New Boarding Requirements for O Cruises Effective 3-1-2022

[2552phxcrzr]

Got an email from Oceania today with the new boarding requirements ... for cruises leaving on or after 3-1-2022.

 

For voyages departing on or after March 1, 2022, the following protocols will go into effect:

 

1)    As our voyages will operate with 100% fully vaccinated guests and crew, therefore, face coverings will be highly recommended but not required for guests on board, subject to local oversight of authorities in the jurisdiction(s) in which the ships are sailing, which may result in face coverings being required for guests.

 

2)    Oceania Cruises will require that all guests arrive at the embarkation terminal with a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test result from a third-party verified laboratory or pharmacy, taken within 48 hours of arriving to the terminal for cruises beginning in a U.S. port or within 72 hours for all other cruises.  All guests must provide proof of a negative test result at embarkation in a digital or printed format.  Guests not in possession of a negative, third-party Covid-19 test result will not be allowed to embark for the voyage.

 

Test result documentation must be provided in English and must include the following information:

·         Your name, which should match the name on your travel documents

·         Your date of birth

·         The result of the test

·         The date the test sample was collected

·         The name of the test provider

·         Confirmation of the type of test provided

 

Should guests require assistance finding a COVID-19 testing location prior to departing home or while traveling, please click here to visit Test for Travel, an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world. Simply enter your zip code, or city and country, and the website will display locations, contact information, and testing hours. It also allows you to search by test type – PCR or Antigen. 

 

Additionally, we have partnered with Inspire Diagnostics to provide hassle-free, online testing for our guests from the convenience of your own home. Inspire Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Inspire Health Alliance, a leader in best-in-class health services that provides FDA-approved, proctored, in-home antigen testing for our guests. 

 

For more information on Inspire Diagnostics please click here.

 

Please refer to the chart below for guidance on the earliest day you should test based on the cruise embarkation day and country of embarkation.

	Covid test taken no earlier than
Cruise Embark Day	Cruise originates in U.S. port	Cruise originates in non-U.S. port
Sunday	Friday	Thursday
Monday	Saturday	Friday
Tuesday	Sunday	Saturday
Wednesday	Monday	Sunday
Thursday	Tuesday	Monday
Friday	Wednesday	Tuesday
Saturday	Thursday	Wednesday

 

For guests unable to arrange a test within 48 or 72 hours of arriving to the terminal, Oceania Cruises will have on-site testing available at the pier for a fee – pricing will be subject to availability and at the sole discretion of the provider. Please be advised that testing at the terminal may result in delayed embarkation.  In the event you test positive at the terminal prior to embarkation there are mandatory isolation protocols that must be followed, including close contact quarantine requirements in accordance with CDC guidelines specific to cruise vessels.

 

Oceania Cruises will continue to evaluate and modify health and safety protocols as the public health environment evolves and we will communicate any changes.  

[ToxM]

Also just got this in relation to our 29/3 Sirena sailing. 

 

We will be in Barbados when our test is due so looks like Antigen testing will be easiest and cheapest. 

 

Fully plan on taking some lateral flows with us to test in the 8 days prior that we are there. 

 

Looks like the masking mandate on board is easing also - especially during the crossing portions of our TA. 

 

Variant willing anyway 🙂

[Harters]

The wording of this seems contradictory.

 

At 2) it states that you have to arrive at the terminal with a negative test result. Yet, towards the end, it states that if you've not been able to arrange a test, they will have facilities at the terminal.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Harters

[njhorseman]

12 minutes ago, Harters said:

The wording of this seems contradictory.

 

At 2) it states that you have to arrive at the terminal with a negative test result. Yet, towards the end, it states that if you've not been able to arrange a test, they will have facilities at the terminal.

It's not contradictory.

The tests offered at the pier are for the purpose of accommodating any passenger who was unable to be tested beforehand. The intent is to serve the needs of a relatively small number of passengers.

You'll be charged for that test...and I suspect you won't be happy about the price because it's not being set by Oceania but rather by the vendor.

Oceania's sister company NCL is doing the same.

[gardenbunny]

I agree with ToxM.  Hoping and praying this might be the weaning off of these restrictions for travel.

IMO it should be your choice to determine your own risk level of returning to cruises.

 If  you are afraid you might get Covid,  it might not yet be time for you.  Or if you are somewhere in the middle, continue to wear your mask and protect yourself.  If you are not worried and willing to take the risk, then go for it!  

Now if we can only get rid of testing…..because testing is only at that moment in time - 48-72 hours before boarding.  You might just not have enough viral load to detect it yet…

[Funtravel66]

2 minutes ago, gardenbunny said:

I agree with ToxM.  Hoping and praying this might be the weaning off of these restrictions for travel.

IMO it should be your choice to determine your own risk level of returning to cruises.

 If  you are afraid you might get Covid,  it might not yet be time for you.  Or if you are somewhere in the middle, continue to wear your mask and protect yourself.  If you are not worried and willing to take the risk, then go for it!  

Now if we can only get rid of testing…..because testing is only at that moment in time - 48-72 hours before boarding.  You might just not have enough viral load to detect it yet…

Has anyone else noticed that French Polynesia clarified their booster shot requirement?  It is on the Tahiti Tourism site. 

[Harters]

35 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

It's not contradictory.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

Funny how we can both read exactly the same wording but come to completely opposite interpretations of that wording.

[welshfamily]

Although Introducing tests 48 /72 hrs  is at the moment only on NCL/Oceania and Regent seven seas ships I anticipate all cruise lines will introduce this in time.

This is such a shame for us as a family as we were planing to spend a couple of days in Venice before a cruise leaving on the 14th of April.
TA firming up arrangements at the moment.

We already have to have a PCR test 48hrs before arriving or a lateral flow 24 hrs before arriving in Italy. We intended doing this at the airport before flying. 
 

Now we will have to find a company who will PCR/lateral flow us when we are in Italy and get the results to our phones before boarding. Will have to be an on-site provider with a rapid turn around. I didn’t anticipate spend the 48 hrs in Venice having to do this. Testing at the port has proved , although stressful awaiting the result easy enough done. Risky if you test positive but so is flying in the day of your cruise. 
As others have pointed out this is relatively easy to do in your own country, not so simple in a foreign one when arriving early.

 

I did read we can pay at port but $99 each is obviously set high to discourage use.


Unless our TA know a simple way to test in Italy , I expect we will now go with our second choice of cruise Azamara leaving from Barcelona on the 9th flying in the evening before and lateral flowing at the port. At the moment this is included in the Azamara cruise price. Spain doesn’t require us to test before flying although we will with our home kits to be safe.
 

We are in Education , already testing 3 times a week to safely be in school and only have the Easter holidays available therefore cannot add any more time on.

 

 

 

 

[LHT28]

56 minutes ago, welshfamily said:

Unless our TA know a simple way to test in Italy , I expect we will now go with our second choice of cruise Azamara leaving from Barcelona on the 9th flying in the evening before and lateral flowing at the port. At the moment this is included in the Azamara cruise price. Spain doesn’t require us to test before flying although we will with our home kits to be safe.
 

 

Maybe you could contact this lab closer to sailing

https://testfortravel.com/listing/bianalisi-santa-croce-venice/

 Yes it does take  time/money 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, welshfamily said:

Although Introducing tests 48 /72 hrs  is at the moment only on NCL/Oceania and Regent seven seas ships I anticipate all cruise lines will introduce this in time.

Most US-based cruise lines have done it this way since the resumption of cruising and the NCLH family of cruise lines were actually the exception. They are now just coming into line with how the vast majority of the industry has been handling testing all along.

[Hawaiidan]

6 hours ago, Harters said:

The wording of this seems contradictory.

 

At 2) it states that you have to arrive at the terminal with a negative test result. Yet, towards the end, it states that if you've not been able to arrange a test, they will have facilities at the terminal.

Here in  the us...  well California,  its difficult to get tests back  72 hours from testing.   48 hours is just  a huge problem  for many..      Testing at the ship appears to be the only  real option.     I can get tested 72 hours before my flight.

  But, flying in 2 or 3 days prior might make it  over 120 hours.       Friends in Europe tell me that pharmacies  there all  offer same day service.      Too, I would advise O of my situation and take it from there...... one more problem.   Hope that by August  it will ALL go away....

[CruiseLibra]

3 hours ago, welshfamily said:

Although Introducing tests 48 /72 hrs  is at the moment only on NCL/Oceania and Regent seven seas ships I anticipate all cruise lines will introduce this in time.

This is such a shame for us as a family as we were planing to spend a couple of days in Venice before a cruise leaving on the 14th of April.
TA firming up arrangements at the moment.

We already have to have a PCR test 48hrs before arriving or a lateral flow 24 hrs before arriving in Italy. We intended doing this at the airport before flying. 
 

Now we will have to find a company who will PCR/lateral flow us when we are in Italy and get the results to our phones before boarding. Will have to be an on-site provider with a rapid turn around. I didn’t anticipate spend the 48 hrs in Venice having to do this. Testing at the port has proved , although stressful awaiting the result easy enough done. Risky if you test positive but so is flying in the day of your cruise. 
As others have pointed out this is relatively easy to do in your own country, not so simple in a foreign one when arriving early.

 

I did read we can pay at port but $99 each is obviously set high to discourage use.


Unless our TA know a simple way to test in Italy , I expect we will now go with our second choice of cruise Azamara leaving from Barcelona on the 9th flying in the evening before and lateral flowing at the port. At the moment this is included in the Azamara cruise price. Spain doesn’t require us to test before flying although we will with our home kits to be safe.
 

We are in Education , already testing 3 times a week to safely be in school and only have the Easter holidays available therefore cannot add any more time on.

 

 

 

 

 

When we were in Rome prior to our November Mediterranean Cruise on the Riviera, all pharmacies were doing rapid antigen tests without appointments. Your hotel concierge can direct you to the closest place for you to test. Our results were delivered via email within 30 minutes. 

[lorimay]

Or you could use the eMed proctored self-test kits. You can use your phone or a laptop. Very easy to do and we did them in November from hotels in both Rome and Venice. The results are accepted by the cruiselines and the airlines. There is peace of mind knowing that you don't have to go out looking for a test. But we had traveling companions that had no trouble finding an antigen test at a pharmacy in Rome. They were testing everywhere. Results back in less than 30 minutes and they did not make an appointment in advance.

[WESTEAST]

With respect to face coverings, any update whether the crew will continue to wear masks after March 1st?

[basor]

4 hours ago, welshfamily said:

Although Introducing tests 48 /72 hrs  is at the moment only on NCL/Oceania and Regent seven seas ships I anticipate all cruise lines will introduce this in time.

This is such a shame for us as a family as we were planing to spend a couple of days in Venice before a cruise leaving on the 14th of April.
TA firming up arrangements at the moment.

We already have to have a PCR test 48hrs before arriving or a lateral flow 24 hrs before arriving in Italy. We intended doing this at the airport before flying. 
 

Now we will have to find a company who will PCR/lateral flow us when we are in Italy and get the results to our phones before boarding. Will have to be an on-site provider with a rapid turn around. I didn’t anticipate spend the 48 hrs in Venice having to do this. Testing at the port has proved , although stressful awaiting the result easy enough done. Risky if you test positive but so is flying in the day of your cruise. 
As others have pointed out this is relatively easy to do in your own country, not so simple in a foreign one when arriving early.

 

I did read we can pay at port but $99 each is obviously set high to discourage use.


Unless our TA know a simple way to test in Italy , I expect we will now go with our second choice of cruise Azamara leaving from Barcelona on the 9th flying in the evening before and lateral flowing at the port. At the moment this is included in the Azamara cruise price. Spain doesn’t require us to test before flying although we will with our home kits to be safe.
 

We are in Education , already testing 3 times a week to safely be in school and only have the Easter holidays available therefore cannot add any more time on.

 

 

 

 

We boarded in Trieste last November and took with us the monitored COVID test and did them in our hotel room via Zoom......they provided us with a letter that we printed off and took with us.  We purchased them through Optimum for $60.00 for 2....easy to use.   Just need to make sure where you are staying has WIFI - there were 4 of us and we had a COVID testing party in one room while all 4 of us did the Zoom call for the monitored test.

 

Also Oceania posted 

Additionally, we have partnered with Inspire Diagnostics to provide hassle-free, online testing for our guests from the convenience of your own home. Inspire Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Inspire Health Alliance, a leader in best-in-class health services that provides FDA-approved, proctored, in-home antigen testing for our guests. 

 

For more information on Inspire Diagnostics please click here.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, Hawaiidan said:

Here in  the us...  well California,  its difficult to get tests back  72 hours from testing.

Must be a California problem – not US.  In NY, and driving down to Florida in GA we had no trouble getting rapid tests at CVS [with prior appointment]:  results in less than 30 minutes, no charge.  [Antigen tests, which Oceania said were OK.]

[basor]

5 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Must be a California problem – not US.  In NY, and driving down to Florida in GA we had no trouble getting rapid tests at CVS [with prior appointment]:  results in less than 30 minutes, no charge.  [Antigen tests, which Oceania said were OK.]

Same in Oregon - made an appointment at CVS and had results back in 36 hours....no cost

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

10 minutes ago, basor said:

Same in Oregon - made an appointment at CVS and had results back in 36 hours....no cost

That sounds like a PCR test.  CVS also offered them, but wouldn't guarantee the time.  So rather than risk missing the deadline, we went with Antigen.  [Also better chance with Antigen of getting the required 'negative' result...]

[Ibis]

Very disappointed to hear of these changes in requirements. We felt comfortable booking the March 18 TA on Riviera knowing there would be an on board mask requirement as well as testing on the pier before boarding. Those are the same protocols that had made us feel comfortable with our Hal TA in November. We will continue to wear our masks indoors on board but that protects others more than it protects us.  As for the test, since we live in south Florida and plan to arrive by car, testing in advance is not a huge burden but the fact that Oceania will no longer test at the time of boarding represents to us a change in their concern and desire to ensure that everyone boarding is Covid free at that moment. This sets a different tone for our expectations and we are disappointed.

[basor]

2 minutes ago, Ibis said:

Very disappointed to hear of these changes in requirements. We felt comfortable booking the March 18 TA on Riviera knowing there would be an on board mask requirement as well as testing on the pier before boarding. Those are the same protocols that had made us feel comfortable with our Hal TA in November. We will continue to wear our masks indoors on board but that protects others more than it protects us.  As for the test, since we live in south Florida and plan to arrive by car, testing in advance is not a huge burden but the fact that Oceania will no longer test at the time of boarding represents to us a change in their concern and desire to ensure that everyone boarding is Covid free at that moment. This sets a different tone for our expectations and we are disappointed.

The only difference is that they are still requiring a negative test to board but we must provide the proof so no one will be boarding without a negative COVID test:  Before Oceania did the test prior to embarkation at the pier.  They will still have the testing site available if someone does not bring their current negative COVID test but you will pay for it...no proof of current negative COVID test- no embarkation!

2)    Oceania Cruises will require that all guests arrive at the embarkation terminal with a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test result from a third-party verified laboratory or pharmacy, taken within 48 hours of arriving to the terminal for cruises beginning in a U.S. port or within 72 hours for all other cruises.  All guests must provide proof of a negative test result at embarkation in a digital or printed format.  Guests not in possession of a negative, third-party Covid-19 test result will not be allowed to embark for the voyage.

[Host Jazzbeau]

27 minutes ago, basor said:

The only difference is that they are still requiring a negative test to board but we must provide the proof so no one will be boarding without a negative COVID test:  Before Oceania did the test prior to embarkation at the pier.

I think the point is that the prior tests were all done just before boarding.  Now tests will be done some days before – and the disease can develop during that gap.  I agree that the old way was safer – nothing is perfect, but that last-minute test was the gold standard. 

 

OTOH, as governments more and more agree that we aren't going to defeat this virus but have to deal with it as an endemic nuisance, I suspect that even this testing regime will go away soon.  A few years ago we were all aware that you ran a good risk on a cruise of getting 'cruise cough' or even norovirus; nobody was tested for them without symptoms, and people just dealt with it.

[Ibis]

Thank you Host Jazzbeau for clarifying my concern about the testing. As you explained, previously Oceania was testing at the very last minute before boarding while the new regulations now allow for a 24/72 gap between testing and boarding. And yes, that was exactly my point, the disease can develop during that time and passengers could board, infected, and undetected. I agree with you, testing at the pier by the cruise line is the gold standard and we are sorry Oceania has decided to move away from that procedure. This is not the only change. The second point, as I understand it, is masks will no longer be required on board in indoor settings. They will be optional. This also represents a major switch in health safety protocol. Those who choose to continue to wear masks are protecting others more than they are protecting themselves. If I am willing to wear one, which helps me but helps protect someone else even more, I wonder why others aren’t willing to show me the same courtesy?  Indoor masking in confined settings such as those found on cruise ships is, in our opinion, still a very valuable tool to keep cases down on ships so that we might all feel more secure cruising, an important point for all cruise lines. Thus there are more cruisers, more business for cruise lines,  and good, not bad publicity for lines that are careful and successful in keeping cases low during these times. As the Covid situation hopefully improves, there will be a time when this move to optional masks will be appropriate,  but unfortunately we feel Oceania is premature with this decision and may be inviting problems for passengers, thus problems  for themselves as well.  We are sorry to learn Oceania has changed these protocols between the time we purchased our Transatlantic just last week and our departure now only 37 days away. Thanks, Jazzbeau, for your response and clarification.

[ORV]

10 hours ago, Ibis said:

but the fact that Oceania will no longer test at the time of boarding represents to us a change in their concern and desire to ensure that everyone boarding is Covid free at that moment.

While you definitely have a point about the last minute testing being the safest, the real motivation in my opinion is to put the expense of the testing on the passenger, and not the cruise line. The current model is simply not sustainable financially for the cruise industry. I'm not referring to just testing, capacity is another huge issue, as well as availability of destinations. 

Edited February 9, 2022 by ORV

[Jim and Monika]

14 hours ago, lorimay said:

Or you could use the eMed proctored self-test kits. You can use your phone or a laptop. Very easy to do and we did them in November from hotels in both Rome and Venice. The results are accepted by the cruiselines and the airlines. There is peace of mind knowing that you don't have to go out looking for a test. But we had traveling companions that had no trouble finding an antigen test at a pharmacy in Rome. They were testing everywhere. Results back in less than 30 minutes and they did not make an appointment in advance.

We were wondering if the eMed proctored tests would be accepted.  We too used them last October with another line and they were super easy.   It seemed Oceania was steering guests towards using their own partnered online test provider.   So we had questioned if they were accepting the eMed proctored tests results as well.

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, Jim and Monika said:

We were wondering if the eMed proctored tests would be accepted.  We too used them last October with another line and they were super easy.   It seemed Oceania was steering guests towards using their own partnered online test provider.   So we had questioned if they were accepting the eMed proctored tests results as well.

The eMed tests meet Oceania's requirements, which are no different than other cruise lines' requirements. Look at the wording about their partner on O's website, particularly the first word:

 

Additionally, we have partnered with Inspire Diagnostics to provide hassle-free, online testing for our guests from the convenience of your own home. Inspire Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Inspire Health Alliance, a leader in best-in-class health services that provides FDA-approved, proctored, in-home antigen testing for our guests.