this week's tour report

And to support any traveler who needs to leave the tour because of a positive test, we're dedicating more staff to help these travelers with finding accommodations, changing flights, and dealing with their travel insurance company

This may explain why get through on the phone is not operating at an optimal level.

I am going on two tours in September and I was very glad to see the note about upcoming changes for the group meals and the support staff. I appreciate that RS tours has had to do "learn as you go" with pandemic travel and I am glad that they are willing to make changes when they see a need.

This is why I travel with Rick Steves!

That is good news. We are doing two more back to back tours in a couple of weeks (Scotland and Ireland) and are concerned. I am glad to hear that they are working on the group dining situation which is problematic. I have been reading the Best of Ireland in 14 Days tour reviews and it seems those tours are among the hardest hit by covid. That being said, we did the Sicily and Best of Southern Italy tours recently and no one got sick to my knowledge. We’ll just do our best to stay healthy.

Mary, I took Ireland in 2018 and Scotland in 2019. I loved them both and I know you will have a fabulous time. I am going on the 14 Day England in September and can't wait. It will be my 8th RSteves tour. I have been to many of the places we are going, but I decided they were all places I would gladly revisit and it will be nice to relax and let Rick's team take care of the details.

I found the weekly report reassuring.
I do have a bit of anxiety about my early October Adriatic tour, but flying through Amsterdam might be as concerning as the covid situation.

My husband and I did the 14 Day Ireland Tour in June and both of us tested positive 3/4 through the tour. We were so careful with masking, and we think we were infected by other tour members at a group meal who tested positive a few days before us. I am glad to hear they are examining indoor/poorly ventilated dining venues, as we had several meals where this was the case.

I’m glad to read that RS folks are trying to improve things on the dining and having-to-leave-early fronts. I recently backed out of one of their tours out of worry about those very issues - converted to a solo, do-it-yourself trip, with lots of takeout and eating in the parks, much like a squirrel - but I’ll keep an eye out for the changes the RS folks are making, and may well consider going on a tour sometime down the road, if it looks like they’ve got it down.

It really doesn't get any better than this. Better all the time!

I’m very happy to hear this. This is why I travel with RSE. They care about the safety of tour participants. Of course there’s a business economic incentive to have safe tours but I think they genuinely care about participants. Meals are my main concern for spreading Covid. Today I was sorting my Covid supplies, ie masks and self tests, to get ready for my September trip.

Although it’s good that steps are being taken to give assistance to those testing positive and changing the dining situation where possible, travelling in groups and staying hotels is still going to be far riskier than independent travel.

I think many are catching Covid on planes when they remove masks to eat and drink.

At present, it’s estimated that 1 in 15 people in Scotland and 1 in 20 in Ireland currently has Covid. As many are asymptomatic, that means that hotel and catering staff maybe positive and unaware of the situation. Guides and bus drivers maybe mixing with others not on the tour and as no one is wearing masks in public, transmission is highly likely, unfortunately.

Be sure to wear a mask (or two) on the plane. This past week I became aware of at least two people who knew they had Covid and flew home anyway—yes, sane, vaccinated people. Earlier I had 2 acquaintances who flew home and felt ill on the flight and tested positive that day or the next.
I worry more about the flight over as we are doing back to back tours in September and I don’t want to cancel again. I’m planning on eating prior and double masking. Fingers crossed.

Patty, I got my package of KF94 masks yesterday which I will wear in the plane, airports etc and on my R Steves' tour. I also have really comfortable, soft woven synthetic of some kind with a reusable paper filter which I use at home and is supposed to be 88% effective. Eating/drinking around others is my main concern and I think I will be doing more than my usual amount of picnics &/or eating in my room.

Patty,

This past week I became aware of at least two people who knew they had Covid and flew home anyway—yes, sane, vaccinated people. Earlier I had 2 acquaintances who flew home and felt ill on the flight and tested positive that day or the next.

Unfortunately this will continue, especially since the rule to show negative test before boarding the flight back to the U.S. was rescinded.

And… Airport/airline personnel will continue to also get infected, which in turn will cause more flight delays and cancellations due to staff shortages.

What will happen when there aren’t enough airline/airport staff to continue carrying on?

Yes, it’s sad that people are willing to fly knowing they have Covid. How many are wearing masks on the plane to try to protect their fellow passengers? I’m guessing a fair amount won’t.

One thing I haven't seen discussed on the forum is the cleanliness/disinfecting of rooms upon check-in. Guessing the protocol varies from city to city and country to country. However, I plan to bring plenty of Lysol wipes to wipe down all handles, knobs, and other surfaces upon checking into my room (esp the TV remote). I will also ask that no staff come into my room during my stay, which probably won't happen anyway with such short stays on the tour.

I realize most covid transmission is from respiratory droplets, but better safe than sorry.

"Believing that eating as a group indoors or in poorly ventilated dining rooms may be needlessly risky, we're working to make meals safer for our upcoming groups.

This is such great news!

Nearly all (but not 100%) of our meals on the Best of Turkey and Best of Istanbul tours were either outdoors or in restaurants where the panoramic windows and doors fully opened for near-outdoor ventilation. Many of our breakfast rooms also had panoramic opening windows/doors or were fully outside. In some cases where breakfasts were indoors, we were able to take a tray to an outdoor table. All of which the climate and weather supported.

This certainly reduced my concerns over group dining. And hopefully will do so for other tours where that may not have been the case. No one had to leave either tour early and everyone on our two tours who had to test to go home tested negative.

Jill, in addition to the steps you are planning for your hotel room, you may also want to try and keep your room window open as much as possible. The airborne/aerosol aspect of Covid transmission means having fresh air in your space helps with ventilation. When we were in France for 3.5 weeks in May we didn’t have housekeeping and didn’t use the A/C (even though it did get a bit warm but we managed with the open windows). We kept our masks on in all indoor spaces and never ate inside anywhere except our room. Yes we were ultra careful but it was worth it to not get sick.

We have always enjoyed the group meals on our RS tours. The social aspect is fun, but when you think about it, if you are sitting at a large table you can only talk to the people right nearby.

At home we look for outdoor/well ventilated dining options. Occasionally we have eaten indoors in restaurants that were not crowded.

I must be looking at the wrong page- I don't see that statement in this week's report. Can you post a link?

Jen - it’s the second bullet point under ‘Pandemic Bumps - Lessons Learned’

It's the 2nd bullet point in the "Pandemic Bumps - Lessons Learned" section of the July 22 On the Road Tour Report.

I must be looking at the wrong page- I don't see that statement in
this week's report. Can you post a link?

Right here...

Weekly Reports: On the Road with Rick Steves Tours

Third section, under "Pandemic Bumps — Lessons Learned," second bullet point, second sentence.

While I appreciate the fact that RS group is attempting to reduce the risk of catching COVID by rethinking indoor dining, it still amazes me that they continue to put people traveling solo in rooms with complete strangers. I know that the only way around this is to require all solo travellers to pay the upcharge for their own room and that this might make the tours too expensive for some, but what is the point of taking other precautions if this big one is being ignored?

I think the RS team is really doing a good job to try to minimize risk for tour members and still run the tours. My husband & I are eyeing the Slovenia/Croatia tour for 2023.

I was in Italy in June for 23 nights traveling solo (& independent), and I moved around a lot. Airing out the hotel room is a good idea. I always toss the outer section of tp, too. I also really liked the Purell single-use squares where it’s opened by bending it in half. That kept me from touching a bottle afterwards or retouching my purses’s zipper when I was using any transportation, in a museum, or getting ready to eat. Just bend it in half, apply to your hands and toss. Another germy item is the hotel keys - especially the ones where the front desk is handing them out each time you go to your room.

I know the crowds are different in the less touristy cities I visited, but I was always able to find an outdoor restaurant table where I felt comfortable eating with some space from anyone else. If you’re having a problem, maybe walk 3-4 blocks away from the touristy section and see if it’s better for you.

Most hotels had timed breakfast or brought a cart to my room. The worst one was the hotel in Venice which we have seen used by RS tours (ran into our former guide with his group one year!). The breakfast room was crowded with a buffet style and coffee community carafes. I ate early and left quickly those three days. Hopefully the current RS tour hotels have some staggered times for breakfast to reduce the risk.

"And to support any traveler who needs to leave the tour because of a positive test, we're dedicating more staff to help these travelers with finding accommodations, changing flights, and dealing with their travel insurance company."

Earlier today I was fretting about the money I was spending on the tour...but this right here...this fantastic level of customer service, is worth every penny!

I'm in Week 6 of an independent trip to Norway and Sweden (so far). I always choose the no-breakfast option when there is one since hotel breakfasts are overpriced everywhere and I know I'll eat more than I should when presented with a breakfast buffet. Unfortunately, I'm often having to pay for breakfast on this trip (much more than usual), so I am eating it. What can I say-- I'm cheap. Thinking back over earlier trips to other countries, I remember a lot of packed breakfast rooms, so I think a avoiding that risk would be quite the challenge unless a breakfast bag was delivered to each traveler's room, which would make for boring breakfasts day after day.

All of my Scandinavian hotel breakfasts have been buffet style, and nearly all the seating areas have been quite crowded. I've taken advantage of outdoor tables when possible, but it usually hasn't been an option. I occasionally see someone who masks until actually ready to eat, but I'm not that disciplined. I do try to eat fast. If/when I catch COVID-19, I won't know whether it happened at breakfast or on one of the many ferries, trains and buses I've taken. I've been almost the only person masked while on public transportation, and of course there have been folks coughing--whether from COVID or something else I have no clue.