Is 'measures to embark for shengen countries' mean for the for the country your embarking in or your original country.

[defbref]

Ok I am confusing myself, and I know protocols can change overnight, but currently on Travel Requirements Mediterranean | MSC Cruises 

 it has the following:

 

COVID-19: MEASURES TO EMBARK FOR SCHENGEN COUNTRIES AND ROMANIA, BULGARIA, CROATIA & CYPRUS

For all sailings in the upcoming months till March 31st 2022, please note that all Guests will need to follow at least one of these requirements to be allowed on board:   

• Undergo a RT-PCR test or antigen test within 48 hours prior to the ship’s departure (only for guests over 2 years old). For example, if you embark on your cruise at 15:00 on a Saturday, you should take your COVID-19 test on the Thursday as of 15:00 at the earliest.
• Be fully vaccinated (i.e full set of vaccine shots received more than 14 days before the start of the cruise, with an approved Covid-19 vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson) 
• Have recovered from COVID-19 within the last 6 months

 

COVID 19: MEASURES TO EMBARK FOR NON SCHENGEN COUNTRIES

For all sailings in the upcoming months till march 31st 2022, please note that all Guests will need to follow all of these requirements to be allowed on board: 

• All Guests (2 years old and over) need to provide a certificate of a negative antigen or RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours before embarkation ONLY. If you embark on your cruise at 15:00 on a Saturday, you should take your COVID-19 test on the Thursday as of 15:00 at the earliest. 
• All Guests (12 years old and over) have to be fully vaccinated (i.e full set of vaccine shots received more than 14 days before the start of the cruise, with an approved Covid-19 vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson)

 

Where I'm confusing myself is does it mean if you embark in a shengen country you apply the first or is it if you are from a shengen country ?

 

To explain:

From Uk (non schengen country) travelling with my kids (ages 12 and 14, only one vaccine being given at moment in UK, so won't count as fully vaccinated) flying to Italy (shengen country) to board the Grandiosa for a cruise round the med. So if it applies for the embarkation country then my kids can go as they can get a PCR test to board, to comply with one of the requirements for shengen country. However if its country of origin, they can't as they aren't recognised as fully vaccinated. If it is the second interpretation then that seems confusing to me as some kids will be denied boarding because of not being fully vax'd while other kids could get on the same ship with only a pcr test and no vaccine.

 

Hope this makes sense.

 

 

[kernow]

We are going on Northern Europe cruise in Feb which also has different requirements for Schengen/non Schengen countries. I'm understanding it to mean the country that you come from ie for us Non Schengen rules apply.

[defbref]

1 minute ago, kernow said:

We are going on Northern Europe cruise in Feb which also has different requirements for Schengen/non Schengen countries. I'm understanding it to mean the country that you come from ie for us Non Schengen rules apply.

Yes that's how I originally read it, but still think that seems a bit silly to have different boarding requirements for people going on to the same ship. For instance you could be assuming its a fully vax cruise but somebody from a different country with different boarding requirements (pcr test only) could get on the same time as you and you might not realise it. 

[defbref]

so for the Caribbean section it has:

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

BEFORE YOUR CRUISE

 

CARIBBEAN CRUISES - COVID-19: MEASURES TO EMBARK FOR US RESIDENTS

CARIBBEAN CRUISES - COVID-19: MEASURES TO EMBARK FOR NON-US RESIDENTS

 

Which is much more clearer on what you need to apply for whom. If the Mediterranean section was as clear I wouldn't have got so confused in the the first place. 

[kernow]

6 minutes ago, defbref said:

Yes that's how I originally read it, but still think that seems a bit silly to have different boarding requirements for people going on to the same ship. For instance you could be assuming its a fully vax cruise but somebody from a different country with different boarding requirements (pcr test only) could get on the same time as you and you might not realise it. 

I agree, it's even dafter on our cruise, we are boarding in Southampton with one set of rules and others are boarding in different countries with different rules. 

[8420PR]

It is based on residency so the non-schengen rules apply to UK residents.   In your position I would email MSC UK and ask about the rules for 12-16 year olds, as does look like based on the UK policy of giving just one shot of the vaccine they couldn't go.

[CaroleC]

5 hours ago, kernow said:

We are going on Northern Europe cruise in Feb which also has different requirements for Schengen/non Schengen countries. I'm understanding it to mean the country that you come from ie for us Non Schengen rules apply.

Julie, it appears I’m not the only one who got this confused. Remember our conversation a couple of weeks ago when I misinterpreted it? 😁

[defbref]

I think we have cleared it up thanks to kernow and 8420pr, but to put it beyond all doubt, here's the reply from MSC on twitter:

 

Hi Defbref the rules apply to your country of residence so as you are from the UK please follow the non-schengen travel requirements. We hope this helps!

[Shirpa]

What a mess! I just wonder how many UK people do not know that they need the PCR test to board as the info has been well hidden and not very well disclosed by several Travel Agents.

 

As it stands, my understanding is that any child aged over 2  and under 17 years 9 months will NOT be able to board (unless they are exempt for medical reasons) as they can currently not be fully vaccinated as no second jabs will be administered, a single jab is not a full vaccination. Should MSC change their mind on this issue (first cruise on 16 November is fast approaching!) then we enter a new can of worms as there are many who have booked based on the basis that they understood that full vaccination was a requirement for all UK boarders! 

[Shirpa]

1 hour ago, Shirpa said:

any child aged over 2  and under 17 years 9 months

TYPO : should be ' any UK child aged over 12 and under ....'