Bermuda Escape Cruises - insights, information, and more just on Bermuda

[hfjas006]

Just now, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

You should reply that they need to update their website.  This could trip a lot of people up.

No one involved in this trip is great at communication, that’s for sure. 

[B_A_H]

6 minutes ago, hfjas006 said:

I just received this response from the Bermuda Covid 19 Response Team. They are obviously changing from 5 To 4 days just before the first cruise is set to sail. 

Well, that sucks.  I'm guessing that means for most people testing has to be done on Saturday with results by Monday.  The two testing options I have lined up should theoretically be able to get results back on that schedule but there's zero room for error.  I'm getting test by two different labs just to improve my odds.

 

I'm sorry for you folks on the 6/15 cruise.  This just adds more anxiety and drama.

 

In terms (literally) of the guidance Viking's providing take it with a grain of salt.  In the T&C they absolve themselves of any liability for providing erroneous information. 

 

 

P.S. - Of all the days of the week why in the hell did Viking pick a "Tuesday" departure? 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

5 minutes ago, B_A_H said:

Well, that sucks.  I'm guessing that means for most people testing has to be done on Saturday with results by Monday.  The two testing options I have lined up should theoretically be able to get results back on that schedule but there's zero room for error.  I'm getting test by two different labs just to improve my odds.

 

I'm sorry for you folks on the 6/15 cruise.  This just adds more anxiety and drama.

 

In terms (literally) of the guidance Viking's providing take it with a grain of salt.  In the T&C they absolve themselves of any liability for providing erroneous information. 

 

 

P.S. - Of all the days of the week why in the hell did Viking pick a "Tuesday" departure? 

With four days, Friday would be Day 0, not Saturday.

 

But you may be depending on the lab operating on Saturday morning if you don’t get a “same-day” test.

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[Azulann]

B_A_H

 the day  you take the test is day 0 , so we get tested on Friday ,SAturday is day 1,  for an arrival in Bermuda on TuesdayDay 4. 

[What was that?]

1 minute ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

With four days, Friday would be Day 0, not Saturday.

Ragnar, that is what I have heard twice from the Bermuda Corona Virus Hotline, including the 4-day requirement after 6th June (now probably 13th June).

[bafinegan]

19 minutes ago, jollyjones said:

The only reason I posted the info about the changed timing for the pre-arrival test is because gov.bm is slow to update.

 

Here is the text of the press conference. Scroll down a long way to find the change to 4 days for the pre-arrival test. This is the situation as of today.

 

https://www.gov.bm/articles/covid-19-update-minister-health-remarks-18-may-2021

 

What changes on June 13th is that non-vaccinated arrivals must quarantine for 14 days in government dictated accommodation, although at the traveller's expense.

(there are some exceptions) You are of course all vaccinated so not a worry.

Thank you for this!  And lease, if you could continue to post any updates?  I have been checking gov.bm daily, but find inconsistencies depending upon where one looks.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I see now why Viking is sticking with 3 days, it’s a CYA....

[B_A_H]

3 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

With four days, Friday would be Day 0, not Saturday.

 

 

 

Thanks for that.  That improves my odds tremendously.  But doesn't that also mean most folks will be OK?  If the specimen is processed locally getting it drawn on Friday pretty much assures a return of results no later than Monday.  I know that's anxiety inducing but it should be able to be done. 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Depending on how you read the TA, Monday may be too late.

 

I think the only somewhat assured way forward is to get a same-day or “guaranteed” 24 hour PCR test on Friday (for Tues arrivals).

 

But there has been some indication that if your test is delayed you can call the Bermuda hot-line and expedite a TA.

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[What was that?]

3 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Depending on how you read the TA, Monday may be too late.

Exactly! The specifications of hours vs. days are in conflict and ambiguous. Here are two bits of information I would like to share:

• Email reply from the Bermuda Corona Virus Hotline on 31 May at 9:01PDT: "Officially, the last time that you are able to apply is 11pm the day before your travel date however we advise against this as Travel Authorizations are only reviewed between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m (the times listed are referring to Bermuda Time). Emergency Travel Authorizations may be issued on the day of travel by the COVID-19 Helpline on +1(441)444-2498."

• I monitored the Travel Authorization Application page a couple of nights ago, looking to see when the  days you can apply change (scroll to bottom and click "Apply for Travel Authorization" button). The days do not change at 11PM Bermuda time, nor do they change at 11PM local time (PDT), and apparently do change around midnight local time (also PDT). It appears to me that page is out of step with many other bits of info posted by the Government of Bermuda.

So we would all be well advised not to push the TA application deadline too hard, because at some (as yet unknown) point in time the system will cut off acceptance of applications. And since we know nothing of the Emergency TA application process, placing reliance on it as a last resort should be just that - a last resort.

Note: all emphasis was added by me, and references to "local time" qualify the test conditions I used; your results may vary.

[bafinegan]

5 minutes ago, What was that? said:

Exactly! The specifications of hours vs. days are in conflict and ambiguous. Here are two bits of information I would like to share:

• Email reply from the Bermuda Corona Virus Hotline on 31 May at 9:01PDT: "Officially, the last time that you are able to apply is 11pm the day before your travel date however we advise against this as Travel Authorizations are only reviewed between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m (the times listed are referring to Bermuda Time). Emergency Travel Authorizations may be issued on the day of travel by the COVID-19 Helpline on +1(441)444-2498."

• I monitored the Travel Authorization Application page a couple of nights ago, looking to see when the  days you can apply change (scroll to bottom and click "Apply for Travel Authorization" button). The days do not change at 11PM Bermuda time, nor do they change at 11PM local time (PDT), and apparently do change around midnight local time (also PDT). It appears to me that page is out of step with many other bits of info posted by the Government of Bermuda.

So we would all be well advised not to push the TA application deadline too hard, because at some (as yet unknown) point in time the system will cut off acceptance of applications. And since we know nothing of the Emergency TA application process, placing reliance on it as a last resort should be just that - a last resort.

Note: all emphasis was added by me, and references to "local time" qualify the test conditions I used; your results may vary.

I'm thinking the "golden time" for the TA application is SUnday.  Thats what I'm shooting for.

[What was that?]

1 minute ago, bafinegan said:

I'm thinking the "golden time" for the TA application is SUnday.  Thats what I'm shooting for.

I agree - anything beyond is terra incognita. By that I mean the Government of Bermuda has set up a number of potential deadlines, the earliest of which is midnight Sunday (one day in advance), then flight arrival time less 24 hours, and finally 11PM Monday(?). I'm not rolling those dice - if I cannot confidently receive our test results by Sunday (a two-day turnaround) we will pull out - I'm not even going to consider an Emergency TA.

[hfjas006]

45 minutes ago, bafinegan said:

I'm thinking the "golden time" for the TA application is SUnday.  Thats what I'm shooting for.

I asked the Covid 19 Hotline if this is the correct timeline:

 

Friday, June 11 - Get Covid test
Sunday, June 13 - receive results and apply for travel authorization by end of day
Monday, June 14 - receive travel authorization
Tuesday, June 15 - travel to Bermuda

 Their response was “Yup, this is absolutely correct.”. 

[bafinegan]

1 minute ago, hfjas006 said:

I asked the Covid 19 Hotline if this is the correct timeline:

 

Friday, June 11 - Get Covid test
Sunday, June 13 - receive results and apply for travel authorization by end of day
Monday, June 14 - receive travel authorization
Tuesday, June 15 - travel to Bermuda

 Their response was “Yup, this is absolutely correct.”. 

Yup, that's our plan ( only substitute July 9 and so on)

[CCWineLover]

8 hours ago, jollyjones said:

The only reason I posted the info about the changed timing for the pre-arrival test is because gov.bm is slow to update.

 

Here is the text of the press conference. Scroll down a long way to find the change to 4 days for the pre-arrival test. This is the situation as of today.

 

https://www.gov.bm/articles/covid-19-update-minister-health-remarks-18-may-2021

 

What changes on June 13th is that non-vaccinated arrivals must quarantine for 14 days in government dictated accommodation, although at the traveller's expense.

(there are some exceptions) You are of course all vaccinated so not a worry.

Thanks!   To make sure I'm looking at the right thing . .  here is what I see in the web site you list from May 18:

 

Also, before I end, I would like to address the timing of the traveller’s pre-arrival test. It was announced previously that the timeframe for the pre-arrival test would change from 5 days to 3 days, from 6 June. We have listened to the concerns expressed about this being too short a period to allow for a test result to be received. Therefore, from 6 June the Ministry will change the timeframe for the pre-arrival test from 5 days to 4 days.

 

For those of us who fly directly to the cruise and arrive on a Tuesday (all Bermuda Viking cruises will do this), that means you cannot take the COVID test until Friday before at the earliest  (not the Thursday and not the Saturday).   And it cannot be an antigen or antibody test.

[CCWineLover]

6 hours ago, hfjas006 said:

I asked the Covid 19 Hotline if this is the correct timeline:

 

Friday, June 11 - Get Covid test
Sunday, June 13 - receive results and apply for travel authorization by end of day
Monday, June 14 - receive travel authorization
Tuesday, June 15 - travel to Bermuda

 Their response was “Yup, this is absolutely correct.”. 

 

Yes, that sounds like what I figured.   No matter which cruise you take on Viking, just use the Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue days of the week.

And yes, I came to the same conclusion that Sunday morning (hopefully) would be a good time to submit the application.  Bermuda says they open at 9 AM every day of the week.   So the two issues will be for all of us:

1.  Can the test come back to us within 48 hours at the latest?  (many labs say 1-3 days)

       and then If there is a false positive, can a retest be done in time?

2.  Can the Bermuda Government truly process the application in 24 hours (as they promise), given they will likely be swamped.   And processed in time for those of us who fly on Monday will get it back in order to get on the plane.

[B_A_H]

GMA is onboard the first  sailing of the Millennium.  Here's the first video.  They'll be adding more.

 

https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/amp/news/video/cruising-back-normal-78113920

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Well, it has been well over 24 hours since I submitted our vaccine cards via Veri-lie, and ..... crickets.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Anyone get their vax verification back yet?  Anyone? anyone?

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[CCWineLover]

1 minute ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Anyone get their vax verification back yet?  Anyone, anyone?

 

 

 

Me neither.  I figured the Viking folks and the Verifly folks don't work on Sundays.  Now if we don't hear at end of day tomorrow . . .   Could be the same mess as the excursions posting overload. 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

5 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Me neither.  I figured the Viking folks and the Verifly folks don't work on Sundays.  Now if we don't hear at end of day tomorrow . . .   Could be the same mess as the excursions posting overload. 

They say “24hours”, not “24 hours, except Sundays, and maybe when we take the day off to play beer pong.”

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by Ragnar Danneskjold

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Let this be a lesson to anyone not fully vaccinated well before your sailing date, and to procrastinators.

 

[hfjas006]

30 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Well, it has been well over 24 hours since I submitted our vaccine cards via Veri-lie, and ..... crickets.

Submitted ours on Friday. Have heard nothing. 

[MarkBearSF]

On 6/1/2021 at 9:49 AM, What was that? said:

That is my interpretation. As these policies may vary from state-to-state, and possibly with the traveler's age (we are 76), it is probably a good thing to check any policy you are offered (or have bought) to ensure you have the coverage you need/want. 

For what it's worth, the available policies offered by insuremytrip.com drastically declined to almost nothing once my husband reached 70. I found multiple offerings when checking on other sites, with my husband's age fully disclosed and factored into the policy rate. (Other cruises.) My health has changed things since. But yes, that site had drastically limited our choices once one of us reached 70.

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by MarkBearSF

[CCWineLover]

21 minutes ago, MarkBearSF said:

For what it's worth, the available policies offered by insuremytrip.com drastically declined to almost nothing once my husband reached 70. I found multiple offerings when checking on other sites, with my husband's age fully disclosed and factored into the policy rate. (Other cruises.) My health has changed things since. But yes, that site had drastically limited our choices once one of us reached 70.

 

Same with us, Mark.  I had been a long time customer of InsureMyTrip.  Now I look elsewhere as I did for our upcoming Bermuda cruise.