Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance
Updated 27th July 2021
Book with Confidence
The Global Travel Taskforce has confirmed that travel will now be subject to a new traffic light system. Further information of which can be found here.
In positive news, from 19th July, arrivals into England, Scotland and Wales (N. Ireland from 26th July) from “Amber” countries will no longer be subject to quarantine. This applies for those who are fully vaccinated 14 days or more prior to return to England.
Following an update on the 16th July, this will no longer apply to France. Where you must self-isolate in your own accommodation and do a test on day 2 and day 8 test to release. We understand this may impact our customers, so we have a number of flexible options in place.
The Government will review the country list on an ongoing basis, every 3 weeks. All our destinations are currently stated as "Amber" with the exception of Croatia which is on the "Green Watchlist"
It is very important to check the entry requirements for each country before travel. We strongly recommend signing up to travel advice for your destinations, to be kept informed of the latest news and updates. FCDO advice is not directly linked to the traffic light system.
NEW “Pass Sanitaire” Health Pass for France to show that you are fully vaccinated
From the 21st July, the Health Pass is required for attractions and cultural locations where more than 50 people attend.
From the 1st August, the Health pass is also mandatory for access to cafes, restaurants, large shopping centers, hospitals and public transport. The health pass does not have to be presented when entering supermarkets or stores that are not located in a shopping center.
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 do not have to carry a Health Card with them until September. Children aged 11 and under are exempt.
The pass sanitaire can be acquired by meeting one of the following three criteria:
1. Vaccination certificate, demonstrating that you are fully vaccinated with a vaccine authorised by the European Medical Authority. This must be 14 days after a second dose of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna and 28 days after a single dose of Johnson & Johnson.
2. Negative PCR or antigen test result from the last 48 hours.
3. A document (dated more than 11 days ago and less than six months ago) proving you have recently recovered from COVID.
The French government has stated that travellers when visiting France (after being vaccinated in the UK) will be able to prove they are fully vaccinated. This can be achieved in a few different ways. Firstly, by presenting the NHS certificate via the NHS App, where it is also possible to download and print or secondly, by presenting your NHS letter.
At Vacanceselect, we do everything we can to ensure our valued customers have a safe and enjoyable holiday, even in these uncertain times. Following the many changes to travel advice in 2020, we have amended our policies accordingly to offer greater flexibility so you can book your 2021 holiday with confidence and peace of mind.
To offer clarity, we have taken the most frequently asked questions from you, our customers and provided the answers below:
Q: How do I keep up to date with the latest travel advice?
A: Go to www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for more information about changes to travel advice.
Q: I want to book a holiday. How much do I have to pay now?
A: Book that well deserved holiday for a low deposit of just £99! Final balances are also now due at six weeks prior to departure.
Q: When is my balance payment due?
A: We have extended balance payment due dates for all 2021 holidays from 12 weeks to 6 weeks to allow you greater flexibility. Payments can be made via our Contact Centre team or via our website.
Q: I want to change my booking. What are my options?
A: If you need to make a change to your booking, whether it is your accommodation, your dates or duration, there is no amendment charge. *We will allow stays to be amended up to 7 days prior to arrival.
Important: Any amendments made within six weeks of departure, the holiday cost applied will be at the same or where applicable, at a higher rate.
*Within 6 weeks of arrival, travel costs can increase and in some cases due to our supplier agreements, are non-refundable.
Q: I wish to move my booking to 2022?
A: We understand that you may wish to move your booking to next season, due to the ongoing uncertainty around travel. We are currently permitting all 2021 bookings to be moved to 2022. For further information, please contact our Contact Centre team.
Q: The FCDO has advised against all but essential travel. What are my options?
A: If we are unable to deliver your booked holiday or you are unable to travel due to FCDO advice against travel, which is in place at least 7 days prior to departure, it is possible to:
-Change destination
-receive a 120% enhanced voucher
-obtain a full refund
Q: I no longer wish to travel. Can I cancel my reservation/stay?
A: If the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) advice does not change and holidays remain possible, then you can cancel your booking, but we must make you aware this is in line with our current cancellation terms and conditions. Cancellation fees will be applied in line with these terms.
Our 2021 Cancellation Terms are now as stated below. Important, these cancellation terms are not applicable for any holidays transferred from 2020. In the event you have transferred your 2020 holiday to a 2021 holiday, the cancellation charges applicable remain those per the booking conditions at the time your original holiday was made.
|
Number of days prior to the start of
your holiday when written notification is received by us |
Cancellation charge / per party
cancelling |
|
More than 42 days before travel |
£99/€99 |
|
42 – 28 days |
50% |
|
27 – 14 days |
70% |
|
13 – 8 days 90% |
90% |
|
7 Days or Less |
100% |
Q: If local lockdown is introduced in the area where I live what are my options?
A: In the event you are unable to travel due to government restrictions, where you live, we will offer the option to change your holiday to a different destination or date up to your day of arrival, without an amendment fee.
It is important to note, within 6 weeks of arrival, travel costs can increase and in some cases due to our supplier agreements, are non-refundable.
Q: I plan on making my own travel arrangements. Will I have protection?
A: If you have made your own travel arrangements, for example, but not exclusively, flights, car hire, ferry travel with another provider directly, you must speak with them and they will advise you of their own policies/procedures.
Q: What extra precautions should I consider when booking a 2021 holiday?
A: We highly recommend you travel with insurance cover. As all policies are different, we suggest you contact your insurance provider to clarify what cover is offered related to Coronavirus.
Q: What facilities will be open during my stay?
A: We endeavour to provide the same fun-filled holidays as always and only in exceptional circumstances will the usual services, facilities or amenities not be available or restricted which are out of our control or go against local government public health and safety guidelines. We continue to follow the official advice to ensure our stays are as safe as possible for our customers. As this is subject to change, guidelines may lead to some future restrictions; we will do our best wherever possible to keep you informed.
Q: I’m travelling soon, what advice should I consider from the country I’m travelling to?
A: We advise the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for the country you are travelling to, which includes entry requirements and a link through to the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) TravelHealthPro website. This website provides specific travel health advice for our destination countries.