Sailing in Greece

blxm

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I am flying out on Monday. Been checking the entry requirements. Can I just confirm that, as I am fully vaccinated, I don't need a test pre flight outbound to Greece?
I have seen a couple of web sites, that may be out of date, that say yes but the Greek government site says no.


Thanks in advance.

My family and I are flying to Greece on Sunday. Wife and I fully vaccinated, 13 year old and 10 year old not vaccinated.
13 year old needs a paid for test 72 hours before we fly.
Free test for all before we get on the boat.
Paid for test for all three days before we fly home
Paid for test for all two days after we arrive back in the UK
All in £320

Worth it? i'll let you know.....
 

Gixer

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I am flying out on Monday. Been checking the entry requirements. Can I just confirm that, as I am fully vaccinated, I don't need a test pre flight outbound to Greece?
I have seen a couple of web sites, that may be out of date, that say yes but the Greek government site says no.


Thanks in advance.

As things stand at the moment if you are fully vaccinated two weeks prior you only need your certificate not a test. Although we need to test before picking up the yacht.
Have you filled in the PLF? I think it says on there, i can check later if you like.
 

Mistroma

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As things stand at the moment if you are fully vaccinated two weeks prior you only need your certificate not a test. Although we need to test before picking up the yacht.
Have you filled in the PLF? I think it says on there, i can check later if you like.
I haven't heard of any changes but will keep an eye on it as we fly out in less than 3 weeks time. I do worry that testing requirements might change due to increasing rates in Greece and recent reports that vaccinated people can transmit Covid.

I have a couple of other things to check. My paper Scottish vaccination certificate obviously doesn't have a barcode and also misses out both my own and my wife's middle names. The DOBs are obviously as per our passports but they include our middle names.

I also noticed that we have to conform to English requirements for Gatwick and online test site I checked said they'd send test kit to our address in England.
 

sailaboutvic

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I haven't heard of any changes but will keep an eye on it as we fly out in less than 3 weeks time. I do worry that testing requirements might change due to increasing rates in Greece and recent reports that vaccinated people can transmit Covid.

I have a couple of other things to check. My paper Scottish vaccination certificate obviously doesn't have a barcode and also misses out both my own and my wife's middle names. The DOBs are obviously as per our passports but they include our middle names.

I also noticed that we have to conform to English requirements for Gatwick and online test site I checked said they'd send test kit to our address in England.
Mike have you not got out to your boat this year ?
 

Mistroma

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Mike have you not got out to your boat this year ?
Hi Vic, another year without sailing. We had a short window last year but left it too late. Early spring travel wasn't possible and temperatures looked likely to be high in July/August as usual. OK when we arrive in April and get used to the weather getting steadily warmer and sitting at anchor with a beer and light breeze in August. Stepping off the plane in late July/August then living and working in the yard for a couple of weeks didn't appeal. I think I'd just fall over as soon as the plane doors opened. :D:D

We are going with a 3 week stay ashore as it's too late to get in much sailing. I'm expecting cases in Greece to ramp up (probably be a factor of 5-10) but hope to return to UK just in the nick of time. Of course that's probably just before our cases will be hitting a high. Is it me? Am I a modern typhoid Mary?

Could be worse, we have Scottish friends still stuck in Florida and not likely to get to Greece at all this year.

Good to hear from you and hope you are still finding lots of quiet spots.
 

sailaboutvic

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Hi Vic, another year without sailing. We had a short window last year but left it too late. Early spring travel wasn't possible and temperatures looked likely to be high in July/August as usual. OK when we arrive in April and get used to the weather getting steadily warmer and sitting at anchor with a beer and light breeze in August. Stepping off the plane in late July/August then living and working in the yard for a couple of weeks didn't appeal. I think I'd just fall over as soon as the plane doors opened. :D:D

We are going with a 3 week stay ashore as it's too late to get in much sailing. I'm expecting cases in Greece to ramp up (probably be a factor of 5-10) but hope to return to UK just in the nick of time. Of course that's probably just before our cases will be hitting a high. Is it me? Am I a modern typhoid Mary?

Could be worse, we have Scottish friends still stuck in Florida and not likely to get to Greece at all this year.

Good to hear from you and hope you are still finding lots of quiet spots.
All good Mike , a few issues with electronic, so we had to replace a few bits ,
been on the go since the second week in March managed to visit 4 different EU country without Covid, vat, Brexit or red ensign issues although I did think we may have to change flag but it seen so far no one interested .
Tempsure been very high hitting 41c , first year ever we really felt the heat probably getting older don't help .
Not decided on winter stop yet , Turkey fully booked in the marinas we was looking at Tunisia is a bit dodge at the moment so looking like we might head back to Sicily or maybe Sardinia .
Hope you mange to get out to Greece if nothing else to check on the boat.
If it's any help quite a few boats be know who returned to Greece paid tax online and did nothing else and no one bothered them , although they all been Jab for Covid , I guess flying out is a Different story.
Best of luck my old friend .
 

pmartin127

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The Sail Ionian web site has a pretty comprehensive page on the requirements. As far as I can see, and I may have missed it, the only thing they don't mention is the requirement, if double vaccinated, to have a Day 2 PCR test after arrival into England (may be different for the devolved countries). We're heading out on Sunday and have ordered self tests from Boots. Typically for rip-off Britain these almost cost more than the flight tickets.
Basically, if double vaccinated (as Gixer says) you need to take your certificate with you as proof and/or the NHS app that also has the bar code (We're taking both just to be on the safe side).
You need to fill out the Greek PLF at least 24 hrs before departure. Very easy and all family members on same page.
As far as SI are concerned no Rapid Flow Test needed to join boat but a medically supervised RFT needs to be done 2 days before departure back to the UK. If you're heading out to the Ionian the SI website gives several places that offer them from €20 with quick notification by email.
The stinger though is the mandatory Day 2 PCR test after arrival at £75 per.
Hopefully, by the time we return a week later, none of this will have changed.....
 

Gixer

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Ahh, i'm out of Gatwick on Sunday, see you over there :)

Randox seem to be on the ball. I got the results for my daughters pre-flight test in good time and all good so no stopping us now!
 

Gixer

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If anyones interested we got back safety from Greece last night ?

The whole COVID test/cert system seemed to work really well and other than a bit slow at Gatwick customs it was very smooth. Just need to do the day two test tomorrow and it’s all done.

I’d happily go though all the rigmarole again for a week out there, it’s still as stunning as I remember ?
 

Mistroma

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If anyones interested we got back safety from Greece last night ?

The whole COVID test/cert system seemed to work really well and other than a bit slow at Gatwick customs it was very smooth. Just need to do the day two test tomorrow and it’s all done.

I’d happily go though all the rigmarole again for a week out there, it’s still as stunning as I remember ?
Glad you enjoyed yourself, we are still due to go out on 8th for 3 weeks. We struggled to get any sense from Easyjet about how long we should leave between flight on return to Gatwick. We could have had 2 hours and 20 minutes between flights but decided on a later flight to give more time. It would normally be fine with a 2 hour gap but a bigger gap made sense with unknowns due to Covid and Brexit.

How long did it take to get through customs at Gatwick? We need to leave time to go back through security again for our flight back to Scotland. Was the flight busy or fairly quiet?
 

Gixer

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How long did it take to get through customs at Gatwick? We need to leave time to go back through security again for our flight back to Scotland. Was the flight busy or fairly quiet?
It took us about 1 hour just to get though customs but we had a child under 12 with us, people without young children breezed though. There were two que‘s, one for people with children and one without.
From what I could tell brexit didn’t make any difference, it was checking the covid status from people coming in for holidays. Customs were going though with a fine tooth comb, once we got to the front we went though quick as they checked our PLF using a computer system. I guess for other nationals it takes a bit longer to confirm.

The flights were busier than I expected but still quieter than normal summer time. The airports were quieter as was Greece in general.

I cant wait to get back out but will have to wait until next year now ?
 

Mistroma

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It took us about 1 hour just to get though customs but we had a child under 12 with us, people without young children breezed though. There were two que‘s, one for people with children and one without.
From what I could tell brexit didn’t make any difference, it was checking the covid status from people coming in for holidays. Customs were going though with a fine tooth comb, once we got to the front we went though quick as they checked our PLF using a computer system. I guess for other nationals it takes a bit longer to confirm.

The flights were busier than I expected but still quieter than normal summer time. The airports were quieter as was Greece in general.

I cant wait to get back out but will have to wait until next year now ?
Many thanks. It sounds as if we made the correct choice in changing to a later flight. A 2:15 hour gap could be a problem with any slight flight delay plus 1 hour at Customs plus time back though security for an internal flight.

What was it like on the way out from Gatwick, I assume security wouldn't have had a huge queue?
 
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pmartin127

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Like Gixer we arrived back yesterday evening from a week in the Ionian but into LHR. No problems with the paperwork at either end but were not required to show PLF on entry - but had to show it at check-in at PVK but it was not examined in any detail. Our rapid test result was also checked at check in - but not on arrival.

It was a great week, great to be back and to get some decent sunshine after several miserable weather months here.

On the way out we were bussed out to the plane from T5 - but crammed on in the way they did in the old days. Pack as many in before sending bus off. No social distancing at all. I have no idea why they thought this was a good idea but I would have thought that with fewer flights they could have put us onto a stand with an air bridge. But I guess Heathrow isn't a nimble operation and that's the way they've always done it.

On arrival back passport control took about 30 mins but there was no separation - all UK, EU, USA, etc this way - all others that way except there were no others. Baggage, on the other hand, took 90 mins to arrive due to "an earlier security issue" no doubt caused by that idiot Mr Farthing who chartered a plane that arrived earlier that day carrying in several hundred stray dogs and cats from his animal shelter in Kabul. Didn't bring any of his staff out though.

One word of advice I would give and this applies to all Amber list countries, not just Greece, is make a note of your post arrival Day 2 and or Day 2 & 8 PCR test reference numbers. This is needed when filling in the UK PLF. It is the last question on a lengthy form (especially if you're going to be honest and include all the islands you've been to) and I spend a frantic 30 mins or so trying to find it as without the number you can't finish the form and therefore you don't have a completed PLF and could be refused boarding.

I think Gixer was in the north Ionian but we were in the Lefkada, Meganisi, Ithaca and Kefalonia area (ie the Inner Ionian) and it is really busy. The yacht club and the restaurants are all saying it been the busiest August ever. Harbours were rammed but bays generally were fine. We spent 3 days in a bay just north of Kastos town which was brilliant.

All in all it was a great despite the myriad paperwork and the worry that something has been missed or the timing's not quite right. Looking forward to our week back out there early October. Assuming all the close contact with fellow passengers hasn't caused yet another wave of covid....
 

Mistroma

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Getting ready to fly out to Preveza next week and have just completed the online PLF. Simple enough but with the usual lack of thought in design and implementation.

I thought that I'd mention a couple of things in case anyone else is about to travel to Greece.

Minor things like asking you to confirm that you have read the "protocols". Clicking on the link doesn't open a window or new tab, just a new page with no return link. Going back logs you out and you need to start again. Very minor quibble.

It won't accept spaces in phone numbers or post codes. Very minor point but it is a trivial programming task to strip spaces from input fields before storing the data.

I was asked to choose from "Complete vaccination", "PC test" or "Recovered from Covid". I picked vaccination and provided type of vaccine and date of last injection. It is reasonable that you can only pick one option. The form makes it clear that I should only complete one form per household. I assume they will need details for my wife and expect to find a section for other travellers ( I'm Pfizer but my wife's was AZ at a later date).

I completed the remaining details including the address where I'm staying in Greece. The address is pretty sparse as I'm not staying in a hotel (so no hotel name), the house is outside Preveza and there isn't a street name or number. So I'm staying in Preveza in the same post code as a few thousand other people, not much help in locating me.

I finally get to the section for others in the party and the form is submitted once my wife's name and age have been added. No mention of her vaccination status at all, no request for details.

I kept a copy of the form and it shows a single QR code as proof of vaccination. Of course it's perfectly possible that I'm travelling in a group where I'm vaccinated and others are a mixture of PCR tested and recovered from Covid.

I wonder if this was designed and implemented by the same lot who produced the e-TEPAI system. :D :D

I'm assuming that I didn't miss anything and the lack of my wife's vaccination details won't matter. We'll simply present proof on entering Greece.
 
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