Have you all booked your ferries?

[mickymost]

We are the same, eurotunnel have now changed ours to a voucher to be used up within the next two years

Maybe this shows that going anywhere this year abroad does seem very unlikely (just saying) and Europe has made one big Cock Up with its vaccination programme so I think more Covid Spikes in Europe likely sadly (but hope im proved wrong)

 

[QFour]

We've been booked since last year, just keep changing the dates

Same here. P&O Booked for same date this year as last year. Campsite in Spain did the same. We have our fingers crossed for end of August. If it doesn’t happen we have booked some site in the Uk just in case.

 

[Pedalman]

I know, but it'll be a green light for some. You can almost feel the tension, should I book, should I wait.

If you can afford to lose some money book it now. I personally can't see the point of booking now because even if there is a stampede there will still be plenty of places on ferries.

 

[Val54]

I'm not sure what sort of welcome we'd get, France is not coping well, one of our favourite destinations, Il de Re, closed itself off from all but residents. Apparently Parisiens have flocked there over the last few weeks forcing the medics to reopen the intensive care unit at St Martin due to a new surge in cases. Supermarkets have long queues and tempers are running high ..............

 

[witzend]

Talking to Rec (Ruth) last night and the Portuguese are still most welcoming

Portugal has passed a law forcing us to only use motorhome approved stopovers so forcing us to park within a few feet of someone else when we are recommended to allow space. We'll need to see how strictly they enforce this Law before we can comment on how welcoming they are to motorhomes. Just as here the tourist industry will welcome tourist £'s but what about the locals who have lost Family and friends to Covid

 

[witzend]

For clarity about the post you quoted, I was not referring to MH's but referring to the welcome British people may receive

Here's a Quote from one of the links you posted so I don't see everyone welcoming visitors where ever they come from and it's very similar to whats being said by the locals here in Cornwall.

Parts of Europe are experiencing a new wave of infections.
For crying out loud lets get our own house in order before we open the floodgates of tourists.
We know there are fake test results,We know there maybe fake vaccination papers.
We should not to let tourists in until the system is watertight.We should not let tourist in until the Portuguese population has been vaccinated.

 

[REC]

Portugal has passed a law forcing us to only use motorhome approved stopovers so forcing us to park within a few feet of someone else when we are recommended to allow space. We'll need to see how strictly they enforce this Law before we can comment on how welcoming they are to motorhomes. Just as here the tourist industry will welcome tourist £'s but what about the locals who have lost Family and friends to Covid

I don't think the Portuguese law states that motorhomes have to be within a few feet of each other on sites. Surely that is up to the individual...if a site is crowded, don't stop there? Many of the sites in this area are big fields and parking is well away from each other. The Portuguese people generally are welcoming to British, obviously the tourist industry is a different body. Maybe in tourist hotspots it is different, but if the same care is taken as in UK regarding space and hygeine, I think you are being a tad negative. After all, houses are pretty close together in many areas but people manage to keep distant. I do know someone who is fulltiming in portugal, they are currently in one corner of a massive field, and one in the other corner. No problems with locals as they follow all the current rules......possibly more than some of the local population!

 

[witzend]

I don't think the Portuguese law states that motorhomes have to be within a few feet of each other on sites. Surely that is up to the individual...if a site is crowded, don't stop there?

No it doesn't But after wintering there for the last 8 yrs all the aires I've seen in Portugal on the Algarve your parked with a few feet between you and now they'll only get worse with the law forcing people to use them. After the first couple of years when we noticed it getting much busier we now only spend a week either side of Xmas on the Algarve Spending the rest of our stay around the Barragems which now the law seems to have stopped if enforced

 

[vindiboy]

We just phone the CCC a couple of days before we travel for our ferry bookings , works for us ?

 

[witzend]

Some of the Barragems have designated Motorhome parking

Thats OK then if you think they'll Not be jam packed with all the vans from the unauthorised spots

 

[REC]

There are a lot of designated motorhome parking spaces in towns in central Portugal where I have never seen a vehicle parked. Maybe we will have to look a little harder, and be a little more willing to go inland. The homes on the Algarve "wild camping" in big groups have spoiled it for others. However, I still think/ am sure that the odd overnight in a discreet place will be tolerated....just not in the high tourist spots. Quite honestly most people who park up fairly late afternoon, and leave in the morning will not have a problem.
Lately have seen a few places in Portugal who charge on a " pay what you can afford basis" which is a great concept.

 

[Wully]

Probably me pushing all the ferry prices up. They use a booking system on computers to know how many people are looking at different ferry crossings and push the prices up every time some one looks just like airlines. I’ve probably nae intentions of going this year but get bored and run some mock bookings too see what’s happening to prices. One return trip in July to Holland from Newcastle was coming out at just shy of £1700. I could get a two week cruise for that.

 

[Biggarmac]

We just phone the CCC a couple of days before we travel for our ferry bookings , works for us ?

Good luck with that. CCC have disbanded their overseas travel section. If you manage to get to speak to someone with any knowledge you will be doing well. Friends of mine who are abroad have been having difficulty getting ferries sorted out when BF have changed the sailings. Booked through CCC who are doing an impression of a chocolate fireguard.