jcathers1

One of the Seashore itineraries currently stops at St. Thomas. 

Any experiences with good beaches near Puerto Plata? Or snorkeling? This will be our firs time in the DR, so any excursion advice is welcomed. Thanks!

Does anyone have experience with the Playa Dorado Beach, Coconut Cove Beach, or Ocean World Day Pass excursions? Or really, any other advice about Puerto Plata, as this is our first time there.

Thanks. There is a question that asks "have you had a COVD vaccination in the last 6 months". That isn't a requirement, right? Only that you are fully vaccinated? Ours is older than 6 months.

Is the health questionnaire able to be completed online? The main web check-in page says "Immediate action: we kindly ask you to complete the health questionnaire and accept our passage contract as soon as possible." But I can't find where on the site this can be done.

We are US citizens traveling on the Seashore out of Miami, and within 20 days of embarkation. 

Thanks, all. 

How quickly do you get a test result from the tele-monitored test? Does it get emailed to you?

We are US citizens, and leaving for a Caribbean cruise from Miami at the end of July. According the the website, current requirements are "All fully COVID-19 vaccinated guests are required to show proof of a negative antigen or RT-PCR test taken no more than 2 days prior to embarkation."

We haven't had to test for COVID for any travel yet, so I guess I'm not sure what kind of test this is. CVS pharmacy provides "in-person lab tests" that are PCR/NAAT, and you receive the results within 1-2 days. These are $139/test. They also have "at home" rapid antigen and PCR tests for $9.99.

Do at home tests meet the MSC requirements? I guess I was just shocked that we would have to pay nearly $300 to get us both tested. Are there other options that are cheaper that people have utilized?

We will be in the YC on Seashore at the end of the month, so we hope you're right! We've been in the YC on Seaside several times, but this will be our first trip on Seashore.

It does seem much quieter than it did in 2019, which was when we last cruised. I asked some questions on a few Port of Call boards a few weeks back and never got any replies.

Is this a requirement for cruises sailing from the US?

To clarify, this is a Caribbean cruise leaving from Miami (Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, D. Republic, Ocean Cay).

Under the "Travel requirements for cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean" section of the MSC website, it notes that "the vaccination certificate must be valid for the duration of the entire cruise". Is this meant to imply that vaccination certifications expire at some point? My wife and I have been vaccinated for 13 months, but I hadn't heard that there was a need to renew this at any point. Our vaccine cards list the date we were vaccinate, but not a "expiration date".

As has been mentioned, pros and cons to both (although we haven't been in the Haven in several years). Both are really nice experiences, but the cost of sailing in the Haven seems to have dramatically increased over the past several years. We will have our fourth YC sailing coming up this July.

Noticing this thread got bumped after several years....is this still a worthwhile beach to check out? Have things changed much since the previous comments?

Ha, that's what I assumed. Thanks!

This might be a bit of a dumb question, but we dock at 07:00. Will there be taxis available to take us to Sapphire Beach that early in the AM? Will the beach be "open"?

But you still have to produce a negative test, correct?

Hmm. If you're sailing in the YC, you should be able to show up whenever. But that is strange that they would change your check-in time. 

Thanks for the nice review. I'll have to try the eggs benedict. 🙂

48 minutes ago, MsTabbyKats said:

@Homosassa

I'll have my lawyer look over those terms and conditions.  It's above my pay scale.🙂

But, to put it bluntly....I don't pay more for a product if I can get it for less.  That's being an educated consumer....not nickel and diming.

 

 

 

An educated consumer? You just told us you're refusing to read the T&C document, while simultaneously complaining that it didn't meet your expectations (which were apparently not not based on any actual information). Ha. 

You are referring to how long it will take to get your deposit returned? It will take several weeks, based on my experience. 

The idea of waiting until closer to your cruise to book only works if the price goes down (and if the room/class you want are still available). If it goes up, you'd be better to book sooner (and you'll have a better selection). Really, what you want is to book it at the exact time when the price is lowest, which of course, no one knows. 

Does this insurance requirement apply to US citizens sailing from the US?

15 hours ago, baelor said:

You are welcome to those standards, which seem pretty rock-bottom.  You could get the same thing standing at home.  

 

Every all-inclusive resort I have stayed at lets you check in earlier and enjoy the facilities before getting to your room.

We aren't talking about an all-inclusive letting a few guests have access to their rooms early. This is on a completely different scale. For those that have cruised regularly, they understand the challenge and effort that goes into getting the ship turned around a few mere hours. It is incredible.

1 minute ago, Oxo said:

The biggest problem is not the passengers complying.

 

It is the Cruise Staff NOT ENFORCING!

 

They are afraid of loosing a client. 

 

This goes on every cruise line regardless of dress code, adult only areas, kids running up and down the halls all hours of the night. People drinking too much, etc.

I agree. But this thread is a good example of the challenges they have to face when trying to enforce the standard. We've heard every argument from "but it's my vacation", to "don't tell me how to live", and "but I can't fit khakis in my checked bag" (my personal favorite).

Do you want to be the hostess at the MDR dealing with these people? I know I don't.

I said Walmart SHOPPER, not worker. Nothing at all wrong with working at Walmart...and they wear clothes appropriate for the task at hand (uniform).