All inclusive trips, most relaxed rules?

From what I've seen Cuba, DR and Mexico require no test before arrival if fully vaccinated. Cuba has the cheapest at hotel PCR test for return at $40 USD.

superscoots wrote: ↑ Which Caribbean country has the most relaxed travel rules at the moment?

If I go I'd want safety foremost. Relaxed rules can lead to more infections. Cuba currently has a surge of infections, so with their relaxed rules I wouldn't go.

superscoots wrote: ↑ Which Caribbean country has the most relaxed travel rules at the moment?

Mexico, no rules at all basically.

you're only able to skip the PCR test to go into cuba if you book one of the all inclusives and Cuba still makes you stay in your resort area (eg if you goto varadero, you won't be able to goto havana)

but there's downsides of no/little rules and remember even if fully vaxed, you goto one of these places with high covid rates and you catch it and have no/mild symptomns, you won't be able to come back and it may take a while to get a negative PCR test long after symptoms are gone

For anyone who has gone to one of these countries that don't require a covid test to enter (Mexico, Dominican Rep, Cuba) and flying with Air Canada, did Air Canada force you to present a covid test at the departure airport? It doesn't seem like it's needed but the online resources are poorly written and confusing. Likely purposely done, in order to deter people from taking any sort of vacation.

If anyone has gone in June or preferably July of 2021, please let me know. THX

Was looking to do a last minute to Cuba as prices for all inclusive to Varadero is dirt cheap right now but looking at their recent COVID surge yikes.

There’s protests happening all over Cuba which is leading to the increase. I wouldn’t bother going to Cuba right now

StatsGuy wrote: ↑ Mexico, no rules at all basically.

you're only able to skip the PCR test to go into cuba if you book one of the all inclusives and Cuba still makes you stay in your resort area (eg if you goto varadero, you won't be able to goto havana)

but there's downsides of no/little rules and remember even if fully vaxed, you goto one of these places with high covid rates and you catch it and have no/mild symptomns, you won't be able to come back and it may take a while to get a negative PCR test long after symptoms are gone

I'm fully vaxxed but I am not worried about going anywhere in the world at this point. We are gonna be in the same boat in 3-6 months whether I go or not

superscoots wrote: ↑ I'm fully vaxxed but I am not worried about going anywhere in the world at this point. We are gonna be in the same boat in 3-6 months whether I go or not

I was just pointing out even fully vaxed, you need to test negative to fly back.

So if you goto a destination with high covid19 transmission, say Mexico and catch it, even if you have no symptoms, you won't be able to fly back if you test positive. So just something to keep in mind even if fully vaxed, so there's advantage to going to a place with lower covid19 cases still

I'm not concerned much about serious symptoms if I catch covid19 as I'm fully vaxed, but I've read of quite a few people who have no/mild symptoms after catching it and not able to come back and stuck out of country for weeks or longer since it can take a while to test negative which is required to fly back and can't even fly to the US and drive back either since US also require negative test

StatsGuy wrote: ↑ I was just pointing out even fully vaxed, you need to test negative to fly back.

So if you goto a destination with high covid19 transmission, say Mexico and catch it, even if you have no symptoms, you won't be able to fly back if you test positive. So just something to keep in mind even if fully vaxed, so there's advantage to going to a place with lower covid19 cases still

Yes, it is important to appreciate that, as with Canada, covid rates within a country like Mexico can vary tremendously. One “destination” may have very high rates while another “destination” may have low rates.

superscoots wrote: ↑ I'm fully vaxxed but I am not worried about going anywhere in the world at this point. We are gonna be in the same boat in 3-6 months whether I go or not

You should make sure you read the fine details in your travel insurance policy for exclusions due to COVID as well if you end up in a hospital.

webworm wrote: ↑ You should make sure you read the fine details in your travel insurance policy for exclusions due to COVID as well if you end up in a hospital.

Or not even, will insurance cover trip interruption if test positive even asymptomatic and can't come back so need to stay until they test negative and incur hotel costs and away from work etc

The purpose of insurance is to provide affordable protection against catastrophic loss. It is not to provide cost coverage for every possible loss.

“Insurance” for the latter becomes prohibitively expensive. Look at the options to buy “insurance” on a $50 electronics item at $25 for two years of protection. The risk of failure over two years is low, the cost of such loss would not be catastrophic, and the out-of-pocket expense of protection against the risk is high. That is not good insurance.

With regard to travel insurance, make your assessment of what would be a catastrophic loss and what you think the probability is.

Being fully vaccinated reduces not only the risk of illness, but also of infection resulting in a positive covid test.

CDC Real-World Study Confirms Protective Benefits of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

The study demonstrates that these two mRNA vaccines can reduce the risk of all SARS-CoV-2 infections, not just symptomatic infections.

So the risk of a positive test is reduced.

What is the potential “loss”? Two weeks of wage loss enjoying two more weeks of the vacation experience you already wanted while being asymptomatic? That sounds to me like non-catastrophic “loss”. In fact, lots of people would welcome the opportunity to extend vacation, even if unpaid, by two weeks.

It’s not like an employer is going to fire an ill worker over a two week absence. No reasonable employer woukd want the cost or adverse publicity of the human rights complaint.

StatsGuy wrote: ↑ I was just pointing out even fully vaxed, you need to test negative to fly back.

So if you goto a destination with high covid19 transmission, say Mexico and catch it, even if you have no symptoms, you won't be able to fly back if you test positive. So just something to keep in mind even if fully vaxed, so there's advantage to going to a place with lower covid19 cases still

I'm not concerned much about serious symptoms if I catch covid19 as I'm fully vaxed, but I've read of quite a few people who have no/mild symptoms after catching it and not able to come back and stuck out of country for weeks or longer since it can take a while to test negative which is required to fly back and can't even fly to the US and drive back either since US also require negative test

lol I saw this exact thing trending on social media. Person posted her parents (Americans) on vacation in Mexico tested positive for covid pre-flight home and now have to stay inside hotel room quarantined until they don't test positive. So they can't even enjoy the resort

So OP: make sure to spring for a balcony room with view just in case.

d_source wrote: ↑ For anyone who has gone to one of these countries that don't require a covid test to enter (Mexico, Dominican Rep, Cuba) and flying with Air Canada, did Air Canada force you to present a covid test at the departure airport? It doesn't seem like it's needed but the online resources are poorly written and confusing. Likely purposely done, in order to deter people from taking any sort of vacation.

If anyone has gone in June or preferably July of 2021, please let me know. THX

I told you in the other thread. Flew down to Cancun on 11th. Back on 16th on Air Canada. Nothing required at all flying down. Just standard flights. On the way back you get checked several times before leaving Mexico and in Toronto for your PCR test and your Vax certificates.

niche54 wrote: ↑ lol I saw this exact thing trending on social media. Person posted her parents (Americans) on vacation in Mexico tested positive for covid pre-flight home and now have to stay inside hotel room quarantined until they don't test positive. So they can't even enjoy the resort

The hotel/resort I was at will put you up for 14 days if you test positive while there. But being confined to your room for 14days will not be fun. They feed you. But no alcohol.

Haps13 wrote: ↑ I told you in the other thread. Flew down to Cancun on 11th. Back on 16th on Air Canada. Nothing required at all flying down. Just standard flights. On the way back you get checked several times before leaving Mexico and in Toronto for your PCR test and your Vax certificates.

Yes, and thank you. I have 1 person who also told me that they did show a negative pcr test at the aitport so I wanted to see what other people's experiences have been. I just don't want any issues once I get to the airport without a test.

d_source wrote: ↑ Yes, and thank you. I have 1 person who also told me that they did show a negative pcr test at the aitport so I wanted to see what other people's experiences have been. I just don't want any issues once I get to the airport without a test.

Requirements change. They can change rapidly.

When I fly in October, I plan to be checking with authorities, like the airline and the consulate websites, daily before my flight.

Haps13 wrote: ↑ The hotel/resort I was at will put you up for 14 days if you test positive while there. But being confined to your room for 14days will not be fun. They feed you. But no alcohol.

Which resort was it?

And who pays for the extra days in the hotel? Was it from the travel insurance that one needs to buy separately, or included with the package?

Really selfish for entitled tourists to go to another country with 'lax' rules without regard for how they're dealing with the pandemic, including not having enough vaccinations or medical equipment, worsening the problem for these countries ...beyond selfish.