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Caribbean Ports Testing Requirements - How many and what cost?


Megabear2
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55 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I have bit the bullet and swapped our Jan 22 Caribbean cruise and booked a nice seafront suite in a hotel in Fuerteventura for a month. I wasn't willing to commit to paying our balance for something that may or may not take place and certainly won't resemble cruising as we know it. 

You'll be able to admire Playa Blanca from there!

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13 minutes ago, wowzz said:

You'll be able to admire Playa Blanca from there!

Nice view from Corellejo, less so from Jandia. You can of course admire Playa Blanca from anywhere without actually seeing it.🤣

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1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said:

I have bit the bullet and swapped our Jan 22 Caribbean cruise and booked a nice seafront suite in a hotel in Fuerteventura for a month. I wasn't willing to commit to paying our balance for something that may or may not take place and certainly won't resemble cruising as we know it. 

We have a Saga cruise in January which calls at Fuerteventura.You will have to give us a wave! If I didn't mind flying I would be booking a month in the warm weather too.

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With UK travel updates due this week, things not sounding too good for the Caribbean at present:

 

"A number of Caribbean islands are at risk of joining the red list in the next travel update, while few countries are expected to go green, according to expert analysis.

Looking at the latest Covid case rates, experts have predicted that Jamaica, St Lucia and Dominica, plus the north African nation of Morocco, could be downgraded from amber to red at the UK government’s review of the traffic light lists, expected later this week.

The analysis from the PC Agency also suggested that eight green destinations could move down to amber, reports The Telegraph: Israel, Croatia, Madeira, Lithuania and Montserrat, and the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Turks and Caicos."

 

With balances already paid and many due any day now, how long before P&O move on advising those booked? The next Government travel review should be 3 weeks taking us to mid September with the Britannia crossing due in October. If these destinations do go red, how will the cruise lines cope with possible quarantine on return to UK.  Listening to Sky News today an expert advised against booking to any Caribbean destinations due to vaccine reluctance on the islands. 

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3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

With UK travel updates due this week, things not sounding too good for the Caribbean at present:

 

"A number of Caribbean islands are at risk of joining the red list in the next travel update, while few countries are expected to go green, according to expert analysis.

Looking at the latest Covid case rates, experts have predicted that Jamaica, St Lucia and Dominica, plus the north African nation of Morocco, could be downgraded from amber to red at the UK government’s review of the traffic light lists, expected later this week.

The analysis from the PC Agency also suggested that eight green destinations could move down to amber, reports The Telegraph: Israel, Croatia, Madeira, Lithuania and Montserrat, and the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Antigua and Turks and Caicos."

 

With balances already paid and many due any day now, how long before P&O move on advising those booked? The next Government travel review should be 3 weeks taking us to mid September with the Britannia crossing due in October. If these destinations do go red, how will the cruise lines cope with possible quarantine on return to UK.  Listening to Sky News today an expert advised against booking to any Caribbean destinations due to vaccine reluctance on the islands. 

P&O clearly won't travel there if it goes red. But I'd take anything the media says with a pinch of salt, until its officially announced. They were reporting that Spain and Greece were certain to move to amber plus or red list at the last review and they didn't! 

I'm sure P&O wish they had a crystal ball but they'll be waiting to see what happens as much as the rest of us. They'll undoubtedly have to make a call on it soon though. 

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35 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

P&O clearly won't travel there if it goes red. But I'd take anything the media says with a pinch of salt, until its officially announced. They were reporting that Spain and Greece were certain to move to amber plus or red list at the last review and they didn't! 

I'm sure P&O wish they had a crystal ball but they'll be waiting to see what happens as much as the rest of us. They'll undoubtedly have to make a call on it soon though. 

At the moment it is difficult to see the early Caribbean cruises going ahead, I am sure P&O have their best experts monitoring the situation. However by doing nothing and saying nothing there is no incentive for people to pay their balances. We cancelled our Jan cruise as we are not willing to pay a substantial amount for a cruise that may not go ahead or resemble the experience we are willing to pay for, if P&O had extended their 30 day rule for paying the balance we would have been happy to wait.

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20 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

At the moment it is difficult to see the early Caribbean cruises going ahead, I am sure P&O have their best experts monitoring the situation. However by doing nothing and saying nothing there is no incentive for people to pay their balances. We cancelled our Jan cruise as we are not willing to pay a substantial amount for a cruise that may not go ahead or resemble the experience we are willing to pay for, if P&O had extended their 30 day rule for paying the balance we would have been happy to wait.

Totally agree. It wasn't a "P&O can do no wrong" post. It was more a "don't believe everything the press say" post. 

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12 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Totally agree. It wasn't a "P&O can do no wrong" post. It was more a "don't believe everything the press say" post. 

I can go with not believing what the press say, they are never likely to let the truth get in the way of a good story. These are difficult times and none of us know what to do for the best from one day to the next. I sympathise with the cruise lines as they have been hit hard by covid. I am amazed that so many of them are still going. I appreciate that it wasn't a "P&O can do no wrong" post and in some peoples eyes they can't which is perfectly valid if that is how they feel. We have been mulling over the should we shouldn't we cancel for several weeks and in the end just decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

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6 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I can go with not believing what the press say, they are never likely to let the truth get in the way of a good story. These are difficult times and none of us know what to do for the best from one day to the next. I sympathise with the cruise lines as they have been hit hard by covid. I am amazed that so many of them are still going. I appreciate that it wasn't a "P&O can do no wrong" post and in some peoples eyes they can't which is perfectly valid if that is how they feel. We have been mulling over the should we shouldn't we cancel for several weeks and in the end just decided it wasn't worth the hassle.

We moved ours from this November to next September a while back. Had enough uncertainty for now. It's not a great situation all round but at least the current UK cruises are going well (we have done a 3 nighter and loved it). 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 8/5/2021 at 9:02 AM, kevboy said:

I am on the Brittania transatlantic cruise 22nd October and balance was requested 12 weeks prior. There will be no reduction to 30 days terms. With regard to testing, My grandchild aged 11 needs a PCR before embarkation and P&O say this will be complimentary. However, they will not say where or when this will be done since they are still sorting out arrangements. Disembarking at ports of call will only be allowed if on an official P&O excursion. Again however, they are in the process of arranging for passengers to be able to get off the ship for some kind of Port visit under their own volition but dont give any more details. I think P&O are hoping to be able to do LFT`s at each port rather than PCR`s. So far, with regard to needing PCR testing before entering any Island port - P&O have remained silent. I am concerned that passengers may find themselves having to remain on the ship due to the cost of umpteen PCR tests plus possible hours spent in testing queues. Port excursions are available to book now but there is still no mention of any required testing beforehand. Come on P&O lets have some clarification of the situation.

Hi I'm on the same cruise and can't find any information either.  I'd rather not go on booked excursions at every stop just to get off the ship.  

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2 hours ago, Bazrat said:

After reading some of the older posts on here about the Caribbean cruises not going ahead, just puts it into context that trying to read the future often fails

Well yes - if nothing else, I think we have all learned that we don’t know what will happen next.

 

Form those who have spent the last 18 months saying that international cruising will start next month….. they will be right one day ! 😉😂

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8 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Well yes - if nothing else, I think we have all learned that we don’t know what will happen next.

 

Form those who have spent the last 18 months saying that international cruising will start next month….. they will be right one day ! 😉😂

Hope it does start next month otherwise we will have bought all our new clothes for nothing 🙁

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24 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I expect details of testing requirements for the Caribbean to be released in October.

We all should have been double jabbed those who actually can be, that just leaves PCR which can take a week or LFT test which takes minutes, I doubt they would use the former because no proof it’s actually you.

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1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

We all should have been double jabbed those who actually can be, that just leaves PCR which can take a week or LFT test which takes minutes, I doubt they would use the former because no proof it’s actually you.

P&O are doing fast response PCR tests at Southamptonwhen anyone tests negative on the LFT, so they can be done quickly if needed

 

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It will be interesting if for those fully vaccinated they scrap the Amber and just have red and green. Not that it makes any difference to the countries being visited as still have to abide by their requirements for entry, but might simplify  things a bit ?

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Interesting to note that Princess have said for the handful of international cruises leaving Southampton this year,  all guests have to be vaccinated.  Lots of disappointed people out there,  who now cannot take their children. 

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11 hours ago, Dgtrainer99 said:

The situation is starting to sound like either pay a fortune for testing, giving access to limited excursions or floating in a tin can 😢. It’s starting to sound like the time to pull the plug on the January 22 cruise.

I share your concerns.

 

We booked in April 2021 for February 2022.  We don't normally book the Caribbean that far in advance nor pay as much as we have done for this cruise.

I can live with inflated cost as I appreciate that there is probably pent up demand  but I don't think we are going to get anywhere like our previous P & O Caribbean experience. 

 

 

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With balances paid and some very, very imminent October is very late to make an announcement to passengers. I'm sure P&O have been discussing things behind the scene for ages and must be aware that the passengers want clarity on the logistics and cost of testing.  If, for instance, P&O are going down the Marella route of one provider, discounted prices for tests, they could offer some comfort to those paying large sums for their cruises that they are trying to organise this.  If, however, they are going to leave passengers to their own devices to organise the necessary tests and documentation they should say so as many will be unhappy/unable to do this with confidence and may be very anxious. With the dismal situation with contacting P&O by telephone passengers will inevitably become extremely stressed.

 

The duty of care regarding any tests will inevitably weigh heavy on many without P&Os help.

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