Eiffel Tower in Spring

I’M SINGING FROM THE ROOFTOPS

Travel and Leisure Magazine says April in Paris must be perfect — there’s even a movie (“April in Paris,” 1952) and a song about it. Museums, hotels, and restaurants are anticipating the travel season, and it’s time to enjoy the iconic European city.

At the end of March, I depart for France to escort a group of travelers on a river cruise in Bordeaux. What are the restrictions for entry into France? We partner with a business called Sherpa. It’s a guide for getting the right travel documentation and understanding up-to-date travel requirements. I was so excited to discover fully vaccinated travelers to France can forgo the Covid-19 test. Of course, that could change before we depart in a few weeks, but for now this is the guideline. That is why I’m singing from the rooftops.

Some of the other countries that allow fully vaccinated tourists in their countries without having to take the Covid-19 test are the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Italy, Croatia and Norway.

My hope is that the Netherlands will soon lift the Covid test requirement. That’s because I’m escorting another group of travelers after my Bordeaux cruise. 

I’ll meet this group in Amsterdam. After a two-night stay in Amsterdam we are going on a 7-night Rhine river cruise and then spending a week in Switzerland. At this writing, Amsterdam allows vaccinated visitors from the US provided they have a negative test result from the previous 48 hours for a P.C.R. test or an antigen test from the previous 24 hours. A paper vaccination certificate must be shown, and a health declaration must be completed. A booster is required.

That brings us to the testing requirement to come back into the United States. I’m really hoping that a test requirement will be removed prior to our return trip at the end of April. Right now, the United States requires returning Americans to provide negative tests taken within one day of departure. If it’s still a requirement, of course I will make arrangements for my group to take the test prior to flying home. I was in a meeting with the President of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). He said they are working hard to get that testing requirement removed. Fingers crossed we don’t have to go through that.

Are we really starting to get back to some type of normal? Then I’ll be SHOUTING from the rooftops!

Feature image of the Eiffel Tower in Paris with Spring tulips courtesy of Bigstock.

Article first appeared on Cruise & Travel Specialists.