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Brexit

3K views 24 replies 12 participants last post by  SVAuspicious 
#1 ·
This question has probably already been raised but I would like to try to find out what you all think the implications of brexit are going to be on a UK citizen who wishes to cruise the Greek islands for extended periods of up to around six months at a time. This is our retirement plan with the rest of the time spent in either the U.K. or Cyprus ( where we have a house) I don't know the implications for that either come to that.
We are looking to start cruising summer 2018
In view of the PM,s speech today this has brought this to the front of my mind.
 
#2 ·
No one knows at present.

But look at it this way: Greeks like money. Cruisers have money. Do I need to fill in the next line? :)


In a more general point, countries, regions, politics, safety etc changes quite rapidly. One of the wonders of cruising is you can pull your anchor and sail away.
One of the disadvantages of a house is you can't.



Mark
 
#4 ·
I can't see that it would be any different to the pre-EU world in Europe or the rest of the world now. You go through customs and immigration, whether you arrive by boat or plane, pay whatever they require for your stay and whatever for your boat's cruising permit for the period you are keeping the boat there, and off you go.
However do remember, Greece has had tourists on yachts since Cleopatra sailed the islands and they are very, very good at nickle and diming the cruiser out of every penny they can.
 
#5 ·
I'd agree that no-one knows. It's too early to tell since no-one laid out any plans for an actual exit.
What may be of concern to you is access to healthcare. Prior to Brexit, I think most if not all EU countries had reciprocal agreements. Post Brexit, who knows, but since you're of retirement age, you're going to need health insurance coverage somehow.
 
#12 ·
Hi,
I am no pro on Schengen or international agreements either; though Schengen, in practice, is only affecting at passport control through the borders. So you have to go by the border controls at the airport (or port). Once in the UK, as EU citizen you don't need a visa for study, work or travel, they are agreements on health insurance too. Brexit wants to change these last matters, and apparently re-negotiate their trades in the common EU market. So, yes I think it is quite of an impact, for the UK and the rest of EU.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for all these replies.
I guess you just have to go with the flow. We are working in America till October and have just started looking for boats. Think the Ionian area is looking like a good bet to buy one. But I have the confess I have not looked at the U.K recently.

As you have all stated it all comes down to money in the end.
The healthcare could be an issue but my mother in law is still managing to get insurance at 84 so I hope we will be ok for a while at least.
Anyway it's a healthy lifestyle.......isn't it?
 
#9 ·
my mother in law is still managing to get insurance at 84 so I hope we will be ok for a while at least.
Anyway it's a healthy lifestyle.......isn't it?
I bet your mom-in-law isn't out gallivanting on a sailboat somewhere. I certainly can't find a health insurance policy I can afford. Best I can come up with is about 2.5 times our boat insurance, even though my surveyed value is considerably less than the boat's. lol
 
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#13 ·
With computers I think visas are the next Dodo bird.

On my last entry to the USA they didn't even stamp my passport.
I think stamps are just to remind you when to get out. Their computer KNOWS when u overstay.

And when you sail out you don't clear out you just go. No stamp, just go.
 
#14 ·
You are right, US borders don't stamp any more. The old paper with stamp and attached with a staple to your passport wasn't a success tracking back... I remember one time getting out I forget to give it to the tsa officer; He didn't ask for it either. I didn't have troubles coming back either :laugh

Still, on the perspective on going to one country, the US, to work, I think visas will be a must in any foreign passport.
 
#15 ·
We have visa,s for the USA to allow us to work here but the work visa runs out in November however the actual visa allowing us to be here has another two years so we could stay and not work.
I don't intend to work anywhere in the EU ( I have done my share I think)
It's time , or nearly time to take it a bit easier so it will be just sailing ( I know sailing can be hard work BTW)
I have been reading some reports on the web and it is hard to say how this is going to pan out.
I guess we will just have to deal with what's in front of us as it appears.
It's been my dream to sail the med since I was 17 and I am not giving up now. Although the windward s sounds pretty good to me.
Have to get the boat first and viewing boats in Europe is rather difficult from the USA.
 
#16 ·
I had a bucket list item to cruise the Med one day too. It was a bigger plan to sail the Atlantic gyre. For a number of reasons, I've actually erased it, in favor of the Caribbean and South Pacific. The Caribbean is not new to me, but could be a jumping off point and the Panama Canal would be a fun experience. The Med was gettting complicated and is much more expensive. Ultimately I realized, I've been to Europe many many times. The nice thing about a bucket list is we can all add and delete until we get to the point that it needs to get done now. :eek:
 
#17 ·
Have to admit I think you are right the med is expensive an probably set to become even more complicated.
I did toy with the idea of buying a boat here in the US and cruising the Caribbean but I cannot convince my wife to do this. She feels it's too far from the U.K. And she has an 84 year old mother at home. We have also just learned we are to become grandparents so the med is a compromise I guess.
I would like to buy a boat that would be comfortable crossing oceans because you never know but we shall see. I do not have limitless funds and I think it's more important to do something rather than wait and end up doing nothing. I am not getting any younger.
 
#18 ·
The UK has not declared article 50 yet, then it will be another 2 years for the UK and EU to work out what that means. So for at least the next 2 years the current freedom of movement within the EU for UK citizens will not change. After the exit who knows, but I suspect there will be new rules to permit freedom of movement.
 
#21 ·
It really is a perception she just feels that it's a long way away. Then I guess there is the cost out the flights. From the med we will probably go back to the U.K. Quite frequently and that will get expensive if we are traveling to and from the other side of the pond.
There is also our house in Cyprus which we have struggled to keep up the mortgage payments on for so long that we want to get some use from. It's all a balance and I can see where she is coming from.
The way I see it is a few months sailing then either home to the UK for a while or off to Cyprus then back to the boat again.
We rent our house in Cyprus for the summer months so hopefully that will help to fund our travels.
We are by no means rich so we will have to fund this somehow.
 
#23 ·
I totally understand having to make the crew happy, perception and all. A house in Cyprus is not a bad consolation prize.

All the best with your plans. If you see a crack in the door, planned flights to/from the major Caribbean airports can be cheap. High volume tourist location. If you have to get home to mum, in an emergency, that gets pricey. I suppose it could from Greece too, but I'm not familiar.

Cheers
 
#24 ·
Thanks for the good wishes.
I suppose the Brexit question will be answered for sure eventually.
In the meantime I hope we can get some sailing in. Our timescale is back to the Uk Early November, buy boat fix the house up. We have been renting it out, Sell it, take off so hopefully by this time next year we will be getting close.
Hope to be in the med by the springtime. Fingers crossed. Depends how quickly we can sell the house I suppose.
 
#25 ·
@MarkofSeaLife got it right at the top of the thread. The relationship between the UK and EU will be the result of much diplomatic negotiation, discussion which have not even begun. Once Article 50 is exercised decisions by other countries within the EU, of which there are already rumbles, could change the game entirely.

For cruisers Schengen does make a difference.

Brexit will have a greater impact on Americans and others who are not UK or EU citizens. The Azores and Canary Islands will be in the EU but the UK will not. That means more C&I (not a huge burden) and likely more care about import and VAT.

As long as my Tessco card is still valid everything else can be worked out. *grin*
 
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