unvaccinated to Europe and risking needing emergency medical care in a foreign country. Or even having my trip ruined by having "mild" flu-like symptoms. As a Canadian, I'm hoping to visit Montreal and Quebec City for a France-like travel experience.

Rebekah, I'm doing the same thing this month! I'll be visiting Quebec City for the first time since I was in my teens (which, ah, was awhile ago). But I'm still holding out hope for a trip to Paris in Sept.

No announcement on the RS website, but I just noticed that all the tour dates only show "2022"
It is on the FAQ's under "Our 2020 Tours".

That pretty much takes care of it, right?

No. There are guides and drivers on the bus as well as local guides.

I am still optimistic for 2022 tours.

From what I have read the Delta variant is burning through the remaining people who are either not vaccinated or did not get natural immunity from a previous Covid infection. The same thing appears to be happening in Europe.

Let's hope we don't see a variant that can blow through the immunity we get from a previous infection or a vaccine.

FWIW, I know several people who are currenlty in Rome. They say the lines are short and there are few crowds. It's also over 90 degrees and humid. Virus + hot sticky weather = short lines. Who would have guessed?

I’m going to Venice in 2 weeks so news of smaller crowds is welcome indeed as Venice is usually mobbed. I can’t wait to experience this magical place!

I hope there is a 2022 Tour patch included in our tour package, an early Christmas present 🎁.

One thing to remember in all of this while we talk about the numbers of sick and infected people, and the effect on our travel plans, these are real people who are suffering and perhaps dying. They are somebody's children, parent, grand parent, sibling, etc. Like many, I personally know several people who have suffered greatly from Covid. Thankfully, I don't know anybody who has perished. My sacrifices are small in comparison.

Tour patches? I have one of the somewhat rare 2020 tour patches. My goal is to find a 2021 tour patch. My guess is that RS may have a small stash of them somewhere. If so, he needs to figure out something creative to do with them. Perhaps a contest. The best idea gets a 2021 tour patch, surely a rare commodity.

When I read the original post to my husband, he commented (about Rick Steves) "Smart guy!"

Meanwhile, it was disheartening to hear on the intro news on "CBS This Morning" that Tennessee has had a 1600% (no, no typo in those zeros) rise in cases in a month!! Not a great % of eligibles vaccinated here, especially in more rural areas....but not stellar even in Metro areas. Meanwhile, there is a State legislator who is wanting the governor (who refuses to put in any mandates) to call a special legislative session SOLELY for the purpose of pushing thru a bill that would PROHIBIT any school districts from requiring students to wear masks, even the young ones who cannot yet get vaccinated. Meanwhile our governor will pay any of you $250 in a flight voucher if you come to TN during certain dates, stay in certain cities (larger), at certain hotels booked thru a central system (you can Google to learn more). Yeesh. No shortage of cowboy-boot-wearing tourists here ;o

Frustrates us, and I know it has to frustrate everyone who is anxious to travel safely......not to mention a company like Rick's who wants to be able to provide a great product in a safe manner.....and remain in business and support the employees/families who have helped him achieve success.

End of rant. Wise decision Rick!!

re: 2021 patches, I think this came up before. My idea was to simply add an 🚫 over the existing patch.

I can't imagine Rick would want to deal with the fall-out of a lot of tour members testing positive toward the end of the trip and needing help with quarantine hotel reservations.

This not-yet-peer-reviewed Mayo Clinic study reports shockingly low vaccine efficacy in July for Moderna and especially for Pfizer. Delta has changed things.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/mayo-clinic-covid-breakthrough-risk-may-be-much-lower-with-moderna-than-pfizer/ar-AANeSmO?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

I hope those planning to travel and those considering it (as I am, but no airline ticket yet) are keeping up with news like this. Efficacy against infection was measured at 42% for Pfizer and 76% for Moderna. I got Moderna, but that 76% doesn't inspire confidence.