New Paragraph in T&C (MSC USA)

[Homosassa]

I didn't want to bury this in another thread.

 

While checking the MSC USA website today for updates on cruising, I noticed the links for cancelled cruise and travel advisories that have appeared in red on the top of the page are no longer there.

 

Curious, I tried to find additional information and checked the Terms and Conditions to see if any thing new has been added (Yes, I do read the T&C for the different cruise lines for which I book a cruise).

 

I found the following paragraph under the section "Passenger's Responsibilities." I believe that the word "inoculations" is new.

 

"Passengers must have received all necessary medical inoculations prior to the Cruise and have in their possession all tickets, valid passports, visas, medical cards and any other documents necessary for the scheduled ports of call and disembarkation. "

 

For those MSC cruises stopping in the Bahamas (note that the private island is in the Bahamas), this paragraph is important for the Bahamian required health visa.  

 

For seven night cruises where the Bahamian ports of call are the last two days of the cruise, it will not be possible to meet the requirements of the Bahamian government unless one is vaccinated and, for the US citizens, have the original CDC card as specified in the visa requirements. The is no way to meet the non-vaccinated testing requirements and uploading of information once on the ship (embarkation is outside the time limits of the testing requirements).

 

The three/four night itineraries do fit nicely into the testing and reporting requirements before embarkation (will need the "green" classification to embark).

 

Interesting as the Meravigilia is doings seven night itineraries where the stops in the Bahamas are on the last full two days of the itineraries.  The Divina and Armonia have the 3-4 day cruises.

 

Maybe MSC will have two categories of cruises: Vaccinated seven night cruises and the take your chance 3-4 day cruises.

[jules815]

Link under travel requirements and protocols for "Caribbean and Bahamas"  still says "coming soon." I hope that's working soon.

[kelleherdl]

Great find.  
 

I have been looking on the website to try and detect these sorts of changes.  We are among the folks waiting for Divina to leave Valletta and get to Port Canaveral.  I’ve got five YC cabins for a family celebration of my birthday departing on July 4th.  We’re not cancelling and letting things play out as the family is coming to town either if we sail or don’t. 
 

We are all vaccinated whichever way MSC does this.  I find it fascinating that there may be this 3/4 day versus 7 day twist to the negotiations.

 

Dennis

[shipgeeks]

We are booked on Armonia in September, 7 + 7 nights.

We are fully vaccinated.

[Homosassa]

27 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

We are booked on Armonia in September, 7 + 7 nights.

We are fully vaccinated.

I missed the seven night cruises on the Armonia; somehow I thought they were 3-4 nights. I did find the seven night itineraries.

 

The Armonia cruises port in the Bahamas on day 3 of the cruise. It would still be difficult to be tested with five days of arrival in the Bahamas, receive the result, upload to the Bahamian website and receive the "green" visa clearance before boarding.

[Stockjock]

Could be wrong, but I thought they removed the cancelled cruise header because they will be updating it shortly. Likely the same for the travel advisories.

[Homosassa]

1 hour ago, kelleherdl said:

 

We are all vaccinated whichever way MSC does this.  I find it fascinating that there may be this 3/4 day versus 7 day twist to the negotiations.

 

Dennis

It may also be a combination with the ports of call.

 

I was curious so I looked at the itineraries for Carnival's Miami cruises. 

 

Carnival has stated that  Covid 19 vaccinations will not be required for their cruises. None of the cruise dates I checked stopped in the Bahamas, St Maarten, or any other port where vaccinations are or may be required.  I admit I didn't specifically check government websites for all the ports and went on what seems to be the known open countries with no requirements for vaccinations.

 

[Homosassa]

6 minutes ago, Stockjock said:

Could be wrong, but I thought they removed the cancelled cruise header because they will be updating it shortly. Likely the same for the travel advisories.

Yeah, I am being optimistic that my booked cruise will not be on an updated cancelled list.

Edited June 1, 2021 by Homosassa

[kelleherdl]

the plot thickens.  I am on the MSC Cruises USA website right now. I navigated to Terms and Conditions via the link on the bottom of the webpage.

 

the addition you found to the Terms and Coditions, Sec 17: Passenger’s Responsibility is no longer there, at least on my computer.  I think we may have a case of premature edits being posted earlier today and it was reversed.

 

Dennis

[shipgeeks]

I interpret this to mean that if one is fully vaccinated, no further tests, visas, etc. are needed.  Right? 

We are to be in Nassau on days 3 and 4, Ocean Cay on days 5 and 6, and then the same the following week.

[Homosassa]

22 minutes ago, kelleherdl said:

the plot thickens.  I am on the MSC Cruises USA website right now. I navigated to Terms and Conditions via the link on the bottom of the webpage.

 

the addition you found to the Terms and Coditions, Sec 17: Passenger’s Responsibility is no longer there, at least on my computer.  I think we may have a case of premature edits being posted earlier today and it was reversed.

 

Dennis

I just checked. It is still there on page18:

 

"Passengers must have received all necessary medical inoculations prior to the Cruise and have in their possession all tickets, valid passports, visas, medical cards and any other documents necessary for the scheduled ports of call and disembarkation."

 

 

I don't know why you don't have it.

[Homosassa]

18 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

I interpret this to mean that if one is fully vaccinated, no further tests, visas, etc. are needed.  Right? 

We are to be in Nassau on days 3 and 4, Ocean Cay on days 5 and 6, and then the same the following week.

You will need the Bahamian Health Visa. Here is the link to the requirement:

 

https://www.bahamas.com/travelupdates

[Homosassa]

I also found this statement in the Health Section of the FAQs: 

 

"Vaccinations

Guests are advised to consult their National Health Service prior to the cruise for information regarding recommended vaccinations. MSC Cruises declines all responsibility for guests who do not adhere to the recommendations on the prevention of infectious diseases or do not have the appropriate vaccinations to enter a particular port during the cruise."

 

[Homosassa]

LOL - I was just back on the MSC USA site.

 

The cancelled cruises and health advisories links on the top of the page showed up again (my cruise is not cancelled at this point).

 

The inoculation statement is still in the T&C section.

[kelleherdl]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

I just checked. It is still there on page18:

 

"Passengers must have received all necessary medical inoculations prior to the Cruise and have in their possession all tickets, valid passports, visas, medical cards and any other documents necessary for the scheduled ports of call and disembarkation."

 

 

I don't know why you don't have it.

My apologies.  You are correct.  I missed it.

Dennis

[deliver42]

That's probably the wording that the cruise lines will eventually adapt to get around asking passengers if they are vaccinated, thanks to Florida's idiot governor.

[Até]

I can track that exact wording in the MSC US Terms and Conditions back to February, 2020.  Well before MSC started adding any COVID related changes.  I can find similar wording dating back to the 2018 Terms and Conditions.

Edited June 2, 2021 by Até