It has been 18 months since I left the country. That’s the longest period of time I’ve gone without using my passport in well over a decade.
But that will change tonight. I’m headed with several DDF (DansDeals Forums) members to Iceland!
Iceland has long been on my bucket list and between finding a United business saver award and the current eruption, this was as good of a time as ever to check that off.
Iceland allows anyone who is vaccinated or recovered from COVID to enter the country without quarantine and I check both of those boxes. Currently you don’t need to provide a COVID test, though starting on Tuesday a COVID test will also be required, though an antigen test is acceptable.
If you want to join along on our trip, you can follow @DansDeals on Instagram for the latest updates.
DDF member Something Fishy runs Kosher Horizons and you can follow along via his Instagram stories as well.
The trip was in jeopardy last night. At 10:15pm United messaged me that my Cleveland to Newark flight was cancelled and that I had been rebooked for a day later. That would wreak havoc on our carefully crafted itinerary.
While all of the other flights to Newark were fully booked in economy, I noticed one open first class seat on an earlier flight to Newark and one last Polaris seat to Iceland, which was previously mine, and now available for anyone.
However I was booked in an economy seat from Cleveland to Newark, so the system wouldn’t protect me on the first class seat and 20 people were standing by for the flights to Newark.
I quickly rang United and after speaking to a manager, was able to grab the last seat to Newark and Iceland today, albeit with a longer connection in Newark. But with unlimited free premium drinks in the United Club for Polaris customers and plenty of time to go out for dinner, that wasn’t a bad deal at all.
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Have fun! Looking forward to the TR
Bon voyage!
Wish I could have joined
My dream trip!
Why didn’t you go with kosher horizons
I just came back from Iceland, we were told that as of July 26th they will require 2 negative pcr tests in a 24 hour period once you land in order not be quarantined. You should follow up to see what’s actually happening.
how come because your cleveland to ewr flight was cancelled did they cancel iceland also if ewr to iceland was running on time?
Presumably because he would not be able to make the EWR-KEF leg without being able to fly the CLE-EWR leg.
I will be traveling through Newark in the near future and would like to know where to go out for dinner near the airport.
order from New Kosher Special. they deliver to the airport ($40 min.)
I was told that they only deliver to outside the terminal, they will not even go to where you check in. This of course means you have to go again through TSA screenings, and even with pre-check you have to wait in a long line.
Enjoy. We are at the airport on the way home from Iceland. I wonder what your thoughts are now that that United is no longer serving kosher meals even an international flights (except tov) Were you aware of this? Your thoughts? Perhaps there’s something we all can do about it
BYOM
https://www.dansdeals.com/points-travel/airlines/united/united-restoring-kosher-meals-newark-london-continues-leave-kosher-travelers-hungry-heres-can/
I booked a month ago for 12/30 – 01/07 with 50K Delta miles. Realizing now I might have to leave the young one (8 yr old) at home (not vaccinated) because we might have to quarantine.
Make sure to get food from New Kosher Special!!
I was told that they will only deliver to outside the terminal, they will not even go to where you check in. This means you have to go back through the TSA lines which even with pre-check are pretty long.
You mean they won’t even buy a plane ticket and wait on the TSA lines to deliver you food? I expect more from my Kosher Chinese food delivery people.
Not only won’t they buy a plane ticket and wait on line but the last time I ate there (in 2018) even their food did not impress me.
You know what would make DD even better? > Limiting the amount of sorrow campaigns for $1M for the loss of someone’s home (no homeowners insurance), $500k for the loss of a husband (no life insurance), $200k for an orphan’s wedding by the Old City, $100k for prescriptions (no medical insurance, or attempt to appeal the insurance Co). I understand it’s advertising revenue, but it become tacky and obnoxious (on behalf of the campaign organizers promoting their campaigns more widely than the Super Bowl promotes their championship).
There was a rich fellow who was constantly hounded by collectors and it bothered him to no end. He decided to go to the Chofetz Chaim to ask for advice in how to deal with the situation. When he got to the house the Chofetz Chaim was darshining the Posuk “Ach Tov VaChessed Yirdifuni” and he explained that we all need to be chased by something. Some get chased by Tov V’Chessed and some by the opposite. The rich fellow got the hint and returned home without even speaking to the Ch”Ch.
We aren’t obligated to donate to these causes but one never really knows whats going on behind the scenes. A Cheder Rebbe of my kid passed away and we B”H raised a considerable amount for the family. In it was included: An addition to the small pension he had. Paying back old debts that would have been impossible for the widow to pay. And thirdly, help in marrying off the kids. $500 thousand for the death of a breadwinner and the need to pay for so many more stuff (changing the oil etc…) is close to nothing… especially if he had prior debts.
Hoping for being chased after for Chessed causes…
Heard that someone complained to Reb Avigdor Miller about not being able to daven in shul – whenever he gets there, he’s hounded the whole time by meshulachim. Reb A Miller responded, who said that what the Rebono Shel Olam wants from you is to daven?
Who said that when you go on DD, the RS”O wants you to …
Kol Hakavod!
What a selfish comment.
Nobody is compelling you to click on the Tzadaka posts.
You can just ignore and let others get the mitzvah.
We are turning into a GoFundMe nation. Hundreds upon hundreds of collections (many of them fraudulent) for six figure weddings, zero insurance of any kind (you name it, medical, life, homeowner’s, auto). Even collections for which a City/County said they will provide 100% coverage, because of a natural disaster. The days of collecting for earnest reasons (such a town mikvah, yeshiva, shul, an eruv, Tomchei Shabbos) are long over. We are in a world of $200,000 cemetery burials and $150,000 wedding nights for an orphan. Inflated and shameful?! No doubt about it…..
I don’t understand how a tzedaka collection for someone who didn’t have the responsibility to buy the necessary insurance to cover his loss, suddenly turns fraudulent?? Irresponsible? Yes. But your still obligated to help?
POIDH.
How did you find business saver ewr to kef ? That’s unicorn
As someone who is very involved in various charities (bh as a giver), I can tell you that one must look to make sure that where he is giving is a legitimate charity. Nowadays, because of the the internet, there are many scams. Please note that organizations such as “thechesedfund” does not check the legitimacy. Even when it says “verified” it doesn’t mean anything!
We try to vet ads and only run ads with a known Rabbi who vouches for it.
But of course there is only so much vetting that can be done, and at the end of the day it’s up to each person where they want to give their tzedaka.
JJ, chas v’shalom am I saying that you don’t vet the ads. However, be aware that there have been numerous instances where a Rav’s name was in the ad and the Rav had absolutely no idea about it!
How did a post about a trip to Iceland turn into charity bashing rachmana litzlan??? Have a very safe trip Dan and cohorts, and enjoy!!
how do i get cheap rental in Iceland from August 9? SOS
Hey Dan, can you finish your trip report about Antarctica first??
+1 😉
How exactly did a trip to Iceland turn into a discussion of fundraising platforms…??!! Can’t we just enjoy the trip and stop the bickering?? Cmon kids!
Well said!
#c’mon man
Nu, where are the updates? Don’t see anything on Instagram unless I don’t know where to look.
Follow stories.
I’m not on social media. Will the trip reports not appear on this site?
any updates???
Maybe you can bring back home some volcanic rock as a souvenir from Iceland to use for international show and tell.
have fun!