coronavirus

[FlightMedic555]

Getting a little late for PG to be proactive.  Being reactive puts many of our plans in limbo. 

[Sailwithbars]

I received this from Windstar yesterday. We have a PG cruise booked for June, do you guys think PG will implement something similar? 
 

 

[DavidTheWonderer]

Oceania had some folks who took advantage of a similar no-fee cancellation policy to book whole blocks of cabins, making them unavailable.  Then Oceania would offer upgrades at a reduced rate. People would accept the upgrade and then cancel the reservations on the multiple cabins.  Oceania had to change their policy because of these creeps.

[FlightMedic555]

Not sure how many people who want to cruise over the next 6 months have yet to make reservations.  I know I booked for this coming June last July. 

[Sailwithbars]

Link to the latest PG travel advisory regarding coronavirus: 

 

https://www.pgcruises.com/travel-advisory

[SWFLAOK]

I was hoping that the latest update would address the Fiji to Bali situation on the way to drydock. Within the last week, 2 people have taken flights from Dubai to Bali, after visiting Iran. One tested positive when she reached New Zealand, and the other tested positive when he reached Melbourne. The government in Bali has already tracked down tourists seated near the first positive passenger. They are being "isolated" at their hotels, and told to "limit their activities". There are 3 hotels in Bali involved, but they weren't named. They are still working on locating tourists in Bali who sat near the second positive passenger. He transited the Bali airport on Feb 28.

Maybe there will be another update this week.

 

[Cruisedreamer1]

Tahiti Nui now requires a medical certificate to board plane to French Polynesia. The airline is allowing changes without fers.

[FamilyAdventuring]

As a Tahiti Specialist, I received many updates yesterday and today from the French Polynesia Government and Air Tahiti Nui. All people going to French Polynesia as March 2nd, 2020 will need a Health Certificate no matter where they are travelling from or their travel history. The letter must be dated within 5 days of your flight date to Tahiti. Check the French Polynesia government website regularly before you go as they update things and they are applicable right away without warning.

While this is a bit of a hassle, it should make people feel a bit more confident that all fellow travellers on their cruise all had to show a health certificate just to get to French Polynesia let alone on the Paul Gauguin.

Normand

[Sighteer Sam]

22 minutes ago, FamilyAdventuring said:

As a Tahiti Specialist, I received many updates yesterday and today from the French Polynesia Government and Air Tahiti Nui. All people going to French Polynesia as March 2nd, 2020 will need a Health Certificate no matter where they are travelling from or their travel history. The letter must be dated within 5 days of your flight date to Tahiti. Check the French Polynesia government website regularly before you go as they update things and they are applicable right away without warning.

While this is a bit of a hassle, it should make people feel a bit more confident that all fellow travellers on their cruise all had to show a health certificate just to get to French Polynesia let alone on the Paul Gauguin.

Normand

My friend, leaving this weekend for FP, just got off the phone with Air Tahiti and they changed their policy just this afternoon.  Apparently the letter is for passengers coming from this list of countries only.  We're in Texas, USA

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

So much misinformation  ... even today several people got conflicting information from some source (not PG). Don't go by what is said orally  .... 

Get the latest policy announcements on the PG web page and the ATN web page  .... at the top. Check it often as things are in a state of flux right now and could change at anytime. 

 

SWFLAOK  .... things are being discussed right now on the upcoming cruises  ..... hopefully things will be announced soon. Look at it this way  ..... we are all in for an adventure 🙂

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[guitarcrazy]

Just to put closure for me here.  We decided not to fly to Tahiti last Friday and not board our cruise on Saturday.  We would probably have been fine, but as we are in a high risk level, we didn't want to be on an 8 hour flight, and did not want to risk the small chance of quarantine.  We lost a lot of money and a wonderful cruise opportunity, but for us, this was the right condition and we are good with it.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

9 minutes ago, guitarcrazy said:

Just to put closure for me here.  We decided not to fly to Tahiti last Friday and not board our cruise on Saturday.  We would probably have been fine, but as we are in a high risk level, we didn't want to be on an 8 hour flight, and did not want to risk the small chance of quarantine.  We lost a lot of money and a wonderful cruise opportunity, but for us, this was the right condition and we are good with it.

 

Everyone needs to make a choice that fits there needs and concerns, I get it. However, for us and many in my group we feel we are probably safer on the PG in FP waters than in California right now. Currently no known cases in FP and the Government, ATN and the PG are being very proactive ..... if we get stuck in FP for an extended period I can't think of a better place ....

[SWFLAOK]

The only news we have heard is found here -> https://www.pgcruises.com/travel-advisory

 

Our TA has no insight.

 

[Seabiscuit68]

We're booked on Ponant Le Soleal leaving Tahiti on March 20th travelling through Cook Islands and Wallis and Futuna to Fiji.  I have been monitoring the local press and it seems that Wallis and Futuna, Aitutaki and Samoa may not be granting entry to any cruise ships.  Has anyone else heard this?  I have reached out to Ponant but have not heard anything.  

 

http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/health/item/76147-coronavirus-response-people-not-money

 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/410932/coronavirus-cruise-ship-banned-from-wallis-and-futuna

 

http://www.samoagovt.ws/2020/02/health-travel-advisory-novel-coronavirus-covid-2019-effective-immediately-3/

[sita]

18 hours ago, Sighteer Sam said:

My friend, leaving this weekend for FP, just got off the phone with Air Tahiti and they changed their policy just this afternoon.  Apparently the letter is for passengers coming from this list of countries only.  We're in Texas, USA

Based on there French Polynesia government site (and the PG site), this is not correct, a medical certificate is required regardless of travel history.

[azdrydock]

We were scheduled on an Oceania cruise from Tokyo to SFO via Russia, Aleutian islands and Alaska in June. Cruise was cancelled because the previous section did Korea and China and was rerouted to Australia, NZ, Fiji,Hawaii to SFO. We got full cruise refund +25% future cruise credit and they picked up some of the cost related to cancelling independent air. Some of the passengers said the the Airlines were sympathetic and did not charge for cancelling. We had planned on making our air arrangements the day they announced the cancellation. We are using those funds for our June 6 PG cruise.

I  already did my Air for June 6 and may have some risk if the cruise is cancelled. Booking is AA on Tahiti and Fiji so things will be interesting if something happens. No straight answers on what is covered  by credit card travel insurance.

[Seabiscuit68]

I've looking into refund policies on our flights via LAX should we decide to cancel our March 20th Ponant French Polynesia cruise.   We have Air France business class 100% refundable.   I booked a cost saver Business Class on Fiji Air and they told me it is only 50% refundable per standard cancellation policy.  When asked about extenuating circumstances due coronavirus, they said it will be handled on a case by case basis.   I haven't looked into credit card insurance yet.

[FamilyAdventuring]

On 3/3/2020 at 2:50 PM, Sighteer Sam said:

My friend, leaving this weekend for FP, just got off the phone with Air Tahiti and they changed their policy just this afternoon.  Apparently the letter is for passengers coming from this list of countries only.  We're in Texas, USA

Beginning March 9, 2020, every passenger (including airline crew) must present a health certificate, dated within 5 days of departure, certifying the state of health free of any clinical sign of detectable infection, before boarding a flight to French Polynesia.   It's great to call an airline or look at the cruise line website or tourist office website but the most current information on entering a country is on their country's website.   https://www.service-public.pf/dsp/covid-19

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

This is the most accurate ...

[SWFLAOK]

If our Fiji to Bali cruise on April 11th isn't cancelled, we plan to be on it. But if we had to fly to Tahiti with it's new policy, rather than Fiji, I would cancel.

The last thing I want to do is go to a doctor's office right before I leave for a trip. Most people in a doctor's office are there because they're sick, and I would not want to be in a waiting room with sick people right before I board a plane for a long (and expensive) trip. If French Polynesia wants to screen people coming into the country, they should have medical personnel doing that in the airport as they board. It still won't be very accurate, but it's better than 5 days before. The verification of the history of where you've been, and who you've been in contact with that's most important since the incubation time is longer than 5 days.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Wow, bummer.

[Tahitiancruise]

On 3/3/2020 at 6:18 PM, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

 

Everyone needs to make a choice that fits there needs and concerns, I get it. However, for us and many in my group we feel we are probably safer on the PG in FP waters than in California right now. Currently no known cases in FP and the Government, ATN and the PG are being very proactive ..... if we get stuck in FP for an extended period I can't think of a better place ....

 

New to this group but thought this was an interesting thread.   The main issue that I see isn’t being quarantined in FP or contracting COVID 19 on the cruise.  The main issue is coming down with flu symptoms in FP (regardless of where you contracted the virus) and having to rely on FP healthcare to nurse you back to health.   Their healthcare system, quality of respiratory specialists, number of respirators and access to experimental drugs for a novel virus with lots of current unknowns is likely less than in the US.  You might be more likely to contract the virus in the US than in FP right now, but you might be more likely to recover from the virus in the US if you come down with severe symptoms.

[FlightMedic555]

13 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

If our Fiji to Bali cruise on April 11th isn't cancelled, we plan to be on it. But if we had to fly to Tahiti with it's new policy, rather than Fiji, I would cancel.

The last thing I want to do is go to a doctor's office right before I leave for a trip. Most people in a doctor's office are there because they're sick, and I would not want to be in a waiting room with sick people right before I board a plane for a long (and expensive) trip. If French Polynesia wants to screen people coming into the country, they should have medical personnel doing that in the airport as they board. It still won't be very accurate, but it's better than 5 days before. The verification of the history of where you've been, and who you've been in contact with that's most important since the incubation time is longer than 5 days.

 

Don't think that the officials in FP may not still require you to have some type of documentation.  You will be arriving in FP from another country which means the PG or you may have to provide some documentation.  I am not sure what your itinerary is but I did read that all ships stopping anywhere in FP must first stop in Papeete.  Not sure how that may alter your trip.

 

[SWFLAOK]

1 hour ago, FlightMedic555 said:

 

Don't think that the officials in FP may not still require you to have some type of documentation.  You will be arriving in FP from another country which means the PG or you may have to provide some documentation.  I am not sure what your itinerary is but I did read that all ships stopping anywhere in FP must first stop in Papeete.  Not sure how that may alter your trip.

 

As I said, we're on the Fiji to Bali PG cruise so we fly to Fiji from LAX, and go west  from there to Bali on the ship. We fly back to LAX from Bali via Sydney.  French Polynesia is not part of this cruise.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

Keep this in mind  .... the FP government will re-examine their policy on March 31st to see if it needs to be changed. The Cook Islands will re-examine their policy for potential modification. My guess is several islands in the Pacific will be re-examining their policy in the upcoming weeks and months. For all we know everything my be open in April/May.