Italy Closed to Tourism in 2020?

[billyu]

Looks like Italy is done for the year.

 

https://nation.com.pk/26-Apr-2020/italy-to-remain-closed-for-tourism-until-end-of-year

[Gershep]

I think more countries will follow.

[Turtles06]

It's sad, but not surprising.   

 

We're booked on a TA out of Civitavecchia in late October; for quite some time now, I have not thought that cruise would happen.

[deniseatnycs]

Living for the past 16 years in mainland Spain, and under very severe hard lockdown since March 13th,  I honestly cannot see our Prime Minister allowing any Spanish Port opening to welcome cruise ships, or the Spanish population although in the main, reliant on Tourism accepting such a move.

We are booked on the T/A out of Barcelona end of November this year,  the 1st leg of three NCL cruises that ended in January 2021.  Being realistic we are expecting to be spending the festive season in Spain.  

Happy to wait until the end of 2021 as long as those we love, and those who are taking card of us all  get through this.

[casofilia]

I can see that cruise lines are soon going to have to decide a realistic time to start cruising again especially if other countries join Italy (and Spain).   That would logically start with NO Cruising in the med till spring 2021.

 

The present cancellation policy goes till Sep 30 but what is going to happen after that?

 

The normal Final Payment Dates and Cancellation costs dates for cruises after that are not too far away so when will decisions be made.

 

We are looking at cruises over the Christmas/New Year period and want to know the financial positions.

[mking8288]

1 hour ago, Gershep said:

I think more countries will follow.

 

It is rather reasonable at this phrase, to conclude that Asia cruises in 2020 for cruising are out of the question.  Japan's health care system is about to get overwhelmed and in spite of what we see, they aren't geared up for WFH and the spike in cases are from mainly from community infection, some of it to can be attributed to those returning from cruising and/or traveling abroad, and remained asymptomatic and undetected.  

 

Singapore is trying to stay on top of their second wave of infections already and their borders are basically closed.  Recalling freshly rested crew members that are willing, able/medically cleared, fit and ready to report for duty, especially on short notice, isn't going to be that simple or easy, assuming that they can fly all charter flights from key airline hubs and/or gateway cities. 

 

Last but not least, I would not under-estimate a global disruption to the food supply chains, which can adversely impact the cruiseline's vendors. 

 

 

[david_sobe]

Surprised?
I have 2 Argentines living with me who are Covid-19 negative yet their government does not want them and thousands more.  If countries are denying their own citizens why in the world would they accept tourists from other countries?

[Comi.uy]

Dang well hope they do open before that, with the FCC one of the cruises we booked does Italy in November...

[okpaddy]

This is sad, but not unexpected. I am supposed to be in Florence now for a week of wonderful meals and museums. My B2B  retirement cruise was scheduled out of Rome on May first. That has obviously been cancelled, and I feel awful for the suffering in Italy, and throughout the rest of the world. 

Please stay safe and use good judgement wherever you maybe weathering this storm. 

Jim 

[TrumpyNor]

15 hours ago, billyu said:

Looks like Italy is done for the year.

 

https://nation.com.pk/26-Apr-2020/italy-to-remain-closed-for-tourism-until-end-of-year

 

I live in Europe myself, and it is very likely that ALL of Western Europe will be closed for tourists from abroad (both cruise tourism and regular land vacation tourism) for the rest of the year. At least that is the signals given from authorities in many countries aroud Europe, allthough the decisions have not officially been announced yet it will come...

Edited April 27, 2020 by TrumpyNor

[hamrag]

10 hours ago, casofilia said:

.....NO Cruising in the med till spring 2021.....

 

I would alter that prediction to include all of Europe, sadly!

[onetimearoundtheworld]

My guess is Italys governing coalition will not survive restrictions that impact business and economy until the end of this year. At some time Europe will run out of money to cover up the social dislocations. In other central european countries there are already frequent rallies against the restrictions, granted mostly idiots taking part at the moment, but people are fed up with it. There is no way countries will be able to keep it up for several months. Before a second wave of general lockdowns the solidarity in the society will disappear and the restrictions will solely be focused around at-risk groups, as most believe they are not part of it anyway, and thousands of deaths will rather get accepted than the impact of a severing economic crisis.

[CruiseMH]

I think most countries will try to open the tourism section for their own citzens as early as possible to help the tourism industry to survive.

Each country tries to fight the virus back as good  as possible and as long as all borders remain closed there will be no more covid cases coming from outside the country. So once the number of actual infected is low enough they will open the tourism for their own citizens.

But i think no country will open its borders for tourists from foreign countries within this year.

 

[z4oslo]

Seems like EU is planning for some tourism in 2020

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/26/greece-preparing-new-tourism-rules-in-wake-of-coronavirus

 

[ukbecky]

This is only the 4th month of the year.

 

As each country opens up within its own borders, the virus will spread - an unfortunate fact. 

 

But as it spreads throughout the local population, some kind of equilibrium will eventually be reached. As fast as this thing moves, it shouldn't take long for nearly all locals to have been exposed. And at that point, I see an opening for tourism. Too many businesses, and entire areas, depend on it - Seriously, what is Nassau doing? Or Santorini? Income from tourism feeds their families. The big cities can labor on, without tourism. But not everyone lives and works in Rome, Paris and Madrid.

 

As for another lockdown when(not if) the spread resumes and grows? Locking people in their homes keeps everyone safe, no doubt about it.

It's also unrealistic, unsustainable, expensive, highly disruptive and prolongs the inevitable.

More likely that the high-risk will be encouraged to stay safe and at home.

[spanishguy1970]

well is good to know. We are or were on the NCL Jade from Rome to New York this coming October 31st.

[mking8288]

On 4/27/2020 at 12:52 PM, ukbecky said:

... More likely that the high-risk will be encouraged to stay safe and at home.

 

Agreed.  How about exceptions ??  The medical professional on the frontline, sadly, do NOT have a choice to stay safe & home.  The human tolls, more specifically, the mental health trauma inflicted here in America, and PTSD will continue in the years to come.  While saving other's lives with what they had, they themselves were exposed to this highly infectious virus and fell ill, most recovered but quite a few in their prime years died as a direct result.  Dr. Breen, MD - Medical Director at NYP Allen Hospital's ED in Manhattan (NY, NY) age 49 years young, recovered after being exposed to C19 and rush back to stand alongside her colleague on the frontline again ... and tragically, overwhelmed and gave up.  RIP - she is safe in her new eternal home now.  Imagine when the next wave strike, that all the high risk folks choose to stay home and stay safe.  Will it happen or not, we hope not - but if and when, don't be surprised.  Afterall, EMT/paramedics have standing orders from the regional health council, to not attempt CPR if they come upon a cardiac arrest, just let it flatline and call it (10-83) - notify PD for paperwork & move on.  The last responder will take over.  

 

Dr. Breen's story made it on Medscape a few hours ago and it's been all over the news.  

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/929612

 

Tourism will, eventually, and, has to come back.  Alas, cruising will too - it should.  One thing for certain - it will not be business as usual or status quo as as we have yet to figure out the new normal.  Like others here on CC, we enjoyed cruising and has been doing that for 30 years - plenty corners of the world that we haven't been to and seen.  But ... 

[steamboats]

Seems that even Italian media is regarding this as a rumor spread by foreign media

 

https://www.iltempo.it/news-adn-kronos/2020/04/28/news/coronavirus-fdi-franceschini-smentisca-chiusura-confini-fino-a-dicembre-1321169/

 

steamboats

[ukbecky]

5 hours ago, steamboats said:

Seems that even Italian media is regarding this as a rumor spread by foreign media

 

https://www.iltempo.it/news-adn-kronos/2020/04/28/news/coronavirus-fdi-franceschini-smentisca-chiusura-confini-fino-a-dicembre-1321169/

 

steamboats

 

 

So glad to see this. Even if my cruise ending in Rome is a no-go in October, I'd still like to do a land vacation this fall.

[deniseatnycs]

Its the same here in Mainland Spain the press especially the ex pat free papers are making it up as they go along.

Fantastic news for us though after a very tough lockdown since March 13th we can go for a walk from Saturday and for the future plans.

 

 

Day 47 on Spanish Lockdown. Only 4 days until we can go out for a walk. Only 11 days until lockdown is over. Or is it? Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he planned to ask parliament for a fourth 15-day extension of the lockdown after the current one ends on May 10Here is the News we have all been waiting for. This will happen only if the CV19 figures keep going down. The Government hopes to finish all the de-escalation plan by the end of June 2020 Phase zero begins now, with individual attention and by appointment in shops Madrid – reported by El Pais newspaper APR 29, 2020 - 00:27 CEST Spain has chosen a different path from that of other European partners such as France or Italy. The Spanish program for de-escalation, which is officially called the "plan for the transition to a new normality", will not finally have precise dates for the reopening of shops, beaches or bars, as happens in other nearby countries. But it does have a very important one: the Executive wants to have all the de-escalation completed in eight weeks, at the end of June, according to the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez. The Government hopes to reach the “new normal” then, this is with limitations due to the presence of the virus, but this would save the summer, a fundamental moment in a country where tourism occupies 12% of GDP. By July, when the peak of the season begins, if the evolution of the epidemic allows it, the de-escalation would be over, although the Executive has not yet given dates for the reopening of borders, something that will have to be agreed with the European partners. After four weeks of intense work in the midst of enormous secrecy, the Government has presented this Tuesday its formula, very different from that of its partners, based on a scheme of four phases: 0, 1, 2 and 3, and without dates concrete for each step. The four phases of confinement "The de-escalation will be gradual, asymmetric and coordinated. We are going to do it in phases, the unit will be the province or the island, there will be no mobility between provinces or islands ”, Sánchez summarized when explaining the plan at a press conference. The idea, therefore, is to gradually recover movement but without moving between provinces ie, no going shopping in Murcia and visa versa until the de-escalation ends at the end of June. The only movement that will be allowed would be to go to work from one province to another, as it happens now, and for some extraordinary situations such as a funeral, the president explained. What citizens will NOT be able to do, Sánchez has expressly clarified, is go to their second homes if they are in another province until the de-escalation ends, this is at the end of June. The intention is thus to prevent the virus from moving from the most affected territories, such as Madrid and Barcelona, to others less touched on the coasts and recreation areas. The government has been tweaking the plan until the last moment in a long meeting of the Council of Ministers, which has caused a further delay in Sánchez's appearance. Four phases: 0 to 3 in eight weeks Phase 0 has already started and with it come certain openings. Throughout this phase, businesses will be able to start operating by appointment and always complying with security measures and social distance, although the Government has not clarified the specific date of this start. The president gave the example of restaurants, which although they will not be able to open their doors to the public yet, they will be able to provide takeaways. Government sources add others: gyms or hairdressers by appointment and individual attention. In BARS, the first thing that will be opened will be the terraces with capacity reductions of 30%. It will be in phase 1, which will arrive on May 10 to all the provinces that meet the epidemiological criteria, whose specific figures (such as cases per 100,000 inhabitants) have not yet been finalized. During this phase, in the reopening of premises, there will be special hours for the most sensitive population such as the elderly. In phase 2, for example, premises with guarantees of separation would be opened. The school years will not resume until September but in phase 2 some centers may be reopened for recoveries, selectivity or help for parents of children under six who have to go to work. Everything is detailed in the Government text. Thus, in matters of culture, a particularly sensitive question. Like any other business, bookstores could attend by appointment now, but we will have to wait for phase 1 to open its doors. A series of markers is established to move from one to the other, but decisions will be made in coordination between the Government and the autonomous regions and will be reviewed every two weeks. Sánchez made it very clear that there will be coordination and objective criteria, with markers that will be made public, but it will be the Ministry of Health who decides the pace of the de-escalation in each province, and not the autonomous communities, despite the fact that some of them claim to take these decisions. "If we have to choose between prudence and risk, we will choose prudence," Sánchez said as a warning. "We are going without a GPS, this plan is flexible, we can lose what we have achieved, the virus is still there, lurking, until we have a vaccine, and time is running out. We have to fight impatience, "he insisted. The starting gun will come with the walks of the adults this weekend May the 2nd, although the details of these outings have not yet been finalized, something that will soon make a ministerial order. From there, the next steps will be much more complex. This is the plan so far. Updates will follow on a daily basis.

Edited April 29, 2020 by deniseatnycs

[Markanddonna]

One thing we are forgetting is that many countries will deny citizens of certain countries permission to enter their borders. If Italy or Greece open their borders to most of the world, it matters little to most of us on this board if they restrict Americans or UK citizens from entering their countries.

 

In my state, many of our cases are from prisons and nursing homes, but it is hard to get any official count that breaks down the numbers for sensible analysis. There is no standard for all these numbers throughout the world and some countries are vastly under reported.  India, for example, has low numbers, but only count hospital deaths, not those at home.  80% of their deaths take place at home.

[skeetns]

Just saw this article that claims the news of the border being closed to tourists until  2021 is not correct.

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20200429/no-italy-has-not-closed-the-borders-to-tourists-until-2021

 

We have a sailing on the Dawn booked for this December .

Going to wait a bit longer and decide closer to final payment if we are going to actually take the trip.

[kwokpot]

45 minutes ago, skeetns said:

Just saw this article that claims the news of the border being closed to tourists until  2021 is not correct.

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20200429/no-italy-has-not-closed-the-borders-to-tourists-until-2021

 

We have a sailing on the Dawn booked for this December .

Going to wait a bit longer and decide closer to final payment if we are going to actually take the trip.

There's no benefit for you to cancel now since you'll only have the option of FCC. If you haven't made air reservations yet I would hold off though. If you have, I would just sit tight and monitor how things are going.

Our case is more cut and dry. We're on the Getaway in early July for a Greek Islands cruise. That will definitely be cancelled. Just waiting for them to do it.

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, skeetns said:

We have a sailing on the Dawn booked for this December .

Going to wait a bit longer and decide closer to final payment if we are going to actually take the trip.

 

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

There's no benefit for you to cancel now since you'll only have the option of FCC. 

???  The benefit of canceling now is that skeetns would be entitled to the refund of her deposit and anything else they may have paid NCL. Not sure why you say they’d get FCC. 

[kwokpot]

4 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

???  The benefit of canceling now is that skeetns would be entitled to the refund of her deposit and anything else they may have paid NCL. Not sure why you say they’d get FCC. 

You are correct. My mistake. I forgot about the cancellation penalty schedule for cruise dates that far in advance.