Marella Cruise Test requirements on board ship

[GOQ]

I have just had an email outlining my September cruise, this link might be of interest:-

 

https://www.tui.co.uk/holidays/where-can-i-go-on-holiday/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Marella-Cruises-entry-requirements-for-our-holiday-destinations-120821-1.pdf

 

Under the section:

 

DO YOU NEED TO TAKE A TEST ON ARRIVAL?

Yes – you will need to take a free-of-charge antigen (rapid flow) test at port prior to embarkation.

 

DO YOU NEED TO COMPLETE TESTS OR FORMS ON BOARD THE SHIP?

You will need to take an antigen (rapid flow) test on day 3 and day 6 of your cruise.

 

For Spanish authorities · You must complete an online entry form for Spain. · You may need to complete this form multiple times

For Gibraltar authorities · PCR test within the 72 hours before your arrival time in port · Online Gibraltar form completed within the 48 hours prior to arrival time in port

For Portuguese authorities: · Online Portugal form completed before you depart the ship For UK authorities Please see the entry requirements for the UK.

 

A bit confused, I will have to work out what this means.

In a prior email they referred to the possibility of having to take a (have to pay for) PCR test before returning to the UK and would provide links to their suggested PCR testing company.  Now they refer to 2  rapid flow tests, then a PCR test for Gibraltar. Are the 2 rapid flow tests also free and do I now need to pay for 2 PCR tests? 

 Do I have to take the tests/fill in the forms if I am not going ashore ? 

[Spike11]

I’m afraid I can’t really help in clarifying, as I’m still trying to get my head around the requirements for our Coastal Charms cruise from Newcastle on 30th August. This was originally sold as a UK seacation ( though it did have a French port as well as 5 UK ports -we assumed the Le Harve would be changed if necessary), but yesterday it changed to an International Cruise. As such we will need to take a test on day 3 and day 6 of the cruise, complete a form for the French authorities, take a PCR on return to the UK and fill out a UK passenger locator form before we return to the UK (possibly having to use the ships WIFI). It seems that Marella will not pay for these extra tests. So all this for a maximum 4 hours in France ( which has to be an excursion of course). It has also been made clear that you must do this even if you don’t get off the ship. Does this sound like a holiday?? I can understand the need for testing requirements if you are going on a truly international cruise, but for 4 hours in France? I have suggested to Marella that they might want to consider changing the port to a UK one and hope that they do. Apologies for hijacking your thread slightly!

[GOQ]

You are bang on topic and if you do get any clarifications, how you manage to sort out your tests  and any reports of your experiences would be most welcome.

[Spike11]

9 minutes ago, GOQ said:

You are bang on topic and if you do get any clarifications, how you manage to sort out your tests  and any reports of your experiences would be most welcome.

Will do. Our 14 day window - from when we can order the tests- begins on Monday!

[oscarshep]

WOW, don`t think I can be bothered with all this. Nobody`s fault but really think this all proves cruising ain`t ready to start yet. Thanks for posting the email, it`s probably coming everyone`s way the closer we all get to our own departure dates. I imagine Marella are not too happy when forums such as this allow this info to be shared before Marella are happy to share it with their customers. By rights that is what they should be doing for all of us who have paid money to them for upcoming cruises. If I was about to book and I read this email.....I`d just leave it.

[okavango]

2 hours ago, Spike11 said:

I’m afraid I can’t really help in clarifying, as I’m still trying to get my head around the requirements for our Coastal Charms cruise from Newcastle on 30th August. This was originally sold as a UK seacation ( though it did have a French port as well as 5 UK ports -we assumed the Le Harve would be changed if necessary), but yesterday it changed to an International Cruise. As such we will need to take a test on day 3 and day 6 of the cruise, complete a form for the French authorities, take a PCR on return to the UK and fill out a UK passenger locator form before we return to the UK (possibly having to use the ships WIFI). It seems that Marella will not pay for these extra tests. So all this for a maximum 4 hours in France ( which has to be an excursion of course). It has also been made clear that you must do this even if you don’t get off the ship. Does this sound like a holiday?? I can understand the need for testing requirements if you are going on a truly international cruise, but for 4 hours in France? I have suggested to Marella that they might want to consider changing the port to a UK one and hope that they do. Apologies for hijacking your thread slightly!

Where exactly in the booking process for this cruise does it mention all these extra tests

[LLOM]

We are on this cruise and have not been informed of any change to the status of the cruise ( international) as yet, but after reading Splke ( thankyou for giving us this information) I went on their Travel with confidence page and checked the entry requirements, France is not even listed, it says the page was updated on the 13/8/21 at 08.35, but on the re- entry requirements to the uk it does tell you want needs to be done for for the countries from the different colour lists. No mention from the TA when I booked this although it did cross my mind and now I wished I had asked because for that one short stop I am not sure I would have gone ahead knowing all the tests had to be done. It will be interesting to see what transpires in the next few days.

[Spike11]

31 minutes ago, okavango said:

Where exactly in the booking process for this cruise does it mention all these extra tests

It doesn’t! However we got an e-mail from tui yesterday outlining what would be required.

[GOQ]

The whole thing has me confused. The Marella document states that

 

"For Gibraltar authorities a PCR test within the 72 hours before your arrival time in Port"

I've just downloaded the Gibraltar advise document which states

"Passengers and crew must have a valid PCR OR lateral flow test taken up to 72 hours before arrival"

 

I am in Wales, so I must have proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken in the 3 days before returning to Wales.

"You will need to present the proof of a negative test before you board to travel to Wales", "You will need to find a test provider. You must make sure that the test provider can meet standards for pre-departure testing".

Marella provide links to a testing company they recommend, will someone from this company be onboard to perform the tests.

 

So it appears I would need to take a Marella rapid flow test on day 3, a PCR test on day 4 of the cruise for Gibraltar, then another Marella rapid flow test on day 6, then another PCR test on day 11 to return home to the UK. Surely this can't be correct. Oh really confused.

 

Each country requires online forms to be filled in before arrival, so that's the ship internet wifi at our expense is it ?

[okavango]

34 minutes ago, Spike11 said:

It doesn’t! However we got an e-mail from tui yesterday outlining what would be required.

Booked it myself two days ago and so far have heard nothing from TUI ,just have to wait and see, certainly looks like it would be more hassle than its worth for the sake of one port, both from the passengers and TUI's point of view

[LLOM]

We booked ours yesterday at the TA ,she asked if we were fully vaccinated,had COVID insurance and passport in date, that was all she asked no mention of other requirements. Still trying to find out how we are suppose to do a Covid test 3 days prior to our travel to England from France  ( amber country requirements)when we are only one day at sea!! before docking at Newcastle, as GOQ said it’s all very confusing.

[okavango]

INTERNATIONAL CRUISES

All set to sail with us this summer, or keen to get a cruise booked? We’re getting ready to welcome you back onboard – and we can’t wait. Read on for all the details on what you’ll need to do to sail with us on an international cruise on or before 31 October 2021, as well as answers to our most frequently asked questions.

Just so you know, an international cruise is a sailing that starts at an international port, and calls at international ports for the duration of the itinerary. Or, a sailing that starts in the UK, and calls in and ends at international ports.

 

Look carefully at the last couple of lines ,"calls in AND ends at"   NOT " calls in OR ends at".

 

Thats their present definition of international cruise.

 

Good to see the go ashore alone rule has also been relaxed

 

[nancyneptune]

Lady has just posted on a Marella cruise forum this morning that she and her friend were denied boarding at Newcastle yesterday as they tested positive. They had tested negative at home before leaving for the port. They asked Tui to repeat the test but they refused. On returning home they did another lateral flow test and it was negative. Feel so sorry for them. 

[GOQ]

Do you know if they received a future cruise credit from Marella or they were just left to fend for themselves with their travel insurance  company ?

 

In a posting on the P&O forum there is a case of someone (P&O cruise obviously)  who failed the lateral flow test then were then given the more accurate PCR test.

 

[okavango]

30 minutes ago, GOQ said:

Do you know if they received a future cruise credit from Marella or they were just left to fend for themselves with their travel insurance  company ?

 

In a posting on the P&O forum there is a case of someone (P&O cruise obviously)  who failed the lateral flow test then were then given the more accurate PCR test.

 

The lateral flow test seems to be a bit haphazard but is it more likely to give a false negative than a false positive

[LLOM]

Thank you OKAVANGO for that information which I have just read on TUI, site about  how they classify a international cruise, it does appear from that description that we don’t need any Covid tests etc for that cruise although I must say yesterday after reading Spike11 post I did look the cruise up and came across a TUI page which classed the Coastal Charms as a international cruise, but for the life of me I cannot find it this morning ! . I have not received an email yet outlining any other requirements and fingers crossed we don’t !             
GOQ, when I booked our cruise I did ask the TA what would happen if someone tested positive at the port and she said they would be offered a cruise at a later date.

[Spike11]

3 hours ago, LLOM said:

Thank you OKAVANGO for that information which I have just read on TUI, site about  how they classify a international cruise, it does appear from that description that we don’t need any Covid tests etc for that cruise although I must say yesterday after reading Spike11 post I did look the cruise up and came across a TUI page which classed the Coastal Charms as a international cruise, but for the life of me I cannot find it this morning ! . I have not received an email yet outlining any other requirements and fingers crossed we don’t !             
GOQ, when I booked our cruise I did ask the TA what would happen if someone tested positive at the port and she said they would be offered a cruise at a later date.

They don’t seem to have consistent information on the site. The e-mail I got specifically for my booking defined International cruises as any that have a non UK port as follows:

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by Spike11

[Spike11]

Just now, Spike11 said:

They don’t seem to have consistent information on the site. The e-mail I got specifically for my booking defined UM cruises as any that have a non UK port as follows:

 

I also found this on the Marella site.

 

 

[LLOM]

the last one you posted showing coastal charms is the one I seen yesterday as mentioned in my earlier post today, but for the life of me I could not find it again today when I looked , but I do not see how are we suppose to take the Covid test 3 days before re- entry to England as it states is a requirement coming from an amber list country, when we only have one sea day after France before Newcastle. Think of the logistics getting all passengers and crew tested, the tests cannot be sent anywhere , who would check them in such a short time before our arrival back at Newcastle? I suppose it is going to be a visit to the TA to see if they can provide the correct information, just when I thought the query had been solved ! 

[davecttr]

8 hours ago, nancyneptune said:

Lady has just posted on a Marella cruise forum this morning that she and her friend were denied boarding at Newcastle yesterday as they tested positive. They had tested negative at home before leaving for the port. They asked Tui to repeat the test but they refused. On returning home they did another lateral flow test and it was negative. Feel so sorry for them. 

Bad for Marella, on P&O and your lateral flow test is positive they immediately do a PCR test and you get the result in an hour or so.

[okavango]

1 hour ago, LLOM said:

the last one you posted showing coastal charms is the one I seen yesterday as mentioned in my earlier post today, but for the life of me I could not find it again today when I looked , but I do not see how are we suppose to take the Covid test 3 days before re- entry to England as it states is a requirement coming from an amber list country, when we only have one sea day after France before Newcastle. Think of the logistics getting all passengers and crew tested, the tests cannot be sent anywhere , who would check them in such a short time before our arrival back at Newcastle? I suppose it is going to be a visit to the TA to see if they can provide the correct information, just when I thought the query had been solved ! 

It looks from that table the extra tests would just be the simple lateral flow test same as on embarkation , easily handled inhouse onboard , the stumbling block as you point out would be the re entry one , practically impossible

[okavango]

Still trying to work out this dog's dinner of conflicting information ,but it does look like all the tests required onboard including the return from france (if we actually get there) will only need to be the lateral flow type ,looks like you are supposed to get a pcr after returning home, the lateral flow kits are available free online from the nhs and you can order 7 a day delivered to your household so quite easy to get a good stock to take with you, the pcr test after arriving home should be of no concern to tui as you are long gone out of their hands.

tui are actually wanting you to buy the tests through their "preferred " partner but to find out the cost you need to input your details including your destination ,guess what ,france is not even on their list of destinations to select ????????????

[LLOM]

I went to the TA yesterday for clarification, she went online and said that they had had no notification of any other requirements other then the test at the port, should it change we will be notified by email in time to get the tests, I also went on their preferred partner site and no France is not listed there , this I pointed out to the TA but she could not give any more advice other then wait and see ! I believe the test you do at home has to be ordered prior to travel and is included in their package deal which would be waiting for you on your return, but as you say you can order the lateral flow for free, not sure how much the other one  you do at home would cost. 

[okavango]

33 minutes ago, LLOM said:

I went to the TA yesterday for clarification, she went online and said that they had had no notification of any other requirements other then the test at the port, should it change we will be notified by email in time to get the tests, I also went on their preferred partner site and no France is not listed there , this I pointed out to the TA but she could not give any more advice other then wait and see ! I believe the test you do at home has to be ordered prior to travel and is included in their package deal which would be waiting for you on your return, but as you say you can order the lateral flow for free, not sure how much the other one  you do at home would cost. 

There are plenty options to get a free pcr test for when you get home ,basically (lie) you just have to say you have possibly been in contact  with a positive case , you can get one posted if you dont have a walk in centre local. Like i said before i cant see tui having much interest in you once you are out of their care and control.

[LLOM]

It does say in TUI literature that the test for arrival to the uk must be booked prior to  holidays. I have just spoke to someone who has recently returned back from land based holiday (Greek island )  abroad and they had to provide evidence before their holiday that they had it booked , so not sure if we would have to provide this at the port before embarking, just saying but would like some definite answers from TUI regarding definite requirements, I will wait a few more days and visit the TA .