St. Thomas No Longer Accepting Cruise Ships?

[helen haywood]

Today I received the umpteenth daily email from Celebrity referencing my August 14 Edge cruise.  This one stated our arrival and departure times in St. Thomas and Nassau had changed.  However, others on our cruise are adamant that St. Thomas is closed to cruise ships.  I can’t find any confirmation that this is so.  Anyone have any updates on this?

[Stem to Stern]

Celebrity Equinox was docked there today.

[paulh84]

The USVI have only banned ships carrying unvaccinated individuals who otherwise qualify to get a vaccine. I don't think this was ever confirmed or published by anyone other than Royal Caribbean. 

Edited August 12, 2021 by paulh84

[canderson]

Whoever on your cruise that is reporting this has it a little sideways...

 

"While the V.I. government has not issued any vaccine mandates for residents, it is now requiring all cruise ship visitors to be vaccinated if they are 12 or older, according to Royal Caribbean. Previously, unvaccinated passengers were allowed if they submitted to a strict testing protocol and limited their shore time to excursions run through the ships."

 

https://stthomassource.com/content/2021/08/04/cdc-declares-usvi-high-risk-cruise-visitors-must-be-vaccinated/

Edited August 12, 2021 by canderson

[helen haywood]

Thanks!  I didn’t believe it was closed or I’d like to think Celebrity would have told me…but wanted some evidence before confronting the “sideways” individual. 😜

[canderson]

Yes, you can point them to that link.  That news comes from St. Thomas, and not some landlubber in Colorado like me! 

 

I've found that websites from the country where the ports are located, and reporters are on the scene, usually have the most recent and correct updates to how things are going.

[jg51]

18 hours ago, paulh84 said:

The USVI have only banned ships carrying unvaccinated individuals who otherwise qualify to get a vaccine. ...

[emphasis added above by jg51]

 

18 hours ago, canderson said:

[emphasis added below by jg51]

... "While the V.I. government has not issued any vaccine mandates for residents, it is now requiring all cruise ship visitors to be vaccinated if they are 12 or older, according to Royal Caribbean. Previously, unvaccinated passengers were allowed if they submitted to a strict testing protocol and limited their shore time to excursions run through the ships."

.

It appears that the above two posts differ, and we are not sure which is correct:

 

.... The first seems to state that ships carrying unvaccinated adults/adolescents are forbidden to call at the USVI.

 

.... The second seems to state that it is OK for such ships to call at the USVI, but that the unvaccinated adults/adolescents are forbidden to disembark there.

 

Is anyone able to clarify?  Thanks.

.

Edited August 12, 2021 by jg51

[PTC DAWG]

3 minutes ago, jg51 said:

 

.

It appears that the above two posts differ, and we are not sure which is correct:

 

.... The first seems to state that ships carrying unvaccinated adults/adolescents are forbidden to call at the USVI.

 

.... The second seems to state that it is OK for such ships to call at the USVI, but that the unvaccinated adults/adolescents are forbidden to disembark there.

 

Is anyone able to clarify?  Thanks.

.

I'm pretty sure they want all vaccinated on any ship that calls on the island...anyone over 12.  I am sailing on the RCL Allure and received the email...you cannot sail if you are not vaccinated...St. Thomas is on our itinerary.  Full refunds offered to those who cannot comply.   Sept 19th cruise.  

Edited August 12, 2021 by PTC DAWG

[cruisestitch]

See this update dated August 12

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2796122-updated-us-travel-requirements-as-of-aug-12/

 

[Jim_Iain]

Latest Update on Celebrity Site

 

 

The governments of Antigua, Dominica and the US Virgin Islands, have now advised all passengers ages 12 and older, traveling aboard a cruise ship, must be fully vaccinated in order for the ship to be allowed entry into St. Johns, Roseau, St. Thomas, St. Croix, or St. John. To comply with this requirement, guests ages 12 and older must provide documentation of full vaccination at the terminal as a condition for boarding.

Edited August 13, 2021 by Jim_Iain

[LGW59]

45 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Latest Update on Celebrity Site

 

 

The governments of Antigua, Dominica and the US Virgin Islands, have now advised all passengers ages 12 and older, traveling aboard a cruise ship, must be fully vaccinated in order for the ship to be allowed entry into St. Johns, Roseau, St. Thomas, St. Croix, or St. John. To comply with this requirement, guests ages 12 and older must provide documentation of full vaccination at the terminal as a condition for boarding.

Wow, so even just to pull into the port, w/o disembarking!  Right now, WTH can blame them.