Celebrity boarding rules change again for cruises from St Maarten - posted 05/31/2021

[Borntocruise22]

32 minutes ago, twinmom22197 said:

In response to those worried about testing for celebrity. When we landed today and went to the terminal, just before immigration there was a kiosk if you needed a  PCR Test it was $120. If I remember correctly it was 30 minute results. It seems like they are trying to make it easy as they can. 

Thank you for the info!! We are right behind you on the 19th. Looking for all the posts from the cruise. I just know it will be awesome. Yaaaay for you!!!

[sofietucker]

3 hours ago, imtired1959 said:

Folks, there has been a change in the covid testing policy (again).  June 2nd update states:

 

Celebrity Boarding 

• All guests ages 2 and up must present a negative RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to arrival to St. Maarten. This requirement differs from St Maarten entry requirements which are 120 hours prior to departure. 

Guests that do not meet our requirements may be denied boarding.

 

Things are looking doable again.  At least now, we can get the test to enter ST. Maarten at the 72 hour mark and still be able to board the 

So: does that mean that X's test must be AT 72 hours, or no earlier than/within 72 hours before landing? Because SXM only requires the RT-PCR WITHIN 120 hours (so the 72 hour one meets the criteria), OR the antigen WITHIN 48 hours. You could theoretically have the rapid one done at the airport.and it would be well within 72 hours. Unless you're arriving 4 days before...

[BoundForSea]

Who knows what they mean, because it’s a big mystery. They change the text on the webpage without changing the date at the top so unless you are on the ball like our members here you will totally miss it. 

 

Maybe if they put as much effort into someone doing a quick current video explanation in plain language every time something changes for us, and put half as much effort in that as they do launching the Beyond and Someday is Here campaign on Edge we all might be happier customers. 
 

Nope we will play their favorite games:

 

 “Let’s all guess what they mean today” and

”Can you find the changes in the webpage?”

 

For those down in SXM and made it through the maze so far congrats!! Us behind you will just be entering the elusive corn maze in the next few days. 

 

[imtired1959]

11 hours ago, twinmom22197 said:

In response to those worried about testing for celebrity. When we landed today and went to the terminal, just before immigration there was a kiosk if you needed a  PCR Test it was $120. If I remember correctly it was 30 minute results. It seems like they are trying to make it easy as they can. 

Thank you for doing reconnaissance Twinmom!  This is a great Plan B. What time did your flight get in (how late is the kiosk open)? Have fun on your vacation!

[sanger727]

15 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Not complaining about the testing requirements.  Complaining about the terrible corporate communications regarding the requirements.

 

And FWIW, I still have not received any info on testing for my cruise, though I got another round of offers for casino and other packages.  So it's not like they don't a) know I'm cruising and b) have a correct email address.

 

The corporate communications staff should be very glad I'm not the CEO, or the VP over them - because they would all be out of a job tomorrow.

 

Some people have complained about the lack of communications. Many have complained simply because the testing requirements changed this close to sailing. Hopefully we can agree that that fact may not have been able to be stopped. Even if they sent every single person a clearly worded e-mail explaining what the change was and why, it probably still had to happen due to Barbados. 

 

I don't know when your cruise is, but it really sounds like Celebrity is between a rock and a hard place on this. 1. they can communicate very clearly what the restrictions and requirements are TODAY. And then tomorrow it changes and everyone is mad that it changed. or 2. they can be somewhat vague for those who are sailing in the future so that people don't have these expectations and then everyone can be mad that they aren't communicating well.

 

This has been happening since the pandemic started. People asking "what do you think the new rules will be". People answering, "well they haven't said" which leads to people not wanting to make final payments and being annoyed there are no answers. Or the cruise line answering with the best information that they have in the moment, which of course changes the next week. And then people are mad that things keep changing. 

[BoundForSea]

On 6/2/2021 at 11:55 AM, twinmom22197 said:

So we took the PCR test at CVS......taking another one today for Celebrity, and when we got the results via text, we clicked on it, it verified our identity, took us to the report and then at the bottom it said save as a PDF.  I then uploaded it to St. Maarten website and they accepted it. (I did email it to myself and uploaded everything from my laptop.)

Most helpful thank you!

[abbydancer2003]

The email we got yesterday for our July cruise (the infamous ship swap) does say that requirements will be communicated closer to sailing.  We're well past final payment.

 

I've decided not to even think about it until after July 4.  In the meantime, I volunteer at a vaccine clinic and they made me get a covid test yesterday around 11am.  Got the results at 8am this morning.  Too bad the verbiage may not be good enough.

[lhsail]

I see a lot of people posting that they got their tests for free. Are there states that require all tests be free?  In our area we’re finding they run about $125 if for travel and now it seems we’ll need two since we fly on Thursday. 

[sofietucker]

This is fun!

Letter I got June 2^nd:  “Children between the ages of 2-15 who are not vaccinated must complete a rapid antigen test at the terminal prior to boarding.”

Currently on Celebrity website: “Unvaccinated children between the ages of 2-15 who are not vaccinated must complete an RT-PCR at the terminal prior to boarding. “

Edited June 4, 2021 by sofietucker

[FlyerTalker]

The right hand and the left hand aren't even attached to the same body.  Or brain.

[Wilson]

There is a live blog...First Cruise Back! Today We Set Sail for the First Time in Over a Year!  Celebrity Millennium: Day One | CruiseHabit

[CalTexCruiser]

6 minutes ago, Wilson said:

There is a live blog...First Cruise Back! Today We Set Sail for the First Time in Over a Year!  Celebrity Millennium: Day One | CruiseHabit

 

Nice!  The blogger said 27% capacity on this first sailing.

 

The entire ship would be like the Retreat since no crowding anywhere!  Almost like a private yacht experience on a large ship.

 

[Wilson]

4 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

 

Nice!  The blogger said 27% capacity on this first sailing.

 

The entire ship would be like the Retreat since no crowding anywhere!  Almost like a private yacht experience on a large ship.

 

Exactly! That be awesome experience. I have cruised twice with the blogger, Billy, and he is very informative and provides accurate information.

[CalTexCruiser]

1 minute ago, Wilson said:

Exactly! That be awesome experience. I have cruised twice with the blogger, Billy, and he is very informative and provides accurate information.

 

If I lived in a gateway city with non-stop flights to SXM I'd book the next cruise given this awesome review, but unfortunately I'm on the West Coast and it's a 10-hr flight for me.