B2B2B Cruises and Close Contact on First Segment?

[Jim_Iain]

Wonder if anyone has experience on doing a B2B2B and being not able to continue on the second segment due to close contact.   If so were you able to rejoin the ship for the 3rd segment?

 

I'm curious as I'm booked on a B2B2B on Silhouette in April and the B2B's all take place in Southampton.    Just thinking about contingency plans. 

[cruisestitch]

 All guests on back to back cruises are tested at the end of each cruise before they can stay on for the next one.  Close contact is not an issue, because ALL B2B guests are tested.

 

I know of one passenger who was on equinox and on the day that she was tested, she came up positive. She was put off to a hotel in Fort Lauderdale. She would have been able to come back for the remaining Cruises that she had booked, but chose not to. The hotel quarantine time would have been sufficient to allow her back on the ship had she chosen to.

 

Just to be clear, close contact alone does not get you kicked off. You have to test positive.

[canderson]

33 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

 

Just to be clear, close contact alone does not get you kicked off. You have to test positive.

Yes, it does, and is why we B2B cruisers have been concerned about a contact trace during the first leg.  One of the boarding requirements is ability to claim no close contacts within 14? days prior to boarding.  Since each leg is treated as a separate cruise, by default, you lose if X catches you up in a contact trace, even if you test negative.

 

Would have to search a good bit, but it's happened to one of our fellow CC posters. 

Edited January 5, 2022 by canderson

[cruisestitch]

Perhaps something has changed, but I just happen to be at guest relations and asked them this very question and they said close contact alone was not sufficient to get you kicked off the ship. I will ask them more specifically would it be sufficient to keep you from staying on for the next cruise.

 

My understanding is that the negative test is your ticket to stay on regardless of possible close contact exposure.

[Ipeeinthepools]

23 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

Perhaps something has changed, but I just happen to be at guest relations and asked them this very question and they said close contact alone was not sufficient to get you kicked off the ship. I will ask them more specifically would it be sufficient to keep you from staying on for the next cruise.

 

My understanding is that the negative test is your ticket to stay on regardless of possible close contact exposure.

 

Nope, it's always been this way in the post Covid era.  All of the pre-cruise questionnaires have contained a question about close contacts in the last 10 or 14 days (I forget the exact number).  If you answer yes, you don't board.  It doesn't matter if it's the first, second or third legs.  Depending on the length of the cruise and when you were diagnosed, you may be cleared to board the 3rd leg.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Ipeeinthepools

[helen haywood]

24 minutes ago, cruisestitch said:

they said close contact alone was not sufficient to get you kicked off the ship.

I’m thinking they didn’t fully understand the question.  While it’s true that close contact and testing negative twice is not enough to get you kicked off one cruise, close contact for someone doing a B2B is enough to get them kicked off.

[Julma]

We did a B2B (2-7 nights)  in November and we were told that if we had a close contact while on the first leg we would not be able to take the second leg.  Each leg is considered a different cruise and you must be able to answer that you have not been a close contact within the last 14 days.  On a B2B you have to get off and back on the ship on turnaround day.  You don't actually get kicked off you just disembark the cruise you are on and can't get on for the next one.

[Alakegirl]

May I pose a scenario?
 

ten day cruise.  On day 3, a back-to-back  Passenger, asymptomatic, is identified through contact tracing, and is isolated to stateroom for five days.  Tests negative throughout.  Is released from isolation at the end of the five days, still no symptoms.

 

The day prior to turnaround day, is tested again, and again negative.  Would that passenger be denied the second cruise?

 

or are you saying that the passenger wouldn’t even be tested on the day prior to turnaround because there would be no chance of the second cruise?

 

[Julma]

That's interesting and I thought about longer cruises, but it would have to cover the "14 days" Celebrity now requires as a threshold for close contacts. They may change that time period based on new CDC recommendations, but for now that is what it is, at least last time I checked.  Things are changing quick at the moment.

 

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

This is what happened on our August B2B sailings:  If you are deemed a close contact, you will be quarantined until 2 tests (24 hours apart) return a negative result.  You will not be allowed to stay onboard for the subsequent sailing due to having been deemed a close contact within the last 14 days.  We had to disembark and were not allowed to continue our B2B.  

 

Since the CDC has lowered their quarantine to 5 days, perhaps Celebrity no longer adheres to the 14 day exposure period???  I think the CDC may have lowered the exposure period to 10 days for a close contact.  The question would be now, 'what is the number of days asked on the health survey?' in order to know the answer to the OP's question. That is the number of days one would have to satisfy in order to embark on the 3rd leg.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

 All guests on back to back cruises are tested at the end of each cruise before they can stay on for the next one.  Close contact is not an issue, because ALL B2B guests are tested.

 

I know of one passenger who was on equinox and on the day that she was tested, she came up positive. She was put off to a hotel in Fort Lauderdale. She would have been able to come back for the remaining Cruises that she had booked, but chose not to. The hotel quarantine time would have been sufficient to allow her back on the ship had she chosen to.

 

Just to be clear, close contact alone does not get you kicked off. You have to test positive.

I have done many B2B's and yes you are correct about the testing. 

 

Unfortunately I have to disagree with you and they have another little rule that if you were contact traced, regardless of your status you can not do a second leg.   I know a number of people this has happened to.    It falls under the questionnaire if you have been in contact with someone in the past 15 days that has tested positive.

 

I just heard from an individual that was on a B2B2B and they could not do the 2nd and 3rd leg because of being contact traced.  

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

Yes, it does, and is why we B2B cruisers have been concerned about a contact trace during the first leg.  One of the boarding requirements is ability to claim no close contacts within 14? days prior to boarding.  Since each leg is treated as a separate cruise, by default, you lose if X catches you up in a contact trace, even if you test negative.

 

Would have to search a good bit, but it's happened to one of our fellow CC posters. 

I'm going to call the Zenith desk and clarify further  -   My Cruises are 13 night , 9 night  and a 7 Night;  so it is possible that if I were in close contact in 1st half of the 1st cruise I could potentially be ok with the 14 day question for the 3rd segment.  

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Perhaps something has changed, but I just happen to be at guest relations and asked them this very question and they said close contact alone was not sufficient to get you kicked off the ship. I will ask them more specifically would it be sufficient to keep you from staying on for the next cruise.

 

My understanding is that the negative test is your ticket to stay on regardless of possible close contact exposure.

 

I don't think it has changed recently as I know it was in effect on my September and October cruises and know someone who got chucked off because of close contact on first cruise in August.   She tested negative and never tested positive. 

 

Possibly the normal with Celebrity -  If you ask 2 agents a question you will get two answers and a maybe.

Edited January 5, 2022 by Jim_Iain

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Alakegirl said:

May I pose a scenario?
 

ten day cruise.  On day 3, a back-to-back  Passenger, asymptomatic, is identified through contact tracing, and is isolated to stateroom for five days.  Tests negative throughout.  Is released from isolation at the end of the five days, still no symptoms.

 

The day prior to turnaround day, is tested again, and again negative.  Would that passenger be denied the second cruise?

 

or are you saying that the passenger wouldn’t even be tested on the day prior to turnaround because there would be no chance of the second cruise?

 

I think the answer was given by a couple of people.   You have to be able to answer the question that you have not been in closed contact with someone in the past 14 days for the second or 3rd cruise.

[Jim_Iain]

35 minutes ago, LuvCruzn4Evr said:

This is what happened on our August B2B sailings:  If you are deemed a close contact, you will be quarantined until 2 tests (24 hours apart) return a negative result.  You will not be allowed to stay onboard for the subsequent sailing due to having been deemed a close contact within the last 14 days.  We had to disembark and were not allowed to continue our B2B.  

 

Since the CDC has lowered their quarantine to 5 days, perhaps Celebrity no longer adheres to the 14 day exposure period???  I think the CDC may have lowered the exposure period to 10 days for a close contact.  The question would be now, 'what is the number of days asked on the health survey?' in order to know the answer to the OP's question. That is the number of days one would have to satisfy in order to embark on the 3rd leg.

LOL -- I was playing out that scenario in my mind with my cruises being 13, 9 and 7 NIGHTS.   I guess I have to look at the days.... LOL

[Alakegirl]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I'm going to call the Zenith desk and clarify further  -   My Cruises are 13 night , 9 night  and a 7 Night;  so it is possible that if I were in close contact in 1st half of the 1st cruise I could potentially be ok with the 14 day question for the 3rd segment.  

And how to explain this from the FAQ?  In this scenario it looks like you could have vaccinated pax show up at the terminal with an unvaccinated member of their traveling party who tests positive.  So clearly that’s close contact within 14 days.  But if the vaccinated pax test negative there at the terminal they are allowed to board.  How to reconcile this info with what you are saying about onboard close contact being grounds for denial even with a negative test?

[LuvCruzn4Evr]

6 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

And how to explain this from the FAQ?  In this scenario it looks like you could have vaccinated pax show up at the terminal with an unvaccinated member of their traveling party who tests positive.  So clearly that’s close contact within 14 days.  But if the vaccinated pax test negative there at the terminal they are allowed to board.  How to reconcile this info with what you are saying about onboard close contact being grounds for denial even with a negative test?

Nothing they do makes sense and this obviously proves it!  

[Arizona Wildcat]

Jim - who know what the guidelines and "rules" will be for cruises out of Southampton in April.   The 14 day rule is evidently being enforced so my transporting a neighbor to get tested last week would be considered a close contact? 

Seems lots will change and need to change for Southampton to open for your cruises.  Goodness knows what will happen with Greenland in August!

[canderson]

Have seen a number of posts that use the phrase 'get kicked off the ship' or similar.  That's probably confusing for some.  A B2B cruiser doesn't get 'kicked off' the ship for a contact trace with negative test results.  But at the turn (port at end of leg 1), they take their luggage with them and aren't allowed to get back on for the next leg of their cruise. 

 

Often, that's the same port as where they started (e.g., FLL > Eastern Caribbean > FLL > Western Carribean > FLL).  However, it could get messier if the B2whatever was open ended like a TA (e.g., FLL > Rome > Med Cruise) where you don't end your journey where you expect!

 

 

Edited January 6, 2022 by canderson

[Jim_Iain]

23 minutes ago, canderson said:

Have seen a number of posts that use the phrase 'get kicked off the ship' or similar.  That's probably confusing for some.  A B2B cruiser doesn't get 'kicked off' the ship for a contact trace with negative test results.  But at the turn (port at end of leg 1), they take their luggage with them and aren't allowed to get back on for the next leg of their cruise. 

 

Often, that's the same port as where they started (e.g., FLL > Eastern Caribbean > FLL > Western Carribean > FLL).  However, it could get messier if the B2whatever was open ended like a TA (e.g., FLL > Rome > Med Cruise) where you don't end your journey where you expect!

 

 

Agree 100% unless they Kick you off the ship at the end of the first segment.    I recall reading a post months ago that a passenger refused to leave and they had to have them removed. 

 

Would be interesting to know if Celebrity assists or provides compensation on the event of Close contact trace and refusal to allow you to continue.    At least in our case all the B2B's take place in Southampton.   We are already planning on visiting family in Scotland at the end of the cruise so may just show up early.

[kwokpot]

This is a great thread. I'm in a similar situation albeit on another cruiseline. I have a 10,12, and 9 nights b2b2b starting May in Barcelona and eventually disembarking in Dover. No repeating ports! It's going to be very, very interesting.