Not accepting Astra Vacvine for UK guests

[Lovestotravel81]

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/health-and-safety-measures/caribbean

 

Just been reading this update as due to pay for our cruise from Bridgetown this week and reading that the Astra Vaccine is not on the approved list which now means 4 out of the 6 of my party will be treated as unvaccinated.. majority of uk over 30's were onky offered this vaccine in the early days.

[drsel]

If 12 months have passed, they can take another vaccine from the 3 approved. 

Otherwise they can postpone the cruise to 2022.

[SeaSwirl66]

USA is expected to approve AstraZeneca vaccine before the travel corridor opens. I would expect MSC will reflect this when that time comes.

[Essiesmom]

Since the AZ vaccine is accepted for the Antilles cruises, it appears there may be one or more Caribbean islands that do not accept it.  Since this cruise presumably does not touch the US, vaccine approval by the US does not apply.  EM

[Kat747]

So we are U.K. based and sailing from MIA in March 22 on a Caribbean cruise. I have just read the link above and as we have both had AZ jabs does this mean we will not be able to take the cruise? 

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, Kat747 said:

So we are U.K. based and sailing from MIA in March 22 on a Caribbean cruise. I have just read the link above and as we have both had AZ jabs does this mean we will not be able to take the cruise? 

 

Yes, that is clearly stated, you will be denied boarding unless the restriction changes i.e. if the USA finally approve the Astra Zeneca vaccine before your travel date. You may want to consider rescheduling to the Antilles cruise from Barbados, on Seaview, under the MSC  Stress Free Booking policy....the last one in the season, from Barbados appears to be 1st March 2022. We did that cruise 3 years ago, and it was fab.

Edited October 4, 2021 by hamrag

[Kat747]

Thanks so much hamrag for your post. We have only paid our deposit so far so I guess everything could change again before we have to pay the balance. With these current restrictions would you know if we cancelled would we lose our deposit or can we put it towards another cruise. Thanks so much

[hamrag]

20 minutes ago, Kat747 said:

Thanks so much hamrag for your post. We have only paid our deposit so far so I guess everything could change again before we have to pay the balance. With these current restrictions would you know if we cancelled would we lose our deposit or can we put it towards another cruise. Thanks so much

Under the Stress Free Booking policy all payments made can be put towards another cruise, so yes that includes deposits. With regard to your Caribbean cruise, if you haven't done one before, we definitely prefer starting and ending in the Caribbean rather than the 'transit' days from and to Miami.

 

My apologies if you are experienced in the Caribbean, in that event you have clearly assessed your preferences and chosen Miami. Certainly to have a few days in Florida before or after is an attraction, but so is Barbados if you haven't been there previously.

[ulster-cruiser]

Did anyone ring MSC to confirm if this is the case? Looking to book a cruise for November but one of our party has AZ too!

[ulster-cruiser]

Also quite conflicting as other lines are accepting it from US!

[phissy]

1 hour ago, ulster-cruiser said:

Did anyone ring MSC to confirm if this is the case? Looking to book a cruise for November but one of our party has AZ too!

MSC cruises to Caribbean and Bahamas, sailing out of Florida ports are currently restricted to US and Puerto Rico citizens ONLY.

AZ vaccine mute point , for now.

[Huntingdon1701]

On 10/17/2021 at 11:58 PM, phissy said:

MSC cruises to Caribbean and Bahamas, sailing out of Florida ports are currently restricted to US and Puerto Rico citizens ONLY.

AZ vaccine mute point , for now.

 

No longer the case - http://www.mscpressarea.com/en_INT/press-releases/4369 

 

Astrazeneca is expected to be accepted according to this press release from MSC. 

[Irishcanuck]

MSC are frustratingly slow at updating their website. Looking at other major cruiselines they have all updated their vaccine requirements page to include WHO approved vaccines. I fear with our final payment soon approaching at the beginning of November that we may have to cancel if MSC don't get their act together.

[sidari]

3 hours ago, Irishcanuck said:

MSC are frustratingly slow at updating their website. Looking at other major cruiselines they have all updated their vaccine requirements page to include WHO approved vaccines. I fear with our final payment soon approaching at the beginning of November that we may have to cancel if MSC don't get their act together.

For USA sailings MSC are now accepting Astra Zeneca and mixed jabs.

[Irishcanuck]

2 hours ago, sidari said:

For USA sailings MSC are now accepting Astra Zeneca and mixed jabs.

Can you direct me to where this is documented please.

[ulster-cruiser]

31 minutes ago, Irishcanuck said:

Can you direct me to where this is documented please.

MSC USA site has been updated last couple of days:

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/health-and-safety-measures/caribbean-cruises
 

Scroll down to FAQ and then vaccination guidelines.

 

UK website is yet to be updated but have called several times and they have confirmed AZ is ok.

[drsel]

What about Europe sailings?

Are both variants of AstraZeneca accepted or only Vaxzevria?

[drsel]

On 10/25/2021 at 2:53 PM, sidari said:

For USA sailings MSC are now accepting Astra Zeneca and mixed jabs.

 

On 10/25/2021 at 6:04 PM, ulster-cruiser said:

MSC USA site has been updated last couple of days:

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/health-and-safety-measures/caribbean-cruises
 

Scroll down to FAQ and then vaccination guidelines.

What about Europe sailings?

Are both variants of AstraZeneca accepted or only Vaxzevria?

[Irishcanuck]

I see the uk website was updated today. Though on the uk website it states under caribbean cruises for non us residents mixed vaccines ate not accepted. Yet on the USA website it states mixed vaccines are accepted.

 

 

[sidari]

Just now, Irishcanuck said:

I see the uk website was updated today. Though on the uk website it states under caribbean cruises for non us residents mixed vaccines ate not accepted. Yet on the USA website it states mixed vaccines are accepted.

 

 

Idiots running the Asylum, they don't even know their own policies.

[drsel]

On 10/28/2021 at 12:05 AM, Irishcanuck said:

I see the uk website was updated today. Though on the uk website it states under caribbean cruises for non us residents mixed vaccines ate not accepted. Yet on the USA website it states mixed vaccines are accepted.

 

 

For 2022 Cruises, all WHO approved vaccines are accepted.

But second shot of vaccination or booster dose should be less than 9 months before The Cruise.

[CruisingFox27]

8 hours ago, drsel said:

For 2022 Cruises, all WHO approved vaccines are accepted.

But second shot of vaccination or booster dose should be less than 9 months before The Cruise.

 

Presumably this will be amended in the not too distant future or in a few months no one will be eligible to embark. Obviously depending on where you live and how the vaccine roll out has progressed. They started issuing the booster in September here in the UK so those people have to sail by June.