vpearlkc

16 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The rest of the world has moved on and accepts testing as a requirement. 

That's strange. We are flying into Cancun in December to spend a week in Isla Mujeres. No testing needed for entire trip.

BTW, Six of us celebrated my birthday on June 21. Of the six my wife and two others came down with mild cases of covid. Three of us had no symptoms and did not bother to test.

The three of us that did not get sick were fully vaccinated including second booster. My wife and the others who had mild cases had not had the fourth shot.

Was it a coincidence? Who knows, but my wife has decided to keep up with her vaccines from now on.  

We still have one cruise booked and hope that we don't have to cancel because of testing requirements.

1 hour ago, Debde said:

 

 

Not cruising until testing is lifted.  Please NCL-I have a pile of 'cruises I want to book.

 

 

I agree. I have had four shots so far and will be getting my fifth this fall. I will not do anything travel related  that requires covid testing. Time to get on with life, Covid is not going away.

I doubt that any cruise line will be going anywhere in Russia until Putin pulls all his troops out. Even China has gone along with the west on at least one sanction.

I just tip $1 a drink. It usually comes to $2 a round. The servers and bartenders really appreciate it. When Spending time at the bar I will use a $5 after a couple of rounds and get some of my singles back so I don't run out. 

Our final payment for an April cruise was coming due and we had already decided that with we were going to cancel. I finally made the call to cancel this morning. We had used  CruiseNext certificates for the deposit which expire at the end of the year for the deposit and fully expected to lose them unless all these NCL protocols change very quickly.

Our cruise consultant gave us another option by booking us on a cruise at the end of 2024 using the CruiseNext certificates as deposit. We will be able to switch cruises any time up to final payment. This has bought us another year and a half before we lose our certificates and hopefully things will be back to something close to normal before then.

Are you sure he needs three shots to be fully vaccinated? The third shot would be due six months after the first two. He would be considered fully vaccinated until at least October if the first two shots were administered in April.

Is NCL now requiring the booster? 

We were planning to cancel our April 10th cruise in December but the final payment date was extended to February. This extension just delays our cancellation by 60 days. There will be no miracle ending to this covid mess before April 10th.

2 hours ago, Lou33 said:

Another concern for the cruise lines is the number of people cancelling for a refund at final payment.  There is a poll on another thread that shows a 75% cancellation rate.  So in about 6 weeks they may have only 450 paid passengers on a megaship.  I can't see them sailing if that is the case.

That's us. Our final payment is due the second week of February for the Jewel on April 10th. No way I'm tying up 3 grand on a long shot. 

I learned long ago that cruise lines can not only change ports of call, but also change port of departure. It is all somewhere in the fine print that I never bother to read. 

9 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

 

we were grandfathered to the lower point system.

 

So were we 77 tier points and platinum.

1 hour ago, bigrednole said:

This is a nightmare situation for all cruise lines. This strain seems to be much more infectious and vaccines aren't stopping which is not their main purpose. I have a feeling that if this is not under control soon, we are going back to 18 months ago. With ports turning ships away, virus running rampant, and negative publicity, a lot can change quickly.

It will never be like it was 18 months ago because vaccinated people are not getting severely ill and dying in large numbers.

It will probably get even worse when the Bliss sets sale. Many of the folks who tested negative at the pier but were exposed to those who tested positive will start testing positive as the cruise goes along. If the OP is correct and hundreds tested positive at the pier, who knows how many more will test positive as the virus works it's way through the passengers and crew?

8 hours ago, ShelleyQT said:

It also adds to the current problem of a shortage of home testing kits.  The home kits should be saved for when they are actually needed.

Who decides when they are actually needed?

Looks like things are getting more restrictive. Will NCL drop stops at Great Stirrup Cay?

16 minutes ago, EllieinNJ said:

Was looking for a cruise to replace one I may cancel and came across ones in March & April 2022 which included the Bahamas.  Was there in October so not thrilled to go but then I read that they now require a travel visa for $40-60 pp and starting January 7, 2022 they will only accept PCR covid tests not more than 72 hours out.  The stop in Nassau is day 4 of the cruise unless you count GSC which is on day 3.  Could this even be possible since NCL will no longer be giving tests for boarding?

 

https://www.bahamas.com/travelupdates

Has anyone heard anything about certificates being extended again. Ours will be expiring next December and we have no intention of cruising until all covid testing requirements are ended. My wife and I have both been vaccinated and had our boosters but don't want be denied boarding or quarantined due to a positive test. Still have one cruise booked but will be cancelling before final payment.

Why not just take a couple along and be sure that they are the corked ones. After all a good craft corked 750 ml should cost no more than about $30. 

We are in the same situation. We will be canceling our April 10th cruise on the Jewel before final payment is due. I really don't care about the $250 loss when the Cruise Next certificates expire next year.

We will not be traveling anywhere that that requires a covid test. A week in South Padre Island is not as good as a cruise but it will have to do. 

From the Space Needle.

We were near pier 66 in Seattle on Sunday and Monday and saw the Encore docked both days. Yesterday morning it was gone. Does anyone know what’s up with the Encore? Just curious.

Just checked. Our cruise on the Jewel is still on for April 10th out of San Diego. Probably will have to cancel anyway if all this covid testing is still in place.

On 9/18/2021 at 7:50 PM, realtorgranny said:

For those of you that wonder, what happens if we test positive at checkin? Well, I’ll tell you from first hand experience. My husband and I left San Antonio yesterday for our Alaska cruise on the Encore today Sept 18. My daughter and SIL were with us. As recommended we all got tested for Covid prior to our travels. We all tested NEGATIVE.  Hooray, we were on our way. This morning we all went to get the mandatory pre-cruise test required by NCL.  Imagine our shock when both my daughter and SIL tested positive. They were both fully vaccinated months ago.

Immediately they were whisked into a private room with security and an NCL REP posted outside. There they were given another Covid test and again both tested positive. The staff asked where their bags were and they contacted the Marriott hotel next door. Security and the NCL Cruise Director went to the hotel and retrieved their bags. ( I had already taken ours out as we knew they would be going there shortly) 

They we’re then driven to a local resort that NCL has contracted with to house passengers that test positive. Since then I have been talked to my daughter numerous times and she said she is amazed at how well NCL has been treating them. They are both asymptomatic  and had no idea this was about to happen. They have been told they will stay at the resort until they both test negative. They are authorized to order room service and with be reimbursed up to $100 per day per person.

I am thankful they did everything right and followed all of NCL’s recommendations. They did have insurance with NCL and are ever so thankful for that.

My husband and I spoke with a member of the medical staff when we checked in, and after much discussion with the Dr on board we were allowed to board.

I am heartbroken leaving them behind,  although my daughter insisted. They have been in touch with their daughter and SIL that are station in Olympia WA. And all have promised me they will keep us updated everyday.

So my best advice is get tested before you leave home, have insurance, and keep a good attitude if life hands you lemons.

STAY SAFE and get VACCINATED.

 

 

 

Oops I forgot to specify that this was for international flights not domestic.

I know to fly you have to test negative or have a doctor certify that you have tested positive within the last 90 days, with or without symptoms, and are no longer contagious. Will this work with NCL? I have no idea.

1 hour ago, dexddd said:

Keep in mind that GSC can be hit or miss.  Unofficial count over the years about 30% miss due to sea conditions.  Now wait for the poster who is 6 for 6.

That's true. We took an early boat from the Ship and got there. Our friend working on the caye told us that soon after we got there the sea got rough and didn't resume until around noon. It was a little rough reboarding.