Bermuda Travel restrictions

[S&LMom]

https://bernews.com/2022/02/travel-authorisation-to-be-reduced-to-40/?fbclid=IwAR3YO8AH1EGjwPVpnJgnQEYByaB7xZzU-gKgZejf9iqlkeJSbQsupeQd-WQ

[Ilovesailaway]

When you can't get what you want you get what you can I guess

[philpcruiser]

Who paid these fees?  the passenger or the cruise line?  What does "up to date vaccine" mean?  No one told me I needed to get a yearly covid vaccine.  

 

[S&LMom]

16 minutes ago, philpcruiser said:

Who paid these fees?  the passenger or the cruise line?  What does "up to date vaccine" mean?  No one told me I needed to get a yearly covid vaccine.  

 

Passengers pay the fees. Up to date sounds like boosters if eligible meaning 5 months has passed since originally vaccinated. I hope it doesn’t mean boosting every 5 or 6 months. 

[njhorseman]

13 minutes ago, philpcruiser said:

Who paid these fees?  the passenger or the cruise line?  What does "up to date vaccine" mean?  No one told me I needed to get a yearly covid vaccine.  

 

The fees were paid by the passenger by credit card when they submitted their travel authorization application to Bermuda's government.

The graphic displayed in the original post's linked article defines "up to date vaccine'' as "all eligible doses (3 doses or 2 doses and not eligible for booster)" .

 

[Charles4515]

18 minutes ago, philpcruiser said:

Who paid these fees?  the passenger or the cruise line?  What does "up to date vaccine" mean?  No one told me I needed to get a yearly covid vaccine.  

 

 

Up to date means three doses, i.e. a booster if eligible. Two doses if you are not eligible for a booster. I doubt the cruise line will pay.

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, S&LMom said:

Passengers pay the fees. Up to date sounds like boosters if eligible meaning 5 months has passed since originally vaccinated. I hope it doesn’t mean boosting every 5 or 6 months. 

It won't mean "boosting every 5 or 6 months" until governments make that recommendation. To date they have not, but could in the future.

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Up to date means three doses, i.e. a booster if eligible. Two doses if you are not eligible for a booster. I doubt the cruise line will pay.

To date passengers have always paid the fees when they submitted their travel authorization applications. I can't see any reason why that would change.

[Charles4515]

14 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

To date passengers have always paid the fees when they submitted their travel authorization applications. I can't see any reason why that would change.

 

Since the fee is paid to the Bermuda government by the individual applying for authorization I don't see any other way than the passenger paying the fee. 

Edited February 6, 2022 by Charles4515

[njhorseman]

8 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Since the fee is paid to the Bermuda government by the individual applying for authorization I don't see any other way than the passenger paying the fee. 

Yes...that's what I was trying to get at when I said "I can't see any reason why that would change". 😉

[Janet524]

Maybe it's too soon to be concerned since our cruise isn't until May and much can happen between now and then.  But how are cruise passengers supposed to have a Covid test no more than 2 days before arriving if the ship doesn't get to Bermuda until Day 5 of the cruise?  Will everyone have to do a test on board?  Will we have to apply for the Bermuda travel authorization before we leave for the cruise?  I'm hoping that we will get some direction from the cruise line well in advance, but knowing how on top of things they are, I'm not hopeful.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Janet524 said:

Maybe it's too soon to be concerned since our cruise isn't until May and much can happen between now and then.  But how are cruise passengers supposed to have a Covid test no more than 2 days before arriving if the ship doesn't get to Bermuda until Day 5 of the cruise?  Will everyone have to do a test on board?  Will we have to apply for the Bermuda travel authorization before we leave for the cruise?  I'm hoping that we will get some direction from the cruise line well in advance, but knowing how on top of things they are, I'm not hopeful.

These types of issues were dealt with and solved last year when Bermuda's protocols were more onerous than they're expected to be this year. The details of the processes for cruises differed from those for air arrivals and also differed by cruise line in order to be able to work with each cruise line's scheduled time at sea while underway to Bermuda.

I can only reemphasize the need for patience as Bermuda and the cruise lines go through the process of working out the rules. Last year some of those rules weren't finalized until a relatively short time before cruises commenced.

You have almost three month until your cruise so you have no need to be concerned at this time .

[PMO]

It may appear it’s too soon to be concerned but full payment is due in 10 days. It is only a few days more than 2 months until we leave. We are sure where to get answers to the problems Janet524 brought up. 

[njhorseman]

13 minutes ago, PMO said:

It may appear it’s too soon to be concerned but full payment is due in 10 days. It is only a few days more than 2 months until we leave. We are sure where to get answers to the problems Janet524 brought up. 

You don't need to know the exact protocols by final payment date. They'll come up with a procedure that will be acceptable to the cruise line and Bermuda and that passengers will  be able to comply with, even if it turns out to be a bit inconvenient for some. Neither Bermuda nor the cruise lines want to turn passengers away.

[PMO]

Thank you for the information. I suppose I’m one that likes to know what is expected before making final payment. 

[princeton123211]

18 minutes ago, PMO said:

It may appear it’s too soon to be concerned but full payment is due in 10 days. It is only a few days more than 2 months until we leave.

The other thing is that it's not like things are likely to get more restrictive than last year's protocols or what they are currently saying are the entry rules. If anything requirements may be dropped as you get closer.

 

I would understand if you were concerned about final payment at a time when things were still up in the air, but thankfully everything looks better now. If you want to take this cruise it's a fairly safe bet to make final payment with the hope that you might not have even any requirements of entry by the time you sail in May. 

[ExArkie]

I made final payment a couple of months ago for our transatlantic that leaves in two weeks, with a stop in Bermuda on day four. Between the several layers of "information" provided by the Bermuda government site and the cruise line, there are many uncertainties abounding.

 

The Bermuda authorities told my wife that they expect to have the revised requirements published on Monday. "Expect them to be looser," was the only description of what they would be.

 

Based on the port schedule, it looks like the first ships at King's Wharf will be Saga's Spirit of Adventure on March 19, Oceania Riviera March 21 (this is the one we're on), and Oceania Marina March 22. One would presume that the details would be worked out before the first one is en route.

 

[Janet524]

18 hours ago, ExArkie said:

The Bermuda authorities told my wife that they expect to have the revised requirements published on Monday. "Expect them to be looser," was the only description of what they would be.

 

Did the Bermuda authorities say where these new requirements will be posted? I'd like to get a look at them when they are available. 

[njhorseman]

4 minutes ago, Janet524 said:

Did the Bermuda authorities say where these new requirements will be posted? I'd like to get a look at them when they are available. 

The general rules will be here:

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

 

Then click on the box that says "Are you a Cruise Passenger? " , which will take you here:

https://www.gov.bm/cruise-travel-authorisation

 

Of course it's possible that the exact format of the website will change when the new rules are published.

[Janet524]

Thanks!

[LB_NJ]

I refuse to believe that any mainstream cruise line will pay the $40 on behalf of the passengers.  I fully believe that the cruise lines will happily collect the $40 from the passengers (maybe Onboard Account) and forward the money to Bermuda.  I am also willing to believe that the cruise lines will happily forward all documentation to the Bermuda government.  Now that it is only an antigen test for cruise passengers, I believe that the cruise lines can do that on-board (not sure if they will have a small charge for that).

[njhorseman]

5 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

I refuse to believe that any mainstream cruise line will pay the $40 on behalf of the passengers.  I fully believe that the cruise lines will happily collect the $40 from the passengers (maybe Onboard Account) and forward the money to Bermuda.  I am also willing to believe that the cruise lines will happily forward all documentation to the Bermuda government.  Now that it is only an antigen test for cruise passengers, I believe that the cruise lines can do that on-board (not sure if they will have a small charge for that).

No, if it works the way it did last year (and there's no reason to believe it won't) you'll pay the $40 directly to the Bermuda government by credit card when you submit your travel authorization application via the Internet.

Also the cruise lines already require you to bring a negative test result to the pier in order to embark and you pay for that yourself. If Bermuda requires an additional test then it may be done on board.

Last year NCL obtained the test sample at the pier before departure and had it processed by an outside lab while Crystal did the swab on board while underway and had the test processed in Bermuda. The procedures varied by cruise line because different lines spend different amounts at sea sailing to Bermuda.

[LB_NJ]

6 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

No, if it works the way it did last year (and there's no reason to believe it won't) you'll pay the $40 directly to the Bermuda government by credit card when you submit your travel authorization application via the Internet.

Also the cruise lines already require you to bring a negative test result to the pier in order to embark and you pay for that yourself. If Bermuda requires an additional test then it may be done on board.

Last year NCL obtained the test sample at the pier before departure and had it processed by an outside lab while Crystal did the swab on board while underway and had the test processed in Bermuda. The procedures varied by cruise line because different lines spend different amounts at sea sailing to Bermuda.

I was thinking of the cruises that will be at sea or some other port 2 days before docking in Bermuda.  If you are at sea or at some other port (not your home port) the cruise line will have to do the antigen tests.  Also, I don't think you can expect every passenger to have their own PC or smartphone to upload everything through the ship's internet to Bermuda.  I think the cruise-lines will handle everything in those cases. Just easier and less chance of screw-ups.  Plus, before it was PCR tests which would be problematic for the cruise lines while they are doing antigen tests now.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, LB_NJ said:

I was thinking of the cruises that will be at sea or some other port 2 days before docking in Bermuda.  If you are at sea or at some other port (not your home port) the cruise line will have to do the antigen tests.  Also, I don't think you can expect every passenger to have their own PC or smartphone to upload everything through the ship's internet to Bermuda.  I think the cruise-lines will handle everything in those cases. Just easier and less chance of screw-ups.  Plus, before it was PCR tests which would be problematic for the cruise lines while they are doing antigen tests now.

Yes it's likely any required additional antigen testing would be  done on the ship, but in the past the additional test results didn't have to be uploaded nor was another travel authorization required. You obtained your first test and your travel authorization prior to boarding and the results of the subsequent required tests were provided to Bermuda by the cruise line without any involvement of the passengers. It's no different than the cruise line providing a passenger manifest to Bermuda with the passengers' passport information. 

[nanrob]

Confused....  NCL site says that for Bermuda that they now only require the Antigen test and that the travel authorization is $40 per person.   However the Bermuda site listed above and referenced on the NCL site still says that the PCR test is required and that the travel authorization is $75 per person. 

 

Not clear to me at all as to what I need to do for April 10th departure date.  
😕