Bahamas prohibits docking at private island

[cruiseamm]

[cruiseamm]

Private cruise line islands are in the Bahamas, staffed by Bahamians who travel between the islands.

[richiepr77]

Wow, this is going awfully downhill on my honeymoon trip on 1/9. 😒😒😒😒

[ashank1m]

They are all against the cruisers!  Do the math, how can a flight be safer than Cruise ships and island workers serving food is more dangerous than someone working in airport?

Flight avg space per passenger: 12 sq ft (Est)

- can't social distance, typical distance from some around you 2 ft, 

 

Cruise ship avg space per passenger: 240 sq ft. (est)

- Able to keep within bubble, social distance capable, typical distance.

[MrsFops&FopsC5]

Dumb question…..is this just for this cruise or indefinite?  My DH loves the private island and since they have already removed GC from our itinerary we are down to only 2 ports for the 1/15 sailing.

 

Any thoughts anyone?   TIA…

[no1talks]

5 minutes ago, MrsFops&FopsC5 said:

Dumb question…..is this just for this cruise or indefinite?  My DH loves the private island and since they have already removed GC from our itinerary we are down to only 2 ports for the 1/15 sailing.

 

Any thoughts anyone?   TIA…

Like other recent port closures, I presume it will depend on how many COVID positives are on the ship.

[sidari]

Friends currently on Seashore tell me that there are hundreds of staff isolating, a lack of them would prohibit a stop at O.C and missing the stop will also protect those living and working there.

[Markanddonna]

The captain 

5 minutes ago, sidari said:

Friends currently on Seashore tell me that there are hundreds of staff isolating, a lack of them would prohibit a stop at O.C and missing the stop will also protect those living and working there.

The captain seems to be blaming the Bahamian authorities, but Sidari's post is one that has been a concern. The shows are canceled because the virus has ripped through the entertainment staff. If the staffing problem escalates, it may be prudent to pause a ship sailing for a few weeks while the virus makes it rounds on the generally young and healthy staff. 

 

We are mentally preparing ourselves for cancelation of our 3 weeks in Jan.

[tkwbear]

It's going to be hard to find welcoming ports. 

 

https://thepointsguy.com/news/mexico-intervenes-cruise-denied-entry/?utm_campaign=facebook&utm_term=Editorial&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=1B8B5AE4-68AF-11EC-A547-96510EDC252D&fbclid=IwAR0iZUA56lavUSMwYDkWDa9u4CONJGh-bkxmDYnEMae8lw82BE95xHwU8AY

[sidari]

You have to remember that there are around 100 people who live and work on O.C and they also have to be protected.

[hamrag]

2 hours ago, MrsFops&FopsC5 said:

Dumb question…..is this just for this cruise or indefinite?  My DH loves the private island and since they have already removed GC from our itinerary we are down to only 2 ports for the 1/15 sailing.

 

Any thoughts anyone?   TIA…

My thought....they won't be returning to the private island before February or even March! 😉

[SirWolf]

2 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

The captain 

The captain seems to be blaming the Bahamian authorities, but Sidari's post is one that has been a concern. The shows are canceled because the virus has ripped through the entertainment staff. If the staffing problem escalates, it may be prudent to pause a ship sailing for a few weeks while the virus makes it rounds on the generally young and healthy staff. 

 

We are mentally preparing ourselves for cancelation of our 3 weeks in Jan.

I was on last weeks 5-day cruise (Mexico & Honduras) and currently on 7-day cruise Bahamas, Dominican Republic on MSC Seashore.

The situation among entertainment staff and Cruise Director unfolded on the 5-day cruise, infected crew members (+-30) disembarked in Miami last week Thursday. Replacement crew embarked in Miami at the time when we did the B2B immigration procedure.

No entertainment staff means no production shows.. the shows on this weeks cruise were cancelled and replaced by Crew Talent and Orchestra shows.

Today we got the notification that Ocean Cay has been cancelled and we are one more day at sea, arriving tomorrow (Thursday) in Miami.

There is no confirmation of “hundreds of staff isolating” at the moment. I highly doubt the accuracy of the number.

The hotel business is running smooth, everything is open and staffed as usual..

Shops, Bars, Restaurants, Housekeeping, 

no shortage of service staff noticeable.

Passengers are at the pools and sunbathing on deck. Yacht Club Pool & Bar is crowded, the lunch buffet is fully stocked and in high demand.

We just had lunch in the YC restaurant, today’s lunch menu has been replaced by Ocean House lunch menu, food typically served on Ocean Cay.

[BoundForSea]

3 hours ago, sidari said:

Friends currently on Seashore tell me that there are hundreds of staff isolating, a lack of them would prohibit a stop at O.C and missing the stop will also protect those living and working there.

Edited due to respect to other members accounts on board Seashore from ours. We did hear from from a reputable source that 500 crew are impacted. That however doesn’t jive with the previous posters account and out of respect to them Im editing my post and experience on board. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by BoundForSea

[FrostyJoe]

Urghhhhhhhh I hope this is sailing by sailing and not MSC wide.  I really really really hope Meraviglia docks at OC if and when we go on her next month 😩….

 

Thats what happens when we assume the OC itinerary would be a “safe” bet during Covid times barring a CDC shutdown or us getting Covid prior to getting on the ship. 
 

oh well - hopefully folks rebook our sailing to a later date and we get to sail on mostly empty ship….. we shall see 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

5 hours ago, MrsFops&FopsC5 said:

Dumb question…..is this just for this cruise or indefinite?  My DH loves the private island and since they have already removed GC from our itinerary we are down to only 2 ports for the 1/15 sailing.

Any thoughts anyone?   TIA…

Yesterday I moved my January 15th Seashore sailing to a date in April. Grand Cayman is still on the itinerary although I realize it's likely to get axed by then.

[momrox1]

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2473236982778/msc-cruise-ship-denied-entry-to-its-own-private-island-in-the-bahamas

[girli565]

We sail on the Divina on 1/6/22. I hope we hear some definitive info soon from MSC. 

[Luke gs Daddy]

On 12/29/2021 at 10:07 AM, richiepr77 said:

Wow, this is going awfully downhill on my honeymoon trip on 1/9. 😒😒😒😒

 

No way, more time to have sex and enjoy the ship. Just getting married, do not let missing a stop get in the way of having a good time.

My wife and I are going to book the 4 day out of Port Canaveral, celebrating our 20 year anniversary and if we miss ports , oh well. relax, have a few drinks, have sex and repeat.

Congratulations on getting married.

 

[Markanddonna]

1 hour ago, Luke gs Daddy said:

 

No way, more time to have sex and enjoy the ship. Just getting married, do not let missing a stop get in the way of having a good time.

My wife and I are going to book the 4 day out of Port Canaveral, celebrating our 20 year anniversary and if we miss ports , oh well. relax, have a few drinks, have sex and repeat.

Congratulations on getting married.

 

Love your positive attitude. Just hope they don't do mandatory testing on day two. You two might be enjoying separate cabins if one of you is positive.  

[Fogfog]

What are they doing in place of Ocean Cay.

The irony is all the pax would be outside...fresh air etc

and going into the little shops requires a mask...

 

So skipping OC and keeping everyone onboard  is unfortunate.

 

We have B2Bs coming up....

[Markanddonna]

2 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

What are they doing in place of Ocean Cay.

The irony is all the pax would be outside...fresh air etc

and going into the little shops requires a mask...

 

So skipping OC and keeping everyone onboard  is unfortunate.

 

We have B2Bs coming up....

Your post is too logical. Sun and fresh air would help everyone get better.

 

Everything seems contradictory. All the staff is supposed to be vaxxed but they are still getting Omnicron. Like someone else pointed out, there are residents who live on Ocean Cay, but it seems they should be vaccinated also. This is not MSC's decision but that of the Bahamian government.

 

I read somewhere that a ship loses its green status if just one crew member is positive so it seems that sailings for the next few weeks will continue to have port cancelations.

[richiepr77]

2 hours ago, Luke gs Daddy said:

 

No way, more time to have sex and enjoy the ship. Just getting married, do not let missing a stop get in the way of having a good time.

My wife and I are going to book the 4 day out of Port Canaveral, celebrating our 20 year anniversary and if we miss ports , oh well. relax, have a few drinks, have sex and repeat.

Congratulations on getting married.

 

 

Thanks!! Hope we don't 'rock' too much the ship!! 🚢 😂

[mscdivina2016]

5 hours ago, Fogfog said:

What are they doing in place of Ocean Cay.

 

Sea days

Same for GC port.

[Fogfog]

7 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Sea days

Same for GC port.

It would be my guess then-- that if the Bahamas is blocking OC

then a sailing to OC and Nassau etc would be all sea days... which is a problem - can't have cruises to nowhere

Our sailings will likely get rerouted...

Glad I am not in the offices trying to figure that out...I guess they could lengthen sailings on either end and eliminate the 4 night sailing... and go to Belize, Honduras, Jamaica, Cozumel etc...

[floatn]

Late to the party, but I'll say that if 100+ crew are COVID positive, there could easily be another 400 affected since anyone berthing with those positive crew would likely be close contact and have to at least quarantine for 5 days. My understanding is that crew staterooms are likely to be trips and/or quads.