Coronavirus and Greece

[sailaboutvic]

Greece is open to certain countries, but it is very far from 'business as usual'. You most certainly do have to report to the harbour authorities at your port of entry and conform with the regulations that are in place. They are designed to protect the Greek people.

If by 'doing what you think is best' you mean ignoring the rules and doing as you please then I hope you have deep pockets. The fines are huge, potentially €5000 per person on board.

Thanks for your input Tony , just to say we not in Greece and wouldn't touch Greece unless we really had to after the tax they imposed on boats over 12 mts , but if I was In Greece knowing every thing I know about Greece I would have done what I said , once Greece get there house in order and info people what they have to do to enter legally and impose that rule all over then maybe people will obey it , the PLF which people are asking to fill are being binned in PP office 5 casesthat I know of as NA that acrounding to PP Britishyacht are being told in two harbour there ban , other have been given a Heath from to fill and then not offered a copy and four I personally know off been turn away and told they only got to pay the online tax . As ususal a totally F up .
We have now cross three countrieswithout any problems .

What's going to happen next year with the TL and having to check in and out of every port , god knows . You really thing people are going to do that , it's going bad to the good old days .

 

[ITH]

Thanks tho I not sure I would agree with that advice ,
As I see it Greece is open to set countries , so it's business as usual,
But the tax , and off you go as there no need to buy a TL till Jan next year , only other requirements is to keep a record of people tempersure,
we have friends at the moment on the way , like many other are a bit worried on what they reading on sailing site, one island refusing British boat entry but that's not unusual for Greece ,
I think why so many people are having problem is they taken the gov advise and by doing so making it worst for them self .
But hey one has to do what they think best .

Daily update from GOV.UK.
Greece – travel advice
Greece travel advice
Change made
From 4 July, Greece is exempt from the FCO advice against all non-essential international travel. This is based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.
Time updated
3:19pm, 3 July 2020

 

[sailaboutvic]

.
Daily update from GOV.UK.
Greece – travel advice
Greece travel advice
Change made
From 4 July, Greece is exempt from the FCO advice against all non-essential international travel. This is based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.
Time updated
3:19pm, 3 July 2020
[/QUOTE]
thats only for people coming in from the UK on plane and ships , the PLF form are not recognise by the PP when it comes to yacht especially yacht from other parts of Europe.
what a few people have Been given is a Heath form basically saying You have no symptoms and they take it off them , Three cases we know have asked for copy and been told they don't need them . Other 6 in all have been turned away from the PPa and told as long as they payed on line there free to go ,
but many more have had all sorted of problem and not just British , nothing unusual for Greece .

What really get my goat is visiting yachtsmen from all over who have the right to enter Greece are been hassled while Greeks one in Crete is being advertised by no less then 6 people now on SM as Mr fix it and clearing yacht from Turkey , nice little earner .

I'm not suggesting anyone should do what I would do that's my choice , but by what being written as well as cruisers we in contract with it seen most are doing just that .

Really really can anyone say there's seen que of people standing out side any PP office .

 

[sailaboutvic]

To day another Dutch friend turned up at the PP office in Preveza town and he was ask to show his payment for tax and told there was nothing else he needed to do .
Where a few days ago another friend German at the same PP office. Was told he had to fill in a Heath form NOT PLF that people keep talking about then told he could go .
Mix messages from the same PP office and one that have experience dealing with many cruisers.

 

[BurnitBlue]

I am taking a gamble that flights from Sweden will be allowed in so I booked with Ryanair for Aug 6th. I was a bit concerned about the plf form because Ryanair will not allow boarding without it. I downloaded the plf form in pdf format to have a look at the questions. Typical ambiguity with the wording of the questions. Went on to the web site "keeptalking greece" to read the comment section. Over a hundred complaints about the form which make it look familiar to those of us who wrestled with tax thing. Bit of a laugh really because most of the posters were gobsmacked by the utter incompetance of the folk who wrote the code for the form. One good thing that I got from the reading is that the airlines and ferries will accept just the confirmation form if the bar code is not recieved. Apparantly, the Embassy in Prague says that three full planes took off for Greece where nobody aboard had recieved the bar code. All passengers had to be tested on arrival.

Why does Greece open themselves up to such ridicule. Does no-one actually test the thing by pretending to be a tourist? Nip over to "keeptalkinggreece" for a good laugh. Actually not funny if your flight is in a few days.

 

[Davy_S]

A flight arrived from Sweden to Rhodes, they are not happy!
Flight From Sweden Lands In Rhodes Despite Ban - Greek City Times

 

[wwalsh]

Greece bars Serbian tourists
Greece bars Serb tourists | Kathimerini

 

[sailaboutvic]

A flight arrived from Sweden to Rhodes, they are not happy!
Flight From Sweden Lands In Rhodes Despite Ban - Greek City Times

This is what makes Greece a country where if your know the right people any thing possible.
Another day sa e airline from the sa e country will be turned away

 

[BurnitBlue]

Nobody in Sweden is surprised. It is fear by the governments about the riots that will ensue when their populations realise that Sweden will have done better (in the long run) than those governments that imprisoned their innocent populations while releasing the criminals from the prisons. It is a practical example of virtue signalling while laying the groundwork for later excuses.

The present charade reminds me of the "goose" observation. When the rain is pooring down the goose goes under the roof. Then when the goose loks up ir thinks it has stopped raining so goes out again. And so it goes. Not to mention wrecking their economy in the meantime. It is not over yet.

 

[alexsailor]

Yesterday we dropped anchor in Erikoussa. Still here. Btw bad weather 25kts from E, SE, swell..
We did everything what is necessary in 15 minutes here. We do not have to go to Govia...
But it is also simple to sort everyhing out very easy and fast in Gouvia (another boat did that- our friends).

It goes like this:

1) travel.gov.gr you fill in two days before you arrive. as I posted on the previous page, there is no option to choose option private boat but you go to crusier ship and in the field cruising line type: private veseel and so on. when finished you get conformation email with qr code. carry that with you. simple.
2) a very nice girl in Erikoussa filled out Helath declaration (word document). This document you send to two email adresses: doctor (in my case in Corfu; if someone needs it let me know) and dnsi_dim_ygeias.ker@pin.gov.gr

And that is it! No cost! Zero!
Of course, you have to pay Tepai but that has nothing to do with shitty corona...

There were a lot of different informations like carry a list with daly measures of body temperatures for people onboard etc
But nothing like that in the real world

@Vic I do not know where you get all that bad information but clearing in Greece was never so easy.
Since there is no Dekpa, you don’t even have to go to port police.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Yesterday we dropped anchor in Erikoussa. Still here. Btw bad weather 25kts from E, SE, swell..
We did everything what is necessary in 15 minutes here. We do not have to go to Govia...
But it is also simple to sort everyhing out very easy and fast in Gouvia (another boat did that- our friends).

It goes like this:

1) travel.gov.gr you fill in two days before you arrive. as I posted on the previous page, there is no option to choose option private boat but you go to crusier ship and in the field cruising line type: private veseel and so on. when finished you get conformation email with qr code. carry that with you. simple.
2) a very nice girl in Erikoussa filled out Helath declaration (word document). This document you send to two email adresses: doctor (in my case in Corfu; if someone needs it let me know) and dnsi_dim_ygeias.ker@pin.gov.gr

And that is it! No cost! Zero!
Of course, you have to pay Tepai but that has nothing to do with shitty corona...

There were a lot of different informations like carry a list with daly measures of body temperatures for people onboard etc
But nothing like that in the real world

@Vic I do not know where you get all that bad information but clearing in Greece was never so easy.
Since there is no Dekpa, you don’t even have to go to port police.

Alex my bad info comes from people who are arriving in Greece there daily ,some I personally know other who posted their problem on SM
Your not the only one who manage to get it sort my friend many other have too , but other have had problem with being turned away , one boat who we know was made to go back at anchor until the pp could get info .
I guess as the days goes on the info will filter to the PP what need to be done .
Who's this nice girl then if you didn't have to go to the PP ?
I'm a bit confused .
You may got your done without any problem other days before you where having problem some have reported their problems to the CA .
As you know. Very well of at less should know what happen at one PP office in one part of Greece is very different to some where else , two cruiser within days of each other at the same PP had different experiences,
I'm glad you manage to do your without any problems .

 

[Yngmar]

We're in Santa Maria di Leuca, probably crossing over to Greece tomorrow. From our friends that have been around Korfu for a couple days now, we've not heard any problems yet (other than the weather and superyachts dragging anchor). Most just paid the TEPAI (online) and that's it. Some filled out the IMO Annex 8 Maritime Declaration of Health form after Facebook rumours about that, but no contact with PP yet, so nobody to give it to. That form is pretty grim - "how many corpses on board?" "How many burials at sea did you perform?" ?

Filling out the PLF (travel.gov.gr) cruise ship section makes no sense to me. It's asking for an address in Greece where we'll be staying (we'll be staying on the boat, which doesn't have an address), not to mention is contradicting itself - it lets you select "Corfu" as arrival port but the FAQ says "Arrivals by sea are allowed only in Patras and Igoumenitsa ports." ?

Here in Leuca, the locals (who want to go over to Greece on their boats) are worried, because apparently four Italian boats have been told to turn around upon their arrival in Ereikoussa. I don't know any more details, just pontoon talk. Plenty of boats waiting here to cross as soon as they find a weather window to their liking. The anchorage is pretty packed and the marina doing good business, despite the closed shower/toilet blocks.

 

[BurnitBlue]

I forgot why i came on the liverboard forum. If Sweden does get the green light soon i was wandering what the corvid arrangements are in the ionion boatyards. In paticular the Actio, ionion and Cleopatra yards. Yesterday I received an email from Ionion informing me about the need to carry all my boat papers and crew list as well as the location form. It was a very nice welcome letter but it did not mention the facilities nor any advice as to the address I shoild enter on the locator form. The implication was that I should put down the boat name hence the necessity to carry boat papers and crew list. I was actually thinking of putting the boatyard address and phone number.

I am now wondering if the boatyard does not have the facilities for quarantine, like open clean showers and toilets etc. After all it is basically a boat storage company not a hotel. Will yacht owners be asked to launch ASAP.

Any thoughts on this? Thanks. I am wary of asking in email as a reply may not be a good thing. Dont tell,.. dont ask thing.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Alex my bad info comes from people who are arriving in Greece there daily ,some I personally know other who posted their problem on SM
You may got your done without any problem other are having problem some have reported their problems to the CA .
As you know. Very well of at less should know what happen at one PP office in one part of Greece is very different to some where else , two cruiser within days of each other at the same PP had different experiences,
I'm glad you manage to do your without any problems .

We're in Santa Maria di Leuca, probably crossing over to Greece tomorrow. From our friends that have been around Korfu for a couple days now, we've not heard any problems yet (other than the weather and superyachts dragging anchor). Most just paid the TEPAI (online) and that's it. Some filled out the IMO Annex 8 Maritime Declaration of Health form after Facebook rumours about that, but no contact with PP yet, so nobody to give it to. That form is pretty grim - "how many corpses on board?" "How many burials at sea did you perform?" ?

Filling out the PLF (travel.gov.gr) cruise ship section makes no sense to me. It's asking for an address in Greece where we'll be staying (we'll be staying on the boat, which doesn't have an address), not to mention is contradicting itself - it lets you select "Corfu" as arrival port but the FAQ says "Arrivals by sea are allowed only in Patras and Igoumenitsa ports." ?

Here in Leuca, the locals (who want to go over to Greece on their boats) are worried, because apparently four Italian boats have been told to turn around upon their arrival in Ereikoussa. I don't know any more details, just pontoon talk. Plenty of boats waiting here to cross as soon as they find a weather window to their liking. The anchorage is pretty packed and the marina doing good business, despite the closed shower/toilet blocks.

yngmar , most people you and I know who we wintered with that arrived in Greece the last few days have paid the tax on line and left it at that , no one so far have had a problem , you could do as Alex said had hopeful when you turn up at what ever PP office you have the same experience Alex had or pay the tax and enjoy as it seen most are doing , the PLF dont apply to private boats , what I been told is you need to fill in a Heath form which you get from the PP or on line and then keep a record of everyone temp on board.
By the time you arrived hopefully the info will been filtered down the line and problems all sorted .
See you in Nov/Dec when we back

 

[alexsailor]

Once again:
1) I have done everything ans described above in Erikoussa. Another boat in Gouvia. NO PROBLEMS
2) also some Itlaian boats done the clear in here. Nobody had to sail back to Italy!
3) yes, in PLF form you go to “cruise ship” option. as an adress just type Preveza 31100

But the key is Health declaration. And sending that to above mentioned email adress leaving your mobile nr. so that they can contact you (so it was explained here in PP).

I do not know what is the purpose of writing down “horror stories” that somebody heard from someone...

I am here. Did the entry. And that is it.
Had also Mythos, two, three...

The only problem now is the weather. I went back onshore to the PP office and filed a complaint since I’ve saild down the Adriatic to have a sunny holliday. They said that they will do something about that. So I had another Mythos and the wind dropped.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Once again:
1) I have done everything ans described above in Erikoussa. Another boat in Gouvia. NO PROBLEMS
2) also some Itlaian boats done the clear in here. Nobody had to sail back to Italy!
3) yes, in PLF form you go to “cruise ship” option. as an adress just type Preveza 31100

But the key is Health declaration. And sending that to above mentioned email adress leaving your mobile nr. so that they can contact you (so it was explained here in PP).

I do not know what is the purpose of writing down “horror stories” that somebody heard from someone...

I am here. Did the entry. And that is it.
Had also Mythos, two, three...

The only problem now is the weather. I went back onshore to the PP office and filed a complaint since I’ve saild down the Adriatic to have a sunny holliday. They said that they will do something about that. So I had another Mythos and the wind dropped.

Alex the point of reported info from people I personally know is so others are awhere what's going on , where to go and not to go a good example is that a good place NOTto arrive at is Orthoni , one island where boats for a fact have been turned away , now that bit of info might just stop other boats having a problem .

 

[alexsailor]

Ok. It is 7,5NM from Othoni to Erikoussa. So I hope they have turned their yachts in this direction, not Italy

I would never expect that I could do all the formalities here in Erikoussa. As a matter of a fact I avoided PP office here (pink house above the harbour) every year I came to Greece. And I always do all the paperwork in Preveza since it is more convinient (walking distance).

Sometimes it is better not to ask questions. After all it is Balkan and things run here differently.

Hope my experience will help someone.
There are also a lot of boats in Croatia who are afraid to sail down here because of the fear that media produced (borders will shut down; is there a qurantine when arriving in Greece etc...)
Let them stay in their fear. Others here, we will enjoy not so crowded Greece.
@Vic I keep a cold beer for you

 

[sailaboutvic]

@Vic I keep a cold beer for you

Thanks Alex but you have to keep it cool a bit longer , we on the south of France and will be till later in the years when we return the Sicily but not before retracting our footsteps cruising Corsica, Sardinia then onto Pantelleria and Malta .
Enjoy your summer .

 

[wwalsh]

New boats and even also their charter companies are being offered for sale in Greece due to 60% drop in charters.

 

[sailaboutvic]

@ Alex sailor just passed on your info to two other cruisers who I know , let hope they get the same responds you had mate .