Apex denied entry to Nassau

[Tagsalong]

Captain announced this morning that Nassau would not allow entry into port.   Yesterday we could not enter our hallway for 30 minutes because they were fumigating.  No one (crew or officers) will say how many but have said some Covid cases are on-board.

[bajathree]

I guess The Bahamas are cracking down. I know an NCL ship was denied docking at their private island in the Bahamas just recently .....but this is the first ship I'm hearing denied access to Nassau.

[martcourt]

We are sailing on the Edge on 1/16, but thinking of cancelling for a Future Cruise Credit because of all the port closings AND because we now have to wear a mask at all times while on board. We are fully vaccinated with the booster and just don't like the new mask mandate. Any other recent port closings? How many passengers do you have on board approximately?

 

[CruiseRQA]

I still don't get the logic of this.   There is already COVID in the Bahamas.   All this does is hurt the local people's pocketbook.  

[tert333]

32 minutes ago, martcourt said:

We are sailing on the Edge on 1/16, but thinking of cancelling for a Future Cruise Credit because of all the port closings AND because we now have to wear a mask at all times while on board. We are fully vaccinated with the booster and just don't like the new mask mandate. Any other recent port closings? How many passengers do you have on board approximately?

 

I had heard 1300 people. Was told there were 600 cancellations.   

[martcourt]

23 minutes ago, CruiseRQA said:

I still don't get the logic of this.   There is already COVID in the Bahamas.   All this does is hurt the local people's pocketbook.  

Nothing makes any sense anymore!

[Fredric22]

57 minutes ago, Tagsalong said:

Captain announced this morning that Nassau would not allow entry into port.   Yesterday we could not enter our hallway for 30 minutes because they were fumigating.  No one (crew or officers) will say how many but have said some Covid cases are on-board.

This is getting so ridiculous.  It is time the cruise lines start to truly negotiate with these countries about how to ensure they can move forward.  COVID-19 cases do not mean what they used to.  So either they need to start changing their thresholds of what is an acceptable number or they need to start working with countries who actually want tourism.  If I were Celebrity, I would start looking for alternatives to the Bahamas for the next 6 months.  It looks like Mexico is being reasonable so perhaps that would be a better choice. 

[Jeremiah1212]

31 minutes ago, CruiseRQA said:

I still don't get the logic of this.   There is already COVID in the Bahamas.   All this does is hurt the local people's pocketbook.  

 

They ended 2021 with a 500%+ increase in cases, have a low vaccination rate and a poor healthcare system. Some cruisers getting drunk at Senior Frogs is not their priority. Their port, their rules. 

[JamieLogical]

Guys, debating the merits of port closures is going to get this thread locked and it has good, factual information in it about an incident of a cruise ship being turned away from a port. This information is useful to cruisers who are considering postponing their upcoming cruises. Please don't get the thread locked/removed by debating your opinions.

[D C]

1 hour ago, Tagsalong said:

Captain announced this morning that Nassau would not allow entry into port.   Yesterday we could not enter our hallway for 30 minutes because they were fumigating.  No one (crew or officers) will say how many but have said some Covid cases are on-board.

How far into the cruise are you?  Any indication of how many covid cases there are?

[Bo1953]

32 minutes ago, CruiseRQA said:

I still don't get the logic of this.   There is already COVID in the Bahamas.   All this does is hurt the local people's pocketbook.  

To be sure, it does not only 'hurt the local people's pocketbook.' yet also the Governments pocket book for any additional infections brought to the country and resulting hospitalizations, quarantines, isolation's and etc.

 

Maybe the Bahamian Government is thinking it is better to protect 'their' citizens vs the desires of other citizens to visit who may or may not be vaccinated, boosted and/or have proper insurance coverage to pay for medical services and evacuation from the country.

 

To me, there is more to their logic than what we 'may understand' and/or accept for us.

 

In health and bon voyage

[Jeremiah1212]

1 minute ago, D C said:

How far into the cruise are you?  Any indication of how many covid cases there are?

 

Apex is on a 5 night due back to Port Everglades tomorrow morning.

[TeeRick]

Ah the joys of cruising right now.  

[jaapie]

1 hour ago, bajathree said:

I guess The Bahamas are cracking down. I know an NCL ship was denied docking at their private island in the Bahamas just recently .....but this is the first ship I'm hearing denied access to Nassau.

We were on the Equinox last week. We were supposed to stop at Nassau 5 days ago (Sunday) but on Saturday evening captain announced we had been denied entry to Nassau so we just came back to Fort Lauderdale at 7.6 knots. 

[canderson]

17 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

 

Maybe the Bahamian Government is thinking it is better to protect 'their' citizens vs the desires of other citizens to visit who may or may not be vaccinated, boosted and/or have proper insurance coverage to pay for medical services and evacuation from the country.

At present, it is very rare that X leaves a passenger behind for care, and at present, X is handling the costs of care if they do.  So while that policy remains in effect, an X ship is not the economic threat that another line might pose.

 

Looking at the numbers related to vaccination and infection rates, cruise ship pax are at much higher risk than the local population as regards comingling of the two populations.

 

[Quarantined]

It seems to be quite common now that the islands set a limit of 1%. If more than that of the total pax on board have tested positive during the cruise, the port will deny entry. 

[Fredric22]

3 minutes ago, Quarantined said:

It seems to be quite common now that the islands set a limit of 1%. If more than that of the total pax on board have tested positive during the cruise, the port will deny entry. 

More likely on this short cruise that the issue has more to do with positive crew cases than it does with positive passenger cases getting them above the 1% threshold.   Regardless, most people were probably planning to spend the day on the ship anyway so really the loss is to the Bahamas (and the poor people who are trying their best to make a living after the last 2 years). 

[CruiseRQA]

37 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

 

They ended 2021 with a 500%+ increase in cases, have a low vaccination rate and a poor healthcare system. Some cruisers getting drunk at Senior Frogs is not their priority. Their port, their rules. 

Of course it is their port, their rules.

 

But keeping vaccinated cruisers out of your port where there has already a 500% increase in cases won't do anything to help COVID but will punish the local economy.  

[phoenix_dream]

1 hour ago, Fredric22 said:

This is getting so ridiculous.  It is time the cruise lines start to truly negotiate with these countries about how to ensure they can move forward.  COVID-19 cases do not mean what they used to.  So either they need to start changing their thresholds of what is an acceptable number or they need to start working with countries who actually want tourism.  If I were Celebrity, I would start looking for alternatives to the Bahamas for the next 6 months.  It looks like Mexico is being reasonable so perhaps that would be a better choice. 

On one hand, I understand the point you are making.  But there is another side to the equation.  On the ship, everyone (or most) is vaccinated.  On these islands (and not sure about Bahamas specifically, but Caribbean in general) there are 1) low vaccination rates and 2) very limited hospital facilities for people who need them.  So yes, in the US and Europe and Canada the numbers don't mean what they used to.  But in some sense in these countries they in fact do.

[keesar]

There are 3 cruise ships in port  today allowing cruisers to enter Nassau.  So those  3 cruise lines are helping the local economy.  

[martcourt]

3 minutes ago, keesar said:

There are 3 cruise ships in port  today allowing cruisers to enter Nassau.  So those  3 cruise lines are helping the local economy.  

So maybe that's why Apex was turned away...port was maxed out and NOT because of COVID???

[keesar]

4 minutes ago, martcourt said:

So maybe that's why Apex was turned away...port was maxed out and NOT because of COVID???

The port can handle 7 cruise ships.  

[Ken the cruiser]

4 minutes ago, martcourt said:

So maybe that's why Apex was turned away...port was maxed out and NOT because of COVID???

We were there a couple of weeks ago on the Connie and there were 5 ships. However, I'm wondering if the number of positive cases on the Apex has something to do with being turned away? 

[upwarduk]

1 hour ago, Bo1953 said:

Maybe the Bahamian Government is thinking it is better to protect 'their' citizens vs the desires of other citizens to visit who may or may not be vaccinated

I thought everyone had to be vaccinated before being allowed to embark on a Celebrity ship.

[Bo1953]

Just now, upwarduk said:

I thought everyone had to be vaccinated before being allowed to embark on a Celebrity ship.

Yes, then again there will be that 'one' who got through the system.

 

In health and bon voyage