Travelling Portsmouth - Santander Mid Dec 2020 Advice?

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zac

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So we are booked to travel to Spain from Portsmouth on Dec 17 on the new Galicia ship, at the present time Spain are requiring a negative covid pcr test which needs to be no older than 72 hours when arriving into Spain. It would be good to hear how others are dealing with this as the boat trip from what I can see is 36 hours (approx), which only really gives a day and a half to get the kit send it off and then get it back. Most places say it takes 24-48 hours which is no good as this would then put us over the time. Also if the boat is delayed that will also mess things up, what are others doing as we are now maybe looking at going the France route although things can change but currently they dont require a covid test if travelling over land.
Of course this is all dependent on how things play out over in Spain and France as well as here so nothing is set in stone, i have a flexi ticket so no issue with moving the date to next year if i have too. I am aware of the current restriction travelling in and out of regions in Spain but my current understanding is that if you have booked somewhere to stay which we have then you can get there.
Thoughts!
 
Hi Zac,

We've moved our ticket from Winter in Spain to Summer in France plus a single next year.

BF have removed the 'Admin Fee' for those cheaper fares where one had to pay up in advance and not allow Amendments and they wouldn't allow us to have a voucher but insisted that we book a future ticket.
You'll have to be equipped with one or two Crystal Balls to guess what they will tell you.
 
do a walk in test at boots the day you leave and receive result by text. Bolti arrived on Sunday and reported nobody checking on arrival
 
TheBig1 said:
do a walk in test at boots the day you leave and receive result by text. Bolti arrived on Sunday and reported nobody checking on arrival
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according to gov website you need a print out or some form of confirmation which has name passport no as min so a text probably wont be enough.
 
TheBig1 said:
do a walk in test at boots the day you leave and receive result by text. Bolti arrived on Sunday and reported nobody checking on arrival
Click to expand...
That test is not accepted in Spain also they don't do it anymore, we have decided to go Portsmouth Caen and drive through no test needed then (y)

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  • Informative
Reactions: zac
TheBig1 said:
do a walk in test at boots the day you leave and receive result by text. Bolti arrived on Sunday and reported nobody checking on arrival
Click to expand...
Spains Test Requirement Starts 23rd November!!!!!
So Bolti arrived the day before:coolest:
 
  • Informative
Reactions: zac
Emmit said:
Hi Zac,

We've moved our ticket from Winter in Spain to Summer in France plus a single next year.

BF have removed the 'Admin Fee' for those cheaper fares where one had to pay up in advance and not allow Amendments and they wouldn't allow us to have a voucher but insisted that we book a future ticket.
You'll have to be equipped with one or two Crystal Balls to guess what they will tell you.
Click to expand...
I have a flexi ticket as i knew it would be touch and go if we were to actually go or not, it was more expensive but it's a trade off. I will have to call them when we get nearer the time as i cant see how most will be travelling with the pcr test in place on this route.
 
Bluemooner said:
That test is not accepted in Spain also they don't do it anymore, we have decided to go Portsmouth Caen and drive through no test needed then (y)
Click to expand...
intersting, so i though all over sea and air require additional tests/restrictions which clearly i have not read correctly. This may have to be our route as well.
 
Definitely ALL a wee bit STRESSSSY:Eeek:
Me and Wifey and the Dog due to sail from Portsmouth to Santander 29th December.
Totally watching and reading everything Covid/travel related........and onward travels through Spain!!
Including Youtube Motorhomers!!!
ifs buts and maybe is what we have.......at the moment!!!
 
zac said:
So we are booked to travel to Spain from Portsmouth on Dec 17 on the new Galicia ship, at the present time Spain are requiring a negative covid pcr test which needs to be no older than 72 hours when arriving into Spain. It would be good to hear how others are dealing with this as the boat trip from what I can see is 36 hours (approx), which only really gives a day and a half to get the kit send it off and then get it back. Most places say it takes 24-48 hours which is no good as this would then put us over the time. Also if the boat is delayed that will also mess things up, what are others doing as we are now maybe looking at going the France route although things can change but currently they dont require a covid test if travelling over land.
Of course this is all dependent on how things play out over in Spain and France as well as here so nothing is set in stone, i have a flexi ticket so no issue with moving the date to next year if i have too. I am aware of the current restriction travelling in and out of regions in Spain but my current understanding is that if you have booked somewhere to stay which we have then you can get there.
Thoughts!
Click to expand...
We were faced with the same problem 2 night crossing and only 72hours from test to get there, resulting in receiving email of results whilst on the boat.
Decided to leave UK a few days sooner to avoid the test.
If we were in the motorhome I would have been happy travelling through France but in the car it would mean staying in hotels on route.
All I can add is if travelling to Spain to cross over to Morocco for the winter make sure there are ferries.
Travelling along the motorway the matrix were flashing saying no boat travel to Africa except for freight.

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I think the Santander crossing will be out as just not enough time to get a test unless it changes before we go which is doubtful. The portsmouth to caen is the most likely route but we would have to go a day earlier which is ok as that gives us more time to travel down rather than rush and do a 12 hour drive on the first day (too much).
 
We are sailing on January 5th to Santander, arriving on the 6th, 3 kings day !!!. I’m not panicking yet, as I’m sure there will be a way of getting the correct tests done. Inshallah.
 
Hotelman said:
We are sailing on January 5th to Santander, arriving on the 6th, 3 kings day !!!. I’m not panicking yet, as I’m sure there will be a way of getting the correct tests done. Inshallah.
Click to expand...
You have a bit more time to wait which is better as they might know what they are doing by then (maybe). I dont think ours is going to change but will hold on for now and pay close attention to both France and Spains announcements. I think France are making an announcement this evening going on another thread here.
 
zac said:
You have a bit more time to wait which is better as they might know what they are doing by then (maybe). I dont think ours is going to change but will hold on for now and pay close attention to both France and Spains announcements. I think France are making an announcement this evening going on another thread here.
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HI Zac, we are amazed that anyone wants to travel during the current situation, however many are, but what if you were unfortunate enough to catch Covid while on a camperstop, you get quite ill, you infect others you have come into contact with, the whole place gets locked down, who looks after your needs, gets your supplies, services the toilet, empties the waste, fills the tank, cares for you, and if you are confined to hospital, who pays for that, Spain has a huge problem serving its own population, all because people want their holiday, we all need to get real here, we have a major problem, we are, as you know, confined to our small municipility, we cannot travel, our motorhome is parked up, but even if we could we wouldn't, we are on the Spanish health system, have a huge circle of friends who would assist us, if needs be, but I wouldn't want to be a tourist, this year.
I understand this is a worse case situation you and others could land themselves in, but just think it through, it could happen, and believe me it did happen in April with motorhomers in Spain, winter visitors who got sick, got ordered off a campsite, unable to drive back to the UK, out of the system, forced to rent a house until recovered enough to drive home, some 4 months later.

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Last edited:
EzeeRider said:
I'm with Jumar, I fail to understand why people find it necessary to ignore reason and FCO advice.
ezee
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If the fco advise not to travel then we won't be travelling. My understanding is this will change after 2 December but if it doesn't we will not be going any where. I won't go against the official advice
 
jumar said:
HI Zac, we are amazed that anyone wants to travel during the current situation, however many are, but what if you were unfortunate enough to catch Covid while on a camperstop, you get quite ill, you infect others you have come into contact with, the whole place gets locked down, who looks after your needs, gets your supplies, services the toilet, empties the waste, fills the tank, cares for you, and if you are confined to hospital, who pays for that, Spain has a huge problem serving its own population, all because people want their holiday, we all need to get real here, we have a major problem, we are, as you know, confined to our small municipility, we cannot travel, our motorhome is parked up, but even if we could we wouldn't, we are on the Spanish health system, have a huge circle of friends who would assist us, if needs be, but I wouldn't want to be a tourist, this year.
I understand this is a worse case situation you and others could land themselves in, but just think it through, it could happen, and believe me it did happen in April with motorhomers in Spain, winter visitors who got sick, got ordered off a campsite, unable to drive back to the UK, out of the system, forced to rent a house until recovered enough to drive home, some 4 months later.
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Hi Jumar
I hope all is well,as mentioned we will not go against the fco advice so if come the time we are due to travel and it's still in place we simply will not be going. There are still 3 weeks approx before we are due to go so a lot can happen in that time.
 
zac said:
Hi Jumar
I hope all is well,as mentioned we will not go against the fco advice so if come the time we are due to travel and it's still in place we simply will not be going. There are still 3 weeks approx before we are due to go so a lot can happen in that time.
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I think you have missed the main content of this post . Regardless of the U.K. government advice it is the impact you may have on the country you are visiting should you get ill and the fact that the residents of that country themselves are locked down in their own areas . This is for a reason being for safety . Think how you would feel if you were in a ‘real’ lockdown in the U.K. as we are here in France with hospitals under pressure and people from other countries think it is acceptable to arrive to have their holidays .
I think jumar has summed it up pretty well . Do come back and see us when things are more normal .
 
spitfire said:
I think you have missed the main content of this post . Regardless of the U.K. government advice it is the impact you may have on the country you are visiting should you get ill and the fact that the residents of that country themselves are locked down in their own areas . This is for a reason being for safety . Think how you would feel if you were in a ‘real’ lockdown in the U.K. as we are here in France with hospitals under pressure and people from other countries think it is acceptable to arrive to have their holidays .
I think jumar has summed it up pretty well . Do come back and see us when things are more normal .
Click to expand...
I have not missed the context of the post, and I have already said I won't be travelling IF they advise not too. The UK government have already said they want to get people travelling again but if Spain won't allow it then we wont be going.

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Last edited:
zac said:
So we are booked to travel to Spain from Portsmouth on Dec 17 on the new Galicia ship, at the present time Spain are requiring a negative covid pcr test which needs to be no older than 72 hours when arriving into Spain. It would be good to hear how others are dealing with this as the boat trip from what I can see is 36 hours (approx), which only really gives a day and a half to get the kit send it off and then get it back. Most places say it takes 24-48 hours which is no good as this would then put us over the time. Also if the boat is delayed that will also mess things up, what are others doing as we are now maybe looking at going the France route although things can change but currently they dont require a covid test if travelling over land.
Of course this is all dependent on how things play out over in Spain and France as well as here so nothing is set in stone, i have a flexi ticket so no issue with moving the date to next year if i have too. I am aware of the current restriction travelling in and out of regions in Spain but my current understanding is that if you have booked somewhere to stay which we have then you can get there.
Thoughts!
Click to expand...
Deleted
 
Am I correct in my understanding that the french president mr macron is only opening shops up and not allowing travel between regions ?
 
Mr porky said:
Am I correct in my understanding that the french president mr macron is only opening shops up and not allowing travel between regions ?
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You can travel into another region if the shops are nearer than the ones in your own region . People have had their fines reimbursed for that reason . We need a job done urgently on our van a crack has appeared and opened up in the lanterneau above the windscreen which in its self isn’t too bad but it has opened up because if the frost so rain will get in but concessionaire is just over 100 km away and don’t think that is allowed .
 
spitfire said:
You can travel into another region if the shops are nearer than the ones in your own region . People have had their fines reimbursed for that reason . We need a job done urgently on our van a crack has appeared and opened up in the lanterneau above the windscreen which in its self isn’t too bad but it has opened up because if the frost so rain will get in but concessionaire is just over 100 km away and don’t think that is allowed .
Click to expand...
Just seen that the restrictions for travel between regions is getting lifted on the 15th dec.
 
Mr porky said:
Just seen that the restrictions for travel between regions is getting lifted on the 15th dec.
Click to expand...
Only if the numbers of infections are below 5,000 and also ICU figures are down

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