How is Celebrity handling Bermuda testing requirements?

[Bo1953]

1 hour ago, Elainemh said:

Bo

You ask what will be difficult is time frame of the requirements

May 4th and May13th Cruise I believe our tender port of Newport, RI will be too early for the PCR test.

 

Charleston, SC may be doable, but can Charleston handle all the passengers that will need to be tested. Even scheduling in advance 

won’t guarantee that your appt won’t be cancelled.

e - I was thinking that the eMed tests would be a viable option and taken on the sea day cruising towards Bermuda...

 

In health and bon voyage

[leaveitallbehind]

9 hours ago, Elainemh said:

The problem is that the May 4th and May 13th cruises don’t arrive to Bermuda until day 7.

PCR test must be no more than 4 days before arrival.

Cruise ship travel authorization must be submitted 3 days before arrival.

These requirements are going to be difficult to complete while at sea.

Will Celebrity offer on board testing and free internet to enable the

passengers to meet these requirements?

 

 

Thank you for clarifying - not being familiar with those two specific itineraries I was not aware of Bermuda as the last port of call.  Unsure what Celebrity will do to accommodate that, but clearly they must be aware of the issue.  Although our planned Bermuda itinerary is not until 6/26, we are postponing that cruise due to the current entry requirements.  Hopefully things will relax sooner than later making entry less cumbersome.

[canderson]

33 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Also, a proctored test most likely would work on-board vis-a-vis eMed.

Do I understand correctly that it's a PCR test that is required, not antigen?  If so, the proctored antigen tests won't help.

[Bo1953]

Also, those of us sailing to Bermuda may wish to read, post and monitor the Bermuda Ports of Call board here on CC, too.

 

In health and bon voyage

[Elainemh]

Bo

Bermuda website specifies negative PCR to be downloaded on travel authorization

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Elainemh

[leaveitallbehind]

2 minutes ago, canderson said:

Do I understand correctly that it's a PCR test that is required, not antigen?  If so, the proctored antigen tests won't help.

Yes - PCR test administered 4 days before arrival with negative results confirmed prior to boarding.  A second test (no clearly specified as to what type) is also required upon arrival at the port in Bermuda with disembarkation approved with a negative result.

[Bo1953]

7 minutes ago, canderson said:

Do I understand correctly that it's a PCR test that is required, not antigen?  If so, the proctored antigen tests won't help.

True dat...

 

"All crew members, unvaccinated travellers and travellers arriving by sea must get a PCR test."

 

More details here from The Government of Bermuda's website.

 

Which makes my previous post and thoughts moot, at this juncture.

 

In health and bon voyage

Edited January 31, 2022 by Bo1953

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

3 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

Also, those of us sailing to Bermuda may wish to read, post and monitor the Bermuda Ports of Call board here on CC, too.

 

In health and bon voyage

 

I checked the Bermuda board and found no enlightenment there.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I checked the Bermuda board and found no enlightenment there.

Maybe this link to the Government of Bermuda website regarding travel to there will help:

https://www.gov.bm/applying-bermuda-travel-authorisation

[Bo1953]

32 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

I checked the Bermuda board and found no enlightenment there.

Yes, as no one has sailed to Bermuda, yet, at least from Bayonne, NJ where most of us will or can sail from, this season...

 

In fact, I Am not sure any sailings have taken place from there yet...

 

Yet we can be sure that when sailings start up again to Bermuda from Bayonne, we will hear what and how the procedures worked or did not work for arrival via ship.

 

bon voyage

Edited January 31, 2022 by Bo1953

[LGW59]

14 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

Yes, as no one has sailed to Bermuda, yet, at least from Bayonne, NJ where most of us will or can sail from, this season...

 

In fact, I Am not sure any sailings have taken place from there yet...

 

Yet we can be sure that when sailings start up again to Bermuda from Bayonne, we will hear what and how the procedures worked or did not work for arrival via ship.

 

bon voyage

but it is much more fun to ask speculative, what-if, do you think questions based on zero facts.  Now I need to go purchase a sea pass lanyard.

[LB_NJ]

5 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

Quite correct, yet with an appointment, which may or may not be honoured, one is surely able to have the test.

 

Also, a proctored test most likely would work on-board vis-a-vis eMed.

 

In health and bon voyage

So 2000 people can register for the PCR (NOT Antigen) test at around the same time?

 

Also, I thought the eMed was antigen, NOT PCR.

 

As of now Bermuda does not accept the rapid Antigen test.

[Bo1953]

20 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

So 2000 people can register for the PCR (NOT Antigen) test at around the same time?

 

Also, I thought the eMed was antigen, NOT PCR.

 

As of now Bermuda does not accept the rapid Antigen test.

My profound apologies, I stand corrected on the red points, based on my post referencing these sections.

 

I did follow up with the link to The Bermudian Gov't requirements for testing, upon arriving there via a sailing vessel.

 

As for registering for a PCR test of 2k people, personally I would have at least two (2) appointments set just in case... and even that does not guarantee success, an effort never the less.

 

I currently believe that many if not all of X's ships sailing at the time we will be going will sail at something less than 50% capacity, I could be incorrect in that thought, yet I base it on where we are now in sailing capacity.

 

Alas, X may have a solution to the issue, yet to be announced??? A bit too early to tell, IMO.

 

Thank you.

 

bon voyage

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Maybe this link to the Government of Bermuda website regarding travel to there will help:

https://www.gov.bm/applying-bermuda-travel-authorisation

 

Unfortunately it doesn't.  I will be on a B2B and Bermuda is a stop on the second leg, so no ability to meet their requirements.

[leaveitallbehind]

7 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Unfortunately it doesn't.  I will be on a B2B and Bermuda is a stop on the second leg, so no ability to meet their requirements.

That could certainly pose an issue - especially since technically Celebrity only sees your bookings as two independent bookings that happen to be sequential.  

 

However, if there is a port of call where a PCR test could be scheduled on leg 1 in advance that would meet the Bermuda requirements, perhaps that would work?  A reach, I realize, but just thinking outside the box.

 

Hopefully Celebrity will at some point be able to shed some light on this.  But, if you haven't already, I would be contacting them - or whomever I booked through - now for guidance.

[Bo1953]

For those who are following this thread, there has been an update to Bermuda's travel and vaccination requirements for cruises...

 

Check out the Bermuda board for more info and etc...

 

In health and bon voyage

[mafig]

2 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

For those who are following this thread, there has been an update to Bermuda's travel and vaccination requirements for cruises...

 

Check out the Bermuda board for more info and etc...

 

In health and bon voyage

 

I'm still confused.🙃

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

42 minutes ago, mafig said:

 

I'm still confused.🙃

 

Me too.  The only thing that seems certain is that they have reduced the fee from $75 to $40.

 

The whole thing seems way too complicated, particularly since I will be on a cruise and unable to follow Bermuda's timelines.  I've been to Bermuda several times.  If they don't want me back, that's OK.  I'll live.  I'll just stay on the ship.  One hopes Celebrity will permit that.

[LGW59]

17 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Me too.  The only thing that seems certain is that they have reduced the fee from $75 to $40.

 

The whole thing seems way too complicated, particularly since I will be on a cruise and unable to follow Bermuda's timelines.  I've been to Bermuda several times.  If they don't want me back, that's OK.  I'll live.  I'll just stay on the ship.  One hopes Celebrity will permit that.

This is why we are doing a land vacation in Mexico, no complications, they want guests,  2-3 before we depart to return to US we need to have a negative test, provided by the resort.  If test positive, they give up to 14 additional provided.  Assuming we will be negative easy return to US.  Enough already with all this, stay safe but dang people need to live their lives.  EU is even doing it now, they also want travelers.  At this point it seems to me it is almost a game.

[Guppy99]

On 1/30/2022 at 3:21 PM, LB_NJ said:

I will probably keep the trip since it was <$2300 with AI for 10 nights and included $300 OBC.

 

However, I will not be happy if they change out Bermuda.  I hope they refund the port fees.

It's been my experience that when there is a change in itinerary (even mid-cruise) that if port fees have been overpaid because you went to a port where the fees were less, that the difference was refunded.  However, I think it seems as though you are setting yourself up to be disappointed and if it happens you will blame Celebrity. That would be wrong.

[Guppy99]

On 2/6/2022 at 1:20 PM, LGW59 said:

This is why we are doing a land vacation in Mexico, no complications, they want guests,  2-3 before we depart to return to US we need to have a negative test, provided by the resort.  If test positive, they give up to 14 additional provided.  Assuming we will be negative easy return to US.  Enough already with all this, stay safe but dang people need to live their lives.  EU is even doing it now, they also want travelers.  At this point it seems to me it is almost a game.

Yup.  Doing it all just for a bunch of laughs.  Had everyone cooperated by being vaccinated and wearing masks from the beginning, then we would likely be much further along in getting this all under control. But they didn't and still aren't. So who is to blame? Your fellow citizens, and the politicians who refused to get behind the safety measures from the beginning and let up too early.  Not airlines, not cruise lines, or any other service provider. Blame your unvaccinated neighbor.

[Guppy99]

On 2/6/2022 at 12:59 PM, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Me too.  The only thing that seems certain is that they have reduced the fee from $75 to $40.

 

The whole thing seems way too complicated, particularly since I will be on a cruise and unable to follow Bermuda's timelines.  I've been to Bermuda several times.  If they don't want me back, that's OK.  I'll live.  I'll just stay on the ship.  One hopes Celebrity will permit that.

Don't want you back? They are trying to survive. Do you think they are turning people away needlessly?

[canderson]

On 2/6/2022 at 11:20 AM, LGW59 said:

This is why we are doing a land vacation in Mexico, no complications, they want guests,  2-3 before we depart to return to US we need to have a negative test, provided by the resort. 

Our little boutique beach 'hotel' a dozen miles north of Playa del Carmen is far too small to supply testing (there may only be 4 or 5 couples there at a time), and the U.S. testing requirement is now 1 day before instead of the 2-3 we were able to take advantage of last year.  We used Costa Med at the south end of Playa, and they were fairly quick with the results (10am appointments, envelopes with results in our hands at 4pm), but didn't process them while we waited, so it was a round trip.  I'm thinking the eMed proctored version might be the way to go next month.

[LGW59]

57 minutes ago, canderson said:

Our little boutique beach 'hotel' a dozen miles north of Playa del Carmen is far too small to supply testing (there may only be 4 or 5 couples there at a time), and the U.S. testing requirement is now 1 day before instead of the 2-3 we were able to take advantage of last year.  We used Costa Med at the south end of Playa, and they were fairly quick with the results (10am appointments, envelopes with results in our hands at 4pm), but didn't process them while we waited, so it was a round trip.  I'm thinking the eMed proctored version might be the way to go next month.

Ours is not a small resort in Playa del Carmen, it is all inclusive and we don't plan to leave, though as of today they are guaranteeing the testing and extended stay if needed, I'm very comfortable with it based on reviews I have seen.  Will keep you posted if you are interested.   

Edited February 8, 2022 by LGW59

[BEAV]

On 1/30/2022 at 5:38 PM, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

The issue with Bermuda is those of us who are doing a B2B with Bermuda on the second cruise won't be able to comply with Bermuda's requirements.  My question, which I can't seem to get an answer to, is:  will we be denied boarding for the second leg because of the lack of required paperwork?  If so, there is no refund.  I want to know this before final payment.  Cannot get a straight answer from the travel agent.

 

On 1/30/2022 at 5:44 PM, JFontaine said:

On Crystal there were people on back to back cruises to Bermuda and the procedure was sorted out without difficulty.   Hope that's the same for you. It seems unlikely Celebrity will charge you for a cruise they can't deliver. 

 

Just to add to what JFontaine posted about Crystal and Bermuda Fall 2021 sailings, the Bermudan Gov’t Health Dept was aboard Crystal Symphony AND in the terminals in NY/Boston to assist with the process. Bermudan Health Dept conducted PCR testing on board the ship, which alleviated any issue for B2B guests.

 

Crystal was operating 7 day RT cruises to Bermuda as the sole port of call. So while Celebrity’s itinerary will be different, their gov’t went out of their way to alleviate any issues B2B cruisers had when it came to issues of qualifications. No one was turned away for booking a B2B, of which there were a fair number. 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2022 by BEAV